(October 23, 2009) – Paring Batangas fell one point short to Paring Lucena as the Batangas clergy failed to defend the general championship title they held for the past two years.  This despite the 40s and above recovered the title in basketball,  where their 39s and below yielded the tile and settled for the runner-up trophy in the same sport.  Fr. Oscar Andal, reporting to DWAL-FM program “Dito Po Sa Atin”,  also disclosed that the next Southern Luzon Tagalog Region (SOLTARE) sportfest will be held next year with Lipa as host.  It will be remembered that 2010 is the centennial year of the local church of Lipa.

“The players vowed to regain the title as we host this event for the second time,” Fr. Chancellor quoted the players from Lipa.  If ever,  this will be the fourth staging of this event,  which was first hosted by Lipa, then Lucena, and this year by the Diocese of Boac.

(October 19, 2009) –  The Circles of Discernment for Elections and Beyond is slowly catching fire in the Archdiocese of Lipa.

It started with the eagerness of the officers and members of the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity, headed by Bro. Loreto “Ito” Guinhawa.  The ACL made the CiDE as one of their activities in the celebration of the Laity Week.

“We are responding to the challenge posed to us lay people, especially the leaders, to take an active part in social change in our country.  We know that the forthcoming May elections is a means towards that change.  However,  the CBCP is right in pointing out that it is incumbent on us, lay people, to evangelize politics in our country,” declared Bro. Ito in appearing in an interview over the Archdiocesan radio, DWAL-FM 95.9 RAdyo Totoo, in the program hosted by Fr. Nonie Dolor and Lita Bicol, both veteran broadcasters of the defunct AM radio of the Archdiocese.  The newly-opened FM radio is what Archbishop Ramon Arguelles calls “evangelization radio”.

After the CiDE, facilitated by Fr. Nonie Dolor and Fr. Lito Malibiran,  the ALC officers decided to bring CiDE to the vicariate level, after conferring with Fr. Oscar Andal,  the spiritual director of the Council of the Laity in the Archdiocese.  Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, on his part, gave his support, noting his disappointment with the few turn-out of a previously set July CiDE, where only 12 parishes and two schools sent representatives despite his previous announcements in the priests’ assemblies.   The team of Fr. Carmelo Diola from Cebu, where CiDE was born and currently being spread through the country, came over for that July CiDE, intended to be an orientation for priests and lay leaders of the Archdiocese.  Frs. Dolor and Malibiran previously attended CiDE workshops in Cebu, separately.

Last October 10,  Vicariate VII, under Fr. Matty Orario and its lay Vicarial Coordinator, Bro. Demmy de la Cruz, invited Fr. Nonie Dolor to give the CiDE orientation to the Vicariate lay leaders. Close to 50 leaders came to the Parish of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.  Fr. Nonie Dolor said that he needed to explain the role of the laity in political involvement to these leaders who have been indifferent even to volunteer to the usual political engagement of the Church during elections in movements like PPCR and Namfrel. Of those who attended only three have said that they were volunteers of PPCRV and Namfrel during election; the others were mere by-standers saying that they did not know that it is the duty of Catholic faithful to participate directly in politics. Fr. Dolor took pains in explaining to them the laity’s vital responsibility in evangelizing the political sphere.

Last October 17,  Fr. Nonie Dolor went to Tanauan City to give the CiDE orientation to the lay leaders of Vicariate VI.  Fr. Cris de Guzman,  the newly-installed Vicar Forane, welcome the more than 70 participants.  He emphasized the call of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, for the faithful’s active participation and duty  in social transformation.  CiDE, he said, is a way to do this, especially given the worsening political situation and culture in our country. After Fr. Dolor’s presentation,  which zeroed in on the two CBCB recent documents relating to lay participation on politics and peace-building,  the leaders, headed by Bro. Cris Perez of Sto. Tomas Parish, promised to bring CiDE even to the barangay or MSK level. The CiDE orientation was held in the morning.

Simulataneously with the Tanauan CiDE, Bro. Ding Tejada presided over the orientation to CiDE at San Juan Nepomuceno Parish, San Juan, Batangas.  The half-day seminar-workshop drew some 260 participants coming from the various barangays and church-based organizations, headed by the Parish Pastoral Assembly, including lay-faculty members of Joseph Marello Institute.  Bro. Ting Tejada reported that Fr. Randy Marquez,  parish priest and Vicar Forane of Vicariate IV, was with them the whole of the CiDE exercise.  He also said that they were able to hold a real CiDE, with 25 participants composing a circle.  Fr. Marquez promised to bring this down to the “tuklongs” of the parish, as a way of political education of the people.

Some 196 participants gathered that same afternoon at St. James Academy Gym to hear Fr. Dolor’s orientation on CiDE.  With the help of Fr. Jorge de Chavez, OSJ,  who recently joined the National Discernment of the the Clergy in Their Role as Prophets, the participants were able to get a glimpse of how CiDE works and more importantly,  why it is important in changing the political scene in the community.

Lastly,  yesterday, October 19,  the lay leaders of the Parish of St. Joseph, San Jose, Batangas underwent a similar orientation with close to 90 participants.  It will be noted that it is only Vicariate IV that took the initiative to have parochial CiDE orientation.  Others have scheduled their by Vicariates.  The parishes composing these vicariates would decided on their future moves of accepting or not CiDE as a means of their political education.

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(October 11, 2009) –  With the scenic Mt. Malarayat range as its backdrop and given a fairly good weather that afternoon of October 10,  Lipa Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles canonically erected the latest parish in the Archdiocese in an elaborate liturgical rite that lasted for more than two hours.  The new parish is located at the outskirts of famed Malarayat Golf and Country Club, in a lot donated by Architects Tony and Tina Turalba, major stockholders of this booming golfing and housing site in Talisay, Lipa City.  

Archbishop Ramon Arguelles challenged the faithful comprising the new Christian community to emulate the example of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, especially her love for God and zeal for the missions.  He also made special reference to her child-like dependence of God.  Likewise,  he appealed to the congregation to be more generous to those in need as a sign of the Batangueno gratitude for being spared from major disasters that the recent calamities brought to other parts of the country.

Later,  he installed the 74-year-old Fr. Hermogenes “Jun” Quiambao as the parish first pastor.  Fr. Jun was made priest-in-charge of this latest parish after its original priest-in-charge, Fr. Jojo Mendoza was transfered to the Parish and Shrine of St. Vincent Ferrer at Banaybanay, Lipa City.  Under his watch,  Fr. Jun was able to begin the construction while raising the funds by personally appealing to the generous benefactors and friends with the help of the Parish Pastoral Assembly, headed by Mrs. Nelia Flores. This is the first parish of Fr. Jun,  who has been a priest for 43 years.  Prior to his installation,  he has served as a long-time seminary formator, guidance counsellor, superintendent of Catholic schools, director of Sta. Teresa College, rector of St. Francis de Sales Minor Seminary,  Apostolic Visitator of  Minor Seminaries in the Philippines. He had also a stint at pastoral work at the aRchdiocese of Agana, Guam before coming back to the Archdiocese.

Aside from the Turalba couple,  other prominent benefactors and guest who graced the occasion included  Batangas 3rd District Representative Vicky Reyes,  former Ambassador Macario Laurel, and banker and art patron Danilo L. Dolor.  Sec-Gen Isabel Gonzales Tubio of the Presdiential Council for Values Formation represented President Gloria Macapal Arroyo.  Various church lay leaders of the  Parish of St. Sebastian were also present to witness the birthing of the latest daughter of the mother-parish.  Lipa City alone has the following as parishes aside from this one:  San Sebastian (mother parish), Our Lady of Good Voyage (Lodlod), San Antonio (Bolbok), San Vicente Ferrer (Banaybanay), Sto. Nino (Pinagtungulan), Sto. Nino (Marawoy),  Divina Pastora (Tambo) and San Isidro (San Isidro).  Another one is being prepared — that of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace (Antipolo),  which hopefully would also be canonically erected before the start of the centennial year 2010.

(September 19) – “Peer Learning Visit” to the Archdiocese of Lipa to observe and to have a first hand experience of how Pondong Batangan Community Foundation, Inc. works was what some members of the Association of Foundations did in their three-day visit, hosted by PBCF, Inc., under the leadership of Fr. Manny Guazon, executive director of PBCF, Inc..  He is also currently the AF chairman.

The group composed of Board members, executive directors and senior program staff  members of the different organization-members of AF arrived at the Parish of St. John Evangelist in Tanauan City last September 17.  There they got a good briefing on how Pondong Batangan works.  This parish has one of the more efficient methods of collection of the much-vaunted Pondong Batangan, aside from the evangelization program for this concept initiated by His Eminence, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, when he was the Archbishop of Lipa.  At Tanauan,  the group also had an encounter with scholars under the Dunong Batangan, one of the projects being undertaken and funded by PBCF, Inc.

The following day,  they hied off to Lipa City where they observed the Bigasang MSK, Tubig Batangan, and Botikang Batangan, all funded by PBCF, Inc. They had the chance to see how these projects work, interacting even among the recipients of these.

Highlighting their day’s visit was a luncheon at the Villa San Jose,  the Housing project for the poor of the Archdiocese.  At Villa San Jose, they met the out-of-youth trainees for Commercial Cooking, one of the vocational-technical courses being offered under the Galing Batangueno project of PBCF, Inc. The cook-trainees prepared their lunch and even entertained them with lively production numbers.  Fr. Nonie Dolor,  SVS Administrator welcomed the group in their visit.  Again,  they had the chance to see up close this project of Pondong Batangan.

They also had the chance to visit Archbishop Ramon Arguelles who had good words for what Pondong Batangan is doing to the Archdiocese.  Interaction with the members of PBCF, Inc Board of Trustees further contributed to their inside knowledge on how Pondong Batangan has been working.  After their pilgrim visit to famed Carmel Church,  they travelled back to Manila.

Among those that came were executives from Silay-Magalona Foundation (SIMAG), Simbayanan ni Maria Community Foundation, INc. (SMCF, Inc), Coalition of Social Development Organizations in South Cotabato (CSDO-SC), representatives of Batangas Development Council and members of PBCF, Inc.

(September 17,2009) – Paring Batangas, playing one of its most brilliant games, is now tied with Manila priests-cagers to whom they bowed in a heart-breaking two point loss when they beat Paranaque, 74-72.  Although the score was close,  this time around,  the Batanguenos were more relaxed and played smart especially during the end-game.  Fr. Bobot Hernandez had his break-out game, consistently puncturing the hoop with his side jumpers, highlighted by his brilliant pass to Fr. Irwin Mendoza, OSJ,  who suddenly got loose from his guard to score an unmolested lay-up,  which was wildly cheered by the loud Lipa bench.  Ironically, Fr. Irwin was absent in their Monday’s loss to Manila.

Paring Batangas now tots a 5 win-2 loss card, the same with Manila.  The wins came courtesy of Paranaque (two times), Novaliches (2 times) and Cubao (once).  Their other loss is from the Antipolo quintet.

(Sept. 13,2009) – Despite the unpredictable weather, thousands of pilgrims from all over the country, including members of the First Asia Oceania Mariological Conference, trooped to Lipa City to celebrate this Marian festivity,  the sixth in honor of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace.  Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles got out of the hospital to lead the dawn procession of the Blessed Sacrament from the San Sebastian Cathedral to the site of the proposed parish to be dedicated to Mary Mediatrix of All Grace, some three kilometers away from the Cathedral.  upon arrival, after the benediction,  a thanksgiving mass, presided over  by the Archbishop accompanied by several priests was held at the multi-purpose hall located near the proposed church, presently under construction.  the place was made available by art-patron and prinicpal benefactor of the proposed parish, Mr. Danilo Dolor.

Dr. Mark Miravalle and Msgr. Arthur Calkins, eminent Mariologists and invited personally by Archbishop Arguelles, expounded on the proposed 5th Marian dogma.  Both speakers extolled the deep Marian devotion of Filipinos, saying that the nation really deserves to be tagged “pueblo amante de Maria”.

“You really are a special chosen people,” declared Dr. Miravalle.  ”You have chosen the perfect symbols of our faith — the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary”.  He also said that Mary is the heaven’s remedy to today’s tragedies.  ”The solemn proclamation of the fifth dogma will bring peace to the world, as promised by Our Lady. The era of peace will be ushered by the solemn approval of the apparition of our Lady at Carmel Lipa,” he boldly announced to his audience of students, pilgrims and fellow Mariologists gathered to listen to his lecture.

Msgr. Arthur Calkins, on the other hand, centered on the Marian pronouncements of the late John Paul II regarding his teachings on Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediator and Advocate. He said that it is not really difficult to understand these Marian titles, even among non-Catholics.  He emphasized the subordination of Mary’s redemptive role to the One and Only Mediator, her Son Jesus.  He also said that Mary’s mediation does not destroy the Mediator-ship of Jesus but rather facilitates it.  He also called on priests that in this year for priests,  they are to be more conscious of their role as mediator of God’s grace to the faithful.  The Filipinos, he said,  are doing this through their devotion to the Twin Hearts. he also echoed Dr. Miravalle’s call for the solemn proclamation of the proposed Marian dogma to avert further crises in priestly and religious vocations in the world.

Ms. June Kiethley, a prominent Marian advocate and producer of many documentaries about Lipa apparition,  emceed the morning conference.  She also read the message of Bishop Pund of Haarlem, Amsterdam,  who was supposed to come.

“Right from the start, at the Incarnation,  it is already Mary’s vocation to participate in the redemptive mission of Christ.  This is very evident in her presence during his passion, death and resurrection, and even in the early life of the apostolic community,” he stated.    ”That is why she said to Teresing (the visionary), ‘when His heart bleeds, mine bleeds also’.”

During the conference,  pilgrims availed of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Earlier,  a triduum preparing for this event was held every afternoon at the cathedral.  This featured talks on Mary, confessions and Eucahrist, participated in by the faithful of the Archdiocese of Lipa, taking turns by vicariates.  Prior to the event was a night-long vigil held at the Cathedral, capped by a Mass by renowned healer, Fr. Diwane Cacao of the Dicoese of San Pablo.

Another procession took place at 1:30 pm, this time from the site of the proposed new parish going back to Carmel Church, some two kilometers distance, where more than two thousand pilgrims had been waiting.  Archbishop-elect Socrates Villegas, convenor of the Conference, formally introduced the present delegates to the Mariological Conference, most of whom experienced this awesome display of Marian devotion of the Filipinos for the first time.  Earlier,  the delegates met with the Bishops present and the cloistered Carmelite nuns in an exclusive lunch-reception held in their honor.

His Eminence, Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, once Archbishop of Lipa and now Archbishop of Cebu, presided over the closing Mass, aired live by the government television network and broadcast over the Archdiocesan radio stations and Radio Maria of the Diocese of Tarlac.  Present among the faithful were the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,  who led the prayer of consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Popular movie personality-turned-governor, Vilma Santos Recto led the Consecration of Batangas Province to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Lipa City Mayor, Atty. Oscar Gozos and his wife offered flowers to the crowned image of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace.

Ih his homily, Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos Diocese in Mindanao recounted how two Bishops from what are now dioceses of Digos (Davao) and Kidapawan(Cotabato), despite the negative verdict on Lipa apparition, still consecrated their then-parish churches to Mary Mediatrix of all Grace in the early 50s.  His own Cathedral in Digos is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under this title.  He also learnt that in Lipa,  the title of Mary Mediatrix is still to be affixed to the proposed parish in the Archdiocese. He publicly expressed his support for the move to revive the Carmel case and also to have the proposed 5th Marian dogma solemnly proclaimed.  This was wildly cheered by the devotees!

(September 5, 2009) –  The 6th National Marian Pilgrimage for world Peace and Prayer for the Sanctification of the Clergy, slated for September 12, the feast of the Holy Name of Mary,  will feature not only Marian devotions  like praying the Rosary,  the celebration of the Eucharist, consecration of the country to the twin Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  This year’s pilgrimage will also mark the opening day of the First Asia-Oceania Mariological Conference,  to completed at its venue in Alfonso, Cavite.

Two Mariologists, Msgr. Dr. Arthur Calkins, STD, and Dr. Mark Miravalle, will talk about the proposed 5th Marian dogma.  The group is at the forefront of the popular world-wide clamor to have Mary declared as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Grace and Advocate, to be added to the four Marian dogmas:  Mother of God (431), Virginity of the BVM (649), Immaculate Conception (1854) and Assumption (1950).   The two will address the Marian devotees in the morning, at the site of the proposed new parish of Mary Mediatrix of all Grace in Antipolo, Lipa City, some kilometers away from the Carmel Church, site of the big concelebration Mass that will culminate the whole day activities.

This year’s theme is “Pueblo Amante de Maria, Mediatrix of all Grace,  Called to Proclaim the Good News to Fellow Asians”.  A triduum will precede the September 12 pilgrimage, expected to be attended by Marian devotees all over the country.  Previous pilgrimages elicited participation from the faithful from as far as Vigan and Tuguegarao from the North and Mati and Surigao from the South.  This year’s main celebrant in the afternoon Eucahrist is the Most Rev. Josef Maria Pund, D.D., Bishop of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The local and foreign delegates to the First Asia-Oceania Mariological Conference will be introduced by Bishop Socrates Villegas of Balanga, Bataaan, after the welcome remarks of Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles, D.D., Archbishop of Lipa.

Expected to attend this Marian pilgrimage are the Archbishops and Bishops of the country, especially the two Cardinals, both of whom are former Archbishops of Lipa.  Government dignitaries, led by Batangas Governor, Hon. Vilma Santos Recto, and Lipa City Mayor, Atty. Oscar Gozos, will also grace the afternoon Eucharist.  In the past,  Presient Gloria Arroyo attended the morning Eucharist.  However,  she was invited to lead the consecration of the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

(September 3,2009) –  Paring Batangas, the basketball team composed of priests from the Archdiocese of Lipa,  notched its third win at the expense of the priest-basketeers of the Diocese of Paranaque at the resumption of the on-going Pari-lympics at the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary gym at San Carlos Seminary Compound in Makati City. Also known as the Cardinal Sin Cup,  the tournament features nine teams coming from the Archdioceses of Manila (hosts) and Lipa, Dioceses of Malolos, Cubao, Antipolo, Paranaque, Novaliches, Lucena, and guest team Legaspi.

So far,  Lipa has three wins to show, defeating the teams from Cubao, Novaliches and Paranaque, yielding only to Antipolo so far.  This MOnday,  the teams will motor to Lukban to play the first out-of-town games, aimed at cementing closer ties and solidarity between and among the priest-participants.  Each team is allowed to recruit religious working in their ecclesiastical jurisdiction.  Observers agree that the Diocese of Antipolo stands to benefit from this as they have more than six players from the Military Vicariate,  who arguably are highly physically-fit and more active in sports.  However,  so far Antipolo has lost four but has come up with three consecutive wins,  one of which was at the expense of highly-favored Lipa.

Fr. Junie Maralit leads the Lipa dribblers that include Fr. Ilde Dimaano, Fr. Noel Salanguit, Fr. Nemer Chua, Fr. Manny Lucero, Fr. Clarence Patag, Fr. Anthony Esteron, Fr. Riyyan Mendoza, Fr. Bobot Hernandez, Fr. Richard Hernanadez, Fr. Russell Matuloy, Fr. Dakila Ramos, Rev. Peewee Cabrera, and deacon-candidate Sem. Jayson Siapco.  The team is re-inforced by four Oblates of St. Joseph (OSJ):  Fr. Irwin Mendoza, Fr. Lee Leonida, Fr. Gerbert Cabaylo, Fr. Elmer Quizon.  Fr. Dong Rosales and Fr. Nonie Dolor team up in the coaching chores.

Coach Fr. Nonie talks to his players during a huddle in their opening game against Cubao clergy. The Lipa clergy prevailed over Cubao by 11 points.

(August 28, 2009) –  Prior his departure for Geneva,  Archbishop Ramon Arguelles streamlined the Executive  Committee overseeing the planning for the celebration of the Centennial Jubilee 2010. Naming Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan, Vicar General, as head,  a Central Steering Committee was set up in lieu of the multi-layered Executive Committee.  According to the Archbishop,  this will lessen the number of people coming to a meeting, avoid overlapping of functions and makes the line of responsibility easier to define.  

The Central Steering Committee will act as the coordinating body to the Archbishop and the different committees previously set up by the former larger body, set general directions for the centennial celebration, monitor activities,  work with the committees as animator, and facilitates the flow of information regarding the centennial celebration.  As a started, according to Msgr. Dimaculangan,  the Central Steering Committee met last August 24 at the Archbishop’s Residence to map out the actions that they are to take.

The newly-streamlined body is composed of Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan as head with Fr. Manny Guazon, Fr. Eyong Ramos, Fr. Jojo Gonda, Fr. Randy Marquez, OSJ, Fr. Gamelin Balita and Fr. Oscar Andal.  Fr. Manny Guazon was formerly over-all chair of the program committee that oversee all the programs of the three-year preparation.  Fr. Jojo Gonda was co-chair of the program for first year ; Fr. Eyong Ramos co-chair for second year; and, Fr. Randy Marquez, co-chair of this last and third year program.  Fr. Gamelin Balita is Dean of Vicars Forane,  while Fr. Oscar Andal is the Archdiocesan Chancellor.  

During that meeting,  plans for the opening of the Centennial, April 10, 2010 was discussed.  The plan is set to be presented to the archbishop in a meeting set for August 31, Monday. 

All roads will lead to the Mediatrix Shrine at Lipa this September 12!

The Archdiocese of Lipa is bracing itself for the influx of Marian devotees for the 6^th Marian Pilgrimage for Word Peace and Sanctification of the Clergy on September 12.  Making it more meaningful,  the Pilgrimage will also mark the first day of the four-day First Asia Oceania Mariological Conference (FOMC) with noted Marian theologians, Dr. Mark Miravalle, STD, and Msgr. Dr. Arthur Calkins, STD, giving their lectures on the proposed 5^th Marian dogma.

Locally,  the pilgrimage is preceded by a triduum of Marian devotions and Masses to be held at the Cathedral of San Sebastian.  At the first day, September 9, the clergy and the faithful of Vicariates 1, 2, 3, and 7 gather at the Cathedral at 3:30pm, after the procession by the parishioners of the proposed Parish of Mary Mediatrix of all Grace bearing her revered image from Carmel to the Cathedral.  Fr. Gamelin Balita, Dean of the Vicars Forane will deliver the first Marian lecture, after Fr. Joseph Rodem Ramos, in-charge and host of this annual pilgrimage, has presented the event’s aspirations.  Fr. Larry Abante will be the main celebrant during the Eucharistic celebration with Msgr. Alfredo Madlangbayan as homilist.

The following day, September 10, it will be the turn of the clergy and the faithful of Vicariates 4 and 6 to preside over the preparation for the pilgrimage.  Fr. Rustam Sabularse, theology professor at the St. Francis de Sales School of Theology, will give the Marian lecture.  Fr. Federico Magboo will be the main presider during the concelebrated Mass with Fr. Randy Marquez, OSJ, Vicar Forane of Vicariate 4, as homilist.

The last day of the triduum will be mainly participated in by the clergy and faithful of Vicariate 5,  which will feature a healing Mass at 9:00 pm to be presided over by renowned healing priest, Fr. Diwane Cacao. 

Confessions will be available during the entire three-day gathering at the Cathedral, as Archbishop Arguelles encourages the faithful to take this as part of the preparation for the forthcoming centennial celebration in 2010. 

The pilgrimage day will start with the exposition and vigil of the Blessed Sacrament starting at midnight of the previous day.  After the Morning Praise, the traditional procession from the Cathedral,  this time going to the site of the Proposed Parish, will ensue.  At around 6:00 am,  the Archbishop will lead the clergy and the faithful in the Eucharistic Mass.  The lectures by the noted Marian theologians will follow. At 1:00 pm,  a procession, from the parish will bring the image of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace to Carmel Church where a concluding Eucharistic celebration will be led by Most Rev. Josef Maria Pund, D.D., Bishop of Amsterdam, together with the Archbishops and Bishops of the Philippines.

Lipa City Mayor, Hon. Oscar Gozos and his wife will lead the   floral offering after the post-communion prayer, to be followed by the crowning of  Virgin’s image by His Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.  Batangas Governor, Hon. Vilma Santos-Recto is to lead the Prayer of Consecration of Batangas Province to the Blessed Mother,  while His Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is expected to lead the Prayer of Consecration of the Philippines.