Iñaque Shaquille Garlet, altar server and staff at the Cultural and Historical Affairs Office and president of the Ministry of the Altar Servers at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Cebu City, gives inmates a chance to touch and send prayers to the image of the newborn Jesus at the San Nicolas Police Station detention cell on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Christmas is indeed the season of giving and forgiveness.
As we go ahead and celebrate this season with the hopes of being saved by the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ, let this simple photo remind you that, yes, our savior is here to heed our prayers.
Iñaque Shaquille Garlet, altar server and staff at the Cultural and Historical Affairs Office and president of the Ministry of the Altar Servers at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, shared a touching photo from their Pax Tecum on Christmas Day.
“After 2 years of hiatus due to the Pandemic and Typhoon Odette the traditional Pax Tecum or the visit of the image of the newborn Jesus went around our parish. I and my brother Altar Servers went around, house by house where we saw the joyful faces greeting Jesus on His birthday,” he said.
And one of their stops during the Pax Tecum was the nearby San Nicolas Police Station in their parish in Cebu City.
“On our way back to San Nicolas Church, my brother altar servers suggested if we could drop by Police Station 6 so that our police and prisoners could see the newborn King. Tuod man nihapit mi sa Police Station. (And we dropped by the police station.) When our brother-prisoners heard a bell ringing they went fast up to greet Jesus. What moved me most are prayers uttered, one said, “Ginoo, pasayloa ko sa akong salaod (Father, forgive me for my sins),” the other said “Ayaw intawn pasagdi ako pamilya (Take care of my family, don’t abandon them),” Garlet said.
In this little gesture and the short time Garlet was able to spend with these prisoners or inmates, he was able to listen to their prayers and somehow got touched by the simple favor of their hearts.
“What I experienced earlier while looking at them adoring Jesus are them being hopeful by asking for His mercy,” he said.
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