What is the significance of the Tercentenary of the devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia to the Archdiocese of Caceres?

First, Ina is the patroness of Bicol. We fondly call her Ina for indeed she has been our mother.

Technically speaking, the Archdiocese of Caceres is the Metropolitan See (mother diocese) of the 6 different suffragan dioceses of Bicol region. When Our lady of Peñafrancia was proclaimed patroness of Nueva Caceres in 1895, it practically included the whole region. Until this time, we can proudly say that it is the only regional devotion in the country if not one of the global devotions. Her presence testifies to the unwavering Catholic faith of the Bicolanos since Marian devotion is an integral part of it. The loving relationship of Ina and the Bicolanos is illustrated by the fact that Ina has become part of the identity of the Bicolanos. As we say, “Ina is Bicol, Bicol is Ina.”

Second, this is an opportunity for us to show our deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty Father for choosing Bicol to be the locus of this devotion. We cannot help but be grateful for this precious gift of having a mother who would always look after her children through thick and thin.

What is the purpose of the three-year preparation of the tercentenary?

The preparation stretched to three years since it corresponds to three important moments or phases of our thanksgiving celebration.

The first year (2007-2008) was dedicated to Remembering the Gift of Devotion to Ina. We focused our efforts on revisiting the history of the devotion to arrive at a deeper understanding of it. In this way, we are able to treasure the devotion better. The second year (2008-2009) pursued the renewal of the devotion, thus the theme: Renewing our Faith in Ina. On this year we focused much energy and enthusiasm towards purging the devotion of abuses in the conduct of its rituals and the encroachment of commercialization and secularization . The third and final year (2009-2010) is a year for Sharing the Future in Hope. We look forward into the future with the intent of sharing the fruits of our devotion to the next generations. We envision a mature generation capable of receiving and protecting the devotion with great love and hope.

What are the preparations of the Archdiocese for the tercentenary?

The Archdiocese organized a special tercentenary committee to supervise the whole preparation and celebration. It is composed of different working committees which deal with specific concerns. They are however geared towards addressing 4 main focal points of the devotion:

The Church –Both the material and the spiritual church are prepared for renewal. The shrine, basilica and the cathedral will have to undergo facelifts to accommodate larger number of devotees and ensure the right disposition for pilgrims. Two new parishes were erected and dedicated under the patronage of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Balaton, Lagonoy and Divino Rostro in Bahi, Garchitorena.There are formation programs specially designed for the Voyadores and Guardias de Maria. We also came up with a module which will be used for teaching students in the elementary, high school, college level including the religious concerning what true devotion to Ina is. Several books about the stories of healing and miracles of Ina and the fiesta practices were launched to celebrate this occasion. The whole clergy of Caceres underwent a 5-day retreat to lead the faithful in the communal discernment required for a truly meaningful celebration.

Image – Replicas of the original image will be produced to be utilized in spreading further the devotion to the different parts of the country as well as across the globe. We have also modified the andas of Ina and the Divino Rostro to portect the sacred images from any attempt to dishonor them. A musical play entitled Manto ni Ina is being staged as of the moment and hopefully it will make its debut in Manila and other parts of the country. A movie project about the devotion is currently being shoot. It’s powercast includes Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Marvin Agustin, Christopher De leon and Vivian Velez and directed by the well-respected Ms. Marilou Diaz Abaya.

Processions – The route, time and places for prayer of the two grand processions (traslacion and fluvial procession) were adjusted for an orderly procession. We also launched Harubay Para ki Hesus asin ki Ina (Proclamation of Jesus and Mary), a motorcade around the city accompanied by simultaneous festive events and activities in all parishes of the Archdiocese at the start of September to heighten the anticipation of the forthcoming fiesta. We were able to reformat the traditional civic parade into a solemn procession which involved the use of floats depicting the history of the devotion. We involved the different barangays, parishes and institutions by encouraging them to bring their tinagba (offering) which is blessed and shared after the procesion with the less privileged communities and other charitable institutions. The local church has also engaged the city officials in a dialogue in an effort to groom the city as a genuine pilgrimage destination.

Mass- The most important aspect of the rituals of the devotion is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Through catechesis and formation, we hope to see more people participate actively in its celebration as well as in the different sacraments which basically prepare them for a worthy reception of the Eucharist. Bishops from all over the country are expected to join us comes September 2010 including the Bishop of Coria-Caceres in Spain and the Bishop of Kingstown in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

ABOUT THE DEVOTION

What is the significance of the devotion to the Bikolanos?

As I have previously mentioned, Our Lady of Peñafrancia is part and parcel of the identity of the Bikolanos. She is their mother, patroness, and protector. If siling labuyo is the character index of the Bikolanos, Ina is their spiritual index. She has been a rallying point of unity for the Bikolanos. Anywhere a Bikolano goes, he or she is expected to be a devotee of Ina.

What are the changes (relative to the devotion) you hope will happen in 2010 and beyond?

We dream of keeping a pristine and an uncommercialized devotion under the care of mature Catholic devotees whose disposition and lives reflect the virtues of Mary. We ultimately hope for a people closer to the heart of Jesus and the church under the inspiration of Ina.

How can the lay faithful deepen their devotion and practice it in their everyday life?

We invite all the lay faithful to imitate Mary’s virtues of humility and unwavering trust in the Lord. The external practice of devotion like the vows or panata that they make should reflect the inner disposition and willingness to heed the will of God in their lives. That is true devotion. There is only one sure gauge of renewal and that is the personal relationship we have developed with Jesus through Mary. It’s a continuing challenge for everyone. Just like what the scene at the foot of the cross, urges us, we need to take care of Mary as she has taken great care of us.

Bikol is known for being the seat of the devotion. What should the rest of the country and the world know about the devotion?

The story and experience of the Bikolanos will be unrecognizable without the presence of its loving patroness. I dare say that the she is responsible for the formation of the local church in Bikol. The rest of the world should be consecrated too as pueblo amante de Maria so that vibrant local churches will be born in different parts of the world.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

What is your personal experience with Our Lady of Peñafrancia?

There are many personal experiences over the years. This is my 25th year of service as Archbishop of Caceres and head of the metropolitan see in Bicol. But probably the most significant is that when I assumed my service here in Bicol, I offered to INA the miter and the staff of a pastor. With this prayer, I asked her to become the real archbishop of this place, as I will try to serve this local church of Caceres under her command and under her manto. All I can say, after two decades and a half, I had always felt her guidance and powerful inspiration. Many people say that the governance of the archdiocese has been good, and all I can say, this is because of her. Ina, all through these years is the true archbishop of Caceres and I am her humble servant.