Fatima Center

SAINTS OF THE DAY
January 26

MEMORIAL OF SAINTS TIMOTHY AND TITUS, BISHOPS

Saints Timothy and Titus (St. Timothy c. 17–97 AD; St. Titus c. 35–96 AD) were trusted companions and co-workers of St. Paul, entrusted with shepherding some of the earliest Christian communities. Both men appear prominently in the New Testament, not as distant figures, but as spiritual sons formed through close mentorship and shared mission.

St. Timothy, born of a Jewish mother and Greek father, became Paul’s beloved disciple and was appointed bishop of Ephesus. Gentle by nature yet firm in faith, St. Timothy was encouraged to lead with courage, fidelity to sound doctrine, and personal holiness. Paul’s letters to him offer enduring guidance on pastoral leadership and perseverance.

St. Titus, a Gentile convert, was sent to Crete to organize and strengthen the Church there. Known for decisiveness and clarity, St. Titus helped establish Church order, appoint leaders, and correct abuses, ensuring that faith was lived with integrity.

Together, St. Timothy and St. Titus embody the continuity of apostolic leadership—faith handed on through trust, teaching, and example. Their lives remind the Church that mission flourishes when guided by wisdom, humility, and faithful collaboration. Their feast day is celebrated on January 26.

SAINT OF THE DAY
January 24

MEMORIAL OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.
( BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH)

St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was born to a noble family in France. He enjoyed a privileged upbringing and education, earning a doctorate in law and theology. He was a well-liked and intelligent man, yet quiet and reserved. When struggling with thoughts of his possibly being predestined to eternal damnation, Francis went into a deep two-year depression. God healed him of this fear, and afterwards Francis consecrated himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He later became a priest, rejecting the lucrative career and advantageous marriage his father had prepared for him.

As a priest, St. Francis became a prolific writer and preacher, and at the age of 35 was made bishop of the Calvinist stronghold in Geneva, Switzerland, at the height of the Protestant revolt against the Church. Through his gentleness, preaching skill, zeal for the faith, and his clear explanations of Catholic doctrine, he returned thousands of obstinate heretics to the true Faith. He also used sign language to convert the deaf.

St. Francis de Sales is a Doctor of the Church, known especially for his writings on practical spiritual direction for lay people. He is the patron of teachers, the deaf, the Catholic press, confessors, educators, and authors. His feast day is January 24th.

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January 2⃣1⃣

Martyrdom 🌟🌹
ST. AGNES

Agnes, whose name means “chaste” in Greek, was a beautiful young girl born in a wealthy Roman family in the year 291 AD.
A pagan young Nobel admired Agnes for her beauty and proposed to marry her but Agnes then only 13 years of age had already consecrated herself to Jesus Christ and hence refused the marriage proposal. The furious young noble man then told the pagan Roman authorities that Agnes was a Christian.

The Roman Prefect Sempronius condemned Agnes to be dragged naked through the streets to a brothel. But immediately as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. All of the men who attempted to r**e her were immediately struck blind. The son of the prefect was struck dead, but revived after Agnes prayed for him. Terrified by these events the Roman Prefect Sempronius excuses himself, and another officer presides and condemned Agnes to be burned alive.

Agnes was thrown in the fire, but the fire refused to burn her and the flames parted away from her, whereupon the Roman officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and stabbed her in the throat on 21st January 304 AD, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The blood of Agnes poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked up the blood with cloths. Agnes was buried beside the Via Nomentana in Rome.

A few days after the martyrdom of St. Agnes, another woman, Emerentiana, was found praying by her tomb and was stoned to death by the pagans for refusing to leave the place, Emerentiana was also later canonized. The bones of St. Agnes are enshrined beneath the high altar in the church of Sant' Agnese fuori le mura in Rome, built in 324 AD, over the catacomb that housed the tomb of St. Agnes. Her skull is enshrined in a separate chapel in the church of Sant' Agnese in Agone in Rome's Piazza Navona.

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"You may stain your sword with my blood; but you will never be able to profane my body, consecrated to Christ."
📚✍🏻 St. Agnes

It's a new year and our Monthly 13th Congress is still moving on. The entire Fatima Youth and Block Rosary Center Obodoukwu together with our Chaplains, Patrons & Matrons, Parents and all the faithful will gather at Fatima Center to celebrate 13th Congress for this month on Monday, 12th of January, 2026 by 10:00 am prompt.

There will be Rosary procession, Holy Mass, Marian Talks, Dance, and others activities that will nourish us and get us ready ahead of this year.

This will be another moment of encounter with the Jesus and Mary. Kindly join us with your intentions as we embark on this new year with prayer and faith.

Glory To Jesus, Both Now and Forever 🙏
Ave, Maria 🙏

It was another remarkable moment at Fatima Youth and Block Rosary Center Obodoukwu on Monday, 5th January, 2026 where those that passed through Block Rosary Crusade met the current Parish Executives across all Parishes in Obodoukwu . Having ensured that all the Block Rosary Crusade Centers in Obodoukwu Clan is having their Monthly 13th Congress there, there is a great need for those that passed through Block Rosary Crusade during their own time to meet together and discuss on the way forward with the current Executives of Block Rosary Crusade across all Parishes in Obodoukwu Clan.

In his address during the meeting, the Founder and Spiritual Director of the Center, Rev Fr (Prof) Augustus Esiobu appreciates everyone that came to the meeting. He further highlights the purpose of having this crucial meeting which are:
1. Coming together to have a body that unite everyone that passed through Block Rosary Crusade.
2. Strengthening of all the Block Rosary Centers especially the weak ones and those that were no longer active.
3. Inauguration of the Ave Maria Society Executives.

Immediately after his address, there were suggestions from different people as well as Parish Reports from all the Parishes in Obodoukwu Clan. Inauguration of the Ave Maria Society in Obodoukwu Clan was also done and the following officers were nominated to start up the Society:
1. Bro Sidney Onyekwere --- President (St. Mary's)
2. Sis Monica Ekpedo --- Vice President (St. Mary's)
3. Sis Nkeiruka Uchedike --- Secretary (St. Mary's)
4. Sis Modesta Akaneme --- Vice Secretary (St. Ann's)
5. Bro Chukwudi Ezenwa --- Caretaker (St. Mary's)
6. Bro Onyekachi Umearukwa --- P.R.O. I (St. Mary's)
7. Bro Ejikeme Diokpo --- P.R.O. II (St. Mary's)
8. Rev Fr (Prof) Augustus Esiobu --- Chaplain.

These Executives will be responsible for organizing all programs at Fatima Youth and Block Rosary Center, supporting all the Block Rosary Centers across the Parishes in Obodoukwu Clan, ensure that new Block Rosary Centers are created where necessary, inaugurating Ave Maria Society at all the Parishes in Obodoukwu Clan and other task that will uplift the spiritual life of the Children and Youth at all the Block Rosary Centers in Obodoukwu Clan.

Fatima Youth and Block Rosary Center Oboukwu is our own. Together let's carry Fatima message down to our various families, enlighten our children on the importance of Block Rosary Crusade and ensure that they participate actively at their various Centers (both at home and abroad). By doing this, we will catch them young and build a brighter future with good morals for our families and Community at large.

Ave, Maria🙏

📅 December 26, 2025
📌 Saint of the Day

✝️ SAINT STEPHEN
The First Martyr

Feast

St. Stephen lived in first century Jerusalem and is noteworthy as the first Christian martyr. He was a deacon appointed by the Apostles to serve in Jerusalem among the Hellenistic Jews. Acts 7:54-60 tells of his martyrdom. St. Stephen’s preaching and performing of miracles incited hostility and he was stoned. He died, as Jesus did, asking that God forgive those who murdered him. His feast day has been celebrated since the 4th century.

Today, as we reflect on St. Stephan, let us follow his example of being a committed, fearless, forgiving disciple of Jesus and bear witness to our Lord, just as St. Stephan.

Saint Stephen, Pray for us. 🙏

THE HUMANITY OF THE NEW BORN CHILD.

The Word took flesh and dwelt among us, taking the form of man. He became a child born of a woman, chaste and famous for her fiat, through whom the radical obedience of Jesus Christ to the Father became a mentality suckled from her breast.

What gift is greater than thou, whose existence brought salvation to all humanity?

The reason for this season is us to humans, who were lost in sin but found through His birth by the Virgin Mary, who knew no man.

For she neither knew nor thought that her process of conceiving Christ would be through a mysterious mode via the sense organ of the ear, not the fusion of Joseph’s and Mary’s gametes; for the child she bore is Spirit, thus He will come spiritually.

Never in the history of existence has there been a symphony of Divinity and Humanity in a single unit(body).

O what a gift to humanity that God dwells among us, taking our nature for us to resemble him Christ the Emmanuel.

Blessed be the mother of our Lord, famous for her fiat.

Thank you, our newborn King, for being in our midst and dwelling among us.

Happy Christmas 🎄🎊

Third Sunday of Advent
December 14

GAUDETE SUNDAY

The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. Advent is a penitential season of abstinence, sacrifice, and prayer in order to prepare our souls for the advent or coming of the Lord.

On Gaudete Sunday we celebrate that our hopeful anticipation for the coming of Christ at Christmas is almost over. Rose is the liturgical color used to signify joy, therefore we light the rose Advent candle on the third Sunday of Advent and the priests wear rose vestments. Gaudete Sunday corresponds to Laetare Sunday during the season of Lent. The third candle on the Advent wreath – a pink or rose one – is often called the Shepherd’s Candle and symbolizes Joy. It helps us remember to be joyful at the coming birth of Jesus.

The December 13th Congress at Fatima Center was nothing short of amazing and closer union with our Mother Mary thereby uplifting our spiritual way of life.

The Congress started from the planning stages to the Rosary procession, Holy Mass, Marian Talk, entertainment and refreshments made the Congress truly special. Attached are the pictures for your viewing pleasure.

We send our gratitude to our Father Founder, Chaplains from different Parishes, Religious, our Patron and Patroness, Block Rosary Crusade Executives and the entire members of Block Rosary Crusade in Obodoukwu Clan for making this Congress a successful one indeed💯

🙏 Ave, Maria 🙏

TODAY'S FEAST DAY:
13th December
ST. LUCY - Virgin and Martyr (283 - 304)

St. Lucy was one of the earliest Christian martyrs. According to tradition, she was born to wealthy noble parents in Syracuse, Italy. Her father, of Roman origin, died young and left Lucy dependent upon her mother, Eutychia. Though Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, Eutychia insisted upon her betrothal to a young noble pagan. Perhaps she hoped, like St. Cecilia, to be able to convert her husband and persuade him to respect her commitment.

Eutychia was suffering from hemorrhages and, at her daughter's suggestion, journeyed with her to the miracle-working tomb of St. Agatha at Catania, some 50 miles away. There, she was instantly and completely cured. With a heart overflowing with gratitude, she now gave in to her daughter's repeated pleadings and permitted her to distribute a large part of her inheritance among the poor. This, however, aroused the covetousness of her worldly-minded fiancé to such a degree that he denounced her before the governor of Sicily as a Christian.

It was the time of the fierce Diocletian persecution. In the
In the emperor's mind, the worship of the Roman gods was inextricably
bound with unity and loyalty to the State. Therefore, in order to fortify the empire, Christians would need to adhere to the established norms or face elimination, even if they demonstrate unwavering patriotism in all other aspects. As a result of Lucy's resoluteness, she was subjected to horrible and shameful torture; she was ordered to be exposed to prostitution in a brothel, but this was thwarted by divine intervention; she was next ordered to be burnt to death, but proved impervious to the flames. She finally died on December 13, 304 AD, with a sword thrust through her throat. She is the Patroness of Syracuse (Sicily), and, possibly because of her name, which is suggestive of light, she is invoked against eye trouble.

Prayer
O God, our Creator and Redeemer, mercifully hear our prayers that as we venerate your servant, Saint Lucy, for the light of faith You bestowed upon her, You would increase and preserve this same light in our souls🙏