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Feature News | Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Miami: Under God's protection

Hundreds turn out for Mass of consecration to sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary

Lilian Peirce, director of Mission for the Love of God Worldwide in South Florida, presents a plaque to St. Mary Cathedral commemorating the consecration of the city of Miami to the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary. At right is Mexican entrepreneur Patrick Slim Domit, co-chairman of the board of directors of the Mission for the Love of God Worldwide.

Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC

Lilian Peirce, director of Mission for the Love of God Worldwide in South Florida, presents a plaque to St. Mary Cathedral commemorating the consecration of the city of Miami to the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary. At right is Mexican entrepreneur Patrick Slim Domit, co-chairman of the board of directors of the Mission for the Love of God Worldwide.

MIAMI | Rest easy, residents of Miami: God is watching over you.

Of course, that has been true forever. But on May 30 it was proclaimed officially, as Mayor Tomás Regalado and Archbishop Thomas Wenski raised their voices in prayer before hundreds who packed St. Mary Cathedral and hundreds more who watched via the Web.

The Mass of consecration of the city of Miami was organized by members of the Mission for the Love of God Worldwide, whose goal is to remind a secularized, violent and problem-filled world that God has made a covenant with all his people — whether they know it or not — to love and protect them.

“It is a covenant that he will never break,” explained Jay Peirce, a member of Little Flower Parish in Hollywood whose wife, Lilian, serves as South Florida director of the Mission.

Of course, human beings are not as faithful as God, and they often forget to keep their end of the covenant: to love and care for one another, to do what is right and just.

Consecration is a reminder for us “to act according to his commandments,” said Viviana Ulloa, a member of the Mission who came from Peru to help out at the Mass. “We have to act as good children of God.” The Mission, composed of committed laity and priests, is dedicated to promoting a return to the faith and obedience to God’s commandments among individuals, families, businesses and governments. Groups are active in more than 452 cities and 117 dioceses throughout the world.

In the Archdiocese of Miami, members began forming communities in 2009 and are currently active in about 30 archdiocesan parishes. In 2011, Key Biscayne became the first South Florida city to be consecrated, during an ecumenical ceremony at St. Agnes Church attended by representatives of most of the religious groups on the island. The city of Doral was consecrated last year.

Members of the Mission strive for the consecration of families, parishes, dioceses and entire nations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Ecuador was consecrated last May, and Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela also have been consecrated.

“The consecration of Miami is an historic event that will bring many blessings to our city,” said Lilian Peirce.

“This is going to basically open the hearts for all of us to receive the blessings from the Father,” said Monica Acquaviva, worldwide publicity director for the Mission and a member of St. Agnes Parish in Key Biscayne.

“Consecration means we’re asking God’s protection but at the same time trying to understand or to appreciate better the love that God has for each one of us and his closeness to us,” said Archbishop Wenski. “For us, who are believers, this is one way of expressing, through our faith, our support for the common good. I think even people who have no faith or another faith will not be hurt by us trying to be better Christians. In fact, I think they’ll be helped if we truly try to become better Christians.” (Read Archbishop Wenski's homily here.)

Among those in attendance at the consecration Mass were Mexican actor Eduardo Verástegui of “Bella” and “For Greater Glory” fame, who proclaimed the first reading; Mexican businessman Patrick Slim Domit, co-chairman of the board of directors of the Mission for the Love of God Worldwide; Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez and his wife Lourdes, who took up the offertory gifts; more than two dozen archdiocesan priests; and representatives of nearly every lay group and spiritual movement in the archdiocese.

The procession into the church was led by Knights of Columbus, clad in capes and carrying swords, and city of Miami police and fire fighters toting the symbols of their work, a rifle and a gold-plated ax. The Pledge of Allegiance preceded the Mass and the final hymn was “God Bless America.”

After the archbishop and Mayor Regalado concluded the prayers of consecration, the cathedral erupted in a loud “Amen!” followed by a thunderous round of applause. Volunteers from archdiocesan Emmaus groups handed out white flowers as the congregation exited the church.

The Mission is currently evangelizing by distributing images of Our Lady of Guadalupe for enthronement in people’s homes. Those who do so commit themselves to praying five minutes a day as a family; saying the rosary once a week, specifically the Sorrowful Mysteries; and inviting friends and neighbors to form a cenacle or prayer group.

The goal, said Lilian Peirce, is to restore families, neighborhoods and communities to be practicing, rather than nominally, Catholic. “Because when you pray the rosary, when Our Lady enters a house, she takes charge,” Peirce said. 

ABOUT THE MISSION

What does it take to be a member of the Mission for the Love of God Worldwide?

“Just your will to say yes to God the Father and to Our Lady,” said Monica Acquaviva, worldwide publicity director for the group and a member of St. Agnes Parish in Key Biscayne. She said the Mission rests on four cornerstones: 

  • Consecration: giving to God all that we are and all that we have;
  • Metanoia: spiritual awakening and personal conversion;
  • Prayer from the heart: specifically the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary and the Way of the Cross;
  • Good works.

“We encourage prayer and cenacle groups in which we study the Bible, pray the rosary. We have a special rosary which is for conversion. We encourage everybody to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries. And we also promote the home enthronement of Our Lady of Guadalupe in our houses because she’s the patroness of the family. She’s the patroness for life. And she’s the patroness of America.”

To find out more, go to: www.fortheloveofgodworldwide.org.

To see video of the ceremony, click here.

Comments from readers

Lisa Janusa - 06/09/2013 01:21 PM
Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to accomplish this great event! May God and his Mother watch over each soul in Miami!

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