My Experience in the IEC 2016

[Azureknight 773]

Greetings all of you my brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord. Peace and love be unto you always.

2 weeks ago, there was this highly anticipated event called "The 51st International Eucharistic Congress" that was held in my neighboring island of Cebu. I was so excited about this and I got my approval from my family to go there so I prepared my stuffs. A companion, my ex-nanny was sent by my mom to guard me and my mom, ex-nanny and I went to the city of Tagbilaran to buy tickets for the two of us to depart to Cebu. Afternoon came when we went to the pier of Tagbilaran to depart and so we departed to Cebu. It was a clear sky when we were 1/3 our way to Cebu but then it suddenly went turbulent in the middle to end. I was asleep for the last 1/2 of the 1/3 of the trip when we reached the second third, that was where the waves went bizarre and dangerous. I was like "Is this a game over for me? Hopefully not for I still need to go and be tested in the other side for that test in the IEC." in fear of not getting into the much anticipated event. I smiled to the heavens and prayed to God unceasingly during that turbulent time. However, in strength I smiled because I have been filled with confidence that He will deliver me and my fellow passengers along with the crew safe into the pier of Cebu City. I prayed to Him and said in confidence the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be, "Kyrie eleison" 12 times and "I know that by Thy greatness, these stormy seas will be overcome for Thy power is greater than these" and still kept on praying. Then we were near Cebu City but many of us inside were ceased in fear but then were relieved upon arrival.

When we arrived, we went straight to our home, there we prepare ourselves for our itinerary for the day. We went into the Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Pedro Calungsod in the Archbishop's Residence Compound, Cebu City located within the Jakosalem Street's ways to attend a Traditional Latin Mass there at 6:30 PM. When arrived there, I was filled with awe with the architecture of that place and I marveled upon it for it was my first time. We were a bit early and so we went in and prayed The Holy Rosary and some litanies still in Latin for the TLM was preceded with a rosary. There we finished it and then a friend priest came in and started the Traditional Latin Mass in Low Form because the choir did not come into the place where a Missa Cantata should've taken place. I showed my companion, my ex-nanny the Extraordinary Form of the Holy Mass' flow through a booklet that I bought from a church in Tagbilaran City where he, the priest friend was assigned. I was lucky that I downloaded a TLM guide from the internet to my iPad so I used that instead of the booklet for I let my companion use it. My companion was bewildered and was at a loss for it was her first time however but she joined with me till the end and I kept on helping her with the flow. When it was over, I was glad because I really, really, really missed the TLM for I have been devoid of it for more than a year already. Then another TLM was announced in the worship place where it will be made by a Cardinal from Hong Kong named Cardinal Zen in the Asilo de la Milagrosa Church in Gorordo Avenue, Cebu.

The TLM's location on the day when we arrived:

After the mass, I talked with the priest for a while and then we parted ways and left.
Afterwards, we went home for a while and allowed my companion and a driver to eat. Then we went to a Japanese restaurant that I missed for a long time to eat there and then we went home to take our preparations for the following day and gave ourselves a rest.

The first day has passed.

Day 1 finished.

Day 2 Post later.

 

[Colin]

Glad you arrived safely Azure-san .

I look forward to hearing about Day 2 .

 

[S.ilvio]

Wow, a very well written report on your journey and first experiences of the IEC...

 

[Anhelyna]

That brings back memories

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Sounds like a great trip and adventure. I will wait to hear more.

 

[Azureknight 773]

Day 2:

AM

When we woke up, we took our breakfast and prepared (take a bath and hygiene included) for the itinerary of the day. I allowed my school girl relatives to use my driver for 2 hours and then when he came back, my companion and I have to have ourselves a nail spa for we noticed that they're long already. Something like 1.5-2 centimeters overdue for cutting and so we went to the nail and hair salon for that to be done and so we left after our driver friend and our vehicle came back and let him fetch my relatives after he dropped us there. Afterwards, we took our lunch in a nearby affordable restaurant and then after that we left to a particular store to buy some hobby stuffs.

PM

We summoned our driver friend once again and left what we bought in that store in the car and left to the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal/ Asilo dela Milagrosa in Gorordo Street. It was the place where the next TLM will be held and so we prepared ourselves once again for that event. There, Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun
of Hong Kong celebrated that mass and so I allowed my companion to use my booklet again while I use my trusty iPad for that mass because thank God for technology.
There in the mass, the celebrant was happy for us Filipinos because in his place, there is just a handful of folks attending such a mass but here it was overflowing. Then afterwards, we left to SM City Cebu via Ayala Center's jeepneys under the rain because our driver is currently under use and there we took our dinner, bought a lot of things in preparation for the 3rd and 4th days, and watched a movie on IMAX for our spare time. These items include a "banig" or sleeping mat, a hooded jacket, a notebook, and a few others out there. Then we went home once our driver is available and we pretty much rested in preparation of the days ahead.

TLM #2 location:

Virtues learned:

Practicality and further patience and humility for they are a must.

 

[Azureknight 773]

Day 3

AM


My companion and I woke up, took a breakfast on that day. Afterwards, we prepared much for the grand event which will transpire by the afternoon. By morning, we took our trip to the Seminary in order to claim my kit and I.D. since they have it there. My companion presented my receipt when we paid it before. I took was then given the kit, my I.D. and the very IEC 2016 wrist band, which is extremely hard to remove. I was told by the volunteer not to remove it for it is needed for the entire event, and told me that it is washable, so I did not remove it. We returned home afterwards and planned ourselves the events later on.

PM

We took our lunch, and waited till the 3, I took a bath, and then launched to the venue in Lapu Lapu. Darn be to the traffic, we launched from our house at around 3 but ended up in that area. I called our nun-in-charge as to where exactly in Lapu Lapu is it and told me that I must rush to Mother of Perpetual Help Parish:

where my foster parents are waiting. But we were not sure which area was it, so I took my iphone for online search to locate its location and explained it to my driver but wait, we were a little lost as we were completely not sure about Mactan Island as a whole. We were only experts in the main city of Cebu but Lapu Lapu City isn't by that time. We asked the locals along the way about it and they told us to go to these specific directions and in the long run, we have arrived there.

It was in that parish where my foster parent was waiting and there, we were told to halt because only those cars with stickers are allowed to enter but mine wasn't since it was very, very late. I asked my nun if ever it is allowed for me to go home as my mom won't let me stay in my foster parent but she did not allow it for it was necessary for the event. I took into heart my heart's request to endure and descent into the lower halls with humility's power as my guide. There, we disembarked and went to the church (darn, it was raining and so we have a muddy path), I was approached by a particular group of people and took me to the altar area to assign me to the foster parent. Then I was afraid as I will be with a person that I did not know but with the Spirit's aid, I found her alone in the presence of the many. I asked her to let me eat for a while since I was so hungry so I drank the cup of humility, took on the boodle fight challenge, and ate the foods there.

A boodle fight example:

There, I met some people from a particular area in Mindanao and there we talked for a while, then I returned to the church to be with her and my companion was also there. We met once more and she told us that she was waiting since morning and that we have to be going to her house. We did as she told and went away afterwards to her house. Along the way, my companion and I wish that my mom will not be able to know this because she is overprotective of me. That however, she did some few days later since my companion willingly told her after some calls that happened a day later. I was hoping that she will be mad but wasn't, instead she was glad.

There, we humbly entered her house and lo and behold, I spoke these words that came from Luke 10:5 "Peace to this house" for it was customary for me to pronounce it whenever I come to another person's house that I have never been in my life. But upon nearing her house, it had a cat that I touched but left because she was startled by my presence, in other words, she's shy but I went on right away. Now, it was there that I learned that my foster parent that I encountered was actually a proxy because the actual one was told to stay home after her eye surgery that happened after her meeting with the church and government for the IEC. There we were welcomed warmly and I thanked them. There, she introduced us to her family of 7, her sister, her son, her father, her mother, her nephews, and her nieces. I showed respect and took the right hand of each member and placed each hand's knuckle area slowly to my forehead.

(Like this boy unto his elder)

We had several conversations and there I learned that she's a devout Catholic warrior as she grew up in a divine upbringing. She's a very active member to the church for she's with the youth and when the time came, I took my bath, and changed outfit for sleeping. Then we were placed in a room dedicated to guests, that is with an aircon, and a wifi. We have more conversation and she told us that she was overwhelmed since I came from a very rich family yet she is but a lady, whose financial power is many kilometers away from mine. Yet, I descended further and drank the cup of humility some more and told her some of my parts. Along the way, I talked about some parts of my favorite novel "The Silmarillion" and related it to her and her sister who was with her in that room with my companion and had some more conversations. Then as time progressed, I charged my power bank, and then we slept for six hours.

Humility triumphed.

 

[Michie]

Wonderful update and pictures! Thank you so much!

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Nice Azure. Sounds like a once in a lifetime trip.