A surprising irony

I had always been under the impression that evangelization is the responsibility of adult Christians. Surprisingly, I discovered recently that there has been a new trend – evangelization by the youth.

These past few months, I have been watching these developments in the Our Lady of Candles Church in Capitol Heights, Villamonte, where I noticed this new trend – the young taking their parents to Church and giving them the lead insofar as the liturgical rites are concerned.

This is palpable in two aspects of the liturgy of the Mass – the gift-giving and the post-Communion leavetaking.

In the first, what usually happens is that many of the tots and youngsters take the lead in presenting the gifts for the minister, with the adults following them.

In the past, the Church emptied fast as the adults hurried out. However, as has happened several times, I noticed the young crowding around the cleric for the sacerdotal blessing for the children and, later, the blessing with Holy Water.

Thus, instead of emptying quickly, the Church remains crowded for some time after Mass.

During the Misa de Aguinaldo, I was also astounded at the sight of so many of the young approaching the altar to receive Holy Communion.

Thus, I was not surprised when I saw dozens of youth at the baptism of two baby boys the day after Christmas at the Pavilion Hotel of the Palancas.

Of course, I knew that the priest must have violated the parish guidelines for the entry into the fold of Christians of the two infants, the ones that require the rites to be held in church and limiting the number of sponsors to two.

Yet, I am sure any infractions were more than made up for by the dozens of young Ninongs and Ninangs who vowed to raise the two in the ways of their faith.

One of the two happened to be my great grandson, Paco Miguel Soriano, son of John Ericson Soriano and Erika Marie Rife.

The godparents of Miggy, as we call him, are: Isabel Alfornon, Misha Espina, Gabrielle Sa-onoy, Cyra Villavecer, Katrina Ramos, Alyzza Millendez, Jeanne Rodriguez, Patricia Liza, Em-em Engallado, Liway Espina, Leova Musang, Yolanda Noble, Christy Diamante, Lei Varona, Lara Mangubat, Arnel Jumayao, Carlos Uychiat, Keith Hilado, Giancarlo Pasolini, Ryan Sevilla, Dominic Lindaya, Benjie Oray, Carl Libo-on, and Elson Castro.*

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