Not During the Peñafrancia Novena, Please

As we continue to prepare for the celebration of the 300^th anniversary of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia, we have been led to reflect on the various activities normally held during the Fiesta, hoping to discern ways and means to preserve and enhance the devotion to Ina.

In this context the member schools of the Bicol Association of Catholic Schools (BACS), who have participated in the Military Parade during the Fiesta in the past, met in Naga on 18 June 2009.  All these schools were unanimous in a shared conviction that a Military Parade has relevance neither to the celebration nor to the enhancement of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia and should not be scheduled within the Novena to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.   The BACS schools therefore unanimously urge that the Military Parade be scheduled outside of the Novena on such a civic holiday as Naga Charter Day or on Philippine Independence Day.

Believing in the importance of this position, the BACS schools have decided that should the Military Parade still be scheduled within the Novena, no BACS school will participate in the parade.

In the same meeting, the BACS schools expessed strong disapproval to rumored plans to maintain a beauty pageant within the nine days of the Novena.

The celebration of the Fiesta of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is primarily a religious event.  We are resolved to bring our students and our school communities into deeper understanding of what this means.  And demands.

Given this 19 June 2009.

 

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Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J.

BACS President

 

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Representing:

Ateneo de Naga University

Universidad de Sta. Isabel

Sta. Monica Academy in Baao

La Consolacion College of Daet

La Consolacion College of Iriga

St. Andrew Academy of Sagñay

Dominican School of Calabanga

Pili Parochial School

St. Louise de Marillac of Pili