Book on Our Lady of Peñafrancia Launched

MAKATI City, April 9, 2010- A coffee table book on the well-venerated patroness of the Bicol Region, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, was released yesterday during the launching rites held at the Yuchengco Museum, Makati City.

Entitled "Ina: Little Stories of Faith," the 250-page book contains "stories of inspiration and the inspiration about and behind the stories."

Daet Bishop Gilbert Garcera, who presided over a Mass before the book-launching, said the book anchors its narrative flow from the Word of God because for a period of three centuries since 1710 "our faith tells us that God is our story."

"Through Ina, Our Lady of Penafrancia interweaves the human heart and voice of the Word, Jesus," Garcera said.

The book has twelve chapters with its first chapter refreshes the Bicolanos and the devotees' faith history as the editors recalled the early miracles of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

The book features accounts of healing events, small yet significant triumphs over personal, financial and spiritual crisis and expressions of gratitude for new assignments, office promotions and many more.

It also contains accounts about vocation and the priesthood from ten seminarians, five priests and a bishop who shared their struggles and the desire to live a holy life.

Bishop Garcera said the three hundred years of devotion will never be complete without the Colgante Bridge tragedy in 1972 and the memorable return of the image of Ina in the midst of typhoon Rufing in 1982, the story of the previous crown jewels of Ina during the Japanese time.

He said he read all the stories in the book but there is one story which is not included in the book because "it is still being finished and finalized by the story maker and the story and the story teller."

He added the story of faith has not been submitted because it is a story of resignation to God's providence and love - a story of fruitfulness" for having sowed the seed of encouragement, commitment and exemplary life.

He was referring to Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi, OP who is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Bishop Garcera said the story is about Archbishop Legazpi, who on January 18, 1987 during his Episcopal installation at the Caceres Metropolitan Cathedral said "Finally, I would like to begin my ministry by laying my miter and crozier before the feet of our gentle Ina, Our Lady of Penafrancia. And as I do this, I ask her gracious intercession to graciously intercede before her Son to this Region of Bicol, to bless Caceres and this ministry for the greater glory of God, as well as this humble Ministry."

The Prelate from Daet said it was Archbishop Legazpi who inspired everyone, to make alive Ina through these "little stories of faith" and the celebration of the 300 years of devotion.

Archbishop Legazpi, during the project launching in December 2008 said the celebration of the tri-centennary is "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to say thank you to God because we have been receiving grace from God and this time we would like to say thank you for everything."

The book's editor is Minerva R. Fajardo with the editorial board composed of Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi, OP, Bishop Gilbert Garcera, Msgr. Romulo Vergara and Atty. Tito Fajardo. The project director is Carmen V. Bernas.

The book is priced at P 1,500 and now available at the Yuchengco Museum and the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga City. (Melo M. Acuna)