By Fr. Bernard Lorenz
St. Patrick Parish in McCook
Hispanic Ministry
Mom is calling us home to the family.
Mom who? The Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), Mom of Jesus and all humanity. (John 19:26-27) In the 38 years of priesthood that the good and gracious God has allowed me to celebrate, I have come to know and love my mom Mary, mother of Jesus, more and more.
On Aug. 15 we celebrate each year her Assumption into heaven (Revelation 12:1-17). It is a holy day of obligation to gather and thank God for this great historical event that fills us with hope. I remember when I was about 10 years old, before I fell asleep one night on the farm near Crete, I prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary for help for my family, especially for my parents, who were having a disagreement. Even though my bed was on the second floor, I could hear them arguing on the first floor of our home, and my sad heart turned naturally and without hesitation to ask the BVM for her maternal help.
I remember promising the BVM that I would take on suffering if she would but relieve the suffering of my parents. My parents, Joseph and Idella, remained devoted to each other into their old age and passed on to eternal life in love with each other.
I remember praying the holy rosary by myself in my dorm room at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as my love and devotion for my mom Mary, mother of Jesus, grew.
Then, through the Kentucky and Pennsylvania seminaries, I learned so much more. The early days of my priesthood gave me opportunities to not only share my love of Mary with others, but also to defend her from those who were mistaken about her active role in our lives today.
Throughout my priesthood, I came to know more titles for Mary, as I encountered many other cultures of people who knew her and loved her by other names.
When studying Spanish in Cochabamba, Bolivia, I heard of her title Mother of Cotoca and Our Lady of La Salette. But the biggest celebration to Mary was celebrated Aug. 14, under the name Mary of Urqupiña. While I was studying in Cochababmba, a few of us students went that Saturday to the great procession and festival of thousands of faithful. I remember thousands of persons climbed the mountain to venerate Mary on her day.
After the five months of language school in Bolivia, I went to serve at our diocesan mission in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. I arrived for the novena before Christmas of 1990. The first morning I was in our diocesan mission—while I was still in bed, tired from the journey—the lively choir of mostly youth came to my rectory window, which was never closed, due to the heat, even though this was mid-December. After the 5:30 a.m. novena Mass, they broke into a loud rendition of “The Holy Family,” using drums, four-stringed small guitars and the furruco, singing as loud as they could. (Ask me about the furruco some time, and I will tell you all about it.) I am sure one of the other priests, Father Julius Tvrdy, to be specific, put them up to it so as to “welcome” me into the community!
The original parish in our area of the northern “suburbs” of Barquisimeto was named for Mary also, by the name Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This name came all the way from Israel and Mount Carmel (1 Kings18:20-40). And greatest of all, the all-day procession of millions of people through the heart of the city of Barquisimeto each year was “La Divina Pastora,” which means Mary the Mother of the Divine Pastor.
But my all-time favorite name for Mary was “Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá,” from the northern Andes region. One of the women of our parish was named Chiquinquirá after her.
The small chapel we built in “La Pena” with its miraculous window (another story you can ask me about) has Mary’s statue with the child Jesus in her lap. She is named Our Lady of Coromoto. By this name Mary is Queen of all of Venezuela because she appeared in 1652 to the indigenous Chief Coromoto. On that very spot in central Venezuela is now built the great National Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto.
Now, I have been working with Guadalupe, Our Lady of Charity of Copper—the Cuban Patroness, Candelaria, Mercedes, Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos, Talpa, Valvanera, Victoria, Majalca, and many others. It seems that each state of Mexico, and indeed of each of our southern countries, has a unique name for the BVM as she appeared and worked miracles in their state. I have extreme gratitude for great Catholic evangelists like Scott Hahn, John Martignoni, and Brandt Pitre for sharing her stories.
In the last 15 years of my priesthood here in the western side of our Lincoln Diocese, Mary, our mom, has called and led my people home to the family of Jesus Christ Our Savior and God of Life, and His Holy Catholic Church. Thank you Mary, mother of Jesus and our mother. Our Mother Mary is truly the Queen of Evangelization of all the world. Mary, call us home to the family.
