Popular Bangladeshi Marian shrine opens new church

(February 18, 2010) A new church building has been consecrated at a popular Marian shrine in south eastern Chittagong diocese in Bangladesh. The ceremony took place during an annual pilgrimage February 11-12 to the shrine, one of the oldest settlements of Catholics in Bangladesh. Holy Cross Bishop Patrick D’ Rozario of Chittagong along with his auxiliary Holy Cross Bishop Lawrence Subrato Howlader inaugurated the church at Diang Marian shrine, about 16 kilometres away from the port city. The new church is the second in the history of Diang Catholic settlement, one of the oldest in the country. Pilgrims attribute miracles to the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima and founded by Canadian Holy Cross Brother Flabian Laplante in 1976.