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Bishop Santos calls elevation of Antipolo Cathedral to international shrine 'a moment of grace'
Bishop Santos calls elevation of Antipolo Cathedral to international shrine 'a moment of grace'
Diocese of Antipolo Bishop Ruperto C. Santos called the elevation of the 450-year-old Antipolo Cathedral to an international shrine as “a moment of grace.”
In a pastoral statement released on the eve of the solemn declaration, Bishop Santos said the distinction “is a gift from God” and an “immense gift of paternal love from Pope Francis.”
“The elevation of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage as an International Shrine is a moment of grace. This is for God’s greater glory, our profound gratification for His blessings. Every good and perfect gift is from God,” said the bishop.
“What we will celebrate on Jan. 26, on the solemn declaration as International Shrine, is an immense gift of paternal love and pontifical affection of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, not only to our Diocese of Antipolo but much more to the Philippine Church. This is now the gift of the Philippine Church to the whole world,” said Bishop Santos.
“We are so happy, very thankful, and deeply humbled for this holy and historic event. With our gratitude, we reiterate our obedience, our services, and cooperation to the Apostolic See,” he added.
Bishop Santos considered the solemn event as “overflowing graces of God.”
“We discern this memorable and momentous day as overflowing graces of God. It is our calling to live the Fiat of our Blessed Mother Mary, to lead our flock to acclaim her Magnificat, and to learn to stand at the foot of the Cross. As recipients of His blessings, we pray and hope that we will also be blessings to others and become His channels of graces and instruments of goodness to others,” the Church leader said in his statement.
The prelate also cited the changes that he has made at the cathedral.
“Here in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, we do not conduct second collections, except collections mandated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. We already abolished the arancel system of funeral blessings and Holy Masses. All are now gratis et amore,” the bishop said.
“We also conduct feeding and teaching. We have Tinapay ni Maria., our feeding program for the children and the needy every Monday and Friday We also provide scholarships to children from secondary to tertiary education,” Bishop Santos added.
“With this gift and grace of becoming an International Shrine, we know it is our Synodality to help, to heal and to give hope to all the children of our Blessed Mother as they journey to a better, brighter and blessed life and future,” he said.
On July 26, 2021, the CBCP endorsed a petition to elevate the Cathedral of Antipolo to the status of an international shrine. This was approved by the Holy See on June 18, 2022 and on March 13, 2023, a papal decree elevating the cathedral to an international shrine was received, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Francis.
The formal recognition of the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage took effect on March 25, 2023, coinciding with the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord and the Anniversary of the Virgin's Departure from Mexico to the Philippines.
On Friday, Jan. 26, the solemn declaration of the Antipolo Cathedral as an international shrine, the very first in the country, will be held at 10 a.m. with a holy mass and rites to be celebrated by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown and Bishop Santos.