Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan has called for intense prayer as he warned that the Philippines is being devoured by a “spiritual crocodile” at work in corrupt politicians.
In his homily at a Mass with the Filipino community in the US city of Los Angeles, he criticized politicians, engineers, and contractors who “shamelessly plunder public funds while the poor are drowning in the floodwaters of corruption.”
“My dear fellow Filipinos, please pray hard for our country. We are presently in a deep state of political crisis,” said David, who presided at the annual Virgen de los Remedios Mass on Sept. 14 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Sept. 15 in the Philippines).
The liturgy, attended largely by Kapampangans, also marked the 69th anniversary of the canonical coronation of the image of Virgen de los Remedios de Pampanga.
“The next few days or weeks or months ahead are now very uncertain,” said David, who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. “It is at this time that we need to invoke the Blessed Mother … the one who intercedes to remedy the crisis situation.”
He urged Filipinos to turn to the Virgin Mary for protection in what he described as a worsening political crisis.
“We commend our country to the Virgen de los Remedios … the one who leads us to follow not Satan’s way, not my way, but God’s way,” he said.
The Virgen de los Remedios Mass is an annual religious event introduced nearly 20 years ago by Filipino immigrants in Southern California.
Now in its 19th year in the Los Angeles Archdiocese, the tradition was initiated by Kapampangans, whose deep devotion to the Blessed Mother has served as a source of unity and spiritual renewal for Filipino communities abroad.
The devotion traces back to 1952, when Pampanga’s first bishop, Cesar Maria Guerrero, entrusted the province to the Virgin amid a communist insurgency. He sent her image to visit towns and villages, encouraging prayer and peace.
In 1956, Pope Pius XII granted a canonical crown to the revered image. Since then, Kapampangans worldwide have invoked the Virgin’s intercession for peace, healing, safety and family unity.
A replica of the Virgen de los Remedios was brought to Los Angeles in 2006, beginning the annual celebration in the archdiocese.
