Preparatory Stage1. First team meeting – Dec. 20112. Drafting of research proposal - Jan. 20123. Submission of research proposal for approval by AUDRN4. Writing endorsement letter for the Diocesan Administrator and Board of Consultores - Feb. 20125. Attendance to Master Class on the Mahara, the e-portfolio platform - Mar. 19-20, 20126. Distribution of request letter to each priest of the seven parishes – municipalities and two cities at the Cathedral de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Imus - Apr. 5, 2012

Post-authorization planning1. Second team meeting – Feb. 20122. Agreement on:

2.1 scheduled research day (Friday)2.2 logging and proper documentation of

expenditures 3. Reiteration of the specific roles of each researcher as well as a team

3.1 submission of 5 to 10 questions regarding respective area (faith, art and historical dimensions)4. Discussion on the mapping and schedule of documentation trips c/o Ms. Rosanni R. Sarile

Field work (Visit, interview, audio and video

documentation)

Inside the Imus Cathedral with Nestor “Jun” Crisostomo Victa, Jr., (second from left) coordinator of the Servants and Handmaids of Our Lady of the Pillar Parish

Mrs. Ellen Maluto Palma-Sosa (in glasses), representative of the caretaker family of the Holy Image shows the documents for the request for the

canonical coronation for the image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar of Imus.

Some accessories of the Immaculate Conception

of the City of Dasmariñas, Cavite

The most expensive gown so far of the Immaculate Conception of the City

of Dasmariñas with metal applique

The simplest gown of the Immaculate Conception

A chance interview with a church worker/teacher, an ex-nun too, regarding the miracles that Nuestra

Señora Dela Asuncion had done to herand her family

Argee, the caretaker of Nuestra Señora de Guia’s vestments

Some scenes on the Golden Jubilee Fluvial Procession of the Diocese of Imus on April 30, 2012. The procession commenced at 4:30 a.m. in Riverside, Maragondon and finished at around 10:30 a.m. in San Roque, Cavite City.

The need for a paradigm This aspect of our research deals with the theological and religious dimensions of the devotion of the Caviteños to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As a theological discourse, it will form part of the literature on Mariology, the field that “make sense of” Mary’s role in the history and story of our salvation as a people of God. The data gathered from documents, novena prayers, liturgy, and other devotionals will be enriched by interviews and focus group discussions among devotees.

Focus group discussion among the devotees of Immaculada Concepcion

The need for a paradigm

After all the necessary data are gathered, they will be subjected to a theological discourse. We would attempt to articulate a “paradigm” in order to “make sense of” the Caviteños unique experience of their devotion to Mary. The paradigm that we aim to articulate here is one “which [a] is rich and powerful enough to provide a vantage point from which to view all the other great truths about Mary...[b]affords a perspective in the light of which all other attributes of Mary make sense...[c] determines our view of Mary and provides a touchstone of meaning and explanation (Bearsley 2001, p. 469).”

Recent Developments in Mariology

Recent literature tried to provide such paradigm. Braine (2009) for instance traced the development of the Church’s teaching on the Virgin Mary in modern perspective and showed for instance why the doctrines on the Incarnation and the Virgin birth are closely related an should have a dogmatic place. De Haardt (2011) showed that the Virgin Mary still plays an important role in religious devotions all over the world, even in the West despite secularization. Using a feminist perspective, she gives a critical sketch of the background of developments in Mariology and argues for a closer look at Marian devotional practices in order to find some inspiring elements for rethinking divine presence, Mary and perhaps a new Mariology.

Recent Developments in Mariology (cont.)

Locally, Mactal (2007) made an extensive historic-theological account of the Mariological developments after the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) and the impact of Marian devotion in the Philippines. He mentioned four characteristics that should guide any renewal of our devotion to Mary. First, prayers to Mary must be Trinitarian, i.e. always related to the Three Persons in One God. Second, devotions and honor given to Mary must be based on Scripture. Third, Marian veneration and para-liturgical celebrations must be done in harmony with the liturgical seasons. Fourth, true devotion should draw a unity in the Church of Christ in a common spirit of gratitude, i.e., ecumenical (Mactal 2007, pp. 291-292).

Recent Developments in Mariology (cont.)

A similar set of practical guidelines were formulated by a Lutheran-Catholic dialogue that should also apply to veneration of saints (Neuhas 2008). Such devotions should be a) “imbued with Scripture,” b) harmonized with Eucharistic liturgy and seasons of Church’s year, c) ecumenically sensitive, d) attentive to cultural “mores (Neuhas 2008 para 11).” These guides took their inspiration from the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium which devoted the whole of its chapter 8 on Mary’s role in our church life in the modern world. The whole discourse is Christocentric, Scriptural, Ecclesial, Ecumenical, and expressed a balanced point of view (Mactal 2007, p. 271). These are the theological foundation of a paradigm that will be articulated once all the data about the Caviteño’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary are gathered.

Treatment of initial data gathered

Initially, we have gathered Novenas (Novena to Our Lady of the Pillar, Novena to Our lady of Lourdes, Novena to Our Lady of Candelaria, Novena to Nuestra Señora de Guia), hymn (Awit para sa Nuestra Señora de Guia), prayers (prayer to Our Lady of the Pillar, prayer to La Immaculada Concepcion) and luwa or an exhortation of praise (luwa for Our Lady of the Pillar). We also have a video of a live Karakol (Nuestra Señora de Guia). We have done several interviews and focus group discussions among devotees of the Blessed Virgin Mary which are in the process of being transcribed.

Treatment of initial data gathered (cont.)

The rich religious and faith-experiences of the devotees may be interpreted using the theology of symbols. Religious symbols mainly. According to Arevalo (1986), “ ‘the religious’ lives in our consciousness largely through symbols... The real ‘at home’ atmosphere of faith and religion is the symbolic...The faith-experience of the God we cannot see is mediated for most of us by symbols. And where symbols are omnipresent, and are charged with meaning and feeling, there – at least in some genuine measure – there is also the presence of faith. And faith...is about presence...about Presence (pp. 23-24).” We hope that we will be able to “make sense of” the symbols expressed in the words and actions of the participants in this study and come up with a paradigm for the proper understanding of the faith-experience and devotion of the Caviteños to the Blessed Virgin Mary.