Island parish marks fiesta of Our Lady of Peñafrancia

THE FIRST AND ONLY ISLAND PARISH OF Our Lady of Peñafrancia, in Barrio Balaton, Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, will celebrate its second fiesta on Sept. 6. The new mission church was elevated to a parish in 2005 by Nueva Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi.

The parish can be reached by motorized bancas. Only 35 percent of the population are Catholics, and the rest are Aglipayans. Fr. Alex Guimpol is the brave parish priest committed to building a proper church for his parishioners who are mostly farmers and fishermen.

Right now, Masses are celebrated in a temporary chapel made of nipa and coco lumber.
Those who wish to help can write Fr. Alex Guimpol c/o Bishop Jose Rojas at Immaculate Conception Parish, PO Box 8824, Concepcion Pequeña, Naga City, or text 0918-6188673.

‘Ina’ in Metro
Devotees of “Ina” (Our Lady of Peñafrancia) in Metro Manila will hold a Triduum of Masses at 6:30 p.m., Sept. 7-9, at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Bel Air, Makati. Novena will be at 5:30 p.m.

The image of “Ina” will be brought to the church at 2 p.m. by motorcade from the RGC building, 219 Apo Street, Mandaluyong, with a brief stopover at Mandaluyong City Hall and the Medical Center.

At 12 noon on Sept. 10, a special Mass will be offered by devotees from Nabua, Camarines Sur at St. Andrew Parish. At 2 p.m., the miraculous image will be brought by motorcade to the Ayala Bridge where a fluvial procession will begin toward Jones Bridge.

At 5 p.m., a procession of devotees, mostly women, will bring the image to the Manila Cathedral for a concelebrated Mass.

I always find it touching when the Virgin and the Divino Rostro are brought to the Cathedral. With bells ringing and people waiting in anticipation, it is a joyous moment. People are assured that Jesus and Mary are truly there to help them.

Lipa gathering
On Sept. 12, Marian devotees from all over the Philippines will gather once more at the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa for the National Day of Prayer, Preparation and Consecration. On the same day in 1948, Our Lady appeared for the first time to Sister Teresing Castillo, a Carmelite postulant.

Asked who she was when she appeared on the second day, Our Lady told Teresing, “I am thy Mother, my little one.”

Sept. 12, the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, has been declared national day of prayer by the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines .

On Sept. 16, 1948 Our Lady told Teresing that a statue be placed where she appeared. On Sept. 26, she declared that she was “Mary Mediatrix of All Grace.”

This year, a new Marian organization, Confraternity of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, will be launched. Its founder is Fr. Melvin Castro, chancellor and secretary to the bishop of Tarlac.
Other Marian organizations are invited to join the National Movement for Mary working for the approval and official church recognition of the Lipa apparitions. Text Fr. Melvin at 0915-4202191.

‘Sagala’
The coffee-table book, “Sagala: The Queen of the Philippines’ Festivals”, written by Abe Florendo presents the historical background of the Flores de Mayo and the Santacruzan, peculiar practices associated with them— dramatizations with songs and dances, folk influences on liturgies and customs, traditions of the hermanos and hermanas, related festivals of Maytinis and Sunduan—and Marian devotion in the country.

“Sagala” contains vintage photographs and illustrations dating back to the 1890s, complemented by an exclusive folio of photographs of contemporary sagalas such as beauty queens, fashion models, entertainment icons, along with distinguished hermanos and hermanas wearing the best creations of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines.

Book design is by Eduardo Davad and photography by Richard Papa, with additional photos by Alfred Mendoza and Ramon Jeffrey Florendo.

Filipino volunteer
A long-time volunteer in the church where Hollywood stars and celebrities are seen, Daves Aguas, has been designated to do the flowers for the centennial celebration on Sept. 9 of St. Victor’s Catholic Church. A solemn High Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Roger Mahoney.
For several years now, Daves’ arrangements, especially during Easter, are a must-see in the archdiocese of Los Angeles. He says, “If I have brought a soul to church because of my flowers, then I have fulfilled a mission.” Incidentally, St. Victor, the first African Pope, instituted the celebration of Easter on Sunday.

Values awareness
In this era of globalization, everyone is on the fast lane, each trying to survive physical, mental or emotional pressures. Geraldine Tiongson-Osias is a cross-cultural consultant on personal growth and management development. She specializes in needs assessment and design of learning and training modules. Text 0927-6556298.

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