Marian procession, Congress at Kannapolis

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

LAST Saturday's weather cooperated with over a hundred Mary devotees who joined the Eucharistic procession held around the Performing Arts Center at Kannapolis.

The procession followed the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The statue of Mary that was dressed in a white garment with white sequins was carried by four men and followed by devotees who sang “Ave Maria.”

Ahead of the procession was Aida Gamalo of New York's Jesusthroughmary.org. clad in a long light blue terno Filipino costume. A native of Davao City, Philippines, Gamalo helped organize the Marian Congress held at the center.

She said Mama Mary is alive in every person and is not just a statue adorned by devotees. Gamalo said devotees are asked to pray towards her son Jesus. “This is Marian evangelization,” Gamalo said of the crowd that attended the procession.

Last Saturday's event was the fourth Marian Congress held in the center. Gamalo said they are preparing for the Marian Congress in 2018.

Inside the Performing Arts center, most of the devotees were Spanish families but there were also large numbers of other Catholics of different races. 

The 2014 Marian congress was held in two venues in Kannapolis. The English tract which started early was held at St. Joseph Church while the Spanish track started at 8:00 at the Kannapolis Performing Arts Center.

The two groups joined the procession and it was followed by the concelebration of the Mass by Bishop Jugis.

One of the speakers during the morning retreat in the was Immaculee Ilibagiza, a genocide survivor of Rwanda during the 1980s and early ‘90s.

Ilibagiza, a renowned Catholic author and inspirational speaker, shared her story of God’s love and the power of prayer amid the violence that she faced in her community.