Our Lady of Piat, Liberate Us from the Viral Pandemic of Ignorance

What does it mean to be a pueblo amante de María in an age of misinformation and ignorance?

Last July 2, the faithful celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Piat, honoring the Blessed Mother who has been a beacon of hope and consolation for countless devotees through the centuries.

As a Cagayano, born and raised in the historic town of Lal-lo, the former seat of Nueva Segovia, where devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has long been a way of life, I have witnessed thousands of pilgrims from all walks of life journey to the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Piat year after year. They carry candles, rosaries, and heartfelt prayers, accompanied by their families and loved ones. For many, the basilica has become a sanctuary of consolation, where burdens, worries, and sorrows are entrusted to a loving Mother.

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As a child, I believed that people went to Piat simply to ask for miracles and answered prayers. As I grew older, however, I came to realize that perhaps the greatest miracle the Blessed Mother desires for her sons and daughters is not the granting of extraordinary favors or material blessings that satisfy our earthly desires, but the conversion of hearts and minds that humbly seek the truth and cast off ignorance.

This, perhaps, is what it truly means to be a pueblo amante de María—the beautiful Spanish expression describing Filipinos as a people deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who lovingly intercedes for them and leads them ever closer to Christ. To Jesus through Mary.

Our devotion to Mary is deeply rooted in our Filipino history, culture, and faith. As the Jesuit theologian and Mariologist Fr. Catalino G. Arevalo SJ, aptly said, “To understand Filipino Catholics, one must understand their love for Mary.”

We live in an age where information is readily available, yet the wisdom to discern truth is often lacking. News and information travels rapidly in the blink of an eye through modern technology and social media. Yet the viral pandemic of ignorance spreads even faster. It spreads not because truth is inaccessible, but because many have become complacent and make little effort to discover, reflect upon, and discern what is true. We are challenged by what psychologists call cognitive laziness—the tendency to accept information without critical inquiry or thoughtful reflection, especially in this age where social media values speed more than wisdom.

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Whether learned or highly educated, none of us is immune. We are also vulnerable like grains of sand on the seashore—small and easily swept away when exposed to the overwhelming currents of false narratives that bypass our rational thinking and appeal instead to emotion. Ignorance is indeed contagious. It is a dangerous disease, not because it attacks the body, but because it distorts the mind, weakens critical thinking, and wounds the very heart of society. Its toxic consequences are felt in our families, our schools, our communities, and ultimately, our nation.

Many of us believe that we possess the whole truth, yet we often forget that truth is not merely a conviction to argue about, but a virtue to live out, and, above all, a person to encounter—Jesus Christ.

In a society distorted by lies, fake news, misinformation, and false narratives, Mary teaches us the right way. She “treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). In an age that rewards instant reactions, she teaches us the discipline of wise reflection. We ponder in order to see more clearly, we listen in order to understand more deeply, and we discern in order to embrace wisdom and truth. Mary is the greatest exemplar of openness to truth, prudence, attentive listening, and discernment. She teaches us that truth demands conversion of our hearts, minds, and souls.

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As a true pueblo amante de María, may Our Lady of Piat lead us closer to her Son, Jesus Christ—the true light. From ignorance to truth. As she leads us, may we become witnesses to the truth in a world longing for light.

Her maternal heart is a home for every searching soul. She is and forever will be,

Yena Tam Ngamin—A Mother to All.

Jomar Siriban,

stmichael1691@gmail.com