If you look at most revolutions in the world, you'll see a heroic figure – a man or a woman who inspired the people to rise and fight for their cause. We have George Washington in the United States, Dr. Jose Rizal in the Philippines, Emiliano Zapata in Mexico and many other heroes punctuating urban squares and national parks with their monuments and statues. Human heroes, flesh and blood incarnates. But what's totally amazing is that in the Philippine Revolution of 1986 which toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the person the Filipino nation elevated to heroic status was not a regular person – it was the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Filipino nation could have chosen Cory Aquino, who was intensely campaigning against Marcos' corruption on the island of Cebu; or Cardinal Jaime Sin, who risked his life using Radio Veritas (the only non-governmental channel) to direct the mass demonstration; or General Fidel Ramos and Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile Sr., who instigated military rebellion. So why did people erect a statue of the Blessed Mother as the heroine of the 1986 EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) Revolution? What was happening on the ground? What did the Blessed Mother actually do?
To understand this unique national phenomenon, you must go back to the scene that unfolded from Feb. 22 to Feb. 25, 1986: an ocean of protestors occupying Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the main thoroughfare around Manila, holding signs clamoring for freedom and justice. But in this scene, the people are also holding something not found in other countries' demonstrations: statues, images and pictures of the Blessed Mother.
The soldiers who were given the command to fire on the demonstrators saw this and uttered to themselves: "Hey, those people are the children of Mama Mary. I, too, am a son of Mama Mary. Hey, those people are carrying rosaries, praying the rosaries. I, too, have a rosary in my pocket. Hey, those people are singing 'Ave Maria.' I've known that tune since I was 4 years old." A mental conflict shook their heads. A spiritual alarm jarred their souls. It just did not make sense for the soldiers to fire at their fellow Marian brothers and sisters.
Meanwhile, a secondary miracle was happening. There are at least 96 Philippine languages in the Philippines and more than 140 ethno-linguistic groups in the south. The soldier from Pangasinan Province who spoke the Ilocano and Panggalatok languages, upon seeing the image of the Blessed Mother, exclaimed: "That's Mama Mary, Our Lady of Manaoag." The Tagalog soldier from Rizal Province declared: "That's Mama Mary, Our Lady of Antipolo." The Bicolano soldier also recognized the woman as "Ina" (mother) – the term Bicolanos use to address Our Lady of Peñafrancia. And so it went, with Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila, Our Lady of the Pillar in Zamboanga, Nuestra Virgen de Regla in Lapulapu City, Our Lady of Badoc in Ilocos, Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas, Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan Valley, Our Lady of Badoc in Ilocos, the Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita, etc.
So when Marcos' central command gave the order to fire on the demonstrators, according to Jesuit Father Nilo Tanalega, the artillery unit made excuses, saying: "Sorry, sir, we cannot get the machine to read the correct coordinates for the target." And, "Sir, something is wrong with our cannon – it's malfunctioning."
In an attempt to manipulate cultural diversity to his advantage, Marcos deviously assigned soldiers from different language groups other than Tagalog, the language of Manila. The object was to prevent ethnic bonding or social bonding by one province native with a co-province native. But the demonstrators, recognizing this tactic, sought beautiful Ibanag women to offer sandwiches and water to Ibanag soldiers; beautiful Visayan women to bring flowers and towel wipes to Visayan soldiers, lovely Bicolana belles to offer snacks and drinks to Bicolano soldiers, etc.
At the end of four unpredictably risky days, the Blessed Mother brought about the first bloodless revolution that became known in the world as "People Power" – a legacy that Filipinos bequeathed to the world. It was also the first Marian Revolution of its kind. Today, the proof of Our Lady's intercession is depicted by a statue of her standing tall at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos.
Dr. Cris V. Villapando is director of faith formation programs for the Diocese of Charlotte and active in the Filipino Catholic community in Charlotte. This month marks the 30th anniversary of the EDSA "People Power" Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines.
According to Church law (Canon 212), the Christian faithful are bound to Christian obedience to their pastors (pope, bishops, local pastors) inasmuch as they represent Christ as teachers of the faith. The faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual needs, and their desires according to their knowledge, competence and prestige. They have the right – and at times the duty – to make known to their sacred pastors their opinion on matters pertaining to the good of the Church, and to make their opinion known to the rest of the faithful.
The right to express personal opinions concerning the good of the Church is more than about voicing complaints. It includes consultation. Opinions are not to be random or capricious, but acknowledged. Integrity of faith and customs is an unconditional limit of this right.
A limit of this right includes matters of faith authentically taught by the Magisterium. If the activity of this right leads to an offense or breach of another right, the rights of free speech and free opinions do not exist.
Examples of a structured forms of consultation include the Council of Priests (Canon 495-502), the Diocesan Pastoral Council (Canon 536), the Parish Finance Council (Canon 537), etc., and, more recently, the consultation questionnaire distributed to every diocese in advance of the 2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family.
Not to be overlooked is that the attitude of pastors is not simply one of obedience, but of trust. All pastors should be willing to listen to lay people, giver brotherly consideration to their wishes, and recognize their experience and competence in different fields of human activity (Canon 592).
These rights and Church laws flow from the teachings of Vatican II – in one of its principal documents, "Lumen Gentium" ("Light of the Nations"):
"The laity have the right, as do all Christians, to receive in abundance from their spiritual shepherds the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the assistance of the word of God and of the sacraments. They should openly reveal to them their needs and desires with that freedom and confidence which is fitting for children of God and brothers in Christ. They are, by reason of the knowledge, competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinion on those things which concern the good of the Church. When occasions arise, let this be done through the organs erected by the Church for this purpose. Let it always be done in truth, in courage and in prudence, with reverence and charity toward those who by reason of their sacred office represent the person of Christ.
"The laity should, as all Christians, promptly accept in Christian obedience decisions of their spiritual shepherds, since they are representatives of Christ as well as teachers and rulers in the Church. Let them follow the example of Christ, who by His obedience even unto death, opened to all men the blessed way of the liberty of the children of God. Nor should they omit to pray for those placed over them, for they keep watch as having to render an account of their souls, so that they may do this with joy and not with grief.
"Let the spiritual shepherds recognize and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the laity in the Church. Let them willingly employ their prudent advice. Let them confidently assign duties to them in the service of the Church, allowing them freedom and room for action. Further, let them encourage lay people so that they may undertake tasks on their own initiative. Attentively in Christ, let them consider with fatherly love the projects, suggestions and desires proposed by the laity. However, let the shepherds respectfully acknowledge that just freedom which belongs to everyone in this earthly city
"A great many wonderful things are to be hoped for from this familiar dialogue between the laity and their spiritual leaders: in the laity a strengthened sense of personal responsibility; a renewed enthusiasm; a more ready application of their talents to the projects of their spiritual leaders. The latter, on the other hand, aided by the experience of the laity, can more clearly and more incisively come to decisions regarding both spiritual and temporal matters. In this way, the whole Church, strengthened by each one of its members, may more effectively fulfill is mission for the life of the world." (37)
Editor's note: This series about the rights and obligations of the Christian faithful, as set forth in canon (Church) law, has been written especially for the Catholic News Herald by Mercy Sister Jeanne-Margaret McNally. Sister Jeanne-Margaret is a distinguished authority on canon law, author of the reference guide "Canon Law for the Laity," and frequent lecturer at universities and dioceses. A graduate of The Catholic University of America with multiple degrees including a doctorate in psychology and a licentiate of canon law (JCL), she is a psychologist for the Tribunal of the Diocese of Charlotte and a judge in the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Miami.