Palm Beach Florida Diocese Welcomes Mother Ignacia Movement

H.E. Most Rev. Anthony J. O'Connell, DD Bishop of West Palm Beach, Florida


On 23 December 2001, the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida held a launching of the Mother Ignacia Movement in a Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Excellency Most Rev. Anthony J. O'Connell, DD.  Concelebrating with him at Mass were Rev. Father Joseph Kuczborski and Rev. Father Jimmy Hababag.  Father Hababag is the Diocesan Coordinator of the Filipino Apostolate in the Diocese of Palm Beach.   Venue of the activity was the Mary Immaculate Church of West Palm Beach, Florida Attendance numbered about five hundred participants, most of whom were Filipinos with their American friends.

In his homily Bishop O'Connell exhorted the Filipinos to continue keeping the beautiful tradition of preparing for the celebration of Christ's coming to the world as a human being.  The novena of Masses which the organizers planned were duly actualized by having the Mass held in a designated parishes as scheduled.  The final day of the novena was highlighted by the launching of the Mother Ignacia Movement (MIM).

Bishop O'Connell inducted the MIM core members in the Diocese of Palm Beach.  A briefing made by Sister Maria Nicetas Dael, RVM preceded the induction rites.  MIM pins were distributed to the newly inducted members as a symbol of their bona fide membership to the Mother Ignacia Movement as announced by the National Executive Secretary.   Excerpts from Bishop O'Connell's homily on Mother Ignacia run thus:  "...I congratulate all of you who have given your commitment ...to promoting the cause of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.  We also pray to promote not just to the Filipino community but also to those parishioners of the various parishes about the significant life of Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo.  We pray with the Blessed Mother Mary that with this Movement, Mother Ignacia will be raised to the level of being beatified first and later to be saint as the foundress of the first Filipino community of women in the Philippines."  He closed his talk by saying: " Thank you, Sister, for making sure that we have this celebration here in the Diocese and for all of you faithful community for coming here from everywhere to be part of the Filipino community.  I thank you mostly for taking part in the launching of the Mother Ignacia Movement."


A reception was held at the parish hall with a good number of guests present on invitation.  From their sharing it could be gauged that the work for the cause of Mother Ignacia's beatification will flourish among them.  Special thanks are due to Mr. William Manubag and his family for ring out their way in seeing to it that the MIM visitors were taken care of.

Mary Immaculate Parish Church, West Pal Beach, Florida venue of the MIM launching