Ethnic Days begin in Carey

5/19/2001

Tomorrow is Italian Day at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, the first of four Ethnic Days scheduled this year at the world-renowned Catholic shrine in Carey, Ohio.

“Anyone is invited, whether they are of that heritage or not,” said Donna Johnson, administrative assistant at the shrine located about 50 miles south of Toledo.

Tomorrow's activities include confessions in Italian and English at 10:30 a.m.; Mass in English at 10 a.m. in the upper basilica and noon in the lower church; a Mass in Italian at noon in the upper basilica, and an outdoor rosary procession to the shrine park at 2:30 p.m.

The shrine's statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, which is famous for the numerous testimonies of healing and miracles associated with it, will be part of the procession, Ms. Johnson said.

A band from Cleveland will perform Italian music on the lawn and the day's activities will end with benediction and individual prayer.

Other Ethnic Days scheduled at the shrine are Hispanic Day on June 10; Filipino Day on July 14, and Polish Day on Oct. 14.

Also coming up in Carey is Friday's Feast of Our Lady, which includes a children's Mass at 9:15 a.m., a Pilgrim's Mass at 11 a.m., and an outdoor rosary procession at 2:30 p.m.

On Family Pilgrimage Day, slated for Sept. 23, families are encouraged to pray together and attend Mass. There will be games for children and hotdogs cooked on a grill.

This fall, the International Statue of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima returns to the Carey shrine for three days, Oct. 26-28. The statue, carved in cedar in 1947, reportedly has been seen shedding tears in public 27 times.

Information on Carey shrine events is available at 419-396-7107 or online at www.olcshrine.com.

- DAVID YONKE