Events: Feast of the Father of All Mankind

 

Today, the first Sunday of August, is the feast of the Father of All Mankind

which is celebrated by several Catholic Churches in the Philippines particularly in Luzon. This feast was foreshadowed in the feasts of Tabernacles and Dedication in the Old Testament era. Both eight-day feasts involved seven days of preparation and a solemn eight days of prayer and assembly.

This feast involves honoring and consecrating ourselves to God as our Father over an eight-day period or "octave".

The eighth day is celebrated as the Feast Day of the Father of All Mankind. The activities consist of praying daily for eight days the Father’s Chaplet on octave beads, concluded by the litany of the Holy Octave of Consecration to God our Father.

The following are the themes for each day: Praise, Thanksgiving, Offering, Repentance, Inheritance, saying "Yes" to God our Father, Fidelity and Consecration. On the Feast Day, a Mass with a relevant homily and a proper Service is offered which may be followed by a procession.

Its greatest significance in these times is that it provides us with an opportunity (1) to honor God our Father (2) to offer Him or "Fiat" and (3) to consecrate ourselves to Him. As He richly deserves, we are finally knowing, loving, serving and honoring Him as God our Father- The Father of All Mankind. This Holy Octave of Consecration has evolved from the messages of God to Mother Eugenia Ravasio, a member of the French missionary order of "Our Lady of the Apostle" at the Diocese of Grenoble, France in 1932.

In these messages, God expresses His great love for mankind and His ardent desire to be especially honored as Father, Creator and Savior, by celebrating a feast in His honor.* (Linda D. Hongo, Bacolod City, contact no. 09216025610)