Make Ready – She’s Coming

Make Ready – She’s Coming
by Pureza D. Lacuesta

When I heard over the radio that Mama Mary, the Holy Virgin of Fatima was coming to Iloilo, all the way from Portugal today, I felt something which I couldn’t fully describe. My children and grandchildren excitedly looked for blessed candles which they would light at Aganan since the image was to arrive at the airport at 4:20 in the afternoon, stay for some time at the church of Sta. Barbara, and proceed to Jaro.

I was glad that the people in our place awaited her coming with excitement because it means that our Blessed Mother has many devotees.

As I looked at Our Lady of Fatima on our home altar, I was filled with memories with my own experience in 1949 when she came to Pototan. She had given a miracle there and I want to share it with you now.

There were frenzied preparations when we knew that she was really going to visit our town. All the town officials, led by our Mayor turned out for the procession. Schools and other institutions followed suit. We, at the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, wore our gala uniform and gathered in the school ground, prayed the rosary, sang the Marian hymns, and prepared our banners.

The activity was so holy and so touching that I thought I was somewhere else, among the clouds perhaps, because the Virgin’s face was beautiful and motherly. I wanted to hug her. Our Mayor placed her carefully on an elevated place so that everybody could see. When it was time for the glass case to be removed, our Parish Priest, the late Msgr. Ciceron Martirez, tried to do it, but the glass covering did not move an inch. After some time, our Mayor took over, but he wasn’t able to do so. Some of the men around took turns, but the glass case resisted. They, then, realized that it was not an ordinary case.

The priest called for the people to pray the rosary slowly and fervently, and invoked God and Mama Mary, to please have her image exposed for us to touch and revere. We followed the priest as he led the prayer. Our eyes were on the Virgin inside the glass container.

After the final amen, another attempt was made to remove the case and – miracle of miracles! It was done very easily. Some of us cried openly. Others said the Hail Mary aloud. Hymns were sung. There was general rejoicing.

I don’t know how many hearts were captured by our dear Mama Mary through that miracle.


Since then, my devotion to the Holy Rosary increased and I never stop asking the Lord and the Blessed Virgin to increase the fervor in our prayers, in order to remove the glass case of pretense and presumption.

Timmy, the Small Devotee

Mass was about to begin and Timmy, my daughter Carmeli’s grandson, was with her. He was full of spirit and he started asking about the images of the saints, their names and what they were doing there in church.

I thought he wouldn’t stop talking but when the bell rang for the mass to begin, he put his finger to his lips and said: sssh! lola, mama, “hipos, ara na ang pari.” We looked at each other. What a boy!