Lumen Ecclesiae

25/02/2026

𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐄: 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐃𝐒𝐀 𝐚𝐭 𝟒𝟎 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐋𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚

As we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, we remember how faith shaped history. In those historic days along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the Filipino people gathered in prayer, rosaries in hand, entrusting the nation to the maternal care of Blessed Virgin Mary.

We recall in a special way the loving presence and intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, La Naval de Manila, who has long watched over these islands. As she once interceded for the victory of faith and protected our people in times of trial, so too did she guide hearts toward a peaceful People Power, where courage was strengthened by prayer and change was won without violence.

Today, as we commemorate this grace-filled moment in our history, we consecrate ourselves once more under the mantle of Our Lady of the Rosary. With trust in her maternal intercession, we pray:

𝐎 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞,

𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐧.

𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘓𝘢 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘢

Photo from the Dominican Province of the Philippines archives

25/02/2026

The rosary — a beacon of hope in times of darkness

We commemorate what has been done exactly 40 years ago, along EDSA, the Filipino people faced tanks with rosaries in hand during the People Power Revolution.

No weapons. No violence. Just faith, courage, and prayer.

The rosary became a symbol of peaceful power — proof that a nation united in faith can change history. May the Queen of The Most Holy Rosary continue to intercede for our country.

25/02/2026

21/02/2026

21/02/2026

This spring, the Vatican will debut a simultaneous translation system assisted by artificial intelligence, allowing people to follow liturgical celebrations in St. Peter’s Basilica in real time in up to 60 languages.

For the first time, the faithful will be able to follow the liturgy in their own language via their smartphones.

https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/vatican-to-use-ai-to-translate-masses-at-st-peters-into-60-languages-in-real-time

16/02/2026

14/02/2026

Even in the darkest time, God will always be our Light.

13/02/2026

That akward moment when Non-Catholics celebrates the Valentine's Day, the traditional feast day of St. Valentine, Bishop and Martyr of the Catholic Church. Patron of lovers.👊✌👌

Featured in the Photo is the Skull of St. Valentine.

11/02/2026

“VATICAN CONFIRMS 72ND MEDICAL MIRACLES
ATTRIBUTED TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

On 2025, we have heard of two “unexpected” cures of serious illness due to the Intercession of Our Lady, Mary Immaculate, at her Sanctuary at Lourdes. The 71st miracle, on which I reported in these pages, was of John “Jack” Traynor. The most remarkable aspect of that cure, which was remarkable in itself, was that it took 100 years to proclaim it a miracle. Here I would like to report on the 72nd miracle, which came soon after, and consider the rigorous investigation that goes into such a declaration of Divine intervention.

Antonietta Raco, 67 years of age, started having severe headaches diagnosed as migraines. She was treated by the Faculty of Neurosciences at Turin University. Her symptoms worsened in 2004 with muscle cramping, abnormal weakness and difficulty walking. Her condition worsened within a year, she had difficult painful swallowing, and joint pains. At that point, she was diagnosed with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), a condition which affects the nerves in the brain that control motor function. It is slower in progression than Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Individuals with PLS have problems with balance, general weakness, weakness of muscles, weakness of the tongue and swallowing mechanism, and, rarely, difficulty with breathing.

Within a year she had significant, documented decrease in her breathing capacity as well as generalized weakness and severe weakness in all extremities, but more pronounced on the left. She was basically confined to a wheelchair.

In 2009, Antonietta went on a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady at Lourdes sponsored by UNITALIS. I should say a word about this. There are national foundations that transport the sick to Lourdes and care for them during the pilgrimage. UNITALIS is organization in Italy that sponsors and organizes pilgrimage of the sick to Lourdes. While I was at Lourdes as Anglophone Confessor, a pilgrimage from Italy, sponsored by UNITALIS, brought the sick and their caretakers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, priests, etc., some 5000 in total. There was another pilgrimage from Spain, a different national organization, of about 2000 pilgrims. There was a group from the US with about 200. It’s much easier for the Europeans who can take a train. Whatever part of the world they come from, the groups are mostly young people who volunteer to care for the sick and all are filled with joy and hope.

There are hospital accommodations for the sick at Lourdes and the sick are able to participate in all the devotions: daily Mass, confessions, the baths, the candle-light processions, the Eucharistic procession and the places in town where St. Bernadette lived. Antonietta partook in all of this and she went to the baths.

During the pandemic the baths were suspended and the “Washing gesture” instituted. Our Lady told Bernadette to drink from the spring and wash her face and hands. The gesture is just that: water is poured onto the pilgrim’s hands and she washes her hands and face. Also, there are 18 spigots adjacent to the grotto which draw water from the source, recalling the 18 apparitions of Mary at Lourdes, where anyone may drink and wash their faces and hands, as well as take water home. There is nothing extraordinary about the water. It is more alkaline and so some make unsubstantiated claims that alkaline water will have beneficial effects. I have never heard of people confined to wheelchairs stand up and start walking by simply drinking alkaline water. It is about faith and grace, not about the pH of the water.

She did indeed take the baths. She felt a strange feeling of wellness and strength returning to her but she said nothing. Back in her room she was able to move her limbs as when she was well. Once home she reported to her doctor who confirmed the diagnosis of PLS and ran a series of tests and examinations showing that Antonietta was completely symptom free.

In July 2010 she returned to Lourdes and reported her cure to the Office of Medical Observations, The Bureau des Constatations was convened, and the doctors present voted unanimously to open a file and investigate.

The committee looks at several factors including the present state of the person’s health, they take a history of the illness and alleged cure, they make a judgement as to the possibility of “trickery, acting, illusion, possible hysterical or delirious pathology.” All this must be considered.”

Via Hugot Seminarista

11/02/2026

CHURCH NEWS | Philippines and Vatican City Among the Last Countries in the World Without Divorce

Just over a decade ago, Malta legalized divorce in 2011, ending its status as one of the last countries to prohibit it. Today, only the Philippines and Vatican City remain without civil divorce laws. In the Philippines, while annulment is possible, it is often lengthy and costly, a reminder of the Church’s call to nurture lifelong commitment, love, and the sacred bond of marriage.

via Al Jazeera

10/02/2026

Narito ang mga aktibidad at programang isasagawa ng Caru-Caruhan De Binangonan para sa taong 2026.

March 1-7 | Gaisano Mall Exhibit
March 8-14 | Sta. Ursula Parish Church Exhibit
March 18 | Wednesday Procession
March 20 | Friday Procession
March 22 | Sunday Procession

*Ang mga prusisyon po ay gagawin pag-katapos ng misa sa ika-anim ng gabi.

Tara na at sama-samang saksihan ang Caru-Caruhan De Binangonan, at inaanyayahan ang mga kabataan na makibahagi sa pagpapalalim ng pananampalataya.

📸by James Gabriel Lazo

09/02/2026

If you feel tired, confused or discouraged, kapatid in formation, please know this: you are not weak, you are human. Life will test you, people will misunderstand you and sometimes even the places meant to help you grow will challenge you. But don’t let that stop you.

Remember, your journey is yours. Your dreams, your calling, your purpose these are between you and God. What others say or do does not define your worth. What matters is the courage to keep going, even when the road feels heavy.

Stay rooted in prayer. Be honest with God. When you fall, rise again. When you feel lost, trust that God is still walking with you. You are stronger than you think, loved more than you know, and your story is still unfolding. Keep moving forward. God is not finished with you yet.