MATI City, Davao Oriental, August 14, 2011? Around 2,500 delegates attended the 4th DADITAMA Divine Mercy Convention held at the Shrine and Parish Church of the Divine Mercy last August 6, in Madang, this city.
The whole day celebration transformed the grounds into an atmosphere of retreat/rally towards a deepening of the convention theme, “Witnessing to the Divine Mercy Devotion and Redefining our Commitment.”
Continuous recitation of the Divine Mercy novena and chaplet prayers and singing of praise and worship songs led by the Holy Name Society Music Ministry led everyone into an atmosphere of prayer.
A series of four lecture sessions, with the celebration of the Eucharist at noon time and a closing Eucharistic healing made up day’s program.
Keynote speaker Davao Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla, opened the lectures with the call to Renewal in the Faith and Rededication to the Ministry of Loving and Forgiving, stemming from the Divine Mercy of Jesus, actively lived out in the examples he cited of persons living in christian and mixed-faith communities.
Other speakers were the Divine Mercy Apostolate (DMA) spiritual directors: Fr. Christino B. Violon of Digos who spoke on Witness to the Word of God through the Divine Mercy; Fr. Jack Malnegro of Tagum who delved on Divine Mercy, a Way of Life, Way to the Father; and Fr. Roland F. Sayman of Mati who described Divine Mercy as the Devotion of the End Times.
In his homily during the Eucharistic celebration, Mati Bishop Patricio H. Alo challenged the Divine Mercy devotees to fearlessly express their devotion in apostolic ventures in their homes and communities, by being merciful/compassionate servants of the Love of God.
He called on them to let themselves be constantly nourished by God’s Word and Sacrament(s), thus becoming instruments of unity and peace in a world taunted by the deceitful attractions of the Evil One.
Ma. Elena T. Palma Gil of Mati diocese thanked all the invited guests, the various committees of the host diocese, the parish DMA coordinators, the security police forces, and the full media coverage by the diocese’s Trinity Cable TV and radio DXHM-AM and DXDV-Spirit FM.
The DADITAMA (Davao, Digos, Tagum, Mati) Divine Mercy Convention is held every two years, hosted by rotation by each of the four ecclesiastical jurisdictions of the Davao region, starting with the archdiocese of Davao. (Sr. Marietta Alo)
