Palma wants deeper probe of Mactan Niño Archbishop: ‘Religious faith should go beyond curiosity’; people visit hoping for cures

STILL HOPEFUL. People continue to visit a makeshift altar where barangay residents placed the Sto. Niño image which three local children said they found by the seashore.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that one’s religious faith should be based on knowing “God’s love” rather than focus on crowds visiting an icon out of curiosity.

He said he assigned a monsignor who is well versed in church doctrine to look into the unusual occurrence in a seaside community in Mactan where people are flocking to see a Sto. Niño icon which children said they found by the seashore. “The Church and I, as bishop, do not normally give out judgment.

A judgment on whether a phenomenon is miraculous or not will come after the study,” Palma said. The account of three local children, who said the wooden statue “talked” to them after they found it, has been attracting hundreds of people who come to pray before the icon.

Some leave candles, flowers and gifts on a makeshift altar built by a barangay councilor of Mactan. Palma said he assigned Msgr. Rey Penagunda to investigate the claims because his knowledge of doctrine and spirituality is suited for the inquiry that has to be made.

Penagunda is rector of the San Carlos dicoesan seminary in Mabolo, Cebu City. “Di man ta malipay nga as if atong religiosity hangtod lang sa pagdugok sa image. (We are not happy if our religiousity is only good for crowding around an image.) “We believe in the Child Jesus, the Señor Sto. Niño. Behind any image we believe that the Lord loves us,” said Palma. The children allegedly said they thought the icon was a “doll” until they heard it say in Cebuano “Don’t throw me away. I’m good.”

There was no particular message of spiritual content like those associated with visionaries in Lourdes and Fatima, which the Catholic Church accepts as “miraculous”. The Cebu archbishop said he thinks Sto. Niño devotees who flock to the shanty community in Lapu-Lapu City were mainly curious.

Visitors still come to the makeshift shrine even after Fr. Benjie Balsamo, the Mactan parish priest interviewed 4-year-old KJ last week, and was told by the boy that he and his playmates “lied” about hearing the icon talk. Vendors in the area said there were fewer visitors since Sunday and that some stopped coming after they learned by word of mouth or media reports that the children made up the story of the “talking”

Sto. Niño. A bamboo bridge and directional signs were put up to guide visitors to the site in the interior of barangay Mactan. Still, visitors showed up with a need to believe. Aida Custodio of Paknaan, Mandaue City brought with her the clothes of her sister Amy Beth, which she used to wipe the urn of the Sto. Niño image.

The sisters had planned to visit the image together, but Amy had an accident and was injured. “Ako ra ning gipahid didto sa Santo Nino kay nagtuo man gyud ko nga milagroso na. Basin mao nay makaayo sa akong manghod,” said Aida. (I wiped the Sto. Nino with this because I believe it’s a miraculous image. Maybe this will help heal my sister.)

She said her faith in the Sto. Niño did not waver even with the report that the children may have lied. Maria Elona Algadipe from Dumlog, Talisay City brought her 3-year-old son, Mon Marco, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

In tears, she carried her son in front of the Sto. Niño image. “Ingon man gud ang mga doktor nga di na nila maayo akong anak, naglaum ko nga maluoy intawn si Santo Niño namo ug iyang ayuhon akong anak,” said the mother. (The doctors said my son cannot get better. I hope the Sto. Niño will have pity on us and cure him.)