Preparations for Eucharistic Congress get thumbs up

CEBU, Philippines - Local preparations for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in 2016 received positive feedback from organizers from Europe.

Ten months since their first inspection in September last year, 50th IEC General Manager Anne Griffin and Pontifical Committee on IEC secretary Fr. Vittore Boccardi lauded the efforts of Cebuanos and Filipinos at large.

“People have been working really hard. The plans have improved and the people are very focused. They understand what they want to achieve, in terms of timeline, checking and maintaining the schedule which is on time, the budgetary concerns,” Griffin said.

Griffin headed the team for the 50th IEC held in Dublin, Ireland in 2012.

Boccardi, for his part, highlighted the work of the local committees.

“I am very impressed by the big work done by local committee. Each committee has done their work. In terms of budget, the fund raising has been moving and it is going quite well,” Boccardi said.

The Vatican envoy further pointed out the “extraordinary work” of constructing a pavilion. In fact, Boccardi said, this is only the third time since the IEC’s inception in 1881 that infrastructure was built purposely for the event.

Cebu’s IEC pavilion has a maximum capacity of 15,000 and local committee secretary Fr. Dennis Villarojo said they are limiting the number of people who will be allowed to enter during the week-long event.

Villarojo clarified, however, that there will be activities that will be open to the public like the opening mass at the Plaza Independencia, the procession from the Capitol to the Plaza Independencia, and the closing mass at the South Road Properties.

“We are expecting around 50,000 at the opening and hopefully 1million at the closing,” Villarojo said.

Apart from the “material preparation,” which he said is on the right track, the Italian priest also stressed the importance of spiritual preparations.

The catechetical document, considered the soul of the activity, is now being finalized and is expected to be in by October this year.

 Despite the recent calamities that hit the nation, 51st IEC president Archbishop Jose Palma and Villarojo displayed optimism for the generosity of the faithful – not just Filipinos but Catholics around the globe.

 The main activity for the January of 2016 event will last for one week but Griffin pointed out that the IEC goes before and even beyond the actual gathering.

 Pope Francis is expected to attend the event but no confirmation has been given by Vatican just yet.

However, the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines has confirmed that the pope will come to the Philippines prior to the conference to visit the areas devastated by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

“Until Rome sends out the itinerary of the pope’s visit remains to be a plan. So we heard of his coming to the country. The plan is on January 15-18 is almost sure. We know that there have already been plans. His main concern is to visit Tacloban. But will he come to Cebu? So we pray,” Palma said.— (FREEMAN)