austraLasia #3215
Firefighters Devoted to MHC
(FIN)
CANLUBANG
(Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of Christians) 27 May 2013--
During the MHC Novena, after the 5:30pm Pentecost Mass, about
588 trainees of the Fire National Training Institute of the
Philippines (FNTI) Public Safety College in Camp Vicente Lim,
Calamba City, made a procession from the shrine towards their
camp (see a 3-minute video clip of their simple procession here).
Back in their camp, they held an overnight vigil honoring Our
Lady, reflecting on Her role in their lives.
Those firefighters came for the Pentecost Mass. But no, they
came not to quell and subdue the tongues of fire. Rather, with their number
and their active participation (almost half of them even
joined the floral offering before the mass), they have set
aflame the hearts of those around with their acts of devotion
to Our Lady.
They came back again for the Mass and the afternoon procession
in honor of Mary Help of Christians on the 24th of May. But
dark clouds were hovering above the shrine since that morning.
Those present were ready with their umbrellas, while the
trainee firefighters held on to their folded raincoats. Yet
the faithful did not have a chance to use them, because it
rained elsewhere.
It was the biggest and longest procession since the tradition
was reintroduced to the devotees coming to the Diocesan Shrine
in 2006. Aside from the fire trainees (who also volunteered to
pull the floats of Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians), the
seminarians of the prenovitiate and postnovitiate, members of
the Salesian Family, faculty and staff of Don Bosco College
joined the procession also.
Hopefully, the presence of the Diocesan Shrine of Mary Help of
Christians and the animating activities of the Salesian Family
gain more fervent Marian devotees not only from firefighters,
security forces and our students but also from all walks of
life.
"Have a great devotion to Mary Help of Christians and you will
see what miracles are."
