A planning and program is due to reopen the sanctuary of Our Lady of
Happy Voyage and that of the Holy Rosary after the first lockdown, March 2020. The
Bandel Basilica - the Sanctuary of Our Lady - will welcome back its pilgrims. After
a year and half of closing the door of the shrine to the pilgrims and public,
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it needs to get ready to open its doors to as
many visitors as possible. Here are few ‘out-of-the-box’ future dream plans for
such move.
In line with the a post-pandemic initiative at Lourdes (France), the Bandel
Church Nights, is going to be one of the means to attract the visitors,
along with Marian candlelight processions and Masses before the statue at
Fatima garden. The processions will be accompanied by light shows illuminating
the Rosary Garden with the recitation of the Rosary. There will be other modes
i.e. Marian Music, Recitals, Adoration, Light and Sound, etc. These events are
free of cost, but people are free to donate for the maintenance of the Shrine. We
are doing so, so that pilgrims will have unprecedented unique experience that
will leave a deep imprint on them.
Besides, the
shrine is going to have Youthful
Prayer Meet on every Saturday at Fatima Hall from 10 am to 2 pm, by
mobilizing youth from all faith affiliation, to attend it. This prayer and healing moment, in collaboration with
the Jesus/Parish Youth and with the help of the Laity, Priests and
Sisters available, will attract more young
pilgrims.
It will have a Salesian charismatic touch, with Youth-related and Marian
themes. There will be good preaching and interactive moments.
These new initiatives would be part of a larger programs in collaboration
with the Bandel Panchayat Pradhan/DM of Hooghly, the police and the local
leaders, to help revive the local economy. The idea is to keep visitors coming
to Bandel Church, allow its hospitality facility to function, and the hotels
around to accommodate people. The economy and businesses through shops and
restaurants can only bounce back through the sanctuary. Poor people around can
earn their living. We need to work on it
together.
Through the digital platforms, so much used during the pandemic
lockdown, the shrine wants other devotees and faithful in India and outside, to
be in communion with the pilgrims on site. Therefore, on the feast of the Holy
Rosary (October 2021) to be held in the first week of November, we will renew
the “OLB United in Prayer" with novena prayers and procession, streamed
online in different languages on OLB Website. There can be also the Inter-Faith
Youth Forum Meet both online and offline.
Virtual
“Balcony Visits” and the Church for the public who may not unable to visit the
shrine, will be made available through YouTube; their prayers will be expressed
in writing online; prayer intentions expressed; invocations; wishes, witness of
miracles either by writing or video or audio, etc. Thus people of different faith
communities will be accommodated, feeling that this is their place as
well, integrating incultured symbols (e.g. common symbols of all faith) on the
website, in keeping with the culture of the place and people.
There is an urgent need of a resumption of pilgrimages. No vaccine certificate
is needed to enter the shrine. If people are attracted to the shrine, the number
of pilgrims will be higher in 2021-2023 than the previous years. We shall start
scheduling pilgrimages and retreats for the coming year, with
mobilization, ads and invitations. We will have to invest time, money and
efforts on this mobilization process.
We need to work with the local health-centre so that health issues can
be addressed immediately. We will have to put a limit of 1000 people a day (or
10 persons at a time). The sick, will have special care by the shrine
management team. They will be accommodated in our extended pilgrims’ building.
While reviving the previous practiced and annual events organized in
collaboration with the local and regional bodies (feasts, procession, Blue
Army, Lenten and Walking pilgrimage, etc), the above initiatives could add to
the vibrancy of the shrine activities with spiritual advancement of all who
will have access to them.
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