Last Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Holy Family. I listened intently on the homily of our parish priest. He posed one question for us all and that is: "What makes the Holy Family, holy?". A very challenging question indeed as we reflect on the importance of the family and on the Christian vocation to build a family. This is the main reason as to why we consider marriage as a Sacrament, because if prefigures the union of Christ and His Church. With Christ as the husband and the Church as the wife. Just as perfect love animates the relationship between the Holy Trinity [I am using purely human words to describe this relationship for want of an exact term. As humans we can never know the perfection of this relationships of the Godhead]. Christian marriage does not end with the ceremony,it is a lifelong quest. To bear children and rear in the faith of the Fathers. The CCC calls the family - the Domestic Church, where the father assumes a priestly role since he as the head of the family has the duty to lead the family [How is this made real in our families today? How many fathers lead the family in prayer?]. What makes the Holy Family holy? The answer is simple - the Love that animates them. Joseph caring for his family, Mary loving her child with her whole life and Jesus the God-Child being subject to his parents in obedience.
Three days from now we shall be celebrating the solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. I have taken this upon myself to undertake a personal pilgrimage to the City of Naga in Camarines Sur province. Naga City is the Catholic heartland of Bicolandia. It is also the home of the Basilica Minore of our Lady of Penafrancia, the patroness of the Bicolano people. If some of my readers would like to know about this devotion you may visit the website of the Archdiocese of Caceres. On the 29th of December 2008 I went to Naga and visted its churches in order to fulfill a personal vow I made to our Lady and also as thanksgiving for the many graces received from God and from the intercession of Mary, Our Queen and Lady.
Let me share with you some of the photos I have taken. I hope that these pictures may inspire holy sentiments in us.
The picture above is the facade of the Church of Our Lady of Penafrancia. This church, before the Basilica was built, use to be the home-shrine of the Icon of Our Lady of Penafrancia. This where Fr. Miguel Covarrubias first established the Devotion to Our Lady as a fulfillment of his vow made to our Lady. He never realized that this devotion will be a blessing and a fulfillment of Our Lady's prophecy that someday from the distant land of the Iberian Peninsula, this devotion will be much received and be a source of blessing for the Bicolano People.
An Image of Our Lady of Penafrancia, Standing tall and graceful.
A painting of the original church. Fr. Covarrubias built a chapel made of wood and nipa palms to serve the cimmarones who requested the Bishop to build them a chapel so that they would not go far away from their villages. The cimmarones were the indigenous people inhabiting the highlands of Bicol.
Versions of the Church in later times.
Another painting from the social hall of the parish.
A small figurine at the corner of the garden. This figurine, the most unassuming looks almost neglected. This reminds me of the need of the holy souls in purgatory to be remembered. Let us offer them a short prayer each time we are reminded of them.
A view of the pastoral center attached to the church.
An alley leading to the back portion of the shrine where devotees have the chance to touch the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Cemetery at the Back of the Church. Should we not offer for them a prayer?
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