Saint Pedro Calungsod

Ca. 1654 - April 2, 1672)

SAINT PEDRO CALUNGSOD IS THE SECOND FILIPINO DECLARED A SAINT BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AFTER SAINT LORENZO RUIZ.

Very little is known about Pedro Calungsod (Calonsor in Spanish records).  He was born ca. 1655 and possible place of origin of birth could be Cebu, Southern Leyte, Bohol and Iloilo.  These places were under the Diocese of Cebu during Calungsod's martyrdom.  At the age of 14, he was among the cathechists chosen to go with the Jesuits in their mission to the Ladrones Islands (Isles of Thieves).  In 1668, Calungsod travelled with Spanish Jesuit missionaries to these islands, renamed the Marianas Islands the year before in honor of both the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Queen Regent of Spain, Maria Ana of Austria, who funded their voyage.  Calungsod and San Vitores (Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores) went to Guam to catechise the native Chamorros.  On April 2, 1672, Saturday the day before the Passion Sunday, Pedro (by then seventeen years old) was violently killed by a spear at the chest hurled by Hirao, one of the natives.  Fellow missionary Padre Diego gave Pedro the final sacramental absolution before he was killed also.  The killers dragged the bodies of Pedro and Padre Diego to the edge of the shore, tied large stones to their feet, and threw them into the deep.  The companion missionaries of Pedro remembered him to be a boy with a very good disposition, a virtuous catechist, a faithful assistant, a good Catholic whose perseverance in the Faith even to the point of martyrdom proved him to be a good soldier of Christ.  

In 1994, then-Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal asked permission from the Vatican to initiate the beatification and canonisation cause of Pedro Calungsod.  In March 1997, the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the acts of the diocetian beatification process.  Then John Paul II, wanting to include young Asian laypersons in his first beatification for the Jubilee Year 2000, paid particular attention to the cause of Calungsod.  In January 2000, he approved the decree super martyrio (concerning the martyrdom) of Calungsod, setting his beatification for March 5, 2000 at Saint Peter's Square in Rome.  On December 19, 2011, the Holy See officially approved the miracle qualifying Calungsod for sainthood - the recognized miracle happened in 2002 when a woman from Leyte had a heart attack.  She was pronounced clinically dead for two hours and was revived when a doctor prayed for Calungsod's intercession.

Pope Benedict XVI canonized Saint Pedro Calungsud on October 21, 2012 (World Mission Sunday), 340 years after his death.

The Roman Martyrology celebrates the Feast of St. Pedro Calungsod every April 2nd.

PRAYER FOR SPECIAL INTENTIONS TO SAINT PEDRO CALUNGSOD

My Lord, In your grace, you have shown through your servant, Saint Pedro Calungsod, the sublime prize of following you.

Through his martyrdom, you have shown us that age and race will not hinder us from saving and loving you;

His youthful fervor in defending the faith earned him the title to be called Saint;  Thus in confidence, I humbly call unto him to pray with me, and to intercede for this urgent favor (make a request) and that through his glorious life, I may try to emulate him, together with Mother Mary, who have without reserve said yes to your will.

Amen.

Link http://www.pedrocalungsod.org

Recycled Web Page

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THE PHILIPPINES FROM THE PAST [See attached file}



Rizal Monument
Photo taken January 2010

Attachment: PhilippinesfromthePast-1.pps  {Link Broken}


Published  2/19/10   ust1611 multiply
Web Page:  My Philippines