PROVIDENCE — Religious Latin American folk music celebrating Our Lady filled the square outside the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul on Saturday. The joyful sounds, marking the destination for the second annual Marian Procession, were complemented by the tolling of the cathedral’s church bells in the background.
At the doors of the cathedral, overlooking a cavalcade of faithful stretching for blocks as they processed into the square, stood a group of clergy and religious, with Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., at the center.
The procession began at St. Mary’s Parish on Broadway, where Bishop Lewandowski and Father Jonathan Romanoski, FSSP, pastor of St. Mary’s, led an estimated 500–600 faithful — about twice the number who attended last year.
“The whole process [of planning] is challenging, but the event itself is important, because the main goal that we have is to celebrate our mother and evangelize through this event,” said Celso Vera, coordinator of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, who organized the procession.
Through holding these events, Vera continued, it shows that the Church, united by its devotion to Our Lady and faith in Our Lord, is lively and robust.
“The people see that the Catholic Church is alive, other people see and participate in the Catholic Church and see it is not something quiet or boring.”
As the procession worked its way through Providence, individuals would stop and watch, pulling out their phones to record, with others making the Sign of the Cross or honking their horns in support.
Father Romanoski noted how the procession was both an expression of the Church’s devotion to Mary as well as a sign of unity among the faithful.
“We begin here under the shadow of Our Lady, under so many images of her from so many different countries,” Father Romanoski said.
“It’s the greatest honor and joy that we have Bishop Bruce Lewandowski, with us today, leading us in this procession. … We are connected to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, because we have a successor of the Apostles amongst us, in our bishop,” Father Romanoski continued.
“It’s beautiful,” said Lynne Mulcahy of St. Joseph’s Parish in Woonsocket, noting how the profundity of the day’s events is rooted to a great degree in its ability to bring diverse parts of the diocese together in a show of devotion to Our Lady.
“We love Mary. There are a lot of people here. We’re showing our honor to her [and] love for her. … All these different groups come together, the Legion of Mary is here, and each parish has their own banner, and people come together from each parish and then join together into a bigger procession.”
Similar sentiments were repeated by Andrew Morse, a parishioner of St. Paul’s Parish in Cranston.
“It’s a very well-organized event. They put a lot of hard work into it,” Morse said. “I see the Knights of Columbus here, I see the Latin Mass community here, I know there’s a lot of members of our Hispanic Community here. They organize it, and they tell the rest of us that all we have to do is show up, and by doing that, we honor God and we evangelize properly and show the positive happy face of God to the whole world.”
Mary Sullivan, of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in North Providence, enjoyed the spirit of the day.
“I’ve always had a devotion to the Blessed Mother, and I pray the Rosary, and I believe in Mary’s intercession,” she said. “The different languages and the humility of the people was very touching.”
The procession was followed by Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Lewandowski.
In his homily, the bishop emphasized how devotion to the Blessed Mother has as its ultimate object the deepening of our devotion to Christ.
“She would not want to take the front seat, the first place, the place of honor. She would not want to take the place of glory and privilege. … In all of the many apparitions of Our Blessed Mother, in any place where she has appeared, has she ever said, ‘Follow me,’ ‘Do what I do,’ ‘Become like me,’ ‘Here I am,’ Give me glory, honor and praise’? No! Actually, she says, ‘Follow my Son. Turn away from sin, and live by His teachings, that you may give praise, glory and honor to Him, and work at building up His Church and continuing His mission and ministry.’”
