The fourth day of the 5th Asian Apostolic Congress on Mercy (AACOM) continued with a talk and a testimony on how the Divine Mercy manifests through authentic dialogue and public service.
TALK 4
The morning session began with a talk by Fr. Patrice Chocholski from Stockbridge, Massachusetts, USA, focusing on “St. John Paul II and St. Faustina’s Divine Mercy Mission.”
Fr. Chocholski emphasized that the word of God is present in a fully authentic relationship.
“Mercy and justice are expressions of the eternal Trinitarian relations. Mercy and justice are expressed also in human relationships as far as they are authentic. In our relationships, sometimes we are not authentic. We are only interested in other things, like our attention to the person who is before us, we think of other things, and we look at the qualities, that sometimes the relationship, the dialogue, and interaction with the other person is not authentic. In a fully authentic relationship, through dialogue, the word of God is really present in true dia-logos,” Fr. Chocholski said.
TESTIMONY 7
Following his talk, Hon. Avelino J. Gungob, Sr., former mayor of Consolacion, Cebu, gave a testimony on “The Priests, Laity, and Youth as Treasures of God’s Mercy.”
In his sharing, he expressed that mercy itself is public service.
“I sometimes would think that the years of my public service might have been too short because I still know I could have done more. Too much to do yet so little time. I am sure each one of you here has found yourself saying the same thing. But the Lord and His Divine Mercy reminded me that each one of us is doing public service, elected or not. Mercy itself is public service,” Hon. Avelino said.
PARISH IMMERSION
The second part of the day’s program featured a parish immersion, a heartfelt event where delegates, along with parish representatives, presented gifts to selected beneficiaries.
The participating parishes included:
– Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Lahug, Cebu City
– Archdiocesan Shrine of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, D. Jakosalem St., Cebu City
– Archdiocesan Shrine of San Nicolas de Tolentino, C. Padilla St., Cebu City
– Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Punta Princesa, Cebu City
– Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, N. Escario St., Capitol, Cebu
– Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, Redemptorist, Cebu City
– Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Cebu City
– St. Joseph the Patriarch Parish, Mabolo, Cebu City
– San Roque Parish, Subangdaku, Mandaue City
Each parish celebrated a Holy Mass, reinforcing the spirit of community and gratitude at this meaningful gathering.