Mary, our constant companion in our pilgrimage of faith

In his homily in 2013, on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Francis spoke of the Blessed Mother as our guide and companion in our journey of faith. He said: "Mary is the one who accompanies us in our pilgrimage of faith, the one who follows us in every step, the one who encourages, sustains, and never leaves us alone." As we travel towards the Jubilee of 2025, the Holy Father calls us "Pilgrims of Hope" and invites us to embark once again on a journey as arduous and demanding as those the Blessed Mother undertook when she was physically on earth.

Her obedience to God and her humility took her to places that were dangerous, harrowing, and fraught with sacrifices. She traveled to the house of her cousin Elizabeth to serve her in her hour of need, even while she herself was pregnant. She fled in haste with Joseph to Egypt in order to save her son from Herod. She searched frantically for her missing son for days, and she endured the tragic pain of loss on the road to Calvary. Indeed, there is no human experience of walking in fear and loneliness that Mary herself has not experienced.

This makes her an apt companion on our earthly journeys.

For the month of the Holy Rosary, the Office of Campus Ministry and the Christian Living Education Department of the Senior High School, under the guidance and support of the Ignatian Spirituality Formation Sub-Cluster, have prepared a Marian exhibit of images that highlight the many trials and triumphs of the Blessed Mother. Entitled Maria: Pilgrim, Mother, Companion, Queen, the monthlong exhibit features 26 Marian images, portraits, and statues that show how the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled her mission of being the mother of all. Drawing from Pope Francis' message that Mary is our constant companion in our pilgrimage of faith, the exhibit aims to introduce the faculty, students, parents, and staff of the Senior High School and the University Community to some of the most beloved and popular titles of the Blessed Virgin, including her titles from the Litany, her officially-approved coronation titles, and sanctioned apparitions, as well as local and international devotions in her honor.

It is hoped that through this exhibit, the children of the Beloved Mother, who accompanies us in all our earthly endeavors, will become more acquainted with her maternal protection and guidance. And in getting to know our great mother and queen, we are likewise drawn toward a more intimate worship of her son, Jesus Christ.

The exhibit ran from October 7, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, until October 22 at the Foyer of the Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Chapel, and was visited by our dear students, alumni, parents, and Ateneo personnel from the different units.

Fr. Noel Y. Bava, SJ

Chaplain, ASHS-OCM