Filipinos in US, Canada celebrate feast of San Pedro Calungsod

From left, Estrelle Chan, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, Rev. Angel Quitalig, Pieter Chan, Leon Palad, Cultural Officer Cristine Cia Clasara-Steylaerts and Estelle Oloresisimo. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO – Filipino Catholics in the United States and Canada recently celebrated the feast of  San Pedro Calungsod, the patron saint of Filipino youth.

The Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of San Francisco last week led the celebration at St. Mark Catholic Church in Belmont, California, which included a concelebrated Mass led by St. Mark Parish Pastor Rev. Angel Quitalig and the induction of the Filipino Ministry officers.

Representing the Consulate General of San Francisco, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona and Cultural Officer Cristine Cia Clasara-Steylaerts joined the festivities organized by the Filipino community in Belmont.

Earlier this month, the Archdiocese of Washington held a procession and Holy Mass to commemorate the feast of St. Pedro Calungsod. Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar served as the principal celebrant and homilist.

The celebration was organized by the DC Filipino Catholic Community under its chaplain, Fr. Patrick Agustin, parochial vicar of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Gaithersburg, Maryland, in collaboration with the archdiocesan Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach.

In Los Angeles,  Fr. John Cordero led the celebration for the San Pedro Pastoral Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It was held at St. Linus Church, with Bishop Marc Trudeau presiding.

In Vancouver, Archbishop John Michael Miller and Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes last week led a Holy Mass celebrating the official enshrinement of the icon of St. Pedro Calungsod in a local parish.

The Cebuano Society of Canada, in collaboration with the Filipino Catholic Ministry of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, led the movement to enshrine the icon in St. Monica parish in Richmond City, British Columbia.

Pedro (Peter) Calungsod was a 17th century Filipino lay Catholic who preached Christianity in the United States territory of Guam, where he was martyred at the age of 17.

He was born on July 21, 1654, in Ginatilan in Cebu. Calungsod was a skilled sacristan and catechism teacher who preached Christianity to the Chamorro people, defying the risk of persecution and murder.

Pope John Paul II beatified Calungsod March 5, 2000, in the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI canonized him on Oct. 21, 2012, making him one of the youngest saints of the Church. During his beatification, Pope John Paul II hailed the teenage martyr for his great example of faith.