MANILA — In a ceremony marking the consecration of Maasin Cathedral as the National Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula called on the faithful to emulate the virtues of Jesus Christ to achieve holiness.
According to Philippines News Agency, adopting the virtues that led to Mary's Assumption into heaven is crucial for sanctifying the church and its congregation. "These are the virtues of Mary assumed into heaven. These, too, are the virtues of a church that we hope to receive from God. May our new national shrine become a place, a beacon, a milieu for these virtues," he remarked. The Archbishop expressed his hope that the designation of Maasin Cathedral as a national shrine would inspire the faithful to support each other in striving for the resurrection's promise.
The event, witnessed by Maasin Bishop Precioso Cantillas, other diocesan prelates, and hundreds of devotees, marks Maasin Cathedral as the 30th national shrine in the Philippines and the first in Eastern Visayas. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, in its July plenary assembly in Cagayan de Oro City, ratified the cathedral’s elevated status, affirming its significance to the Catholic community in the region.