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Madonna House Visitations for 2009

 

Since we have many new members in the Society this year, I would like to briefly share with you why there are yearly house visitations. The history in the city of Mazara Sicily in Italy has been, that every year in the month of July, since the early 18th century, the civilian Devotion has the actual painted image of the Madonna travel from Church to Church, around the city of Mazara.

To simulate that same Devotion here, the Madonna travels from house to house in the month of November. This is the time of the year when we hold our Mass, Procession and celebration for our Society at Our Lady of the Rosary Church and this tradition has continued here in San Diego since 1960.

To make transportation of the Madonna easy for everyone, our past officers purchased an easel several years ago. Rather than moving a copy of the painting in the original Vada built in 1960, the easel made the most sense because it only takes one person to carry and move it around and it can be transported in a mid-size car.

I encourage all of you to take part in this ongoing tradition. For those members who have signed up to have a visitation at there home, I thank you and I ask that you invite a new member or two so that they can witness this event. The available dates this year are from November 4th thru the 13th a total of ten days. We have brought a sign up sheet to all of our society meetings and the available dates left are, Monday the 9th – Tuesday the 10th – Wednesday the 11th – Thursday the 12th & Friday the 13th. Call us at (619) 934-1615 or e-mail me @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve your first come first serve basis spot.

This year, we the officers have some stipulations in place for those of you who want to experience this enlightening Devotion. My father Mr. Cosmo Crimi for many years would help Society members by bring the painting and the original Vada to their home, but his health no longer allows our Society that luxury. Because we all work you can understand the difficulty in having us bring the Madonna around. I ask that we try and work together in making this, another successful year of visitations.

 

The Stipulations are as Follow

 

  1. You must be willing & able to pick up the Madonna from whoever’s house it’s at on your reserved day.
  2. Telephone numbers, addresses and directions will be provided for your convenience upon request.
  3. The Madonna stays overnight in your home on your specific day.
  4. You can if you want, use a priest of your choice to recite the Rosary and you may need to provide transportation for them.
  5. Donations are collected during these sponsored visitations. The purposes of the offerings are to help the Society with annual expenses and support to the Church.
  6. Last year $1,928.00 was collected for seven days of visitations, if we utilize all ten days this year we should hopefully do well.

 

Finally, please remember that the house visitations are deeply rooted in tradition and Devotion. We have had several families sponsor the Madonna in their homes on specific days for many years. I do not want to change that tradition, but perhaps in time with new membership and the continued success of our Society, things can change. Thank you and God Bless.

Paul A. Crimi

President

MDP Society SD Calif.

www.mdpssd.org