Written in Her Heart

On Sunday, 8 May, 2016, 

the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Christchurch,

 New Zealand, had the joy of once more 

organising what would become the 

fifth annual Maryfest and Grand Procession

 in honour of Our Lady of Christchurch. 

The first procession took place in 2011,

after the terrible earthquake of 22 February that year, 

when the image of Our Lady

 which was standing in the (since collapsed) Cathedral tower

 was seen to have turned to face out towards the torn city;

reminiscent of the Salve Regina:

"Turn then, Most Gracious Advocate, 

thine eyes of mercy towards us."

Much work of preparation bears fruit 

in the rapid assembly of everything required 

in the church hall of the 

Christchurch parish of Our Lady of Victories.

Our Lady's bellringers await the moment 

when they will ring the glory or their Heavenly Queen.

This year a very beautiful crown was 

made painstakingly by the hand 

of a hidden servant of Our Lady 

and offered to her by 

the little cortege of the 

Crown Bearer, May Queen and Train Bearer.

The bier leaves the church borne by the sedarii, 

assisted by the ribboniers and flanked by the torch bearers.

Our Lady's flower girls and bell ringers go ahead 

strewing the ground with petals

 and ringing little bells.

The Mother of God represented as 

Our Lady of Christchurch is borne aloft 

through the streets 

wearing her silver tiara in preparation for the coronation.

As we process along Main South Road 

the Holy Rosary is played,

the band taking up the Gloria 

and interspersing the decades with 

a verse of the Fatima Ave.

A dozen garlanded banners add to the spleadour of the occasion.

The return to the Church of Our Lady of Victories.

This year for the first time, 

His Lordship Bishop Barry Jones

 was sadly absent, having passed away 

on 13 February this year.

In his stead

Very Rev. Fr Rick Loughnan, 

our Diocesan Administrator, 

consecrated the city and diocese once again to 

the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary 

and gave the Solemn Benediction

of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

As the fanfare resounded through the church...

....our May Queen crowns the image of the Queen of the May.

A miniature orchestra accompanies the congregation 

during the exposition of 

the Blessed Sacrament, 

playing "Jesus my Lord, my God, my All" 

and the "Tantum Ergo".

Unfortunately pictures cannot sufficiently capture the 

 moving witness of hundreds of souls from the Diocese 

kneeling, singing sweetly to this accompaniment 

in adoration of Our Eucharist Lord.

For the first time Our Blessed Lady 

was, this year, offered an antique votive heart

 enclosing the names of more than 1500 souls

 who had been enrolled

 from all around the diocese.

The very large number of sheets of names 

were gathered, printed in miniature 

and enclosed in the receptacle in the back of the heart

... literally "written in Our Lady's heart"... 

This was formally offered to Our Blessed Mother 

by our Very Rev. Diocesan Administrator.

This year the sedarii were 

captained by Mr Matthew Green 

and the men of our city,

 proud to serve under the banner of Heaven.

Surely another crown is to be found for 

Our Lady in the 

beautiful and innocent souls

 of the children of our Oratory

 pictured here after the procession  

with their chaperons.

They are truly "building Jerusalem" 

once more here in the South Pacific.

May she keep them always as the apple of her eye.

***

Our human eyes see perhaps

the beauty of the day,

but the wonder of a city placed under 

the mantle of our Heavenly Queen is far greater. 

Everything we saw was brought to

 the feet of their Queen

 by those who live in our city and its environs,

 a truly remarkable witness to their faith.

Our Lady of Christchurch,

turn always thine eyes of mercy towards us!

A large album of photographs may be found here: 

Our Lady of Christchurch's facebook page.