Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila - The Sweet Mother of New Manila, Quezon CIty

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Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila
In the modern looking New Manila in Quezon City, where commerce is thriving and also a home of an entertainment institution in the Philippines, there is this huge Church located within the vicinity that serves as a peaceful haven from the noise of the city. The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City became one of the key churches of Quezon City that also became one of the centers of the Brown Scapular devotion in the Philippines under the administration of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites that it became one of the emerging pilgrimage sites in the Metro.

The image

The main image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila, Quezon City is a de tallado image of the Madonna and Child with the Blessed Mother wearing the Carmelite Habit (a brown dress beneath the gold designed scapular with the coat of arms of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in place, a light whitish-brown cape), except for her white veil showing her flowing long  hair while the Child Jesus is wearing a pink garment. Both Mother and Child have a sweet smiling gaze while their heads are slightly bowed down looking at the beholder. The Virgin is standing on a cloud base with cherubs on it holding the Child Jesus on her left while she holds the Brown Scapular and a scepter on her right.

History

It was in the year 1953 when both Jaro Foundation and the Foundation in the Archdiocese of Manila commenced. In 1954, the piece of property on Broadway Street was purchased to build a the current shrine. On December 30, 1954, the cornerstone of the Shrine of our Lady of Mt. Carmel was solemnly blessed by the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi. It was during this time that  the image was carved by Maximo Vicente and was enthroned in her own altar in the church. The church was completed in 1964 and it was formally established in 1975. Since then, the church became part of the itinerary of devotees and pilgrims in the Metro so they can ask help and intercession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Blessed Alvaro Portillo visiting the New Manila
Shrine in Quezon City
A visit of a Blessed

One of the most notable visitors of the shrine is the Successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, Blessed Alvaro Portillo, Prelate of Opus Dei in 1987. Blessed Alvaro made a stop to the shrine kneeling on a pew closest to the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and prayed the Rosary. He later gave this message to those present in the shrine:

 "Yesterday, as we were flying already over the Philippine Islands, following the tradition of our Founder, we prayed three Hail Mary’s and invoked our Lady: ‘Holy Mary, Queen of the Philippines, pray for us.’ We start our stay in this country with a visit to our Lady. I like praying before images of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Patroness of Navigators. In this archipelago, with more than seven thousand islands, there is sea everywhere. It is therefore fitting that we go to Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) and Stella Orientis (Star of the Orient), Mother of God and our Mother. We love her with all our soul. We want to serve her and we trust that she would teach us to serve, to love, to treat Her Son better each time. Let us turn to her, to bring to her custody, her guidance and protection, all our apostolic work during these days.
The Canonical Coronation of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila
Most Holy Virgin, Star of the Orient, we ask that you help us. Take care particularly of this corner of the world. Remember the Philippine Islands, guardian of the faith in the East. May the work of your daughters and sons in Opus Dei in these lands be blessed continually by our Lord; may you always nourish, sustain and protect it. Help us, bless us, as we only want the glory of your Son: Regnare Christum volumus!(We want Christ to reign). Help us and smile at us always! Holy Mary, our Hope, Seat of Wisdom. Pray for us."

Church Recognition

The Carmelite Church declared as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 2016 and granted a Spiritual Bond of Affinity with the Basilica of Sancta Maria Maggiore - one of the four major Basilicas of Rome and plenary indulgence for pilgrims in perpetuity on February 20, 2017. On that same day, the image received the honor of Episcopal Coronation. The shrine was soon elevated to a Minor Basilica in 2019. In 2020, Pope Francis granted the petition for the Canonical Coronation of the image. The somber yet solemn Coronation rites took place on August 15, 2020 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Our  Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila, Quezon City
The Devotion at present

The devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila, Quezon City continues to grow up to this day. Her feast day, July 16, is celebrated with solemnity and pilgrims would flock her shrine on that special day. In an effort to spread the devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and her Brown Scapular to the faithful, a pilgrim image goes on tour for this purpose and reached several parished outside the diocese.

We should always wear our Brown Scapular with much devotion and trust to Our Blessed Mother. Yet, we need to keep in mind that it should not be treated as an amulet or a charm for wearing the Brown Scapular comes with a commitment to lead a holy life because wearing the Brown Scapular is a sign of consecration to her Immaculate Heart.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila, pray for us!

References:

"Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, a Marian pilgrim in the Philippines", Retrieved from https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/blessed-alvaro-del-portillo-a-marian-pilgrim-in-the-philippines/ on July 7, 2020.
Aviado, Lutgarda, Madonnas of the Philippines, Manlapaz Press, Quezon City, 1972.
Barcelona, Mary Anne, Ynang Maria: a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Philippines. Ed. Consuelo B. Estampa, P.D. Pasig City, Anvil Publishing Inc., 2004.
The Solemn Episcopal Coronation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New Manila, Quezon City, 2017.

Photographs:

Victorino, Gabriel

Special thanks to Me. Gabriel Victorino of Desamparats PH for the recent photograph of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of New Manila, Quezon City used for this blog post.
+AM+DG+

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