An outdoor dinner at the seminary’s garden

Last October 12, the IVE communities in the Philippines celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, which also coincides with the Day of Hispanicity  (Día de la Hispanidad) in commemoration of the arrival of Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus) to the Americas which began the Spanish Colonization of the New World. Colonization must not be understood  as economic exploitation of primitive communities  (that would be Neo-Colonization). The Spanish colonization meant the conquest of primitive communities, with the Evangelization and social-economic-political organization as its end. This is done with the assimilation of the Hispanic language and culture (see Guillermo Gómez Rivera, ¨La Literatura Filipina¨, Manila. 1984). As in the Philippines, this meant the unification of various independent tribes scattered throughout the archipelago under the name ‘Filipinas’. It was the Spanish colonizers who extended the Kingdom of God to the Americas and Philippines, liberating them from Satanic rituals, slavery and beliefs, giving us the true progress each human being deserves. Furthermore, Spain economically developed its colonies, giving the resources they lack; in the Philippines, most of the vegetables mentioned in Bahay Kubo is due to Spain!

What can better express the greatness of Spanish Colonization, but the words of the historian Lopez de Goimara: “The greatest event that ahappened after the Creation of the World, taking the Incarnation and Death of Him who created, is the discovery of the Indies”. In response, we make our own what St. John Paul II said during his Apostolic Visit to Spain: After my apostolic travels, especially to the Latin America and the Philippines, I want to say on this singular moment: Thank you, Spain! Thank you, Church in Spain, for your fidelity to the Gospel and to the spouse of Christ!

Crístobal Colón arriving at the Americas.

A simple fogon followed the dinner.  Presentations featuring Hispanic culture followed.

We thank God for the possibility of celebrating, even in a very simple way the Day of Our Lady of Pillar, the patroness of Hispanidad, and of paying homage to Mother Spain, whose evangelization of the cultures is a true model for every missionaries.

Nuesta Señora del Pilar and Santiago Matamoros renew and strengthen the faith of Hispanic people.