Prior to Mawar’s devastation of Guam, Monsignor James Benavente, Rector of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Agana Cathedral Basilica, sent out a prayer that was received and prayed by tens of thousands of Mariana Islanders.
This morning, as the sun rose above the Marianas and initial reports provided that there were no casualties associated with the typhoon that heavily affected Guam and Rota, the monsignor snapped a picture of the nearly-half-millennium-old statue of Santa Marian Kamalen above the sanctuary of the cathedral.
For nearly 500 years, Santa Marian Kamalen has watched over the people of the Mariana Islands. Here she is today, inside the Dulce Nombre de Maria Agana Cathedral Basilica. The monsignor sends the following prayer to the peoples of Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan:
“Good morning. We continue to pray for our island community. We especially pray for those most impacted by Mawar. While there are many damages that surround us, our faith is not shaken. Santa Marian Kamalen, intercede for us, through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!”
– Monsignor James Benavente
