Landas Vol. 19 No. 1 (2005)

Devotion to the Mother of Gods strongiin the Philippines, the “land of Mary.” And, as ths issue of Landas takes shape, the country is in the midst of a Marian year celebration. During the July 2003 Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the local bishops decreed the holding of a Marian Year, scheduled to last from August 15, 2004 to December 8, 2005. The previous National Marian Year extended from December 8, 1984-1985; it was designed to mark the bimillenia of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ‘The current commemoration recalls the 150* anniversary of the papal definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception (1854), the Principal Patroness of the Philippines.

However, on the Feast of Corpus Christ in 2004, Pope John aul Il announced an International Year of the Eucharist from ‘October 2004 to October 2005. The Philippine bishops’ response was to celebrate a Eucharistic and Marian Year, combining two pillars of the faith. They determined thatthe “National Eucharistic Marian Year” would have asits theme: “Celebrating the Eucharist ‘with Mary.” Appropriate prayers were prepared; catechetical materials were readied; special pastoral guidebook was published. The celebration continues to unfold nation-wide.

This year the Loyola School of Theology (LST) in Manila, home of Landas, celebrates its fortieth year of existence (1965-2005). ‘Asa theological center located in the “land of Mary,” it promotes a deepening of the Church’s teaching on Mary in both Philippine and Asian contexts. In March of 2001 the school established the “Jaime Cardinal Sin Professorial Chair for Philippine Marian Studies.” Graduate courses, scholarly lectures, symposia and publications on Mary in Catholic and Christian life and history have now become regular features of LST.

The volume you are holding is the fruit of diverse Marian initiatives at LST. Some items were first given as public lectures; ‘others were presented at the student-sponsored theological hours; still others emerged from the creative pen of LST faculty members. All pieces have a direct LST linkage; Landas is most pleased to publish them, knowing similar Marian items will be completed in the coming months and years.