Yesterday was quite emotional. A friend of mine and I, knowing about the scheduled closure of the Marian Shrine of Gratitude, decided to make a trek out to pray at it together, to see it one last time, if the redevelopment truly has plans to destroy it under new ownership.
Arriving, it was busier than usual - a U-Haul was parked outside... worrisome. One person, down in the shrine area, suggested that a lot of what was being said was hyperbolic, which reassured us a little bit. We decided to settle on the grass with a blanket, wine, and some Catholic (and some not exactly Catholic) practices.
Having tobacco on me, I offered it to the land, calling in the 7 directions and the archangels, and we did some litanies and the rosary. One item I had brought for my friend was a Saint Joseph prayer candle I was giving to her anyway, so when I suggested we do the Litany of St Joseph (because we were praying for the property and St Joseph is a great go-to saint for property concerns), she decided on that moment to use it. We lit two candles, and later offered them to the statue of St Michael, before leaving. Then, things got depressing.
Security guards had just pulled up, and one said "Effective immediately, everyone is to clear off this property for us to clean it out". It didn't look good. We left, my friend in shock, me tearing up as though I had just found out my childhood home was to be demolished.
I don't know what it means, and can only hope that the new owners are simply going to reinvent it, so it becomes accessible again to the public. I was really excited about this find because it meant something to me while I struggled, that even in a city as unspiritual as Toronto, gems like this could be found.
I don't know where to go for this kind of experience locally anymore. I'm still quite sad about it today.
-Saraƒin
