FIN Provincial Services Lay Mission Partners’ Pilgrimage on the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Makati City, the Philippines, 08 September 2016—To celebrate the birthday of Mama Mary, the Provincial Services Lay Mission Partners went on a pilgrimage to the Jubilee Churches of the Archdiocese of Manila: Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay City; the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila; Santuario del Santo Cristo Parish in San Juan City; Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Mandaluyong City; and, the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati City.

They received their ‘Jubilee Passports’ from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish which was their first stop. Certificates of completing the pilgrimage were given to them at National Shrine of the Sacred Heart, their last stop. In each Jubilee Church, they fulfilled the list of devotional tasks found in their passports. They receive a stamp from the parish office of every pilgrim church only after fulfilling the devotional tasks.

Some of the devotional practices they did were: to enter piously the Holy Door and recite the Prayer for the Year of Mercy, to pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, to Pray the Novena Prayer of the particular Jubilee Church, to pray for departed souls, to spend some quiet time in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the Adoration Chapel, and to receive the mercy of the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Before the pilgrimage, they had a half day recollection and confession. Fr. Renato De Guzman, SDB, Parish Priest of St. John Bosco Parish – Makati, gave them a talk about the Mercy of God through a Lectio Divina on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Fr. De Guzman together with Fr. Emil Santos, SDB made themselves available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This pilgrimage was their best birthday gift to the Mama Mary. They happily ended the day with hearts full of God’s merciful and compassionate love.