Last Sunday afternoon was the opening mass of the International Eucharistic Congress at the Plaza Independencia that was attended by 350,000 faithful.
The week-long congress is ongoing in Cebu City and is considered a rare event, especially that it may no longer be held in the city of Cebu. The IEC is attended by religious leaders from the Catholic Church headed by the representative of the Pope, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar.
There are so many cardinals all over the world together with bishops attending this rare religious activity here in Cebu City so much so that our traffic authorities have sought our patience and understanding for the traffic congestion that we Cebuanos are going to experience. About 12,000 delegates have registered for the congress.
I expect us, Cebuanos, to stretch our patience and understanding and play good and hospitable hosts to the delegates as we are predominantly Catholic. I know that for many, if not most of those participating, this is a once in a lifetime encounter and they must feel so blessed by their attendance to this historic religious activity.
The congress focuses on the relevance of the liturgy in the Eucharist that is why we Filipinos are planning to adopt the policy of making the liturgy relevant to our daily lives by basically applying it to our daily experiences. The city was also blessed because for the first time the CBCP held its assembly in Cebu where many issues were tackled and discussed by the CBCP.
One of the relevant activities of the IEC is where the delegates are distributed to 14 parishes for them to hold masses and be with the parishioners and listen and exchange experiences with the people. This Saturday, about 500 communicants from among the poorest of the poor children would have their first communion at the Cebu City Sports complex as part of the IEC.
Fr. Carmelo Diola has emphasized the importance and relevance of this activity, saying that the children play a very important role in the Catholic Church as Christ emphasized so. I wish and pray that the entire IEC would be peaceful and orderly and eventually successful. With the cooperation of all the sectors of our community, I see no reason for it not to be successful. The closing mass would be held at the SRP and is expected to be attended by a million people.
Let me join you in prayer for the success of the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu. To all the delegates allow me to welcome you all and have a blessed congress.
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The Senate is resuming the hearing on the Mamasapano incident this week. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile said he would like to present new evidence that would prove the active involvement of the President contrary to what the President declared months ago. The good senator revealed that while he was in prison, some of the survivors of the clash visited him in his prison cell and revealed to him some information that they personally know that were not presented in the initial hearing of the case.
Enrile was positive that he has enough proof to prove that the President took an active part in the operation and was monitoring together with some Cabinet members the Mamasapano clash as it happened. Some quarters are questioning the reason for the hearing saying that the intention of the senator is basically political.
What is important is for us to hear the truth regardless of its political consequences. The President who is elected by the people should be held responsible and accountable to the people thus he should account to the people what actually happened and what was his role in the murder of the 44 SAF members?
Is it true that he went to Zamboanga city monitoring the clash and was close enough to receive the body of the international terrorist? Is it also true that the President ordered the military to stand down in order not to hamper the ongoing peace efforts between the government and the Muslims? It is important that the Senate committee conducting the hearing search for the truth because we sacrificed the lives of our 44 SAF members. Justice should be served to the 44 victims.