Downriver parishes unite to honor
the Blessed Mother
Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published May 26, 2006
Woodhaven – Hundreds of Catholics from all 26 parishes in the Downriver Vicariate gathered last Sunday to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary with a Marian prayer service that included the Rosary, Marian hymns, a litany to St. Mary and benediction.
The evening ceremony highlighted two efforts Catholics in the Archdiocese of Detroit strive for: uniting beyond parish boundaries, and honoring the Blessed Mother during the month of May.
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Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss honors the Eucharistic Presence of Christ during a Marian prayer service at Our Lady of the Woods Parish in Woodhaven on May 21. The 26 parishes of the Downriver Vicariate united to conduct the service. | “It’s outstanding because Our Lady brought all the parishes together,” said Ed Umin, who is on the worship committee at Our Lady of the Woods and on the vicariate subcommittee that organized the Marian prayer. “It was the first time we had a Marian service for our vicariate, and the first time for our parish.… We need more of this. I hope we can do this every year.”
The parishes cooperated on various parts of the service. For example, prayer intentions from the entire community were placed before a statue of the Blessed Mother. A member from each of the parishes placed roses in front of the statue during a procession. Also, a choir comprised of members from various parishes was assembled for the ceremony.
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Parishioners from the 26 parishes in the Downriver Vicariate placed roses in front of a statue of the Blessed Mother during a Marian prayerservice at Our Lady of the Woods, Woodhaven, May 21. | Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss presided over benediction. And Fr. Matthew Roehrig, of the Order of St. Paul, gave a homily on the Blessed Mother’s role in redemption.
“We are never out of the presence of God, so we need to inhale God and exhale God,” Fr. Roehrig said. “When we come to reflect on Mary as Queen of the apostles, that’s what we do.… Mary is the one who brings the Lord to us and brings us to the Lord.”
He emphasized that St. Mary had a role in guiding Christ through his childhood, and also guiding the Church through its infancy.
“Mary gives us that witness. Mary gives us that example,” he said. “And we can call on her when we falter so she can give us the guidance that she gave Jesus and the early Church.”
Deacon Bill Thome of St. Cyril of Jerusalem Parish, Taylor, who also helped promote the Marian prayer service, said honoring the Blessed Mother guided Catholics into the spirit of togetherness.
“In addition to paying her honor during the month, I think it’s a good step in bringing the parishes together,” Deacon Thome said. “We don’t have the concrete boundaries we had years ago, but we still have idea that, well, this is ‘my’ church.… This is an attempt to bring us together as one family in God.”
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Mary Costello, sitting on the lap of her mother, Susan, of St. Cyprian Parish in Riverview, examines a rosary during the Marian service. | Those at the ceremony also appreciated both the Marian aspect of the service and the fact that it united the parishes.
“It was a beautiful service,” said Jeanette Robidou, a parishioner at St. Paschal Baylon Parish in Taylor. “It was important to worship, praise and profess our faith – but most of all to come together as a community.”
It was the second time the parishes had united for a single event. After forming a subcommittee to oversee vicariate-wide events, the Downriver Vicariate held a Eucharistic hour at St. Hugh Parish in Southgate last fall. Deacon Thome said the vicariate subcommittee is working on future vicariate-wide prayer gatherings – such as a Vocations Sunday this fall – and hopes to conduct two or three such gatherings each year.
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