The beloved Mother of Jesus and our Mother

Our Lady of Caacupé visits Tuparenda

Dos lugares de gracia, una Virgen Two places of grace, one Blessed Mother Zwei Gnadenorte, eine Maria Fotos: Pardo © 2007

PARAGUAY, Father Antonio Cosp. On October 28^th, the last Sunday of October, the picture of Our Lady of Caacupé visited Tuparenda just as it has done every year. Many people accompanied it on its pilgrimage from the Basilica of Caacupé to Tuparenda, where it was received with a welcome ceremony. After Holy Mass the return trip was initiated.

We experienced a small October 18^th with three thousand pilgrims who arrived to Holy Mass in the morning and also through the joy and solemnity of the celebration. Hands were raised to greet Mary and to receive her graces…Caacupé, is the picture of grace which is most venerated by the Paraguayans, with a fourth of the population going on pilgrimage at least once a year, and the Virgin of Schoenstatt met again at the end of October, just as all the other years,

It might be a challenge to organic thinking to see the picture of grace from Caacupe visiting the place of grace of Our Lady of Schoenstatt. For the simple people, it is clear…small flags bearing the picture of the MTA waved in the hands of children and adults welcoming the greatly beloved picture of grace. Many people remained all day to savor the moment and the words of Jesus: beloved disciple, here is your Mother. And… they again savored the moment of intimacy when many people came forward to be anointed and blessed by the priest. The blessing of the priest is making a strong comeback among the people. It’s like making a connection with the divine. And for those who think and feel that each "Virgin" is a separate one…this celebration demonstrated in a visual catechesis, that She is one, the beloved Mother of Jesus and our Mother.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj