Pedro Calungsod, Our Second Filipino Saint

Dean, one of my co-admins at our catholic page at Facebook, Apostles Filipino Catholic Community, shared this picture which I used as my cover photo.  How wonderful to have another Filipino saint who represents the youth.  On October 21, 2012, Blessed Pedro Calungsod will finally be called San Pedro Calungsod.  This is the  official website which has various updates on the activities of the canonization in Rome.

I call it a wonderful blessing to have found another lovely quote from Richard Paul Evans. And it’s about saints.

Today I learned that a close friend who I also consider as my son will finally be ordained to the priesthood in a few weeks. What a  lovely gift, the  blessed gift of priesthood!  Congratulations Lovell, I look forward to calling you Fr. Lovell but you will always be another favorite son and a treasured friend.

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Saint Padre Pio Chapel

Always humble yourself lovingly before God and man, because God speaks to those who are truly humble of heart, and enriches them with His gifts. – St. Padre Pio

There are places where we really feel at home, places where you long to be closer to the Lord and experience that inner tranquil peace that one normally does not  experience in such a noisy world such as ours.  The very first time I visited St. Padre Pio Chapel in Libis, Quezon City, I was struck by the lovely interior of the place and the prayer room was such that when I began writing my prayer petitions, thoughts came freely, unhampered by the movements of other people who kneeled side by side with me writing their own prayers and thoughts on paper.  I’ve longed to visit the place since a former classmate suggested it when I had my chemotherapy more than two years ago. Come to think of it, it’s a walking distance from Eastwood City and just about a few minutes ride from our place but I never knew it existed.  Since that first visit, I always planned of attending masses there.  It’s full during Sundays and parking is nil unless you come one hour early before the scheduled mass. Proper dress code is strictly implemented – no shorts, no sleeveless dresses, no plunging necklines which I think is just right. People from all walks of life come to this place for a visit.

The facade was patterned after the Church of Our Lady of Grace in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy where St. Padre Pio spent most of his remaining years until his death.  I remember taking these shots during Padre Pio’s Feast Day last September 23, 2011 when I attended mass there.

This is the main altar of the Chapel where a life-size  image of St. Padre Pio is venerated by the faithful.

 

The Prayer Room

Lighting candles is always one of the highlights of my visit here.

The place is adjacent to the high-rise buildings of Eastwood City.

 

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