Things I Learned from the WYD!!!

1. Never sleep in the train when you are in a foreign land. (thanks to Leah for this)
2. Budget your time for shopping so you don't get lost and left behind. (thanks to Karina)
3. Make sure there's no camera when you dance in public - esp. if you are a priest. (thanks to me)
4. Don't forget your ipod or mp3 player especially if you will sleep beside a loud one-man orchestra. (thanks to Phil)
5. Huwag ikahiyang gamitin ang sariling wika kapag inaaway ka na ng mga banyaga sa sarili nilang wika. (salamat Fr. Josue and Fr. Jun)
6. Never "line the cross". (kay Camille ba ito??? hahahaha)
7. The Southern Cross is found in the sky, not in the face. (thanks again to Karina)
8. Kangaroos are not only fun to see but fun to eat as well. (thanks to Fr. Leo)
9. The African word for "father" is "Baba". (right, Baba Ding?)
10. Believe that real power can only come from the Holy Spirit. (thanks to the Holy Spirit!)

World Youth Day: Sydney, July 15-21

We arrived in Sydney early Sunday morning. This time we didn’t have to wait for hours at the airport. We were soon being brought to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Randwick which was just a few blocks away from the Randwick Race Course which was to be the site of the Papal Mass. That was to our relief because it meant we wouldn’t have to walk a long way to get there. We found out however that our foster families were not expecting us until the evening of the 14^th. So everyone started calling on their relatives in Australia to look for a place to stay for the night. I brought along with me Phil and Atty. Lea to Plumpton which was an hour’s drive from the city. We were lucky because Erwin Buensuceso who was picked up by his aunt was also going that way and gave us a ride. I was able to get in touch with Ate Remy Fairweather, sister of Sis. Rita Fernandez. She was kind enough to give us a place to spend the night. Gigi and Queenie stayed in Gigi’s cousin’s place near the city.

In Sydney, Fr. Chris and I were still housemates but this time we stayed in the same house with Msgr. Ding, Fr. Eugene, Fr. Jojo and Fr. Roy. We were warmly received by Stephanie Burke and her family in their house along Coogee Bay.


July 15 was the actual starting date of the WYD 2008. It was such a memorable first day for most of us priests. We had to line up at the Opera House for the accreditation of priests for us to be able to concelebrate in the Papal Mass. We started lining up around 8:30am and finally got out of the Opera House around 5:30pm. Imagine, nine hours of lining up with thousands of other priests and only 5 computers available for registration. That would have been an hour longer than our flight back to Manila. And because of that queue, we never got to concelebrate during the Opening Mass at Barangaroo.



From July 16-18, we joined catechetical sessions in the morning at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Kensington. The catechism sessions had bishops and Cardinals as speakers. The main focus of the catechism was the theme of the WYD 2008: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and you will become my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). In the afternoon of July 17, we joined thousands of ecstatic young people in Barangaroo for the grand Papal Arrival.



The highlight of any WYD celebration is the overnight vigil before the last day. And so was it in Sydney. Around 1:30pm of Saturday, July 19, we began our pilgrim walk to the Randwick Race Course. There was a festive atmosphere in the streets of Sydney. Young people from different nations were marching towards the same direction while chanting their love for Jesus and for the Pope. Equally moving and heartwarming were the Filipinos based in Sydney who were as ecstatic whenever they see us and the Filipino flag being waved in the air. They were so proud to see their countrymen and even joined us in our chants of “Boom Tarat-tarat.”

That was also the most challenging part of the WYD. Remember, it was the heart of winter. By 5pm, we were already struggling with the biting coldness to think that the vigil had not begun yet. The Pope arrived around 8pm and the prayer vigil lasted until 10pm. By the end of the vigil, we were freezing to our bones. Four layers of winter clothing, sleeping bags and thermal blankets were not enough to ward off the stinging coldness. But there was no giving up on this once in a lifetime experience. Everyone was courageous enough to take the extra challenge. Four hundred thousand young people slept under the Southern sky anticipating the Pope’s closing mass the following morning.

It was all worth the sacrifice. Although most of us were not able to really get a good night’s rest, everyone was as energetic as the previous day as we awaited the Closing Mass. The Pope’s message reverberated around the race course. Power can only come from the Holy Spirit, a power so different from what the world can offer. The Papal message was full of hope for the young people of the world.

There are still so many things to write about the WYD. One blog entry will never be enough. I am just giving you a summary of the events that transpired during those unforgettable days in Sydney and Melbourne. In fact I haven’t told you about the Blue Mountains, about the food, koalas, kangaroos, lamingtons, Tim-tams …and WYD 2011 in Madrid! Hasta la vista!!!

Melbourne: Days in the Dioceses, July 10-13

It was a dream come true for most of the 96-strong Manila delegation to the Sydney World Youth Day. Most of us were first-timers, except of course for those who were already “young” when the WYD was held in Manila in 1995. It was just amazing that most of those who went to Sydney were only toddlers or were still inside their mothers’ wombs when it was held in Manila.

We arrived in Melbourne on the morning of July 9. We were brought to the Marcelin College after six hours of waiting at the airport. People from our host parish, St. John the Evangelist in Mitcham, fetched us and brought us to the parish. By 6pm, foster parents started arriving to pick up those assigned to them. Barry O’ Shei who became my foster father for 5 days, came to pick me up together with Fr. Chris Sabili from Palawan. His house along Ventnor St. was about 1.6kms away from the parish.

July 10: We joined the community mass at Mitcham’s around 10am. Then the parish priest and some parish leaders brought us to Victoria Market where we had lunch before proceeding to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the Opening Mass of the Days in the Diocese.

July 11: We went to the Pilgrim Center (while worrying whatever happened to Atty. Lea who was not able to get off the train). Our group made a pilgrimage walk to the Blessed Mary McKillop Heritage Center. Blessed Mary Mckillop hopefully will become Australia’s first saint. At 6pm, we were already at the Telstra Dome for the commissioning mass. Finally, and to our relief, we were reunited with Atty. Lea.

July 12: After mass at Mitcham’s, we had barbecue with the parishioners. Then we were given the afternoon for free. For tennis fans, Melbourne is a sacred place. Every year, around the month of January, Melbourne hosts the first Grand Slam event to kick off the tennis season, the Australian Open. Having mastered the art of manipulation (laugh), I was able to drag along with me some priests and young people for a side trip to the Rod Laver Arena. I was in Cloud Nine! Just seeing the tennis courts where famous tennis players compete gave me a blast. My trip to Australia was complete!

The following day we were off to Sydney. Melbourne was memorable. First, for Barry O’Shei, my foster father there. Second, The Rod Laver Arena. Third, for everything that happened while we were there. :)

Parish Youth Camp 2008

The Parish Youth Ministry, led by the very energetic and efficient Jacky Sapitanan went to Real, Quezon last June 8, 2008.  I wasn't able to join them because of a prior commitment.  Thanks to Millette for offering the place and to her mom for preparing the venue and for staying there and served as the guardian of our youth.  I hope to be able to visit the place soon.  

If the smiles in the photos below will be the basis, then Youth Camp 2008 was a resounding success. 

Merry Month of May

National Conference for Youth Ministers (NCYM)

The NCYM 2008 was held last May 5-10 in Jaro, Iloilo. Our Parish Youth Coordinator Jacky Sapitanan was part of the official delegation from the Archdiocese of Manila and she represented the Makati District Youth Ministry. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Word of God Lives in You” (1 John 2:14). The conference aimed to stress among the youth ministers that the Bible should take the central place in the lives of youth ministers. Bishop Chito Tagle of Imus was the keynote speaker of the conference. He challenged all the youth ministers to listen and witness to the Word of God, Jesus Christ. The NCYM believes that the young are not only objects of evangelization but that they can be ministers of evangelization.

EMHC Retreat 2008

The annual retreat of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) was held last May 9-10 at Villa San Jose, Tagaytay City. Bro. Jayvee Zuniga of San Jose Seminary was their retreat director. The theme of this year’s retreat was Eucharistic Spirituality. Bro. Jayvee said that when we speak of spirituality we speak about a particular expression of a belief which is rooted in the quality of one’s relationship with God. When we speak therefore of Eucharistic spirituality, we refer to the spirituality of a person who is transformed by his communion with the Body of Christ.

Santacruzan 2008

The month of May in the Philippines is dedicated in a particular way to Mama Mary. In almost every parish, little children flock to churches to be taught catechism and afterwards offer flowers to the Blessed Mother. Another activity that highlights this Marian Devotion is the Santacruzan which gives honor to Mary through her different titles. This also recalls Queen Helen’s search for the Holy Cross, the true Cross of Christ. Young women are dressed to look their best to give honor to the most beautiful woman ever, the Blessed Mother. Our santacruzan this year was held last May 10. This year’s Reyna Elena is no less than Queenie Cance who really looked every inch a queen.

Parish Outing 2008

The Parish Outing for this year was held last Saturday, April 5, at Villa Fortunata Resort, Nasugbu, Batangas. The owner of the resort, Joey and Celine Perpinan, were very kind and generous enough to close the resort for our exclusive use. I got to know Joey and Celine through Sis. Chat Cance. Their children, Kyle and Queenie, were classmates in high school. They toured us around the resort while it was still undergoing renovation last March.

The buses and the vans left MMJP around 5:30am. I was not able to leave early since I was tasked by the Cardinal to be the main presider of the MAGPAS mass in Paco. I arrived in the resort around noon and found everyone enjoying their day: swimming in the pool and in the beach, singing videoke, playing volleybal and frisbee, or simply frolicking under the sun. I guess I don't have to write anything more. Just look at the pictures and see for yourselves.