The traditional Marian procession in honor of Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang will be held on July 1, Monday, after the 5:30 p.m. Mass, with the Philippine Army Band of the 5th Infantry Division in Upi, Gamu, playing.
The 5th Infantry Division is under Gen. Joel P. Ibañez. As in old Intramuros, it was always the military who honored the Virgin Mary during her processions. The National Shrine of Our Lady of Guibang, with its parish priest Fr. Francisco Albano, is holding the nine-day Novena of Masses starting today until July 1 at 4:30 p.m.
Masses on July 2, fiesta day, will be every hour on the hour starting at 4 a.m., and every half hour on the half hour from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Mass of Ilagan Bishop Joseph Nacua, OFM Cap, will be at 8 a.m. The children’s choir (under the baton of Angelica M. Eslava of Eslava Music Center) shall be the lead choir.
Canonical coronation anniversary
Last May 29, the shrine celebrated the 40th anniversary of the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Guibang in May 1973 by the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Carmine Rocco. The coronation was reenacted in the oratory as a fitting end to Guibang’s Flores de Mayo. Crowning Mama Mary was young Reyna Elena Lyka Santiago of Guibang.
Our Lady of Piat Mass
Devotees of Our Lady of the Visitation of Piat in Metro Manila always gather at the Sto. Domingo Church on the Saturday after her feast day on July 2 (July 6 this year) to attend the Holy Mass at 9 a.m.
Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio Utleg will officiate the concelebrated Mass, with Auxiliary Bishop Ricardo Baccay, Fr. Bong Cabrera and Fr. Rolando Aquino, SVD, as co-celebrants. This yearly event is organized by Devotees of the Nuestra de Piat Foundation headed by (Ret.) Gen. Edgar Aglipay as president.
The Light of Christ Choir headed by Dr. Chingkee Alvares will sing during the Mass. Nanado Singson will bring his Our Lady of Piat image for veneration.
As in past years, the church of Sto. Domingo fills up for this special Mass on the Saturday after the July 2 fiesta of the Virgin of Piat. During the first eucharistic liturgy, yours truly will do the first reading; the responsorial psalm will be said by Mina Carag Harada and prayers of the faithful by Sheryl Chua, while Mawi Aglipay will serve as commentator.
Devotees will proceed to Causeway Restaurant on Banawe Street for brunch with a P250 meal ticket that can be bought at the front of the church. Novenas will be available for sale. Statues of Our Lady of Piat will be displayed.
Annunciation experience
Fr. Nelson Bisco, CM, the new parish priest of National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Posadas Village, Muntinlupa, told the people who attended his installation last June 16 by Bishop Jesse Mercado that he had an “Annunciation experience” when he was told that he was chosen the new parish priest of the shrine.
Like Mary who said “How can this be when I don’t know any man?,” Father Bisco asked himself “How can I do it?” But he accepted the Lord’s will and said “Thy will be done!”
But Father Nelson asked the parishioners to work with him and, he said, if he commits a mistake, they should tell him so. In his homily, Bishop Mercado said: “Your parish priest is God’s gift to you. He will guide you in your spiritual life.”
Father Nelson replaced Fr. Vic Torres who is now Rector/Superior of De Paul House for Theology seminarians and Rector of St. Vincent School of Theology in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. Rector of the parish/shrine is Fr. Francisco Magnaye, CM, who is also Superior of the House.
New friar priest
The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFI) in Cebu have a new deacon, Fra. John Paul Lauron, who will be ordained priest on July 16, Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, at 3 p.m. in Church of Mary Coredemptrix in Barangay San José.
Fra. John Paul, whose old name is Dennis Lauron, will be ordained by Bishop Julito Cortes, auxiliary bishop of Cebu.
Fr. Tony Rosales’ book launch
The St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish, Magallanes Village, Makati, with the parish priest Fr. Sid Marinay, assistant parish priest Fr. Richard Garrido and the Parish Pastoral Council, will host the launching of the seventh book by Fr. Tony Rosales, OFM, titled “This is About Jesus Christ, the Son of God” on Saturday, July 20, during the 6 p.m. Mass.
Father Rosales was recognized in the 2012 Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards for his “The Jesus Letters” and “My Son, Francis.” He also published the books “Pasko at Cuaresma” and “Conversations with Maria Clara” in the same year.
The new book, dedicated to this Year of Faith, is the simple telling of the Jesus story by his Guardian Angel, written in an easy and light historical fiction style.
Servant of God
Aloysius Schwartz
The Sisters of Mary in Girlstown in Barangay Biga, Silang, Cavite, will be celebrating the 56th anniversary of the presbyteries ordination of Servant of God Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz on June 29.
To remember him, graduates of Girlstown and Boystown, or the “Fruits of Fr. Al” in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil, exerted effort to contribute to the construction of a new Monsignor Al Schwartz Memorial Center, located near the Virgin of the Poor Chapel where Fr. Al is entombed.
Cardinal Tagle will officiate the Thanksgiving Mass at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 29. The inauguration of the Monsignor Al Schwartz Memorial Center will follow.
Order of Malta conventual Mass
The Sovereign Order of Malta in the Philippines will celebrate the feast day of St. John the Baptist tomorrow, 10 a.m., at the chapel on R. Hidalgo Street in Quiapo. St. John the Baptist is patron saint of the order. The new Philippine ambassador to the Order of Malta is Dame Odelia Arroyo, replacing former Ambassador Nida Vera.
The Opus Dei in Metro Manila, meanwhile, will celebrate the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva on June 26, 6 p.m., at Shrine of the St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Newport City, near Naia 3.
Blessings to former Senator Helena Benitez as she marks her 99th birthday on June 27, feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
