Manila, Philippines, Jul 27, 2021 / 12:55 pm
Philippine Catholic bishops congratulated the country’s
first-ever Olympic gold medalist, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, not only for her
victory but for her show of faith and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Diaz's triumph came in the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting
event on July 26. She also set an Olympic record after lifting a combined
weight of 224 kilograms.
After completing her final lift in a very close competition,
Diaz held her hands to her face, burst into tears and clutched at her
Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Virgin Mary hanging from her neck.
“Thank you, Lord, thank you Lord,” she cried repeatedly
after the winning lift.
Later on the podium at the medals ceremony, Diaz pointed
heavenward after singing the Philippine national anthem, then made the Sign of
the Cross before stepping down and shouting “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” (“Long
live the Philippines!”)
Diaz’s inspirational victory and public display of her
Catholic faith touched the hearts of church leaders and Filipino Catholics watching
from home and quickly went viral on social media.
“We admire her devotion to the Blessed Mother as she carried
in her victory her great faith in God,” said Archbishop Romulo Valles,
president of the country’s bishops’ conference. “Hidilyn is a true weightlifter
who draws her strength from her love for the country and her deep Catholic
faith.”
Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila said Diaz has given
inspiration to all Filipinos.
“Thank you, Hidilyn, for the tremendous honor you have
bestowed on our country,” he said via Church-run Radio Veritas.
“Your success gives light, inspiration, and hope to all of
us, especially in these difficult times,” he continued. “Thank you for the
testimony of your strong faith in God and deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Thank you for reminding us that there is no real success if it does not come
from God.”
In a media interview on July 27, Diaz said her Miraculous
Medal was given to her by friends before she departed for Tokyo earlier this
month.
“They prayed a novena for nine days before my
competition," she told reporters, adding that she prayed a novena herself
and is grateful for all the support her “prayer warriors” have given her.
A novena is a popular Catholic spiritual devotion consisting
of the recitation of a set form of prayer for nine consecutive days, in
petition for a divine favor or in preparation for a liturgical feast or as
participation in an important event such as a Year of Jubilee.
Diaz said the religious medal is “a sign of our prayers and
faith in Mama Mary and Jesus Christ,” adding that her faith in God is the major
reason for her success.
Diaz is the fifth of six children of a poor trike driver in
a small village in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga.
In previous media interviews, the future Olympic gold
medalist said that when she was a child she wanted to be a banker so that her
mother would stop complaining about the lack of money.
A cousin, however, introduced the then-10-year old girl to
weightlifting by training her with makeshift barbells made from plastic pipes
with cast concrete weights at either end.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Episcopal Commission on
Migrants and Itinerant People of the bishops’ conference said Diaz’s victory
showed that Filipinos can rise up to any challenge with God's help.
“[S]he has shown to us that the Filipino can. We can rise up
from all challenges in life. We can surmount all obstacles," said the
bishop.
Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo - SRI LANKA
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