Vidal not celebrating dawn Masses out-of-town

Instead of his regular out-of-town Misa de Gallo Masses, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal will only hold Masses in three parishes in Cebu City.

The Misa de Gallo starts today and the prelate will celebrate the Mass at the Archbishop's Palace at 4:30 a.m. himself.

He will also be celebrating Mass in barangay Tisa, Labangon and Basak Fatima.

Last year, Vidal visited nine parishes in Cebu City for his Misa de Gallo to further explain the Mysteries of Light to Cebu City residents.

Vidal chose to visit Marian parishes last year and has given his dawn masses the theme "Duc In Altum: Cast the Net of the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary Rosario for the cause of peace in the world and the cause of the family".

In previous years, Vidal visited parishes in the towns and municipalities of Cebu, choosing a different theme every year.

In 2001, he visited southern parishes he has not been to and in 2000, Vidal celebrated dawn masses in the nine newest parishes in the Archdiocese.

In 1999, he went to nine parishes that had women saints for patronesses and in 1998, to the nine oldest parishes and to the parishes of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1997.

Archdiocesan media liaison officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay said it is up to the parish to decide what time the dawn mass will be although in the previous years, Vidal started promptly at 4:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, acting city police director Supt. Melvin Gayotin called on churchgoers to avoid wearing jewelry or bringing valuables not intended for religious activities as thieves and robbers might be around the corner and just waiting for something to steal.

The Misa de Gallo security preparation of the police was done in coordination with the Parish Security Group which will monitor the flow of the churchgoers and watch for bad elements that might disrupt Masses.

Gayotin said that Police Action Centers to be manned by policemen from different police stations and special units will joined by the security volunteers of the PSG to give assistance for those who might need it.

Police also advised parents bringing their small children not to let them wander unattended lest they be lost in the throng of churchgoers. - Jasmin R. Uy and Edwin Ian Melecio