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THE NATIONAL Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Posadas Village, Sucat, Paranaque City, will celebrate its 25th anniversary as a shrine this year beginning this month.

This story was taken from www.inq7.net

http://news.inq7.net/lifestyle/index.php?index=1&story_id=23005

As a special favor to pilgrims who will visit the shrine from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2005, plenary indulgences will be granted under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and saying devout prayers for the intentions of the Pope. Pilgrims should also pray one Our Father and the Apostles Creed.

The year 2005 also marks the 175th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Catherine Laboure. In giving the special privilege plenary indulgence, there is also a stipulation that if the pilgrim’s disposition is any less than perfect, the indulgence will be partial only. Paranaque Bishop Jesse Mercado approved the granting of indulgences.

Graces through Mary

When the Blessed Virgin appeared to Catherine Laboure, she encouraged her to “come to the foot of this altar; here graces will be bestowed.” According to the shrine’s rector, Fr. Bernie Diaz, the whole-year celebration will focus on the theme “25 years of graces through Mary, hope of humanity.”

Graces indeed have been poured out to devotees who have come to the foot of the altar in the national shrine to ask for Mary’s help. Testimonies of miracles will be featured in a future column.

Preparations of activities are being made by the Parish Pastoral Council (this year’s hermanos and hermanas) headed by Ferdinand Alagao and Carina Corona, chair of the worship ministry.

Restoration of altar

The shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is run by the Vincentian Fathers who come under the order Congregation of the Missions. In 1978, under the leadership of Fr. Teodoro Barquin, CM, and through the kindness of Estela Marfori Posadas, the land was given for the building of the church and convent.

The groundbreaking was done on July 19, 1979 by Jaime Cardinal Sin with Eduardo Santiago as contractor using the design of the late architect Jose Maria Zaragoza.

On Sept. 7, 1980, before 3,500 devotees, 30 priests and three bishops, Cardinal Sin declared the Parish of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal as a national shrine.

Architect Ramon Zaragoza, son of Zaragoza, will restore the altar of the Virgin beginning, hopefully, this month.

Restoration intends to stick close to the vision of his father to make the shrine a fusion of architectural formalism with theology. The roof, when built, was likened to a dome featuring spirals that gathered in a vortex akin to what nature has equipped the nautilus. From this convergence rose the pylon, some 100 meters high, all in concrete capped by a steel cross in the exterior.

Ramon Zaragoza will use granite to restore the walls of the altar. Whenever I drop by the shrine, I always feel drawn to kneel in front of the altar before the Virgin and pour my heart out there.

Parokya ng Ina ng mga Dukha

The Parokya ng Ina ng mga Dukha (FB Tenement, Western Bicutan, Taguig, tel. 8242447), according to Fr. Joselito Jopson, parish priest, will hold a novena prior to the feast of the Virgin of the Poor. The feast will commemorate the first apparition of the Virgin in Belgium in 1933.

Mr. and Ms Ludovic Raemakers, who own a restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium, had donated the two statues of the Virgin to the Taguig parish. They personally delivered the first in March, 1999 and sent the second by air in June, 1999. The couple was introduced by Mona Lisa Lacanlale to Fr. Nicandro Blanquisco, parish priest then.

Prayers in Tagalog were translated by Msgr. Jose Abriol; in Cebuano by Fr. Isidro Marinay. The audiocassette tape of songs, “Maria, Virgin of the Poor,” and my book “The Virgin of the Poor: A Tribute from her Filipino Children,” are available at leading bookstores. How else can we promote this devotion? Please pray for this intention.

Center for Migrant Youth

Twenty-two years ago, Fr. Ben Villote took a significant turn in his ministry when he left the comforts of his parish and, instead, put up the Center for Migrant Youth (CMY).

The center took into its fold stowaways from the provinces, wandering Manila’s streets dirty, hungry and hopeless. Young men aged 15-20 walked into the center to have a meal, take a bath and, perhaps, for the first time feel loved.

CMY’s address in 103 Cordillera St., QC, has become a home for the hopeless who find there a haven of hope. Five generations of youth have become professionals-as seafarers, overseas workers, educators, drivers, computer technicians, and even small entrepreneurs and entertainers. All these became possible when one priest went out his way to help.

How the CMY survived is a work of God, inspiring others also to help. Every year, Father Ben keeps in touch with this column which he says he reads regularly. And I am happy to learn about the good news happening to his wards.