SIETE PALABRAS 2018: A man reads the tarpaulin bearing the pictures of priests and lay persons who will be reading the “Siete Palabras” including Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma this coming Good Friday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
FORMATION of priests and the challenges encountered by members of the clergy.
These will be among the highlights in this year’s Siete Palabras or the reflections on the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ on the cross at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on Good Friday.
For the fifth consecutive time, the event, which used to be exclusively handled by priests, will include lay persons —a couple and a nun — whose constant prayers and guidance — gave the Church more priests.
The reflections will be guided by the theme: Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons: Renewed Servant-Leaders for the New Evangelization.
The meditations will start at noon and will be broadcast live over GMA-7 and Cebu Daily News’ Facebook page as well as through radio DYRF.
The first word, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”, will be discussed by Msgr. Vicente Rey Penagunda, rector of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos in Cebu City.
The meditations on the second word, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise”, will be led by Sr. Maria Visminda Dumadag, retreat director and formator of the Living the Gospel Renewal Center.
Spouses Lino and Mila Raypan, coordinators of the Commission on Family Life, will talk about the third word of Jesus on the cross, “Woman, behold your son; Son, behold your mother.”
Fr. Charles Louis Jayme, director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Unit of the Archdiocese of Cebu, will expound on the fourth word, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Fr. Jesper John Petralba, superintendent of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools of Cebu System, will give his reflections on Jesus’ fifth word, “I thirst.”
The meditations on the sixth word, “It is finished,” will be led by Fr. Adriano Ocariza, athletic director of the University of San Carlos.
The last meditation on the seventh word, “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit,” will be given by Fr. John Jonah Orat, team moderator of the St. John of Sahagun Parish in Toledo City.
Fr. Ramon Echica, dean of studies of the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos, will open the reflections, while Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will conclude the meditations.