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Blessed Virgin Mary and the youth

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The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of Sept. 8, nine months after the Dec. 8 celebration of her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne.

The circumstances of the Virgin Mary’s infancy and early life are not directly recorded in the Bible, but other documents and traditions describing the circumstances of her birth are cited by some of the earliest Christian writers from the first centuries of the Church.

Church leaders said: “The birth of the Blessed Mother celebrates the dawning of the day of redemption, the moment when she, who was to be the mother of our Savior, was born. In celebrating the Nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and birth of her Divine Son and give honor to the mother of our Lord.”

Feast of the Nativity
The Feast of the Nativity of Mary originated in Jerusalem as early as the sixth century. It was extended to the Universal Church by Pope Sergius I in the year 687. The Virgin Mary was born in Nazareth, Galilee to Saints Joachim and Ann, who were then both advance in years. They prayed and fasted for a child and in answer to their prayers, God granted them a daughter who was to be the Mother of the Messiah.

Tribute in Dumaguete
Last Sept. 6, the St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Parish initiated a musical birthday tribute in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary dubbed as Handog para kay Maria.

Organized and managed by the Parish Youth Council headed by its president Ghix Blanco, the affair was supported by the Parish Pastoral Council under my stewardship. We thank God for making it so successful!

We extend our appreciation and gratitude to the PYC for taking the lead in planning and organizing the event. We also thank Fr. Mart Salac, Parish youth director, and Rev. Msgr. Marino Ybo, Parish Priest of the Cathedral Parish, who also served as executive director of the event.

The PPC supported them in making sure that the activity would be successful by soliciting and mobilizing resources as well as providing spiritual and moral support from day one until the unfolding of the musical tribute.

The tribute was one of the major activities of the PYC as the Diocese of Dumaguete joined the whole Church in observing this year as Year of the Youth.

Likewise, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has dedicated this year for the youth as part of its “nine-year journey for the new evangelization.”

The Year of the Youth, which officially opened on Dec. 2, 2018, will close on Nov. 24, the feast of Christ the King.

The year-long celebration reflects on the theme Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered. Activities both in the national and diocesan levels are aimed with four objectives: 1) youth in formation, youth in community, 2) Church and society, 3) youth in mission, and 4) youth ministry and youth ministers.

Handog para kay Maria was one of the highlights of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (birthday celebration of Mary, the Mother of God) on Sept. 8, wherein a concelebrated mass with His Excellency, Most Rev. Julito Cortes, bishop of the Diocese of Dumaguete, as mass presider and homilist, was held followed by a grand procession.

Our gratitude to him for also gracing the musical tribute with his presence, inspirational message, and his rendering a special song number.

A big thank you to the wonderful dance presentation (which came as a great surprise to the audience) of Rev. Father Salac, Rev. Fr. Romolito Zerna, and Rev. Fr. Isidro Vinzon.

Morgan Siefker in his article Mary and the Youth said: “Devotion to the Blessed Mother is important for the salvation and sanctification of everyone, but it is especially crucial for the youth to be accustomed to giving her their love, honor and service, and to learn how to imitate her virtues. Children, teenagers and young adults alike, should be taught the significance that Marian devotion should have in every aspect of their lives.”

Mary is not just the Mother of God. She is also a model of Christian discipleship. She is the first disciple of her Son. At the wedding at Cana, she told the servants “Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you.”

Mary is a model of faith. Even if she did not understand the message of the angel (Gabriel) that she should become the Mother of God, she said “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

Faith is a total surrender of your circumstances to God – all that you have, all that you are, and all that you can be.

Mary is a model of purity. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary is full of grace. She is full of grace not just at the moment of the annunciation when she was told to become the Mother of God, but she is full of grace all her life. Obvious with that grace is the grace of purity.

According to our official Catholic teachings, Mary remains a virgin throughout her earthly life. She offered everything to God including her sexuality.

If we want to enter heaven, let us follow the example of Mary. She knows the way to her Son. And let her words to the servants at the Wedding at Cana penetrate deeper into our souls. “Do whatever Jesus tells you.”

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Author’s email: [email protected]

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