Tagaytay City—The Chapel of the Virgin of the Poor of the SVD Laudato Si' Farm celebrated its second anniversary last July 28, 2023. The day featured the Holy Mass at the Chapel at 4:00 PM, presided over by Rev. Fr. Antolin V. Uy, SVD, former Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community.
Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” N. Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community, Rev. Fr. Ricardo "Jhon" B. Crisostomo Jr., SVD, General Manager of the SVD Farm, other SVD-Tagaytay priests and seminarians, as well as members of the public, were present during the celebration.
In his homily, Fr. Antolin drew insights from the readings of the day and emphasized the significance of embracing God's love, even in the face of challenges. He began by reflecting on the first reading, which narrated the journey of the people of Israel from their release from Egypt, crossing the sea, and wandering in the desert.
Fr. Antolin explained how the Lord asked His chosen people for something more after their journey, presenting them with the Ten Commandments. His interpretation centered on the idea that these commandments were not meant to be oppressive but a manifestation of God's love for His people. By observing these commandments, he said that one could nurture a loving relationship with God.
Moving on to the Gospel reading, Fr. Antolin spoke about the parable of the sower. “Our experience is that of love,” he said, linking this parable to how we encounter love within our lives, emphasizing how we eagerly accept and rejoice in the Word of God when it is first received. However, as time passes and challenges arise, he said that we may find ourselves wavering in our faith. He acknowledged the seriousness of this struggle, praising the attendees for their dedication to persevering through the trials that come with practicing their Christian faith.
Fr. Antolin encouraged everyone to embrace the challenges and difficulties they face in their faith journey, understanding that it is through these trials that God continues to bless and enrich them. The more we persevere and remain faithful, the more God showers us with His blessings and graces. He emphasized the need to be steadfast in our love for God. “We accept the Word of God as the Word of God and God Himself. We will accept it, we will observe it through thick and thin. This is the great message of God's will today,” he said.
Drawing a parallel to Jesus explaining the parable to His disciples, Fr. Antolin urged the attendees to prepare their hearts to receive and nurture the Word of God. “Let us strive to provide a rich soil for the Word of God, that it may bear fruit,” he said, highlighting the importance of being receptive and open to God's teachings and love.
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At the end of the Holy Mass, Fr. Sam shared a deeply personal and inspiring message with the attendees, reinforcing the significance of the Virgin of the Poor in the Farm's history.
In the beginning of his message, Fr. Sam recounted the apparition of the Virgin of the Poor in Belgium in 1933, where it rained heavily but the sun shone in the afternoon. He lightheartedly mentioned that he did not ask for good weather during the anniversary day of the Chapel, as he felt it would rain all day due to the recent week’s inclement weather. Nevertheless, the sun shone in the afternoon as well, as the Holy Mass at the Chapel neared its end, reminding him of the similar event surrounding the apparition.
The Blessed Mother, according to Fr. Sam, is significant to the SVD Farm, and in fact is profoundly important to the Church, referencing the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965). During the council, there was a debate regarding the inclusion of the Blessed Mother in the Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. In the end, Fr. Sam said that the council decided to dedicate the last chapter of the document to the Blessed Mother, solidifying her role as the icon of the Holy Mother Church.
Fr. Sam went on to share his personal connection with the Virgin of the Poor. While in Rome in 2015, he shared that he discovered that the Virgin of the Poor appeared in her apparition on the same day as the feast day of SVD founder St. Arnold Janssen. This sparked his curiosity, leading him to visit the Virgin of the Poor statue in Belgium. There, he said that he made a promise to promote devotion to the Virgin of the Poor upon returning to the Philippines.
Upon his return to Tagaytay in 2018, Fr. Sam was pleasantly surprised to find and realize that the grotto at the Divine Word Seminary Tagaytay (DWST) is dedicated to the Virgin of the Poor. The message conveyed during that visit was the beginning of a profound spiritual journey for him.
As the seminary’s rector in 2020, when the SVD Farm's development began, Fr. Sam shared that he frequently sought blessings from the Virgin of the Poor, asking for guidance and support in their endeavors. He expressed gratitude for the many blessings received and shared the touching stories of healing and blessings experienced by visitors to the Chapel. “I'm happy for the many beautiful stories that I have heard since this Chapel was built—stories of healing, stories of blessings, throughout these two years,” said Fr. Sam.
Fr. Sam reminded the attendees that they should always remember the humble beginnings rooted in the poverty of the seminary. He encouraged everyone to remain humble and to embrace their own poverty, as it is through this humility that they will receive abundant blessings. “(This) Chapel would always remind us that the Farm was born out of the poverty of the seminary. … Someday, the SVD Farm might become famous, but because our Blessed Mother is the Virgin of the Poor, we will always be reminded of the very humble beginnings that we had when the priests and seminarians of the SVD-Tagaytay Community began to clear and plant crops on this land. … This is why we thank God for the blessing of this place,” said Fr. Sam.
After the Holy Mass, a short gathering was conducted at the St. Peter Fishpond and Gazebo to celebrate Fr. Antolin's 88th birthday.
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To read more about the shared history of SVD, the Farm, and the Virgin of the Poor, click the following link:
Features—The shared history of SVD, the Farm, and the Virgin of the Poor
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For reservations and other information, including ways to support and connect with the SVD Farm, contact us through:
📞 0905-106-5499
📧 contact@svdlaudatosifarmfoundation.org.