The Icon of the Blessed Virgin, during her tour in the province of Santo Domingo, visited the parish of St. Vincent Ferrer in the community of Andoas, the north-west part of the diocese.
Agnus Dei is initially a German community established in Santo Domingo with the intention of contemplative life. They came to Ecuador 20 years ago invited by the bishop of Santo Domingo. They work closely with Radio Maria, and for the last 8 years they have had perpetual adoration in their chapel.
From 17 to 23 May, the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa visited the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows. Father Segundo Merizalde organized the community for the reception of Our Lady.
Continuing the pilgrimage through Ecuadorian territory, Our Lady in Her Czestochowa Icon from May 8 to 12 visited the Corpus Christi Parish. Fr. Roberto Carvajal received Her in the main church and in two separate chapels that are in the parish.
Father Leon Juchniewicz, a Polish missionary who is working in Ecuador for 30 years is one of the people who made it possible for the pilgrimage of Czestochowa Virgin to Ecuador. Father Leon was ordained on June 11, 1983 and after three years of pastoral work and a year of preparation for the missionary work, he arrived in Santo Domingo de los Colorados, which at that time was the newly created Personal Prelature.
The Community of Polish Missionary Sisters who are based in Santo Domingo received very happily their Lady and Queen, the Virgin of Czestochowa. The Icon was there from May 1 to 5 in the community chapel, where four sisters are currently living: one from Ecuador and three from Poland.
This year, the Missionary Benedictine Sisters enjoy several spiritual occasions to give thanks to God. On April 30, one day before the Icon arrived in this community, at a very solemn Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Bertram Wick and in the presence of Mother General Marcelina Kusmierz and Sister Vicariate Bozena Lubiarz from Poland, three Polish sisters celebrated their silver anniversary of religious life and began celebrating the 100 years of the founding of the Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters.
While the Virgin was in the convent, the sisters -with great devotion offered their prayers putting their lives for the mission in Ecuador at the hands of Our Lady in Her Icon of Czestochowa. During those days, the sisters gathered in the chapel to pray the liturgy of the hours, the holy rosary and celebrate mass. The young people of the parish of Juan Eulogio accompanied them in the prayers.
The Missionary Benedictine Sisters lead a life full of prayer, spirit of sacrifice and love to each person. The congregation came to Ecuador in 1995, invited by Father Leon Juchniewicz, parish priest of Our Lady of the Assumption, from the Diocese of Santo Domingo. Since their arrival they were immersed in the pastoral work through the catechesis, infancy missionary work, music, leading a choir, attending to the young and old.
Seeing the necessity, they opened a "medicine chest" with sale of medicine at low price and giving medical care. In the parish they have a nursery for children from the poorest households in the community. In addition, they coordinate a scholarship project for 70 children with the help of Polish benefactors. Since 2011 the Sisters run a shelter center for 40 girls and adolescents.
Our Lady of Czestochowa, we ask you to intercede for the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in this special year so they may fulfill the words of Jesus: "Go and proclaim the Gospel", and to share with happiness of the encounter with the Savior.
Holy Week, The Passover Triduum and Easter. Mother of God in Her Czestochowa Icon spent in Santo Domingo with the Carmelite Sisters in the Monastery of the Holy Mother of Jesus and St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus, surrounded by their love and fervent prayer.
According to the schedule, the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa is visiting the parishes in the first municipal deanery of the Ascension of the Lord in the city of Santo Domingo de los Colorados in Ecuador. The official visit of Our Lady of Czestochowa in the diocese of Santo Domingo began on the Sanctity of Life Day the feast of Annunciation and started with a Great March for Life from the oldest city church to the cathedral.
Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 falls exactly nine months before Christmas. Ecuador also celebrates the Sanctity of Life Day. This year for the March for Life Ecuadorians invited their special guest - Our Lady of Czestochowa who just arrived in Santo Domingo de los Colorados.