Our Lady, the One Who Consoles

Homily of Most Rev. Charles John Brown, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines

The Silver Pontifical Coronation Anniversary and Solemnity of Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion y Correa

September 4, 2025 | Fiesta de la Coronacion,

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

For me as your Apostolic Nuncio, it gives me so much joy and happiness in my heart to share with you this glorious celebration of Our Lady of Consolation, Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion, the Patron of Intramuros.

Today kicks off ten days of joyful preparation for her glorious feast day, which will be on the 14th of September, in a Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Cardinal Advincula. Ten days of celebration of Our Lady.

I'm very happy to be with the Emeritus-Archbishop of Antipolo, the Most Rev. Francisco M. De Leon, who preached just recently. I recognize the civic officials from Intramuros. I want to recognize in a special way the newly arrived Ambassador of the State of Israel, Her Excellency, Dana Kursh, who just arrived here in the Philippines, and is beginning her service here as a diplomat. We're delighted that she is with us this evening.

To all the priests who have come, especially the Augustinians—the different Augustinian priests who are working here in San Agustin, and various places in the Philippines, all gathered here for this wonderful celebration.

Today, as I said, kicks off ten days of preparation for Her feast day on the 14th of September, Our Lady of Consolation.

It was 25 years ago today, brothers and sisters, a quarter century ago today, in the year 2000, that this beautiful image of Our Lady was Pontifically and Solemnly Crowned by His Eminence, Cardinal Jaime L. Sin, the Archbishop of Manila. So, today we celebrate 25 years since that coronation; and I was given the privilege of repeating that wonderful moment in the Plaza de Roma, in front of the basilica, in front of the Cathedral of Manila, which gave me great joy.

So, today we look at Mary in her splendor, in her glory, crowned with the baby Jesus, surrounded by flowers. This beautiful, amazing, splendid, and brilliant vestments—Our Lady glorious in heaven. We can be sure that she looks down on us and smiles on all of us, especially you, the Filipino people, the Pueblo Amante De Maria, the people who love Mary. Who are we celebrating? Who are we remembering? Of course, we see her with flowers, with splendid vestments crowned.

The Humble Girl from Nazareth

What we're really remembering is a humble Jewish girl from Galilee, from Nazareth, who was chosen by God from all eternity to be the one through whom God would enter the human condition, through whom God would become Man. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” in Nazareth, in Galilee, because of a humble girl. She didn't live in Jerusalem. She didn't live in the capital. She didn't live in the most important place. She lived in the outskirts, in Nazareth; and yet she was chosen by God. The God who created the galaxies, the God who created the universe, the God who created life on Earth. The God who made everything, chose her, this Jewish girl to be the one through whom He would come into the world as Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord and our Savior. 

Mary, of course, as we know in her life, had moments of affliction, moments of suffering. We think about the time when Jesus was twelve years old; when they traveled to Jerusalem, and Jesus was then lost for three days, and they found Him in the Temple in Jerusalem, and brought Him back to Nazareth (Luke 2:41-52). The anguish that certainly any mother losing a child, losing a child for three hours is very provoking of anguish, losing a child for three days even more. Of course, the moment of most suffering for Our Lady was at the foot of the cross (John 19:25), when she saw her Son, her beautiful and wonderful Son put to death on the cross.

So, Mary knew affliction. Mary knew suffering, and yet we call her today, “Mary, Our Lady of Consolation” (Nuestra Señora de la Consolacion). Why? Because she knew affliction. She knew suffering, but she also knew consolation because Jesus, her Son who died on the cross, rose from the dead. He went through death and rose; and came to her, and saw her, and greeted her.

Certainly, at that moment, all of her anguish was turned into joy. All of her suffering was turned into happiness. To have her Son back again with her. So, Mary knows suffering, but she also knows the most beautiful consolation that the world has ever known.

It's our consolation as Christians to know that if we follow her Son, we too will go through death, into eternal life, because her Son is our Way, our Truth and our Life (John 14:6), Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary.

Mary knows affliction and consolation, and she also knows how to console us. Because at the cross, she becomes our Mother. Doesn't she? When Jesus says to the apostle John, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:26-27), Jesus is speaking to all of us.

He's repeating those words in a certain sense today, “Behold your mother.” Your mother is one who consoles you. Any mother, especially a small child, needs to constantly console a child. When a child stumbles and falls, when a child is frightened about going to school, it's the mother who consoles. Mary who knew affliction and consolation, is one who consoles us.

So then, when we come here to the Church of San Agustin, this historic and beautiful church here in Intramuros, and we pour out our difficulties, our afflictions, in front of her image, we can expect to receive her consolation, because she doesn't abandon us.

Mary is the faithful one. Mary is the one who is faithful to Jesus at the foot of the cross. Mary is the one at the Wedding Feast in Cana (John 2:1-11), which we just heard in the Gospel says to us, “Do whatever He tells you.” She consoles.

So, for decades, for centuries, people have prayed in front of this image: men and women, young people, old people, and received Mary's consolation—her closeness, her motherly love for us, her children. All of us, Children of Mary.

That's what we celebrate today, as we begin this preparation for the Feast Day on September 14: Mary, the One Who Consoles. We pray in a very special way this evening for all the people during these ten days of preparation, who will come here and pray in front of this image of Our Lady. This glorious image, which, as I said earlier, reflects the humble girl of Nazareth. We pray that they will receive the consolation of Mary. Mary, who consoles the afflicted.

So, for me, as the Apostolic Nuncio who is with you this evening, having come from the Nunciature with our Counsellor, Monsignor Giuseppe Trentadue, and a newly arrived priest from the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See who will be serving for a year in Naga, Father Juan Gaete. We're delighted to be with you this evening. To share in your joy as you begin this ten day preparation for her glorious feast day.

Let me close by mentioning to you that our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who is an Augustinian, an Augustinian friar, the Master General the Augustinians, who visited the Philippines many times, sends a special message to all of you this evening, by means of the Prior Provincial Father Dante Morabe Bendoy, OSA. Let me read the message that the Holy Father has sent to us this evening.

“His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, has been pleased to learn of the Silver Jubilee of the Canonical Coronation of the Revered Image of Señora de la Consolacion y Correa; and he sends cordial good wishes to all the bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful participating in the Feast Day celebration, in giving thanks to Almighty God for the blessings bestowed upon those who have fostered devotion to Our Lady, through this sacred image over these past years. The Holy Father prays that you will take encouragement from the maternal presence of Mary, who leads us into Christ's mystery with courage and tenderness. In this way, your celebration will serve to inspire present and future generations to continue to bear witness to the saving message of the gospel, entrusting all present to the intercession of the Blessed Mother.

"His Holiness gladly imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of peace and joy in the Lord."

(SGD) Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Secretary of State

So, I wish all of you a most wonderful and blessed ten days of preparation for your fiesta.

Viva La Virgen!

Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo

cover photo from Manila Cathedral