THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL SHRINE AT LA PAZ, BOGO CITY, CEBU
by Sister Alicia M. Aycocho, D.C.
Photographed by Percilito C. Tillor
The Parishioners of Bogo, Cebu had such faith in the power of Miraculous Medal that they wished to spread devotion to it through the Visita Domicilaria, a movement enclosed in an “Urna” is transferred daily to 30 families every month. Each family is required to pray the rosary and the Novena to the image during the day.
Each “Urna” is provided with a box marked with a “Limos Na” where those who wish to give an offering of any amount could be placed as a sign of gratitude for favors received during the visit of the Blessed Lady to the family. Each day, one family is visited by the image so that all the 30 families have been visited once a month.
This Domiciliary visit of the Blessed Virgin was introduced in Bogo, Cebu before the war by the Daughters of Charity who run the Beneficiencia de Sagrada Familia, a home for the orphans. At that time, there were only 5 “Urnas” circulating in the town visiting an unaccountable number of families that it took a long time for a home to be visited again. The devotion has diminished in intensity during the war and only revitalized in the year 1973. From then on, the movement caught the fire and has now spread throughout Bogo, to an unprecedented membership of 4, 500 families with 150 images visiting Bogo and neighboring barrios, 43 of those were in the town proper and 107 were located in the remote barrios. Despite the distance the leader or celedor, one who was in-charged of the image , brings the “Urnas” to the Marian Center located at the Beneficiencia de Sagrada Familia where the “Limos Na” boxes were opened and the amount was accounted for pious projects.
In 1980, the amount collected accounted to P 2,000.00 was used to finance a special project in honor of the Immaculate Conception as a living and perpetual memorial of the apparition of Mary Immaculate which took place at the Chapel of the Daughters of Charity, Rue de Bac, Paris in the year 1830, the feast of which was celebrated on every November 27. This special project enagaged in by Visita Domicilaria in the erection of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. This was started in the year 1980 and was initially funded by aggregate amount collected from the “Urnas”.
This project had 3 phases. Phase I, the erection of the Shrine, Phase II, the construction of the Chapellate for the Blessed Lady and Phase III, landscaping site of Mary’s Hill. Phase I had been completed in 1982, however, due to the financial difficulty the work has temporarily stopped. To generate funds for Phase II, the officers of the Visita Domicilaria in the persons of Mrs. Irene Ybañez, Quirane Treasurer, Ms. Adela Pepito, Secretary and Mrs. Paz Ybañez, Board Member; with Sister Rosario Estrologo, D.C., Directress went caroling as far as Cebu City, held Bingo Social and Film Showing, finally some affluent residents of Bogo came to that rescue when Phase II was started. Seeing the beauty of the Shrine, they began to be concerned and support the project. People like Mrs. Consuelo Punay, who donated the lot for the Shrine. Former Congressman Ramon Durano Sr. gave some sacks of cement, Don and Doña Clomen Martinez for the amending financial support and use of their trucks in transporting the stones and sands, Señora Nilda Martinez and Mayor Celestino Martinez for financial support. The late Don Pablo Mercado and family for the marble flooring of the Chapellate, Mrs. Pacencia Verallo marble altar and many other donors.
Phase II was on its finishing stage and the 150 steps going up to the mountain was completed last November 27, 1985. God willing, the Phase II was started after December 3, 1985, the feast of Immaculate Conception. With Mary’s inspiration, the Daughters of Charity, the Visita Domicilaria officers and members were steadfast in their belief that this special way of praying homage to her on her 2000th Birth Anniversary and this Shrine shall indeed become a living monument of the love of the parishioners of Bogo has for Our Lady.
Believing in the favours of Our Lady, the Daughters of Charity and the Visita Domicilaria officers and members were looking forward to the construction of a retreat house beside the Shrine which shall serve as a center in the North religious exercises such as retreats and recollections. Hopefully a museum would also be erected within the Shrine to house the relics of St. Catherine Laboure, a former Daughter of Charity to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared last November 27, 1830, at the Chapel of the Daughters of Charity at Rue de Bac, Paris.
Indeed, this Shrine was erected with the labor of love; the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Jesus Dosado, now the Archbishop of Ozamis City. The workers were the parents and volunteers of the CCF, and the gathering of stones was done by the faculty members and students of Holy Family Academy every Saturday. Now, the Shrine erected on a 3, 514 square meters located on the mountain of La Paz was magnificently ready for the December 8 celebration – the feast of Immaculate Conception – the closing of the Marian Year.
The realization of this dream was made possible by the late Cardinal Julio Rosales, who approved the plan and gave the blessings to Sister Ma. Lourdes C. Mercado, D.C., the former Sister Superior of Holy Family Academy, and then Rev. Fr. Christian Noel who was the parish priest of Bogo, to start the project and personally supervise the construction. The former is now in Colegio de San Jose, Iloilo City and the latter is now the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro City. Inspite of distance, both were still continuously supporting the project.
It was hoped that according to Sister Alicia M. Aycocho, D.C., the present Sister Superior of Holy Family Academy, that with the frequency of visits from city folks in groups or individuals the envisioned complex may become a reality. This year 1986 being dedicated to the Blessed Virgin there have been a constant flow of visitors from out of town. Two approaches to the shrine are a long flight of stairs or, for the faint of heart, a circular drive to the base of the shrine.
By Sister Alicia M. Aycocho, D.C.
Daughter of Charity
Holy Family Academy
Bogo, Cebu
