BALANGA, Bataan, May 1, 2009 --Balanga Bishop Socrates B. Villegas called on the Catholic faithful and devotees of the holy rosary to actively participate in a prayer crusade for the healing of former President Corazon C. Aquino now afflicted with cancer of the colon, beginning May 1, feast of St. Joseph the Worker, until May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
In a statement released yesterday, the prelate said the crusade will consist of praying the 20 mysteries of the Holy Rosary, receiving Holy Communion and making acts of charity for the poor and giving alms to the least and the lost in society.
He recalled his experience as private secretary of then Manila Archbishop Jaime L. Cardinal Sin when he met Sister Lucia, one of the Fatima visionaries.
He said the saintly visionary told Cardinal Sin to give President Cory a rosary that Sister Lucia herself made in the monastery.
Sister Lucia told Cardinal Sin to tell President Aquino that "You Corazon, are a blessing for the Philippines."
The prelate said by the power of the rosary, "we won our freedom at ESDA in 1986" and "by the power of the same rosary, let us ask for the total healing and full cure of her as a symbol of God's blessing to the Philippines."
He said he knows how devoted President Aquino is to the Holy Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima as he called on local residents to show their love for the former chief executive and express their faith to God. (Melo M. Acuna)