Annual diocesan Marian pilgrimage set for Sept. 27 at Holy Spirit Church

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Father Andrew Apostoli, CFR, an author of books on the Blessed Mother and a producer of TV shows on the EWTN network, will preach at the holy hour during the annual Diocese of Wilmington Marian Pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage is set for Sept. 27 at the Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace at Holy Spirit Church in New Castle.

The events begin at 1 p.m. with the holy hour and Benediction. The pilgrimage will include a Mass in honor of Mary celebrated by Bishop Malooly at 4 p.m.

Msgr. Joseph F. Rebman, director of the diocesan pilgrimage, listed the following schedule for the day.

• 1 p.m. Father Apostoli speaks during the holy hour of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, adoration, meditation and Benediction in the church.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace Shrine in New Castle. (Dialog file/www.donblakephotography.com)
Our Lady, Queen of Peace Shrine in New Castle. (Dialog file/www.donblakephotography.com)

• 2-3:45 p.m. Opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation with visiting priests. Pilgrims will have free time for visits to the shrine and also the gift shop run by the Caterina Benincasa Dominican Monastery sisters at the parish. There will also be refreshments and ministry displays in the parish hall.

• 4 p.m. Pilgrimage Mass in honor of Our Lady. Bishop Malooly will be the main celebrant and homilist. Priests are invited to concelebrate and deacons are invited to attend in vestments. Knights of Malta, Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, Knights of Peter Claver and Knights of Columbus are also welcome to attend.

• 5 p.m. Procession led by Knights of Columbus Color Guard to the Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace for recitation of the rosary, the litany of Loreto and renewal of the consecration of the Diocese of Wilmington to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Father Apostoli, the holy hour speaker, is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and the vice-postulator of the cause for canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

He is the author of books, including “Fatima for Today,” and “Following Mary to Jesus: Our Lady as Mother, Teacher and Advocate.”

He has been a host on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) including the show “Our Lady of Fatima and the First Saturday Devotion.”

The Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace takes its name from the stainless-steel statue of Mary by Charles Parks that was dedicated on the grounds of Holy Spirit Church in 2007. The statue was commissioned by a group of Wilmington-area volunteers who raised about $500,000 to purchase the two-story tall statue.

 

More information can be found on the Diocese of Wilmington’s website:

http://www.cdow.org/you-are-invited-to-the-diocesan-marian-pilgrmiage-on-september-27th/