WITH THE COMING feast of the Sto. Niño on the third Sunday of January (Jan. 20), different churches dedicated to Him are holding Novena Masses until Jan. 19.

 

The fiesta of the Sto. Niño de Pandacan is special to businessman Joseph Dy who was given six months to live after he was found suffering from “klatskin tumor,” a rare form of cancer.

 

After praying to the Sto. Niño de Pandacan, whose devotion was introduced to him by Ramon Moreno, another devotee, Dy was eventually healed.

 

After the 12-hour surgery at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, the surgeon explained to Dy’s family that it took 12 hours because the tumor was attached to the portal vein of the liver.  It was a sticky type of tumor and he consumed three hours just to slice it out slowly and completely.

 

“Then, he broke the good news to my family,” said Joseph. “It wasn’t a full-blown cholangiocarcinoma.  He has seen a lot of cholangiocarcinoma or Klatskin before and they are all the solid type.  Mine was like mucus.  He said this tumor was cholangiocarcinoma in its early stage. HK pathology report calls it “intraductal papilliary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct,” and is even rarer.  It was officially discovered and published by WHO only in 2010.

 

My family broke down in tears, grateful for the good news. Joey wants to thank all the friends, relatives and family and nuns and priests who prayed for him.

 

Plenary indulgence

 

Come and gain Plenary Indulgence. On the occasion of its 300th anniversary, Sto. Nino de Pandacan Parish has been declared a pilgrim site from Nov. 23, 2012, to Nov. 23, 2014.

 

Devotees, please be guided by the following schedule of the  Sto. Niño de Pandacan fiesta activities:

 

Jan. 14—Pistang Dakila, 6 p.m., concelebrated Mass to be presided by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cortez.

 

There will be Novena Masses at 12 noon, Jan. 11-19.

 

On Jan. 19, 2 p.m., will be the Buling Buling Festival to be participated in by devotees from the Roman Catholic Church and Iglesia Filipina Independiente.

 

Civic organizations and students and teachers from different schools will likewise participate.

 

On Jan. 19, 6 p.m., Bishop Broderick Pabillo  will lead the concelebrated Mass.

 

On Jan. 20, the actual feast day, hourly Masses will be celebrated from 5 a.m.  to 12 noon,   then  from 3 to 9 p.m.

 

At 7 a.m., Mass for Ati-atihan delegates will be held at the church’s patio.

 

Mass celebrants during the Eucharistic celebrations of the feast of the Sto. Niño in Rosario, Cavite, will wear estolas designed by Buen Suceso Exclusives.

 

Parokya ng Santissimo Rosario in Rosario, Cavite, will hold Masses in Sto. Niño Chapel on Jan. 26, 12 noon; a caracol follows at 1 p.m.

 

Celebrants will be Fr. Gilbert Urubio, Fr.  Bobby Capino, Fr.  Glen de la Peña and Fr.  Oliver Genuino.

 

Holy Mass on Jan. 27 will be at 5 p.m.; procession at 6 p.m.

 

Sto. Niño exhibit in PNB

 

Theme of the Sto. Niño exhibit 2013 is “Sto. Nino, Sandigan ng Pananampalatayang Pilipino.” Red, yellow and green colors are  adopted for this year’s celebration. Registration will be at 3/F,  PNB Long Gallery, PNB Financial Center, Macapagal Ave., Pasay City, Jan. 14-16, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

Formal opening rites will be on Jan. 17, 4:30 p.m., in PNB Long Gallery. The Sinulog Dance of Cebu, the Buling Buling dance of Pandacan and Caracol of the Caviteños will precede the solemn entrance of The Nombre, patron of Congregacion del Santissimo Nombre del Niño Jesus.

 

Bishop Deogracias Yniguez of Caloocan will officiate the concelebrated Mass.

 

Exhibit will run Jan. 18-25, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., with daily novena Masses starting at 7 p.m.

 

On Jan. 26, the exhibit will be at 9:30 a.m.-12 noon only. Egress of images starts at 1 p.m. and the anticipated Mass at 5 p.m.  Jing Chua is Congregacion president; Mel Chionglo is chair, while Ben Farrales is founding chair. Next president is Jesse Nell.

 

Feast of St. Philomena

 

Devotees of St. Philomena held Novena Masses at Santuario de Sta. Philomena in Most Holy Redeemer Church in Masambong, QC, on Jan. 4-12.

 

Today is the feast of her patronage and protection.  There will be a procession at 3:30 p.m., Novena at 5:30 p.m. and Mass at 6 p.m. For more info, visit www.saintphilomenaph.weebly.com or text Vincent Teodosio at 0906-4868882.

 

Marian recollection

 

Fr. Omer Prieto, Fr. Patrick Paraiso and Fr. Jimmy Segun, priests of Marian Movement of Priests-Philippines, are inviting groups to the MMP Recollection on Jan. 19, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at Carmelite Retreat House on 5th Street, New Manila.

 

Retreat master is Fr. Francis Geremia, director for MMP in the US and Canada, now overseer of MMP Philippines.  Registration is free, bring your own baon.

 

Parokya ng Ina ng Mga Dukha

 

The 80th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin of the Poor to Mariette Beco in Banneux, Belgium, on Jan. 15, 1933, will be celebrated at Parokya ng Ina ng Mga Dukha in Taguig 10 a.m. today by Pasig Bishop Mylo Vergara.  Parish priest is Fr. Simplicio Roxas.

 

Natural health seminar

 

Want to learn how to cure cancer, diabetes, hypertension, vision loss,  stroke, paralysis, dengue,  gout, slipped disk,  arthritis, psoriasis, gallstone problem naturally, without using pharmaceutical drugs? Come to the Philippine College of Alternative Medicine (PCAM) seminar on Jan. 19, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., at Gabaldon Hall of Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan. Speaker is Dr. Jaime Dy Liacco, metabolic medicine expert. Registration fee is P1,100 for members; P1,200 for nonmembers. Text 0917-8333828.

 

Mass of Remembrance

 

Prayer Warriors of the Holy Souls will hold a Mass of Remembrance 11 a.m. tomorrow in Chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao. Confessions will be heard before and after the Mass.

 

UST Varsitarian anniversary Mass

 

Fathers Nick Lalog and Ed Lleva of the Dioceses of Malolos and Caloocan will lead the thanksgiving Mass for the 85th anniversary of the Varsitarian, the influential campus paper of the University of Santo Tomas, on Jan. 16 at St. Dominic Chapel of the UST Tan Yan Kee Student Center Building. Reception follows at the UST Varsitarian office in the same building.

 

The first issue of the Varsitarian came out on Jan. 16, 1928.

 

Fathers Lalog and Lleva are alumni priests of the Varsitarian. Other Varsitarian staff members who have become priests include former Commission on Higher Education chair Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, former UST rector Fr. Norberto Castillo, former UST vice rector Fr. Virgilio Ojoy, Jesuit Fr. Albert Alejo, Augustinian Fr. Gilbert Centina, Fathers Ramil Marcos and Isidro Marinay of the Archdiocese of Manila, and Fr. Francis Payo of the Archdiocese of Capiz.

 

The Varsitarian will hold its 85th grand alumni homecoming, dubbed Valik-Varsi, on Jan. 26 at Harbor Garden Tent, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, Pasay City. Pre-registration required. Call Maria Luisa Mamaradlo at 4061611 local 8235 or 0905-5084934; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.varsitarian.net.