This year’s theme was Journeying in Hope with Mary, and speakers shared insights into the hope that Mary brings as she leads all closer to Jesus. Talks were offered in both English and Spanish tracks titled “Mary, Mother of Hope in this Jubilee Year of Hope 2025,” “Mary, Mother and Advocate for Vocations,” and “Mary, Mother of Discipleship.”

Father Emery Longanga, Pastor of Holy Cross Parish, spoke on Mary’s role as Mother of Hope and how her example connects to the new Pastoral Plan – A Call to Conversion: Courageously Living the Gospel. “After her Fiat, Mary goes, and she shows to everybody that the Lord is above all because he is the one who took her from her lowliness and lifted her and exalted her,” he said. “It is an invitation for us that the Blessed Mother is giving us to turn toward God, toward her Son, Jesus Christ, to give him priority in our lives. We know that once we give priority to God in our lives, we will have everything else.”

The speakers each emphasized Mary’s love and her guidance and leadership of all people toward her son.

“When Mary said yes to Jesus and all that Jesus is, she also said yes to you– to receive you, to care for you, to foster you,” said Father Chuck Dornquast, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, as he spoke on Mary’s role as model and advocate for vocations. 

“Mary, the most incredible woman, the most perfect woman, said yes to me and said yes to you.”

“Mary is not an emblem; she is the foundation of life – of the giving life that can only come from heaven,” explained Father George Gyasi, Parochial Vicar at Resurrection Catholic Church in Riverview and assisting at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Tampa, during his talk on discipleship. “We go through Mary to Jesus. Your point of destination is not just Mary, your point is arrival to Jesus,” he explained.

The Marian Congress also included adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, time for praise and worship, a multilingual rosary, and the celebration of Mass with renewal of the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The multilingual rosary featured individuals leading decades in five languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, Portuguese, and French. This collective prayer was a beautiful way to unite many nationalities and cultures through the Catholic faith.

Father Longanga presided over the Mass which also served as the vigil Mass for the parish. Following the reception of Holy Communion, the congregation prayed an Act of Consecration prayer, allowing individuals to renew or make their personal consecration. The prayer also renewed the Diocese of Saint Petersburg’s consecration to the Immaculate heart of Mary which first took place in 2018.

“We consecrate ourselves to her immaculate heart that will bring us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ that will empower us, strengthen us, and make us true disciples, who will be courageous enough to say we would rather choose to obey God than human beings,” Father Longanga expressed during his talk.

Following the event, many attendees expressed the day showed them Mary was present with them or that the speakers seemed to have the Holy Spirit flowing through them. As they gathered in conversation with each other, several shared how the day inspired them in their walk with Mary and the Lord.  

“My relationship with Mary is relatively strong. I completed the consecration a few years ago and I pray the rosary almost every day,” commented Natalia Cano, parishioner at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon. “My favorite part of my relationship with Mary is how easy it is to go to her when I feel like I’m in trouble or I need help. She just makes it so easy to run to her and to ask for her prayers. Like the speakers today have mentioned, she always brings us back to Jesus.”

The popular annual event organized and hosted by the Intercultural Ministries of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg draws in participants from throughout the diocese for a day dedicated to strengthening their relationship with Mary. Cano urges those desiring to take their relationship with Mary deeper to prayerfully consider attending the next Marian Congress.

“The Marian Congress is a great place to revamp your relationship with Mary or even restart it if it’s been a while. The speakers always bring topics that you can relate to no matter what stage of spiritual life you’re at.”

For more information about the Marian Congress, visit www.dosp.org/mariancongress. To learn about the other programs and services of the Intercultural Ministries of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, visit https://www.dosp.org/intercultural.

The Marian Congress is made possible through gifts to the Catholic Ministry Appeal. To learn more or to make a contribution, visit www.dosp.org/catholicministryappeal.

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