Prof Américo Pablo López Ortiz

Prof. Américo Pablo López-Ortiz International President of the World Apostolate of Fatima National President of the W.A.F. - Puerto Rico International Delegate representing Latin America Number of years as a member of the Apostolate of Fatima: Prof. Américo Pablo López-Ortiz is member of the Blue Army, predecessor of the World Apostolate of Fatima, since the 13th of May, 1976. He founded the World Apostolate of Fatima in 1999 in Fatima, Portugal, after years of experiencing the new foundation in the Diocese of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, under Bishop Ulises Casiano Vargas and from there it spread throughout the world. Apostolate experience: Prof. Américo López has been responsible for organizing the Apostolate in Puerto Rico, promoting the message of Our Lady of Fatima by preaching in parishes with permission of the respective diocesan bishops, giving talks and conferences in colleges and universities. For three decades now, a newsletter and magazine “The Messenger of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”, has been published by the National Centre of the WAF in Puerto Rico. Also, a series of periodicals, radio and TV programs are produced to make known the Message of Fatima. Correspondence and electronic mailing with promoters all over the island is maintained, working with them closely so as to organize spiritual retreats at their locations as well as the pilgrimages of the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima At the request of Prof. López, Puerto Rico received the privilege of building the first exact replica in the world of the Chapel of Apparitions at Guánica, Puerto Rico, at the Mother House of the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, founded by the Venerable Mother Dominga Guzmán Florit, O.P. There is a shrine visited by pilgrims all year round. Also, Prof. López was instrumental in establishing the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima at St. Rosa de Lima Parish in San German, Diocese of Mayaguez, directed by the Augustinian Fathers. In addition, at the Archdiocese of San Juan, a centre for formation on the New Evangelization through the Message of Fatima was established at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Trujillo Alto, whose Pastor is Monsignor Fernando Felices, censor of the international magazine of the WAF for many years. Correspondence is maintained with promoters in Latin American countries. As International President, Prof. López has intensive correspondence with national centres all over the world. Personal contacts are kept at all levels for the welfare of the Apostolate. Personal goals for spreading the Message of Fatima: Prof. López emphasizes on the quality and deepness of the engagement of Fatima Apostolate members in witnessing Christ through service to the Church by way of contributing to its Marian renewal throughout the daily practice of the Marian virtues contained in the Fatima message. Prof. López-Ortiz has worked with the Shrine of Fatima toward achieving a Federation of Fatima Apostolate under the umbrella of the World Apostolate of Fatima, serving the Church with a healthy doctrine and pastoral. The authentic Message of Fatima will serve as a precious instrument to the New Evangelization proposed by His Holiness John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. To do this, the regional centres all over the world were developed. Six regions make possible an excellent diffusion of the Message from within their area, forming lay people to make known, loved and lived the calls from the Cova da Iria: North America (USA), Latin America and the Caribbean (Puerto Rico), Europe (Portugal & the Czech Republic), Africa (Cameroon), Asia (the Philippines and India) and Oceania (Republic of Samoa). Prof. López Ortiz has been elected a member of the Pontifical Marian International Academy in Rome in 2022 , first native of Puerto Rico to be elected ever. As part of his legacy, Prof. López Ortiz is leaving the project of building exact replicas of the Chapel of Apparitions in every WAF Region of the world to provide a Fatima Shrine in every continent, granting the same grace and mercy granted in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, to make possible the renewal and salvation of whole families throughout the world: Puerto Rico (1992) (Latin America and the Caribbean); Philippines (2022) (Asia); Czech Republic (2022-2023) (Eastern Europe); Panamá (Central America); Republic of Samoa (Oceania); Cameroon (Africa). A seventh replica was built in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Fatima devotees, not the WAF. alfatima1@gmail.com