The cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and the rest of Cebu province stood quite tall in the eyes of the Catholic world for doing an exemplary job hosting the 51st International Eucharistic Congress that ended last Sunday.
True there were hiccups — the heat, the unpredictable weather, traffic congestion and those unwelcome appearances and weening of traditional politicians which deserve another verbal flogging at another time — but they didn’t overshadow what is an overall monumental achievement by the Cebu LGUs in hosting the global Catholic event which the country last hosted in 1937.
The significance of that hosting opportunity certainly became a priority in the Cebu Archdiocese, with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma profusely apologizing in advance for any inconvenience that the event may cause on the riding public which it did.
There were complaints of course not only from non-Catholics who had to find ways to adapt to the monstrous traffic congestion but also among the agnostics, atheists and even professing Catholics and Christians who were appalled by the disruption this week-long event had on their daily living.
But we go back again to the importance of hosting the event, a gathering of the Catholic Church’s leaders and faithful to discuss and evaluate the state of their faith not only within their structure but in relation to events around the world that affect the practice and adherence of their religion.
The hundreds of thousands that gathered in the opening and closing Masses, as well as the thousands that attended the daily sessions of the IEC is proof positive of the Catholic Church’s continued strong following in the country that no amount of legislation which seeks to restrict its practice — i.e. the ban on images or religious icons in public places — can ever hope to overturn, let alone dismiss outright.
This faith can be seen in the hours spent by the faithful walking under the heat of the sun to reach the Mass venues in Plaza Independencia and the South Road Properties (SRP), their patience unwavering despite the physical limitations of the setup like a faulty sound system or the mud that thankfully dried up in time for the closing Mass.
In a major event like this, it pays to be prepared and the Cebu Archdiocese spared no effort to make the IEC a success not only for the Catholic institution but also to the hundreds of faithful whose patience and patronage were rewarded with glowing praise from foreign delegates and from Pope Francis, who paid tribute anew to the Filipinos for their resilient faith.
There is much to be said about the state of preparations on the part of the LGUs for the event, a substantial part of which is good, but for now, Cebuanos and Cebu residents and the rest of the country should congratulate themselves for making the IEC a success.