World mercy congress held in Manila

More than 3, 000 delegates from around the globe gathered at the Manila Cathedral for the opening ceremony of the fourth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM 4) last January 16.

Church dignitaries included His Eminence Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, D.D., His Excellencies Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, D.D., Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Most Rev. Socrates Villegas, D.D., Lipa Archbishop Most Rev. Ramon Arguelles, D.D., Balanga, Bataan Bishop and WACOM-Asia Episcopal Coordinator Most Rev. Ruperto Santos, D.D., Malolos Bishop and WACOM National Episcopal Coordinator Most Rev. Jose Oliveros, D.D., WACOM Secretary General Rev. Fr. Patrice Chocholski, and WACOM-Asia Secretary General Rev. Fr. Prospero Tenorio.

Zamboanga Archbishop Most Rev. Romulo Dela Cruz, D.D. led the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by the Eucharistic Celebration presided by Archbishop Pinto and Cardinal Tagle as homilist.

Activities of the second day (January 17) of WACOM was held at the University of Sto. Tomas. It was dedicated for the reflection on the benevolence of God who abundantly nurtures His children with His love and mercy. Delegates availed the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a 120 priests scheduled to hear confessions.

Activities of the third day (January 18) was held at the National Shrine and Parish of Padre Pio in Santo Tomas, Batangas, while festivities of the fourth day (January 19) showcased the typical Filipino hospitality at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan.

International delegates were brought to 15 designated “Places of Mercy” in various locations in Bulacan where they witnessed the corporal and spiritual services given to the less fortunate brethrens. The blessing and dedication of the 100-ft statue of the Divine Mercy, (the world’s tallest) atop a four storey multi-purpose building was blessed. It was to commemorate the WACOM 2017.

The congress concluded on January 20, at the Diocese of Balanga, Bataan with a mission sending ceremony by the sea. Delegates gathered to receive the mandate to spread and proclaim the unfathomable mercy of God.

With the theme, “Communion in Mercy; Mission for Mercy”, WACOM4 aimed to accelerate the culture of mercy in the Church and in the world and as the bastion of Christianity in Asia and the world’s third-largest Catholic population, the Philippines presented this international congress as a “Pilgrimage of Mercy” that brought delegates to different holy places each day until the last day. The congress offered an opportunity for all to be oriented to the Filipinos’ lived faith in Jesus, the Divine Mercy Incarnate.

WACOM is an international gathering of the Divine Mercy devotees and promoters such as bishops, priests, religious brothers and sisters and the laity convened every three years. It was first introduced by the Vatican on April 2-6, 2008 in Rome, Italy. It coincided with the third death anniversary of St. Pope John Paul II. From then on, mercy congresses have been sustained on a regular basis so that after every world congress was followed by a continental congress on the following year by a national congress then back to another world congress. The second WACOM was held in Krakow, Poland from October 1 to 5, 2011 and the third was held in Bogota, Columbia from August 14 to 18, 2014. (Nemric Kiel Umali, OP | Sugid-Digos)