International Eucharistic Congress 2016 Day 2 Report

CEBU CITY, January 25, 2016—The Pavilion serves as the melting pot of thousands of Catholics representing 72 countries for the second day of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress.

Today’s event opened with the morning prayers led by Most Rev. Patricio Buzon, SDB, DD and the Jesuit seminarians.

Following the morning praise, the Most Rev. Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte, OFM, DD, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Trujillo in Peru gave a catechesis to the assembly with the theme, “Christ in you, our Hope of Glory:  A Pastoral Reflection on Colossians 1:27.”

Major points of his talk revolved around. Among other points, he stressed that all the faithful should be like St. Paul in becoming a servant for the Church. He also accentuated the inseparability of the Church and the gospel.

His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Zen, SDB, DD, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, shared his testimony as to how the Chinese Christians bravely endured the persecution during the rise of communism in China.

Culminating the morning program was the celebration of Holy Eucharist presided by the Most Rev. Piero Marini, DD, President of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.

In a press conference that lasted for one hour at the Media Center, the Most Rev. Jose Palma, along with Archbishop Piero Marini, Fr. Vitorio Boccardi, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, and Fr. Jose Quilongquilong announced that the world-famous host of the program Word on Fire, Bishop Robert Baron will be present in this week-long congress.

The afternoon program included four concurrent sessions. The one inside the Pavilion is entitled: “The Christian Virtue of Hope,” by Rev. Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP. The Waterfront Hotel was the venue for the other three concurrent sessions. “The Manifold Dimensions of Eucharistic

Hope” by Rev. Fr. Paul Vu Chi Hy, SSS.  Rev. Fr. Francis Moloney, SDB talked about “The Word of God, Jesus Christ, and the Eucharist:  Christian Hope in the Secularizing world” while Amb. Tamara Grdzellidze discussed “The Church is Woman:  The Missionary and Pastoral Role of Women in the Church.”

It has been a Eucharist-inspired day for all the participants of the international congress here in Cebu.

(Report by Fray Jessriel Marcha, OAR for CBCP Media and Recoletos Communications)