Just when Congress is considering the passage of the controversial House Bill 4110, otherwise known as the
"Reproductive Health" Bill, the Archdiocese of Manila underscored its strong opposition to contraception, euthanasia and abortion with a decree elevating the parish church of Pro-Life Patroness, Our Lady of
Guadalupe, in Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City, to an Archdiocesan Shrine.Manila Archbishop Jaime L. Cardinal Sin formally issued the Decree of Erection last August 15 and will preside over the
Eucharistic Celebration marking the event on the birthday of Mary, September 8 at 11:30 a.m. Pro-life groups and politicians are expected to attend.
The miraculous image of Our Lady of
Guadalupe reflects a pregnant, beautiful young lady. It is the only picture of our Lady carrying Jesus in her womb.
The parish is the only one named after Our Lady of Guadalupe in the entire
Philippines.
The Lady of Guadalupe reportedly appeared in Mexico to a poor Aztec farmer named Juan Diego, now elevated to the Canon of Saints by Pope John Paul II last July 31.
From then on, the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe never ceased to attract millions of people from all over the world, making this Marian devotion the most popular. The Basilica of Our
Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico remains the second most popular Church next to the Vatican.
In 1935, Pope Pius XI issued a papal bull proclaiming Our Lady of Guadalupe as secondary patroness of
the Philippines.
