Feastday
not known
Born
not known
Died
not Known
The
Manila story begins with: “Numerous soldiers,” which is a term they used to describe
the forces that Ferdinand Marcos had brought to bear after his defeat in the
Philippine election. Had it not been for the Marian apparition, many people
would have received massive injuries. The soldiers were ordered to fire into
the crowd, to drive over them if they had to.
Manila, Philippines February 25, 1986: “The tanks were trying to
penetrate the crowd. The people were praying and showing their rosaries. That
is when, according to these soldiers, the Marines who were riding on top of the
tanks, the so-called Loyalists (to dictator Ferdinand Marcos); they saw up in
the clouds the form of a Cross. The many sisters had tried to stop them, but
they (the soldiers) told me they had already decided to obey instruction and
push through. Then a beautiful lady appeared to them. I don’t know if she
appeared in the sky or was standing down on the ground. So beautiful she, and
her eyes were sparkling. The beautiful lady spoke to them in this way: “Dear
soldiers, stop! Do not proceed ! Do not harm my children!” When they heard
these words, the soldiers put down everything. They came down from the tanks
and they joined the people. So, that was the end of the Loyalists.” (Jaime
Cardinal Sin, February 25,1986). In 1986, the family of nations watched the
Filipinos in great awe as we toppled the dictator and stopped the tanks’ with
bare hands’ and on our Knees’. All the ends of the earth have seen the Power of
the Rosary, the Power of prayer, the Power of GOD. The two revolutions teach us
that if we, the people of God, turn to the Lord, pray and do penance, He will
hear our prayers and restore dignity and heal our land. More Powerful than
funds are Prayers. More effective than strategic planning are ‘fasting’ and
sacrifices.’ Mightier than military force is the mighty Power of a vigilant
people. Indeed when we give our best to the Lord, and leave the rest to His
Providence, the Lord always responds.” (Jaime Cardinal sin, January 24,2001)
Journalist Discusses the Philippine Miracle with Manila's Cardinal Sin
Taken from Wayne Weible’s Medjugorje the
Mission (Paraclete Press, Orleans, MA , 1994) p.170-173
"It began in February, 1986, as the virtual twenty-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos came to an abrupt and unexpected end through a series of strange events. Corazon Aquino, the widow and reluctant political replacement of slain opposition leader Ninoy Aquino, had won the presidential election. In a stunning upset, she was elected by an overwhelming margin in the snap election, called for by Marcos himself. The Cardinal pointed out that Marcos had called for elections in order to crush the building opposition. However, through ballot box stuffing and other illegal activities, plus a total control of the media, Marcos flagrantly had himself declared the winner…The rigged election results were blatant and obvious to neutral observers and also to the people. Within days, millions took to the streets of Makati and Manila, spurred to action when a dissatisfied segment of the military launched an unexpected coup attempt.... Marcos responded to the rebellion and coup attempt by sending tanks down the streets of the city. He was determined to maintain his grip on the country, even if it meant massacre of the swelling crowds. As a full convoy of tanks and other armament manned by hard-core militant soldiers came against millions of civilians, many of whom were virtually lying down in the streets in front of the tanks, Marcos gave the order to fire on the people.
Cardinal
Sin leaned forward in his chair, smiling. 'What I am telling you now was told
tome by many of these same soldiers who were ready to fire on the people.'
Reclining
again, he continued. 'The tanks were
trying to penetrate the crowd. And the people were praying and showing their
rosaries. That is when, according to these soldiers, the Marines who were
riding on top of the tanks, the so-called Loyalists (to Marcos), they saw up in
the clouds the form of the cross. The many sisters had tried to stop them, but
they (the soldiers) told me they had already decided to obey instruction and
push through. It is now just a question of ten minutes or so. You push the
trigger and there you are -- everybody will be dead.'
Again,
the Cardinal leaned forward. 'Then, a
beautiful lady appeared to them. I don't know if she appeared in the sky or was
standing down on the ground. (Others would later tell me they thought she was a
nun, dressed in blue, and that she was standing in front of the tanks.) So
beautiful she was, and her eyes were sparkling. And the beautiful lady spoke to
them like this: 'Dear soldiers, stop! Do not proceed! Do not harm my children!
And when they heard that, the soldiers put down everything. They came down from
the tanks and they joined the people. So, that was the end of the
Loyalists.' Cardinal Sin paused,
turning his hands upward. 'I don't know
who these soldiers are. All I know is that they came here crying to me. They
did not tell me that is was the Virgin. They told me only that it was beautiful
sister. But you know,' he paused, laughing heartily, 'I have seen all the sisters in Manila, and there are no
beautiful ones. So it must have been the Virgin!' What a story -- and what a sense of humour! Here was a powerful
figure of the Philippine Catholic Church, able to add such a wonderful touch to
another stunning supernatural visit by Our Lady. But being a journalist, I had
to ask: 'Cardinal, do you really believe it was Our Lady that the people and
the soldiers saw?' Cardinal Sin did not hesitate.
'Yes,
My heart was telling me, this was Mary. And since they obeyed this woman who
appeared to them and did not follow orders and fire on the people, then Marcos
had nobody anymore. So, he had to flee. That was the end of him.' ....Adding to the incredibility of the
entire story was the fact that Cardinal Sin had met with Sister Lucia the last
living visionary of Fatima, in Portugal, just before his trip to the United
States and the press conference where he first told the story of the Blessed
Virgin's appearance. Although living in a cloistered convent, Sister Lucia know
everything about the Philippine revolution. She had no access to newspapers,
magazines, or television. Yet, she related all of the details to the Cardinal.
She then told him that Corazon Aquino was a gift to the Philippines from God,
and that if she could maintain peace and democracy there for a period of two or
more years, that nation would be influential in leading China to
Christianity."