Marian garden, statue blessed at South Oropouche*

By Renee Smith,
rsmith.camsel@rcpos.org

At the blessing of the new Fatima Rosary Garden located next to the Adoration Chapel in South Oropouche, Archbishop Jason Gordon applauded the fact the two are placed next to each other. He said, “Just like the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, you never separate Mary from her son, Jesus.”

The Archbishop celebrated Mass with the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish on Wednesday, November 7 to consecrate the garden, inclusive of a Marian statue situated at its centre. Parish priest Fr Finbarr “Pax” Jey-Sharwan VC and Fr Kizito Ameloko VC concelebrated.

During his homily Archbishop Gordon urged the parishioners of South Oropouche and Fyzabad to make a commitment to go to the “protection of Mary” saying “In the midst of all the noise in the village, you have a sanctuary that is there if you want to go to the depth of God, offer your intercessions and bring deep desires in time of distress.”

Archbishop Gordon added it is important to remember the space on its own cannot send anyone to heaven. “The space needs us to inhabit it and use it for prayer so that our petitions brought to Mary can be presented to her Son, Jesus.”

Preaching on the importance of Mary, Archbishop Gordon said Christians must treat her as a “sacred vessel”. “She [Mary] is as Eve was, before The Fall. We can consider Mary ‘the new Eve’ who is mother of humanity.”

Before work began on the garden, parishioners had to navigate through rubble, loose gravel and overgrown grass on their way to adoration at the chapel. Two senior parishioners began the landscaping but when the task became strenuous an expert was called in to take over.

Having done the consecration, Fr Jey-Sharwan hopes that through the new environment the “soul of St Mary’s village, South Oropouche will be raised up.”