Bulacan hosts day 4 of WACOM
CITY OF MALOLOS – More or less 5,000 local Catholics and 900 foreign delegates joined the day four of the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM) hosted by the National Shrine and Parish of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan yesterday.
Focusing on the topic “Corporal and spiritual works of mercy” the fourth day of the five-day event pointed out mercy not as an abstract concept but mercy as an application in the everyday life.
Local and foreign delegates visited designated places of mercy such as Bahay ni San Martin, Nazareth Home for Street Children and Hospicio de San Juan de Dios for Women in Bustos; Sto. Niño Bethany House Orphanage, Bahay Pangarap, Ephesus House and Tahanan ni Mother Rita in Guiguinto; Tahanang Mapagpala and Emmaus House for Apostolate in Malolos; Lingap Bata Center and Bahay Kalinga in Santa Maria; Hospicio San Juan De Dios for Men in Bocaue; Bethlehem House of Bread in Baliwag; and Galilee Homes and the Dumagats in Doña Remedios Trinidad as part of the day’s activities.
The blessing of the Tower of Mercy and the 100 feet statue of the Divine Mercy also took place coinciding with the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist and cultural presentations.
According to Rev. Fr. Nap A. Baltazar, Assistant Organizer of WACOM IV in the province, Bulacan was chosen in the level of the commission of bishops in the whole world and it is such a blessing that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) agreed for the province to be part of the sacred event.
“Ang mga Bulakenyo ay pinagpala dahil sa ating pagiging instrumento ng ikaapat na pandaigdigang pagtitipon ng kongresong ito ng mga deboto ng Banal na Awa ng Diyos. Ito po ay isang pagpapala na dapat nating ibahagi at unawain ang awa ng Diyos,” Rev. Fr. Baltazar said.
Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said that it was a blessing to have hosted the WACOM in the province. He believes that prayers can greatly contribute in having a progressive and orderly province.
“Batid natin na walang hindi magagawa ang panalangin. Sa pamamagitan ng banal na gawain na ito, tiyak na makakarating sa ating Panginoon ang ating mga dalangin kaya marapat lamang na tayo ay patuloy na tumawag sa Kanya,” Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado added.
The WACOM 4 opened at the Manila Cathedral, spent the second day at the University of Santo Tomas, held the third day at the National Shrine and Parish of Padre Pio in Batangas and will close at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan today.
The World Apostolic Congress is an international gathering of Divine Mercy devotees and promoters such as bishops, priests, religious brothers and sisters and laity. It was previously held at Vatican City in Rome, Krakow, Poland and Bogota, Columbia.