Teen Saint Pedro—Faithful, Pure, A Child of Love

Teen Saint Pedro—Faithful, Pure, A Child of Love

October 21, 2013 is a very significant day for the Filipino Catholics. The entire nation, together with Filipinos worldwide, once again rejoiced as Pope Benedict XVI canonized Beato Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino to become a saint.

from cbcpnews.com

But unlike San Lorenzo Ruiz, very little is known about this young martyr from the Visayas who sailed with Jesuit Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores to the Las Islas de Mariana in 1668. And so, in a effort to introduce Bl. Pedro Calungsod to the Filipino, especially the youth, the National Commission on the Canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, in collaboration with Msgr. Rudy Villanueva of Cebu and 29AD Musicionaries of Couples for Christ, organized the staging of Teen Saint Pedro, The Musicale.

Msgr. Rudy, who is like the Fr. Manoling Francisco of Cebu, wrote the original play titled Scenes from a Martyrdom, which was staged in 1994 in Cebu by a company of priests and willing volunteers. After meeting with the Commission and 29AD, it was agreed that Msgr. Rudy's original script will be adapted, with 29AD's Bob Serrano and Nonong Sampang doing a few rearrangements in the music. And with a little over a month to spare, the company set its gears running—planning, auditioning actors, drawing props and costumes, learning songs and rehearsing for the big night.

The missionaries arrive

The play opened with Padre San Vitores and his co-missionaries sailing the rough seas of the Pacific until they reach what we now know as Guam. The good priest and his crew disembark, excitedly anticipating the mission set before them—to catechize and baptize the native Chamorros.

Popular teen actor Makisig Morales plays and lends his superb singing voice to Calungsod, while Bubi Camus portrays Padre Diego. Their characters being "mission partners", Morales and Camus spend many stage time together. But Morales, being the more experienced one, does not upstage Camus, acting or singing-wise. There was mutual respect for each other's roles.

Choco and the macanjas

The Chamorros, particularly the men, including the tribe chief Mat'apang, played by Stephen Umaguing, met the group with hostility. Together with other antagonists in the story like Choco, the shipwrecked Chinese quack doctor (played by Emer Guingon) and his cohorts of Macanjas (native herbal medicine men), these men made sure they did everything to threaten the lives of the missionaries.

 
Pedro catechizes Chamorro children

However, not everyone showed hostility towards the "white man and his companions". The missionaries were able to catechize and baptize the women-folk and the children. They even befriended Upe, Mat'apang's wife (played by Lorimar Ranario), and one ma uritao (played by Gretchen Yaoyao), a woman who educated young Chamorro men in hunting, fighting, boat-building, the ways of the world included, among others.

During their stay in the island, Pedro was sometimes attacked by homesickness. This was interpreted in a piece calledMother's Song, with Cerisse Balatbat singing the part of Pedro's mother, Maliksi Morales as the boy Pedro, and Makisig as the teenage Pedro. The song evoked a longing for everything familiar while in an unfamiliar land, with Pedro taking comfort in the consolation that Padre Diego, who was like a father to him, was there with him.

Pedro, my child of love

Conflict sets in when Choco, banking on Mat'apang's dislike for the missionaries, spread rumors that the baptism water used by Padre Diego and his companions was poisoned and was causing the death of many Chamorros. Mat'apang's dislike turned to rage when, after his child with Upe was baptized against his will, dies as well.

Padre Diego baptizes Mat'apang and Upe's child

Pedro takes the spear intended for Padre Diego

The scene wherein Mat'apang and his right hand man confront and attack Padre Diego and Pedro was the highlight of the play. This was followed by a gut-wrenching song titled Pedro's Farewell, sung by male members of the company while Pedro lay lifeless at center stage, with the following lines stirring up mixed emotions:

I feel no grudge for those who gave me pain
Just a bit sad that I can't speak of God to them again
But remember Land, beloved of God, who has bathed you with my blood
No martyr never ever dies in vain!

For a theatrical debut, Makisig Morales used the confidence and timing he gained from his TV acting, which gave him an edge over his amateur co-actors. However, the cast, most of whom were also in an earlier produced musical Selpie, equalled Morales, both in acting and singing.

Makisig Morales plays teen Saint Pedro

All in all, the production was very well executed. There may have been a few glitches in lighting and transition here and there, but the story and the talents more than made up for these shortcomings.

Way Sukod ang Pagmamahal

The final song, a Visayan song titled Way Sukod ang Pagmahal (Love Without Recompense) sang by the entire company, with Gretchen Yaoyao on solo, gave the audience goosebumps. The lyrics may have been in Visayan, but the melody to which Yaoyao lent her versatile voice to, stirred up a feeling of melancholy. The song aroused a sadness—for Pedro's mother who lost a son, for the Chamorros who lost a friend, for the missionaries who lost a leader in Padre Diego and a co-missionary in the person of Pedro. At the same time, the song inspired a feeling of boldness, that despite the threats and difficulties, Catholics must remain faithful and trusting in the Lord for He will reward that faith and trust with everlasting life.

After the performance, Aileen Serrano of 29AD asked Msgr. Rudy if he liked the play. Msgr. Rudy replied, "Tell cast and crew I am very happy. See you in Cebu next week!" as he couldn't wait for his fellow Cebuanos to see the play.

Msgr. Rudy Villanueva, Vic Abarquez and Bob Serrano

However, Cebu would have to wait a few more weeks because Teen Saint Pedro, The Musicale will be shown on November 28, 2 days before to the canonization thanksgiving Mass on November 30, 2012.

The musical succeeds in introducing the now San Pedro Calungsod to its audience. But more than telling the newly canonized saint's life story, Teen Saint Pedro, The Musicale inspires not only the young, but people of all ages, to remain faithful, pure and full of love.  (Text by the UMC Docu Team; photos courtesy of Teen Saint Pedro Facebook page and 29AD)