Friday, September 3, 1999

Immediately following the Enthronement of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the Shrine Altar, Sister Ruth Plante welcomes the Pilgrims.  Archbishop Judson is standing on the left, attentively listing to the sister.

In her welcome message, Sister Ruth told the Pilgrims about the infestation of Cicada Bugs, which come out every 17 years and destroy the trees.  The tree in the picture above indicates the severe damage they cause.  However, the Sister told the visitors that next year the trees will have fully recovered, shedding their dead and damaged wood, and replacing it with new growth.

She used the example of these trees to highlight the theme for the weekend:  "Return to the Father through Reconciliation."  The pilgrims were challenged to shed away any dead wood in their life through reconciliation, so that come Jubilee 2000 they would be a new person.