The Salesian community of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa hosted the Synodal Consultation of the District 2 Clergy of the Archdiocese of Cebu on December 9, 2025. More than 60 priests were present for the whole-day event.
Fr. Amelito Racelis, SDB, FIS Provincial Superior, together with Fr. Lamberto Paradiang, SDB, Shrine Rector, and the Vicars and clergy of District 2, welcomed the Archbishop of Cebu, Most Reverend Alberto Uy, DD, amidst music and dancing from the young scholars of Lourdes Shrine. The students of Lourdes Kindergarten School added to the festive atmosphere with their pompoms and cheers.
During the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Archbishop Uy, in his homily, compared the lost sheep in the Gospel story to the human condition. He noted how each of us, in many ways, is like the sheep—lost, distracted, and helpless. Yet despite this negative comparison, he offered a solution: to draw near to the Shepherd, where it is safe and secure.
The rest of the day was spent in meetings and conferences with the Archbishop and the clergy, where they discussed the life and spirit of the parishes in the local context and the challenges the clergy are facing. It was an occasion for the clergy to express their sentiments and for the Archbishop to become more familiar with the condition of his priests.
The day was both festive and formative. As a newly installed Archbishop of Cebu, Bishop Abet—as he is fondly called—experienced for the first time the hospitality of the parishioners of Lourdes Shrine and the warmth of the young people of the Salesian Family. This will be the first of many more visits from the Archbishop of Cebu.
