42nd DCM in Butuan (First of Two Parts)

Excerpts from Archbishop Romulo G. Valles’ homily during the 42nd Diocesan Clergy of Mindanao Closing Mass and Memorial Mass for Bishop Juan de Dios M. Pueblos last March 8, 2018 at Saint Joseph Cathedral, Butuan City.

Meaningful kaayo nako ning closing mass niining 42nd DCM in memorial of Bishop Juan de Dios M. Pueblos. Daghan mi common nga realities sa among kinabuhi. Una, he served Davao and now I’m serving Davao. We are Boholanos and both of us followed the great Archbishop Morelos. He succeeded him in Butuan, I succeeded Morelos in Zamboanga.

Yes we will remember him in prayer. Nindut! But when we do that, himoon kana sulod sa Eyukaristiya. I think maayo natong hinumduman nga dili lang kita’y naghandum kaniya sulod niining Santos nga Misa. But in the Mass we hear the prayer “Lord remember the Church, remember the dead”.

First and foremost, in this mass, it is the Lord who would forever keep the memory of Bishop Didi. Ingon nila, short ang memory, magkanipis, pero the Lord does not forget.

The Lord remembers all of us including those who are not with us.

And that is what we are doing today and especially when Bishop Pueblos was still alive and he knew about this DCM and in fact, nihangyo siya nga maatul kini sa iyang Golden Jubilee as a Priest karong March 28 ug karon ang iyang 75th birthday.

Come to think of it, these are not secular remembrances sa iyang kinabuhi. It is not just counting years but counting his devotion and dedication to the Church and to the Lord. Two celebrations that can only be understood with the eyes of faith.

A celebration of faith that would help us today as we close this 42nd DCM dinhi sa Diocese sa Butuan. Kita magpasalamat, sincere and deep gratitude to the Diocese of Butuan.

Gani, angay natong tan-awon ang grasya sa batasan ug tradisyon sa DCM. Tatak Mindanawon! Naa na tay Mindanao-wide nga panagtapok nga wala sa ubang region sa Pilipinas.

Karon gani gisugdan ang 11th MSPC Youth Directors and Coordinators Forum. Mindanao Wide. Youth, Catechists bag-o lang didto sa Mati, mga FLA. Usa ka timaan sa kaanindot sa Church here in Mindanao. Busa salamat kaayo. Salamat kaayo sa taga Butuan.