The Miracles Of The Our Lady Of Oton

According to history, the Parish of Oton, is the third to be established in Panay but the first to choose Our Virgin Mary to be its patron saint.

Tradition foretells that Mother Mary herself chooses Oton who name was deeply honored and venerated by the locals.

One day, a motor banca landed in Oton and included in the cargo is the image of  Virgin Mary and Santo Niño or Holy Child Jesus. The crew brought the image to the church. When they return to the banca the engine won't start. They thought there is some problem with the engine but upon checking it, they could not find any damage. No matter what they do, they could not make the banca move. In an instance the captain ordered to take the Santo Niño in the church and replace it with the image of Virgin Mary. After they did it, it was a wonder they can easily move the boat. This explains why the patron saint of Oton was the beloved Mother of God while in Tigbauan is the Santo Niño.

There is a similar story to that belief.

When an earthquake named Lady Caycay struck Panay Island and destroyed the church of Oton in 1948 and the image of Virgin Mary was lowered, a group of friars decided to transfer the patron saint to Tigbauan while the Santo Niño of Tigbauan will be transferred to Oton. They helped carry and put in the banca the statue of the Virgin Mary to be brought to Tigbauan but upon reaching Tigbauan they could not be able to unload the image so they continued to other towns but the same thing happened so they decided to bring it back to Oton. When they are near the town of Oton, the boat runs smooth and slow and the engine really stopped and doesn't want to leave.

It is so strange why the Image is so light and bearable when it was carried back to the church of Oton? It's really a miracle according to the townspeople of Oton because the Virgin Mary doesn't want to leave Oton because it is near to her heart.

There are more things that happened that tells about the miracles of Our Virgin Mary of the church of Oton.

In 1944, during the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese are guarding in the middle of the plaza fronting the church. It was evening then and they are patiently watching the approaching enemies when all of a sudden they saw a very beautiful lady with long hair, dressed in a floor-length white and blue clothes and it is coming closer to them. Many people saw it and the expression and aura of the lady is sad. She said to the Japanese: "Have mercy on the people, leave this place and return to where you came from." When they look up to the towers of the church the image of the Virgin Mary, it was not there. Everyone said that for certain the lady who came up to the Japanese is the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. Eventually indeed, the Americans came, saved the people and liberated Panay Island from the Japanese Imperial Forces.

It was reported that a tidal wave will hit their area. Oton will surely sink and flooded because it is near the sea. The people are already preparing to leave the area but when the night time came, when the giant wave is ready to hit the town of Oton, a lot of people saw a lady with a long hair wearing a white and blue dress running towards the ocean outstretching her arms open wide and all of a sudden the giant wave goes back to the ocean never smashing the town of Oton. When this took place, many noticed that the statue of the Virgin Mary in the tower of the church is missing. It was believed that Our Lady of Immaculate Conception helped the townsfolk. So the people came in front of the church and tearfully thanking the patron saint of Oton.

One early morning, a dawn after the fiesta celebration of the town of Arevalo, month of January 1948, there's a sudden jolt so powerful that it caused the destruction of the very beautiful and imposing church of Oton. The miracle which took place there is this: all parts of the church fell to the ground except the tower which stood the statue of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. It took a long time before the image of our Virgin Mary was changed.

Truly the image is miraculous!


Photo Source:

https://oneintheirhearts.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/novena-in-honor-of-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-second-day/

The Santo Niño Of San Joaquin

Can a little child saint make a naughty prank just like the following story?

Once upon a time there is a fisherman who went to the parish priest who is in charge of the church of San Joaquin to collect payment for the fish ordered by a child and points to the priest who will pay it. The priest paid the bill without asking any question but he knows that he did not ask any child to get some fish for him. When he held a mass the following morning, he saw a bundle of rotten fish hanging from the hands of the Santo Niño or the Little Child Jesus.



Photo Source: 

http://www.peanutbrowas.com/blog/santo-nino-church-bastion-of-christianity-in-cebu

http://theblackswampcornucopia.blogspot.com/2012/01/mysterious-case-of-moving-santo-nino.html

The Help Of Saint Anthony Of Padua

Long time ago before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the Moros boarding a gabilan boat reached the shores of Barotac Nuevo and targets the town by capturing some men to be slaves. These slaves are being used in their leisure games like toreador and arm wrestling. Every invasion of the Moros bring lots of terror to the locals. One day the Moros arrived in the area again. The leaders of the town ordered the cuardilleros and other able bodied men to meet, face and fight the enemies  at the outskirts of the town.  They went to a designated place and hid before the arrival of the Moros. Upon the arrival of the Moros, they came out of hiding and the leader of the group shouted "bungga bungga". With this shout, the soldiers from the town attacked and fought ferociously the enemies. The battle became intense. It was stopped at about two o'clock in the afternoon in the sudden appearance of a very tall man who was dressed in a colorful clothes and a red belt around his waist carrying a small banner on his left hand. A glaring light came from his right hand hits the enemies while the phenomenon is in the middle of the way not far from the enemies. This place was called the mountain of Salihid which the battle took place. The enemies were dazzled by the blinding light and seems screaming and terrifyingly scared. They leave one by one. Since then, no Moros disturb the place. The people believed that the tall man who defended them is nothing else but Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the town.



Photo Source:

http://www.catholictradition.org/Padua/padua-gallery.htm

The Patron Saints Of San Joaquin Town

Two patron saints were consecrated and perpetuated in the town of San Joaquin and two fiesta celebration is being held in their honor. It is interesting to know why there are two saints being enshrined in this town - Saint Joachim who feast is held every August 16 and the Little Child Jesus or the Santo Niño whose feast is being celebrated every third Saturday of January.

It was told in the tradition that the wooden image of Saint Joachim was once washed ashore in the town, so it was nicknamed "Floating Saint." The image probably landed in the place not far from the  present-day location of the town's church. However the woman picking up "lumban" shells in shallow waters mistook this as "katao" or mermaid and with the help of her husband she called, whacked it with gravel and throw some stones to it until the object floats back to the sea. In crossing the sea, this unusual object lands in the shores of Barrio Gosi, Ilog, Negros Occidental, in a form of wood. A logger from a distance who gather floating timber chance upon the wood, picked it up and happily went home. He was not yet half the distance on his way home when he noticed the object he is carrying is becoming heavier and he estimates that he could not carry it. To carry it lightly he thought of cutting it. When the sharp edge of the ax hit the wood, he was terrified to see not resin or water that comes out of it but very red blood dropping from the cut, together with moaning the object speaks.

"On the other side of the shore I was not even given a chance to land instead stoned to send me away and here, I was being hacked."

Suddenly, the wood shapes the image of Saint Joachim, the father of Virgin Mary. The shocked logger was dumbfounded. When he gained consciousness from shock and remorse, he brought the image with all reverence in their chapel. The people who saw the image proved that it has a wound at the back, that they thought caused by an ax of the logger. Eventually, that man was rewarded nagkamit-palad.

This is the story of  Santo Niño or the Holy Child of Jesus. One day, the Kapitan Mayor which is equivalent to present-day mayor went fishing.  He used the method "panglaya." In his fishing and to his amazement, fish is not caught by his net but instead the image of the Little Child. He gave it to the priest, and in return brought it to the altar of the church. In one of these days, the town was invaded by the bandits who ransacked the convent and threatened the life of the priest. It was said that the image saved the life of the priest by showing in the form of a child pointing to his heart. The enemies of the state were shocked and immediately abandoned the convent without any hesitation.

In his act of gratitude to the image, the priest brought it with him when he went to Tigbauan. For his stopover in this place, the image always disappear and found later at the church of San Joaquin. There are some travelers who foretell that they always meet a child while they are going to Tigbauan from San Joaquin telling that he is going to San Joaquin, a town close to his heart.

Iloilo Province Feast Days and Patron Saints

Iloilo Province - Cities and Municipalities

  

These are town or municipalities in the province of Iloilo, the date of their feast day celebration and the respective patron saints it gives honor to. Some towns has a separate date and festivities for their municipal fiesta celebrating their town's foundation date or as an independent municipality. 

Ajuy                   -                        September 10  -               San Nicholas of Tolentino
Alimodian           -                        September 22                  Saint Thomas of Villanova
Anilao                 -                       May 22                            St. Rita of Cascia
Badiangan          -                        January 17                        St. John the Baptist
Balasan                -                      July 26                              St. Anne
Banate                 -                      June 24                             St. John the Baptist
Barotac Nuevo    -                      June 13                             St. Anthony of Padua
Barotac Viejo      -                      June 29                             St. Peter the Apostle
Batad                  -                      April 5                              St. Vincent Ferrer
Bingawan               -                   January 25                        St. Paul Conversion
Cabatuan               -                   September 10 (Religious)   San Nicholas of Tolentino
                                                  March 2 (Municipal)   
Calinog                -                     December 8                      Immaculate Conception
Carles                 -                      October 15                       St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Concepcion         -                     December 8                      Immaculate Conception
Dingle                 -                      June 24                             St. John the Baptist
Dueñas               -                      September 30                   St. Jerome
Dumangas          -                      May 5 (Municipal) 
                                                 August 29 (Religious)         St. Augustine
Estancia               -                    March 15-16                      The Most Holy Virgin Mary
Guimbal                -                   September 10 (Religious)    Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
                                                 October 7 (Municipal) 
Igbaras                -                    May 22 (Municipal) 
                                                 June 24 (Religious)             St. John the Baptist
Janiuay                -                    January 28                          Saint Julian of Cuenca
Lambunao           -                    September 10                     Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
Leganes                -                  April 5                                 St. Vincent Ferrer
Lemery                 -                  January 28                           Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus)
Leon                   -                   November 25                      St. Catherine of Alexandria
Maasin                 -                  December 30                      Saint James the Great
Miagao                 -                 September 22                      St. Thomas of Villanova
Mina                   -                    October 12                        Our Lady of the Pillar
New Lucena       -                    January 24                         Our Lady of Good Voyage
Oton                   -                    December 8                       Immaculate Conception
Passi City             -                  February 10                       San Guillermo /Saint Guilhem
Pavia                  -                    May 4                                St. Monica
Pototan                -                  May 8                                 St. Joseph
San Dionisio           -                May 5                                St. Vincent Ferrer
San Enrique            -                May 24                              Virgin Mary
San Joaquin            -                January 3 (Municipal) 
                                               August 16 (Religious)           St. Joachim
San Miguel             -               May 8                                  St. Joseph
San Rafael             -                October 24                          St. Raphael
Santa Barbara          -              December 4                        St. Barbara
Sara                   -                    June 24                               St. John the Baptist
Tigbauan               -                 Third Sunday of January (Religious)  St. John of Sahagun
                                               June 12 (Municipal) 
Tubungan                                 January 17                           St. Anthony the Abbott
                                              
Zarraga                                   May 15                                St. Isidore the Farmer

 

St. Thomas of Villanova

      St. Thomas of Villanova, O.S.A. (born Tomás García Martínez, Ciudad Real, 1488 - died Valencia, September 8, 1555), was a preacher, ascetic, writer and Spanish friar of the Order of Saint Augustine.
      Thomas grew up and was educated in Villanueva de los Infantes, in the province of Ciudad Real, Spain, where his parents owned a prosperous estate; therefore the name Thomas of Villanueva. Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family's wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor.
      Even though he studied Arts and Theology at the University of Alcalá de Henares and became a professor there, he decided to enter the Augustinian order in Salamanca in 1516, and in 1518 was ordained a priest. Within the order, he held the positions of prior of the friary, General Visitor, and Provincial Prior for Andalusia and Castile. He was also a professor at the university and counsellor and confessor to the Spanish King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
      He was well known for his great personal austerity (he sold the straw mattress on which he slept in order to give money to the poor) and for his continual and untiring charitable efforts, especially towards orphans, poor women without a dowry, and the sick. He possessed, however, an intelligent notion of charity, so that while he was very charitable, he sought to obtain definitive and structural solutions to the problem of poverty; for example, giving work to the poor, thereby making his charity bear fruit. "Charity is not just giving, rather removing the need of those who receive charity and liberating them from it when possible," he wrote.
      In 1533, he sent out the first Augustinian friars to arrive in Mexico. He began to experience mystical ecstasies during Mass and when reading the psalms. Charles V offered him the post of Archbishop of Granada but he would not accept it. In 1544 he was nominated as Archbishop of Valencia but he continued to refuse the position until ordered to accept by his superior. There, aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order a diocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college for Moorish converts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity.
     He composed beautiful sermons, among which stands out the Sermon on the Love of God, one of the great examples of sacred oratory of the 16th century. He enjoyed great fame as a preacher, with a plain and simple style. Charles V, upon hearing him preach, exclaimed, "This monsignor can move even the stones!", and he brought about public conversions. Some of his sermons attacked the cruelty of bullfighting. He also had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary, whose heart he compared to the burning bush that is never consumed. In 1547 he ordained as a priest the future Saint Luis Beltrán. He died in 1555 of angina at the age of 67. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII on November 1, 1658. His liturgical feast day is celebrated on September 22.
      He is the author of various Tracts, among which is included the Soliloquy between God and the soul, on the topic of communion. Francisco de Quevedo wrote his biography. His complete writings were published in six volumes as Opera omnia, in Manila in 1881.
      He is the namesake and patron saint of Villanova University, near Philadelphia (USA), which was founded and is administered by the friars of his order, Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva in Havana (Cuba), St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, (USA)and Villanova College, a catholic school for boys located in Brisbane, Australia.

Source: Wikipedia

Alimodian Town Fiesta 2010

St. Thomas of Villanova

       Yesterday September 22, 2010, Alimodian celebrated its annual patronal town fiesta in honor of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova. We prepare a feast for the guests and visitor to rekindle ties and forge bond that was formed a long time ago and to reunite with kin and clans. It is also a time to rest or a comic relief from the usual daily routine to enjoy the festivities. The theme this year is “Climate Change: An Environmental Concern and a Social Responsibility Of All Alimodiananons” which emphasizes on the dire warning and repercussion brought by global warming and the citizen of Alimodian’s role to make a difference and help alleviate this cruel vengeance of nature.
       This is the story of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova which we honor in this religious fiesta.


      Bishop Confessor (1488 – 1555) St. Thomas of Villanova is best remembered as the “Almgiver” and the “Father of the Poor”.
      Thomas was born in 1488 to Alfonso Thomas Garcia and Lucia Martinez Castillanos in Fuentellano but he grew up in Villanova de los Infantes.
      In 1504, he entered the University of Alcala and finished Master of Arts degree and Licentiate in Theology and taught Philosophy. He joined the Augustinian order in 1516 and was ordained priest in 1518. He taught theology in the University of Salamanca which is known worldwide up to the present. He became of the famous preachers of Valencia and Valladolid. High positions in the Augustinian order were handled by him.
      In his order, St. Thomas of Villanova rose to Provincial and from Castille sent out the first band of Augustinian missionaries to Mexico. Then he was nominated to the position of bishop of Granada but refused such nomination. Nevertheless, under obedience he accepted the position of Archbishop of Valencia and which he has served from 1545 to September 8, 1555. Here he labored at reforming the mortals of both clergy and laymen; he did away with underground prisons: a money gift which he received from the cathedral chapter for use in his place was used for the rebuilding of fire guttered general hospital. Moreover, he founded a college for young clergy and another for poor students. Children of indigent parents and foundlings were likewise provided for in an orphanage. For the benefit of the working people, masses were said at very early hours.
     Many miracles have been credited to him before and after his death. It was Cardinal Pardo of Toledo who ordained him; Pope Paul II whom beatified him in 1618 and Pope Alejandro VII who canonized him as Saint in 1658.
     Thomas of Fuentellano is more popularly known as Thomas of Villanova. Yes, he is a humble servant and an obedient follower as well. His life was one of the continuous series of self-sacrifice and charitable acts, healing the sick and converting hardened sinners.
     Thomas Castillanos Garcia is Thomas of Villanova.

St. Thomas of Villanova: Patron Saint of Alimodian

The traditional town fiesta of Alimodian is in honor of the town’s patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova.


On September 22, 1288 King Charles V of Spain appointed St. Thomas archbishop of Valencia. Even before his appointment to the lowly but exalted position, he had entered the house of the Augustinian Friar in order to study further the science of saints.

As he was being led to his earthly throne in the church, he set aside all the silken and golden ornaments he was entitled to and with humility knelt down and kissed the ground in tears.

When St. Thomas was offered huge amount of money with which he would build his palace, he spent the money for the local public hospital.

On his appointment as archbishop of Valencia, he was to visit a prison to improve the condition of the inmates in it. To the poor and needy, he gave a big portion of the Episcopal revenues under him each year as his alms to them. Even as a child, he was known to have given him his meal to the poor. He was a kind-hearted lad.

During his episcopate which lasted for eleven years, he fed at least 500 poverty-stricken persons each day, and took care of the foundlings like to a mother does to her child.

Every maiden belonging to a poor family received alms from him on wedding day serving lessons to those who were aristocratic and rich but unfortunately selfish. After learning a good lesson from the act of kindness of the archbishop, the rich and affluent persons became kindhearted and generous with their fortune.