“La Inmaculada de la Medalla Milagrosa” is an exhibit (Nov. 29 to Dec. 8) celebrating the feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. It features the collection of Vincentian priest Fr. Rolando “Fr. Choy” Limjoco. Ordained earlier this year, March 19, he has been assigned to the San Roque Parish in Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Cebu.
Fr. Choy relates that even as a child, he was always a devotee of Our Lady, Mama Mary. Nine years ago, he started to collect medals, and any other objects (estampitas, banners, statues, literature and anything else about the Blessed Virgin of the Miraculous Medal, who is actually Mary of the Immaculate Conception).
He relates that the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure three times. The first time was about midnight July 18, while the Blessed Virgin was sitting on the chapel’s presider chair with St. Catherine’s clasped hands resting on her lap. They conversed for more than two hours. The second time, Our Lady was holding the globe in her hand.
And the third time was Our Lady as the Immaculate Conception, with the serpent lying beneath her feet. Fr. Choy had these images painted on capiz shell windows but for the Immaculate Conception, instead of a serpent, he asked the painter to put a crocodile under her feet, instead of a serpent, to “Filipinize” it.
“It is my dream to put up a museum someday featuring everything about the Miraculous Medal so that the people would know her story,” Fr. Choy said. As of last count he said he has accumulated 245 medals but he has been receiving more since then. Aside from these medals and other artifacts and prints, he would like to put in the museum a compilation of miracles of the medal. An example of the miracles is related by him thus:
“I was looking for medals in antique shops and I entered this expensive looking antique shop. I asked if the shop had a Miraculous Medal and the lady brought out a pearl necklace with all the charms and in the middle was an antique miraculous medal. And then she asked me: ‘Why are you looking for this medal?’ I told her I am a seminarian and the Miraculous Medal is the Lady of the congregation’s mission (the Vincentians).
The lady asked me to pray for her, for her health in general. So I gave her a medal and a novena. And then I prayed for her during our Saturday novena to Our Lady at the seminary. The following Saturday, she called me and told me ‘Child, where is your church located? I will go to Mass there tomorrow.’ The following day, she brought with her an antique wooden statue of Our Lady from Bohol to give thanks for the cure of her liver ailment because when she saw her doctor, the results of the tests were all clear.”
The large statues of Our Lady in the exhibit are from the Asilo de la Milagrosa church in Cebu. The rest of the artifacts and medals in the exhibit are from Fr. Choy’s collection which in themselves already merit a small museum.
Our Blessed Mother comes in many guises, among them as Help of All Christians, as Perpetual Succour, as Mediatrix of All Graces, as the Lady Who Calls (Our Lady of Manaoag), as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, as the Immaculate Conception. Whatever she is called, the best description of her would simply be as the quintessential mother.
The exhibit is at the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion auditorium. Viewing hours are from Monday to Friday, 12 noon to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.