The Archdiocese of Lipa is preparing for the 11th National Days of Prayer/Pilgrimage to Lipa. A few days or weeks after I was installed the 5th Archbishop (7th resident bishop) of Lipa on July 16, 2004, I was approached by a group of laymen and women coming from other dioceses in the Philippines. The first question they asked me was whether I believed in the happenings in Lipa. My reply was since my childhood. I was brought to Carmel by my parents probably around or after the 1948 happenings. Later, as a young man, a seminarian, a prist and bishop i relish my visits and prayerful stay in Lipa Carmel. I was not aware of the difficulties undergone by the protagonists of the so-called Lipa wonders. The second question was whether I would be willing to organize a prayer gathering on September 12, 2004. Nonchalantly I said, why should I object to that. The Blessed Mother everywhere wants us all to pray, especially the Holy Rosary as a group, a community.I did not realize that this will be the beginning of many blessings for the Archdiocese of Lipa and elsewhere.That is the beginning of the National Pilgrimage to Lipa in honor of the Mediatrix of All Grace. Septmeber 12, 2014 is the eleventh. I hope all our Mediatrix devotees and promoters will be there to pray together and commit ourselves still to the spread of the devotion and to plead with the Lord and the Holy Mother to shower still on our country the abundance of their heavenly blessings. This eleventh year is even more exhilarating. The days of prayer and pilgrimage will start on September 7. At five in the morning the Image of Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace will lead the motorcade from the Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace Parish Church, Antipolo del Norte, Lipa City, passing through the towns of Padre Garcia, Rosario, Taysanand the City of Batangas to join the other pilgrims coming with the Image of Our LA Katigbakdy of Caysasay from Labac, Taal, or from the other parishes of the Archdiocese of Lipa. Each parish will take along the parish image of Our Blessed Mother. Mass will be celebrated at the MonteMaria Dome, Pagkilatan, Batangas City, at the place of Mary, Mother of All Asia. At around 1100H the whole assembly will go on motorcade to the Mountain of Salvation, Batulao, Calaca, Batangas. Procession and Mass will be offered in honor of the Mother of Love, Peace and Joy. After the Eucharist the Images of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace and the Lady of Caysasay will be accompanied in motorcade to Talisay via Laurel. On September 8, the 3rd Marian Regatta will take place at Lake Taal, if weather permits. It may be more difficult this year due to the destruction of many boats by typhoon Glenda. Whatever happens the fluvial procession with the Blessed Sacrament and the two Batangas Marian images will take place to beg God and the Blessed Mother to possess and fructify this beautiful and historical lake. After the 1100H Mass at San Guillermao, Talisay, Batangas, the two images will be brought for festivities and veneration until the morning of September 10 at the San Padre Pio Shrine, San Pedro, Santo Tomas, Batangas. On September 10 the two Batangas Marian images will be brought ceremoniously to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Joseph. On September 11 the Marian Days of Prayer continue at the San Sebastian Cathedral where on September 12, the dawn procession will bring the Blessed Sacrament and the two Marian Images from the Cathedral to the Church of the Mediatrix of All Grace in Antipolo del Norte. At 1300H of September the Blessed Sacrament with the two images will be transferred on procession to the Mediatrix of All Grace Carmel where more prayers and the Eucharist will crown the festivities. During the conferences in the morning of the 9th, the 10th and the 11th to the priests and again in the afternoons to all, Fr. Shenan Boquet from Human Life International will give the reflections on Mary and Life on the year of the Laity. On September 11, at night, at the Cathedral, Fr. Jocis Syquia, exorcist of the Archdiocese of Manila. Cardinal Ricardo Vidal will preside the 1530H concluding Mass. May I heartily invite all, especially promoters and devotees of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace to this occasion! Please invite others too. And tell everyone, let us heed Marys call to prayer. The Mediatrix of All Grace leads us in defending LIFE, which is Gods gift to us, in proclaiming the Good News, Her Son, to All Asia and the whole world and in building a new nation and a new earth pleasing to God!!! Please come and heed the Call of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 08:30:14 +0000