+ Tues 26th – The name of our parish – Our Lady of the Way
Happy Tuesday everyone –
The image on the cover of today’s Parish Blog post looks a bit scratchy! It’s because it’s a copy of a copy … It’s a screen shot snapped while playing back the Facebook live stream of last weekend’s Mass. And it was the part of the Mass when we did a simple rededication of the parish. We connected in to the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians (see yesterday’s Parish Blog post) and the prayer initiative of the Australian bishops to commend the nation to the heart of Mary. As mentioned in yesterday’s reflection about feasts and prayer practices that include Mary, the post today is a focus on the name of the parish at Emu Plains.
THE NAME OF THE PARISH – ‘OUR LADY OF THE WAY’
Since moving to Emu Plains a little over a year ago, I’ve asked quite a number of people about the parish name. Some have said they’d like to hear more about it. So, as we’ve done a simple parish rededication this past weekend, here are a few bits and pieces about the name. First, some pieces of history – and then an application for today, but from even longer ago – from the early faith community of the risen Jesus.
Madonna Della Strada— the Italian for Our Lady of the Way — is the name of an image of Mary enshrined at the mother church of the Jesuit religious order in Rome. The Jesuits (of which Pope Francis is a member) is also known as the Society of Jesus – hence you often see ‘SJ’ after a Jesuit’s name.
The Madonna Della Strada (Our Lady of the Way) is the patroness of the Society of Jesus. Its founder, Ignatius of Loyola, was said to have been protected by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary during battle in his service as a soldier. The name goes back to a shrine established in Rome in the 5th century by the Astalli family, originally known as the Madonna degli Astalli, at a crossroads along the ceremonial route of the popes!
(continued below)
(image: ours is not a ceremonial ‘Way’ of the popes as in that piece of history mentioned above – but this year became an unexpected ‘Way’ of the drive-through! This image shows part of the lineup of cars on Easter Sunday morning as people received Easter water, blessings, chocolates and had a moment of outdoor prayer with the Blessed Sacrament)
The 13th-14th century fresco (a wall painting done on damp plaster) of ‘Our Lady of the Way’ was originally painted on the wall of Saint Mary of the Way church in Rome. This was the church of the Jesuit priests, given to Saint Ignatius by Pope Paul III in 1540. In 1568, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese erected the Gesu Church of Rome, the mother church of the Jesuits, in place of the former church of Santa Maria della Strada.
The fresco was moved there in 1575 to a side chapel where Jesuits pronounced their vows. Sometime in the 19th century, the image was transferred to canvas and affixed to a slate panel. And so, the Madonna Della Strada (Our Lady of the Way) icon is located between two altars, the first dedicated to St Ignatius, the second, the main altar of the Church, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus.
GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR NAME?
Perhaps of greatest significance for us – as the parish of Our Lady of the Way – is the name by which the early community of Jesus, soon after the resurrection and ascension, were often known – ‘The Followers of The Way’ (eg: see Acts of the Apostles 22:4 and 24:14). Maybe that can remind us, like those early courageous followers, that we are called to continue and share something that is always new rather than something set in concrete. We are invited, in Mary’s special spiritual companionship, to live and grow in ‘The Way’ of Jesus.
Our Lady of the Way, great disciple and mother of the Way of Jesus, pray with and for us to be faithful, courageous and joy-filled sharers / followers / of the Way, today!
See you in the next Parish Blog post and ..
with friendship in God’s mission – The Way of Jesus in the world today
fr Paul
