MANILA, Oct. 21, 2011?In anticipation of Blessed John Paul II’s feast day tomorrow, the Knights of Columbus celebrated the event with a procession and thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration held at San Agustin Church in Intramuros.
The celebration of JPII’s feast day is an obligatory memorial in his native Poland and the diocese of Rome where the pope also served as bishop.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines during its July plenary has approved the celebration of the feast of JP II as an “optional memorial” in the Philippines.
An “optional memorial” in the Roman liturgy means that the celebration is limited to a specific diocese, region or country.
The Knights of Columbus in the Philippines (K of C) is probably the first group to initiate the celebration of the John Paul’s feast day in the country.
Different councils and communities of the Knights of Columbus got together on October 21at 7 a.m. for a procession from the K of C main office in Intramuros, Manila to the San Agustin Church, where a Mass was celebrated at 8 a.m.
Among those who attended the celebration initiated by the K of C in the country were the parents and students of KABAKA Day Care Center, Taytay Youth Ensembles, staffs of NYK-FIL Ship Management Inc., local officials from Barangay 667, Zone 70 of District 5; among others.
The Eucharistic celebration was led by Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, K of C Spiritual Director and Media Director of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, together with Msgr. Joselito Asis,incoming CBCP secretary-general; Fr. William Araña, OSA, and Fr. Asis Bajao, OSA.
A prayer composed by the late pope on the promotion of life was read by KCFAPI President Guillermo Hernandez, while Supreme Director Alonso Tan led the prayer for the beatification of Fr. George J. Willmann, SJ.
Meanwhile, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco invites all the K of C in the Philippines to attend the commemoration of Pope John Paul II’s beatification at the Araneta Coliseum on October 29, 2011.
Pope John Paul II was beatified on May 1, 2011 and October 22 was chosen as the day to remember him because it was also the anniversary of the liturgical inauguration of his papacy in 1978. (KC News)
