Verona Bishop Leads Lourdes Feast Mass at Desenzano Hospital
The bishop of Verona, Mons. Giuseppe Amari, will also be present to celebrate a mass at 7:30 PM on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Sick, scheduled for tomorrow, February 11, at the Desenzano Hospital. It will be a moving ceremony, an opportunity for gathering and reflection, which will, as always, be attended by numerous faithful followers.
Organization and Route of the Ceremony
The event is organized by Father Luigi Pisetta together with volunteers working at the Monte Croce Hospital, the Unitalsi di Milano (an association that organizes pilgrimages to Lourdes), the Red Cross, and other volunteer groups. After the mass, a torchlight procession will wind through the park in front of the hospital, leading to the statue of the Madonna located at the Marian Oasis.
The Oasis itself is dedicated to the devotion of the faithful towards the image of Our Lady of Lourdes. During the ceremony, the bishop will also bless a new statue of the Madonna, which will be installed on March 25 in the chapel of the Villa dei Colli Hospital in Lonato.
Participants and Significance of the Ceremony
At the Desenzano hospital church, there will also be a delegation of Air Force personnel and the choir of Fornace (Trento). Father Pisetta, as the hospital chaplain, has been serving and witnessing to faith among the ill for years.
Before arriving in Desenzano, the religious figure served a twenty-year mission at Sacco Hospital in Milan and previously in Vienna. Father Luigi is of Trentino origin.
“I thank the administration, the administrative, medical, and paramedical staff, and everyone who works so hard so that this religious temple, within the hospital, functions practically, providing strength and support to those who suffer.”
Meaning and Goals of the Gathering
This gathering, which has been held repeatedly over the years and offers moments of great intensity and emotion, primarily aims to strengthen spiritual dialogue and bring together many devotees of Our Lady of Lourdes.