The Asian Report Part IV – Philippines
“An Explosion of Divine Graces!”
November 22-24, 2005
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,100 islands off the southeast coast of Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and has a population of 90 million, mainly Roman Catholics. This was Vassula’s 7th journey here and was full of events: There was a series of 4 major Meetings in the northern, central and southern Philippines, with crowds ranging from 3,000 to 400,000; there were 2 intimate gatherings with clergy and laypeople; The 3 Beth Myriam Project activities were documented; Vassula participated in Radio, TV and newspaper interviews; and a visit to His Excellency, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, her steadfast and loyal supporter. Vassula’s week-long stay in the Philippines was once again unforgettable!
Manila
Fr. Richie Santos writes: “Arriving in Manila in the late afternoon of November 22nd from Bangkok, Vassula Ryden’s first act was Holy Mass, concelebrated by myself, Fr. Jesus Richie Santos, SDB, and Fr. Julio Gaddi, a parish priest in the south of the Philippines. What a beautiful way to inaugurate her 7th visit to the Philippines!”
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Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley in northern Philippines
We traveled by plane the next morning to the northern province of Cagayan Valley, a land of majestic caves, glorious mountains and underground waterfalls. Vassula’s much-awaited 2nd visit commenced with a royal and enthusiastic welcome at the airport by the TLIG organizers, His Excellency, Archbishop Diosdado A. Talamayan of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, and the Governor, Hon. Edgar Ramones Lara.
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Tuguegarao Archbishop’s Residence Meetings:
The Archbishop’s Palace downtown was in a festive mood with dinner prepared for the clergy and laity, composed of members of the Parish Pastoral Council invited by Archbishop Talamayan.
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Tuao: Beth Myriam Visit and Meeting
A two-hour drive east of Tuguegarao on November 24 brought Vassula to Tuao, which is a town 30 minutes away from the miraculous Shrine of our Lady of Piat who has been the symbol of the staunch Catholic faith of the people of Cagayan.
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Welcomed in the church by Msgr. Gerry Perez, the parish priest of the Parish of the Holy Angels in the small town of Tuao, Vassula was awe-struck by a wooden carving of Our Mother of Perpetual Help enshrined near the sanctuary of the well-kept church. Of the four TLIG messages mentioning this Marian title, this one can affect the reader to a greater faith in Mary; the Message contains a promise of God the Father:
“Satan’s hour is here; he swore from the day I raised you, daughter, to silence you; he puts all his fury against you, but I tell you, if you remain modest and without ambitions and if you maintain your vow of faithfulness to Me, to My Son, to My Holy Spirit and to your Mother of Perpetual Help, he will shrivel away from you…” April 15, 1996
It is interesting to know Our Mother of Perpetual Help is very much revered all over the country; a weekly Wednesday Novena is prayed to Her in almost all churches in the Philippines. Her image, as portrayed in Orthodoxy, is found enshrined in many churches, as it is here in the Parish of the Holy Angels.
Beth Myriam, Tuao
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The long-awaited visit to the Beth Myriam started as Vassula filmed the enthusiastic singing of indigent children. It seemed at that moment one could hear Jesus’ words: “…all Wisdom is given to mere children, My Father delights in children…” February 10, 1987
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TLIG is very much alive in the enthusiasm and hard work of Dr. German de Laza and his wife. After the TLIG Holy Land pilgrimage in 2000 they said “Yes” to Jesus and opened a Beth Myriam blessed and inaugurated solemnly by His Excellency Archbishop Diosdado A. Talamayan, DD in September 2000. His free medical services for the unfortunate and TLIG evangelization have reached the mountains of the next province, Kalinga Apayao.
Divinely powered by regular prayer meetings and personal contemplative reading, the couple and the TLIG-BM volunteers have been surely taking these words of our Holy Mother seriously: “…abide only in Faith, Hope and Love, let these be your fruit filling your heart |
God-is-among-you to provide your soul all that it lacks; the Vineyards of the Lord shall multiply and They shall yield enough fruit to feed thousands…” Through them, the Lord has established TLIG vineyards (Prayer Groups) in the Municipal Jail and in 8 far-flung villages where the poorest of the poor really dwell. Because they have been roaming daily, feeding these villages with both food for the stomach and food for the soul on a weekly basis, they call their work “Beth Myriam-on-Wheels.” A delighted Vassula encouraged them to continue following the call of God to read, meditate and live the Messages so that Beth Myriam becomes the fruit of what they learned from the TLIG Messages.
Beth Myriam “On-Wheels” Municipal Prison Visit
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Capusian Village
This village is one of the 8 feeding areas with TLIG Prayer Groups formed by Dr. de Laza and the Beth Myriam-On-Wheels.
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