Davao Catholic Charismatic celebrate Pentecost Sunday, Focus on Family

Davao City – Hundreds of ‘prayer warriors’ gather today, May 15, 2016 at the Holy Cross of Davao College Gymnasium to celebrate Pentecost Sunday, with the theme, “Holy Spirit Strengthens the Family Through the Eucharist in this Year of Mercy.”

Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church celebrated early enough to be mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (20:16) and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians (16:8). It is the 50th day after Easter, and it supplants the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 50 days after the Passover and celebrated the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mount Sinai. For Catholic Charismatic Services in the Philippines most especially here in the Archdiocese of Davao, this is a celebration to praise and thank God for the so many spiritual gifts that they are receiving especially for the gift of family and mercy.

Members of the Archdiocesan Service Committee- Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Davao (ASC-CCRD) are expected to participate coming from the different parochial and transparochial charismatic communities in Davao today. The celebration will start with an enthronement of the bible and the image of Mama Mary which will be followed by one of the most-loved activities for every charismatic individual which is the praise and worship.

Also, in connection to the national elections that just took place, different Catholic Charismatic groups in the Archdiocese of Davao answered the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to pray the rosary and conducted prayer vigils for a Clean, Honest, Accurate, Meaningful and Peaceful elections week before May 9, 2016.

“We started our novena to the Holy Spirit Friday evening before the elections and was glad that our prayers were heard,” said Bro. Abraham Domingo, Diocesan Coordinator of the Archdiocesan Service Committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Davao.

Now that canvassing is ongoing, they still continue to pray for a smooth transition of leadership especially after ‘mud-slinging’ campaign tactics of different political parties.

He revealed that they have invited all prayer groups in the parishes and transparochial Charismatic groups to this annual celebration of Pentecost Sunday which will start at 7:00 am until 5:00pm.

Rev. Fr. Arnold Balaquinto, DCD, the vicar of St. Joseph Parish, a person who was raised by a charismatic family, and a very supportive charismatic priest is this year’s guest speaker who will expound the theme of the celebration which is about the gift and fruits of the Holy Spirit in strengthening the family through the Eucharist in this year of mercy.

Msgr. Paul Cuison, the Spiritual Director of the ASC-CCRD will celebrate the mass together with the other priests. Gifts of the various committees will be exhibited through the presentations. “It will be a spiritual celebration and different groups will showcase their talents in a ‘KaSaDra’ or Kanta (song), Sayaw (dance) or Drama,” Domingo added. (Annie Libres | Jecy Opada)