SHRINE of LA VIRGEN DE LA SOLEDAD DE PORTA VAGA is one of the Jubilee Churches of the Diocese of Imus.

The Diocese of Imus opened its Jubilee Year last Nov. 24-25, marking the declaration of the whole province of Cavite as an independent diocese from its mother diocese, the Archdiocese of Manila, on Nov. 25, l96l by Pope John XXIII, by virtue of the Apostolic Constitution “Christi Fidelium.” The diocese was canonically erected on April 26, 1962 with the Most. Rev. Artemio G. Casas as its first bishop. The parish church of Ntra. Sra del Pilar in Imus was chosen as the cathedral church, the seat of the new diocese.

As part of the Jubilee celebration, the Diocese has chosen nine (9) Jubilee churches where the faithful can go on pilgrimage to receive an indulgence as part of the celebration.  In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution. The belief is that indulgences draw on the Treasury of Merit accumulated by Christ's superabundantly meritorious sacrifice on the cross and the virtues and penances of the saints. They are granted for specific good works and prayers.

The churches chosen were: (1) Parish of Nuestra Senora de Candelaria in Silang, founded in 1595, (2) Parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Kawit, founded in 1624, (3) Parish of San Gregorio Magno in Indang, founded in 1625, (4) Parish of San Roque, Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga in Cavite city, founded in 1688, (5) Parish of Sto. Nino in Ternate, founded in 1692, (6) Parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Bacoor, founded in 1752, (7) Parish of the Holy Cross, Shrine of St. Augustine in Tanza, founded in 1780, (8) Parish and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar in Imus, founded in 1795, and (9) Parish and Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Naic founded in 1796.  We enjoin everyone to make this pilgrimage of faith most especially this coming lenten season.

HAPY BIRTHDAY FR. VIR!

The Cofradia de la Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Inc. greets its Founder and Spiritual Director, REV. FR. VIRGILIO SAENZ MENDOZA a very happy birthday, today, Tuesday, February 7, 2012.  The whole organization is one in thanksgiving for sending us a very loving pastor who is a true model and leader in the devotion to our Reina de Cavite-La Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga.  We fervently and continually pray for his good health and success in all of his undertakings! May the Virgen de la Soledad who loves you so dearly continue to guide and bless you! WE LOVE YOU!

MARY, QUEEN OF OUR HEARTS:Keeping the faith, sharing the devotion, spreading the love.

Come and join us in our devotion.
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
Please share this link in your own wall to inform all devotees.
Everything that you need to know about the VIRGEN DE LA SOLEDAD is here in this site.
THANKS.

MARY, QUEEN OF OUR HEARTS:Keeping the faith, sharing the devotion, spreading the love.

FEAST OF THE MOTHER OF SORROWS 2011

"How many sighs, how many times She must have cried! Yet, She never complained! Poor Mother...She was the most afflicted of all women and She is comforted if a soul shows Her compassion."---St. Gemma Galgani

‎"My daughter, the tears which you shed in compassion for My sufferings are pleasing to Me, but bear in mind that on account of My infinite love for My Mother, the tears you shed in compassion for her sufferings are still more precious." ---Our Lord once said to Veronica of Binasco

Through the kind efforts and support of the Parish of San Roque, Cavite city, headed by Rev. Fr. Cesar R. Reyes, we shall once again celebrate the feast of our dear Queen, Mother and Patroness as the Virgin of Sorrows.  Spearheaded by the Cofradia de la Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, these activities shall once again affirm the association of the title of the Virgen de la Soledad as also, the Virgin of Sorrows.  As we all know, our dear Virgen de la Soledad is an icon of the Mother of God, depicting Her solitude on the night of the first Good Friday.  Deeply saddened by the events that has transpired that day, the Blessed Mother chose to be alone in prayer and meditation, pondering over the great sufferings and ultimate sacrifice of the life of Her only Son, Jesus.  Through these activities, we fervently hope to console our Lord and our Lady and be with them in their sorrows.

‎"Human beings shall never comprehend sufficiently the anguish and immensity of Mary's sorrows. Very few Christians partake of those sufferings and even fewer offer any consolation to Her."---St. Bridget of Sweden


"She remained beside Jesus, suffering and praying until the end.."---Pope Benedict XVI

COFRADIA ANNUAL PABASA 2011

The "Trono de la Reina" for the Pabasa 2011

The "Trono de la Reina" for the Pabasa 2011

Devotees take part in chanting the traditional "Pasiong Mahal"

The Pabasa Mass presided by Rev. Fr. Vir Mendoza, our dear Spiritual Director

The Pabasa Mass presided by Rev. Fr. Vir Mendoza, our dear Spiritual Director

Devotees take part in chanting the traditional "Pasiong Mahal"

The President and Vice President for External Affairs,
pose with the Pabasa Hermanas for 2011 and 2012 respectively.

YEAR 3
March 11-12, 2011
Hermana: SIS. LORNA S. CAYMOL
PABASA Para sa Reina

2009 ushered another FIRST in the history of the Cofradia.
The General Membership approved the proposal for an annual group PABASA, in observance of the season of lent. This is also in affirmation of the classification of the Virgen de la Soledad as a "Dolorosa" or a sorrowful Virgin Mother. This activity also aims to further strengthen and propagate more the devotion to the Virgen de al Soledad and to foster unity and camaraderie among all the members of the organization. This activity is held yearly during the first Saturday of Lent (Saturday after Ash Wednesday).

The pasyon is a verse narrative about the life and suffering of Jesus Christ. The verses are structured in five-line stanzas, with each line containing eight syllables. The pasyon is commonly sung during LENT, starting Ash Wednesday. The reading of the pasyon is a traditional religious practice in the Philippines and people gather around the reader of the pasyon to listen and reflect. It is seen by many of its practitioners as a vow or panata. Several versions of the pasyon began to circulate afterwards, written by anonymous authors. These versions were branded heretical by Spanish friars. In the early 19th century, a native priest named Mariano Pilapil compiled several of these texts and purged them of heresies. The resulting work is known as the Pasyong Pilapil or Pasyong Henares.

Another popular version of the pasyon is the Casaysayan nang Pasiong Mahal ni JesuCristong Panginoon Natin na Sucat Ipag-alab nang Puso nang Sinomang Babasa (The History of the Passion of Jesus Christ our Lord that will set afire the heart of whosoever reads it), which was published by an unknown writer in 1814. This text continues to be used to the present day among the Tagalogs though different versions and translations of the pasyon can be found among other Filipino subcultures.

Many innovations in pasyon singing have been introduced, like the use of the guitar or rondalla for accompaniment and the use of the accordion by a traveling group of pasyon singers. The pasyon is performed in two basic group formations. In the first, two people or groups of people sing alternately. In the second formation, each of the singers take
their turns in singing a stanza of text.

COFRADIA ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE 2011

March 25-27, 2011
Ilocos Sur-Norte

As part of the continued efforts of the Cofradia to further strengthen the devotion to the Virgen de la Soledad, the group brought its official replica to various churches in the Ilocos region for their annual pilgrimage during the season of Lent. More than 90 members and their affiliates took part in this memorable activity.

===================================================


In a nutshell, a pilgrimage is a journey inward as well as outward. Pilgrims seek to strengthen and renew their faith through travel.

Our working definition of pilgrimage is a transformative journey to a sacred center. That’s what makes being a pilgrim different from being a tourist. For a tourist, travel is an end in itself. For a pilgrim, travel is a means to an end. Pilgrims travel with a clear intention, to draw closer to God. They make their journey with a heightened expectation.

Pilgrimage is sacred travel, travel as a sacrament. You may know the definition of a sacrament: “an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” Our travel to historical and scenic sites is the outward part, our drawing closer to God is the inward part.

And thus we expect to return transformed or changed or converted from the person we were when we began our journey. We will not return the same as we were when we left. Pilgrims return from their journey with a “boon,” something good that will enrich their lives in the everyday world back at home. We’ll experience life differently upon returning.

The Church sees many Christian values in pilgrimage. In the Holy Father’s proposal… pilgrimage becomes a sign of the demanding journey which each of Christ’s followers is called to undertake in order to attain conversion. It is an opportunity to consider once more in the silence of our hearts the path of history; to recall that we are indeed going towards the Lord "not by our footsteps but by our love, and God will be all the closer to our hearts the purer is the love drawing us towards him [...]. Not by our feet, then, but by the goodness of our lives can we go towards him, who is everywhere present";5 and to realize anew that every man and woman, made in God’s image, is walking with us towards a single destiny: the Kingdom.

Prayer is the central moment in which to listen to God and fill the "void" created in us by the purification of fasting and the silence of pilgrimage. The heart of each one of us in fact must be the starting-point for the building of peace: it is through the heart that God acts and judges, heals and saves. We must not forget: there can be no possibility of peace without prayer, in which we learn that "peace goes far beyond human efforts, especially in the present plight of the world, and therefore its source and realization is to be sought in that Reality which is beyond all of us".

INTRAMUROS GRAND MARIAN PROCESSION 2010

Disyembre 5, 2010


Isa sa mga pinaghahandaang gawain kada taon ay ang pakikibahagi sa Intramuros Grand Marian Procession. Sa simula pa, buhat ng itatag ang Cofradia, ang samahan ang namahala kada taon sa paglabas ng Mahal na Reina de Cavite sa pinakamalaking pagtitipon ng mga deboto ng Mahal na Birhen sa buong bansa.  Tuwing Unang Linggo ng Disyembre, abala ang bawat opisyal at kasapi ng samahan sa pagganap sa kanya-kanyang tungkulin upang higit na maipakilala at mapabantog ang nag-iisang Reyna ng Lalawigan ng Kabite at Ilaw ng Bansang Pilipinas.

Ang Virgen de la Soledad habang inihahanda sa
pinakamalaking prusisyon ng mga larawan ng Mahal na Birhen

Ang Virgen de la Soledad habang inihahanda sa
pinakamalaking prusisyon ng mga larawan ng Mahal na Birhen

Ang ilan sa mga kasapi at opisyal ng Cofradia matapos ang mga paghahanda.

Ang Pilak ng Burdadong kapa ng Birhen

Ang Prusisyon sa loob ng makasaysayang Intramuros

Ang Prusisyon sa loob ng makasaysayang Intramuros

Ang Prusisyon sa loob ng makasaysayang Intramuros

Ang tumayong Tinienta ng deleagsyon sa taong 2010.

Ang ilan sa mga tumayong Hermanos y Hermanas Mayores para sa taong 2010:
Mayor Romeo Ramos (Cavite city) at Gng. +Lina Villarete Andres (Las Pinas city)

Ang mga Kaparian at Seminarista na umagapay sa Caroza ng Mahal na Reina.
Bro. Marlon Camino, Reb. Pd. Cesar R. Reyes, Reb. Pd. Gilbert L. Reyes, at Bro. JM Paguio

Ang ilan sa mga tumayong Hermanos y Hermanas Mayores para sa taong 2010:
G. Joe Llacuna (Cavite city) at Gng. Carmencita Villegas Reyes (Pateros)

Ang isa sa mga tumayong Hermanas Mayores para sa taong 2010:
Gng.  Ma. Theresa Torres Palado (Maynila)

Ang mga Kaparian at Seminarista na umagapay sa Caroza ng Mahal na Reina.
Bro. Marlon Camino, Reb. Pd. Cesar R. Reyes, Reb. Pd. Gilbert L. Reyes, at Bro. JM Paguio

Ang isa sa mga tumayong Dama de Maria ng delegasyon ng Reina de Cavite.

Ang isa sa mga tumayong Dama de Maria ng delegasyon ng Reina de Cavite.

MARAMING SALAMAT SA LAHAT NG MGA SUMUPORTA at NAKIISA sa delegasyon ng nag-iisang INA, REYNA at PATRONA NG LALAWIGAN NG KABITE noong nagdaang Intramuros Grand Marian Procession. Muli, napatunayan natin sa lahat ang ating marubdob at nag-aa...lab na debosyon at pagmamahal sa ating nagiisang pinakamamahal na Pintakasi---LA VIRGEN DE LA SOLEDAD DE PORTA VAGA.

Sa natatanging paraan pinasasalamatan natin ang mga sumusunod:
Reb. Pd. Cesar R. Reyes Jr.
Reb. Pd. Virgilio Saenz Mendoza
Reb. Pd. Gilbert Reyes
Reb. Pd. Allain Manalo
Mayor Romeo S. Ramos
Reb. Pd. Dominic Lim

Cavite Camera Club
Parokya ng NS de Guia, Magallanes, Cavite
Parokya ng Inmaculada Concepcion ng Naic, Cavite

Mga deboto mula sa Imus, Bacoor, Amadeo, Kawit, Naic, Maragondon, Noveleta, Gen. Trias, Tanza, Rosario, Silang, Tagaytay,Dasmariñas, Makati, Quezon city, Pateros, Pasay, Maynila, Bulacan, Cebu, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Tanay, Taytay, Batangas, Valenzuela, at sa iba't iba pang panig ng bansa.

Gng. Ma. Teresa Torres Palado
Gng. Jennifer Palado Santiago
Gng. Lina V. Andres
Gng. Carmencita V. Reyes
G. Joe Llacuna
Babes Davantes
Pencil Diestra
Kenneth Chua
Louie De la Cruz
Mamu Noel Bayon
Zandro Ilano
Ronald Trupel

St. Gregory College
Parokya ng San Roque, Cavite city
Parokya ng San Antonio, Cavite city
Parokya ng San Pedro, Cavite city

at sa inyong lahat na walang sawang nagtitiwala at naniniwala sa adhikain ng Cofradia de la Virgen de la Soledad de Porta Vaga.Mabuhay ang Patrona ng Lalawigan ng Kabite, Mabuhay ang Ilaw ng Pilipinas!

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.


=========================================================================

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.

==================================================
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)