‘Mary and the Church as Communion’

“This year is the one hundred years of apparition of our Lady in Fatima, Portugal and also the national Church in the Philippines is celebrating the Year of the Parish as a ‘Communion of Communities.’ So we are given the opportunity to gaze the beautiful image of our Lady today,” Msgr. Cuison told the more than a thousand participants at the 11th Marian Conference, last May 20.

Documents would tell us that Mama Mary was acknowledged formally as the Mater Ecclesia or Mother of the Church by Pope Paul VI during Vatican II. So as a response to Mama Mary as our Mother, Msgr. Paul Cuison added, “we are the children of the Blessed Virgin Mother because we are the Church, we are with the Pope, and we consider Mary as our mother.”

The whole-day conference included praise and worship by the Loved Flock Catholic Charismatic Community, testimonials from a nun and from a family, and the talk from the newly-ordained priest, Fr. Jeus Jardin.

Sr. Joy Javier, a nun from the Carmelite Order who shared her intimate encounter with Mama Mary, saying that when she accepted her responsibility as one of the speakers in the Conference, she prayed to Our Lady to grace her with new ideas to share to the listeners. Then she heard Mama Mary told her, “Joy, ibahagi mo ang loob ko…open the Bible and read and contemplate the events in the gospel that tell about me.” She followed her instruction and learned what Mama Mary was like.

“Si Mama Mary ay may tapang at lakas ng loob…,” she added. Sr. Joy came to realize that Mama Mary is in fact, no ordinary mother but a Mater Ecclesia or Mother of the Church because after all that she had been through, she still embraced all the pain and face every challenges, never leaving Jesus behind.

“Ang katangian ni Mama Mary na gusto niyang ibahagi sa atin ay siya bilang tao. Bukas loob siya kung ano man ang gusto ng Diyos na ipagawa sa kanya kahit hindi niya nauunawaan sa kanyang isip, pero natatanggap niya sa kanyang puso kasi bukas siya sa Salita ng Diyos. Mahal niya ang Diyos at ang Diyos ay nasa kanyang puso,” Sr. Joy ended.

Further, the lecture of Fr. Jeus Jardin revolved around the theme for the day, “Mary and the Church as Communion.” He explained about the meaning of communion, some biblical sources on Mary’s relationship to the early church and what the early fathers say about Her. “Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ, the eternal word made flesh, and all started because of her “yes,” as written in his report. At the end, he reminded the attendees ‘not to forget Mary.’”

The convention was followed by the annual Marian procession from Ateneo to San Pedro Cathedral. Fifty processional carriages (carrozas) and rosary cars with images of Mama Mary on them joined in the two-hour walk. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Abp. Romulo G. Valles at 7:30 pm.

Dr. Mike Manalaysay in an interview with DXGN thanked all those who participated by saying, “we are so blessed, nag usap kami ni Abp. Valles na sana it will continue to grow and make it a big event talaga.”

ACLAIM is the umbrella organization of all lay communities in Davao. They meet every 3rd Friday of the month at the Archbishop residence. This Conference is just one among the three celebrations they had: May 19, Archdiocesan Nourishment Center’s 3rd anniversary; May 20, Marian Convention, and May 21, ANC Fun Run. (Miklos Posadas | Volunteer)