Most of the friar priests and brothers of the Custody with Bishop Pabillo holding the relic, Friar Jobe on his right and the Filipino custos, Fr. Francis Victor Mateo, OFM Conv. on his left. On the left end of the row of concelebrants is also Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Eric de la Pena, OFM Conv., who was home on vacation with family.
At the invitation of the Custos and Definitory of the Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception and Bl. Bonaventure of Potenza in the Philippines of the Province of Seraphic Father St. Francis in Italy, the relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe were brought by Our Lady of the Angels Province friar ~ Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv. to the Philippines for a two-week (February 4-18, 2020) Pilgrimage to our confrere’s friaries and parishes.
The first stop highlight was at the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Manila Cathedral, where the relics were welcomed by hundreds of faithful at a Mass at which the Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, His Excellency Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo, D.D. presided and gave the homily. His Eminience, Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle had intended to preside but was called to Rome to head the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Follow the rest of the tour via the Facebook Page of the Philippines Custody, including the second stop St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Parish (Quezon City) and Mass with the Bishop of Novaliches, His Excellency, Most Rev. Roberto Orendain GAA, D.D. This second stop highlight was held at the only parish in the Philippines that bears St. Maximilian’s name. The friars have been entrusted with that parish. On Sunday, February 9th, the relics of St. Maximilian were warmly welcomed at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Novaliches. Together with many concelebrating friars, Bishop Gaa, presided at the liturgy before a packed and enthusiastic congregation.
His Excellency, Most Rev. Roberto Orendain Gaa, D.D. (top left) next to Friar Jobe, and many of the local friars, including the Provincial Custos, Friar Francis Victor and the pastor of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Parish ~ Friar Linus Bacayan, OFM Conv. holding the reliquary
The third stop highlight is an important one recalling the visit Maximilian made to the pontifical delegate on May 30, 1936 at the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat of the Subiaco-Cassinese Congregation, of Monte Serrato, in Manila. On Monday, February 11th, the relics of St. Maximilian were joyously received by the abbot and monks of Our Lady of Montserrat Abbey. The friars traveling with the reliquary were welcomed by San Beda Rt. Rev. Dom Austin P. Cadiz, OSB (8th Abbot of the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat) with hospitably offered meals and accommodation for the two days that the relics were venerated in the abbey church. The stop was made to recall St. Maximilian’s visit to the abbey on his return trip from Japan to Poland. On that date, Fr. Kolbe celebrated Mass in the abbey church and consulted with the papal delegate who, at that time, had his office and living quarters at Montserrat Abbey. (Photo cred: San Beda University)
The friars and monks of the abbey, took a photo with the abbot, Very Reverend Austin Cadiz, OSB, (center), Friar Francis Victor Mateo to his left and Friar Jobe
February 21, 2020: Fr. Jobe (center) celebrated Mass with the Novices and had morning classes with them. The Novitiate Community of southeast Asia, normally located at Tagaytay, has been relocated to Parañaque because of the recent eruption of the Taal Volcano. These ten novices hail from the Philippines (4), Indonesia (3) and Vietnam (3).
