(ANS - Cebu) - The 51^st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City closed Sunday, 31 January. At the concluding Mass in the town of "South Road Properties", the pontifical delegate for the event, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, stressed the importance of the family in society, the role of the Philippines as a beacon of evangelization for the third millennium and the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church and of all the faithful.

"The Eucharist is sown within the family and sprouts inside the family. The family is the place of first communion. The family is the primary nucleus of the Church "and is the place where" bread is broken every day.For this reason "the family must be protected, promoted and nurtured," said the Salesian Cardinal in his homily at the closing Mass of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress held in Cebu City from 24 to 31 January, on the theme "Christ in you - the hope of glory".

The cardinal recalled the three major concerns for the world expressed by Pope Francis in the last three years: family, environmental injustice, economic injustice. "But the greatest danger to humanity today is the destruction of the family - he said -. Unfortunately, even within the Catholic Church we are struggling to understand the terrible danger that the family is facing. "

For this reason, the Cardinal from Myanmar appealed to the apostolic enthusiasm of the Philippines, the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia, which will have the task of "being light not only for Asia but for the whole world."

Other events to promote Eucharistic spirituality took place on the fringes of the Eucharistic Congress. For example, from 27 to 29 January the Archdiocese of Cebu City organized a special session for young people in Lapu City, entitled "Christ in young people - the hope of glory". It was attended by almost 5,000 young people from around the country, of whom about 100 were members of the Salesian Youth Movement.

In the Province of Northern Philippines, on 27 January about a thousand young people from different schools and Salesian parishes and members of the Salesian Family gathered at "Don Bosco" Canlubang to pray together before the Blessed Sacrament during the "Great Eucharistic adoration". The celebration took place in spiritual communion with the International Eucharistic Congress and in preparation for the Feast of Don Bosco, the great promoter of devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus.

Published 02/02/2016