St. Pedro Calungsod, Martyr

Readings – 2 Chron. 24:18-22; Ps. 31: 3-4, 6, 8, 16, 17; Mt. 10:17-22.

Some Notes on St. Pedro Calungsod, Martyr:

1. San Pedro Calungsod was a migrant, sacristan, and missionary catechist who along with the Spanish Jesuit missionary, Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution and martyrdom for their missionary work in 1672.

2. Not much is known about San Pedro Calungsod except that he came from the Visayas region. Several places claim him as their native son: Ginatilan and Tuburan in Cebu, Loboc in Bohol, Leon in Iloilo, as well as two towns in Leyte and Southern Leyte. The Iloilo Calungsod family preserves an oral tradition that one of their ancestors joined Jesuit missionaries working on an island “near Hawaii.” Spanish records only indicate the words “Pedro Calonsor, El Visayo,” as his native description.

3. One source says that he received his education in a minor seminary in Loboc, Bohol, where he learned doctrine, Spanish and Latin. But another source says that he received primary education at a Jesuit boarding school in Cebu, where he learned Spanish.

4. On 15 June 1668, Pedro Calungsod, Fr. San Vitores with other Jesuit missionaries, lay assistants and catechists arrived in San Juan, “Islas de los Ladrones,” Isles of Thieves. The name had been changed the year before to the Mariana Islands to honor both the Virgin Mary and the mission’s benefactress, Maria Ana of Austria, Queen Regent of Spain.

The Jesuit missionaries believed that young catechists and lay assistants who were models of Christian life would be helpful in influencing the youth of the Marianas.

5. Calungsod was 14 when he assisted San Vitores in the evangelization of the Marianas Islands, then under the Diocese of Cebu. In Tumhon, Ladrones Islands, Calungsod assisted Fr. San Vitores, preaching to the Chamorro people, converting and instructing them in the faith, and baptizing them, despite the risk of persecution and death. Through colonization, the conversion mission resulted in a significant number of Chamorros being baptized.

6. During the first six months, the missionaries counted 13,000 baptisms, with 20,000 natives undergoing instruction. Many were converted by force without their consent. For four years, Calungsod assisted Fr. San Vitores by teaching Christian hymns and catechism and serving at Mass.

7. But a certain Choco, a Chinese, circulated the false accusation that the missionaries were spreading poison through the water of Baptism. The local chieftain, Mata’pang, was enraged because Mata’pang’s daughter was baptized at the request of Mata’pang’s wife but without his consent.

8. Mata’pang first attacked Calungsod, who dodged the first spears thrown at him. He could have run away to safety, but he refused to abandon Fr. San Vitores. One spear finally hit Calungsod in the chest. Fr. San Vitores gave him absolution and then faced his own imminent death. Both bodies were stripped, tied together to a large rock, and thrown into the sea at Tomhon, today known as Tumon.

9. A month after their martyrdom, the beatification process began, but only for San Vitores. After long delays, the process was halted. In 1981, it was rediscovered and it was continued. Fr. San Vitores was finally beatified in 1985.

10. Learning of the lay assistant-martyr from the Visayas, the Archdiocese of Cebu began the process for the beatification of Pedro Calungsod. On 2 April 2000, the anniversary of the martyrdom, Calungsod was beatified by Pope John Paul II. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 October 2012, the second Filipino to be canonized after San Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila. He is the Patron of Filipino Youth, Catechumens, Altar Servers and overseas Filipino workers.

11. Prayer — All-powerful God, you gave St. Pedro Calungsod, Martyr, the gift of witnessing to the Gospel even to the shedding of his blood. Grant, by his example and intercession, that we, too, may live for you steadfastly and boldly confessing your name. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.