Embracing Mercy

The Divine Mercy Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Davao celebrated the Feast of Saint Faustina on October 5th. Saint Faustina, popularly known as the Apostle of Mercy or Secretary of Mercy, was a Polish saint who witnessed the apparitions of Jesus Christ numerous times. She was instructed by Jesus to spread the devotion to His Divine Mercy to the whole world. Just like any other saint, people hardly believed her, even her confessor, Father Michael Sopocko. He was hesitant about how it would be possible to spread this devotion globally and even referred Saint Faustina to a psychiatrist.

Yet, our God is the God of the impossible; with Him, all things are possible. What Father Sopocko once doubted has come to fruition. Through Saint Faustina’s visions and the reflective messages recorded in her diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, she has played an essential role in spreading the devotion to Jesus’ mercy worldwide.

In the Philippines, particularly in the Archdiocese of Davao, the devotion to the Divine Mercy has seen an increase in the number of devotees, from youth to adults, making it one of the widely known popular devotions. The Apostolate engages in charity work, helping our brothers and sisters in need, feeding undernourished children, visiting the imprisoned, and many other works of mercy.

The celebration of her feast in the Archdiocese of Davao was held at the San Antonio de Padua Parish in R. Castillo, Agdao. The Holy Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr. Amado Arroyo, parish priest and also the spiritual director of the Divine Mercy Apostolate of Davao. In his homily, he reminded the devotees that the fiesta is not about festivities, food, activities, and contests, but all about Saint Faustina. He also noted that the number of devotees is increasing, reminiscing about previous fiesta celebrations and how the designs have become more grandiose.

Before the final blessing, Ms. Joji Ilagan Bian, the Divine Mercy lay coordinator, thanked Rev. Fr. Amado Arroyo and his concelebrant, Rev. Fr. Ranie Boy Pamplona, for presiding over the Holy Mass. She also thanked all the devotees for attending. Lastly, she invited everyone to a small program afterward.

After the Mass, the devotees gathered at the Holy Family Gym for a program organized by the Divine Mercy Youth Apostolate. Devotees of all ages presented their dance numbers for the retro dance contest. They were clustered according to their vicariates. The San Pedro Vicariate presented first with the iconic “Pasayawa Ko Dai” dance. Other vicariates wore colorful costumes, as if they were participating in a cheerleading competition. The stage was an eye-catcher, adorned with gold, golden yellow, and white—colors that symbolize the devotion. The devotees were also instructed to bring food to be shared during the program; indeed, a feast without food isn’t a feast at all.

The program was briefly interrupted by a sudden blackout, creating an unexpected opportunity for a fellowship dinner as everyone waited for the power to return. However, such interruptions are no match for the organizers, who ensured the event continued smoothly, thanks to the parish’s generator. The festivities resumed with the help of a Bluetooth speaker, allowing the last performer to deliver their dance number despite the circumstances.

After meticulous judging, the judges announced the winners of this year’s Feast of St. Faustina. The third place went to the Immaculate Conception-Samal. The second place was awarded to the presenters from La Purisima Vicariate, while the retro dance champion were the presenters from Santo Rosario Vicariate. Before the program ended, Jomar Earl Narciso, the youth lay coordinator of the Divine Mercy Youth Apostolate of Davao, expressed his gratitude to all the Divine Mercy Apostolate executive committee, headed by Ms. Joji Ilagan Bian and Dra. Catherine Zamoras, the youth apostolate adviser, and her fellow youth for making the event possible. (Jomar Earl Narciso)