MORONG, Bataan – Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos on Monday late afternoon led the inauguration of the country’s first shrine of the Blessed Pope John Paul II in the former home of thousands of Indo-Chinese refugees in Morong, Bataan.
The Memorial Shrine for Pope John Paul II stands some 30 meters away from the temporary papal stage that the late Polish pontiff used on February 21, 1981. At the shrine is the almost life-size image of the newly-beatified pope on board a banca with a family of refugees as if braving the stormy weather.
At the foreground are some lush trees that used to dominate the 365-hectare former home of Aeta natives built into the PRPC and turned into the present Bataan Technology Park, Inc.
The former First Lady said the late pope in his first visit in the Philippines asked her to give him a chance to hold mass for the refugees upon learning of the then Philippine Refugee Processing Center.
Marcos then Minister of Human Settlements in cooperation with the United States and the United Nations Commission on Refugees built the center that became temporary home to 400,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia between 1980 and 1994.
Thousands of people of diverse cultures and religion attended the mass for the “boat people”. “You see Mrs. Marcos, if we are believers we are one,” she quoted the late pope as telling her after the mass in February 21, 1981.
Marcos said the late pope has become a good example for all mankind. She believes the newly-beatified pope will become a saint. “By making this shrine a reality is already one of his miracles,” she said.
The widow of the late strongman intimated that she got the “best-best” and the “worst-worst” in her life. “But I have overcome the insults because of my strong faith in the Lord,” she said while once in a while glancing up the sky.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga officiated the blessing of the center. The diocese, the Morong parish led by Fr. Fernando Loreto with some sponsors cooperated with BTPI in building the shrine.
Rep. Herminia Roman of Bataan’s First District, Chairman Felicito Payumo of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, Dinalupihan Mayor Joel Payumo, Samal Mayor Gene dela Fuente and some representatives of agencies of government attended the inauguration.
Before the inauguration, a long Marian procession was held starting from the St. Francis of Asisi Chapel of BTPI to the shrine. A small Image of the Virgin Mary and a wooden cross were the center images in the procession. The bishop of Bataan and scores of priests joined the march.
The wooden cross was made by a Vietnamese refugee and presented to the late pope in the 1981 mass. Like in the former papal stage built in 1981, the cross stands adjacent to the image of the late pope in the new shrine.
Some meters away also in the compound of the shrine are Images of the Virgin Mary and San Lorenzo Ruiz. Devotees offered flowers at the foot of the Image of Mary after the procession.
The Memorial Shrine for Pope John Paul II stands some 30 meters away from the temporary papal stage that the late Polish pontiff used on February 21, 1981. At the shrine is the almost life-size image of the newly-beatified pope on board a banca with a family of refugees as if braving the stormy weather.
At the foreground are some lush trees that used to dominate the 365-hectare former home of Aeta natives built into the PRPC and turned into the present Bataan Technology Park, Inc.
The former First Lady said the late pope in his first visit in the Philippines asked her to give him a chance to hold mass for the refugees upon learning of the then Philippine Refugee Processing Center.
Marcos then Minister of Human Settlements in cooperation with the United States and the United Nations Commission on Refugees built the center that became temporary home to 400,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia between 1980 and 1994.
Thousands of people of diverse cultures and religion attended the mass for the “boat people”. “You see Mrs. Marcos, if we are believers we are one,” she quoted the late pope as telling her after the mass in February 21, 1981.
Marcos said the late pope has become a good example for all mankind. She believes the newly-beatified pope will become a saint. “By making this shrine a reality is already one of his miracles,” she said.
The widow of the late strongman intimated that she got the “best-best” and the “worst-worst” in her life. “But I have overcome the insults because of my strong faith in the Lord,” she said while once in a while glancing up the sky.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga officiated the blessing of the center. The diocese, the Morong parish led by Fr. Fernando Loreto with some sponsors cooperated with BTPI in building the shrine.
Rep. Herminia Roman of Bataan’s First District, Chairman Felicito Payumo of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, Dinalupihan Mayor Joel Payumo, Samal Mayor Gene dela Fuente and some representatives of agencies of government attended the inauguration.
Before the inauguration, a long Marian procession was held starting from the St. Francis of Asisi Chapel of BTPI to the shrine. A small Image of the Virgin Mary and a wooden cross were the center images in the procession. The bishop of Bataan and scores of priests joined the march.
The wooden cross was made by a Vietnamese refugee and presented to the late pope in the 1981 mass. Like in the former papal stage built in 1981, the cross stands adjacent to the image of the late pope in the new shrine.
Some meters away also in the compound of the shrine are Images of the Virgin Mary and San Lorenzo Ruiz. Devotees offered flowers at the foot of the Image of Mary after the procession.
