In the first annual Mass in honor of Our Lady of the Miracles of Caacupé, Bishop Gabriel N. Escobar Ayala, SDB, vicar apostolic of Chaco Paraguayo, Paraguay, noted that the Virgin Mary said “yes to the project of God, that she “leads us to the only Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The bishop served as principal celebrant and homilist. The Virgin Mary under the Caacupé title is the Patroness of Paraguay.
“Dear brothers and sisters, what a joy it is to see this multitude of people here to listen to the Word of God,” Bishop Escobar said in his homily during the Dec. 11 Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “On this third Sunday of Advent, the Church invites us to (experience) the joy, the pleasure, the hope, and the enthusiasm because soon will arrive Emanuel, the Lord with us.”
“How grand is our Church that it sees the (faith) unity among different nations and races; she unites us and leads us to the only Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ our Lord. And we give thanks to Our Lady of the Miracles of Caacupe, Mother Mary who unites us as one heart, one soul. She opens the heart of all of her children. Let us give strong applause for Mother Mary,” he added. The people cheered and applauded in response.
Bishop Escobar went on to talk of the great joy he has experienced in visiting fellow clergymen and faithful from Paraguay at a number of parishes in California and other U.S. states during pastoral and liturgical visits that focused on honoring Our Lady of the Miracles of Caacupé.
He spoke of how so many immigrant faithful throughout the world, upon reaching their destination countries, take time to pray to the Virgin Mary for her intercession for their new beginnings, their new start in life. He said we should each strive “to be a sign of light, a sign of hope and joy,” and that this all begins “in that little church that is your home.”
Bishop Escobar also spoke of the announcement of the Good News, the significance of the Gospel reading (from Matthew 11), of John the Baptist, “always in all his actions he was preparing the path of Jesus, the Son of God.” The afternoon Mass was conducted in Spanish.
The Our Lady of the Miracles of Caacupe feast day is Dec. 8, the same as the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Mass concelebrants were Father Enrique Salvo, rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral; Father Lorenzo Ato, communications director of archdiocesan Hispanic Ministries; and Father Brian McWeeney, director of the archdiocesan Ethnic Apostolate.