Bishop Baylon leads Philippine delegation to World Youth Day in Madrid

Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon, chair of the  Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY), will lead the ECY- Philippine delegation numbering 400 to the World Youth Day in Madrid  on August 16 to 21. An additional 1,200 delegates coming from different groups will also converge in Madrid.

“In more ways than one, World Youth Day has always been a special encounter of grace to many a young person.  More than just the chance to meet fellow youths or visit  foreign lands, WYDs are graced moments for the young to grow in faith and become more aware of their mission in the Church and the world.”

Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian   will accompany 27 Filipino Chinese Catholic youth to Madrid for the WYD.  The Archdiocese of Palo delegation includes Fr. Danny Pongos of the Sts. Peter & Paul  Parish in Ormoc,  Fr. Manuel Ocaña of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission Chapel in Catmon, Naval in Biliran Island, and  Fr. Carlos Rodriguez  of  Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Tacloban.

Pontifice Collegio Filippino is 50

The Pontificio Collegio Filippino is celebrating its 50th anniversary  on October 7.  Pope John XXIII  blessed  Collegio on Oct. 7, 1961.  Fr. Gregory Gaston, Rector, is asking alumni priests and bishops  to go to Rome to celebrate with the present resident priests,  if they can.

For the alumni, their  stay at the Collegio  from October 4 to 9 will be  shouldered by the PCF, although donations are appreciated.

E-mail Fr. Gaston at gdgnet@gmail.com or call him at +39-388-7564552 to express your intention to attend.

Guadalupe pilgrimage

On  Dec. 12, 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared  to Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill  in Mexico City. Our Lady told him to tell  Bishop Zumarraga to build a church where they were standing.  But the Bishop refused demanding a proof that she was truly the Mother of God.  And so it was that Juan Diego went back to Our Lady and told her what the Bishop said.

Our Lady told Juan Diego to gather the red roses lying around despite it being the dead of winter. Arranging them on the “tilma” of  Juan Diego, she told him to go back to the Bishop.  When the peasant handed the “tilma”  to the Bishop,  the priest fell to his knees because, lo and behold, it was the image of Mary that was imprinted on the cloth.

Come September 20,  a group of Filipino pilgrims led by Fr. Bobby Mariano will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, embarking  on a meaningful journey to rediscover their faith.

San Martin de Porres

Included in the pilgrimage is Lima in Peru where one can find the Santo Domingo Church, a home to the remains of Saint Rose of Lima, the first Catholic saint of the Americas;  and Saint Martin de Porres, the first black saint of the  Americas. Tour escort is Annie Lukban.  Those interested may call Adams  Travel  at  522-3876 or text Ana at 0908-5919908.

Our Lady of the Cape in Canada

When Mila Dolores, author of the book, “Virgin of the Poor: A Tribute from  her Filipino Children,” visited the St. Joseph Oratory in Montreal, Canada last Oct. 3, she discovered Our Lady of the Cape.  The National Shrine was  at Trois Rivières,  375 km. away from Montreal.   We are writing about Our Lady of the Cape today because her feast day is August 15.

Miracle stories

Cap-de-la-Madeleine, a district in the city of Trois Rivières, halfway between Montreal and Ste. Anne de Beaupré in Quebec,  is NOT an apparition site.  But it was  where miracles occurred.  In  1879 from the feast of St Joseph (March 19) until the feast of the Annunciation (March 25),  an ice bridge was formed across St Lawrence River after the people   prayed the Rosary and asked Mary to make possible  that stones  be carried over by horse-drawn carts  to the other side, so they could build her  church.

The statue was donated in l854 when the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed.  The other miracle was the Virgin opened her eyes on June 22, l888.  One of the three witnesses, Blessed Frederic Janssoone died on Aug. l6, l9l6.   Pope John Paul II declared him Blessed on Sept. 25, l988, one hundred years after his witnessing  the opening of the eyes of Our Lady of the Cape.

German priest on Mary Mediatrix

St. James the Great Parish in  Ayala Alabang will host a conference on Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace on August 20 at 5 p.m. with  Fr. Manfred Hauke, the president of the Mariological Society of Germany, speaking on  the cause of Mary   as Mediatrix of her Son Jesus.  The cause has    spanned almost a century in three countries:  in the Carmelite Convents of Belgium, France and the Philippines.

It is significant that   when Mary appeared to the young Carmelite postulant  Teresing Castillo in July l948,  she identified  herself as Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.  Today, the Confraternity of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace  is holding conferences in Digos, Davao  on Aug. 2l to mark the 60th anniversary of  Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace Parish, and in Iloilo on August 23.  Fr. Hauke is the guest  speaker.

Welcome, Father Fabros

Cardinal Rosales will install  Fr. Artemio Fabros  as  the new parish priest of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion Church on Anonas St.,  Sta. Mesa, Manila  on August 20 at 8 a.m.  It will also be the fiesta of Our Lady of Salvation.    Fr. Fabros replaced Fr. Benjie Ledesma who is now parish priest of  Our Lady of the Assumption.

St. Expeditus radio  program

Listen to the radio program “San Expedito, ang Santong Madaling Lapitan,” on August 20 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. over Radio Veritas (846 AM Band). Fr. Diwane Cacao will do “healing on the air”.

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