In the presence of a living saint

We have spent the last four days with a group of pilgrims at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.

It has been a profound and uplifting experience, not least because our group of 16 people was led by a venerable priest, Father Peter Lessiter.

Unable to move, Fr Lessiter celebrates the Mass with great humility and devotion

The pilgrimage itself was very demanding in terms of having a strict programme of devotions at various times and venues throughout the Shrine but, if I tell you that Father Lessiter, wheelchair bound,  was at the helm during those four days, despite being seventy nine years of age and in his forty ninth year as a priest, you will have some small concept of the very great demands that were made on this, the most humble of men.

And then, if I tell you that Fr Lessiter is basically paralysed due to various illnesses you will appreciate the tremendous effort he made in order to provide the rigour and integrity to the group and to give honour to Our Lady of Fatima and her Divine Son.

Retirement is a word not recognised by Fr Lessiter; God called him to the priesthood and there he will remain until such time that God will call him again.

Not for him the two bedroomed bungalow in the suburbs and the leisurely life style of the average retired parish priest.

Father L maintains a spiritual and mental programme of activity that would put a 25 year old to shame.

 

A much loved and respected priest

And when people thank him for his witness and guidance his stock reply is:

"Don't thank me, thank Almighty God, He's the one who is deserving of praise; I am just His servant"

It is hard to imagine the daily struggle of an aged man who has lost 80% of body movement.

But Father Lessiter bears it all without complaint or any reduction of his immense good humour.

Watching him celebrate the Latin Mass, virtually immobile but for slight movements of the hands, is a humbling experience.

Every slight action takes an enormous effort of will; just standing at the altar must sap his energy considerably.

Yet he continues, unremittingly in his drive to save souls.

During his lifetime he has brought the Sacraments to many thousands of Catholics living a 'recusant' like existence prior to 2007.

He has also been on constant call, night and day to take the Sacrament of Extreme Unction to those in danger of death - anywhere in England and Wales.

And, most especially, he has been on call to minister the Last Rites to brother priests, many of whom, have turned to the traditional Faith on their deathbed.

It may take more than a hundred years for Fr Lessiter to receive the recognition he deserves but, I am confident that the day will come when he is canonised by Holy Mother Church.

Please remember him in your prayers, he has a gruelling and mentally draining period ahead of him and a difficult return journey to make.

Coincidentally, you may like to read Fr Ray Blake's post that touches on the subjects of retirement and evangelisation, you may read it HERE

Fatima beckons

"Repent, do penance, pray...."

We leave, on Wednesday, for Fatima.

There we will join a small group of pilgrims led by an old and venerable priest; one who eschewed the Vatican II changes and carried on celebrating the Latin Mass.

from 1973 to within the past few years he travelled the country, bringing Mass and the Sacraments to the young, the old and the dying (especially dying priests).

He is, alongside Fr Hugh Thwaites, probably one of the most well known priests in England and Wales. But, he keeps a low profile.

We shall have daily Mass in the hotel chapel plus the Rosary and Benediction and all the prayers associated with Fatima.

All friends, readers, commentators and critics will be remembered in our prayers.

We will be in Fatima from 10th to 14th May - blogging may be sporadic; we shall also spend a little time in Lisbon.


Please pray for my niece, Mary, who is suffering from a serious brain tumour, thank you.

Fatima and a meeting of brother priests

A 'Doctor Livingstone' moment in the crowded square

The last few days traditionally is a peak period for pilgrims visiting Fatima to coincide with the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun on October 13th.

I do not know how many thousand people would have been in attendance, but it would have been a lot.

There are two priests who are so very close to the heart of my family and to whom we owe so much yet, they live and work hundreds of miles apart.

It so happened that both were in Fatima during the last week and they met, quite by chance, in the middle of the square.

Neither knew each other well; I think that they had met briefly on one occasion in the past.
 I would have given a lot to have been there in Portugal with them both and their flocks.

And, for Fr Z's brick by brick file, I have learnt that a friend in the group, never having served at an EF Mass in his life, stepped up to the mark thus enabling Fr Jones to celebrate a daily Mass.

The other priest was Fr Lessiter, another legendary priest who travelled hundreds of miles at night to bestow the Last Rites on my mother as she lay dying in hospital.

Father Lessiter has made last minute dashes a part of his ministry and he has anointed many a 'liberal' priest on his deathbed including a member of a famously modernist Bishop's staff.
Needless to say, the Bishop never knew what was taking place under his nose.