Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Loja (Agenzia Fides) – The Marian Congress, which closed yesterday at the Technical University of Loja, brought together 875 participants and experts from Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Spain, and Ecuador. The theme was "XXI Century Latin America: The Marian Roots. According to a statement sent to Fides, the event was organized to deepen in knowledge of the Marian roots through a theological knowledge and to consider the Latin American Marian devotion in local traditions, such as the pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Swan, whose devotion dates back to the seventeenth century and which became one of the most venerated images Ecuador.
Bishop Julio Parrilla, Bishop of Loja, in opening the Congress said the large turnout reflected the interest of the people in Our Lady, and it is also a unique opportunity to work, listen, and experience. Jose Barbosa, rector of the Technical University of Loja (UTPL), said that the theme of Mary, Model of Holiness, is of major importance for society and for the life of every person. "Hopefully, this time will help us to become a family of brothers," said Fernando Rielo, founder of the Identes Missionaries.
The Congress, which lasted three days, featured talks from speakers from eight countries in Latin America and Europe, and offered 12 conferences, forums, and roundtables on the theme of Mary. Bishop Julio Parrilla, during his lecture "Spirituality and Mary,” said that "the Christian faith follows the faith of Mary”; people find in her a spiritual paradigm that opens us to an experience of God.
Father Jose Luis Cabria, professor at the School of Theology in northern Spain (Burgos), said that the values reflected in Mary are often seen as something of the past, as if they were no longer relevant enough to be put into practice. This Congress wanted to specifically present Mary as a "woman for all times."
About 300 people attended the Second Marian Congress through the UTPL website of India, USA, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Ecuador. On closing, with a Eucharistic celebration presided by Msgr. Parrilla, Vice Rector of UTPL, Santiago Acosta announced the next Marian Congress in 2012. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/15/2010)
