LEGAZPI CITY, October 6, 2009--The Filipino community in Kuwait will celebrate the third annual feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia on Friday, October 9, at the Vicariate Apostolic of Kuwait's Holy Family Cathedral Parish, Kuwait City.
Legazpi apostolic administrator Lucilo B. Quiambao said he was invited by Albayano priest Fr. Ruben Barrameda and Kuwait's Vicar Apostolic Camillo Ballin MCCJ to grace the occasion with his presence.
He and Fr. Rolando T. Panesa will leave for Kuwait today.
"They decided to celebrate the feast this October because we were busy with the celebrations from September 11 - 20 and we were told Bishop Ballin was out of the vicariate during that time," Bishop Quiambao told CBCPNews.
He said he will call on Our Lady of Peñafrancia devotees to intensify their devotion and not to focus on the festival but on imitating the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
"I will also invite them to attend and actively take part in the tri-centenary celebration next year as the Catholic Church in Bicol marks the 300th year of devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia," he added.
In a related development, Quiambao said Barrameda has already been incardinated to the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait to attend to the pastoral needs of Filipinos in the rich oil state.
The 77-year old prelate said Barrameda is the fourth Filipino to be incardinated to the Middle East. He said the first three Filipinos were all members of religious congregations. (Melo M. Acuña)