Sainthood not just for Holy Week, Palma tells Cebuanos

Cebuanos should aspire to be saints and not just during Holy Week.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma posed this challenge as the Church marked last Saturday the feast of St. Pedro Calungsod, the first since the Visayan martyr was declared a saint last Oct. 21, 2012.

Devotees flocked to the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Pedro Calungsod along D. Jakosalem Street, Cebu City yesterday to honor Calungsod.

Palma told the people that every celebration in honor of the saint should lead everyone to walk the path of holiness.

“St. Pedro Calungsod’s life reminds us that we are called to be holy. Our celebrations are useless if we do not become saints later on,” he said.

Palma presided over the 9:30 a.m. pontifical Mass. Concelebrating with him were Retired Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Antonio Rañola and several priests from the Cebu Archdiocese.

While one may not be martyred like Calungsod, Palma said everyone should live a life of holiness, love, and service.

“We are called to be saints. Our life should be lived in love and fidelity to the Lord,” he told those in attendance.

“Confession was part of the life of St. Pedro Calungsod. In our hope to live a life of grace, our first disposition should be confession,” he said.

The clergy as well as several lay people lined up after the Mass to venerate the image of St. Pedro Calungsod that was placed inside a glass case adorned with flowers.

The same image was bought to Rome last year for the canonization of St. Pedro Calungsod.

A katana or a long bladed weapon was placed at the image’s side to highlight what was used in killing the martyr.

Calungsod was a teenager from the Visayas who went with the missionaries to Guam.

He and Jesuit priest, Fr. Diego de San Vitores were killed by natives on April 2, 1672.  Calungsod’s feast day for this year, however, was moved earlier.

Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, the vice postulator of Calungsod’s cause for sainthood and the rector of the Calungsod Shrine, said if April 2 falls on Holy Week or Easter Week, the feast of Calungsod shall be moved to the Saturday before Palm Sunday.

Calungsod, he said, was killed on a Saturday before Palm Sunday. Since April 2 falls on Easter Week this year,the feast was made yesterday.

A procession of St. Pedro Calungsod was made yesterday afternoon and was followed by a Mass of Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

St. Pedro Calungsod is the second Filipino saint after St. Lorenzo Ruiz. Calungsod was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI last year. Reporter Ador Mayol