De Rips is a Peeldorp in the east of the province of North Brabant and belongs to the municipality of Gemert – Bakel. There is a special story behind the creation of the Chapel of Mary of Love.
It is 1990 and Ineke Wijnen (*1950) suffers a very severe asthma attack and has an almost fatal experience. She arrives at the hospital and in a vision she sees Mary. Later, Ineke Wijnen is able to leave the hospital again, because the asthma has completely disappeared. In early 1991, she again has a vision of Mary and Our Lady tells her that She wants to be honored as Mary of Love. In 1992, Ineke Wijnen marries Bernhard Ploegmakers (*1946), a widower. A chapel is built on their own initiative thanks to the initiative of the chapel through Omroep Brabant.
The octagonal Mariakapel was built in 1994 and is 4 meters high and 3 meters in diameter. The choice of 8 corners was deliberate, as it symbolizes wholeness and infinity. A hedge has been planted around the chapel and a wrought-iron fence, made by Juul Baltussen (*1958). The wrought-iron is reminiscent of the source of life with grains of sand that form a heart. Above the door is a small sandstone plaque with the initials “IB” and these letters stand for Ineke and Bernhard.
The interior of the well-maintained Mariakapel is beautiful with windows, candles, an altar and a special statue of Mary. This statue is by Antonius (Ton) van Poorten (1930-2008). This artisan woodcarver listened carefully to Ineke Ploegmakers-Wijnen, because the depictions are exactly as she saw Mary during her visions.
A sign has been placed on the street side with the words “Mary of Love”. On May 1, 1994, the Mary Chapel was consecrated by Father Wim Blok (1937-2019), pastor of De Rips. The Mary Chapel receives visitors daily.
Address: Burg. Van de Wildenberglaan 46 (parallel road), 5764 RE De Rips.
~~~
Nederlands 
English (UK) 
Deutsch 
Français 
Español