'A Million Roses for the World'

The late former President Cory Aquino once said in an interview that saying the rosary was her favorite form of prayer. Broadcast journalist Ces Drilon also recounted in an interview in 2008 after she was released by her extremist abductors in Talipao, Sulu  after days in captivity  that praying the rosary calmed her down amidst her fears and anxieties. My friend and Allure columnist Michelle Dayrit-Soliven, now in “total remission” from her cancer, shared with a group of us that once, when she was in pain and couldn’t sleep and a painkiller didn’t help, she reached out for her rosary. She awoke refreshed the following day, still on the first bead of the rosary but clutching it tightly. Apparently, the rosary in her palm was more effective than a tranquilizer. It was her balm.

It is said that the rosary is actually a commemoration of Jesus Christ’s life as seen through the loving eyes of His mother, who outlived Him. Just recall the Joyful and Sorrowful mysteries and you will know what I mean.

When I was a little girl, one of the nuns at the Assumption told me that every Hail Mary that I pray is like a rose being offered before Mary. And each rosary is like a garland  visually, it really is. As I have always said in this column, one’s faith is a very personal thing that differs from person to person. I worship God and venerate Mary, the mother of God. And one of my favorite prayers, in fact, my shelter when storms buffet my life, is the Memorare.

* * *

Perhaps the heavy downpour on the afternoon of June 25 signaled the abundance of graces that would pour on the faithful who gathered for Sing, Dance, Cheer for Mary at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The event was the culminating one for AMRoW (A Million Roses for the World), whose eight-month long campaign (from October 2011 to May 2012) resulted in millions of rosaries prayed by Filipinos daily for the general intention of promoting world peace. Each day, a specific country was prayed for, with 200 countries covered during the campaign. The director of Family Rosary International, Fr. James Phalan, CSC, flew in from the US to attend this significant event spearheaded by Ambassador Howard Dee, vice chairman of the Family Rosary Crusade in the Philippines. 

“The rosary is a very powerful tool of prayer,” shared Loudette Zaragoza-Banson, AMRoW chairperson, in her speech that afternoon. “Unfortunately, it is losing its appeal with the youth. This gathering was organized for all of us who love Mary to be able to pray the rosary together and celebrate the Eucharist together. But it was also planned to involve the youth in their form of prayer and expression of their love for Mama Mary.”

Beginning with a motorcade procession from the Church of Sto Domingo, the La Naval image was transported to the Smart Araneta Coliseum with various Marian groups in tow. Soldiers from the Army, Navy and Marines formed an impressive march in a parade of colors, with around 80 flags from around the world lined up before the image of Our Lady.

It was a unique prayer rally, with the various youth groups offering their best talents for Our Lady in the form of cheers, dances and songs. As energetic young ladies were tossed in the air, as hiphop songs and dancers expressed their devotion through sharp movements, as jazz and ballet merged for the most graceful expressions, and as prayer messages in the form of cheers permeated the halls of the grand arena, it was clear that the youth gave of their time and best talent to be in union with AMRoW’s intentions.

“I am certain most of you have heard the adage that singing is praying twice. These wise words imply that whatever you verbalize takes on double intensity when it has melody and rhythm. How about dancing? Caracol, cheerdancing, hiphop, jazz, ballet and all these dance moves for Mary are offerings so intense because they involve the whole body and spirit,” Banson stressed.

Dyords Javier, the program’s emcee, introduced the participants: the Miriam College PEP Squad, Assumption College’s Marie Eugenie Theater of the Assumption, CCP Bobcats, Bluefox and hiphop champions Legit Status.

The first mystery of the Holy Rosary was then led by Fr. James Phalan, CSC. The other decades were led by model and jewelry designer Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez, former swimming champion Christine Jacob-Sandejas with four of her young children in tow, Lito and Beng Atienza of Couples for Christ, and three orphans from Bahay Maria. The rosary was interspersed with video clip reflections of the holy mysteries from interviews with Chris Tiu, Msgr. Daniel Sta. Maria, Nanay Teresita Lazaro of Gawad Kalinga-Cavite, Ligaya Lintawagin of the Indigenous Peoples from Mindoro and Fatima Soriano, a 19-year-old blind devotee.

This campaign had not gone unnoticed in countries like Belgium, Chile, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Bangladesh and the Holy See. 

The Holy Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Socrates Villegas, D.D. of Lingayen-Dagupan, concelebrated with Bishops Antonio Tobias, D.D. of Novaliches and Roberto Mallari, D.D. of San Jose, Nueva Ecija and about 50 other priests. “I claim there will be 50 priests from this gathering tonight,” he said, as the grace-filled event moved the audience. “Be grateful that we are Filipinos. We are blessed with our Catholic faith, and we are praying for the world.” He mentioned that with this campaign, at least 50 million Hail Marys were offered in the last few months for world peace.

Major sponsors were Smart-Araneta Coliseum, Smart Communications and PLDT, Mary’s Way Foundation, Inc., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Assisi Development Foundation, Inc., Diocese of Cubao, Geronimo Berenguer De Los Reyes, Jr. Museum, One Meralco Foundation, Mother Butler Mission Guilds, Philip and Margarita Juico, Penson & Company, Inc., Tao Group of Companies, Biscom Inc., Couples for Christ Foundation, Inc., SM Supermalls, Lemon Squares, Monark Foundation Institute, Catholic Physicians Guild and United Laboratories.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].)