National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City./Photo: Maryrose S. Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Church officials of the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City are hoping that the Vatican will approve the elevation of the church to a minor basilica before the 2025 Jubilee celebration.
Most Rev. Auxiliary Bishop Midyphil “Dodong” Billones, the church’s team moderator, revealed that they are complying with the requirements to become a minor basilica and they target to submit the documentary report this July.
He added that beautification of the church’s interiors and baptistry is ongoing.
Rev. Father Genaro Diwa, the head of the Liturgical Commission of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), has already visited the shrine and made some recommendations.
The intention to elevate the church to a minor basilica was sent in January 2023, and the Vatican replied and sent the requirements in March of the same year, said Rev. Fr. Josephus Remonde, the parochial vicar of the church, in a previous interview with the media.
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.
“The affirmation is not so much for us but rather for the Panagtagbo for Sr. San Jose. Historically right lang jud ang role sa usa ka amahan is teaching us the art of loving not your own, the art of dreaming, and the art of letting go nga pwede nato ma-disseminate,” said Billones.
Billones said that if the church becomes a basilica, the devotion to St. Joseph will become a conduit for more blessings.
This would also help the faithful, especially the young ones, to acknowledge the role of a father through St. Joseph, who served as the father of Jesus.
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