MANILA, Nov. 14, 2013—Days after super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ devastated Central Philippines, a priest from the Archdiocese of Palo, Leyte, emphasized the need of praying for the victims in this time of calamity .
Fr. John Paul Pedrera, a priest from the archdiocese who is currently in Rome said that the victims need prayers.
“As always, prayer. Prayer for all the victims, for those who survived and for those who were killed. Prayers are important especially in the midst of [such difficult] situation,” he added.
Until now, Pedrera has not yet established contact with his brother priests in the archdiocese which is badly hit by the typhoon.
“As of the moment, I gathered some information from indirect contacts but I have no concrete picture of the whole situation,” he said.
Pedrera and some of his companion priests in Rome are offering daily masses for the victims of ‘Yolanda’.
In a facebook post by Fr. Ivo Acebedo Velasquez the day before the typhoon hit Leyte, a priest assigned at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo posted that the seminarians from high school, pre-college and college departments are safe and secure in their respective locations of retreat.
Grade 7 and 8 seminarians with Fr. Kim Miro are secure in their retreat house in an elevated location in Merida, Leyte.
The 3rd year and 4th year high school seminarians with Fr. Francis Anthony Borja were in SBIFISA in Alang-alang, Leyte while pre-college and college seminarians are safe in San Damiano Retreat House in Arado, Palo, Leyte with Fr. Manuel Baybay.
The rest of the formators are well within the sturdy walls of the seminary.
Based on pictures circulating in social networking sites and the media, churches in the archdiocese were badly damaged by the typhoon like the Sto. Niño Shrine in Tacloban City and the Our Lord’s Transfiguration Cathedral in Palo, Leyte.
The seminary in Palo, Leyte was also badly damaged leaving the chapel and dormitories roofless and the auditorium into rubble. (Jandel Posion)
