Happiness is Holiness:La Naval de Manila 2018

The theme of this year’s celebration, Maria: Huwaran ng Kabanalan, enriches the annual commemoration of the 1646 Batallas de las Marinas de Manila fought and won through the miraculous intercession of Our Lady of Rosary. The theme is aligned with the declaration of 2018 as the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons in the Local Church in the Philippines, in view of the nine-year spiritual journey towards the 500th Jubilee of Christianization of the Philippines in 2021.

It is an opportune time for integral renewal of values, behavior, and lifestyles of the clergy and consecrated persons. The La Naval Festivities centers on holiness which embodies the value that should animate the life of the clergy and religious, along with the rest of the faithful. Mary is our model and paragon of holiness.     

Most people nowadays want to be famous or rich. But who among us aspire to be saints? Holiness is a state and task of life often ignored or neglected by many. Our world is in chaos because we have a surplus of rich and famous people, but we are wanting of saints and holy men and women.

Holiness has often been associated with great suffering and sacrifice, as portraited by some images of saints martyred in the name of our faith. As one sees the image of St. Peter Verona during the procession, with his head hacked and backstabbed, who would desire to suffer the same fate as he did? But holiness is not all about suffering and death. In fact, it points to overcoming the fear of suffering and death assured by the resurrection and eternal life Christ promises to us. “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him.” (2 Tim. 2:11). 

The image of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval, adorned with jewels and gold, reflects the glory that awaits anyone who dares to live a holy life. The life of the Blessed Virgin Mary points to the reality that the suffering which comes from the pursuit of holiness is but transitory. There is joy in a life dedicated to God. The joy brought forth by holiness in our life and by our closeness to God is not experienced only after the end of our life. As we pursue holiness, there is gladness. There is no sadness in holiness. No saint wears a long face. And so it is with the clergy and the religious.

As Mary lived a holy life by remaining close to her Son, she rejoiced. She holds Jesus in her loving arms. She has Jesus in her heart. How can the clergy and religious not rejoice? They hold Jesus on their hands in the Eucharistic celebration. How can Christians not be joyful and holy as they take Christ into their hearts and receive Him in Holy Communion? Pope Francis says: “Wherever there are consecrated people, seminarians, men, and women religious, young people, there is a joy.” There is always joy in holiness.      

The Batallas de las Marinas de Manila ended on October 4, 1646, with the defeat of the Dutch Protestant Armada in the Five Naval Battles in the Philippine waters. The Filipino-Spanish Catholic forces walking barefooted to the Shrine of La Gran Señora de Filipinas, Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario - La Naval de Manila in Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros fulfilling a promise made in exchange of an intercession sought. The battle of La Naval continuous to this day in a different form, with holiness as a goal, with various temptations and sins as enemies.  

In our unfinished battle to becoming holy and saints, Mary, La Gran Señora de Filipinas, Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario- La Naval de Manila, accompanies us as our Model of Holiness; as she holds Jesus on her hand; as she dwells in the presence of God.      

The grand feast of Our Lady of La Naval will be on October 14, 2018, at Santo Domingo Church, Quezon City. The grand procession will start at 4:00 p.m.

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MARY'S MERCY: The Origin of the Dominican Devotion to Mary

When one sees a Dominican friar don with the religious habit, he would never missed the Marian characteristic of this mendicant friar, as the rosary hanging on the friar’s belt, and the scapular wore over the tunic prominently indicate. Far from physical appearance alone, the Marian devotion of the Dominicans is deeply embedded in their very own identity and spirituality so much so that every Dominican professes obedience to God and to the Blessed Virgin Mary (LCO 189.III). The Marian devotion of the Dominicans can be traced back in the formative years of the Order in 1200’s. 

The Dominican devotion to Mary began with the experience of mercy. In the book Lives of the Brethren of the Order of Preachers 1206-1259 prepared under the authority and supervision of Humbert of Romans, there is a pious legend that took place before the establishment of the Order. There was a certain monk who had a vision of Mary being merciful to erring men pleaded to her Son to forebear yet a while in destroying these sinful men, that the world might repent. Christ, moved by the intercession of Mary, promised to send preachers and men of truth, through whom the world shall be enlightened. In another vision, Mary presented St. Dominic to Christ as the one who can be sent and enlighten the world darkened by sin and ignorance. Thus, the Order is the fruit of Mary’s mercy and prayers for sinners.

In the early years of the Order, the brothers would find themselves in difficult situation such as diabolical attacks as in the case in Bologna. Evil spirits tormented a brother. In those times of needs, the brothers sought comfort to Mary by singing the Salve Regina and beg her to turn then most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy upon us, that they may be strengthen against Mary’s enemies. Instantly, the evil spirit left the brother in peace. This particular custom in Bologna spread throughout the Order, drilling the fact that Mary is the foremost Advocate of the Order before God. This would fulfill the vision of Dominic wherein he saw Mary in heaven as the protectress of the Order by taking the Dominicans under her mantle; under her maternal protection. 

This maternal protection is visibly seen through the scapular that every Dominican wears. In a vision, Reginald of Orleans received the Dominican habit from Mary, telling him: This is the habit of your Order. Among the parts of the habit, the scapular holds dear to every Dominican for it signifies the mantle of Mary clothed around every friar, as if a mother embracing her sons. 

The Dominicans reciprocate the mercy, care and protection of Mary with a strong devotion to her, venerating her to the highest possible way. Dominicans would go to the extent of patterning their spirituality (Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare) with the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-55). They would go down in the history of the Church as the foremost devotees and promoters of the Rosary. Mary entrusted this form of prayer to St. Dominic that they might be nourished spiritually by contemplating upon the Gospel, and be prepared aptly to fight against the enemies of the Church. If knights would have sword for their battles, the Dominicans would have rosary to combat the heresies of their time. Pius XI, in his letter to the Master of the Order in March 7, 1934 remarked: "It may justly be said that the Rosary of Mary is, as it were, the principle and foundation on which the very Order of St. Dominic rests for the perfecting of the lives of its members, and obtaining the salvation of others."

True to their principle of sharing the fruits of their contemplation (Contemplari et contemplate aliis trader), Dominicans would share their devotion to Mary through the Rosary, and become the eminent promoters of this form of prayer and devotion to Mary, as the popes through the generation affirmed: Pius V’s Consueverunt Romani (September 17, 1569), Leo XIII’s Supremi Apostolatus Officio (September 1, 1883) and Adiutricem (September 5, 1895), Benedict XV’s Fausto Appetente Die (June 29, 1921), Pius XI’s Ingravescentibus Malis (September 29, 1937), Paul VI’s Marialis Cultus (February 2, 1974), and John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (October 16, 2002). 

In the Philippines, the Spanish Dominican missionaries who served the vineyard of the Lord in this corner of Asia, beginning in 1587, consecrated themselves under the patronage of the Lady of the Rosary. They named their province as the Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary. They brought with them their devotion to Mary and the praying of the rosary to every parishes and pueblos they established in the country. This is evident in the number of Marian shrines they erected in Manila, and in the provinces of Bataan, Pangasinan, and Cagayan. Prominent among these shrines and that continue to exist to these days are the National Shrine of Our Lady of Rosary, La Naval de Manila in Quezon City, Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Manaoag, Pangasinan, Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, in Piat, Cagayan, and the Virgen Milagrosa Del Rosario del Pueblo de Orani Shrine in Orani Bataan. 

Today the praying of the rosary promoted by the Spanish Dominican missionaries more than four centuries ago had become ubiquitous and familiar in every Catholic environs in the country. The devotion to Mary and the praying of the rosary used to be for the friars alone. With the passing of time, it was shared to the people, owned it and ingrained it in their very identity so much so that in 1937, the Filipinos were described as Pueblo Amante de Maria, Bayang sumisinta kay Maria, People in loved with Mary. This description originates from the hymn for the International Eucharistic Congress in Manila (1937) written by Mr. Emeterio Barcelon and Fr. Norberto Carceller.

The devotion to Mary and the praying of the rosary cannot anymore be distinguishedly identified with the Dominicans. It is not because the Dominicans had become negligent in promoting Mary and the rosary but because the Filipinos had owned Mary and the rosary. The devotion of the Filipinos to Mary and their praying of the rosary grew, for like the friars, they too experienced the care and the protection of Mary. They too experienced the concern of Mary to them; the concern and care of a mother pleading before her Son for the sake of her other sons and daughters, the concern of Mary, Mother of mercy.