【慈幼通訊社
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2016 年
01 月
25 日菲律賓宿霧訊】
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第51屆國際聖體大會的開幕儀式，場面溫馨歡慶。馬嘉塞神父(Marty
Macasaet)這樣形容當時的氣氛：「歡迎禮隆重壯觀、振奮人心，歌舞環節重演了基督宗教來到菲律賓的情景。」
By Deacon Donnie Duchin Duya, SDB
馬嘉塞神父參與了國際聖體大會開幕彌撒，共祭的有超過1,500名神父、逾200名主教及10名樞機。
彌撒第一部份，宣讀了教宗特使 ― 緬甸仰光總教區，慈幼會士嘉祿貌波樞機的委任書。接著，宿霧總教區帕爾馬總主教向貌波樞機致以問候辭。
貌波樞機在講道中，稱教宗方濟各為新千禧年的先知，並稱揚菲律賓為「一個偉大的國度，照耀整個亞洲」，因為那裡有菲律賓人，那裡便有福傳。他引用已故耶穌會士方濟克拉韋爾主教的話，指出菲律賓如何因為屢受自然災害，而被視為世上的災難之都，然而菲律賓人卻展示出他們如何堅韌地應對！
在講道中加插了一些菲律賓及宿霧語言的語句，令當地信眾極為受落。「教宗方濟各很愛你們。」貌波樞機說完這話，引來連場掌聲，估計在場參禮者約有35萬人。
樞機強調：「宗教敬禮是好的，然而我們不只要敬禮，更要成為門徒。」接著，他指出敬禮不同於作門徒，彌撒的敬禮者只用一小時，但門徒的彌撒永不完結；敬禮者的彌撒在整潔的祭台上進行，然而門徒的彌撒則
延續到街上。
貌波樞機的講道是活潑生動的。他超越了信仰的範疇，為使人們注意到，窮人與聖體是無法分離的，因為「聖體的愛，召叫我們愛護窮人。」
他進一步解釋說：「最嚴重的恐怖主義，最大的大罪，莫過於在死於飢餓的兒童面前，袖手旁觀。」
51st IEC: “The love of the Eucharist calls us to love the poor”
(ANS - Philippines – Cebu City, 25 January 2016) – The 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) opened with characteristic warm festivity. It was a "rousing, magnificent Welcome Program, featuring a song-and-dance re-enactment of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines" as Fr Marty Macasaet described it.
By Deacon Donnie Duchin Duya, SDB
Fr. Macasaet concelebrated in the IEC opening Mass along with more than 1,500 priests, and with over 200 bishops and 10 cardinals.
In the first part of the Mass, the appointment letter of the Papal Legate – Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar – was read. Then Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu delivered the salutation to Cardinal Charles Bo.
In his homily, Cardinal Bo called Pope Francis the prophet of the new millennium and hailed the Philippines "as a great nation, a light to Asia," for the presence of Filipinos means evangelization. Quoting the late Jesuit bishop Francisco Claver, he pointed out how the Philippines appeared to have been thought of as the disaster capital of the world due to the natural calamities that strike the country, and yet, the Filipinos have shown how resilient they are!
He peppered his homily with phrases from the Filipino and Cebuano languages to the delight of the local faithful. “Pope Francis loves you very much. Ang atong Santo Padre gihigugma kamo’ng tanan. Kayo’ng lahat ay mahal na mahal ng Santo Padre,” Cardinal Bo said, which elicited applause from the congregation, which was estimated to reach about 350,000.
His Eminence emphasized that "Devotion is good, but it is not enough insofar as we are called to be disciples." He then pointed out that devotion is different from discipleship, for the Mass of a devotee ends in an hour, but the Mass of a disciple is unending; the Mass of a devotee is done on a clean altar while the Mass of a disciple continues in the streets."
The homily of Cardinal Bo was spirited. He went beyond the realm of faith in order to call to the attention of the people that the poor and the Eucharist are inseparable, for "The love of the Eucharist calls us to love the poor."
"The greatest terrorism, the greatest mortal sin is seeing a child die of starvation," he furthered.