How the opening of 2019 happened in the House of Our Lady of the Poor

An impressive image of the Virgin Mary mounted over a structure with a water cascade, located at the entrance of the House of Our Lady of the Poor, in Carmo da Cachoeira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, welcomed the pilgrims who arrived from the cities of Belo Horizonte and São Paulo. Under the image, there is a powerful fountain that sounded like music to the ears, and peace to the minds of this group. The pilgrims, accompanied by residents of the town of Carmo da Cachoeira, members of the Light-Community of Figueira and by monastics of Grace Mercy Order, participated in this meeting to pray together for the new cycle that started at the beginning of 2019.

This is how the House of Our Lady of the Poor opened its doors to the activities of the new cycle of 2019.

The first to be received was this group of pilgrims, which included  Children of Mary and prayer groups. This visit closed the events, on the last day of a weekend that contemplated the path guided by the Marian Center of Figueira through the sacred places of the Hill of Apparitions and the House of Our Lady of the Poor.

Spiritual keys

According to what Mother Ana Catalina said, a nun of Grace Mercy Order who coordinates this space and accompanies the Children of Mary very closely, the activities assigned to this house by the Virgin are: “to pray and to teach to pray”, spiritual keys that will touch many hearts, helping them to transform their lives, the religious Mother adds.

The morning passed amidst prayers and chants that led those present to moments of introspection. This event culminated with the ecumenical Communion, offered to all participants.

Later, the pilgrims were divided into groups and left in several cars to different sectors of the city of Carmo da Cachoeira, with the purpose of visiting families and offering prayers, thus manifesting the request of the Virgin Mary to receive pilgrims and "go to meet the families”.

Touching hearts

With great enthusiasm, the teams of work went to the homes of the families that they were assigned to. And they were also received with the same enthusiasm. This was the case of the family of Ms. Espedita Miranda Martin. Her home is located in a section called Sports Square, within the center of Carmo da Cachoeira. There, Ms. Espedita, the head of her family, lovingly invited her children, who were present, to pray together.

“I get filled with joy each time these groups come to pray in my home, I invite my family, children, grand-children. I have the custom of praying before my altar, sometimes alone, but when they come, the house becomes more illumined (she laughs), and although you may not believe, the problems are solved because it is as if for everyone the prayers reached the heart. If it depends on me, they should always come", expressed Ms. Espedita as she showed her altar.

House of Our Lady of the Poor
 

I wish for this to be the house of the poor souls, where they can find
the food of prayer for their spirits, and at the same time, a reunion with love.

Mary, Rose of Peace, February 9, 2017

Consecrated on February 9, 2017, this House, which is part of Association Mary, since then has not ceased its activities. For the development of these activities, two forms were strategically created.

Firstly, they have their daily prayers with a schedule established by the house, also supporting the Prayer for Peace in the Nations via the internet. They also have a movement organized to invite families from more modest areas, to share prayers, and they offer transportation to the place. 

According to Mother Ana Catalina, the response is always positive and “very devout ladies” come to the House and share prayers in an ecumenical way. The structure of the House includes rooms designed for the development of the activities. Thus, here everyone can be before images of different faces of the Virgin in a welcoming room; to stay in the prayer room in individual contemplation, or group work.

Secondly, the group, which represents the House of Our Lady of the Poor, go to the homes of the residents of Carmo da Cachoeira to teach and to encourage them to pray as a family and to have their own altars. For this, the team keeps a constant accompaniment.
 

Group work

These two forms of work go in parallel with the reception of the Children of Mary who visit, as well as with the pilgrims who head to the Marian Center of Figueira, and arrive at this House first. “We support the Marian Center of Figueira in the welcoming of the pilgrims, and we work together with the House of Light on the Hill which, with the social service that it carries out, allows us to make the first contact with potential praying families”, explains the coordinator of the House.

If you want additional information or want to be part of this experience, get in touch with the Secretariat of the House of the Lady of the Poor

• phone: (+55) 35 9984-0987 and (+55) 35 3225-3109 or
• e-mail secretaria.nspobres@associacaomaria.org