PERRYVILLE – The annual May Procession will be held on the grounds of Saint Mary’s of the Barrens on Sunday, May 1, at 1 p.m. The procession will form in front of the historic church which is the home of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
This beautiful location known as the Grotto, will be the setting for the May Procession to be held May 1st at 1 p.m.
The Rosary will be recited as the group processes to the grotto on the Rosary Walk. At the grotto, roses will be presented to Our Blessed Mother by the First Communicants and written petitions received throughout the United States will be presented to Mary by the Confirmation confirmands. A heart-shaped wreath covered with rose petals, representing prayer requests received from people from all over the country, will be placed at the grotto.
Assisted by the St. Vincent de Paul Parish Choir, familiar May hymns will be sung. All will join in a prayer service. Claudia Otte, the Prefect of the “Children of Mary” Sodality of St. Vincent High School, will have the honor of crowning the statue of Our Blessed Mother. The May Court is completed by attendants, Anna Schwartz and Katelyn Sutterer, along with escorts, Ethan Leible, Carson Leible, and Gabriel Anders, members of the high school St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus will present a sword salute during the crowning ceremony.
Fr. Kevin McCracken, C.M., Spiritual Director of the Association of the Miraculous Medal, will be the Presider, and a “Tribute to Mary” will be given by Fr. Pat McDevitt, C.M.
Fr. Pat McDevitt was born in Chicago, Illinois, and ordained in 1986. Fr. Pat has served the Congregation of the Mission as a professor at DePaul University in Chicago and as the Superior of the DePaul Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Currently, he serves as the Provincial for the Congregation of the Mission of the Western Province.