When we arrived in Sacramento, a city named after the Blessed Sacrament, Father Jeremy Leatherby, pastor of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, as well as Father Patrick Lee, a priest in residence, welcomed the Pilgrim Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa with deep joy.
At Mass, the Black Madonna found herself surrounded by a crowd of eager Catholics, including many young families. After veneration, the parish held a reception for fellowship to celebrate the pilgrim icon’s visit to the vibrantly active Sacramento parish.
The Pilgrim Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa traversed the vast area of Northern California touching the communities where she was uniformly well received, celebrated, and venerated.
How encouraging to see so many Northern California faithful with their pastors greet the Black Madonna with intense adoration. Marian devotion and prayers certainly increased! We pray that the spiritual fruit of Our Lady’s visit will comfort the afflicted who have been harmed by the Culture of Death, and that her visit will lead to the flowering of a new Culture of Life.