CEBU City, June 11, 2013—In spirit, San Pedro Calungsod will be at the World Youth Day in Brazil this July – thanks to Cebu youth who will be actively promoting him there.
According to Marlito Cabigas of the Cebu Commission on Youth (COY), Cebu delegates to the WYD will “promote our new saint, Pedro Calungsod to the young people of the world” by inviting pilgrims from other countries to like the ‘Barkada ni Pedro’ (BNP) Facebook fan page, which also spreads the catechesis about the young martyr through daily updates and posts.
‘Like’ Barkada ni Pedro
“Instead of merely introducing San Pedro to them, we want them to ‘like’ Barkada ni Pedro so that they will always be reminded of him since we are posting on a daily basis, thus, it would appear in their wall,” Cabigas explained in an interview.
Cabigas, who is the BNP administrator, said Calungsod shirts, stampitas and button pins will also be given away to WYD pilgrims.
The Archdiocese of Cebu will be officially sending some 38 pilgrims, with ages ranging from 22 to 50 years old, to the 28th WYD in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Cebu delegation has been meeting every Tuesday night at the San Pedro Calungsod Youth Center where they pray the rosary, have Gospel reading and reflections.
Cebu preparations
Time is also given to learn basic Portuguese phrases and greetings, as well as to discuss WYD updates and to coordinate the group’s logistical needs for the three-week stay in Latin America.
On July 2, the COY delegation will have a more intensive spiritual preparation, which will be capped with an audience with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.
This year’s WYD will be held from July 23-28 with the main venue at the Copacabana Beach for the vigil with the Holy Father. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
