By St Benedict Communications Team
Devotion to Mary Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a devotion promoted by the Redemptorist Order of Priests in the Catholic Church. It is part of their apostolate in the Catholic Church, world over.
The inauguration of the devotion in St Benedict Catholic Church, Ubiaja, was anchored by Rev. Fr Christopher Uwadiale, a Redemptorist priest, who came all the way from Enugu on invitation of the Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr Dr Joseph Ehimen, for this purpose. He began the event with the Holy Mass in all the Masses of Sunday, July 24, 2016. And then, at 4:00 PM of same day, parishioners of St. Benedict congregated at the church to processed with the ICON of Our Lady of perpetual Help from the Ubiaja market to the church, to enthrone it for the devotion. After the enthronement, there was Rosary procession around the church compound, which was concluded with Benediction of the Holy Eucharist. This was the first day of the event.
Everyday other day of the eight days event began with the rosary procession around the church, followed by the Rosary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and a visit to the Blessed Sacrament for prayers. Each day was concluded with the Holy Mass during which intercessory prayers were offered for individual needs and especially for peace and progress in Ubiaja.
During the Masses, the symbolic use of candles were implored for the prayers of the faithful to present our petition to Jesus, who is the light of the world. Other activities that took place during the programme were touching of the ICON of Our Lady of Perpetual Help by every devotee, anointing of the devotee by the priests, burning of incense by every individual picking up a little quantity of the incense and putting it in the fire, and the sharing of cake, which was done on the last day of the programme. The cakes which were shared and eaten by the pilgrims devotee were donated by individuals, families and societies in the church.
The programme concluded on Saturday, July 30, 2016 and was enriching as pilgrims devotees were happy to be part of the confessions and daily counseling. It is worthy of note that St. Benedict Church, Ubiaja is the first parish in Uromi Diocese to begin the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, under the confraternity of Our Lady of perpetual Help Society.
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