Palace declares 'national day of celebration' for Pedro Calungsod
By Jon Christopher R. Obice
The canonization of soon-to-be second Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod on Oct. 21in Rome was declared by the Palace as “national day of celebration.”
Following the Proclamation No. 481issued by President Aquino, it says that it “shall instill national pride in the hearts of Filipinos worldwide.”
“The life and martyrdom of Blessed Calungsod shall serve as an inspiration to Filipinos, particularly the youth, to live a life anchored on values and principles,” the proclamation read.
Meanwhile, the Church also sees the canonization of the young lay missionary as a moment of great honor, a way to revive faith, and a boost to the declining Catholic Church, according to Jesuit priest Fr. Catalino Arevalo.
Fr. Arevalo referred to the 2000 study said the Philippines would no longer be a Catholic country in 40 years because only 6 percent of young Filipinos are reviving “significant religious instruction.”
“They’re not turning away, they are simply not being reached,” Fr. Arevalo said in a symposium about lay spirituality at the University of Santo Tomas last Sept. 28.
However, Paranaque Bishop Jesse Eugenio Mercado, chair of the CBCP Episcopal Commissin on the Laity, said there are other ways to revive faith, especially among the youth who are greatly involved in the rapid changes of our society.
“To revive faith, we should let the youth participate and express in their own ways their belief in Jesus. It can be through social media, rock concerts, hip-hop dancing or theatre plays, but without betraying the message of Jesus Christ,” Mercado said.
Fr. Arevalo added that the sainthood of Calungsod, who is a patron of laity, will become a symbolic of what the Catholics needed to revive their faith.
The approval of Pope Benedict XVI on the canonization of the 17th century Visayan martyr was made on February this year.
Calungsod will be the second Filipino in history to be canonized by the Catholic Church since Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1987. Both were from Cebu.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal has pushed for Calungsod’s sainthood since 1985 upon learning from Archbishop Felixberto Flores of Guam that the Philippines had a strong candidate. Since then, Vidal became the lead promoter of the campaign for Calungsod’s canonization.
Calungsod was a teenage lay catechist and was among the first to serve the mission organized by Jesuit priest Fr. Diego de San Vitores to the Ladrones Islands in Marianas in 1668.
Calungsod died a martyr at 17 while trying to defend the now Blessed San Vitores, when natives attacked them on April 2, 1672.
San Vitores was declared blessed by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 6, 1985 as the Pro-Martyr of the Marianas Islands in the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II also beatified Calungsod along with 43 other martyrs.
“From his childhood, Pedro Calungsod declared himself unwaveringly for Christ and responded to His call. Young people today can draw encouragement and strength from the example of Pedro,” John Paul said.
Since then, Cebuanos led by Archibishop Vidal have been praying for his canonization. The Vatican officially set April 2 as Calungsod’s feast day.
The canonization of soon-to-be second Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod on Oct. 21in Rome was declared by the Palace as “national day of celebration.”
Following the Proclamation No. 481issued by President Aquino, it says that it “shall instill national pride in the hearts of Filipinos worldwide.”
“The life and martyrdom of Blessed Calungsod shall serve as an inspiration to Filipinos, particularly the youth, to live a life anchored on values and principles,” the proclamation read.
Meanwhile, the Church also sees the canonization of the young lay missionary as a moment of great honor, a way to revive faith, and a boost to the declining Catholic Church, according to Jesuit priest Fr. Catalino Arevalo.
Fr. Arevalo referred to the 2000 study said the Philippines would no longer be a Catholic country in 40 years because only 6 percent of young Filipinos are reviving “significant religious instruction.”
“They’re not turning away, they are simply not being reached,” Fr. Arevalo said in a symposium about lay spirituality at the University of Santo Tomas last Sept. 28.
However, Paranaque Bishop Jesse Eugenio Mercado, chair of the CBCP Episcopal Commissin on the Laity, said there are other ways to revive faith, especially among the youth who are greatly involved in the rapid changes of our society.
“To revive faith, we should let the youth participate and express in their own ways their belief in Jesus. It can be through social media, rock concerts, hip-hop dancing or theatre plays, but without betraying the message of Jesus Christ,” Mercado said.
Fr. Arevalo added that the sainthood of Calungsod, who is a patron of laity, will become a symbolic of what the Catholics needed to revive their faith.
The approval of Pope Benedict XVI on the canonization of the 17th century Visayan martyr was made on February this year.
Calungsod will be the second Filipino in history to be canonized by the Catholic Church since Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1987. Both were from Cebu.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal has pushed for Calungsod’s sainthood since 1985 upon learning from Archbishop Felixberto Flores of Guam that the Philippines had a strong candidate. Since then, Vidal became the lead promoter of the campaign for Calungsod’s canonization.
Calungsod was a teenage lay catechist and was among the first to serve the mission organized by Jesuit priest Fr. Diego de San Vitores to the Ladrones Islands in Marianas in 1668.
Calungsod died a martyr at 17 while trying to defend the now Blessed San Vitores, when natives attacked them on April 2, 1672.
San Vitores was declared blessed by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 6, 1985 as the Pro-Martyr of the Marianas Islands in the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II also beatified Calungsod along with 43 other martyrs.
“From his childhood, Pedro Calungsod declared himself unwaveringly for Christ and responded to His call. Young people today can draw encouragement and strength from the example of Pedro,” John Paul said.
Since then, Cebuanos led by Archibishop Vidal have been praying for his canonization. The Vatican officially set April 2 as Calungsod’s feast day.