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Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine 447, Hwy 77 North Leamington, Ontario

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord." In November 1977, inspired by the idea of duplicating that in Harissa, Lebanon, Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine was established to keep alive the Maronite Spirituality and the Lebanese tradition of devotion to Mother Mary. *With the help of Lebanese Community in Venezuela, Ottawa, Toronto, Detroit, Windsor and surrounding communities, the donations came abundantly through 1978 - 1980, to accomplish this dream of having a piece of Lebanon in Canada. In May 1981, a ground breaking ceremony marking the beginning of the construction of the Shrine. During the month of May of 1983, the month consecrated for the adoration of the Virgin Mary, the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon arrived accompanied by Italian Sculpturer, Rino Grazzi. The statue watching over Leamington is: white carrara marble, 145 feet high weighing 12 tons sitting on a conical base of concrete 42 feet height and totaling just under 60 feet with a spiraling staircase to allow accessibility. On the 22nd of May, a celebration was held to commemorate the unveiling of the statue and blessing by His Excellency the Bishop of Saint Maron Diocese of Canada, Mgr. Elias Shaheen, first Maronite Bishop. Since August, 1983, the First Celebration established a future tradition celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This Celebration became an annual tradition that attracts all communities from all over Canada. This Feast of Prayers and celebrations, became an important date, with the committed work of Our Lady of Lebanon Auxiliary of the Leamington Lebanese Club in St. Anthony's Parish. From 1983 until our present day, the continuing improvement never stopped. In 1999, the Stations of the Cross were built outside of the Shrine, motivated by the love for the prayers related to these Stations. His Excellency Mgr. Joseph Khoury blessed the stations during the Assumption Festival in August, 1999. During the year, the Shrine opened its doors from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and during the month May, consecrated to the Virgin Mary, every night the Mass is celebrated at the Shrine followed by a procession at 7:00 PM and during the month of August, the novena of the Assumption. The Jubilee Year 2000 marked the construction of the "Souvenir Room". With the Spiritual and Pastoral help of St. Anthony's Parish Pastor, Father Elie Zouein, the Shrine became a Sacred Place. The Prayers for the Virgin Mother and the burning incense added holiness to this Shrine, where so many wishes were granted with the intercession of the Virgin Mother. * In 2002, the celebration will be held at Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine on August, 16, 17 & 18, 2002. For Pastoral and Spiritual Information, you can contact Fr. Elie Zouein, Pastor of St. Anthony's Parish at (519) 322-2282 or you can visit our Website: http://www.stanthonysparish.com and go to: Shrine. For Administration and Management, please contact, Mrs. Souad Jacobs, President of Our Lady of Lebanon Auxiliary at (519) 326-8291.

NOVENA TO MOTHER MARY DAILY PRAYERS

1st Day – "I will celebrate your love forever, Yahweh" (Ps. 89, 1) Dear Mother Mary, I intend to be grateful to my Lord. "Sing Yahweh a new song." May his praise reach to the ends of the world. I want to tell God once again how much I love Him. I owe Him life; I owe Him forgiveness for my sins; I owe Him the promise of eternal happiness. With Saint Alphonsus, founder of the Redemptorists, I exclaim: "My Jesus, You are my Life, my Hope, my Treasure, my soul’s only Love." In the Bible, I read God’s friendly and encouraging words: "I am holding you by the right hand." Still, I am scared. I am afraid of suffering, afraid of death, even afraid of Him, my God. Mother Mary, help me renew my confidence in the good Lord, whose name is Love. Help me pray to Him, not only when I am elated by joy, but also when I feel sad and dejected. Ask Him to come to my aid in all my troubles. Do not abandon me. Amen. Mother Mary, protect my Family. Amen.   2nd Day: "God’s children, that is what we are." (I Jn 3, 1) Mother Mary, remind me that God is our Father, that we are His children. Saint John writes that we are "Called God’s children, and that is what we are." I may truly call God: "Abba, Father." Yet, I fear the trials of life and I am concerned about the future. If I am God’s child, I must renew my hope, I must trust Him and rely on His providence. This is not easy when days are dull, when life becomes stormy, when health fails me, when relatives and friends suffer, when wars destroy nations. I have recourse to you, Mother of mothers. The Lord wanted you to stay with us and to intercede on our behalf. Beg Jesus, your beloved Grandson, to have pity on us. I worry and I feel nervous. Procure for me comfort and courage. Restore my health. Protect those I love. I should cuddle peacefully in the arms of my Heavenly Father. There is nothing I should fear from such a loving Father. May He bless me and help me forever. Amen. Mother Mary, watch over the whole Church. 3rd Day: "Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you" (Is 43, 1) How beautiful these words we find in the Holy Bible! Why should I be afraid of a God coming down from Heaven to save me? I have my share of sufferings; I have my lot of worries. I am haunted with fear. Health, separation, financial troubles…, mourning, blunders of young people, solitude…, everything seems to me a heavy burden, everything scares me, makes me nervous, deprives me of sleep. But you are there, beloved Mother… I have so much confidence in you! Help me trust the power and kindness of Jesus who suffered and died for us. May I recover peace of mind. Did not Jesus say: "Do not worry about tomorrow"? Submerged by the water of suffering, consumed by the fire of pain, I should remember that God is always there to rescue me. Mother Mary, from now on I will live as a child of God who refuses to give up. Never will my faith in God be too great, nor my hope in you too secure. Never stop helping me. Amen. Mother Mary, restore my health and my peace. Amen.   4th Day: " If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me"(Jn 7, 37) One day, Jesus was tired, very tired after a long walk on the dusty roads of Palestine. He worried about a difficult and barren ministry. He was truly tired and thirsty… Mother Mary, as a dad or as a mother who apparently does not succeed as a parent, I too am tired, tired of my efforts, tired of life. I may feel the same if I am young and face a cold and brutal society. I may experience emptiness as I work for my parish and the Church. Like Jesus, I am tired and thirsty, thirsty for love and happiness. Jesus tells me in the Gospel: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me. Let him come and drink…" Mother Mary, make me approach Jesus when everything goes astray, when success evades me, when my zeal bears no fruit, when I feel desperate. Mother Mary, help me remember that I am not alone and will never be alone. Jesus is with me. May I drink of Jesus… Make of me a Good Samaritan for so many people is despair, for those who suffer physically or morally. But never abandon me in my distress. Amen. Mother Mary, make a success of my pilgrimage to Heaven. Amen. 5th Day: "I will never forget you. " (Is 49, 15)   God is telling us that even though parents could forget their children, He could never forget us. "I will never forget you. See, I have carved you on the palms of my hands." Strange enough, we fear God! … We can hardly understand the infinite and personal love of God for us, a love that is gratuitous and faithful. Venerable Marie-Celeste, foundress of the Redemptoristine Sisters, wrote: "O my God, your love is greater that the love of a mother fondling her child in her arms." God is for me a loving Father. Never will He fail me. Forever will He be my Father, even though I may become a prodigal child, even though I wander away from Him. I may be guilty of sins, but I remain confident. God says: "Do not be afraid, I will help you." Dear Mother Mary, thanks to your prayers, God will come to me in my distress, He will grant me spiritual and corporal blessings, He will protect those dear to me. Mother Mary, obtain for me God’s forgiveness. Amen.   6th Day: "Come to Me all you who labor"(Mt.11, 28)   Jesus invites us to get closer to Him as we suffer physically or morally, even when we feel sinful. "Come to Me"… Come to Me, al of you who are sick and infirm, all of you who suffer anxiety, who experience distress, who carry a heavy load in your heart. God says: "I will turn darkness into light." Mother Mary, increase in me the desire to be close to Jesus, especially when everything goes wrong, when tempests rage in my life. He alone is my Saviour. He will console me. He says: "Happy those who mourn, they shall be comforted." I look at the crucifix, I meditate on His suffering and death. I can trust Him. Beloved Mother of Jesus, lead me to Jesus. With the help of your prayers, He will cure me, He will pacify me, He will fortify me. Amen. Mother Mary, come to the rescue of all those who suffer. Amen.   7th Day: " You are precious and I love you" (Is 43, 4)   Dear Mother Mary, help me understand God’s love for me. May I never forget these words of Holy Scripture: "You are precious and I love you." I should listen to God speaking to me: "Do not fear, I will help you." "I have called you by your name, you are mine." "Like a child comforted by his mother will I comfort you." When gloomy hours darken my life, when suffering and even death strike at the door of my house my I always remember that God loves me and helps me. Venerable Alfred Pampalon wrote in the midst of his sufferings :My divine Saviour, my hope is in your merits." May I never forget your own tenderness for me, O Virgin Mother. To you, I have recourse, for my own needs and the needs of mine. Quickly come to my rescue and bless those dear to me. Amen. Mother Mary, obtain for me the special favor I need. Amen.   8th Day: "I am standing at the door, knocking" (Rev. 3, 20)   The Lord loves us but respects our liberty. We read in the Bible: "I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of your hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him." God is kind enough to enter our home! Mother Mary, may I have the door of my heart wide open to Him. Mother Mary, each day I recommend to you my health and the physical needs of people I love. Still, I do not want to neglect what is more important, the necessities of my soul; also the spiritual necessities of members of my family. One day, with your help, dear Virgin Mother, I will live eternally as a child of God in eternal happiness. Obtain the same grace for my children and grandchildren, for all my relatives and friends. Amen. Mother Mary, obtain for us a happy death. Amen.   9th Day: "God will wipe away all tears from their eyes."(Rev. 7,17)   On this earth, we will never experience perfect and lasting happiness. Clouds will eclipse the sun, winter will freeze away the summer. In our own life, we constantly relive the Pascal mystery, a mixture of death and resurrection. But the Lord Jesus renews our strength if we hope in Him. One day, in Heaven, joy will be complete without sadness. There will be an everlasting feast, the eternal banquet, as prophesied by Jesus Himself. Beloved Mother, we will be close to your Son Jesus, and to you. We will enjoy the company of all our relatives and friends. The Lord will wipe all tears from our eyes. "There will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness." Dearest Mother, I turn to you with utmost trust and hope. Renew for my family and renew for me the marvels your performed for our ancestors. I thank you. Always remind me of God’s message: "You are precious in my eyes, and I love you." Amen. Good Mother Mary, bless me and those I love. Amen.

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