ILOILO City – One of the would-be takers of the licensure examination for teachers has apologized for vandalizing the National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, according to Fr. Angelo Colada, Social Communications Director of the Archdiocese of Jaro.
Colada said the unnamed person called their office to apologize and, at the same time informed them that he/she returned to the shrine to clean up what he/she wrote on the decorative altar niche where the revered stone image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is encased.
Photos of the niche – located at the upper balcony of the cathedral’s façade – covered with graffiti supplicating for divine guidance circulated on social media over the weekend. Would-be takers of teachers’ licensure exams apparently did it as shown in the texts written.
The Our Lady of Candles image is believed to be miraculous. Every religious fiesta of Jaro, thousands of devotees flock to it.
Colada emphasized that the Church does not tolerate what the board takers did to the shrine.
However, he also called on the public, especially the netizens, to avoid being harsh on them and be compassionate still.
Colada understood that they have good intentions in doing it. The action, however, was bad.
“Naintindihan man naton ang mga devotees because they value it so much…good man tani ang ila intention pero bad lang ang action,” said Colada.
Colada added that those devotees may have not realized it sooner that they had already gone beyond in the external expression of their faith.
In the meantime, Colada noted that Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral parish priest, Msgr. Joemarie Delgado is willing to have a dialogue with those people involved to guide and make them understand faith.
Colada said the bashing against those people and the fact that their acts were reported in the media may have had a big impact on them as they were cursed and wished not to pass the exam for doing such a thing.
The Social Communications Director of the Archdiocese of Jaro also noted that the shrine will be repainted./PN
