Our Lady of Aparecida Visit Leaves Lasting Impression in Dutton Park

Families in Dutton Park experienced moments of peace and answered prayers when a statue of Our Lady of Aparecida made its rounds through their homes in the weeks leading up to 12 October, culminating in an annual community celebration that left local parishioners feeling spiritually renewed.

Read: Families Highlight Bike Use as Annerley Road Project Advances

Background of the devotion

The devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida began on 12 October 1717, when three fishermen in Brazil — after hours of fruitless work — found a headless statue of the Virgin Mary in their net.

Casting again, they recovered the missing head, and on a third attempt their nets filled with fish. The statue became known as Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, or Our Lady of the Appeared Conception, and the story gave rise to growing veneration. 

Over the following decades, increasingly larger chapels were built, and in 1904, Pope Pius X had the statue crowned. In 1930, Pope Pius XI declared her the Patroness of Brazil.

Miracles and blessings shared in Dutton Park

The Dutton Park Parish on Grandston Rd introduced the practice of bringing the statue into different homes weekly. Drawn from Brazilian Catholic tradition, the practice was already underway before the feast day, and intensified community engagement in the days around 12 October.  

Parish leaders say many families reported blessings and comfort during the statue’s stay. Its presence was seen not only as an invitation to prayer but also as a way to bring families closer together in shared devotion.

Community response and parish reflections

Leaders say the practice attracted families who had hosted the statue as well as others from the wider Brisbane Catholic community, including participants from Burleigh Parish on the Gold Coast. 

The statue’s itinerary of visits has become a focal point for spiritual connection, and clergy reflect that the number of testimonies about blessings in homes suggests an ongoing commitment among locals to keep the devotion alive beyond the feast day.

Parish leaders hope to sustain the sense of unity and faith momentum that grew during the feast period. The story of Our Lady of Aparecida — born from fishermen’s perseverance centuries ago — now reaches across continents to leave its mark on Brisbane families.

Read: Petition Pushes for Safer Road Crossing at Mackenzie Place Park in Annerley

Published 13-Oct-2025