Wednesday, February 12, 2013
PASAY CITY — It’s final. The national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of Beato Pedro Calungsod will be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (SRP), high-ranking Church officials announced Tuesday.
The local church raised more than P19 million for the installation of local officials on June 30 and the national thanksgiving celebration on July 14.
Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, preparations committee chairperson, made the announcement with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma during a press conference at the Archbishop’s Residence.
“Our meeting zeroed in on the venue for the national thanksgiving mass. It would be in SRP, that’s the final decision,” said Cardinal Vidal.
“CCP management will take care of the site development,” he added.
Good neighbor
Cardinal Vidal said the expenses for site development were a major concern as this was projected to reach millions of pesos. This was the reason the Mandaue Reclamation Area was initially announced as the venue.
Marissa Fernan, SM Prime vice president, said the firm is willing to spend “as much as it would take for the preparations (to be finished).”
“The site is beside us (in SRP). (SM Prime President) Hans Sy said, ‘Why don’t we be a good neighbor?’ He visited the site and there are resources at the site,” Fernan told reporters.
The work entails site clearing, compacting, construction of vertical and horizontal roads using pavers, and lighting.
She also said the firm is building a church, the Shrine of Mary Mother of God, on the adjacent SM-owned property.
“The construction of the church is ongoing and will be finished by October. The church can be used as a holding area for the VIPs, the bishops,” she said.
Preparations
In a separate interview, Cardinal Vidal said he met with Hans Sy and his mother Felicidad Tan Sy, who is said to be the reason masses are held in SM malls.
The 81-year-old prelate said the meeting took place in Manila last month, before he went to his hometown in Marinduque for his annual vacation.
The committee on preparations is still raising funds for other expenses that add up to millions, said finance officer Msgr. Roberto Alesna. He said the committee has raised at least P19,892,000 as of May 31. This month, about P3 million was received by the committee.
The committee on venue, headed by Fr. Raul Gallego, submitted a report that stated they need about P12 million for the construction of the template that would be used for the mass.
The worship and liturgy committee, headed by Archdiocesan Commission on Worship chairman Msgr. Cristobal Garcia, also submitted a report with an estimated cost of more than P4 million for albs and vestments, among others.
Fund-raising activities include the sale of the limited edition Beato Pedro Calungsod sculpture made by renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue, at P25,000 each. Buyers also get a chance to win expensive vehicles like a BMW and a Kia Sorrento.
P10M target
Alesna said all 364 priests and 147 parishes are expected to raise P10 million, and envelopes will be distributed to Catholic schools so that administrators, teachers, and parents have a chance to make contributions.
In Rome, the preparations are ongoing, although there are no figures on the expenses. Cardinal Vidal said the expenses during the beatification of Beato Pedro 12 years ago reached about P16 million.
Archbishop Palma said archdioceses and dioceses of the country would be contributing to help cover the expenses of the celebration.
He also emphasized that raising funds is not the focus of the frenzy in the preparations although “to us money is the solution to the problem.”
“This is a once in a lifetime event, an occasion for us to savor. We will do everything to make it solemn, memorable,” said Archbishop Palma. (Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on June 06, 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment