Following is a warm welcoming speech by the Mayor of Orizona, given the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima during Father Gruner s pilgrimage there this summer. The warmth and loving devotion for Our Blessed Mother was manifest wherever She went. Thousands of Brazilian Catholics joined the Mayor on a several mile long procession in welcoming Our Lady to their city of Orizona.

by the Mayor of Orizona

   Mary, Our Beloved Mother, in the Annunciation the Angel called You "full of grace."  In Your visit to Elizabeth, she declared You "Blessed because You believed."  In Bethlehem You gave birth to the Son of God and through You He became Incarnate, He was made Man. At the foot of the cross, You received humanity as Your children. In the Cenacle, the Church of Jesus was born in Your presence.  You are the Mother of Christ, thus Mother of God, Mother of the Church, and Mother of each of us.

Father Gruner, in July 1997, with His Excellency, Bishop Jose da Silva Chaves on the steps of his Cathedral in Uruacu. The bishop organized a several mile long procession to the Cathedral with the Pilgrim Virgin Statue. Father Gruner preached at the bishop's Mass to a packed Cathedral.

   Our city of Orizona was founded under Your protection invoking You as Our Lady of Mercy.  And our land, Mother, is blessed, for here Our Mediatrix is venerated along with Jesus.  As mayor of this municipality, I come to welcome Her through the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima.  This image comes in serenity to remind us of our need to find Jesus, to follow His Scriptures.  To look towards You is to learn from You how to be more like Jesus and be in Jesus.

   We consecrate to You, Mother of Heaven, the city of Orizona, this municipality, its people.  We place under Your mantle all of its people, our goods, and ask of You: a little of Your strength for our weakness; Your courage for our despair; Your serenity for our unrest; Your love for our many hatreds; obtain these graces Mother, from Your Son of God, for us, your sinful children.

   Our thanks to Father Gruner and his team who, with their faith and devotion to the Holy Virgin, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, bring the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima to us to remind us, even more, that we are a privileged people, beloved of God, Who shows His great love for us through the Motherly love of the Virgin Mary.

The Pilgrim Virgin Statue is given a royal welcome on procession in Brazil. She was even escorted several times on long processions atop a fire engine.

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