Celebrating the Canonization of Pedro Calungsod

Image of St. Pedro Calungsod at St. Joseph's Cathedral
Parish of the Ipil Diocese

It wasn't easy to find time to practice with the choir some hymns for Pedro Calungsod, who is canonized today as the second Filipino saint. There were periodic tests, teachers' conference and preparations for the celebration of our school baranga's founding anniversary. But my perseverance won. Just a few days before Sunday, the kids mastered hymns like "St. Pedro Calungsod (Percival Cacanindin), San Pedro Calungsod (Fr. Tim Ofrasio, SJ) and Kuya Pedro (Jamie Rivera)" after our few practices. In one of our rehearsals, one of my students really cried when she saw the video of Calunsod's story. Some of my students were interested to have the mp3 amd mp4 copies of the hymns so they can practice at home. 

This Sunday, also the World Mission Sunday, coincides with the canonization of 7 beatified individuals at St. Peter's Basilica. Here in our cathedral, our school choir joined the Interlude Choir in the singing for the second mass (8 am) and sang during the third mass (9:30 am), which are both in English medium. On both celebrations the hymn for St. Pedro Calungsod by Percival Cacanindin and San Pedro by Fr. Tim were sand during the entrance and offertory processions, respectively. The choir sang Kuya Pedro as post communion in the 3rd mass. 

Saint Pedro Calungsod is such a special saint. I heard about him as "blessed," but when I learned about his life as a young evangelist who bravely died, protecting Fr. Diego (blessed) and defending our Catholic faith, I believe deep in my heart, that he truly is a saint. He is a Visayan, just like me. He too eagerly served the Church - the passion that I have in me. There have been times that I sought for his intercession and though the prayers were that simple, they were answered. Now, faithfully I would always pray: "San Pedro Calungsod, ig-ampo mo kami."