DESPITE CRITICISM from other sectors and religions, Catholics must stay faithful to the Holy Rosary and place their hope in the Virgin Mary, especially during trials that test their faith and their love for their country, a Dominican priest said.
Former UST secretary general Fr. Winston Cabading, O.P. said the annual La Naval feast is a call for Catholics to turn to Mary’s intercession in light of the current issues that pose threats to their faith and to their civic spirit.
Mary’s miracles and protection have long led people to victory, he added.
“Our praying of the Holy Rosary might be criticized by other sects and religions, but we must never give it up, for we should always remember that it was the very path through which we were formed as a nation,” Cabading said during the enthronement mass in honor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary La Naval de Manila on Thursday, Oct. 2.
“In the history of the Catholic Church, the Holy Rosary has always figured in battle. It has always been at the center of struggles where the Christian and Catholic faith was in danger, but Our Lady proved to be our protectress.”
Cabading lamented that many Filipinos, frustrated with the country’s current situation, often sigh and say it is difficult to love the Philippines. However, the priest said he sees it differently, as devotion to the Virgin Mary is closely tied to the nation’s history.
Such a connection was most evident during times when Filipinos’ faith was at risk of being lost, said Cabading.
Reflecting on how Filipino-Spanish forces in 1646 prayed the rosary and asked for Mary’s miraculous intervention while facing a fully-armed Dutch fleet, the priest said the Battles of La Naval de Manila show that the rosary remains a source of strength and hope in present-day struggles.
For Cabading, the Virgin Mary is a sign of hope that God will never abandon His people. In turn, Catholics must not abandon the rosary, which has long shaped the country’s identity and has bound generations of Filipinos who have found strength in their devotion, he added.
Cabading also noted how rare it was for the day of the enthronement of Our Lady of La Naval to fall on Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, saying that Mary always sends her angels to watch over the whole country.
“Whenever we pray the rosary, we unite ourselves not only with our Blessed Mother but also with countless Filipinos across different ages and generations, entrusting ourselves to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” he said.
Like Mary, people are “called to be bearers of hope” who carry Christ’s light to society, according to Cabading.
“Let us not merely possess hope, but be the hope for a world that desperately needs to see [its] face,” he said.
The enthronement rites and mass, held at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City, marked the beginning of the festivities for the 52nd anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s proclamation of Our Lady of La Naval as the city’s patroness.
A motorcade in honor of the centuries-old image took place on the same day prior to the mass. Novena masses will be held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 11, while the annual grand procession will take place on Oct. 12. F
