CATHOLICS SHOULD share their “faith stories” so that others could draw inspiration from them in overcoming their trials in life, a Dominican priest said.
In his homily during the enthronement mass for the Our Lady of La Naval de Manila, Santo Domingo Convent prior Fr. Roger Quirao, O.P. said stories filled with personal hardships should not be told for self-interest but to inspire others to navigate life with unwavering faith.
“When we recite our Hail Mary and pray for the Holy Rosary, we must utter them with sincerity, for it proves her continued guidance and charity,” he said.
Quirao advised believers to avoid overthinking on the length of their prayers as praying the Holy Rosary or just one Hail Mary already magnifies the Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary and brings people closer to them.
“One Hail Mary said with love and thought is better than volumes of prayer poorly said. If time and one’s duties prevent a long prayer, just say one Hail Mary with fervor and care,” the Dominican priest said. This intimate relationship shared with the Blessed Mother serves as a guidepost not to neglect the praying of the rosary, he added.
“We still have a long journey to embark on, a wide ocean to cross. Many trials will come to our lives, but let us not be discouraged or lose hope, for we have Jesus and Mother Mary to lean on,” Quirao said.
The Our Lady of La Naval de Manila, one of the venerated titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is honored every second Sunday of October.
The feast commemorates the triumph of the outnumbered Spanish-Filipino forces against the Protestant Dutch naval forces who sought to conquer the Philippines in the 17th century. The victory was attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
After the destruction of its original shrine in Intramuros, Manila during the Second World War, the revered image was moved to the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City on October 12, 1952.
The enthronement rites were part of the Our Lady of La Naval’s 50th anniversary as patroness of Quezon City. The feast will take place on Oct. 8, carrying the theme, “Mahal na Birhen ng La Naval: Pintakasi ng Sambayanang Kristiyano.” F – with reports from Barbra Althea Gavilan
