0 Pedrito and the love that keeps on giving

Aldrin and Matthew were
certainly as adorable as
Pedrito, especially with their
hearts of gold. San Pedro,
these kids are yours!

Cousins Aldrin and Matthew made my heart melt today. While selling Pedrito dolls for our ‘Abante Bisaya’ campaign, these two cute boys, together with Aldrin’s dad came to us with 2 plastic bags filled with one-peso coins, saying they want to help the typhoon victims, as well as have a Pedrito doll. They were so excited to get a doll, but then while counting, we realized they only got Php 200 (The doll costs 650).  Unfortunately, I was the one tasked to tell the dad, “Sir, the doll costs Php 650.”

My heart broke into pieces as I watched as the excitement in the eyes of these two boys went from excitement to sadness. I wanted to cry as they told me, the money came from their own savings. They just wanted to help. So, together with their dad, they told us, “Okay, we will not get Pedrito anymore, but we will donate the money.” And so they left… I so wanted to give them a doll.

Pedro intervenes…

Five seconds after they left, six of us, YouthPinoy volunteers, who were there decided that we couldn’t just let them leave like that. They deserve to have that doll. Each one took his wallet and gave what they could to raise the amount needed to purchase the doll. We then looked for them;  one searched all over from the 5th floor to the 1st; one hurried over to the information booth; one ran to the other building of the mall, all the while praying to San Pedro, St. Anthony, Mama Mary, to Jesus, calling all the saints, “Where are Matthew and Aldrin?”

Finding Jesus

It was a moment of grace when we found them and handed our little gift to these two young boys. It was like walking on the clouds with Jesus. We were full of smiles and laughter as we talked more with them, got to know their family and just thanked them for what they had done.

Matthew and Aldrin reminded us to keep on giving and sharing — without asking for anything in return. We found Jesus in them that day. And as we celebrate the first week of Advent, we can’t help but be thankful for the grace of knowing Matthew, Aldrin and the dad.

Truly a glorious way to start Advent.

by Jandel

0 The Saint A Year After

For a young man with humble beginnings, Pedro Calungsod is now being accorded with a 10-day celebration for his deep devotion and fidelity to the Catholic faith.

From an acolyte to a saint. That's a career path the millions of us will never get to tread. I have no problem with that; I'm fine as an erring human with a hearty appetite. Just so you know, Calungsod's life was not anywhere near ours. His was full of drama, suspense, danger and lots of masses and hours of kneeling.

From what researchers have dug about him, Calungsod was not one who hogged attention.

He was not one who would take a selfie 10 times a day and post each selfie on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. He would have shied away from the limelight, which he will have much of this month.

We give special attention to Calungsod every October starting last year when he became what we would never ever become: a saint. He was canonized on Oct. 21, 2012 in Rome.

A modern chapel and a templete have been built in his honor at the SM Seaside Complex at the South Reclamation Properties (SRP). The chapel is an architectural delight with its 100 uneven walls and streamlined interiors. I was there for the first time yesterday for the press conference on the first year anniversary celebration of the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod.

The chapel seats 800 people but only about 50 attend the single mass at 6 p.m. every day except Sunday. There are two masses on Sunday, at 9 a.m. and at 6 p.m. The SPC Chapel is open the whole day for supplicants who wish to offer their intentions and take selfies, not necessarily in this order.

Msgr. Vicente Tupas Jr., rector of the SPC Chapel, says that since the sainthood of Calungsod, devotees have told him of the "graces and miracles" they have received through the intercession of San Pedro Calungsod.

On Oct. 12-20, the chapel will have daily activities to promote the feast of Saint Pedro Calungsod. Novena prayers and masses will be held every 3:45 p.m. and again at 5:45 p.m., and a chaplet of the Divine Mercy and Holy Rosary at 3 p.m.

It's not all prayers though. Not everyone has the focus and endurance to pray like the late Pedro Calungsod or the Pope. So there's a poster-making contest and a free art workshop, a medical outreach by the Sweet Alert Society, and a fun run.

The fun run on October 20, Sunday, is going to be held at the Cebu Business Park. The distances are 3K, 5K and 10K and finishers of each distance get a medal.

The medal, engraved with the face of San Pedro Calungsod, is blessed. A runner who cheated on the distance will be revealed when he starts to burn upon wearing the medal. (Joke only, Msgr. Tupas.) Calungsod was a man of truth so piyait must die.

Sorry, I meant, cheaters have no chance at sainthood.

Big day is on October 21, Monday. Expect traffic congestion at the SRP leading to the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel.

Pilgrims who travelled to Rome last year for the canonization of Calungsod have a special mass at 8 a.m., just before the pontifical mass at 10 a.m. Since they're pilgrims, they will not mind hearing another mass even if it's a longer one. They did this in Romehear two, three Calungsod masses a day. But it would really be a stretch if they wait for, and attend, another mass at 4 p.m.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has described Pedro Calungsod as "a very popular saint." Let's boost his popularity by taking part in the celebration of his first anniversary of his canonization.

Calungsod was Bisdak.

Michelle P. So
Caught in the Net