This year we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Coronation of the Icon of Our Lady of Mercy at the Shrine, details of the anniversary celebrations at the end of the post. Here are some extracts from the Rite or Coronation used on the day.
Introduction
We are here today to crown this picture of the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Mercy and Her Son Jesus Christ. This ceremony has a lesson to teach us about the Gospel: that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those who are foremost in serving and in love.
Our Lord himself came to serve, not to be served; He drew all things to himself when He was lifted up from the earth, and He reigned from the tree by the power of gentleness and love.
And our Lady, whose glory we proclaim today, was the humble servant of the Lord when She was on earth: She gave herself utterly to her Son and his work with him, and under him, she was an instrument in our redemption.
Now, in the glory of heaven, She is still the God-bearer to Christ’s brothers and sisters: She cares about their eternal salvation; She is the minister of holiness and Queen of love. In the procession the crowns which have been blessed by Pope John Paul II in Rome 23 May this year, are now presented to His Excellency Archbishop Francesco Canalini, the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, who will say a special prayer over them before the moment of the coronation.
Blessing
Blessed are you, Lord, God of heaven and earth, for in your mercy and justice, You cast down the mighty and exalt the lowly. Your marvellous wisdom is shown above all in the Word made flesh and in his Virgin Mother. For he, your Son, who freely humbled himself even unto death on the cross, now sits at your right hand and is radiant with unending glory, the King of kings and Lord of lords; and she, the Virgin who wished to be called your servant, was singled out to be Mother of the Redeemer and true Mother of all the living: now she is exalted above the choirs of angels and reigns in glory with her Son, praying for all of us, the Queen of mercy, pleading for grace.
Merciful Lord, look upon us your servants, who by crowning this image of Christ and his Mother, proclaim him as King of all creation and approach her as our Queen.
Give us the grace to follow them in serving you; to do what love demands for the sake of our brothers and sisters; to deny ourselves and spend ourselves, so as to win our neighbours for you; to be lowly on earth, so as to be exalted in heaven where you reward your faithful servants with a crown of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here are some photos from the occasion (please note these will not appear in the emailed version of this post):
25th Anniversary Program
The Solemnity will be celebrated on Sunday 23rd August 2026 for the good of the Pilgrims
8am: Mass in the Shrine Church 9am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Lauds in the Shrine Church 9:30am: Usual Mass is CANCELLED! 10:30am: Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and singing of the Pauline Litany of the B.V.M (Kleczki) 11am: Solemn Reception of the Most Rev Brian Mascord DD and Solemn Mass of the Anniversary
The Solemnity Proper is celebrated on Wednesday 26th August 2026
9:30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Lauds in the Shrine Church 10:30am: Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and singing of the Pauline Litany of the B.V.M 11am: Solemn Mass of the Solemnity / Anniversary celebrated by Very Rev Jaroslaw Zan OSPPE
