Catholics invited to host image of St. Andrew Bobola as part of preparations to establish shrine

Catholics are being invited to host a pilgrim image of St. Andrew Bobola in their homes.

The invitation comes from St. Andrew Bobola Parish in Dudley, as a spiritual preparation for establishing a shrine there in honor of its patron, a 17th century Polish Jesuit martyr. The visits are an opportunity to ask for God’s grace through St. Andrew’s intercession.

The parish has two identical pilgrim images of the church’s statue of the saint, which are to start making rounds to homes Dec. 15, said Father Krzysztof Korcz, pastor.

Preceding this is an Advent retreat, to include eucharistic adoration, confessions and Masses in Polish Dec. 13 and in Polish and English Dec. 14 and 15. The theme is “Trust Mary like St. Andrew Bobola.” Giving the retreat is Father Jakub Ciolak, a friend of Father Korcz’ from Poland.

On Dec. 15, at the 10:30 a.m. pilgrim Mass, the English-speaking family taking the image home for the following week is to be prayed for and blessed with the parish’s first-class relic of St. Andrew Bobola. The same is to be done at the noon pilgrim Mass for the Polish family taking the other image home.

The families are encouraged to pray the litany to St. Andrew Bobola daily at their home and can ask Father Korcz to come there to bless them and their relatives, friends and neighbors with the relic.

The next weekend, the families are to bring the images back to church so other families, whether parishioners or not, can take them home for the following week.

If other parishes in the diocese and beyond want to do the same, they can come to St. Andrew Bobola for other images of St. Andrew, which they can keep for their church after the images travel to parishioners’ homes, Father Korcz said.

Editor’s note: Those wishing to host the image should register by emailing rectory@standrewbobola.net or call 508-943-5633.