PROCESSION OF REPARATION

The Virgen de la Soledad approaching the Cultural Center of the Philippines

The Virgen de la Soledad infront of the CCP.

The Virgen de la Soledad at the CCP.

Rev. Fr. Jojo Zerrudo following the Virgen de la Soledad at the Procession.

At the Procession of Reparation, August 14, 2011, Roxas Blvd., Pasay city

The Cofradia de la Virgen de la Soledad participated in a Procession of Reparation last August 14, 2011, eve of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, for the sacrileges, blasphemies committed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, particularly by the controversial exhibit: "Kulo".  Below are excerpts on the real essence of reparation.


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In the past weeks we have witnessed the uproar created by the exhibit of art works by the Cultural Center of the Philippines purportedly on modern art mixed media installations on contemporary themes. Many agree that the work over-reached the boundaries of freedom of expression. Most say it is offensive and a great affront to Catholics and Christians, and to all people who value decency. To them the work is “trash.”

For us Catholics and Christians, the offense goes beyond visual senses; it strikes into our souls. The public exhibition of the repulsive work is sacrilege and blasphemy. It is a sin. It has deeply offended the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Mother, and our Church.  As Church we will kneel before our loving God to pray and seek reparation for this public sin. (Excerpts from the Memorandum of His Excellency, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila)

PANALANGIN NG PAGBABAYAD-PURI 
Panginoong Hesukristo, Anak ng Diyos na buhày, 
dahil sa labis mong pag-ibig sa aming mga makasalanan, 
nagkatawang-tao ka at nag-alay ng iyong buhay sa krus.
Nararapat kang pasalamatan, parangalan, at purihin, 
ngunit may mga tao, na dahil sa maling paggamit ng kanilang kalayaan 
ay nililibak ang inyong pagka-Diyos at ang karangalan ng iyong Ina 
sa ng paglapastangan sa inyong banal na imahen at ituring itong sining.

Lubos kaming nababagabag at nahihiya, Panginoong Hesus, 
kaya't kami'y buong pakumbabang lumuluhod 
sa harap ng inyong dakilang kamahalan 
upang humingi ng kapatawaran 
mula sa iyong maawain at mapagpatawad na puso 
sa walang pakundangang paglapastangan sa iyong karangalan.

Matindi ang aming pagkamuhi sa mga taong may kagagawan nito, 
ngunit tinuruan mo kaming magpatawad tulad ng pagpapatawad mo sa amin. 
Alam man nila ang kanilang ginagawa o hindi, 
ipinapanalangin namin sila:
Panginoong Hesus, pagkalooban mo sila ng biyaya ng tunay na pagtitika 
at imulat mo ang kanilang mga isip kung ano ang marangal at maganda, 
kung ano ang nagbibigay ng mabuting halimbawa
at gumagalang sa paniniwala ng iba. 
Ipinapanalangin din namin ang aming sarili: 
Panginoong Hesus, pagkalooban mo kami ng biyaya 
na mamuhay kami bilang mga tunay na Kristiyano 
upang kami'y maging mga walang bahid mong kawangis 
at mga buhày na saksi ng iyong pag-ibig at pagpapatawad.

Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. 
Kristo, kaawan mo kami. 
Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami.

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In the Roman Catholic tradition, an Act of Reparation is a prayer or devotion with the intent to repair the "sins of others", e.g. for the repair of the sin of blasphemy, the sufferings of Jesus Christ or as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary. These prayers do not usually involve a petition for a living or deceased beneficiary, but aim to repair sins.
In his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor Pope Pius XI defined reparation as follows:  "The creature's love should be given in return for the love of the Creator, another thing follows from this at once, namely that to the same uncreated Love, if so be it has been neglected by forgetfulness or violated by offense, some sort of compensation must be rendered for the injury, and this debt is commonly called by the name of reparation."   Pope John Paul II referred to reparation as the "unceasing effort to stand beside the endless crosses on which the Son of God continues to be crucified".

DUTY OF REPARATION
In the encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor Pope Pius XI called acts of reparation a duty for Roman Catholics: "We are holden to the duty of reparation and expiation by a certain more valid title of justice and of love, of justice indeed, in order that the offense offered to God by our sins may be expiated" The pontiff further emphasized, "Moreover this duty of expiation is laid upon the whole race of men."

FROM SOME MARIAN APPARITIONSThe need for reparation has been mentioned in some Marian apparitions. The messages of Our Lady of Akita, which were formally approved by the Holy See in 1988 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) include the following statement attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates." Our Lady of Fatima messages have also emphasized the need for reparations. According to the child seers, Mary asked them to make sacrifices to save sinners. By this the children understood her to mean moderate acts of mortification of the flesh.

(From Wikipedia)