By Ana Rodriguez Soto - Florida Catholic newspaper
Bigger than life images of the late Miami Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman and Our Lady of Charity hang from the entrance of UM's Watsco Center as people begin arriving for the annual Mass.
A woman prays the rosary before the start of the Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Rosaries were given out along with the program for the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the coronation of the image by St. John Paul II as Queen and Mother of Cuba.
Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah, leads the recitation of the rosary before the start of the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Members of Encuentros Juveniles, the archdiocesan youth movement, carry the Encuentros cross to lead the procession into the arena at the start of the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Matthew Moragas, 5, of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Kendall, wears a guayabera and fingers rosary beads as he and other children dressed in typical outfits enter the Watsco Center at the start of the procession with the image of Our Lady of Charity on her feast day.
Children dressed in typical outfits precede the image of Our Lady of Charity during the procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Members of Encuentros Juveniles carry the image of Our Lady of Charity during the procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski follows the image of Our Lady of Charity as it makes its way through the Watsco Center before the Mass on her feast day.
People wave Cuban flags and white handkerchiefs as members of Encuentros Juveniles carry the image of Our Lady of Charity through the Watsco Center before the Mass on her feast day.
Father Fernando Heria, right, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of Immaculate Conception in Hialeah, exhort the crowd to sing and wave white handkerchiefs as the image of Our Lady of Charity is carried in procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Seminarians from St. John Vianney in Miami and St. Vincent de Paul in Boynton Beach wave white handkerchiefs as the image of Our Lady of Charity is carried in procession before the Mass on her feast day.
A choir member holds up her rosary for a blessing before the start of the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
The image of Our Lady of Charity is placed on a pedestal at the altar before the start of the Mass on her feast day.
Raul Guzman stands with his nephew, 2-year-old Bryan Alvarez, to contemplate the image of Our Lady of Charity before the start of the Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski processes into the Watsco Center for the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Archdiocesan priests process into the Watsco Center for the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Percussionists add a decidedly Cuban beat to the annual celebration for the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski presides at the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Father Israel Mago, Venezuela-born pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Miami, preaches the homily at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski listens to the homily preached by Father Israel Mago, Venezuela-born pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Miami, at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Missionaries of Charity carry an image commemorating St. John Paul II"s 1998 visit to Cuba as part of the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Volunteeers with the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity carry a replica of the image, which was raffled off, as part of the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Dr. Jorge Urgell and his family, wife Liz, daughter Rita, 4, and son Javier, 1, take up the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski presides at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Father Israel Mago, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Doral, and Father Fernando Heria, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami, concelebrate the 2018 Mass for the feast of Cuba's patroness. Father Mago, born in Venezuela, served as homilist for this year's Mass.
Choir members sing during the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
A woman prays after Communion during the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary pray after Communion during the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
One of the Hijas de la Caridad (Daughters of Charity) who work at the Miami shrine wears a scarf combining the Cuban flag with the image of the island's patroness.
Father Juan Sosa serves as one of the lead commentators for Radio Paz 830 AM, the archdiocesan station, during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Father Fernando Heria, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, speaks at the conclusion of the annual Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays a Hail Mary at the conclusion of the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity. Moments earlier, he alluded to the scandal of sexual abuse still plaguing the Church, and the sins of "commission and omission" of Church leaders.
A Mass-goer holds up a sign in support of Pope Francis as the image of Our Lady of Charity makes its way one last time through the Watsco Center after the conclusion of the Mass for her feast day.
A woman prays the rosary before the start of the Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Rosaries were given out along with the program for the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the coronation of the image by St. John Paul II as Queen and Mother of Cuba.
Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah, leads the recitation of the rosary before the start of the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Members of Encuentros Juveniles, the archdiocesan youth movement, carry the Encuentros cross to lead the procession into the arena at the start of the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Matthew Moragas, 5, of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Kendall, wears a guayabera and fingers rosary beads as he and other children dressed in typical outfits enter the Watsco Center at the start of the procession with the image of Our Lady of Charity on her feast day.
Children dressed in typical outfits precede the image of Our Lady of Charity during the procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Members of Encuentros Juveniles carry the image of Our Lady of Charity during the procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski follows the image of Our Lady of Charity as it makes its way through the Watsco Center before the Mass on her feast day.
People wave Cuban flags and white handkerchiefs as members of Encuentros Juveniles carry the image of Our Lady of Charity through the Watsco Center before the Mass on her feast day.
Father Fernando Heria, right, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, and Father Manny Alvarez, pastor of Immaculate Conception in Hialeah, exhort the crowd to sing and wave white handkerchiefs as the image of Our Lady of Charity is carried in procession before the Mass on her feast day.
Seminarians from St. John Vianney in Miami and St. Vincent de Paul in Boynton Beach wave white handkerchiefs as the image of Our Lady of Charity is carried in procession before the Mass on her feast day.
A choir member holds up her rosary for a blessing before the start of the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
The image of Our Lady of Charity is placed on a pedestal at the altar before the start of the Mass on her feast day.
Raul Guzman stands with his nephew, 2-year-old Bryan Alvarez, to contemplate the image of Our Lady of Charity before the start of the Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski processes into the Watsco Center for the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Archdiocesan priests process into the Watsco Center for the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Percussionists add a decidedly Cuban beat to the annual celebration for the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski presides at the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Father Israel Mago, Venezuela-born pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Miami, preaches the homily at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski listens to the homily preached by Father Israel Mago, Venezuela-born pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Miami, at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Missionaries of Charity carry an image commemorating St. John Paul II"s 1998 visit to Cuba as part of the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Volunteeers with the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity carry a replica of the image, which was raffled off, as part of the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Dr. Jorge Urgell and his family, wife Liz, daughter Rita, 4, and son Javier, 1, take up the offertory during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski presides at the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Father Israel Mago, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Doral, and Father Fernando Heria, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami, concelebrate the 2018 Mass for the feast of Cuba's patroness. Father Mago, born in Venezuela, served as homilist for this year's Mass.
Choir members sing during the annual Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
A woman prays after Communion during the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary pray after Communion during the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba.
One of the Hijas de la Caridad (Daughters of Charity) who work at the Miami shrine wears a scarf combining the Cuban flag with the image of the island's patroness.
Father Juan Sosa serves as one of the lead commentators for Radio Paz 830 AM, the archdiocesan station, during the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Charity.
Father Fernando Heria, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, speaks at the conclusion of the annual Mass on her feast day.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays a Hail Mary at the conclusion of the 2018 Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Charity. Moments earlier, he alluded to the scandal of sexual abuse still plaguing the Church, and the sins of "commission and omission" of Church leaders.
A Mass-goer holds up a sign in support of Pope Francis as the image of Our Lady of Charity makes its way one last time through the Watsco Center after the conclusion of the Mass for her feast day.
Photography: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
CORAL GABLES | Hundreds of Cubans, joined by faithful from other Latin American nations, gathered Sept. 8 to mark the feast of Our Lady of Charity, patroness of the island. This year's celebration marked the 20th anniversary of her coronation by St. John Paul II during his 1998 visit to the island. The Mass was celebrated at the Watsco Center on the campus of the University of Miami.
