By Bob Ho
A group of faithful recently completed their fifth First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There were 44 people from six parishes in the Klang Valley and they made the pilgrimage to the Church of St Paul the Apostle in Kuala Kubu Baru to fulfill the request of Our Lady of Fatima.
The fifth First Saturday mass on July 1 was a double joy as it coincided with the church’s triduum celebrations to commemorate the Feast of St Paul. They started the day with adoration of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction, praying the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, and there was a healing prayer by parish priest Fr V.A. Michael. He later blessed them with holy water before offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation and then celebrated mass.
Fr Michael advised the faithful to “pray with all your heart and trust in God” as the devotion is “the surrendering of your life with Jesus”. Calling the devotion a time of healing, salvation, grace, anointing and empowerment, Fr Michael said: “Through your five Saturday devotions to the Blessed Sacrament, to the body of Christ, to the blood of Jesus, to the wounds of Christ, your mortification to the Stations of the Cross, getting immersed with the sufferings of Jesus … the healing will take place.”
The First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a special request by Our Lord and Our Lady to make reparation for all the sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady promised personal salvation for those who fulfill the five consecutive First Saturdays.
This was revealed in 1925 by the Blessed Virgin to Sister Lucia when she appeared before her. Our Lady said: “Look, my daughter, at my heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decade of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.
George Yeow, who organised the pilgrimage, thanked Fr Michael for hosting all five Saturdays which began on March 4.
Fr Michael said it was God’s grace that brought them to this quiet place. “This is what God is asking of you – to see steadfast faith in you. When you have faith in God, nothing is impossible.” He hoped more faithful would commit to the First Saturdays devotion, which could be done in their respective parishes.
One of the pilgrims Anne Sew said she was seeing changes in her life since the first time they came to the KKB parish for the First Saturday devotion. She said she had learned to calm down a lot and did not get angry so easily after praying for calmness and purification.
Sally Tan gave praise and glory to the Lord for answering her prayers. “We must always pray and trust fully in the Lord. He will provide, hear and guide us in our lives.”
