A TOTAL of 100 faithful were confirmed as Christians at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City at 9 a.m. Monday, April 12, 2021.
The mass was celebrated by Archbishop of Palo, Leyte John Du on the second day of the triduum in celebration of the 500 years of Christianity (YoC).
One hundred infants were baptized at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Cebu City on Sunday, April 11, the first day of the triduum.
In his homily, Du challenged the 100 faithful to be missionaries of the faith.
As 2021 is a jubilee year, Du said the faithful should look back at the history of the Christian faith and trace its path to the present.
“When we look back and see how our brothers and sisters have admitted and accepted the Christian faith, we can understand better who we are in the present as a community,” he said.
The faithful should also take this opportunity to look forward to the next 500 years, he said.
Du said the faithful today are privileged to celebrate the 500 YoC and they should pass on the faith to the next generation.
“Receive without a cause and we also have to be able to give without a cause,” he said.
Even though the explorers and mercenaries arrived on our shores looking for gold and spices, Du said they discovered the presence of God in the hearts of the natives, which turned them into missionaries.
Du encouraged the 100 faithful to start living the life demonstrated by the native Filipinos by being hospitable, friendly and hardworking.
Cloeh Macasero, a 22-year-old sacristan from Barangay Alang-Alang, Mandaue City, said he was happy to be confirmed on the second day of the triduum of the 500 YoC.
He said it brought him closer to God. (KFD)