Bautista’s continue Blessed Mother statues’ travel

By Cliff Gorski
Chief Communications Officer

GREENSBURG – Henna and Primo Bautista say their idea to have a statue of the Blessed Mother traverse the Diocese of Greensburg began in 2003.  In that year, the Holy Father, Saint John Paul II, proclaimed the “Year of the Rosary” dedicated to promoting and emphasizing the rosary within Christian communities. 

The year was initiated in the context of the 120th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical on the rosary.  In the Philippines, it is customary for a statue of the Blessed Mother to travel from home to home for the recitation of the rosary. However, Western Pennsylvania weather stood in their way of a procession from home to home as is done in their native country. But the Bautistas found a way around the weather.

“We decided that the Blessed Mother would visit a home for one week,” Henna explained. “We would start from January until December and then I said, oh, this is only going to be for a year and then stop. But no, the Blessed Mother wanted us to continue and now, in 2025, we have been doing this for 22 years.”

The process began when the Bautistas would ask families at their parish, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Greensburg, if they would consider hosting the Blessed Mother for a week and pray the rosary before her.  Henna had the statue veiled and boxed and she included rosaries, instructions and prayer cards. 

She says experience is not necessary.

“All you have to do is welcome her, love her and pray the rosary,” Henna said. “We have a lot of people that haven’t gotten to pray the rosary and this is the beginning for them.”

She believes it’s the presence of the Blessed Mother in homes that sparks families to participate.  

“I would love to have small children, the families, to get the Blesssed Mother as a family, so they can pray together. That’s the most important thing,” she said.

The Bautistas estimate the Blessed Mother has visited more than 1,100 homes in the four-county diocese. They keep a record of every home visited. They have expanded to include four Blessed Mother statues for home visitation.

In September, the Bautistas will invite all those who have hosted one of the statues in their homes for devotion over the past 22 years to join them at Christ Our Shepherd Center, Greensburg, for Mass to celebrate the milestone.  If you have hosted the Blessed Mother in your home or for more information, email the Bautistas at [email protected].