WITH the upcoming fifth centenary of Christianity’s advent in the Philippines in 2021, the newly installed administrators of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City have urged the parishioners to support them in their endeavors.
Fr. Ulyses Desales, the youngest in the seven-member pastoral team, said they will “work on strengthening the Cathedral’s organizations, partners and linkages” for the event in 2021, declared by the Church as a jubilee year.
The Archdiocese of Cebu launched “Pagsangyaw 2021” last March 2019. The program involved a group of lay members, who visited 82 parishes and announced the impending celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the country that had its roots in Cebu.
The Cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Cebu, and at the same time it serves as the parish for barangays Day-as, Tinago, San Roque, Sto. Niño, Pari-an and Tejero in Cebu City.
Desales, 45, and the rest of the pastoral team will serve in the Cathedral for six years. The other members are team moderator Msgr. Camilo Alia, Fr. Stephen Joseph Anore, Msgr. Raul Go, Fr. Glenn Therese Guanzon, Fr. Earl Sevilla and Fr. Japhet Geonzon.
The priests came from other parishes in Cebu, and they were among more than 320 priests who began their pastoral duties in new assignments on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019.
The Cathedral’s Parish Pastoral Council members welcomed the priests, who signed a document signifying their intent to serve on Tuesday.
As team moderator, Alia said he has to be humble and patient with his fellow priests, knowing they have distinct personalities.
Though he did not expect to be assigned at the Cathedral, Alia believes he can lead his team of pastors and the faithful to the right path.
“Actually, the assignment that was first given to me was the St. John de Sahagun in Toledo City. I was already preparing myself to be there. But, suddenly, I was told that I would be assigned at the Cathedral. I know how big the responsibilities are, but still I am grateful,” he said.
According to him, they have yet to discuss their plans for their new parish assignment. However, Alia said he is open to adopting all the good projects initiated by his predecessor, Msgr. Ruben Labajo, and the previous pastoral team.
“We will evaluate if we still have something we could improve.... I have also heard of the Cathedral’s effort to visit its sickly parishioners every Thursday. What’s really important is that the Cathedral will remain to be the seat of the Archbishop. That’s why I hope its parishioners will participate in its activities,” he said.
Alia said they have to maintain the Cathedral’s cleanliness, including that of the pipe organ as it is part of the church’s liturgy already.
Being transferred to the Cathedral, Desales said it means that a priest like him has to make big adjustments in a new environment.
Having been previously assigned in parishes in the countryside, he looks forward to his new learning in the Cathedral, fulfilling Pope Francis’ call for concrete pastoral action. The pontiff, in his past public speeches, urged the priests and the faithful to have “the courage to make a daring and fearless evangelizing pastoral ministry.”
The priests’ reassignment was announced last June 14. (WBS)