CTK Gears up for Flores de Mayo Flower Offerings and Summer Religion Classes

May showers also bring the Flores de Mayo celebrations at Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows, marked by praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the red rose offerings just before every mass, and the summer religion classes for the Libis children.

Unlike previous years when the religion classes took the whole month of May, the Catechetical Ministry led by Alma Yeh and Sheryl Coronel decided to hold it for half a month, or two weeks only. And again, another innovation – the ministry decided to focus the classes on the lives of young saints, highlighting their virtues. With 20 saints and two saints for each session, they came up with 10 sessions. 70 children signed up for the Flores de Mayo classes.

The young saints included: St. Tarcisius and Maria del Pilar Cimadevilla (kindness); St. Justina and St. Cyprian (purity); St. Rose of Lima and Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río (abstinence); St. Kateri Tekakwitha & Blessed Adilo

Daronch (patience); Nennolina and Gustavo Maria Bruni (liberality); Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto of Fatima (diligence); St. Stanislaus Kotska and Blessed Imelda Lambertini (piety and obedience); Little Nellie of Holy God and Venerable Maggiorino Vigolungo (Marian devotion); St. Maria Goretti and St. Pedro Calungsod (faith, hope and love); St. Dominic Savio and St. Bernadette Soubirous (humility).

Another innovation was to fully use the Libis youth volunteers to lead the classes for the 7-9 year old group, even while the adult volunteer catechists took on the classes for the 10-12 years old. These included – Girl Valencia, Chit Doronila, Mary Jugo, Jill Yu, Christine Bernardo, Monette Najar, Joy Schallenberg, Jun Paclibar, and Jane Aldeguer. Though the ministry heads organized everything, on- the-ground coordination support was provided by Girl Valencia, assistant coordinator for the Flores de Mayo catechetical classes.

The Libis Youth volunteers were led by Hans del Mar and JP Garcia, the youth volunteer coordinators, and included: April Joy Alcido, Christian Galang Acebo, Christine Mae Capadocia, Don Alby Lumio Butol, Eunice Alfonso, Farida Tolentino, Ivann Christian Junio, Lex Pasco, and Manuel Borja.

Classes were Monday to Friday, from May 15 to May 28, from 1 pm to 3 pm. the lectures were followed by the praying of the rosary and snacks.