Filipino Catholics in the Diocese of Camden gathered at the Parish Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Lindenwold on April 16 to celebrate 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines.
In 1521, European explorer Ferdinand Magellan first planted a cross on the island and was instrumental in the conversion of rulers, Rajah Humabon and his consort Harah Amihan.
After the two were baptized and took the names Carlos and Juana, Magellan gifted them with an image of the Santo Niño, the Child Jesus, which is still venerated today on the island.
Father Rene Canales, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, was the main celebrant of the Mass in Lindenwold, with Father Cosme de la Pena, pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Absecon and spiritual director of the Filipino Apostolate in the Diocese of Camden, serving as homilist.
With the global theme of the quincentennial “Gifted to Give,” Father de la Pena called the celebration a time for Filipinos to share the gift of their faith, and become “living witnesses, missionaries of Jesus Christ,” who are “faces of faith, hope and love” to all.
Two other clergy of Filipino descent — Deacon Fernando Encarnado of Our Lady of Hope, Blackwood, and transitional deacon Carlo Santa Teresa, of Holy Child, Runnemede — were present at the liturgy.
The joyous celebration began with a procession that included statues of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, and San Pedro Calungsod.
Calungsod, like Lorenzo Ruiz, was an 18- or 19-year-old lay catechist. He accompanied Jesuit missionaries to Guam in the late 16th century and with them was martyred for his faith.
Earlier this month Pope Francis sent a video message to the Philippines, encouraging Filipino Catholics to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in their country by continuing to be faithful, generous missionaries of the Gospel.
“Be grateful for the gift of faith. Thank God for the people who gave you the faith and for all those to whom you will pass it on in turn. Renew your enthusiasm for evangelization. Reach out to others and bring them the hope and joy of the Gospel,” the pope said in the video, which aired April 4.
In his message, Pope Francis spoke about Filipino devotion to the Santo Niño, the Holy Child, which goes back to the beginning of Philippine Christianity.
A statue of Santo Niño was prominently displayed during the liturgy in Lindenwold.
“The tender love of the Holy Child, which is a symbol of the arrival of Christianity in your archipelago, reminds us of the hidden life of the Holy Family in Nazareth,” the pope said. “Mary and Joseph raised the child Jesus with love. By opening the doors of your families to the Holy Child, you, too, will be able to transmit to your children the faith that you received from your parents.”
“Thank you for that deep sense of family, community and fraternity that keeps you firm in faith, joyful in hope and attentive in charity,” the pope said.
Contributing to this story was Catholic News Service.
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