NATIONAL SHRINE

MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANSBy: Jannica Anne H. Gaisano

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:Address : Barangay Don Bosco, Betterliving Subdivision, Parañaque City

Telephone : 823-9263

Parish Priest : Rev. Fr. Gerardo D. Battad, SDB (Salesians of Don Bosco

Vicariate : Saint Martin de Porres

Year Founded : 1975

Confessions : at every Mass

Mass Schedules

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday Saturday

06:00AM -

07:00AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM

06:00AM -

06:30AM07:30AM

- 08:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM

07:00AM -

07:30AM09:00AM

- 10:00AM

06:30PM -

07:00PM

06:30PM -

07:00PM

12:00PM -

01:00PM*

06:30PM -

07:00PM

06:30PM -

07:00PM

06:30PM - 07:00PM

10:30AM -

11:30AM

06:30PM -

07:00PM12:00PM

- 01:00PM03:30PM

- 04:30PM05:00PM

- 06:00PM06:30PM

- 07:30PM08:00PM

- 09:00PM

*Novena mass in honor of Mary Help of Christians

Organizations/ Programs

Night School Program Training for Lectors and Servers Chorale Outreach Ministry Family Counseling

St. John Bosco, the man destined by God to be an Apostle of Mary Help of Christians, was born on August 16, 1815 in Becchi, Italy – the same year that the feast of MHC was instituted

HISTORY OF THE DEVOTION TO MARY HELP OF CHRISTIAN

HOW DID DON BOSCO LEARN ABOUT MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS?

March 1862 - a painting of Mary

in a rundown church near Spoletto in Fratta had spoken to a little boy Righetto Cionchi.

March 19, 1862 - a young farmer was miraculously cured by the image. Crowds of people went to the miraculous image and it was seen by many to shed tears.

The Archbishop Arnaldi of Spoletto officially named the image, Our Lady Help of Christians, “the most suitable in every respect”.

Don Bosco learned of these events in Spoletto and he joyfully narrated some of the miraculous events in his Goodnight Talk on May 24, 1862.

1863 - A vision of our lady appeared to Don Bosco asking him to build a Church to honor Her as Mary Help of Christians. She said, “This is my house, from here My Glory shall shine forth,”

Don Bosco started working against all odds

1865 - Don Bosco asked the artist Thomas Lorenzone to paint the picture of Mary Help of Christians. It was places at the main altar of the Basilica.

1868 - Don Bosco completed the grand Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Italy

Its feast is celebrated starting last week of April and closes on May 24, it is most attended church service in Turin, Italy.

SPREAD OF THE DEVOTION OF MHC IN THE PHILIPPINES

1922 - Mary Help of Christians (MHC) saw its birth in the Philippines with the appointment of Salesian Archbishop William Piani as apostolic delegate to the Philippines, he brought the statue of MHC to Manila Cathedral.

1942 - During the Japanese occupation, the statue of MHC was brought to our Lady of Loreto church in Sampaloc, Manila for safekeeping.

FIRST SHRINE OF MHC IN THE PHILIPPINES

1951 - The first group of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) first arrived in the Philippines.

1955 - The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) or Salesian Sisters arrived in the Phils. and helped spread the devotion to Mary Help of Christians (MHC)

1969 - The first MHC Shrine in the Phils. was solemnly blessed and inaugurated by Arch. Carmine Rocco, and Bishop Pedro Batigua at the Don Bosco seminary in Canlubang Laguna.

1972 - In May 24, 1972, the cornerstone of the temple in Metro Manila where Mary could welcome devotees was laid by Arch. Rocco in the land donated by Serrano and Dolor families in Better Living Subdivision, Paranaque City.

NATIONAL SHRINE OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

June of 1975 - His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, DO, Archbishop of Manila, created the Parish of Mary Help of Christians and designated the Shrine as the Parish of Mary Help and Fr. Pierengelo Quaranta, SDB, its first Parish Priest.

July 24, 1975 - the parish of MHC was officially inaugurated.

December 4, 1976 - church was solemnly consecrated during the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Salesians presence in the Philippines.

Hic domus mea, inde Gloria mae.“This is my house, my Glory shine from here.”

PROCLAMATION AS THE NATIONAL SHRINE

August 15, 1985 - the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines headed by Archbishop Antonio Mabutas, gave the approval of the statutes bestowing upon the church the title of a National Shrine. Fr. Leo Drona, SDB was appointed as its first Rector.

August 24, 1985 - the solemn mass and official proclamation of the National Shrine of the Mary Help of Christians were celebrated with Msgr. Bruno Torpigliani, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Salesian Family, friends and devotees in attendance. Then, during the celebration of the great Jubilee celebration of the Shrine as a Parish – the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians had the privilege of being a Jubilee Church (Pilgrim Church).

September 4, 1994 - National Shrine welcomed one of the oldest known images of Mary Help of Christians in the Philippines – the statue brought by Msgr. William Piani

Proclamation As The National

Shrine

References

http://www.mass-schedules.com/catholic-church/589/mary-help-of-christians-national-shrine.html

http://www.rcam.org/suffragans/para%F1aque.htm

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&gs_upl=1237l3519l0l5216l9l9l0l2l2l2l913l2695l0.1.4.5-1.1l7l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1280&bih=624&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=mary+help+of+christians+parish+paranaque&fb=1&gl=ph&hq=mary+help+of+christians+parish+paranaque&hnear=0x3397ca03571ec38b:0x69d1d5751069c11f,Manila&cid=10230426035661858307

http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Shrine-of-Mary-Help-of-Christians/173536905990174

http://shrines.healthypinoy.com/manila/mary-help-of-christians.html