St Josemaría on the altarpiece of a Seminary Chapel in the Philippines

December 2, 2005

Tags: Priesthood

On October 2, 2005, the Vicar General of the Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines, blessed the altarpieces of St. Peter’s college seminary chapel. One of them depicted St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei.

“The Church promotes the use of visual arts such as paintings, images and icons or stained glass windows, to serve as aid in our prayers” said Rev. Msgr. Alex Amante, the Vicar General during the homily. Indeed, from the medieval times, sacred paintings that adorned churches have been useful in fostering the piety of the faithful especially for the simple people and young children. Referring to St. John Marie Vianney and St.Josemaría, Rev. Msgr. Amante said that “both were exemplary priests who have inspired many to sanctify themselves in their priestly ministry, to ‘give everything back to God’.” At the end of the homily, he encouraged the congregation to ask the intercessions of these saints who have given themselves totally and lovingly to God.

The painting of St. Josemaría is found on the left side altar alongside the one of St. John Marie Vianney. On the right, one finds the image of Jesus Christ entrusting the symbolic key of heaven to St. Peter in the presence of the apostles. On the side-altars of the chapel, the scenes depicted the sacraments of Holy Orders, Penance and the Eucharist.

Rev. Msgr. Amante belongs to the first batch of graduates from St. Peter’s Seminary. He was also the first Filipino diocesan priest who graduated from the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain, which was started thanks to the efforts and inspiration of Saint Josemaria.

Aside from the seminarians and their parents, some people who have great devotion to St. Josemaría came all the way from the neighboring towns to participate in the concelebrated Mass.

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