AMERICA/PARAGUAY - Growing crowds flock to pray Our Lady of Caacupé novena

Wednesday, 2 December 2015 pity   missionary animation  

Caacupé (Agenzia Fides) – Bishop Adalberto Martinez Flores, Military Ordinary, celebrated Mass on December 1 , the fourth day of the novena to Our Lady of Miracles at Caacupé, for a large crowd of faithful in the Basilica. During the Mass, attended also by leading members of the armed forces and the police, the Bishop prayed especially for the release of Police Petty Officer Edelio Morínigo (abducted 516 days ago) and Abraham Fehr (117 days), by the self-appointed “Army of the Paraguayan People” (EPP): he "urged the kidnappers to release the men and let them return to their families as the Christmas season begins. Let us also pray that God will strengthen the families".
Bishop Martinez said: "the Lord is merciful and just, and his mercy and his justice work together and this should teach us to obey the Lord and to put aside the weapons of destructive violence and take up instead the weapons of constructive work, solidarity and peaceful living among our people ".
A report sent to Fides by a local source speaks of thousands of Paraguayans, as every year, making their way to the Shrine of Our Lady of Caacupé, about 55 kilometres from Asunción, to honour the nation’s patron Saint praying the novena which will close with the pilgrimage and solemn Mass on December 8 . Devotion to Our Lady of Caacupé dates back to 1600, when a local Guaranì man carved a wooden statue of the beloved Virgin. Growing popular devotion over the years has made the shrine in honour of Our Lady of Caacupé, the most frequented in the whole country.
(CE) (Agenzia Fides, 02/12/2015)


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