Every town has a story to tell. But right now, the town of La Paz, Tarlac, has many stories of faith and healing to tell, making it a favorite destination of pilgrims aching for miracles.
There is that story two years ago of the Garingo family from Paniqui, Tarlac, desperately seeking help for their child who was full of sores. Upon entering the parish church of La Paz, the child immediately ran to the altar where Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje) was enshrined. The child’s wounds were healed.
Then there was that woman from Cavite who was stricken with cancer. In her dream, she saw the image of a Blessed Virgin of Tarlac. She went to several churches in Tarlac until she reached La Paz and recognized the image at the altar. She fell on her knees and prayed. Yes, her wish was granted. Today, she remains a devotee of Our Lady of La Paz.
In 2006, Jansen Bonus was comatose for eight days and doctors had little hope of recovery for him. His family stormed the church of La Paz with prayers. Yes, the boy got the bonus his family wanted.
Capiz Calilong of Amucao, Tarlac, had a cancerous mole on the cheek. Non-stop prayers before Our Lady of La Paz led to a new diagnosis: The cancer was gone.
These are but a few of the stories gathered and narrated by Fr. Ramon Capuno, rector of La Paz’s parish church, which was declared a diocesan church — a santuario — in 2006. He conducts healing Masses especially for pilgrims who troop to La Paz in buses.
Miracles abound in the history of La Paz, which was a popular stopover for merchants and tourists from Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. According to old folks, thorny and sticky amorsecos would be seen on the skirt of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. These weeds found on Our Lady’s garment made folks believe that Our Lady went out of her way to protect these travelers from harm, both along the Chico River and on land.
Fr. Capuno says that the first Catholic Church in La Paz was built around 1917, when the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was acquired by parishioners through donations.
La Paz remained peaceful, he says, even during the time of the rebel Hukbalahap movement. No severe damage was wrought by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the recent Typhoon Ondoy even as certain areas were underwater for days.
“Whatever miraculous healings occurred, we can attribute to the intercession of Our Lady. What is important is for us to strengthen our faith in God,” says the charismatic, 40-year-old Fr. Capuno, a Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law graduate of the University of Santo Tomas. To strengthen his parishioners’ faith, Fr. Capuno has been organizing catechetical classes in La Paz barangays ever since he was assigned to this town in 2006.
As La Paz marks its town fiesta on January 23 and 24, Fr. Capuno hopes it will be a celebration made meaningful by a renewed faith in God.
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For schedules of healing Masses, contact Fr. Ramon Capuno at the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje in La Paz, Tarlac, through 0917-630-3080.