The head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church urged Catholics celebrating Minor Basilica and Parish of San Sebastian’s jubilee to reflect on the faith they will pass on to future generations.
“What kind of Church are we preparing to hand on to the next generations that will come after us? What faith, what values, what devotion, and what witness will they receive from us?,”Cardinal Jose Advincula asked Friday during Mass at the Manila basilica.
He said anniversaries should inspire renewal, not just remembrance.
“Every anniversary is more than a remembrance of the past; it is an invitation to renew our fidelity and to move forward in hope,” he said.
Advincula also called the basilica a living witness of Filipino faith, not merely a historic structure.
“The Basilica’s long history reminds us that churches are not merely beautiful structures made of steel and stone,” he said.
He opined it reflects a faith handed down, tested and renewed across generations.
The cardinal delivered the homily on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which also marked the 50th anniversary of San Sebastian Parish, the basilica’s 135th year, and the 35th anniversary of the coronation of Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian.
He pointed to Mary as an example of fidelity lived daily. “Mary teaches us that fidelity to God is not measured simply by the length of our journey, but by the faithfulness with which we say ‘yes’ to God each day,” he said.
Advincula urged Catholics to imitate Mary through humility, self-giving and commitment to justice.
The celebration included a reenactment of the coronation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the blessing of the basilica’s Tintinnabulum and Umbraculum.
A procession along nearby streets concluded the festivities.
Founded by the Augustinian Recollects in 1621, San Sebastian Church became the Philippines’ all-steel basilica in 1891 and a National Historical Landmark in 1982.
In 1991, Nuestra Señora del Carmen de San Sebastian was crowned Mother and Queen of Quiapo.
