On
July 1, 2009, during the Year of Priests, the Most Reverend Paul J. Swain established the Office
of the Marian Apostolate (O.M.A.) in the Diocese of Sioux Falls to
increase awareness of, and appreciation and love for, the presence of Mary, the
Mother of God, in the Diocese. The O.M.A. takes its inspiration from the
words that Our Lady uttered during her Magnificat:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Saint Luke
1:46)
The O.M.A. has been
involved in a variety of activities:
*supporting the Legion of
Mary, including the Annual Public Rosary, and other Marian initiatives in the
Diocese, often via Parishes and the Offices of Adult Discipleship and Evangelization
and of Youth Discipleship and Evangelization;
*visiting Catholic
Schools and Religious Education classes;
*giving Homilies or speaking
at Parishes during Mass, Holy Hours and classes;
*publishing Marian
articles and essays in The Bishop’s Bulletin
and the Ministry Forum as well as in
the Catholic press throughout the United States;
*acting as a
“clearinghouse” for the dissemination of Marian theology;
*answering questions and
inquiries about Mariology;
*making available the
Statues of Mary, including that of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of
Fatima, for diverse events;
*sponsoring Presentations,
Days of Recollection, Retreats and Pilgrimages;
*showing videos related
especially to Marian theology and spirituality;
*donating the Statue of
Our Lady of Fatima that was made in Fatima, which was blessed by Bishop Swain
on the eleventh anniversary of his appointment as the Bishop of Sioux Falls and
which is present near the Bishop’s Office;
*offering interviews,
especially via Radio and the Internet;
*producing 107 episodes
of “Morning Star” on the Lamb Catholic Radio Network;
*attending to the Morning
Star Blog;
*maintaining the theological,
spiritual and canonical volumes found in the library on the second floor of the
Diocesan Pastoral Center;
*distributing
Sacramentals, including Rosaries, Brown Scapulars of Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Miraculous Medals and Lourdes Water, and other theological and spiritual materials;
*inviting to our Diocese,
with the permission of our Bishop, speakers about Marian themes, and
coordinating various Marian icons circulating throughout the Diocese;
*reciting the Most Holy
Rosary in public settings, especially in the Mother’s Garden, the Cathedral of
Saint Joseph and in Saint Michael Cemetery;
*encouraging the recitation
of the Most Holy Rosary, the Enrollment in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of
Mount Carmel, the Divine Mercy Sunday Novena, the
Preparation for and the Consecration Ad
Iesum Per Mariam as advocated by Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, etc.;
*providing
the Endowment of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, which is managed by the Catholic
Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota.
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