‘Our faith is very alive’

Blessed Pedro Calungsod. FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY—They don’t exactly know if they will still be around to witness the canonization of a third Filipino saint.

But the priests from Cebu who are attending the canonization of Visayan martyr Pedro Calungsod in Rome as the second saint from the Philippines take pride in being part of a historic event.

“Our faith is very alive,” Fr. Mhar Balili said by phone.

Balili, the chair of the liturgical committee for Calungsod’s canonization, noticed a deeper sense of spirituality among the Filipino delegation.

“The pilgrims come here, not just to make a tour, but because of their faith. In coming to Rome, they, too, want to be holy,” he said.

Increasing devotees

Balili said more people had been drawn to Calungsod over the years.

“The devotion to Pedro has increased. It is not just in Cebu but even in Europe. Filipinos around the world have devotion to Pedro,” said Balili, who is also in Rome for liturgical studies.

He said Calungsod’s sainthood conveyed a message to young people in particular.

“The youth is not the recipient of faith. They, too, are bearers of the faith to other people,” he said.

Balili admired Calungsod’s silence, which he said people should emulate.

“He (Calungsod) did so many things in a very silent way. He assisted the priest. He made life for the priest easier,” he said.

Calungsod’s intercession

Balili said he believed he was able to finish his studies in Rome because of the intercession of Calungsod.

“Pedro was instrumental in my success as a student,” said Balili, who recently finished his licentiate in liturgy at Pontificio Ateneo  Sant’Anselmo.

Blessed Pedro Calungsod was only 17 years old when he was killed because of the faith.

The Catholic Church urged young people to emulate Pedro Calungsod’s pursuit of God.

Wrong choices

“Pedro is a real young person. We are not created differently. It is possible for young people to live a life of holiness. We look into the heart and recognize the goodness in us,” said Msgr. Arthur Navales, chair of the Archdiocese of Cebu’s Commission on Youth.

Young people often search for happiness, but are misled by their wrong choices, Navales said.

“The problem is people are content with substitute happiness. They watch a movie or take drugs. In the end, these are just substitutes. The society and the Church should lead them to look for the real happiness,” Navales said in an interview with  Cebu Daily News.

Navales, who is among the Filipino delegates in Rome, said Calungsod exercised the real essence of friendship and was courageous in doing what he ought to do.

In the age of modern technology, Navales said young people could use gadgets to proclaim goodness.

Fan page

In August, the Commission on Youth launched the “Barkada Ni Pedro” fan page to introduce the Visayan martyr to netizens and to promote prayer.

Netizens can post a prayer intention on the field “What’s on your mind,” which has been transformed into a “pray box.”

Click the “like” button to commit to pray for the person calling for help.

Each prayer intention on the fan page will be printed out and offered during the 5:30 p.m. Mass every Friday at the Archdiocesan Youth Center on P. Gomez Street beside Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.