A piece of heaven comes to Iloilo
releasing of doves.jpg
* To her contemporaries who felt that her vision of a society where no one oppresses another was an impossible dream, Marie Eugenie offered the means God inspired her with: "To educate is to transform the world! To educate is to set people free!"
A very palpable experience of a piece of Heaven come to Iloilo was experienced by hundreds of parishioners and Friends of the Assumption who filled Jaro Cathedral
to standing room on Sunday, July 15th, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. for the Eucharistic Celebration in Thanksgiving for the Canonization of ST. Marie Eugenie of Jesus, Foundress of the Religious of the Assumption and the Launching of Year 3: Year of Justice and Peace, of the Assumption Iloilo Centennial Celebration.
The Most Rev. Angel N. Lagdameo, DD, Archbishop of Jaro, who was among the pilgrims present at St. Peter's Square in Rome when His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI declared Marie Eugenie of Jesus a "Saint", presided over the very joyful and colorful tribute of collective faith and love.
"Today, the Religious of the Assumption in the Archdiocese of Jaro joyfully announce to all: We have a new Saint-- ST. MARIE EUGENIE OF JESUS! She now belongs to ALL of us!"
The Canonization's theme, "The Earth is a place of glory for God" is taken from the writings of the new Saint. To her contemporaries who felt that her vision of a society where no one oppresses another was an impossible dream, Marie Eugenie offered the means God inspired her with: "To educate is to transform the world! To educate is to set people free!"
And to those who tried to discourage her and even go as far as block the ecclesiastical approval of her Congregation, she humbly shared the source of her convictions: "There is only one foundation stone- JESUS CHRIST. We are built on Jesus Christ-- everything is built on Jesus Christ."
From the initial two & then four young women that formed the first community in 1839, the Assumption is now composed of 1,200 Religious Sisters serving in 170 communities, in 34 countries, on 4 continents. This was beautifully expressed by the presentation of colors of the 34 countries where the Assumption is present by students wearing the national dress of the countries in Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, whose flags they were carrying.
Before the Final Blessing that took place at the entrance of the Cathedral, Sr. Clare Cecilia Salvani, Superior of the Religious of the Assumption in Iloilo linked the Canonization Celebration with the Launching of Year 3: Year of Justice and Peace of the Assumption Iloilo Centennial Celebration, July 15th being Foundation Day.
To mark this third year of celebration, all present processed to the entrance of the Cathedral where the Centennial Bell and the Cathedral bells were rung and 100 white doves of Peace were released. After Archbishop Lagdameo gave the Final Blessing, fireworks punctuated the joyful voices of students singing 'La Gloria de Dios', a Spanish song inspired by St. Marie Eugenie's "I am pained whenever I hear the earth referred to as a place of exile because for me the earth is a place of glory for God!"