St. Pedro Calungsod, worth emulating by youth
An image of Pedro Calungsod is carried towards the altar of St. Gregory Parish in Toledo. (TONEE DESPOJO)
October 22, 2012
MANILA — He is a hero worth emulating by the Filipino youth.
This was how Manila Auxillary Bishop Bernardino Cortes described Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino saint who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Peter's Square at the Vatican City on Sunday afternoon, Manila time.
In his homily at a Mass at the San Juan Arena before the canonization, Cortes said that Calungsod was dedicated to the task and ready to sacrifice his life for his beliefs.
"We pray that like you, our brothers and sisters will be ready to sacrifice their lives for God and for humanity," Cortes said in Filipino.
"Let us keep in our hearts these beautiful traits. The Filipino is strong. The Filipino is ready to sacrifice and lay his life on the line for God, for the rest of humanity," he added.
Cortes emphasized that at a tender age of about 14, Calungsod joined Jesuit priests on a mission to spread the word of God in Guam. He stayed with them for about four years, teaching and preaching.
"He never wished for fame and power. Instead, he let God flourish in his life. Like many missionaries, he flew to far lands and offered his intellect, riches, and his entire life to spread the word of God," he added.
The Mass, organized by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, was attended by thousands of people from all over Manila.
After the Mass, 29 AD, a group advertising themselves as "musicionaries" or musicians and missionaries, staged a musical re-enacting Calungsod's martyrdom. Inspirational singer Jaime Rivera then sang "Kuya Pedro Calungsod," a theme song composed for the canonization.
The audience drew out miniature Philippine flags and yellow flaglets and waved them in the air afterward, as broadcaster Mike Enriquez cheered them on while waiting for the canonization ceremony to start.
The attendees then witnessed a live feed of the canonization ceremonies direct from the Vatican City, annotated in Filipino by Fr. Francis Lucas and Bishop Ambo David./ INQUIRER
MANILA — He is a hero worth emulating by the Filipino youth.
This was how Manila Auxillary Bishop Bernardino Cortes described Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino saint who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Peter's Square at the Vatican City on Sunday afternoon, Manila time.
In his homily at a Mass at the San Juan Arena before the canonization, Cortes said that Calungsod was dedicated to the task and ready to sacrifice his life for his beliefs.
"We pray that like you, our brothers and sisters will be ready to sacrifice their lives for God and for humanity," Cortes said in Filipino.
"Let us keep in our hearts these beautiful traits. The Filipino is strong. The Filipino is ready to sacrifice and lay his life on the line for God, for the rest of humanity," he added.
Cortes emphasized that at a tender age of about 14, Calungsod joined Jesuit priests on a mission to spread the word of God in Guam. He stayed with them for about four years, teaching and preaching.
"He never wished for fame and power. Instead, he let God flourish in his life. Like many missionaries, he flew to far lands and offered his intellect, riches, and his entire life to spread the word of God," he added.
The Mass, organized by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, was attended by thousands of people from all over Manila.
After the Mass, 29 AD, a group advertising themselves as "musicionaries" or musicians and missionaries, staged a musical re-enacting Calungsod's martyrdom. Inspirational singer Jaime Rivera then sang "Kuya Pedro Calungsod," a theme song composed for the canonization.
The audience drew out miniature Philippine flags and yellow flaglets and waved them in the air afterward, as broadcaster Mike Enriquez cheered them on while waiting for the canonization ceremony to start.
The attendees then witnessed a live feed of the canonization ceremonies direct from the Vatican City, annotated in Filipino by Fr. Francis Lucas and Bishop Ambo David./ INQUIRER
