0 Calungsod donors win BMWs, Sorento

Three lucky donors for the Pedro Calungsod canonization fund will soon drive their brand new luxury vehicles after their names were drawn in last Tuesday’s raffle draw.

Among the winners was Msgr. Achilles Dakay, Cebu Archdiocese media liason officer who will drive home a BMW 1 Series as the second prize winner.

The grand prize winner for the BMW 3 Series is a lucky lady who bought the certificate sold by finance committee member Amado Go while the third prize  Kia Sorento went to the owners of a travel agency, Federico and Elizabeth Reyes.

However the three haven’t brought home the cars yet because taxes and registrations have to be settled first.

The winners were drawn from the donors of the Pedro Calungsod canonization fund who purchased an art piece created by internationally renowned Cebuano industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue. Each commemorative art piece cost P25,000.

“The second prize, BMW 1 Series was won by Msgr. Dakay (which is) not surprising as he sold over 60 certificates,” says Marlinda Angbetic-Tan, chairperson for the special events committee for Calungsod canonization.

Tan said that they were able to give away 400 certificates to donors who bought the commemorative sculptural piece.

“Our rationale for the project was to involve more Catholics in the canonization process, not just as bystanders… We will be able to give about P3 million to the canonization funds,” Tan told Cebu Daily News.

The special events committee prepared 1,500 art pieces of Cobonpue, 300 were prepared for the major sponsors.


By Marian Z. Codilla
Cebu Daily News

0 Inspire youth to be like ‘Pedro’, CBCP urges ministers

MANILA - The CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) has challenged religious and lay youth ministers to inspire young Catholics under their care to be like St. Pedro Calungsod, especially in this Year of Faith.

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.

0 A church of 100 walls’ rises in Cebu

A landmark on what will be a new mixed-use center, the new shrine to St. Pedro Calungsod is a modern structure symbolizing the ‘mysterious force’ of God

THE CHAPEL of San Pedro Calungsod is a forest of walls that you wander through until you discover the center–a space of spiritual retreat and well-being. JIM GUIAO PUNZALAN

THE ARCHITECTURE invites
searching, walking through
and discovering.
PHOTOS BY JIM GUIAO PUNZALAN

Bold and expressive in architecture, a new place of worship serves as the foundation of a large mixed-use center in a reclaimed area in Cebu.

SM Prime Holdings is poised to replicate a Mall of Asia-type of development at the South Road Property, and the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod will serve as a spiritual anchor.

Initially, the firm Carlos Arnaiz Architects (Caza) gave the chapel project a pet name, “Stonehenge,” referring to the ancient monument of massive standing stones in a circular setting in England. Similarly, from afar, the chapel is a formation of 100 concrete walls of varying sizes.

“Aesthetically, people said it didn’t look like a church. It’s called the ‘Church of 100 Walls.’ Each wall is different in height and width. No wall is the same. The inspiration was the notion of diversity. We wanted a church that represented what society is today. We wanted a church that stands for many paths, that wouldn’t be just one path to God,” says New York-based, Filipino-Colombian architect Carlos Arnaiz.

“It’s also been called a forest of walls that you wander through, until you discover the center—a space of spiritual retreat and well-being.”

He adds that it was also nicknamed “stegosaurus,” after the dinosaur with bony plates on its back. The environmental engineers discovered that the building fins that went past the roof provided shade and reduced heat in the building.

The stark cross that stands above the fins is like a finger pointing toward the heavens.

ALTHOUGH the chapel
is composed of modern
minimalist elements,
Arnaiz says the design
still has associations
with the past.

Breaking boundaries

The project is often referred to as the “baby” of Marissa Fernan, vice president for SM Prime Holdings. In modesty, she says, “It’s the baby of Hans Sy (president of SM Prime Holdings). He financed it.”

Reading an article on Arnaiz’s Chosen Children Village Chapel, she was impressed by its boldness, which was highlighted by the simple, repeating volumes of irregular rectangular lines done in one material, concrete. The purity of the line and color powerfully communicated a reference to the Divine.

Fernan contacted Arnaiz through Google. Among his current projects are the international airport in Caticlan, a hotel in Rio de Janeiro, an office complex in Bogota, a luxury condo in Lima, a museum in the US and a mixed-use center in Kuala Lumpur.

GEOMETRY inspired by geometric
grid. Mullions on the glass
cast shadows at the Adoration Chapel

Arnaiz is often asked to describe his style. “We are more interested in seeking a design that you might not have seen, but is produced out of a very close study of what the particular subject has—climate, function and site.”

When Fernan showed Arnaiz’s background materials to Hans, they learned that his sister, Elizabeth Sy, president of SM Hotels, had exploratory talks with Arnaiz for other projects.

Fernan recalls, “Hans was going to build a traditional church, but the mall would be modern.” She urged Hans to build a contemporary church that would blend with the design of the new complex.

“She (Fernan) lobbied with SM Group. They were excited to think about how we could give something to Cebu that has never been built, and would break some boundaries,” says Arnaiz.

Meanwhile, when Hans “Chico” Sy Jr. was planning to get married in their resort development in Hamilo Coast, Batangas, Arnaiz was tasked to convert the sales office into a chapel. The basic skeleton was kept. However, it was transformed into a sanctuary of glass which blurred the distinction between the indoors and nature. The chapel became part of the seascape.

THE CAZA architectural firm designed the
Stations of the Cross.

In Cebu, the place of worship in the south reclamation area was meant to be called the Shrine of Mary Mother of God. When the Church announced that Pedro Calungsod, the Cebuano martyr, would be canonized as a saint, Fernan requested the diocese to reconsider making it an homage to Calungsod. Since he is a newly canonized saint, the place would have to undergo several procedures until it is classified as a church or national shrine.

Eyes up

The 4000-sq-m chapel was built in 10 months with a budget of P160 million or $4 million, a modest sum by international standards. Designed to bring a sense of community, it includes a multipurpose hall, an Adoration chapel for the Tabernacle, a baptistry and a children’s room.

“You can’t buy a one-bedroom place for $3 million in New York,” says the architect.

Since reclaimed areas tend to be flood-prone, Sy insisted on raising the church. “Seventy percent of the project cost was in the piles and raised slabs. Basically, this church is on stilts,” explains Arnaiz. The elevation of the architecture produced sunken areas which became pocket gardens for meditation. The adjacent walls serve as spaces for silence and Stations of the Cross. “You can do the Stations of the Cross on the outside and wander through the walls,” says Arnaiz.

From the entrance, the place is obscured by volumes of concrete walls. “People describe God as a mysterious force that appears in your life when you least expect it.  We wanted a building that was mysterious, almost like a cloud, ambiguous as it is constantly changing.”

HANS Sy, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Felicidad
Sy and Florentino Impas by Calungsod’s painting

But once inside the chapel, the individual feels the openness of the large expanses of glass that embrace the outdoors.

Although the chapel is composed of modern minimalist elements, Arnaiz says the design still has associations with the past.

“The design is simple—just concrete walls and paint. By organizing the different walls at different heights, we create this experience of light and air. Before we did this church, we researched on the history of church design. We discovered that all churches have a vertical element. At St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, your eyes are raised to the cupola. At St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the eyes are raised to the Byzantine mosaics on the ceiling. The design always brings the eyes up to an elevated being like God,” he explains. For instance, the spires and the glass fins carved into the altar lead the eye upward.

“The other thing is light. There are clerestories in churches in France. In Gothic churches, the stained glass allows light to enter in different ways. Here, we were able to achieve the two elements of verticality and light through the walls. Because of its strong volume and openings in various sizes, the power of natural light produces magical effects on the simple interiors. At night, the artificial lighting emphasizes the composition of the walls.”

Sense of place

The even number of the walls—all 100 of them—was a reference to the symmetry that lent formalism to ecclesiastical design. “Many churches had patterns that were divisible by a particular number,” says Arnaiz.

ARCY Gayatin and Philip Rodriguez

To give the chapel a sense of place, the walls were done in rough finish to mimic Mactan stone. “We wanted a church that would feel that it came out of the ground—to appear like it’s protruding, as if these things were a ruin. We spent time on texture and matched the color of Mactan stone, which is considered endangered,” explains Arnaiz.

Summarizing the design concepts, he cites: “One, there’s a notion of a mysterious building that beckons you to learn more. It produces a sense of curiosity. Two, in the church, you are invited to wander around. This recreates the sense of seeking that is part of the religious experience. Three, the church stands for the creation of one through its diverse parts. It embodies spirituality today. It’s not like you are being dictated to, that there’s only one way to God.  He is experienced in different ways, and the Church is the symbol of that reality.

“Four, we’ve made walls of the same thickness but different heights, coordinated and designed in different ways. We then tapped into the history of ecclesiastical design, which has to do with verticality and the interplay of natural light with volume.”

During the consecration rites, “I was overwhelmed by the many forces that worked to make it a chapel site for Pedro Calungsod, even to the choice of a rector,” says Fernan.

During the consecration, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s speech validated SM’s mission and the architect’s design. “God is no longer the distant God as others thought… This church is a sign that God lives in our midst… May this church be a refuge for those who find life weary and burdensome, may this church be a place where people celebrate their joys, hopes and dreams. May this church be a place where people would learn that God’s love is greater than any other force.”



By Marge C. Enriquez
Philippine Daily Inquirer

0 San Pedro Calungsod Chapel Opens

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and the Archdiocese of Cebu recently led the dedication of the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod in SM Seaside Complex at the South Road Properties in Cebu City. The day after its dedication, it was the holding area for the Bishops who took part in the National Thanksgiving Mass celebrating the canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod in the South Road Properties area.

The Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod is the first structure in the SM Seaside Complex, echoing a practice during Spanish times when towns would be built around a church. More recently, the Shrine of Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life, was also the first structure in the now bustling Mall of Asia Complex when it was blessed in 1999.

The Chapel was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sy, Sr. to the Archdiocese of Cebu, and is dedicated to San Pedro Calungsod, the first Visayan saint, who is considered a role model for the youth. Martyred in Guam for his missionary work in 1672, he was beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000. San Pedro Calungsod was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Oct. 21.

Designed by US-based Architect Carlos Arnaiz, the chapel sits on an elevated 5,001 sqm lot within the SM Seaside Complex. It can accommodate up to 803 people.

The design for the chapel is meant as a homage to Cebu's dynamic spirit. Cebu has become the heart of Philippine design culture - open, vibrant, yet relaxing in a spirit of cosmopolitan exchange. The city is host to a growing community of talented designers, filmmakers, businessmen and trendsetters who are in the process of defining how a passion for history, craft, and hard work nurtures innovation.

The building is grounded on a long history of ecclesiastical architecture wherein light and structure work together to inspire. And yet, the design is truly contemporary, futuristic, and contextual.

The Church stands as a sanctuary of stone, sand, and glass from where we can meditate on the changes happening in the world and find strength in our encounter with the inexplicable mysteries of God. It invites us to wander around its grounds and discover sunken gardens, pockets of blue light, and an enigmatic profusion of talismanic walls.

The Church has 100 walls, each with a unique height and width so that they seem almost like people. No one is the same and yet they are all connected in the fact that they exist together as a cluster. The walls come together to form a kind of congregation, and within it are auxillary spaces for a baptistry, an adoration chapel, prayer niches, the sacristy, 14 stations of the cross, and even a quiet room for children. A multipurpose area for church functions is located below.

The Consecration Mass during the dedication was celebrated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and attended by hundreds of Bishops from all over the country. The Sy family led by Felicidad Sy, and Hans T. Sy were also present during the Mass.

The official pilgrim image of San Pedro Calungsod was brought to the chapel through a motorcade from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral to be there during the consecration Mass. The image will be placed at the San Pedro Calungsod Shrine at the Archbishop's Palace, with the chapel a replica of the statue in the chapel.

The Archdiocese of Cebu appointed Msgr. Vicente Tupas as rector of the SM Seaside's Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod.

Manila Bulletin

0 Calungsod draw moved to Dec. 18

DUE to numerous unforeseen events that happened, the scheduled raffle draw for holders of Certificates of Donation in the Fund Drive for San Pedro Calungsod’s canonization will be moved from Dec. 8 to Dec. 18 at 5 pm at the SM City Cebu North Wing Atrium.

There will be representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and an independent auditing firm to witness the event.

Special Events chair Marlinda Angbetic Tan disclosed that the commitee members, as well as the Finance Commitee members headed by Msgr. Roberto “Boy” Alesna, are pulling all stops to convince more generous donors to give P25,000 for a numbered Certificate of Donation that will entitle the owner to a raffle draw of three top brands: a BMW Executive Series, a BMW 1 Series and a Kia Sorrento. Only 800 certificates are available and only paid certificates will be eligible for the raffle.

Cebu Daily News

0 HOMILY AT THE NATIONAL THANKSGIVING FOR THE CANONIZATION OF SAN PEDRO CALUNGSOD

By RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL

Archbishop of Cebu



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!

0 Youth for peace

The recent canonization of Cebuano San Pedro Calungsod and the elevation of Filipino Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, both youthful representatives of our hopes for our future, blessed us with faith and strength that upheld us through the devastating trials of Storm Pablo this week.

We here in central Cebu have been thankfully spared through these, thanks to Señor Sto. Niño whose feast day we shall celebrate next month, to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Cebu, and San Pedro Calungsod, whom most of us have prayed to for safety. And because of this, it is now our responsibility to help our brethren who have suffered loss of life, limb and property that they may not lose hope, but rise to yet live on in faith.

And all of these, even as we continue with our own personal concerns and responsibilities.

In this Year of Faith, we are reminded that the new liturgical year started with the First Sunday (of four) of Advent, as we count “the number of days” before Christmas.

Thursday last week, Nov. 29th, I attended the traditional Aboitiz Christmas party for Cebu media at the Marriot Hotel. This was thoughtfully scheduled early this year so that it would not coincide with other parties for media held by Cebu’s business companies, unlike an earlier year when media parties were held for media on the same day by both Aboitiz and San Miguel, which split up media guests.

The Aboitiz party, “Rockeokee” Night (Let’s Party Like a Rock Star), was officially opened by president Erramon Aboitiz of Aboitiz Equity Ventures. It was quite a party for all the youthful guests, whom this bystander admired for their dancing along to all the catchy rhythms.

The following day, Friday, Nov. 30th. I attended educator and fellow Zontian and former president of Zonta I, Fe Necessario’s birthday party at her residence at Sabellano Street in Tisa. Her guests included fellow members in the various educational, civic and religious organizations she actively belongs to. Among them were a few former students of mine and listeners to my early radio programs, who remembered and greeted me, after all these years. God bless them!

Most of her guests included priests and seminarians, led by Msgr. Fred Krekienbeek, who celebrated birthday Mass for Fe. Msgr. Fred, a well known religious authority and consulted Church-recognized exorcist, has founded a religious order for priests as well as for nuns, many of whom were present, some assisting in the Mass.

Then last Sunday, I attended our monthly meeting of Cebu United for Radio and Television Artists, Inc. (Curta) at the Rizada residence in Tisa. After tending to administrative concerns, including membership, led by president Edgar Gutierrez, honorary chairperson Rose Rizada took up with the group plans and details of our Curta Corp. Christmas Party on Dec. 16. After Mass celebrated by Msgr. Jose Tajanlangit, special awards will be given out, followed by the Christmas program and party, all to be held at the Rizada residence in Tisa. A detailed report on this will come out in my column the day after the celebration.

Tomorrow will be the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. It will be a very full day for me. The “Women’s Kapihan” which I host tomorrow at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. over dyLA, will immediately be followed by our fellowship, and Christmas party. Then at 6 p.m., I shall proceed to the Cebu Country Club for Mass with our Zonta Club of Cebu I, to be followed by our Zonta Christmas party. Meantime, I am afraid I shall not be able to attend the opening of “Homage”, an exhibit of prints by Manuel Rodriguez, Sr. at the same 6 p.m. tomorrow at the SM City Cebu Art Center, on the invitation of Cebu Artists, Inc. But I hope to see that exhibit on any of the days after.

The topic for discussion on tomorrow’s “Women’s Kapihan” is Violence Against Women and Children, and the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW (Violence Against Women). The monthly program is organized by Legal Alternatives for Women’s Center, Inc. (Law Center, Inc.) and Cebu Women’s Network. Our panelists are CWN officers, board members and regular members.

Up for discussion are various forms of violence against women and children, how they are committed, Philippine laws against this violence, and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign which will continue with the global theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Change Militarism and End Violence Against Women.” Do listen in.

And now for special movers and significant dates. Congratulations to Dr. Marcelo Lopez on his appointment as president of the Cebu Normal University (my alma mater) for 2012 to 2016, in which congratulations I join with the Federation of CNU Alumni Association, Inc. Last Tuesday, Dec. 4, Cebu remembered the late and beloved Serging Osmena’s 96th birth anniversary. And from Dec. 16 to 19 next week, we look forward to a successful National Youth Development Summit at Silliman University in Dumaguete City. It is the most holistic and progressive youth conference yet in the Philippines. Theme of the summit is, “Reclaiming the Past, Imagineering the Future.”

This Year of Faith has been truly presaged for our country’s youth by the young Filipino martyr, San Pedro Calungsod, and the second to the youngest cardinal in the world, Philippines’ Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle!

Until next week, then, as always, may God continue to bless us, one and all!

By V.P. Vamenta
Cebu Daily News

0 Yule Expectations

MANY things that did happen at the beginning of the month may influence the rest of our celebration of Christmas. Foremost of these events are the coming of a storm, the picking a former Cebuana councilor as president of the Southeast Asian Nation psychiatrists and the adoration for San Pedro Calungsod.

These celebrations may not have importance in our individual lives, in the same manner that we enjoy the significance even of the baptism we once had. But this makes me recall my favorite Santa Claus story when I was five-years old.

It was the tradition in my family to hang socks inside which Santa Claus was supposed to put gifts. We were made to understand that the gifts would be for good behavior during the year. My two-year-old younger brother, Nerius, was also made to hang his own sock. But this particular Christmas day, I found my sock empty while that of my brother was full. I cried.

My mother explained to me that probably Santa Claus must have realized that I was not behaving well during the year. When I looked back the past months, I realized that Santa Claus was probably right. There were many times that I disobeyed my mother and made my younger brother cry. Mother suggested to my brother that he give me some of the gifts he got.

It was an incident of my Christmas life that I could not forget. I realized then that everything that you do for yourself or for others will always have implications touching on other people’s lives.

President Aquino during his thanksgiving talk last Friday, said of San Pedro Calungsod: “Calungsod proved how a single individual can bring about widespread change.” (And also there was) “San Pedro’s holiness and ideals (that) he has etched into our national consciousness, the sense of self-sacrifice for faith and for principle and outward offering of one’s self for the greater good."

Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said on the same occasion (that) “Christians cannot lead double lives.” The cardinal said that “if we have to be Christians let us be good citizens as well as observing every just law, practicing justice in all our affairs, being honest in word and deed.” He pointed to the necessity of showing to our young the kind of love we must teach them.

He said that “it should not be the love that is self-seeking, not the love that sets no limits to the self, not the love that robs lovers of the soul, but the love that San Pedro has shown, the love that gives dignity, the love that edifies, the love that ennobles.”

In sum, the yule season is full of reminders to us regarding what Christmas should all mean to all of us. It is the time of changing the directions in our life and adapting new ones.

By Godofredo M. Roperos
Sun.Star Cebu

0 People’s show of devotion to Calungsod, amazing - priest

CEBU City - The people’s expression of faith and the fervor of their devotion to the new Filipino saint was truly astounding, a Church official said.

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)

0 Cardinal Vidal recounts Calungsod’s journey to canonization

CEBU City - If there is anyone who has accompanied most closely St. Pedro Calungsod’s journey towards canonization —from near anonymity to become the Philippines’ second saint—it is Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal.

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]

0 There is no double life for Christians - Cardinal Vidal

MANILA - Speaking before a vast crowd during the National Thanksgiving Mass for Cebu’s homegrown saint, Archbishop-emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal called on the faithful to live an integrated life, stressing that a true Christian cannot live a double life.

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)

0 A letter to Pedro Calungsod

Dear Pedro, I write this letter to you

For the young—and old people of my time,

(The latter being those conscious of death

Because of years, and, well, also of love,

Which tells of a reality that’s greater,

The former are of course fit as a spear.)

How youthful hopes can be broached by a spear

Into a flood of grace–this we see in you.

Than money and power, is there nothing greater?

Must life be laid on the lap of time,

Untaught or neglectful of such as love,

Certain of nothing but the fact of death?

Adventure is of youth, but never death.

At your age, one went to sea with a spear–

To fish–but you went with Diego for love

Of the Word, finding life in Him, and you

Crossed the Pacific, to fish–for souls this time,

In Tumhon, a richer catch and a greater.

Youth counts in combat, nothing could be greater

Than quickness of mind and limb, because death,

They say, does not happen before it’s time,

When the mundane hour hand becomes a spear.

But you did not let the heathen miss you

Again, for, set on its head, Death is Love.

How far from you the land of earthly love

For somehow you knew that there was a greater

Place that was calling for Diego and you,

Which Jesus had recompensed with his death,

Confirmed by the thrust of a soldier’s spear–

A land that lies before and after time.

The Tumhon sea is as constant as Time,

And the men shuttle between work and love,

And sleep, while their wives clean the

fishing spear

For yet another day, nursing a greater

Dream, perhaps one that comes true beyond death,

And which someone welcomed, and this was you.

When you refused to duck a second time,

You showed us that, as between Death and Love,

Love is the greater, and the sharper spear.


By Simeon Dumdum Jr.
Cebu Daily News

0 Devotees share stories of faith

Two women yesterday shared their stories of faith in San Pedro Calungsod’s intercession for divine providence.

Mary Jane dela Torre, 33, of Mandaue City, said doctors found a lump in her child’s neck two months after he was born.

Dela Torre said she had a hard time giving birth to Ejhay, her second child now aged three.

The mother went to St. Joseph’s Shrine in Mandaue City yesterday with the boy and his sister Sharia, 7.

“I promised San Calungsod that I would go to the shrine to see him,” she said.

Dela Torre gave birth to her son on Sept. 14, 2009. She was advised to undergo a caesarian operation which would cost P50,000 to P60,000. She refused.

The doctor who later delivered her 7.5-pound baby used forceps.

Unable to pay doctor fees, Dela Torre didn’t come back for a checkup. Two months later, the mother noticed a lump in the right side of her sons neck. Again, the doctor said the child had to undergo an operation when he reaches 7 years of age.

Dela Torre said her husband Jody, a tarpaulin sewer, can’t afford that.
Instead, she relies on prayers for the intercession of Pedro Calungsod after hearing accounts of miracles attributed to his help.

Every night before going to bed, the mother applies liniment on E-Jhay/s neck.

She said one night while doing their usual ritual, the boy uttered: “Calungsod ayoha nako ha, Mama Mary ayoha nako (Calungsod please heal me. Mama Mary please heal me).”

Like the Dela Torres, 32-year-old Lolita Andero also went to the St. Joseph’s Natinoal Shrine to see the pilgrim image of the saint, which stayed there overnight.

Andero suffers from goiter.

God’s will

She took a tricycle to the shrine at 5 a.m. to catch the send off mass for San Pedro.

Andero said her health deteriorated after she didn’t show up for her medical check-up.

“It’s God’s will for this to happen to me that’s why I accepted this,” she said.

Andero, who has bald patches which she says was the side effect of pain killers she was taking, told Cebu Daily News that the doctor advised her against undergoing operation.

“I hope that San Pedro Calungsod will help cure me of my illness,” a teary-eyed Andero said.

By Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
Cebu Daily News

0 Bishop urges Pinoys to follow Calungsod's ways

CEBU, Philippines – Bishops and Archbishops who joined the national thanksgiving Mass for San Pedro Calungsod on Friday expressed their happiness over the Cebuanos’ effort in organizing such a big event.

They said that it was a chance for everyone to renew their faith especially during the Year of Faith.

Bishop Julius Tonel from the Diocese of Ipil in Zamboanga-Sibugay said Calungsod’s sainthood was celebrated at the right time when the Church is facing key challenges.

“It’s very important especially for our faith as a Catholic nation in many situations that we are threatened by moral issues and our faith would give us, our very core  what it means to live as Catholic missionaries like Pedro Calungsod,” said Bishop Tonel.

Bishop Ricardo Baccay, Auxilliary Bishop of Tuguegarao, said Calungsod is everyone’s saint, and everyone is encouraged to follow his ways.

“There are many ways to have Pedro in our lives, but for me, now especially in the Year of Faith and call for evangelization, all of us are being called radically to follow him,” said Bishop Baccay.

But aside from Calungsod’s sainthood, Bishop Jose Romeo Lazo of Antique said Cebuanos and the entire country should also celebrate and be thankful that another Church leader has been elevated as Cardinal.

He said Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and San Pedro Calungsod have something in common -- their youth. Tagle is one of the youngest Cardinals while Calungsod is also a young saint.

“There’s timing in this situation that we are in, a young Cardinal like that will also be a witness how the young can be really alive in their faith,” said Bishop Lazo.

Cardinal Tagle felt humbled by his elevation. He said that he still feels nervous but promised to serve his best as a man of God.

Tagle, who will have his thanksgiving Mass on Saturday, also expressed his happiness over Friday’s event.

He emphasized how Calungsod unconditionally gave his love, service, and faith to others and offered his life to God.

“Si Pedro Calungsod ngayon ay larawan na ng lahat ng Pilipino, ng kagitingan, nga kabanalan, at yung kakayahan natin pala na ‘yung Pilipino ay kayang magbigay ng sarili, ng kabutihan kahit na sa kanyang hindi kababayan. Kitang-kita natin sa ating mga OFWs, seamen, sa mga tao na gumagawa ng mabuti hindi lamang para sa kanilang pamilya at sa kapwa Pilipino kung ‘di pati na sa ibang bansa. Ito ay talagang Thanksgiving Day,” said Tagle, who went back to Manila with Cardinal Rosales immediately after the thanksgiving Mass.

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales also said Calungsod should really be admired because despite his young age, he was  able to prove his faith.

“Pedro Calungsod is not only a Cebuano, a real Filipino and a model for young people, the idealism that he showed should be an example for our young Filipinos. His love for the church, love for the gospel, love for higher truths, higher values, should also be followed by Filipino people especially the young,” he said.

By Carine Asutilla, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas

0 Super Inggo as St. Calungsod gets standing ovation in Cebu

Makisig Morales, 15, better known for his starring role in the Emmy- nominated fantaserye Super Inggo played the teen Visayan martyr Pedro Calungsod.

Thousands of Cebuanos caught a glimpse of the life, travels and martyrdom of the young saint in a musical staged at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino Grand Ballroom on Wednesday night.

“Teen Saint Pedro” showed the young martyr from who travelled with Jesuit priest Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores and other missionaries to the Marianas islands (now Guam) in 1668 where they died while propagating the Catholic faith.

The show was an adaptation of Msgr. Rudy Villanueva’s full-length musical, Scenes from a Martyrdom, which was produced and performed by 29AD Musicionaries and members of Couples for Christ and its ministries.

Storyline

The play, opens with Blessed Diego de San Vitores and his co-missionaries including the young Pedro, played by Morales, arriving in the Marianas islands.

The play ends with the whole ensemble singing “Way Sukod” (Without Measure), with a solo by Gretchen Yaoyao.

The song about undying long was composed by Fr. Villanueva in 1983 and has come to be closely identified with Calungsod to underscore his unfathomable love and faith in God even in his dying moments.

The Cebuano audience was generous in showing its appreciation with loud applause after every scene.

The musical merited a standing ovation after the last act with Makisig in centerstage portraying San Pedro Calungsod holding the Bible and a palm branch.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, who was at the front row, went on stage to rejoice with the cast and placed a garland around Makisig’s neck, congratulating him.

Micca Eleccion, 30, who watched the show with her 1-year-old baby said she was impressed by the play.

“I really saw the real saint Pedro Calungsod in him,” she said when asked why she wants to see Makisig up close.

Makisig is a graduating student in St. Augustine International School in Quezon City.

He said he wants to pursue Film Directing and Theater Arts in college.

The musical premiered in the University of Santo Tomas auditorium last Sept. 28.

By Santino S. Bunachita
Cebu Daily News

0 Electric shock survivor dedicates ‘second life’ to San Pedro Calungsod

PETRONILO Dagojas, an electrician of the Mandaue city government, is grateful for his “second life” which he said he dedicates to San Pedro Calungsod.

The father of two almost died when he touched a live wire while replacing street lamps in Hermag Village in barangay Basak last May 28.

The electric shock forced doctors to amputate his left arm.

“Basin gibuhi pako sa Ginoo kay pabalikon ko niya ug serbisyo ug plano nako mahimong devoto ni Pedro Calungsod karon nga gitagaan ko ug ikaduha nga kinabuhi,” Dagojas said.

(Maybe the Lord saved my life because he wants me to serve him and I plan to devote my life to Pedro Calungsod.)

Last Nov. 26, he paid Mayor Jonas Cortes a courtesy call as he resumes work after a six-month medical leave.

Dagojas has found a new devotion in St. Calungsod and is reviving his interest in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement, where he was an inactive member.

Last night, he attend the third and final triduum Mass for St. Pedro Calungsod in the National Shrine of Saint Joseph the Worker in Mandaue City.

In his near-fatal accident last May, Dagojas and a co-worker were hoisted in a boom ladder up an electric post to replace a street lamp.

He accidentally touched a high tension 23,0000-volt wire of the Visayas Electric Company (Veco).

Dagojas was hospitalized for about two months and was granted a paid six-month leave.

He was discharged from the Perpetual Succor Hospital last July 11.

As a breadwinner, Dagojas never thought he would lose a limb.

Sometimes, he said, he would look at his amputated arm and wish he could rewind his life like a cassette tape.

“Usahay makahilak ko magtan-aw sa akong kamot pero wala koy mahimo isip magpasalamat nalang ko nga gilugwayan ko ug laing kinabuhi sa Ginoo,” Dagojas said.

(Sometimes, I cry looking at my missing arm, but I can’t do anything about it. I am just thankful that the Lord gave me a second life.)

After learning about the life and struggles Pedro Calungsod, he said he realized he still has much to be thankful for.

By Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
Cebu Daily News

0 PHLPost reprints more Calungsod stamps due to ‘high demand’

MANILA - The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has just announced that it will reprint 500,000 more copies of commemorative stamps in honor of St. Pedro Calungsod.

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)

0 Calungsod parish seeks to bring hope to informal settlers

MANILA - A new parish named for the country’s second saint and focused on serving a community for informal settlers has been created in Muntinlupa City.

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”.

(RL/CBCPNews)

0 Forecast: more vocations because of St. Pedro

MANILA - How does one measure the impact of a new saint in the Church?

For Directors of Vocations in the Philippines (DVP) National Coordinator Fr. Rochester Charles Resuello, one concrete effect would be an increase in vocations in the Philippines.

“I am expecting of more vocations (sic), especially in Cebu,” he said in an interview.

For Fr. Resuello, the newly-canonized saint’s example is like a “big invitation” to sainthood and a life well-lived, especially to young people.

According to Fr. Resuello, several characteristics make St. Pedro Calungsod particularly appealing to young people, such as his dedication and his witness to faith.

“(The) number one tool for vocations promotions is life witnessing,” he added, saying it is an even more effective means than posters, websites or brochures promoting vocations.

Fr. Resuello, who helps oversee formation programs and training for some 50 vocations directors in the country, said life witnessing allows a person to join a youth’s personal life journey.

He seems to be banking on the fact that the example of St. Pedro Calungsod, who was martyred in 1672, will be riveting and inspiring to modern Filipinos, even after more than three hundred years.

According to the 2012 Pontifical Yearbook, there is a trend of increasing priestly and religious vocations, especially in Asia and Africa.

Though specific figures for the Philippines are not available yet, there was an increase of 1,695 priestly vocations in Asia, to which the Philippines contributed considerably.

[Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]