by John Rey Saavedra/Philippine News Agency
CEBU CITY — With 10 more days to go, the Archdiocese of Cebu on Friday announced that the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, along with some 30 bishops, will be coming over here to concelebrate the opening mass for the National Youth Day 2019 on April 23.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said no less than the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, and Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Romulo Valles, informed him that they would participate in the big event.
“The papal nuncio assured me he will be here a day before for the dialogue in the evening and the early morning mass. The president of the CBCP and perhaps 30 other bishops are coming as a sign of solidarity and of course their own joyful expectation for the National Youth Day,” said Palma in a press briefing at the Archbishop’s Residence in this city.
According to the program of events obtained by the Philippine News Agency (PNA), the guests and youth participants will be arriving until April 23 while visiting bishops will deliver their messages during activities at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Afterward, the bishops, members of clergy, nuns, lay volunteers and youth pilgrims will participate in a foot procession to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño for the opening mass and the traditional Sinulog dance.
Palma praised the members of Cebu clergy for their active involvement in planning for “almost every conceivable dimensions of the National Youth Day,” such as coordinating with the local government units, parishes, transportation, seminar kits, and lodging for the participants.
He also lauded youth volunteers from Cebu who, “for several nights, have been busy preparing”.
“I thank God for the great love and sacrifices of the young people,” he added.
Rev. Fr. Mark Rommel Barneso, NYD 2019 steering team leader, said they expect at least 12,000 young people from different archdioceses and dioceses in the country who registered to come for the event.
There are also at least 3,000 to 5,000 youths who have volunteered to help as facilitators, Barneso said.
“National Youth Day is one of the highlights for the Year of the Youth. Through the media, we are hoping to disseminate information so that the youth will also be uplifted and encouraged to do their best despite the issues they are facing right now so that they will do their best to become better persons, better Christians, and better citizens of the country,” Barneso said.
Rev. Fr. Joselito Gutierrez, over-all festival sites manager, shared the tedious preparations for the nine festival sites across Metro Cebu.
“I thought it’s just a simple job to guide them in preparing for the things needed for the festival sites. It turned out that it’s not that easy. At start, I considered it as a job and nothing personal but when sweat and tears began to be involved, I considered it as personal matter,” he said.
Himself a product of youth ministry in his parish in San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish here, Gutierrez said serving the youth is one way of paying it forward to “show to the people this is (priesthood) what the youth ministry has done to my life”.
Palma said the National Youth Day in Cebu is part of the preparations for the celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021.
