Though much has changed in the past 75 years, what hasn’t changed is the huge number of pilgrims who travel to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rama for the annual pilgrimage, said Mary Kowalyshen, an event organizer.
During the two-day celebration of faith on August 14 and 15, about 1,500 pilgrims came to celebrate at St. Anthony’s Church, which is only a small difference from the 2,000 that attended the first pilgrimage in 1941.
“Father Anthony Sylla, builder of the shrine and parish priest at the time, would be very pleased today knowing that pilgrims still continue to annually attend this great Feast Day of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Kowalyshen said. “They have kept their faith.”
The celebration on August 14, known in the faith as the Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, began in the evening with a supper, followed by hymns performed by the Yorkton Filipino Choir. Desiree Nieckar of Yorkton, who was a former member of St. Anthony’s Church, gave a presentation regarding her recent trip to Krakow, Poland for World Youth Day.
Following Nieckar’s presentation was one from Luke Hergott of Saskatoon, a Catholic Christian Outreach member who spoke regarding the “kerygma,” or gospel message. He stated that humans are created for a relationship with God, that sin breaks that relationship, and that Jesus came to restore that relationship so that humans may be invited to another relationship with God.
Priests were available for confessions throughout the evening, before the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, altar servers, banner carriers, priests and choir assembled at the church for the traditional candlelight procession. Rev. Marcin Mironiuk, pastor of St. Anthony’s Church, welcomed all present and reminded them that the holy place they were in had been built by the pilgrim’s ancestors, and introduced the celebrating priests: Rev. Francis Akomeah of Watson, Rev. Albert Schmitz of Ituna, Rev. Anthony Atter of Lake Lenore, Rev. Emmanuel Banaheneof Wadena, Rev. Franklin Emereuwa of Canora, Rev. Methodius Kushko of Yorkton, and Rev. Mitch Burdzy of Melville.
Mironiuk celebrated the life of Mary in his homily. "And so today we commemorate not only what God has done for Mary, we also celebrate what God has in store for us who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus,” he said. “God created us to spend eternity with Him in heaven.
“He has conquered sin and death and has prepared a place for us in his kingdom. Mary is the first to receive these blessings. They will one day be ours as well if we hold fast to our faith in Jesus.”
Following the service, the Knights of Columbus led a living rosary outside in the grotto. Fifty volunteers took part in the rosary, all praying in different languages. A procession to three different stations was held so pilgrims could offer prayers to soldiers, to Mary, and to the founders of the church. The Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held until midnight within the church.
Monday morning began with ‘Godzinki’ devotional morning prayers in Polish, followed by the Polish mass. The main celebrant was Burdzy, who was joined by Mironiuk, Kushko, Rev. Augustine Osei-Bonsu of Wynyard, Rev. Stanislaw Poszwa of Regina, and Rev. Andrew Sowa of Esterhazy.
Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite took place in the grotto with Rev. Joakim Rac of Canora and Kushko. Rac presented his homily comparing spreading God’s word as sugar spreads on a picnic table when ants can get it. As ants swarm to sugar, so too should the people swarm to the word.
“How many of us are willing to share a good word about God?” he asked the assembly. Following the mass were the Stations of the Cross, as well as the Anointing of the Sick.
Before the final blessing, organizers expressed gratitude to everyone who helped make the pilgrimage a success. A special announcement was made that Gianna Emanuela, a daughter of the saint Gianna Beretta Molla, is making plans to visit Rama and the statue of her mother. Emanuela was the fourth child of Molla, and the one that Molla refused to abort. Her mother died while giving birth to her, so Emanuela now plans to visit for the pilgrimage in 2017.
Events concluded with the annual Mass for the Unborn on August 21.
