0 Play tells story of two saints

Sensitive story: The poster for "Fides Ecclesiae."
The play tells the story of two saints,
including Pedro Calungsod, who was martyred
alongside Pale' San Vitores in Guam.

"Fides Ecclesiae," or "Faith of the Church," is the title of a production in Los Angeles which is partially set on Guam and cast with talent from the island.

The debut performance was at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center to a full house on Dec. 2. On Feb. 10, the musical play will be presented to the public at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles.

Scriptwriter and lyricist Father Robert Victoria tells me that inspiration for the play came from the young saints Pedro Calungsod and Keteri Tekakwitha, whose stories are told in "Fides Ecclesiae." Both were canonized in October 2012.

The story of St. Keteri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint, is told in Act 1.

Act II, with scenes set in Guam, depicts the story of St. Pedro Calungsod, the native Filipino seminarian who accompanied his mentor, Pale' Diego San Vitores, on his mission to Guam and was martyred alongside San Vitores in 1656.

Details of the Guam scenes include the historical character Chaco and the indigenous designations of the makana (spiritual leaders) and the uritao (bachelors), which I believe the Pantages has not ever seen in its previous programs. It is a rare and welcome exposure of Chamorro history and terminology for a mostly non-Chamorro audience.

The famous story is told sensitively, with humor as well as dramatic effect. A lot of effort was made to cast the scenes with Chamorro actors and dancers.

Act III depicts the miracles and the canonization of the saints.

The two-and-a-half hour musical play is achieved with a total of 150 volunteers on stage. Sprinklings of professionals are among the mostly amateur cast and crew.

The Chamorro Group of Los Angeles is noted as one of the presenters. The Kutturan Chamoru dance group of Long Beach is listed among the special participants.

Victoria gives credit to the community of Filipinos, Chamorros, Hispanics and others in the Los Angeles area. He emphasizes that it is not a play identified with any ethnicity, but rather with the Catholic Church.

Proceeds from the production will benefit the St. John Seminary of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and contribute to an endowment to support the seminarians.

Tickets for "Fides Ecclesiae" can be purchased at FaithoftheChurch.com or at Ticketmaster.com.

By Sandy Flores Uslander, she lives in San Diego and works to promote Chamorro culture among Chamorros living off island.

0 Center to conduct lecture on Calungsod’s spirituality

QUEZON City - A spirituality institute will conduct a seminar on the spirituality of the 2ndFilipino teen saint San Pedro Calungsod this coming January 25 at the Titus Brandsma Center, 24 Acacia Street, New Manila, Quezon City.

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)

0 St. Pedro makes Paulinians cry

PASIG City - Many of the four thousand students of St. Paul College Pasig (SPCP) could not help but shed tears after watching Teen Saint Pedro, a musical about the life of the young martyr who died hundreds of years ago, last Saturday.

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]

0 Must-see: Calungsod templete, chapel at SRP

Two  of the new sights in  Cebu for Sinulog visitors is the San Pedro Calungsod templete and the new Calungsod chapel at the South Road Properties (SRP).


With the arrival of guests for the Sto. Niño fiesta on Saturday and the Sinulog grand parade on Sunday,  Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he expects visitors to  check out the pyramid-style open air templete used  for the Nov. 30 national thanksgiving Mass for the first Visayan saint.

Across the street, in the SM Seaside City is a modern air-conditioned chapel built with 100 walls dedicated to Calungsod.

“An additional feature of the Sinulog is San Pedro Calungsod so we expect many to go see the  templete. Let’s be prepared,” said Rama.

He ordered  more lights installed and the restoration of cement bricks for the walkway which were removed after the Nov. 30  event.

The bamboo-themed templete  is located in a 27-hectare vacant lot owned by the Cebu city government.

He asked businessman Rene Mercado to make sure the area is well lighted at night for picture taking. If there’s enough time, he said, a  scaffold will be put up displaying photos of the October 20 canonization in the Vatican, which he attended.

Edison A. Delos Angeles
Cebu Daily News

0 Calungsod Production

BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - A theater play featuring the life of San Pedro Calungsod of Cebu, the second saint of the country, will be presented in this city for the benefit of Baguio Diocese Youth Missionaries.

The theater play production of San Pedro Calungsod will be staged at the Saint Louis University Burgos Gymnasium on January 12 to let the people know how he lived as a Christian and how he became a saint.

The play, under the direction of former child actor Niño Muhlach, will feature stage actor AJ Muchlach as the young San Pedro Calungsod.

Proceeds of the play will benefit scholars, seminarians and the young priests of the Diocese of Baguio City under Diocese Youth Director Father Ricky Belino. The play will also be staged in Cebu, Davao and Dumaguete.

San Pedro Calungsod is a Roman Catholic young Filipino sacristan and missionary catechist, who along with Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom in Guam for their missionary work in 1672.

Manila Bulletin

0 Makisig Morales portrays Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod on stage

During its first run at the Meralco Theater, the play about the life of the second Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod gave Makisig Morales his first taste of musical theater. It was also Mak’s first time to play a lead role on stage. “Ako yung gaganap ng role na teen Pedro. Sobrang inspiring nitong story na ito kasi makikita niyo yung buhay ni Pedro Calungsod. Makikita niyo kung gaano siya ka-loyal at kung gaano siya ka sobrang bait sa lahat ng taong makakahalubilo niya. Sobrang nakaka-inspire ito. Para ito sa buong family,” he told Push. The musical will have a second run at the Meralco Theater from January 8 to 9.

The talented young actor first entered showbiz when he was eight years old via the singing talent show Little Big Star. After that, he won the lead role in Super Inggo which made him a household name.

Mak admitted he was very flattered to be offered the role in the play last year without having to go through any auditions. “Kasi kasama family ko sa community ng Couples for Christ. Simula bata pa ako Kids For Christ na ako hanggang ngayon na Youth For Christ na ako. Tinawagan ng CFC si Daddy tapos siyempre nung tinanong kung okay lang ba na ako ang mag-portray ng role ni Pedro, hindi na kami nag-dalawang isip. Siyempre si Pedro Calungsod yan. Kaya tinanggap ko kaagad,” he revealed.

The 16-year-old actor said he enjoyed rehearsals for the show. “Usually kasi ang mga play pina-practice yan ng kalahating taon pero ito ginawa namin in three months lang. Kasi ginawa namin yun ng wala pa yung mga kanta kasi ina-arrange pa. Musical kasi ito, puro halos kanta wala masyadong dialogue, konti lang. Mga English songs,” he said.

Mak said he was not nervous about going onstage even though it is different form his experience acting in front of the camera. “Parehas lang din naman yung pag-arte kasi umaarte ka pa rin pero sa stage kasi walang mga take two take two. Kung ano yung ginawa niyo diyan, yun na yung makikita kaagad ng tao. So kunwari medyo magkamali man, hindi naman alam ng mga tao yun eh so go lang. First time ko ito mag-lead sa isang musical play pero yung mga ibang member ng cast namin mga college students at mga nagtratrabaho na rin,” he said.

Aside from the Meralco theater, Mak has also performed the musical at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and in Cebu (where saint Pedro Calungsod is said to be from).

All set to graduate from high school this March from the St. Augustine International School, Mak has already received offers for scholarships from some of the country’s top universities. He said he has a very simple wish for 2013. “Yung maging masaya lang na makasama yung buong family ko. Nagaaral naman ako ng mabuti pero siyempre mas puspusan pa sana and mas maging focused pa ako sa lahat ng ginagawa ko lalo na sa career ko,” he shared.

Catch Makisig Morales in Teen Saint Pedro: An Original Musical at the Meralco Theater on January 8 and 9, 2013. Tickets are available at SM Ticketnet outlets.

by: Rhea Manila Santos

0 San Pedro Calungsod templete a heritage site, Rama declares

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama has declared as a heritage structure the templete used during the Nov. 30 national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod.

In an executive order (EO), Rama also formed a seven-man team who will ensure the preservation and the maintenance of the templete used during the historical event.

Under Rama’s two-page EO, the management committee will be composed of the mayor or his representative, a representative from the Archdiocese of Cebu, the manager of the South Road Properties (SRP), and the city engineer.

Other members include representatives from the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, the Cebu City Tourism Commission, and the Cebu City Police Office.

Preservation

The EO states that the management committee will be responsible for the preservation of the templete constructed by the Archdiocese at the SRP.

They will also manage and administer the templete as a facility for any allowable activity and will determine and recommend the approval of any activity to be conducted on the site.

“It is but proper to declare such structure as a local heritage and shall therefore be preserved and maintained for future generations,” said Rama in his EO.

“The templete shall serve as a remembrance of that great gathering of a million people in thanksgiving for the gift of faith and sainthood. It shall serve as an icon of good custom, public morals and social justice,” he added.

Rama then invoked Section 16 of the Local Government, which stipulates that local government units shall ensure and support, among others, the preservation and enrichment of culture.

Calungsod was beatified on March 5, 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II and Was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI last Oct. 21 this year.


By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sun.Star Cebu