Year of Faith Visita Iglesia

“…They called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith…” -Acts 14:27

In 2011, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI declared that from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013 will be a “Year of Faith”. The Year of Faith is the time for Catholics to revisit their faith, deepen their knowledge on God and renew their relationship with the Lord. A more detailed description on the Year of Faith is found in the USCCB site.

It is also at this time when faithfuls can attain plenary indulgence, or the remission of temporal punishment from sin. New Advent and EWTN have explanations on what plenary indulgence is all about.

Although visita iglesia or church visitation is usually practiced during holy week, my friends from our Catholic community (Bukas-Loob-sa-Diyos Covenant Community) and I would often do church visitation at any time of the year. This time, it was in accordance of the Year of Faith.

We decided to visit the five pilgrim churches declared by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. But before proceeding to our first church, I decided to join one of our companions in going to confession at the Chapel of Sto. Nino de Paz where confession is available from 8:00am to 8:00pm. The priest who heard my confession gave me a very moving remark before he told me my penance.

The Chapel of Sto. Nino de Paz in Greenbelt, Makati.

Inside the Chapel of Sto. Nino de Paz.

He said that humility is a value that we should always keep in our heart. There are three ways to inculcate humility (though not the exact words, I try to encapsulate his message to me here):

1. Gratefulness. The priest said that we should always be thankful with what we have. We must bear in mind the blessings we receive and thank God for everything, big or small, that He sends along our way.

2. Detachment. We should not look at our value with the things we have or own. To be humble, it is helpful to detach ourselves from material things and the lure of such.

3. Allow myself to be used by God. It is getting out of my comfort zone. We must ask God that each day, He’ll send us someone whom we can touch with our kindness. The priest said that I should always pray to God that “He will surprise me today” and that I should be open to His surprises.

It was a beautiful message from God and I could feel my tears rolling down my cheeks as I listened to the priest imparting this to me. It was also a wonderful way to start our church visitation, knowing what God wants to reveal to me along the way.

My fellow pilgrims.

So, we started off by visiting the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Sacred Heart Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City; then we proceeded to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy in Maysilo Circle, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City; off to the Saint John the Baptist Parish in Pinaglabanan Street, San Juan City; then to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila; and, lastly, to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in F.B. Harrison Street, Pasay City.

In every church, I prayed the Apostles Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary (I actually recited a decade in the rosary) and Glory Be for the intentions of the Pope. Then we ended by hearing mass at the Sacred Heart Shrine and receiving communion. The priest there even blessed the faithfuls by declaring plenary indulgence!

It was a reflective experience and it felt good knowing that I have friends who also pray for me.

These are the churches we visited:

1. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Sacred Heart Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City