Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso (Photo: Michael Dalogdog)
PARAÑAQUE, Aug. 11, 2016 – As the the Cathedral Parish of St. Andrew celebrated the 391st enthronement of Nuestra Senora del Buen Suceso (Our Lady of Good Events) yesterday, a pilgrimage has been scheduled to promote devotion to Our Lady under the said title in preparation for the image’s upcoming 400-year anniversary in 2025.
Organized by the Cofradia of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso, the “Dalaw Parokya” pilgrimage will take the image of Mary the Mother of Good Events to different parishes in the Diocese of Parañaque.
The pilgrimage schedule is as follows:
- Aug. 13 – 20 – San Nicolas de Tolentino, Cupang, Muntinlupa
- Aug. 20 – 27 – San Martin de Porres, San Martin, Parañaque City
- Aug. 27 – Sept. 3 – Resurrection of our Lord, BF Parañaque
- Sept. 3 – 10 – St. Joseph, BF Mariposa, Las Piñas
- Sept. 17 – 24 – Mary Queen of Apostles Parish
- Sept. 24 – Oct. 1 – San Agustin Parish Moonwalk, Parañaque
Spiritual mother
According to Anton Carabeo, one of the pilgrimage organizers, the said event will give the youth a chance to know and trust Mary as a spiritual mother and a powerful intercessor.
On the celebration of the 391st feast day of the titular patroness of Parañaque and of the diocese as well, Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado focused his homily on Mary as a model of obedience as seen through her “yes” to God.
“Mary is the channel of many blessings,” added the prelate. He also shared about his journey as a priest, one full of challenges and unexpected events, emphasizing the role of Our Lady in his life. “I think God has a better plan [for] us through the guidance of Mary,” said Mercado.
According to church records, the Augustinian fathers brought the image of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso from Spain in 1580 as a gift from the king of Spain for the new baptized Catholics of Palanyag, now Parañaque. The Augustinians stayed and established St. Andrew’s parish, the diocesan shrine of Our Lady under the said title, that year.
When the image arrived in Parañaque, it was entrusted to the Cofradia dela Cinta for safekeeping and for the propagation of devotion until the original image was replaced by a bigger one in 1610. For a year, the image was left untouched and covered with dust until a poor native from Don Galo saw it and asked the sacristan if he could take the statue home. The sacristan obliged and the poor man from Don Galo enshrined it in his home, lighting candles in her honor. When the poor man was on his deathbed, his neighbors called Fr. Juan de Guevarra to administer the Last Rites. Upon blessing him, De Guevarra saw the statue by the bed and asked if he could buy it.
A light and hymns
The poor man initially refused but then changed his mind, knowing that the image would be revered by the people. De Guevarra took the statue and placed it in his own room.
According to an account written by De Guevarra, he saw the image emit a mysterious light and glorious hymns, leading him to conclude the image was miraculous. The priest reported the miracle immediately to the Augustinian Superior. Upon hearing De Guevarra’s words, the superior ordered that the image be transported to St. Andrew’s church.
On Aug. 10, 1625, a great procession was held, and the image was enshrined in the altar. Not knowing what to call the image of Virgin Mary, the superior asked the friars to write the name of all the famous titles of the Blessed Mother in Europe on strips of paper and placed them in an urn. One child was asked to draw the name and for six consecutive times, the title “Our Lady of Good Events” (Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso) was picked, so they named the image as such.
In the year 2000, the image of Our Lady of Good Events was canonically crowned “Patroness of the City of Parañaque” on Sept. 8, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. In 2012, Bishop of Paranaque Jesse Mercado gave the Parish and Cathedral of St. Andrew the title Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso. (Michael Dalogdog/CBCPNews)
