A packed Westminster Cathedral of pilgrims venerated the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa in London today.
I prayed for a Polish man dying of cancer before the Icon of Our Lady. Please pray for him too. To learn more of Our Lady of Czestochowa and why she is so important in the battle against the culture of death that we face on every side, click here. As is usual at such occasions, I had not done my research and was informed by a Catholic blogger that the original, in Poland, was painted by St Luke, Evangelist. On the way home after visiting a Polish man dying of cancer (please pray for him), I sat on the train and discussed with them the beautiful icon I had venerated today. One of them was actually called Luke, coincidentally, so he was interested in learning about the icon.
The event in Westminster seems to have been organised by Edmund Adamus, who courted 'controversy' a while back by calling London the 'geopolitical epicentre of the culture of death'. It is a shame that Archbishop Vincent Nichols was not there to greet Our Lady, but perhaps there was something more pressing on for His Grace today.
Bishop Alan Hopes celebrated Mass in the presence of Our Lady as the pro-life movement was entrusted to her care. I forgot to take my camera, but A Reluctant Sinner will be posting, I am sure, some images and James Preece seems to be covering the arrival of Our Lady well already.
To look upon her face brings penitence, fear, awe, love, reverence, humility and respect. It is all of these things that this country needs in order to become a culture of life. To see just how seriously she is taken in Poland, watch this. Blessed John Paul II had a deep devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa. She is, in fact, the Queen of Poland, as well as Heaven and Earth. This country needs her so very much! Sadly, no trumpets at the Cathedral, though...
Maybe Our Lady, being as terrible as an army set in array, even has senior members of the Church's hierarchy a little hot under the collar. Pray for the success of her tour of these sad isles and the global effort to respect human life from conception to natural death.
Thanks for the links enabling us to find out more about Our Lady of Czestochowa.
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed a beautiful occasion and I too was surprised at the lack of an official welcome by clergy. I did see one priest outside but I agree it was disappointing that the Archbishop was not there. I see he is off on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land on Wednesday so perhaps he was busy packing!
I arrived in good time as I understood that the arrival was due at 4.30. However having seated myself on one of the 'toadstools' outside I got engrossed in a newspaper and actually missed seeing the arrival right behind me!
It was good to see so many people there.
I have read somewhere that when the icon arrives at the Scottish venues there will be a trumpet fanfare and see from the video you link to it that a trumpet heralds the unveiling of the original icon in Poland. No trumpets in Westminster but it was most moving when someone started singing the Salve Regina as we walked in behind the icon and the singing was taken up by all who were already inside.
It would be great if the icon's arrival in England would be shown on the news but I won't hold my breath.
Thanks, Laurence.
ReplyDeleteI will try and upload a few photos later on this evening... Though they didn't come out very well, I'm afraid.
God bless
D