Last February 8, 2009, the members and leaders of CFC-FFL District of Caloocan joined the parishioners of San Roque Cathedral in welcoming the image of the Nuestra Señora de la Leche y Buen Parto in their parish. This title of the Blessed Mother is directly translated as ‘Our Lady of Milk and Good Birth’.

More commonly known as the Our Lady of La Leche, the image was brought to the Cathedral courtesy of the Our Lady of La Leche Movement. It shows the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the infant Jesus – symbolizing a mother’s untiring commitment to safely deliver the baby in her womb and to nourish her child with love by feeding him or her, milk from her own breast.

The devotion to the Our Lady of La Leche originated in 16th Century Spain where it is believed that Our Lady miraculously saved the life of a dying mother and her unborn child. For years, the devotees conservatively promoted their religious commitment to the image, moving from Europe to North America and eventually reaching Catholics in Asia. On September 9, 2000, the Our Lady of La Leche Movement was given ecclesiastical permission to promote their devotion in the Archdiocese of Manila. Her feast day is celebrated on the 11th of October. She is recognized as the patroness of all pregnant women and women (or couples) who desire to be blessed with children.

On that special Sunday, the eucharistic celebration held in her honor was solemnized by His Excellency Bishop Deogracias S. Iniguez, Jr., DD and con-celebrated by Rev. Fr. Constantino D.C. Conti. It was truly a spirit-filled occasion as His Excellency spoke about caring for the well-being of mothers, their children (both living and unborn) and the call to defend life in general, especially at this time when so many elements of society are involved in promoting the culture of death. At the end of the mass, the good bishop called on mothers and would-be mothers for a special blessing. Afterwards, he also prayed over married women and couples, yearning for the blessing of a child.

Members of the Our Lady of La Leche Movement were present, along with Sr. Pilar Versoza, RGS, foundress of the Pro-Life Movement of the Philippines. The CFC-FFL members of the Diocese of Caloocan were also very well represented.

Contributed by:

Chinka Besinga-Sarmiento