FORMER UST Golden Tigresses captain Cherry Rondina said faith, courage and discipline helped her overcome her family’s struggles, on the first day of the 6th Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization (PCNE) in UST.
“I started with nothing po, wala talaga. Mahirap ang buhay ko. Ang tatay ko ay sobrang istrikto, hindi po kami pinapatulog kapag di pa kami nagdadasal. Sinabi rin niya na patuloy kami manalig dahil may outcome na dadating mula sa paghihirap namin,” she said.
In her “Heart to Heart with Cardinal” talk with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Rondina shared her experience of working for their neighbors and playing in volleyball leagues in their province to provide for their family.
“Masaya ako na kahit sobrang hirap, nakatutulong ako sa pamilya ko. Nagsikap ako, disiplina, pagpapalakas, at nanalig. Thankful ako na binigay ni God ang talent ko sa volleyball,” she said.
Improving the quality of connections in social media
Austin Quick, founder of Catholic Connect, talked about how social media has connected Catholics around the globe.
Catholic Connect is a social media platform for local communities to collaborate with one another.
Bo Sanchez, founder of the Light of Jesus Community and The Feast, said the youth face an identity crisis in the society.
“Your identity should not be based on the acceptance of others but base your identity on something eternal, based on God’s eternal love for us,” he said.
Sanchez said the youth need mentors to guide them toward the right path.
“They need authentic, real people who can say to them, ‘Come and See.’ You need to mirror God’s authentic love to them through face-to-face relationships,” Sanchez said.
Lead the search for truth
Daet Bishop Rex Alarcon opened the conference with the “Misa ng Bayang Pilipino,” calling the youth to actively participate in the search for truth in society.
He reminded the youth to keep their faith firm in God’s love in times of doubt.
“Ang lumakad kasama ang kabataan ay samahan sila sa paghahanap ng katotohanan. [M]asasabi ko mula sa puso ko, na ang Diyos talaga ay pag-ibig. God. Mahal talaga tayo ng Diyos kahit na maraming beses ay nagdududa tayo,” he said in his homily.
With the theme, “Filipino Youth Walking With Jesus,” this year’s PCNE celebrates the “Year of the Youth” as declared by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. M. A. Castillo
