The public is invited to attend the Diocese of Orange’s unveiling of the Our Lady of La Vang Shrine, a contemporary outdoor display that serves as a testament to the remarkable journey of the Vietnamese-American people — from war and persecution to a new reality where faith and community are vibrant and ascendant. The 12-foot tall Virgin Mary statue resembles how she is believed to have appeared before a group of persecuted Vietnamese Catholics in 1798 in a rainforest of Vietnam. Since then, Our Lady of La Vang has represented hope, faith and promise to Vietnamese Catholics around the world.
When: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., July 17. Musical prelude goes from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Shrine blessing is from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., following by an outdoor Mass. Evening entertainment is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Because of the thousands of attendees expected, high amounts of street traffic are anticipated, so carpooling or taking a shuttle from your local parish is encouraged.
Where: Christ Cathedral campus, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove.
General attendees will need to utilize the shuttle service for the offsite parking at the following locations:
UCI Health — 3800 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92868
Prospect — 600 City Pkwy W., Orange, CA 92868
Megasys — 500 City Pkwy W., Orange, CA 92868
CalOptima — 505 City Pkwy W., Orange, CA 92868
Livestream: The solemn blessing ceremony and Mass will be livestreamed on the Diocese’s YouTube and Facebook channels. Live commentary will be in both English and Vietnamese
The above comes from a July 7 release by Christ Cathedral.
Never heard of this alleged apparition. Is that like “Our Lady of Malibu”?
There’s an Our Lady of Malibu? Really? Isn’t that getting ridiculous?
You’re probably thinking of your Malibu Barbie collection.
No, he’s right… there’s a real Our Lady of Malibu parish in the Archdiocese of LA:
https://www.olmalibu.org/
I’m interested to know more about the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin in Malibu that are the basis for this parish’s dedication to her.
Did the Blessed Mother have a special message for the rich who live on the beach?
I looked up “Our Lady of Malibu” on line, and the only thing that came up was the church in California with that name, so the church must have been named after the city and not a real apparition. I find nothing on their website that refers to their patron saint, which is unusual for a Catholic Church website. Most Catholic Churches’ websites give the stories of their patron saints, unless they are very well known.
This is where I don’t agree with the Church’s overemphasis on ethnicity and diversity. We have Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Mexicans. Our Lady of Lavang for the Vietnamese, probably soon a themed “Our Lady” for Africans. You know what? Why so much emphasis on race?
Are you Catholic? Our Lady, the Mother of Christ, loves all her children, and she miraculously appears to her children, worldwide, as “one of them,” appearing to the holy Catholic visionary in the dress and manner of their culture, speaking to them in their own language, so they can understand her. This is very sacred! It has nothing to do with secular American political agendas.
In 1798, the Emperor of Vietnam feared the spread of Catholicism in his country. He strongly restricted the Catholic religion, and began a terrible persecution of Catholics. A big group of Catholics fled to the nearby rainforest, and became very ill. They would gather each night by a certain tree, to pray the Rosary. One night, Our Blessed Mother appeared to them, carrying the Christ Child, escorted by two Angels. She appeared to them in traditional Vietnanese dress, and spoke to them in their language. She comforted them, and showed them how to make a medicine to cure their illness, using the special leaves of a rainforest tree. Her dear children got better, and later, they were able to return to their homes, when times were better. They never forgot Our Blessed Mother’s loving kindness to them, on that holy night, when she miraculously appeared to them, to comfort and help them, in their tragic plight! The apparition has not yet been approved by the Vatican, but is deeply loved by the Vietnamese people, who have suffered so greatly!
The Vietnamese Catholics that I have known were very beautiful Catholics. Knowing them has been an occasion of edification for me.
Me too, I have asked the intercession of Our Lady of La Vang, right along with the Vietnamese Catholics. It is an approved apparition. Although the Lord was a middle eastern Jew when he first came to earth (Shroud of Turin), He and His Mother have appeared to different cultures down through the ages in their resurrected bodies looking like the people of each culture — Our Lady of Walsingham for the English, Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Latin American, etc. A very wise elderly priest once said in a sermon, “Stop fighting over which Mary is better. They are all the same woman.”
Although there is not yet official approval by the Vatican of this Marian apparition, in 1998, Pope St. John Paul II publicly recognized the importance of Our Lady of La Vang, and expressed desire to rebuild the Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang, to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the first vision.
I dont believe its authentic
Well there are statues of Our Lady of La Vang in churches in California wherever there are Vietnamese, and they ask her intercession right in Catholic churches. Her statues are sold in markets wherever there are many Vietnamese.
and in Hawaii they put leis on Mary. So what?
There is nothing wrong with putting leis around Mary, but a hula skirt would be a sacrilege. The Virgin Mary is crowned in May in many cultures with flowers. Her statue is taken in procession while saying the Rosary with rose petals strewn along the way. Nothing wrong with leis.
Well there are statues of pachamama… does that make her real?
“You’re probably thinking of your Malibu Barbie collection.”
Don’t forget “Divorce Barbie”
She comes with all Ken’s things.
Well, Ken, I hope you are not divorced, or you are without anything. (Laughter. I thought the Barbie fad was long gone, but I guess it is still going strong like Hello Kitty, except Hello Kitty was once made in Japan and is now made in China. My! how times change.
I am grateful to Our Lady for helping those people and all whom she has helped. Praise to her son Jesus for always answering His Mother’s prayers.
42.5 years and going strong – I think!
Thanks for your concern and the laffs, Anne TE
Our Lady of LaVang, bless the Novus Ordo Mass and bless Pope Francis.
It is Mass.
Massachusetts?