The National Shrine of St. Joseph. | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City is hoping to be elevated into a minor basilica.
Parochial Vicar Fr. Josephus Remonde on Friday, August 11, said that the church together with the Archdiocese of Cebu has applied to be a minor basilica or to be Basilica Minore Del St. Joseph.
READ: CBCP creates 3 new suffragan dioceses including 2 in Cebu
Reason for the move
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Ang tuyo ug tumong niini nga mas daghan pa unta ang makahimamat ni San Jose sa iya’ng kinabuhi, daghan ang madasig sa iya’ng maanindot nga kinabuhi ug daghan ang mapanalanginan sa iya’ng amahanon nga pangaliya, alang nato’ng tanan,” said Fr. Remonde.
(Our purpose and goal in this is that more people will know San Jose in his life, many will be encouraged in his nice life and many will be included in his fatherly prayer for all of us.)
Remonde, said that the archdiocese through Archbishop Jose Palma sent the intention or petition last January this year and the Vatican replied and sent the requirements in March.
Remonde said that they continue to work to comply with the requirements that would include the beautification of the facilities to be more presentable, the history of the church, pictures, and recommendation from the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
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Ad-hoc committe created
An ad-hoc committee for the minor basilica was created. It consists of all the parishes in the city and those who are helping the archdiocese.
Before the CBCP will give its recommendation, CBCP’s liturgy committee will conduct an ocular inspection of the church and suggest what are the things they still needed to improve.
After they will be able to comply with the requirement and obtain the approval of CBCP, the petition will then be submitted back to Rome.
READ: More Catholic dioceses in Cebu soon
“Maoy atoang tinguha aron mas daghan mahimo’ng mabanwagan sa nindot nga panag-ingnan ni San Jose. Maduso nga nindot kaayo ang kinabuhi ni San Jose nga makatabang sa panagbisog nato niini’ng kalibutan as we live up sa iyang shining example.”
21 minor basilicas in PH
Based on the CBCP website, currently, there are only 21 minor basilicas in the country. In Cebu, the only minor basilica is the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño De Cebu in Cebu City.
A minor basilica is an important church building designated by the pope because it holds special spiritual, historical, and/or architectural significance.
“Maoy atoang tinguha aron mas daghan mahimo’ng mabanwagan sa nindot nga panag-ingnan ni San Jose. Maduso nga nindot kaayo ang kinabuhi ni San Jose nga makatabang sa panagbisog nato niini’ng kalibutan as we live up sa iyang shining example,” he added.
(That is what we want to achieve so that many more will be enlightened by the good direction of San Jose. It can be pushed that the life of San Jose can help in encouraging us in our struggle to live in this world as we live up to his shining example.)
READ: Archdiocese of Cebu to host National Retreat for Priests in November 2023
A piece of the church’s history
In terms of the history and impact of the church on the people, the parochial vicar, said that the church is very rich in it.
National Shrine of St. Joseph that is located in barangay Centro in Mandaue, is among the oldest churches in Cebu.
The Shrine is the only National Shrine in the Philippines dedicated to St. Joseph, said Archbishop Midiphyl “Dodong” Billones, the church’s team moderator in a previous interview with CDN Digital.
The church became the center of the celebration of the year of St. Joseph in December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021.
READ: A brief background of the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue
St. Joseph
In Christianity, St. Joseph is the husband and earthily father of Jesus. The gospel described him as tekton, which means carpenter. He is the Patron of the dying because he died with Mary and Jesus close to him, the same way Christians would.
It is believed that Jesuits brought the image of St. Joseph the Patriarch of Mandaue City and built a church in honor of him in 1601.
National Shrine of St. Joseph and Sinulog
The National Shrine of St. Joseph also plays a very important role in the celebration of the Sinulog, which is celebrated in Cebu every third Sunday of January.
Mandaue City celebrates Panagtagbo Festival on the Friday before Sinulog. It is inspired by the translacion, which is the transfer of the images of the Sto. Niño from the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Niño and Our lady of Guadalupe from the Guadalupe Shrine to the National Shrine of St. Joseph.
The church is hoping to recieve the seal of approval or recommendation of CBCP in January next year during the upcoming CBCP assembly.
READ: Heritage church in Ilocos Sur town gets ‘minor basilica’ status
Historical Area
Earlier, Mayor Jonas Cortes told the media that they planned to convert the current city hall into a museum and declare the area in barangay centro where the city hall, heritage plaza, and the National Shrine of St. Joseph is located to be a heritage area.
“If mahimo’ng basilica ang national shrine of St. Joseph nindot gyud kaayo. This is an addition sa atoang heritage park. In fact, atoang giconsider ko’ng musulod ka dinhi cobble stone na ang dalan, Mahimo na ni siya’ng tourist attraction,” said Cortes.
(If this becomes a basilica, the national shrine of St. Joseph, then it will be very nice. This is an addition to our heritage park. In fact, we considered that if you enter here the road is already made of cobble stones. This will become a tourist attraction.)
“If mahimo’ng basilica ang national shrine of St. Joseph nindot gyud kaayo. This is an addition sa atoang heritage park. In fact, atoang giconsider ko’ng musulod ka dinhi cobble stone na ang dalan, Mahimo na ni siya’ng tourist attraction.”
READ: IN PHOTOS: Mandaue City’s Panagtagbo Festival 2023
Panagtagbo Festival
“Anhi sad magconverge sukad kaniadto. Usa bitaw na sa atoang advantage. Daghan nagutana ngano’ng “Panagtagbo festival”? Anha na nato nakuanan og Sinulog. Walay fluvial kay walay panagtagbo. Gitagaan bitaw nato og importansiya ang Sagrada familia. If mahimo nga basilica, it gives us more reason nga atoa gyud ni’ng ninduton kani’ng area. ” said Cortes.
(They will converge here since a long time ago. That is one of our advantage. Many have asked why the “Panagtagbo festival? That is where we had the Sinulog. No fluvial parade because there is no meeting. We really gave importance to the Holy Family. If this will become a basilica, then it gives us more reason to make the area beautiful.)
READ: Mandaue plans to build new ‘one-stop-shop’ city hall
Life in faith
“Para nako nindot kaayo kay atoang kinabuhi sa atoang pagtuo lakip na ang atoang communal nga handuman as we journey through this years as a resilient people in Mandaue. It will be in this phase, we look back sa karaang panahon,” said Remonde.
(For me, it is really nice because our life in faith including our communal reminders as we journey through this years as a resilient people in Mandaue. It will be in this phase, we look back in the old times.)
The city plans to build a one-stop-shop government center or a new city hall at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC).
Fr. Remonde also asked the public to support the intention and pray that the church be granted the title.