www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall FLORIDA CONSECRATED TO IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, WITH GOVERNOR ATTENDING

FLORIDA CONSECRATED TO IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, WITH GOVERNOR ATTENDING

Sources in Tallahassee and at the bishop's office have confirmed that the state of Florida was recently consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a quiet, almost secret Mass celebrated by Most Reverend John H. Ricard, bishop of the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese. The solemn event was attended by Governor Jeb Bush and his wife Columba. It reportedly took place at Blessed Sacrament Church (left) in Tallahassee with just 24 in attendance.

"It was a very quiet activity," notes Tina Easter, the bishop's secretary. "It was quiet because of the governor's involvement. It was certainly not a photo-op."

According to one woman who attended, the Mass occurred last May and was the length of a normal Sunday liturgy, with a special consecration read and a life-sized image of the Guadalupe Virgin placed in the church for the occasion. According to reports, both Governor and Mrs. Bush have visited the famous shrine at Guadalupe near Mexico City, where Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego. Mrs. Bush, a Mexican-American, recently attended the beatification of Mother Teresa and jubilee for John Paul II at the Vatican. She is known to be devout and has been seen in the chapel of the Tallahassee church.

Consecration of a nation or area is considered a powerful means of protection. The famous Fatima appearance included a request for the consecration of Russia. The state has also been consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Is Mrs. Jeb Bush a practicing Roman Catholic? If she is, that is very interesting.

Ung-Certez

Shlomo Ung-Certez,
Gov. and Mrs. Jeb Bush are Roman Catholics. She is a cradle Catholic and he converted.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

Dear Friends,

As I understand it, Florida was named after the Spanish term for Easter "Pasqua di Florida" since Ponce de Leon discovered it on Easter Day.

And the patronal Madonna of Florida is "Our Lady of la Leche" I believe.

What other spiritual aspects of Florida's past does anyone recall?

Alex

Um, St. Augustine is the oldest European-settled city in the USA and is named for the famous Church Father, obviously.

Logos Teen

When the Spanish settled at St. Augustine, they decided that a Fort was needed. They named it for St. Mark.

Since Florida is a large sand pile, with virtually no rocks or stones of any kind, they needed another building material --- they built the fort out of seashells!

It's still there, after over 300 years --- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.

http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

Dear Alex,
We say "Pascua florida" not "pascua di Florida", we are Westerns but certainly not Italians. By the way, What is the slavonic name for the Pentikostarion? Is not something like Florid or Joyful Triod. The name of "La Virgen de la leche" is what in Greek we say Galaktotrofousa Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God. By the way I think that governor Jeb Bush has got a lot of reasons to tank "La Virgen de la leche" for the miracle of the election of his brother for the presidency of the USA...I hope that nobody else (specially no Republican) will read this massege. In Florida as well we have the first Greek community in America (Saint Fotius Greek Orthodox National Shrine). What most people do not know is that they were Greeks in communion with Rome from Menorca (Spain), Corsica, Argel and Mani (Greece). In fact they were eventually Latin Catholics as they failed to obtain from the Othoman ruled Greece priests of thir own rite. One of the Spanish priest of this community became one of the first bishops of Florida.

Yours in Christ. Merry Christmas everybody.
FR

Dear Francisco,

Ah, well the person who first told me about that was an Italian professor of history - that explains it!

And April 2 is "Pascua Week" in Florida too.

There are five Franciscan Martyrs of Old Florida (now Savannah, Georgia) that are up for beatification.

And other Marian shrines their include Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Cuban Patron of Our Lady of Cobre and one Byzantine Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

My in-laws' condo is in Naples, Florida.

There I have the icons of Our Lady of Guadalupe (all the Americas), Our Lady of la Leche (Florida) and Our Lady of Naples (or Mt Carmel for the city of Naples itself).

I just love associating shrines like that!

Our sidestreet here is "Mildenhall" and I know there was a shrine to "Our Lady of Mildenhall" in England. So our garden shrine is to "Our Lady of Mildenhall" too.

Do you think I need to get a life?

Alex

Dear Francisco,

Of course, at least one Republican is reading your posts!

Yes, Geo. Bush's victory in Florida was a miracle, but not because God "is on our side." It's only because He just can't stand the Democrats.

In Christ,
Andrew

Sorry but no Party is God's Party!

I don't know it in Slavonic, but I believe it translates to "The Flowery Triodion."

Justin

Dear Justin,

And not "the Feast or Pascha of Flowers?"

I believe it comes from the Western custom of decorated Crosses with flowers at Easter time.

Alex