The Roman
Catholic Diocese of Cubao was erected on 28 August 2003 during the pontificate of Pope
John Paul II. Cubao is one of the new suffragan dioceses that was created out from
the Archdiocese of Manila. Thanks to the pontiff, the new dioceses became a
living sign of a living Church founded by Christ entrusted to apostles.
Because of
such great act of the pontiff, John Paul II will be remembered as the pope who
was used by our Lord Jesus Christ to create the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao-
our diocese, our local church!
After the
beatification of Pope John Paul II by our present pope, His Holiness Benedict
XVI, many Filipinos were touched because of his great love for the Philippines.
Blessed John Paul II or BJP2 visited us twice, first in 1981, for his pastoral
visit, and in 1995 for the World Youth Day in Manila. Let us remember that we still hold
the record of the largest attendance among World Youth Days.
October 22 is
the feastday in the liturgical calendar of BJP2. Though normally a feastday is
placed on the date of death on earth, which is the Dies Natalis or birthday of a person in heaven, Pope Benedict XVI
promulgated that BJP2 be celebrated on the day when the blessed pontiff was
inaugurated as the 264th successor of Saint Peter.
Though the feast
day celebration in the liturgy of a Blessed is reserved for a local Church- for
Blessed John Paul II in Poland
and Rome only-,
the Philippines
cannot stop herself from honoring the “Beloved Pope of the Filipinos.”
The Diocese of
Cubao, in celebration of the first liturgical feast day of BJPII, after his
beatification last May 1, 2011, teamed-up with Araneta Center to hold an
Exhibit, a Concert, and a Mass.
BEATUS: Embracing the Holiness of Blessed John Paul
II
Last October
9, Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao blessed and opened the first major photo
exhibit and relic exposition and veneration of Blessed John Paul II at Gateway
Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. The exhibit was entitled “Beatus”. A Solemn
Eucharist started the event followed by the blessing and opening of the
exhibit.
Bishop
Ongtioco said during the introduction of the blessing that this exhibit is both
catechetical and inspirational: Catechetical because it presents quotes and teachings
from BJP2 on different occasions and topics like the Youth, Media, Holiness,
etc; likewise, it is inspirational due to the living presence of Blessed John
Paul II in the area through his relics.
The team for
the exhibit, composed of priests (visual artist Fr. Emmanuel “Pong” Del Rosario
and Cubao Chancellor Fr. Frederick Edward “Jojo” Simon), and laypeople (Gracita
Dumlao, Dave Ceasar Dela Cruz, John Jeffrey Velasco, and Julius Furagganan) did
well to sum-up all the important details conveying the legacy of BJP2. One of
the most favorite quotes of the visitors was: “The Lord is
saying to you: the greatest gift you can make to the Church and to the world is
holiness.”
(Homily, September 5, 2004)
With the photos are exposition of the
major relics of BJP2 such as his blood, zucchetto (skullcap), piece of his
cassock, corporal he used, pectoral cross and ring given to Bishop Ongtioco,
chair and chasuble from San Carlos Seminary which the Blessed Pontiff used
during his visit last 1995, and many more. People really felt his presence and
many were touched to see the Pope through his relics as a person who is near to
Christ in heaven. His life, legacy, and holiness will always be remembered.
According to security office of Gateway
Mall, thousands of people visited everyday, and the organizers expect that the
visitors were inspired by the teachings of BJP2 as they prayed before the
relics.
The Beatus exhibit lasted from Sunday, 9
October, to Friday, 21
October 2011.
Blessed:
A Call to Holiness
We joyfully celebrated the holiness of
Blessed John Paul II because in him Christ lived and moved so that we too can
be holy! This is the primary message of the first concert and liturgical
celebration in honor of Blessed John Paul II.
Last October 29 the Smart-Araneta
Coliseum was filled with devotees from Metro Manila and near by provinces. The
presence of this people is a proof the John Paul II is the beloved pope of the
Filipino people.
Different groups such as Hail Mary the
Queen Children’s Choir, Kilyawan, Las Piñas Boys Choir, put colors into the
concert through their music. But there’s more! The former ambassador to the
Holy See and national president of the Mother Butler Guild, Henrietta “Tita” De
Villa, Ms. Jo Grafil, one of the organizers of the World Youth Day in Manila,
and Fr. Francis Gustillo, SDB, a member of the International Theological
Commission of the Vatican, shared their experiences with Blessed John Paul II.
Moreover, the people dropped tears when
they sang again the official theme song of the World Youth Day 1995: “Tell the
World of His love,” with animation from the Holy Family Parish Youth Ministry
of Kamias, Quezon City.
Then, for the first time, the Philippines
offered a song to honor BJP2 entitled “Call us to you”, words by Fr. Manoling
Francisco, SJ, and music by Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.
Prior to the concert, Bishop Ongtioco
blessed the marker that will remind the people who visit the Smart-Araneta
Coliseum that this is considered a hallowed ground. During the 1981 visit to
the Philippines,
Pope John Paul II made an audience with catechists and professionals at the “Big
Dome.” One of his touching statements, which can be found in the marker, was: “Jesus
Christ needs yοu for the building up of his Kingdom on earth.
And the Church needs your special gifts,
individually and collectively,
to fulfil her mission of communicating Christ.”
Before the Mass, the prayer for the
Canonization of Blessed John Paul II was led by His Eminence Jose Cardinal
Sanchez, who worked hand-in-hand with Pope John Paul II as prefect (now
emeritus) for the Holy See’s Congregation for the Clergy from 1991 to 1996.
The four-hour concert was concluded with
a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided by Bishop Ness
concelebrated by some clergy and in the presence of Cardinal Sanchez. The Mass
was for the intention of the Church (Missa Pro Ecclesia); at present the Holy
See has still not responded to the request of the Philippines to the Vatican to
include BJP2 in our Ordo (liturgical calendar).
During the Mass, Bishop Ongtioco used
the chalice of Blessed John Paul II. It is a relic of the blessed pope and at
the same time a relic of Jesus Christ because it is a replica of and was
touched to the original Holy Grail (or the Santo
Caliz, which we believed as the cup used by Jesus during the last supper)
enshrined in Valencia, Spain.
In his homily, Bishop Ongtioco reminded
all present and those who love Blessed John Paul II, “All of us are called to
be holy and let Blessed John Paul II be our inspiration and intercessor to the
Father, the fountain of all holiness.”
