Purity of heart

“Many of them were crying. ‘Yung iba sinasabi, ‘Tama na, tama na’ (Others were saying, ‘That’s enough, that’s enough),” Bob Serrano, producer of Teen Saint Pedro said, referring to the Grade 3 and 4 Paulinian students’ reaction while watching the young Pedro, played by Makisig Morales, being speared during the musical’s death scene.

“They saw in him the purity of heart. Though he died years ago, he continues evangelizing. He continues to evangelize me,” Serrano said, describing how St. Pedro Calungsod’s story remains powerful and fresh despite almost fading into anonymity after his death.

Speaking in front of CFC international leaders yesterday, Serrano said Morales, a singer and TV actor, seemed to “disappear” with St. Pedro taking his place during the musical.

Standing ovations

Likewise, he also gave credit to everyone involved in the project.

“I honor all the cast of teen saint Pedro. We have done many things,” Serrano said.

Standing ovations were given to both shows of the musical, organized by the high school seniors of SPCP and the Sisters of St. Paul Community in honor of Fr. James Reuter, SJ, who died last December 31.

According to Serrano, a CFC leader, the impact of the musical was so great that immediately after the musical, students and parents were inquiring how a CFC – Youth for Christ camp could be organized for the students.

St. Pedro Calungsod, a young catechist who was martryed in 1672 while on mission in Guam, was canonized to become the country’s second saint last October 21. [Nirva'ana Ella Delacruz]

Organized by the Institute of Spirituality in Asia (ISA), the public lecture dubbed “The Spirituality of San Pedro Calungsod” will be a lecture-presentation that looks into the life and times of Filipino martyr Pedro Calungsod and how his spirituality was shaped by his role as a young lay missionary-catechist.

“In rediscovering the spirituality that formed and transformed San Pedro Calungsod, we shall examine the events of his life through the limited historical data available and through the socio-cultural influence of the time,” ISA said in their invitation letter.

Ms. Angela Blardony Ureta, aO.Carm. will be the speaker for the public lecture. She is a seasoned producer and writer of multi-awarded television and radio programs.

ISA said that much of the materials to be used during the lecture will be based on documents and research data gathered in the course of the speaker’s experience as head writer and production consultant of ABS-CBCN documentary special “San Pedro Calungsod”, as well as from actual interviews from historians, theologians and church leaders from Cebu, Manila and Guam, who are considered expert sources on the young saint and his journey to sainthood.

Portions of the said documentary that are relevant to the discussion will also be shown.

Currently, ISA said there are already 30 interested participants who reserved a slot for the talk but they are still expecting walk-ins during the day of the lecture.

A fee of Php 250.00 will be paid inclusive of snacks and certificate of attendance.  Interested participants may call ISA at (02) 723-0449 for further details.

Pedro Calungsod, a teenage boy from the Visayas, joined the mission to the Marianas Islands in 1667 when he was about 14 years old. On April 2, 1672, he was killed while accompanying Spanish Jesuit Diego Luis de San Vitores, head of mission and considered the “first apostle to the Marianas”.

Forgotten and ignored for over 300 years, Calungsod quickly rose to prominence after the 1985 beatification of Fr. Sanvitores, in whose defense the young catechist gave up his life.

Since the diocesan process for his cause for his own beatification was opened in 1994, many academic, church and cultural historians have worked on putting together the bits and pieces of what could have been the life of this simple Visayan boy who rose to greatness because of his exemplary courage and faith.

Calungsod was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI last October 21, 2012 together with six others in Vatican City. (Jandel Posion/CBCPNews)

In his message for the nationwide observance of the Youth Ministry Awareness Week and National Youth Day this year, ECY chairman and Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon urged bishops, priests and religious nuns, and organization leaders to commit themselves to the Church like what the Filipino saint has done during his youth.

“On this Year of Faith, may we ardently and joyfully profess Christ’s love to our young people, inspiring them to commit themselves fully to Him and His Church, as our very own St. Pedro Calungsod has done,” Baylon said.

The ECY has formulated and circulated a formation program for the National Youth Day, which is being observed today, December 16, after the Youth Ministry Awareness Week, which started last December 9.

“With the theme ‘Rejoice in the Lord always!’ [Phil 4:4], this formation program hopes to provide young people with a special moment of grace to become instruments of joy, hope, and new life.

“I kindly enjoin Your Excellency, through your diocesan youth ministry office, to gather and lead our young people in a meaningful celebration of the NYD 2012 with this Formation Program as a helpful guide,” he said.

The NYD 2012 Formation Program, together with the message of Pope Benedict XVI for the upcoming World Youth Day on August in Brazil are available online at the ECY’s official website, http://cbcp-ecy.ph.(YouthPinoy)

November 30, 2012; South Road Properties, Cebu City

By RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL

Your Excellency, Benigno Simeon Aquino, President of the Republic of the Philippines,

Your Excellency, Jejomar Binay, Vice-President of the Republic of the Philippines,

Your Eminence, Jose Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila,

Your Eminence, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop Emeritus of Manila,

Your Excellency, Most Rev. Jose Palma, Archbishop of Cebu and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,

Your Excellency, Most Rev. Giuseppe Pinto, Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines,

Your Excellencies, My Brother Archbishops and Bishops,

Honorable Cabinet Secretaries,

Honorable Michael Rama, Mayor of Cebu City,

Honorable Gwendolyn Garcia, Governor of Cebu,

Honorable Government  Officials,

My Brother Priests,

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Consecrated Life,

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

This remarkable gathering is a testament of how one life can be a principle of our unity.   One life that was offered 340 years ago.  Almost forgotten but now remembered. Nipped in the bud but now blooming like the flowers of May.

Our celebration today is a testament of how one life refuses to die, because it lives on in the heart of God. Some people die even before they start to live, because they refuse to love.  San Pedro lives on because he refuses to give up on love.

And how is it to love?  To love is to stand steadfast in the face of mortal danger, compelled by the love of Christ.   And what is the love of Christ?  “No greater love than this than when a man lays down his life for his friends.”   (Jn. 15:13) The love of Christ is the greatest love of all, it is this love that compels Pedro to lay down his life.  It is this love that compels us today to honor a life that was poured out in love.

If to love is to be compelled by the love of Christ, then love is rooted in faith,   for we can only love the Lord, we can only love as he does, if we believe in him.     Some people say they can love without believing, but that is like saying they can swim without jumping into the water, or breathe without air.  Even the most elementary form of love requires us to believe in the beloved.

Only the love of Christ compels because it is capable of sacrifice.  Other forms of love make a semblance of sacrifice, though they are merely acts of despair.    Others give no value to sacrifice at all, because they are merely acts of self-seeking.  True love, pure love, flows from the heart of Jesus crucified.

Pedro made many sacrifices before he made the final sacrifice.  He had died so many times so that one more death does not matter anymore.  He left home and country at a young age.  He did not experience the care-free days of youth spent in frivolous pursuits.  While the Chamorro young men learned the ways of manhood in houses where they can indulge their passions, Pedro spent his youth learning the basics of the faith, acquiring self-discipline, developing virtue in the fibers of his flesh and in the marrow of his bones.

In contrast, our concept of love today is infected with self-seeking.   It seeks the easy way out. It seeks fulfilment without facing consequences.  It does not assume responsibility.

Our love must be purified by faith.  We must love as Jesus loves.  We must love one another as he has loved us.

This is the love that can save us.  This is the love that we must teach our young.   Not the love that is self-seeking.  Not the love that sets no limit to the self.  Not the love that robs lovers of their souls, but the love that gives dignity, the love that edifies, the love that ennobles.

This kind of love is difficult to teach.  But who says every noble thing is easily acquired?  Every noble thing is precisely noble because it is worth shedding one’s blood.

This love is what we celebrate today.  Only this love can gather so many of us to celebrate and to believe.  Only this love can point us to the future, because it is timeless.  Only this love, the love of Pedro, the love of Jesus, can save us.

Mga igsoon ko diha ni Kristo…

Ang gugma ni Pedro mao ang gugma ni Jesus.  Gugma kini nga andam motahan sa kaugalingon.  Gugma kini nga makamaong mopugong sa kaugalingon alang sa hinigugma.  Adunay gugma nga mohatag sa tanan, apan dili makamaong mopugong.  Dili kini matuod nga gugma, kay ang gugmang tiunay mohatag sa kaugalingon, apan makahatag lamang kita sa kaugalingon kung makamao usab kitang modumili sa kaugalingon.

Ang gugmang tawhanon kinahanglang hinloan sa pagtuo.  Ang pagtuo naghatag kanato sa gahum sa pag-usab sa atong kaugalingon, kay ang pagtuo pagtuman sa sugo sa Dios.  Ang tawo nga mituo apan wala motuman bakakon.

Sundon nato si Pedro sa iyang pagkamatinumanon.  Sundon nato si Jesus sa iyang pagtuman sa kabubut-on sa Amahan.   Matud pa ni San Pablo sa iyang ikaduhang sulat sa mga Taga-Corinto, si Jesus dili mabalhinon ug hunahuna, hinunoa siya kasaligan gayod.  Dili siya “Oo” sa usa ka higayon, unya “dili”  sa laing higayon.  Lunlon lang gayod siyang “Oo” ngadto sa Amahan. (2 Cor. 1:19)

Batid kung marami sa inyo na naririto ngayon ay naghahangad ding marating ang narrating ni San Pedro.

Walang “short-cut” sa pagiging ganap na Santo.  Lahat tayo ay dapat matutong maghintay, magpasensya, magsumikap sa araw-araw.  Ano ba ang katapatan kundi yaong matuto tayong maghintay, at manalig sa Dios?  Ano ba ang pasyensya kundi yaong pag-sisikap sa araw-araw, sa ating pag-gawa nang kabutihan sa kapwa? Hindi pwede mag-isa lang sa pagiging Santo, kailanganin natin ang panalangin nang Panginoon at tulong nang kapwa natin tao. Kung ating mamadaliin ang pag-ikot ng mundo dahil hindi na tayo makakapaghintay, iyan ang simula ng ating pagtataksil.  Sapagkat ang taong hindi makakapaghintay ay magtataksil, unang una’y sa panahon at pangalawa’y sa kanyang sarili. Sa pagtataksil sa panahon tayo’y magnanasang mamadaliin ang lahat ng bagay — biglaang yaman, biglaang katanyagan, biglaang kapangyarihan.  Ang taong biglaan ang pagbulusok ay mag-iisa sa kanyang sarili, sapagkat ang mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya ay hindi kayang sundan ang kanyang kabilisan.

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,  let our gratitude this day be sustained in the daily conduct of our lives.  Let our faith empower us to be faithful followers of Jesus and dutiful citizens of our country.    Let us no longer live dual citizenships — good Christians but bad citizens.  Such duality cannot exist.  If we have to be Christians, let us be good citizens as well — observing every just law, practicing justice in all our affairs, being honest in word and in deed.

Likewise, let our citizenship be empowered by our Christian faith, seeking to apply God’s will in both public and private life.  Let our laws therefore be directed to serve the common good as well as to the Ultimate Good, forming us to be good citizens of this country as well as candidates for citizenship of heaven.

There is a consistent thread that runs through all of nature, from the individual human body to the human community to the wider environment.   In regard to the self, we must exercise self-mastery; in regard to others, justice; in regard to the environment, care and respect.  At every level, we exercise restraint, for that is the nature of rational beings.   Any inconsistency will ultimately lead to the breakdown of human society.

When we respect our nature, we subsume all nature to its Creator, thus, God will be all in all.   This, no less, is the essence of sainthood.

May San Pedro be our example of obedience to the plan of God, of courage in love.  May he be our precursor in heaven, our intercessor for any need, our inspiration for nobility in both living and dying.

Viva San Pedro Calungsod!

Addressing guests at the Cebu International Convention Center on November 30, Cardinal Vidal recounted the twists and turns in St. Pedro Calungsod’s journey to official sainthood.

The 81-year old cardinal could only clarify that when people say the canonization happened because of him, he would reply,”No, it’s Divine Providence.”

As Calungsod’s story unfolded, apparently, Divine Providence would also appoint a human agent for his cause in the person of Cardinal Vidal.

Cardinal Vidal recounted that during the Synod of 1985, the Archbishop of Guam invited him to attend the beatification of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, the priest Calungsod died with in 1672.

Then Guam Archbishop Felixberto Flores told Cardinal Vidal he would also give him “pertinent documents” about a “possible candidate” when he comes for the beatification. It was then that Cardinal Vidal would first read about the martyr from the Visayas who accompanied the Jesuit missionary.

Special endorsement 

Fast forward to 1999, the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, wrote to all bishops asking for documentation on possible martyr candidates for beatification. The Cardinal complied, thinking immediately of the beatification cause of Calungsod. He then presented a petition letter for Calungsod to the Holy Father for his consideration. Right there and then, the Holy Father wrote on the margins of the petition, endorsing it to the Prefect of the Congregation of the Saints. This is why barely five years since Calungsod’s cause was introduced, Cebu’s martyr was already beatified, in March 2000.

A similar “heavenly intervention” happened this year for the canonization when the Cardinal asked  the Congregation of the Saints when Calungsod’s documents could be inspected.

Smiling and amused, Cardinal Vidal remembered how he was shown two big volumes, containing lists of those whose canonizations were pending. He was shown clearly that then Blessed Pedro Calungsod was far down the list.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Holy Father would agree that Pedro Calungsod would be a perfect candidate for canonization because of the declaration of the Year of Faith.

The all-but-forgotten martyr was eventually declared a saint last October 21, together with six others. [Aaron Veloso/Nirva'ana Ella Delacruz]

A true Christian can be faithful in living his Christian faith and be a faithful citizen of his country at the same time, the retired Cebu archbishop said.

Fidelity to the Christian faith should not run counter to one’s observance of the law, he said. “If we have to be Christians, let us be good citizens as well, observing every just law, practicing justice, in all our affairs being honest in word and deed.”

“Let our citizenship be empowered by our Christian faith, seeking to apply God’s will in the public and private life,” the cardinal said, exhorting the vast throng of devotees that filled up the 27 hectare empty space of South Road Properties in Cebu City on November 30.

Delivered alternately in English, Cebuano and Tagalog, Vidal’s homily was punctuated with applause from the public as he addressed the mammoth crowd with a personal touch, as that of a father to his children.

“Let our gratitude this day be sustained by the daily conduct of our lives. Let our faith empower us to be faithful followers of Jesus and beautiful citizens of our country. Let us no longer live dual citizenship. Good Christians but bad citizens.”

He urged for consistent laws that would form people to become good citizens not only for the country but ultimately for the next life.

The country’s laws should be in place to serve the public good, he said—starting from “individual human body, to the human community, to the wider environment.”

He said the essence of sainthood is nothing less but consistency in living one’s Christian life, because “any inconsistency will ultimately lead to the breakdown of human society.”

“In regard to the self we must exercise self mastery, in regard to others, justice, in regard to environment, care and respect.  In every level, we exercise restraint, for that is the nature of rational beings,” he added.

No shortcut to holiness

Reflecting on modern day’s take on love, the cardinal noted that present generation’s idea of love is rather selfish and self-seeking.

“It seeks the easy way out, it seeks fulfillment without facing consequences. It does not assume responsibility,” said the diminutive cardinal, his voice booming.

He said the real meaning of love—a love that edifies and purified by faith—must be taught to the young of today.

“This is the love that we must teach our young, not the love that is self-seeking, not the love that sets no limits to the self, not the love that robs lovers of their soul, but the love that gives dignity, the love that edifies, the love that ennobles,” he said.

He acknowledged that following the right thing is not always easy. But emphasizing on the life of the young saint, he said the love that St. Pedro has shown “can point us to the future because it is timeless.”

It is a love that is patterned after than of Christ, he said.

“Other forms of love make a semblance of sacrifice, though they are merely acts of despair. Others give no value to sacrifice at all because they are merely acts of self-seeking. True love, pure love flows from the heart of Jesus crucified,” the cardinal stressed.

Vidal also urged the people to exercise patience and perseverance as they strive to live faithfully their Christian life, saying “there is no short cut to holiness.”

“We all have to learn to wait, to be patient, to strive our best every day, to have faith in God” as lack of patience and perseverance can only lead us to infidelity, he said.

Joining Vidal in the Eucharistic celebration were Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, Manila Archbishop-emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop Anthony Apuron of Agana, Guam and numerous bishops and priests all over the Philippines and abroad.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay and some Cabinet members and Senate officials were also around during the Mass.

Cebu local officials led by Governor Gwen Garcia and Mayor Michael Rama also attended the celebration.

The Mass was preceded by a foot procession of devotees that began at 1 p.m. going towards SRP and a fluvial procession of the image of San Pedro from Mandaue City to the Templete.

Reports estimated around a million people came to celebrate the Thanksgiving Mass that began 5 p.m. and ended at 7 in the evening. (CBCPNews)

Slated this afternoon at South Road Properties (SRP) at the heart of Cebu, is the National Thanksgiving Mass which will cap the more than a month’s festivities following Pedro Calungsod’s canonization in Rome on October 21.

The celebration will be led by Cebu Archbishop-emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma delivering the homily.

Also joining Cardinal Vidal and Archbishop Palma in the Thanksgiving Mass are Cardinal Angelo Amato, SDB, prefect of Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of the Saints; Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, Papal nuncio to the Philippines; Cebu-born Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla, Papal nuncio to Korea; numerous bishops and clergy from the Philippines and abroad.

Fr. Eduardo Ventic, chairman of the Accommodation Committee for the National Thanksgiving said Vidal’s leading the celebration highlights his important role in the canonization of Pedro Calungsod.

It may be recalled that Vidal, then still the archbishop of Cebu, really worked hard to have the Visayan martyr raised to the altar.

Ventic said around 70 bishops from all over the Philippines are expected to attend the national thanksgiving Mass.

As chairman of the accommodation committee, Ventic oversees the lodgings of the prelates and guests who are coming to attend the occasion.

He said more than 65 prelates have already arrived since yesterday and he expects the rest, including Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle to arrive early this afternoon.

The momentous occasion has united all Cebuanos, according to Ventic, as Church and government officials including the private sector being involved to make the event successful and memorable.

Ventic said cabinet members and senators have been invited but he can only mention Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Vicente Sotto who are among those sure to attend.

Attending local officials in Cebu will be led by Governor Gwen Garcia and Cebu Mayor Michael Rama and city councilors.

Musing on the impact of today’s occasion, Ventic, who is also superintendent of Catholic schools in Cebu, said Calungsod’s sainthood really inspires “us all, the people.”

“People are inspired because we have a new saint. People are looking for someone as a model whom they can emulate,” he said.

Today’s festivities include a fluvial procession at 2 p.m. from Ouano Wharf to SRP led by a replica of the galleon that served as Calungsod’s vessel during his mission journey to Guam.

At least thousands are expected to join the foot procession scheduled at 1 p.m. towards the Templete at SRP where the National Thanksgiving Mass will be held. (CBCPNews)

The fervent devotion shown by the faithful during the “Duaw Nasud” was truly a religious experience, said Fr. Marvin Mejia, assistant secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

As the pilgrim statue of St. Pedro Calungsod visited dioceses across the country, people welcomed the image with much fervor and devotion, Mejia said.

He said people were really happy that St. Pedro Calungsod came to visit their place.

“There’s joy in their faces, the expression of faith, sense of veneration to Pedro Calungsod, really expressed through gestures, through wiping of handkerchiefs, waving of flags, the desire to touch the statue,” he said.

Mejia accompanied the pilgrim image during the Duaw Nasud to the Visayas and Mindanao.

The priest expressed amazement on the people’s expression of devotion towards the young Filipino saint.

“People are lining along the route, waving flags or branches as a sign of welcome, opening their arms in welcome; saying prayers while the motorcade was passing along – whatever time it was whether it’s night, people were there with torches, people are assembled in the cathedral, in hundreds or in some instances, thousands,” he said.

The Duaw Nasud first visited 18 dioceses in the Capital Region, Southern and Northern Luzon and Bicol provinces before it proceeded to visit another 18 dioceses in Visayas and Mindanao.

Mejia noted a greater number of young people among those who welcomed the statue during the Duaw Nasud.

When asked about the effect of the teen saint on young people, the priest said, “Pedro could be a patron to the young, and I think that it is natural now that the young people especially catholic youth may be embracing him as one of his own.”

But he emphasized the need for a continuing catechesis and formation among the faithful, saying that veneration and devotion are good but they are not enough.

“This popular expression of faith should be deepened through catechesis and formation to lead the faithful to worship Christ,” he said, adding that he sees it as a “challenge to the Church especially in this year faith.”

Mejia happily noted that their objective of having introduced Pedro Calungsod through the Duaw Nasud has paid off.

“I think Pedro Calungsod is now a household name, even the young kids, even in Mindanao. I think he is now known, thanks also to the media, but the Duaw Nasud was really on the ground,” he said.

The “Duaw” was first launched in the archdiocese of Cebu in 2000 after the beatification of Calungsod to introduce the Blessed to the Cebuanos.

Mejia proposed the same idea on a nationwide scale to generate awareness and drum up devotion to the new Filipino saint.

The priest said they also printed hundred thousands of prayer cards to establish the cult to the saint.

Mejia also stated that some of the places visited during the Duaw Nasud pointed to some historical elements that can be associated with Pedro Calungsod.

He cited the visits to Pampanga, Cavite, and other places in the Visayas that claimed links with Calungsod.

“For example there was a companion from Pampanga so we went to Pampanga, in Intramuros where Diego San Vitores and his companions were jailed, and the wharf in Cavite, so we went to Cavite, then some places in the Visayas in Molo where Pedro Calungsod was welcomed home as one of their own.”

St.Pedro’s image visited key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao from October 26 until November 26.

From its last stop in Talibon, the image arrived in Cebu and proceeded by motorcade to St. Pedro Calungsod Shrine. Shortly after, it was brought by motorcade to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the first Triduum Mass.

On November 28, the image was brought by motorcade to the Metropolitan Cathedral for the second day of the Triduum Masses.

St. Pedro’s image on Thursday was brought by motorcade from the Cathedral to the newly built Chapel of St. Pedro Calungsod at the South Road Properties.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma consecrated the newly-built chapel during a Mass at 3 p.m. today with Cebu Archbishop-emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and other bishops and clergy concelebrating. (CBCPNews)

PHLPost Postage and Philatelic Department manager Elenita San Diego said the new copies have been made available to the public since Tuesday due to high public demand.

The new batch of stamps, however, was only presented and launched Wednesday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, ahead of the Thanksgiving Mass for Calungsod’s canonization on Nov. 30.

She said that they decided to release the copies earlier because there was a continued clamor for them to issue more stamps on the second Filipino saint.

“Due to insistent public demand, we would be reprinting 500,000 more Calungsod stamps. We would be using the same design,” San Diego said.

Last Oct.21, coinciding Calungsod’s canonization in Rome, the PHLPost first launched the Calungsod stamps at the historic EDSA Shrine in Quezon City.

The agency initially printed 50,000 copies and were sold out in just a matter of nine days, spurring them to produce more stamps, which are sold at P9 per piece.

“Right there, we had a lot of buyers and not all of them are philatelists. They bought sheets of the stamp,” San Diego said.

“One person even bought 200 sheets of Calungsod stamps which she said she would give to friends as gifts,” she also said. (RL/CBCPNews)

The San Pedro Calungsod Quasi-Parish was established last October 14 by Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado to address the spiritual needs of the residents.

The parish covers the housing resettlement projects for informal settlers in the 50-hectare portion of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) reservation.

Fr. Benjamin Molina Jr., parish priest, said they see the need that is present, and the church wants to reach out to the people in the area with around 50,000 population.

“The quasi-parish envisions itself as a church of the poor, a refuge for those seeking hope and healing, a venue for people to be agents of change through spiritual formation and livelihood programs,” he said.

Molina said among the parish’s priorities is to intensify teaching the life and faith of Calungsod among the parishioners.

“We’ve been holding catechism on the life of San Pedro Calungsod in different venues including public schools,” Molina said.

While the parish has no church yet, Molina said he currently hold office and services at a covered court managed by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Aware of the conditions of the residents, the parish also administers sacraments like baptism, marriage including funeral and house blessings without parish fees or “arancel”.

“We bring the sacraments closer to the people for free,” said Molina, who currently resides at the Ina ng Awa Parish Church’s convent inside the NBP minimum security compound.

On December 29, the parish will also hold a Christmas gift-giving activity for around 2,000 children in the NBP reservation.

According to canon law, a quasi-parish is a community of faithful within a particular Church, entrusted to a priest, but because of special circumstances not yet established as a parish.

Following Calungsod’s canonization, church officials expect that more parishes across the country will be established in honor of the Visayan martyr who was canonized in Rome last October 21.

In Cebu, the Pedro Calungsod Parish Church stands in barangay Cantabaco, Toledo City although there is another plan to build another parish church for the new saint in Talamban town.

The San Pedro Calungsod Institute for the Young (SPCIY) was also established in the Diocese of Laoag in Ilocos Norte, which aims to mobilize young faithful to be missionaries for the “New Evangelization”.

On Nov. 30, thousands of bishops, priests, religious, government officials and Catholic pilgrims will gather in Cebu City for the national thanksgiving Mass for Calungsod’s canonization.

President Benigno Aquino III and Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints, are also expected to grace the occasion. (RL/CBCPNews)