Honoring the Blessed Mother of the Americas and All Nations

Honoring the Blessed Mother of the Americas and All Nations

Story by Joe Pisani

More than 800 people representing 12 countries came together for the fourth annual Mary of the Americas celebration in a display of faith, unity and cultural pride. There was prayer, there was pageantry and there was a festival of Latin American food.

The archdiocesan celebration for the Blessed Mother Mary of the Americas and all Nations was held at the Shrine of Maria Reina de la Paz at St. Lawrence O’Toole Church in Hartford on Oct. 4 and will be held here in years to come.

It began with an international rosary in English, Spanish and Brazilian, which was followed by Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin with Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne as the principal celebrant.

“It is wonderful for us to gather under the devotion of our Blessed Mother because she always points us toward her Son,” the archbishop told the packed church.

Father Alexander Avendano, rector of the shrine, gave the homily and petitions were presented for people of the Americas and the Caribbean.

The delegations wore colorful traditional dress of their countries. Before Mass, they processed into the shrine, singing their national anthems and waving flags of their native countries, while carrying images of the Blessed Mother, which they venerate under her different titles.

They sang and they clapped as their voices filled the shrine in a joyous display of pageantry.

The delegation representing the United States of America entered as the Star Spangled Banner was sung and carried an image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

For Father Avendano, it was more than a cultural celebration; it was a demonstration of the compassion of “momma Mary,” for Latinos far from their homes and their biological mothers who turn to the mother of Jesus for hope and consolation.

“Some are separated from their mothers and cannot return to see them, maybe because of immigration situations or because they have lost their mothers and cannot grieve properly or say goodbye,” Father Avendano says. “So there is pain in the people’s hearts, and this event lets them know that mama Mary assures them she is here for people, especially for suffering people and for orphaned people. Although they cannot see their natural mothers, their supernatural mother is here for them no matter what happens. This celebration is a message of compassion and companionship and love.”

The priest, who comes from Colombia and was appointed rector of the shrine in August, says “mama Mary is the reason for my priesthood, the reason for my work, the reason for my existence. She is everything and more, and Jesus is OK with that. On this day, we honor her, our cultures and our ancestors as well.”

At the conclusion, he thanked Archbishop Coyne for celebrating Mass at the event. “We know you are here for us, and we appreciate that so much.”

Among those represented were St. George Church in Bridgeport (Mexico – Our Lady of Guadalupe); St. Mary Church in New Britain (Chile – Our Lady of Mount Carmel); North American Martyrs Parish in East Hartford (El Salvador – Our Lady of Peace); St. Augustine Church in Hartford (Guatemala – Our Lady of the Rosary); and The Shrine of Maria Reina de la Paz in Hartford (Honduras – Our Lady of Suyapa) (Peru – Our Lady of Mercy) (Colombia – Our Lady of Chiquinquirá) (United States – Immaculate Conception) (Costa Rica – Our Lady of the Angels) (Dominican Republic – Our Lady of High Grace) (Puerto Rico – Our Lady of Divine Providence) (Cuba – Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre).

Mass was followed by a festival of food and displays of different cultures.