Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines
By 1965 the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters had two thriving adoration convents in the Philippines, one in the north and one in the centrally located capital. But what about the south, teeming with Catholics, some of whom could be called by God to join this Congregation? What about Cebu, in which province Magellan planted the Christian cross in 1521? In the same century, the wooden statue of the Infant Jesus, affectionately called the Santo Niño de Cebu, was found by the Spanish in a simple native house and began to be revered as a symbol of Filipino piety and still draws streams of visitors to its shrine in the Cebu City Cathedral. The Lord must have thought that Cebu would be a good place. Its Archbishop, Cardinal Julio Rosales, had often visited our convent in Baguio and later in Manila, and appreciated the apostolate of perpetual adoration very much. So it was not surprising that he repeatedly invited the Congregation to found in his archdiocese.
After a visit by Mother Mary Aurora to Cebu early in 1970, plans proceeded rapidly, due among other things to the generous good will of a number of prominent laymen, who helped to find the right piece of property and rendered assistance in many other ways also. In September 1971 Cardinal Rosales was to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his episcopal ordination and arranged to have the cornerstone laying of the new Adoration Chapel and Convent of Divine Peace on September 19 as a worthy part of the festivities. On June 26, 1973 the Cardinal offered the inaugural Mass in the temporary chapel in the completed convent building, and the service of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament began.
More than a year passed before the inauguration of the beautiful chapel on July 27, 1974 could take place. The members of a zealous League of Adorers, animated by a missionary spirit, promote the apostolate of adoration and plan periodic recollection days. The chapel is a gathering point of both individuals and groups to honor our Eucharistic Lord in the liturgy and in para-liturgical services, as well as in the annual Eucharistic Festival for nine days before the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, which draws fervent overflow crowds.
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