Recently there have been a number of reports about the four major shrines in Philadelphia and the role they will play at the time of the Pope’s visit in a few short months.
Since the Central Shrine of the Miraculous Medal is one of these four shrine CMEAST asked Fr. Carl Pieber for his thoughts on its role.
He writes…
“For the week of the Meeting of Families, the four shrines of Philadelphia are coordinating their activities and promotions. Our Vincentian Miraculous Medal Shrine, in the residential Germantown neighborhood, features striking stained glass windows, murals and the marble sculpture of Our Lady of Grace. The Shrine is dedicated to Mary Immaculate. The purpose of the Shrine is to promote prayer to visitors. A sign at the center of the small shrines in the lower level, where people tend to gather, asks visitors, with a bit of humor, to whisper because “Mary’s listening to prayers.” The Shrine celebrates the 1830 apparitions to St. Catherine Laboure where she received the Miraculous Medal (formerly the medal of Our Lady of Grace). The World Meeting of Families, with its multitudes of visitors, helps the Shrine fulfill one of Mary’s messages at the apparition – to spread devotion and prayer to the Blessed Mother and her Son, Jesus Christ.”
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