Indulgence of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Licheń, July 2, 2021.
Main Mass with the Marian procession took place in the Licheń basilica at 12.00. The solemn indulgence sum was presided over by Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski, bishop of the Włocławek diocese. Since 2005, by the decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, July 2 is celebrated in the Diocese of Włocławek as a mandatory commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Licheń.
At the beginning of the Eucharist, Fr. Janusz Kumala, MIC, who welcomed the bishop to the Licheń basilica. The custodian custodian noted that this is not the first visit of Bishop Wętkowski in Licheń, but for the first time he is presiding over the pilgrimage ceremony in the St. Of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Licheń as ordinary bishop of the diocese of Włocławek.
Marianine also welcomed all the priests who concelebrated today's noon Eucharist, as well as the faithful who had gathered in large numbers in the temple to pray to God on this special day. He recalled the words of St. John Paul II from 1999, who said about the Licheń sanctuary that "it is a place that Mary loved very much".
This little image of Mary contains the mystery of her sorrows. Events from her life come to our mind, especially those related to the public activity of the Lord Jesus, and especially with the time of Holy Week and the Way of the Cross. It was the central moment of his mission and his experience of undeserved suffering ... This event and meditation on this passion and this Marian pain lead us to the conviction that suffering is always the most important test of faithful love
The Hierarchy pointed out that we should remember that the love spoken of in Scripture is not only about emotions felt with the heart, but above all keeping God's commandments, God's law and God's word. - “Whoever lives like this can say that he loves God. The one who only utters beautiful words and succumbs to emotional states, but does not want to keep God's commandments, is a liar and is not the one who loves God " - said Bishop Wętkowski.
The bishop of Włocławek asked how to follow the road that leads to God? In his opinion, three basic conditions must be met. Bishop Wętkowski was the first to mention keeping intact faith; the second in his opinion is the relentlessness to the threats that arise; the third - not breaking down with persecution (Bishop Wętkowski indicated Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński as an example).
The bishop encouraged us to come to the Mother of God and bring our fears, hardships and cares to her image, because she is all pleasant and will help us to bear our burden.
Later in the homily, the ordinary of Włocławek referred to the liturgy of the Word, especially to the Letter to the Romans by St. Paul. The bishop wondered if physical suffering, worries, failures could be reasons leading to doubting God's love? While answering the question posed in this way, he referred to a fragment of the letter of St. Paul, who enumerates the threats to the unity of man with Christ: afflictions, oppression, persecution, hunger, nakedness, the sword.
According to Bishop Wętkowski, what can separate us from Christ's love is departure from faith, adultery, immoral conduct, idolatry or fornication. -“Sin without repentance and without conversion is the most important and most dangerous threat to human life - spiritual and eternal. Our sins and infidelities, lack of will to repent and correct, disregard for sin make us separate from Christ's love " He said.
For such a sin, Bishop Wętkowski pointed out hatred towards his fellow men, gossip, gossip, and all sins related to the sphere of human lust, i.e. drugs or the sexual sphere. They all distance us from the love of Christ.
Being in such a situation, we can look for help and help in the word of God, because "God works with those who love him".
At the end, Bishop Wętkowski quoted the words of Cardinal Wyszyński from 1969, which, in his opinion, we can read today as a guide for us, people living in today's Poland.
– “We cannot defend our homeland with hatred, and we must defend it. So let us defend her with her love, first among ourselves, so as not to raise our hand against anyone in the Homeland, where we were once beaten by the invaders. We cannot imitate them. We cannot abuse and beat ourselves. Poles have been beaten enough by strangers. Let them learn from these painful experiences. You have to try a different way, understanding through love, which will make the whole world speak while looking at us - this is how they love each other. Only then will the longed-for peace, harmony and mutual trust reign. "
After the end of the Mass. liturgical assistance and the faithful walked in a Marian procession along the alleys of the Lichen sanctuary, thanking the Mother of God for her presence on the Lichen hill. Before the final blessing, Fr. the bishop read the act of entrustment to Our Lady of Licheń.
During the Holy Mass people staying in Licheń also prayed in the Licheń temple as part of the so-called oases of the sick, i.e. a holiday collection for the elderly and the sick.
The indulgence celebrations in honor of Our Lady of Licheń were graced by the Sanctuary Wind Quintet.
Also today, during the Holy Mass. at. At 10.00 am celebrated in front of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady, miners from the Department Committee for Pensioners and Pensioners of NSZZ "Solidarność", KWK JAS-MOS from Jastrzębie Zdrój prayed. The flagship of the miners was placed at the altar during the Eucharist.
Text: Sanctuary Press Office
