Br John Quincy Caballo SDB Popular Piety – Final Paper

Br Victor Mario Da Cunha SDB February 20, 2018

Sem Agnel Salvador Dias (RM)
Br Henry Go Lam Thang SDB
Br Ignatius Harianto SDB
Rev Andrea Maung Maung SDB
Br Marizoni Rezali Noronha SDB

Pastoral Project Paper on the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila (Poong Nazareno)

I. Brief Description of the Black Nazarene Devotion and its Expressions

The NUESTRO PADRE JESUS NAZARENO (NPJN) devotion is conducted
every Friday and in the old days, the Confraternity of Our Lord Jesus of Nazareth, a
loose aggrupation of devotees to the Black Nazarene was founded on April 20, 1621
to propagate the devotion. Their work in cooperation with the parish priests of the
time bore fruits as evidenced by the enormous expansion of the devotion which
required the reconstruction of the original small, wooden church twice, to its present
magnificent structure of marble and stone befitting a major center of religious piety
of the Filipino Faithful.
Here are some historical highlights penned by Rev Francisco S Gianan:
1586 – The mission outpost of the Franciscans from Sta Ana de Sapa became a
town by the decree of Governor General Santiago de Vera. The first Parish Priest
was Fr Antonio de Nombella OFM. The Archbishop of Manila had his curia or
chancery office here;
1603 – The church of light materials was burned in the course of the Chinese
Rebellion;
1685 – The parish was transferred to the care of the Jesuits by Governor General
Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera only to be returned to the diocesan clergy in 1693;
1728 – The Archbishop of Manila, Bermudez G. de Castro received the pallium
from the Bishop of Cagayan;
1767 – The Recollect Fathers better known as the Recoletos who had a
Confraternity of Jesus Nazareno in Intramuros presented the image of the Nazareno
during the incumbency of Archbishop Basilio Sancho; Apparently this was
enshrined in Quiapo Church;
1791 – Again, the church was burned;
1863 – The Church together with many buildings including the Manila Cathedral
were demolished in a strong earthquake.
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1864 – Construction of a Stone church began by Father Eusebio de Leon and

terminated by Fr Manuel Roxas;
1929 – Again, the Church was gutted by fire and reconstruction work was begun
by Fr Magdaleno Castillo, as per plans by Architect Juan Nakpil in 1933;
1975 – Bishop Hernando Y Antiporda and Father Raymundo Costales were
brutally murdered when the Quiapo Church was robbed;
1981 – Msgr Jose C Abriol who succeeded as parish priest constructed three
buildings of the Quiapo Parochial School at R Hidalgo under the management of the
St Paul de Chartres Sisters;
1984 – Remodeling of the Church was supervised by Msgr Abriol together with
Architect Jose Maria Zaragoza and Engr Eduardo A Sanitago. The new church
edifice was dedicated by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin on September 28,
1987;
1988 – The Quiapo Church was declared a Basilica thru the initiative of Cardinal
Sin and the Papa Nuncio, Most Rev Bruno Torpigliani. The Altar of San Lorenzo
Ruiz was blessed by the Nuncio on Feb 1 1988;
1989 – Five bronze bells and three electronic clocks were acquired from
Holland, thru the generosity of the people of Quiapo and devotees of the Black
Nazarene.
Today, the ordinary Filipino Catholic associates Quiapo with the Friday
devotion of the Black Nazarene. Anyone who goes to Quiapo for that matter will not
miss passing by or make a visit to the image of the Black Nazarene enshrined on the
basilica’s main altar.
This devotion is founded on three pillars:
- Forgiveness of sinners;
- Reparation of sins; and the
- Renewal of the faith in Jesus Christ.
More than just because of his “dusky” complexion with which Filipinos can
closely associate themselves, Filipinos run and renew their respect to the Nuestro
Padre Nazareno because He understands their sinfulness, and everytime, accepts
them again to His loving enfold resolute to begin life anew with grace.
It is especially a devotion of men and of the masses. It is not surprising to find
especially in the most awaited January 9 Traslacion Procession small groups, if not
throngs of young men from different walks of life joining the gray-haired hijos or
confraternity members.
Here are some known practices:
- Friday devotional novena and visit to the shrine of the Black Nazarene;
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- Touching of statues and wiping towels on them especially the image of the
Black Nazarene and then wiping the same towel to the affected part of their
body;
- Praying with lifted hands as in “surrender” especially during acclamations
and songs in the Eucharistic celebration and the novena;
- Walking on one’s knees from the entrance of the Church to the foot of the
sanctuary;
- Lighting particular kinds of candles for a particular intention done outside
of the Church; and the
- Famed traslacion procession done from the Quirino Grandstand, along the
streets of Manila, towards the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Parish
of St John the Baptist)

II. Proposed Theological-Pastoral Approach

a. Listen to the people’s stories.
Prior to the actual visit to the Basilica, communication was exchanged with
one of the assigned priests there, Fr Marvin Cruz. He explicitly stated that our
visit ought to be primarily an experience of the devotion than just mere data
gathering for a group research. Though, he encouraged us to interview some
devotees and even the parish staff and volunteers. He discouraged us from using
cellphones especially during practices of piety and the celebration of the
Eucharist. He further discouraged us from taking photos and videos inside the
Church as the policy is strictly implemented even if it was for research purposes.
With all given constraints, we had to creatively conduct data gathering, even
doing so almost clandestinely.
Without much ado, here are some stories noted from memory or transcribed
from audio recordings and translated into its current form. Three stories are
especially selected for their variety and, at the same time, their common
experience of being accompanied by the Poong Nazareno.
First, we have the experience of Mrs. Elen Pasqual. She was initiated early
on into the devotion and was fascinated by the fact that it was a devotion not
only of her parents but of the whole family. She says that since the devotion is
at the heart of the parish and so, in an almost automatic fashion, the parishioners
themselves become devotees. She comes to the Poon to ask for the grace of a
good life. And she believes that it is coming true. In fact, she has never
experienced really serious problems especially about finances, employment,
health, and family relationships—all her successes she attributes to the Poong
Nazareno. She observes that there are many, if not thousands, who go to the
basilica some of them even coming from other countries. Many of them come
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because of problems they are facing or for some intention. She even adds that
one can determine if a person has a serious problem or not depending on the
manner they offer their intentions. Finally, she declared that she is proud to be
among the millions who consider themselves devoted to Him especially as one
who has been practicing this devotion for some time now. She believes that if
her family remains in their devotion, they will continue to enjoy security. This
devotion has given her so much happiness, enjoyment, and even self-acceptance.
Even in her old age, she continues to enjoy serving the Lord as a way of giving
Him due thanks—as in a panata. An oath she has been fulfilling since her early
years.
Another lady was not quite convinced of this devotion at first, she says. She
was already satisfied with her life selling meat near Paco Church. She was quite
skeptical about going to Quiapo because she thought it illogical to go to Mass in
a far way church where in fact she was doing business in a place so close to one.
When she gave in to her sister’s invitation, it was then that she received a special
message from the Lord, in a locution, convincing her to worship Him in this
shrine. From then on, she received a special gift from the Lord: the ability to heal
through hilot or the traditional massage. She claims to have performed many
healings which she attributes to the Black Nazarene’s help. She says that she
does this without asking for payment in spite of the fact that it was also the
beginning of her many trials. She lost her canteen and meat business, she had
former business partners threatening to sue her if she did not pay her debt, her
family lost their home, and she was even abandoned by her husband and
children. She lost virtually everything and yet she continued her devotion to the
Poong Nazareno knowing that these are mere trials that she had to face. She also
claims to be able to speak and preach to others with a deep manly voice, as if
coming from the Poon Himself. A gift, she claims, that also came to her from
her devotion to the Sorrowful Mother and by the grace of the Holy Spirit. From
then on, she persevered in her devotion and was eventually redeemed from all
her problems. She saw them all as graces granted to her family by the Black
Nazarene.
A male volunteer of the basilica claimed to have been a mamamasan or a
bearer of the Nazareno anda since age 17. He had inherited this devotion from
his father, while his father inherited this devotion from his mother. He narrated
that once as an employee of NAPOCOR, he was brought to the hospital. It was
Holy Tuesday then and he was forbidden from eating anything and from leaving
the hospital any time soon. Afraid of not being able to attend the procession that
Good Friday, he prayed to the Black Nazarene to grant him physical healing so
that he could take part in the festivities later in the week. Early morning of Holy
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Thursday, he called for his wife complaining to her about his thirst and asking
that she buy him some Sprite. She protested as the doctor’s instructions were
clear about eating or drinking. Finally, he prevailed and was able to drink it. The
next day, he was already out and happily able to participate in the Nazareno
festivities.

b. Tell the whole story of Jesus.

1. Jesus, the Suffering Servant
- Jesus appears as one of “the least of our brethren”: the hungry and thirsty,
the naked, the sick, the lonely stranger and the prisoner (cf. Mt 25:31-
46).
- picturing the suffering Jesus and inspiring many folk devotional panata
- image of Jesus’ suffering love is very consoling to numberless Filipinos
in dire poverty and hardships.
- Jesus the Suffering Servant can thus reach out to us Filipinos as a healing
and forgiving Savior who understands our weaknesses, our failures, our
feelings of depression, fear and loneliness. He has been through it all
himself!
- To us Filipinos who can even celebrate the sufferings and hardships of
life in song, Jesus Christ calls: “Come to me, all you who are weary and
find life burdensome, and I will refresh you” (Mt 11:28).
2. Jesus Christ the King
- As born social critics, organizers and martyrs, we Filipinos see Jesus
Christ as the Conqueror of the world by his mission as prophet, king and
priest (cf. PCP II 57-61).
- Jesus came as one sent by the Father, to do the Father’s will (cf. Jn 5:30).
He was “to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives,
recovery of sight to the blind, and release to prisoners” (Lk 4:18).
- Although a “sign of contradiction” himself (Lk 2:34), Jesus made the
Kingdom of God present among his people by his teaching (cf. Mt 7:29)
and signs.
- “The blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf
hear, dead men are raised to life, and the poor have the good news
preached to them” (Lk 7:22).
- He assures us that everything will be alright in the end. Christ the King
has won the ultimate victory over evil.
3. Jesus, the Miracle Worker
- promised to send his Spirit to his disciples to give them new life (cf. Jn
15:26; 16:7; 13-14), is thus very appealing to us Filipinos.
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- The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Risen Christ, draws us
Filipinos into a community wherein superstition and enslaving magic are
overcome by authentic worship of the Father “in spirit and truth” (cf. Jn
4:23).
- In Christ’s community, the Church, “to each person the manifestation of
the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7).
- This same Spirit, which empowered Jesus the miracle worker, is active
in his disciples, uniting them in the teaching of the apostles, and in
community fellowship of the breaking of bread and prayer through Christ
their Lord (LG 13).
4. Jesus the Eucharistic Lord
- “On the day before he was to suffer, on the night of the Last Supper”
(Eucharistic Prayer for Use in Masses for Various Needs no. 1), Jesus
instituted the Sacrament of his great love to be an everlasting reminder
of his sacrifice that has become for us an eternal life and salvation (Eph
2 passim).
- He who came to share in our frail human nature except sin (Phi 2:6ff),
has come to become our food (1 Cor 10:16; John 6:48).
- He who lived among us, suffered, died, and rose for us and who sits at
the right hand of the Father.
- The fruits of His Paschal Mystery is continually celebrated and received
today in the Eucharistic Mystery of His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity
coming to us in the bread and wine, offered, received, blessed, broken
and shared for all of us.
- He not only joins us in our sufferings. He also joins our sacrifices to His
own perfect sacrifice. And so, our own sacrifices, like His, become life-
giving and transforming.
- This Sacrifice of Christ, now in the form of bread and wine, strengthens
us more perfectly than any practice of popular piety—our own
performance of devout practices. This does not in any way devalue such
pious actions. Instead, joined with sufferings of Christ remembered and
celebrated in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, all our efforts, sufferings, and
pious actions are brought to perfection.
5. Jesus the Merciful Lord
- The ministry of Jesus Christ was inaugurated with the call to conversion (Mt
4:17).
- This call to conversion was also a call to become more and more like the
Father. “Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.” (Lk 6:36)
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- He is “the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in
kindness and fidelity” (Ex 34:6).
- “The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in
kindness and fidelity” (Ex 34:6).
- The beatitudes are not a series of commands: be merciful! act as
peacemakers! Rather they picture for us the face of Christ in sketching the
vocation of every disciple of Christ, drawn to share in his Passion and
Resurrection (CCC no. 1717).
- They spotlight the essential qualities, actions, and attitudes of Christian
living; they offer the paradoxical promises which sustain hope in our
tribulations; they announce the blessings and reward already obscurely
experienced by the faithful and manifested in the life of the Blessed Virgin
Mary and the saints (CCC no. 1717).
- Jesus, in the Black Nazarene, brings to life the mercy of the God of Israel. In
his own words, “I have come to call not the upright but sinners to
repentance.” (Lk 5:32) This call reverberates today in the welcoming
embrace that He gives to every deboto and namamanata who run to his
shrine as individuals, families, and communities.
- His mercy is a wondrous show of His power and authority (Lk 5:18-26).
- This mercy is experienced in the celebration of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation made available in the Shrine. Even the solicitude that the
Shrine administration shows who are in need through their various charities
and outreach in Quiapo and beyond.

c. Lead the people’s popular faith to deeper (biblical, liturgical) spirituality.

1. A manly devotion for both men and women
- There has been much said about the crisis of manhood and manliness in
recent history.
- This is quite evident in the kind of fashion and lifestyle promoted by
popular culture and social media.
- While not promoting any traces or forms of brute machismo or sexism,
the image of the Poong Nazareno projects an image of gentleness in the
midst of violence, endurance in the midst of unbearable human suffering,
dignity in the midst of merciless debasement—indeed a true Christian
manhood needed among fathers, brothers, and friends.
- Indeed, women partake in this devotion, in a way, to balance their more
feminine popular expressions in order to draw strength and indomitable
determination we see in the suffering Christ.
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2. Proliferation of catechetical instruction on genuine Nazareno devotion and

spirituality
- Like any practice of popular devotion, a strong tendency towards
excesses is just too obvious.
- A good practice being done in the basilica is that ample time is given for
common practices of piety and even catechetical instruction (which was
given by a priest during our visit).
- Any impression of superstition and magic must be removed. While the
lighting of different kinds of candles may not seem harmful but putting
particular colors for questionable intentions may not be as evident but
may in fact occur. The lighting of candles to curse or cause trouble for
another must be removed altogether.
- If such catechesis is given, it must be emphasized that while the
endowment of special charisms from the Lord may be possible (such as
the gift of healing or preaching), the greatest gift that the Poong
Nazareno grants is the grace to fulfill our Christian vocation of love and
service especially towards those who are most in need.
3. Towards a more liturgical-sacramental Nazareno devotion
- While there is just too much emphasis on sacramentals in the practice of
this devotion, the clarion call is towards connecting the devotion to their
liturgical life and one’s reception of the sacraments.
- For example, let it be emphasized that in the sprinkling of holy water we
are not only blessed by such water but are reminded that we have long
been blessed by water and the Holy Spirit in baptism: a genuine well-
spring of Christian life and activity second only to the Eucharist.
- In the lighting of candles, devotees ought to be reminded not only of their
intentions but of their Christian vocation to follow the light of the world
(John 8:12) ushered in by their Confirmation.
- Genuine healing is more effectively received in the Sacraments of
Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. While these may not
promise immediate physical healing, certainly its spiritual effects are
beyond question. If people are to go to the church to practice their
Nazareno devotion on Friday in search of healing, they ought to seek
these efficacious means especially for those who are at home and may
not be able to partake in the devotion anymore.
- Inseparable from the other sacraments and comes definitely at the heart
of it all is the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. This is the very presence,
definitely the true presence of the Nazarene who offered His life for the
forgiveness of our sins.
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d. Lead the people’s popular faith to true Christian service and witness.
1. From the suffering Nazarene to the glorified Savior
- This devotion can tend to foster a certain self-centered, passive fatalistic
attitude that impedes free, creative response to everyday challenges.
- Unless balanced by a devotion to the Risen Christ who goes out to bring
hope and empower His followers by the power of the Holy Spirit, this
devotion may run the risk of becoming rather pessimistic and merely
submissive to the challenges that life offers.
- This devotion calls us beyond a mere victim complex that spawns on
those who live in dire poverty and those depressed by problems that seem
to be beyond their capacity.
- While the Poong Nazareno shows Himself strong and about to rise in the
midst of suffering, He definitely emerges victorious in his Resurrection.
He eventually stands above it all to proclaim to the world that the
Kingdom is at hand and we are called to share in this same glory.
- “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he
dies, will live, and everyone who lives believes in my will never die. Do
you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
2. A genuinely family devotion
- While many family recipes and objects are passed-on as heirlooms, the
faith is definitely one that must be handed on by parents.
- As envisaged by General Catechetical Directory (255) and re-echoed by
the National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines, 2007 edition
(437), the parents are the “primary educators to the faith.”
- This handing on of the faith is not merely through the passing on
liturgical practices (such as regular Sunday Mass attendance) but of the
gospel written according to the experience of the Christian people, that
is, popular piety.
- As evidenced by one of the testimonies, his lifetime devotion to the Black
Nazarene was something he inherited from his father.
- There are many good and convincing ways to transmit the faith in
families. One of the most effective ones is through the passing of family
devotions and even some religious images under their family’s care.
- Certainly, coupled by effective catechesis and active life in the Ecclesial
community (somehow redundant), this popular devotion reaches a fuller
whole.
3. Caritas Christi urget nos. (2 Cor 5:14)
- This is definitely not the first time one has heard this Scripture passage.
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- But in the context of popular piety, one’s devotion to Christ engraved in

an image must impel one to love and serve the image of Christ who is
with us flesh and blood.
- 1 John 3:17 declares boldly, “If anyone is well-off in worldly possessions
and sees his brother in need but closes his heart to him, how can the love
of God be remaining in him?” This passage does not apply only in the
context of this devotion but emerges from and beyond it. One’s caridad
should not be confined to the time when the traslacion is celebrated. It
must be a whole year and whole life thing! Extending to strangers and
those who are alone and bearing their own cross without any assistance,
seeking for mercy and compassion.
- Furthermore, 1 John 4:20-21 adds, “If anyone says, "I love God," but
hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom
he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the
commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his
brother.”