The Feast of the Virgin of Lourdes was celebrated on Sunday, February 13 at Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church in İzmir’s Göztepe district.
While Izmir Archbishop Monsignor Martin Kmetec was leading the ceremony, the priest of the church, Father Gabriel Ferone, the Priest of the Holy Name of Virgin Mary of Bornova, Father Pascal, the priest of the Bayraklı St. Anthony Church Father Ezio and priest of the Buca John the Baptist Church Father Ireneusz accompanied the mass.
Father Gabriel in his welcome speech: “In this magical place of Lourdes, a little more than 150 years ago, the Virgin Mary wanted to appear to a poor and ignorant young girl, not only to convey a personal message to her, but to convey that message to the world. . “This universal message tells us that God cares for people and wants them to be a source of physical and mental health.”
After the Bible’s words from Luke were read by Nicholas the Deacon, Monsignor Martin said in his sermon: “In today’s first reading, we read from the book of the prophet Jeremiah: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
The Lord invites us all to Choose Life and Fruitfulness. Real life is in His love.
Jesus uses the same word “blessed” to express the indescribable happiness of someone who has chosen to believe in Christ.”
Also, ‘Blessed are you, poor people, for the Kingdom of God is yours…. Blessed are you, who are starving now, for you will be satisfied… Blessed are those who weep now, because you will laugh…’ Blessed are you, because you have chosen Christ. Despite suffering, despite persecution, his disciples chose Christ because in Him they found endless riches,” he explained in detail the words of Jesus Christ.
Due to the pandemic, no refreshments were given after the Rite this year, but the participants had the opportunity to chat together.
(SAT-7 TURK/İZMİR-Nathalie Ritzmann)
