Palma on Calungsod preparation: We’re on schedule

THE Catholic Church’s preparation for the canonization of Visayan martyr Blessed Pedro Calungsod is on track, said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Palma issued a circular to all parishes to join a grand procession that will take place before the national thanksgiving mass on Nov. 30, 2012 at the South Roads Properties (SRP).

Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Calungsod with six other blessed persons in a ceremony that is expected to be attended by 900 delegates from the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Pedro Calungsod was a teenage catechist who accompanied Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores in Tumhon village in Guam, Marianas, where they were killed on April 2, 1672.

Calungsod was beatified in March 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II.

“The laborious part is the construction (of the site for the celebration) and there were certain concerns that were raised,” said Palma.

“ filling materials (but we already received more than enough filling materials) that came from donations. People are giving and donating,” he said.

What is left to do is build the road network, the templete and the frames for the lighting system, among other infrastructure requirements.

“We have all the resources and financial support. I’m excited. For me, we can make it, it is not a very big concern,” he said.

Palma said he is meeting with representatives of various construction companies who want to contribute to the Church’s projects.

“We are on schedule,” he said.

Palma issued circulars for the grand procession and the identification of the parishes that will have carrozas at the SRP.

In a circular dated Aug. 16, 2012, Palma directed parish priests to form a contingent to the procession and to appoint parish procession coordinators.

Palma issued a second circular on the same date for the selection of 72 out of the 140 parishes in the archdiocese that will put up carrozas for the procession.

In the north, some of the parishes are the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Redemptorist, Recoletos, Sto. Rosario, Canduman in Mandaue City, and the towns of Tuburan, Bantayan and Balamban.

In the south, some of the 32 parishes tasked to prepare carrozas are Pardo, Labangon, Punta Princesa, Minglanilla, Sibonga, Oslob, Boljoon, Ginatilan, Toledo and Guadalupe.