Bishop Emeritus Camilo Gregorio of Batanes encouraged Marian devotees and the faithful of Santisimo Rosario Parish to imitate the Blessed Mother’s fiat or fidelity to God amid the culture of violence in the country in a Mass marking the parish’s Diamond Jubilee last Oct. 1.
“[When] you open your television and radio [it’s] always bad news, throughout the day, bad news. Negativity surrounds us…but entering into the life and vision of Mary, nakikita natin ang ganda ng buhay if we see things in the complex of faith tulad niya,” Gregorio said.
Gregorio, a Thomasian alumnus and member of the Dominican Priestly Fraternity of the Philippines, emphasized Mary’s commitment of love and service for the Lord.
“[Her love for the Lord] is an offering to us to make our lives more inspiring, fruitful and fulfilling. It is a phenomenon of our generation today [na] ang daling magsawa [at] madaling magsabi na ayoko na, but our Blessed Mary is telling us that if you want to be happy, [then] learn to be faithful to the very end, learn to love and serve,” Gregorio said.
A grand procession took place before the Mass, with the images of the Nuestra Señora el Santisimo Rosario and Dominican saints.
Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P., pastor of the Santisimo Rosario, said the parish was guided by the consolation of the Blessed Mother throughout its history.
“Ang ating parokya ay itinatag upang maging konsolasyon sa mga naghihinagpis dahil sa giyera. Kapag ikaw ay natatakot, lumalapit tayo sa ating Ina. In our life full of sorrow, the Blessed Mother will defend us,” Coronel told the Varsitarian in an interview.
“The parish was established because of this very reason – to tell the people not to lose faith, remain in hope and continuously love, for God loves us,” he said.
Since its establishment in 1941, the Santisimo Rosario Parish, under the Order of the Preachers, has assumed the dual role of a parish church and University chapel.
