On August 22, 2011, thousands of ardent believers attended the Eucharistic Celebration in honor of the Feast of the Queenship of Virgin Mary followed by the groundbreaking ceremony of the Oratory of Our Lady of MonteMaria in Brgy. Amuyong, Alfonso, Cavite. Most Rev. Antonio Luis Tagle, D.D., the bishop of the Diocese of Imus and also the Chairman of the Board of MMP Foundation, was the main celebrant of the Mass. Together with Fr. Fernando Suarez, the founder of MMP Foundation, priests from different Dioceses and religious communities graced this momentous occasion.

In his Homily, Bishop Tagle encouraged everyone to be an active part of this project through prayers. He even warned the people of the challenges that may come along the way as the project advances. And, he expressed his full support of the building of the Oratory in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Right after the Holy Mass, the blessing of the ground to be broken was done at the actual site, where the monumental structure of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be constructed. The Blessed Mary Mother of the Poor Foundation (MMP), who spearheads the development, dedicates the Oratory to Mary’s unending love and generous care to the faithful.

Standing over the natural beauty of Tagaytay countryside, the Oratory of Our Lady of MonteMaria will be the center of a pilgrimage complex featuring the envisioned 33-storey high image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, veneration of life-size Stations of the Cross, huge concrete beads around a kilometer-long processional garden to form a giant rosary draped upon the sloping landscape, and other devotional chapels.

After the groundbreaking ceremony of the Oratory of Our Lady of MonteMaria, the House of Joseph, the priest house for MonteMaria, also had its groundbreaking ceremony.

Through the maternal care of Mary, Mother of God we continue to pray for the completion of this great gift from God.

OUR LADY OF MONTEMARIA GROUNDBREAKING

HOMILY OF BISHOP LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE