Beatification of Cebu catechist up to Pope

CEBU - The beatification of Cebuano catechist Pedro Calung-sod now hinges on the decision of Pope John Paul II, Fr. Ildebrando Leyson said in his report to the Cebu Archdiocese.

Leyson is the vice postulator of the Cause for the Beatification of Pedro Calungsod whose beatification process started last October.

The Cebu Archdiocese earlier launched a book as part of its efforts to hasten Calungsod's beatification.

Leyson reported to the Archdiocese that last Jan. 4, the panel of theologians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints favored the beatification.

The panel is composed of seven expert theologians who studied the documents submitted for the beatification of Calungsod.

Last Jan. 11, 15 members of the Consultor-Cardinals, the last group to look into Calungsod's beatification, approved the arguments supporting the move.

In view of these developments, the Catholic Church has enjoined everybody to pray for the success of Calungsod's beatification.

Calungsod died in Guam on April 2, 1672, together with Jesuit priest Diego Luis de San Vitores, who has already been beatified. He joined Fr. San Vitores' missionary journey to the Marianas and his Jesuit mission in Guam.

Beatification is a process to declare by public decree that a person is to be revered as "Blessed," has attained the second degree of sanctity and is entitled to public religious honor.

Beatification is also the preparatory step to canonization.

No one had done so much serious and solid historical research on Calungsod until Leyson did a painstaking study on the Cebu catechist's life which is now the subject of the book, Pedro Calonsor Bissaya Prospects of a Teenage Filipino, launched during the 7th Visayas Regional Pastoral Assembly last October.