austraLasia #3225
CANLUBANG (Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians) 27 May 2013-- During the MHC Novena, after the 5:30pm Pentecost Mass, about 588 trainees of the Fire National Training Institute of the Philippines (FNTI) Public Safety College in Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba City, made a procession from the shrine towards their camp (see a 3-minute video clip of their simple procession here). Back in their camp, they held an overnight vigil honoring Our Lady, reflecting on Her role in their lives.
Those firefighters came for the Pentecost Mass. But no, they came not to quell and subdue the tongues of fire. Rather, with their number and their active participation (almost half of them even joined the floral offering before the mass), they have set aflame the hearts of those around with their acts of devotion to Our Lady.
They came back again for the Mass and the afternoon procession in honor of Mary Help of Christians on the 24th of May. But dark clouds were hovering above the shrine since that morning. Those present were ready with their umbrellas, while the trainee firefighters held on to their folded raincoats. Yet the faithful did not have a chance to use them, because it rained elsewhere.
It was the biggest and longest procession since the tradition was reintroduced to the devotees coming to the Diocesan Shrine in 2006. Aside from the fire trainees (who also volunteered to pull the floats of Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians), the seminarians of the prenovitiate and postnovitiate, members of the Salesian Family, faculty and staff of Don Bosco College joined the procession also.
Hopefully, the presence of the Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians and the animating activities of the Salesian Family gain more fervent Marian devotees not only from firefighters, security forces and our students but also from all walks of life.
"Have a great devotion to Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles are."
Firefighters Devoted to MHC (FIN)
CANLUBANG (Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians) 27 May 2013-- During the MHC Novena, after the 5:30pm Pentecost Mass, about 588 trainees of the Fire National Training Institute of the Philippines (FNTI) Public Safety College in Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba City, made a procession from the shrine towards their camp (see a 3-minute video clip of their simple procession here). Back in their camp, they held an overnight vigil honoring Our Lady, reflecting on Her role in their lives.
Those firefighters came for the Pentecost Mass. But no, they came not to quell and subdue the tongues of fire. Rather, with their number and their active participation (almost half of them even joined the floral offering before the mass), they have set aflame the hearts of those around with their acts of devotion to Our Lady.
They came back again for the Mass and the afternoon procession in honor of Mary Help of Christians on the 24th of May. But dark clouds were hovering above the shrine since that morning. Those present were ready with their umbrellas, while the trainee firefighters held on to their folded raincoats. Yet the faithful did not have a chance to use them, because it rained elsewhere.
It was the biggest and longest procession since the tradition was reintroduced to the devotees coming to the Diocesan Shrine in 2006. Aside from the fire trainees (who also volunteered to pull the floats of Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians), the seminarians of the prenovitiate and postnovitiate, members of the Salesian Family, faculty and staff of Don Bosco College joined the procession also.
Hopefully, the presence of the Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians and the animating activities of the Salesian Family gain more fervent Marian devotees not only from firefighters, security forces and our students but also from all walks of life.
"Have a great devotion to Mary Help of Christians and you will see what miracles are."
