WORLD YOUTH DAY IN CEBU: Disaster survivors take center stage

Youth leaders carry the cross at the start of the Local World Youth Local Day last Saturday at the Blessed John XXXIII Seminary in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Over 300 youth leaders from calamity-stricken areas took center stage in the 29th Local World Youth Day (LWYD) over the weekend at the Blessed John XXXIII Seminary in Cebu City.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was elated by their attendance even as he acknowledged their sacrifices.

There were 3,343 participants of the event, 308 of whom are from northern Cebu and 35 were from Bohol.

James Caberio, president of the Parish Youth Coordinating Council (PYCC) of the San Juan Nepomuceno Parish in San Remigio, told Cebu Daily News that their experience with supertyphoon Yolanda inspired them to attend.

“Our faith in God is getting stronger. Although our church was damaged during Yolanda, it did not stop us from attending,” said Caberio. It was his fifth LWYD.

Yolanda blew away their church’s roof. They are still working on repairs until now and raising funds for the rebuilding of their church. They sold candles to raise money to cover their transportation and other expenses for the LWYD.

Caberio added that their parish priest and other parishioners also extended them support so they could attend the event, which Palma stressed was not a relaxing activity but a form of sacrifice.
Their sacrifice did not escape Palma’s eyes.

“I appreciate their goodwill and spirit of sacrifice. They have shown the importance of the LWYD,” Palma told the reporters.

“They have not slept. They come here because they all believe that there are blessings and grace from the Lord,” said Palma, adding, “Bisan unsa ka kusog ang linog dili kini makatumpag sa atong pagtoo. Bisag storm surge dili maka lumos sa pagtoo natong tanan.” (No strong earthquake or storm can shake our faith.)

Palma also thanked everyone who helped the typhoon and earthquake victims. He said everyone can help through prayers. The prelate also urged the government to set aside politics for the sake of the victims.

“I understand why the rehabilitation is in a slow pace, because of the big extent of damage done by the disasters.”

The two-day event was marked by a “youth festival,” praying of the Station of the Cross and other activities which ended with the Palm Sunday mass officiated by Palma.

The local world youth day started in 1984, the close of the Holy Year of Redemption where over 300,000 young people from around the world responded to the invitation of then Pope John Paul II for an International Jubilee of Youth on Palm Sunday at the St. Peter’s Square.