A spiritually-uplifting pilgrimage

          Usually we travel to other countries for our pilgrimages.  Little do we remember to do it right in our own country where there are a lot of spirituality-uplifting places.

          I remember that last time, my late wife and I, together with two other physicians Dr. Nena Paglinawan and Dr. Norma Legislador traveled all the way to Spain, Portugal, France and Italy to visit holy places.

          Last week, our pilgrimage brought us to Manila and Antipolo City.

          Perhaps, the highlight of our visit to the metropolis was the audience we had with the Papal Nuncio Msgr. Edward Adams.

          The Papal envoy proved a very exuberant American.  Unlike the usually dour Italians. An auxiliary bishop, he was named Nuncio only last year and arrived in the Philippines last November.  The first groups were from Cebu.

          He was very empathetic in pointing out that “I am referring to your faith.”  In short he pointed out that for him, the members of the two communities were gifted by the Lord for having been tutored on the nuances of the faith.  And now you have developed a vision of the world through the eyes of Christ.

          Later, he was surprised by the appearance of the Jupiter Sarrosa, a retired school-teacher who wanted to join the group’s audience with the Papal Nuncio.  And Msgr. Adams gave a special prayer and blessing on Jupiter who have to undergo a daily dialysis.  The reason for his stay in Manila with his son-in-law and his daughter.

          Later, Jupiter also joined the group at the Our Lady of Good Voyage in Antipolo.  Despite his ailment, Jupiter remained smiling and his face was that of a satisfied young man.

          Fr. Angel Mojica, an intern priest from Columbia and now an Italian, was the leader of the pilgrimage.  He was accompanied by Fr. Cris and Isa.  Cris is from El Salvador, but now resides in California.  He is studying at the Redemptorist Master Seminary in Madagascar.

          After our satisfying trip to reiterate our loyalty to the Church we proceeded to the Binondo Church where we dropped first at the Pro-basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz.  There, Fr. Angel delivered a catechesis on the life of Saint Lorenzo and how God in his mercy, showed on the Filipino his blessings that he, a mere sacristan, who had accompanied group of missionaries to Japan, ended up as a saint whose protestations of faith helped reinforce the faith of one of the martyred priests.

          Most of us stayed at the New Betania Retreat House in New Manila, Quezon City.  It is a vegetated restful place amid the growing metropolis.  The place is operated by the “Augustinian Sisters.”

          Neo-catechumenal communities of Mary the Queen of Parish of Greenhills, San Juan hosted and helped our trip’s arrangements. Together with the members of the St. Francis community.

          There, I also managed to meet Edith Roxas, a childhood playmate and cousin of my late wife.

          The point is that the Mary the Queen community was the first neo-catechumenal community of the Philippines and the “other” unit of the Our Lady of Lourdes community in Bata which made up of mostly the community of the Montevista barangay.

          Despite his advanced age, Msgr. Almonida accepted the offer for him to be the rector of the seminary to help seminarians from various countries there.

          Incidentally, for the benefit of the Filipino patrons of the seminary it has already graduated 10 priests who have been incardinated as members of the Manila diocese.

          There are now 20 seminarians from various countries, including the Philippines,  Spain, Italy, Latin America, etc.

          The seminarians know Bacolod very well, they have been vacationing in the city since the time the seminary opened.

          To sum up, it was an enlightening pilgrimage that provided all of us new insight into what the Church is now doing to help Christians. Especially Filipino believers.*

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