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Month: August 2022

Healing Spring Water Easily In Reach

August 29, 2022
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New Fount Supplies Water To Three Spigots

Filling bottles and jugs from the reportedly healing water at Rome City, just got immensely easier.  Larry Young, property manager at the Our Lady, Patroness of America Center had always worried that someone would be injured as they filled their water containers on the side of the hill.  There had to be a better way.

The spring water was used in the Kneipp Water Cure practiced at the Sanitarium for over 80 years.  Over the years there have been a number of cures associated with this water.  Some, easily explained, others seem to be of a more miraculous nature.   While many pilgrims tell us of cure and improvement to sickness and disease, it seems that a pattern of God’s grace is continuing which uses this water as an instrument of His Divine Providence and Mercy.

The actual source of the water is from an artesian flowing spring which has been running for at least 125 years.  It flows about 60 gallons a minute and was the sole source of water when the Kneipp Springs Sanitarium opened in 1895.  This type of spring is an unusual geological phenomenon.

 

When the sanitarium was first built the water came right from the ground without pump or mechanical assistance, as it still does today. But during the expansion of the facility the Precious Blood Sisters decided to build a parking lot on the south side of the building, right on top of the spring! To preserve the spring, they had a tunnel constructed from the basement to the spring. This tunnel protects and preserves this great natural gift. The tunnel is emptied by a 4-inch steel pipe which goes to the side of the hill where the waterfall originates. That is where pilgrims previously collected their water.

Tunnel for original source of spring water
Tunnel for original source of spring water

Earlier this month an above ground fount was constructed which is horizontally about 10 feet from the spring and about 10 feet above its source. While the water continues to flow naturally, we did install a small electric pump to lift the water to the spigots. The excess water then drains from the fount back to the tunnel and over the side of the hill. The fount will fill 3 one-gallon bottles in about 30 seconds. 

If you intend to drink water from the spring, we recommend that you only take water from the fount. The 4-inch steel pipe is more than 100 years old and not in good shape and since the excess water from the fount drains back into the tunnel we cannot assure the quality of the water over the side of the hill. Besides, its so much safer and easier to get it from the fount. 

The water is FREE.  We do ask that you say a little prayer for the pilgrims and our apostolate.

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Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades’s Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Event – Recap

August 28, 2022
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His Excellency, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on August 6th, the Feast of the Transfiguration with 750 of the lay faithful 12 Priests and a Deacon at the Our Lady, Patroness of America Center in Rome City, Indiana. Sixty-Five participated remotely. 

Priests came from as far as New York City and pilgrims came from California, Texas, and New York and many states in between. The day was a celebration of Our Lady’s work and the pastoral care of Bishop Rhoades in allowing devotion to Our Lady, the Immaculate Virgin Patroness of America to grow and flourish at Center. 

He blessed the chapel formerly known as the Our Lady, Mother of Mercy Chapel restoring its sacred nature. He renamed it as the Oratory of the Holy Family, recognizing Our Lady’s call to imitate the Holy Family as a sure path to purity of life that she wants for us, her children.

Bishop Rhoades had this to say about the Oratory in his homily (Read Full Homily here):

Now today we can again call this oratory a sacred place since I have blessed it, or I should say – God has blessed it.  It has been blessed with the holy water, a sign of the cleansing waters of salvation in which we have been washed in Christ and made temples of the Holy Spirit.  From this day forward, this Oratory is again a place for divine worship.   It now has a new title – the title of the Holy Family.  Here, I pray, many families will come to be strengthened in faith and love, inspired by the Holy Family to imitate the virtues of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and aided by their intercession.

This Oratory of the Holy Family is the most important part of this Center named in honor of Our Lady, the Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America because here Jesus, her divine Son, who assumed our humanity in her pure womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, will dwell in the tabernacle.  His Sacrifice for our redemption will become present here at every celebration of the Eucharist.  And His Body and Blood will be given in Holy Communion, nourishing the souls of all who receive this sacrament of His love.  Pope Saint John Paul II called Mary the “Woman of the Eucharist.”  No Marian Center would be complete without the Holy Eucharist.  Mary always guides us to this most holy sacrament.  She offered her own flesh and blood to Jesus and became the living tabernacle of the Lord.  She opened herself completely to the presence of Christ.  She teaches us to open ourselves to Jesus’ presence, to receive His Body and Blood with faith, and to live what we receive.  Mary allowed herself to be penetrated by God’s love and she lived the self-giving Eucharistic love of her Son.  She helps us to do the same. 

It came as a joyful surprise to us that Bishop Rhoades has granted to our Pilgrims the privilege of coming to pray in the presence of the Holy Eucharist; the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We are working with our Pastor, Fr. Louis Fowoyo to put in place the appropriate protocols and protection needed to protect and respect this Greatest of Gifts. 

See News Coverage in Today's Catholic

He went on to unfold the mystery of the Transfiguration on its feast day pointing to its most important part.  He said:

And Mary helps us to receive this light. We already know that this has happened through the years here at this center and here in this chapel which today has again become sacred. Of course, this will only happen if we obey the words of the Father at the Transfiguration: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” This is a place where I hope many people will come to pray, which is fundamentally, listening to Jesus. In Hebrew idiom, to listen to someone’s voice means not only to hear, but also to obey. So, this means that we listen in our minds and hearts to what Jesus teaches us in the Gospels and that we strive to put them into practice. Mary teaches us basically the same thing the Father commands us in her words to the waiters at the wedding feast of Cana: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Concluding his homily, Bishop calls upon Our Lady to guide, intercede and bring the Light of Christ upon her Pilgrims:

Here in this Holy Family Oratory and in this Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America Center, I hope that many will “climb with Jesus the mountain of prayer and, contemplating His face full of love and truth, allow themselves to be filled with His light” (Pope Benedict).  Our Blessed Mother, who was filled with the light of her Son, lives now in the light of His glory in heaven.  She waits for us and she prays for us. The Church invokes her as “Maris Stella,” the “Star of the Sea” because on the voyage of our life, she is a star who shines with the light of Christ to guide us along our way.  She is a star of hope for us.  May she shine upon all who visit and pray in this sacred oratory! 

After the Mass the Pilgrims were treated to a free lunch of grilled hamburgers and sausages cooked by the Rome City Volunteer Fire Department. They did a great job and excellent music was provided for the remainder of the afternoon as pilgrims gathered, renewed friendships, and made new ones.
Bishop Rhoades remained after Mass for about two hours to greet, converse and bless the pilgrims and devotional items.

But not everything turned out the way we hoped. We were planning to consecrate the new altar which had been commissioned and was in place without the marble top for the week prior to the celebration. The Mensa (altar top) was delayed in delivery and when it was placed on the day before the Mass it was dropped and shattered. We were in shock as our hopes were dashed and the plan of the Mass was upended. Bishop Rhoades in his generosity continued with the Mass plans, although the order of the Liturgy changed from the consecration of the Altar back to the Feast of the Transfiguration. Through the great teamwork and last-minute sprint of Masters of Ceremonies Fr. Daniel Koehle, Fr. Nathan Maskal, liturgist Mr. Brian MacMichael and our staff everything was re-arranged just in the nick of time.

The good news is that Bishop Rhoades said he would be back when the altar is ready. We will then be doubly blessed!

The Our Lady, Patroness of America Center has so many to thank. Our volunteers and benefactors are at the top of the list. Nearly 100 volunteers had some role in preparing the grounds, coordinating, completing all the details and assisting pilgrims that day. And our benefactors have brought the Providence of God, so that we would afford to prepare for an overflow crowd of 400 pilgrims, live stream Mass and then feed everyone. Thank you!

A Sacred Space deserves Sacred Music. The choir loft was opened and outfitted in preparation of this event. Through the efforts of conductor Sara Balogh some of the finest musicians from throughout the Diocese were brought together. The Oratory was filled with the most beautiful sacred music. I don’t know the last time that the walls echoed such a heavenly sound, but certainly what was heard by these walls was heard in Heaven!

And thank you Bishop Rhoades for your support of this apostolate. You have given Our Lady a home which is now a sacred space. And through your prayers you have asked Heaven to bring an abundance of graces upon us and especially the pilgrims. Our Lady is surely pleased!

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St Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

August 1, 2022
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Bishop Rhoades Will Deposit Saint's Relic in Altar

Through the great generosity of a FSSP priest serving the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend, the Oratory of the Holy Family has been graced with a relic of St. Agnes of Rome, Virgin and Martyr.  This early saint is mentioned in the Litany of Saints and has been recognized by the Church as an outstanding example of faith.

It is fitting that we will have as our intercessor a saint who pursued purity to perfection.  Not only in her pursuit of chastity, but as an even greater call to do only the will of God. It was her pursuit of chastity that kept her pure, it was her pursuit of God’s love that called her to martyrdom.  

The Oratory of the Holy Family is very graced to have her be a part of our Mission.  We pray for her to intercede for us, our pilgrims and all who seek Our Lady’s healing.

Vigil Service Friday August 5, 2022 At 7:00 PM

Please join with us in the Vigil Service, in the Oratory of the Holy Family!

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