Our Lady of the Cape pilgrim statue welcomed in Saskatoon

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News / Photos by Matthew Marcoux and Michelle Jalbert

As part of a journey of prayer and devotion in conjunction with Pope Francis’ visit to Canada this month, the Statue of Our Lady of the Cape was welcomed at the Cathedral of the Holy Family July 22 in a celebration that also included marking another step in the vocation journey of a diocesan seminarian.

Seminarian commissioned as lector

Seminarian Luke Tran

During the noon-hour Mass with the pilgrim statue, Bishop Mark Hagemoen instituted seminarian Luke Van Tam Tran into the ministry of lector, which is received during theological studies. He is preparing to enter his final year of theology at Christ the King seminary in Mission, B.C.

“This ministry centres on the proclamation of the Word of God but also that the candidate would be transformed by the Word of God,” explained Fr. Colin Roy, who along with Fr. Daniel Yasinski is co-director of Vocations in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen instituted seminarian Luke Van Tan Tran as a lector during Mass July 22, when the Our Lady of the Cape statue was at the Cathedral of the Holy Family. (Photo by Matthew Marcoux / Michelle Jalbert)

Our Lady of the Cape statue tour

Cities across Canada have hosted the Statue of Our Lady of the Cape this year — including parishes in the diocese of Saskatoon earlier this spring. However, the July journey has a special focus, with the statue stopping en route to the papal visit in Edmonton.

The statue’s latest tour has been likened to the torch run held ahead of the Olympics — with Our Lady of the Cape bringing Christ’s message of healing and reconciliation ahead of Pope Francis’ self-described “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada.

(Photo by Matthew Marcoux / Michelle Jalbert)

The 10-destination shrine tour started at the home of Our Lady of the Cape, Canada’s National Marian Shrine in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, on June 22. Stops have included Assumption Cathedral in Trois-Rivières and Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa July 6, Peterborough July 12, Midland July 14, Sudbury July 15, Thunder Bay July 18, and Winnipeg July 20.

At each stop there has been praying of the rosary and Mass, with roses blessed after Mass in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by a Marian consecration prayer. Participants were invited to place their intentions into “Mary’s Ark,” which will be transported to the Mass with Pope Francis in Edmonton on July 26.

(Photo by Matthew Marcoux / Michelle Jalbert)

About Our Lady of the Cape – Canada was Consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Ottawa in 1947. The Marian Statue that was used 75 years ago was from Canada’s National Marian Shrine located at Cap de la Madeleine near Trois Rivières, QC. The original statue is known as Our Lady of the Cape.

The Marian Devotional Movement was visiting various dioceses in Canada in 2022 with the statue of Our Lady of the Cape to provide opportunities for Canadians to pray with Canada’s National Madonna, to promote consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to promote enrolment in the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. For more information, see: https://canada54.com/