An American archbishop reminded the faithful that popular piety and the sacraments are both essential to Catholic life, and there is no choice between the two.
"For us Catholics, it is not a matter of choosing the sacramental life of the Church versus popular piety... It is never a question of choosing one," said Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
"[Popular piety and the sacraments] reinforce one another, and one can lead to the other," he also said.
The prelate was delivering his homily on the occasion of the solemn declaration of the Antipolo Cathedral in Rizal, Philippines, as an international shrine on January 26.
The church is home to Our Lady of Peace of Good Voyage, a dark-skinned Madonna image that arrived in the Philippines through the Acapulco Trades in 1626.
One of the most beloved forms of popular piety in the Philippines is doing a pilgrimage to Antipolo to pay homage to Our Lady, especially during May.
Archbishop Brown explained that the phenomenon of popular piety is important in the Church, specifically to non-practising Catholics who "still have [a] wonderful [and] beautiful connection to the Church."
The prelate emphasized that it is essential to observe popular piety alongside the sacraments.
"We need to appreciate [and] love popular piety because it is a way in which people can come to a greater understanding of the beauty and richness of sacramental life in the Church," said Archbishop Brown.
Moreover, since the patronage of the Virgin of Antipolo is for travelers and migrant workers, the nuncio reminded bishops and government officials to never wane in protecting Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
"Be sure that they are treated with dignity and respect in every situation," said the archbishop.
During the solemn declaration, representatives of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) led more than 80 bishops.
Also in attendance were Philippine First Lady Atty. Liza Araneta-Marcos, Rizal Province Governor Nina Ynares, Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro Ynares, and his wife, Mrs. Andrea Ynares.
Before the Holy Mass, the organizers brought out the original 17th-century image of Our Lady of Antipolo for public veneration and symbolically crowned it with a new set of crowns and twelve stars.
With its elevation, Antipolo Church has become the first-ever international shrine in Southeast Asia, an honour only bestowed and approved by the Holy See.- Luke Godoy
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