Naming of road after John Paul unopposed

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the Catholic Church in Cebu are supporting the proposed ordinance seeking to rename Juan Luna Avenue in Barangay Mabolo after the late Pope John Paul II.

 The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Edgardo Labella was submitted yesterday for public hearing where no single opposition was registered by the City Council.

 Msgr. Achilles Dakay, media liaison officer of the Archdiocese of Cebu, and Rev. Father Dan Delos Angeles appeared during the public hearing to support the proposed ordinance.

 Labella wants to rename the one-kilometer road connecting M.J. Cuenco Avenue and Archbishop Reyes Avenue after Pope John Paul II to honor the late pontiff who visited Cebu City 20 years ago.

 The road used to be called San Jose dela Montaña before it was renamed Juan Luna Avenue more than 10 years ago.

 Dakay and de los Angeles said the Catholic Church in Cebu is strongly supporting the measure.

 According to them, there are several spiritual shelters around the area such as the Saint Joseph Parish and the three archdiocesan seminaries; Blessed John XXIII Minor Seminary, Seminario Mayor de San Carlos, and San Carlos Seminary College, and the Carmelites Monastery.

 According to Labella, the Apostolic voyage of the late Pope John Paul II to Cebu City in 1981 placed the Queen City of the south in the global limelight when international news teams covered the Pope’s journey.

 “To rename the present Juan Luna Avenue, as Pope John Paul II Avenue would be germane to the historical presence of the Pope John Paul II in the said area, and to his timeless essence as the uniting pope, who inspired people even from different religions,” said Labella. — (FREEMAN)