The Archdiocesan Parish Youth Ministry (APYM) of Makati District (Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasay, San Juan) is organizing a Youth Pilgrimage to Bataan. It will be on November 30, 2007. Bishop Soc Villegas earlier promised to be the pilgrimage guide himself if his schedule would allow him to do so. It is just sad that only two participants per parish ( a total of 110 participants to load the two buses) can join the said pilgrimage as our budget would allow. Bishop Soc already told me that we shall visit the Churches in Balanga, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Abucay, and Orani.
Why do Christians go on pilgrimage? Allow me to quote some excerpts from the book "The Way of the Lord" by Tom Wright:
"First, pilgrimage to holy places has a valuable role within the Church's teaching ministry... You might, in principle, have learnt such things [i.e. about the pilgrimage sites] from books, lectures and television; but there is something about simply being there which, for most people, goes to the heart of things.
"Second, pilgrimage to holy places is a stimulus and an invitation to prayer. Those who, like me, share the privilege of worshiping and praying regularly in an ancient holy place know well how those who come are regularly moved to pray by such a building... I cannot describe the sense of intimacy this evoked.
"Third, pilgrimage to holy places, though neither necessary nor sufficient for Christian living, can be for many a time for real growth and depth in discipleship. This may have something to do with the sheer fact of traveling away from home, looking for something we don't yet know about.
"My hope and prayer, then, for all who go on pilgrimage, is that thay may make right use of their time of journeying: to learn new things, yes; to pray new prayers, yes; but most of all to take fresh steps along the road of discipleship that leads from the earthly city to the city that is to come, whose builder and maker is God." (pp. 9-11)
I hope the youth pilgrimage to Bataan become a fruitful journey for the youth.
Monday, November 12, 2007
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