YARMOUTH—In honor of the Brazilian population on Cape Cod, St. Pius X School will hold its second annual Our Lady of Aparecida celebration on Friday, October 11th at 1:00 pm.  Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., who was born and raised in Brazil, will celebrate a Mass at that time as the centerpiece of the school’s celebration.

The feast day of Our Lady of Aparecida is celebrated October 12th and commemorates one of the most important miracles to ever occur in Brazil.  In 1717, the governor of the Sao Paulo Province was passing through a small town.  The people in the town wanted to provide a big feast for the governor, but feared that they would not have enough fish for the crowd.  After days without a catch and trying one final time, the fisherman caught in their nets a headless statue of the Virgin Mary. On the next try, they brought in the actual head of the statue.  After putting the statue back together, they had a rich and bountiful catch, bringing in more than enough fish for the feast.  Word of this miracle spread and many people began to visit the statue.  The people called the statue “Our Lady of Aparecida” because it means “she who appeared.” In 1930, Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Aparecida the patroness of Brazil.

Recalling his homeland and heritage, Bishop da Cunha said he is pleased to be taking part in the celebration.

“It is an honor and a pleasure to celebrate this tradition with the St. Pius X community,” Bishop da Cunha said.  “I remember looking forward to the October 12th festivities when I was a child, so participating in this celebration brings me back to how my family established traditions for Our Lady of Aparecida.  What a wonderful experience for all children and their families to learn about this very important miracle in Brazil.”

St. Pius X Principal Anne Dailey shared that the school is “thrilled to have Bishop da Cunha to lead us in this very important celebration for our entire student population. Our students love to learn about their faith and the world around them, and to have Bishop’s Brazilian influence is an extra special event!”

Father Paul Caron, pastor of St. Pius X Parish and School added, “Last year’s event proved to be a wonderful celebration.  The children really enjoyed acting out the events that took place in 1717 as well as learning some of the prayers in Portuguese.  Bishop da Cunha’s presence will bring even more attention to the Brazilian people in our community and how we can all learn from each other’s traditions.”

St. Pius X Church is located at 98 Station Avenue in South Yarmouth. For more information, please go to www.spxschool.org or call the school at (508) 398-6112.

-end-

The Catholic Schools Alliance comprises administrators, teachers, staff, parents and clergy joined in partnership to educate the children of the Diocese of Fall River in Catholic faith and values. Our schools have a demanding educational culture that helps students from across the academic spectrum reach their God-given potential. With an emphasis on service and respect for the dignity of every person, we prepare students to meet the challenges of today’s diverse world and become meaningful contributors to society.

The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D.
The Bishop of Fall River