KERYGMA CONFERENCE 2011: Glory 2 Glory

AFTER WAITING FOR a year, the Kerygma Conference (or KCON 2011) had finally arrived again in Cebu. Coming back is Bro. Bo Sanchez and the rest of the Kerygma Preachers. They, and all the rest of the technical staffs from Shepherd's Voice, shall converge in one house that is the Waterfront International Hotel on November 26, 2011.

This year's theme is GLORY TO GLORY. The Light of Jesus Servant Community of Cebu had been moving heaven and earth for this and mobilized all their members to accommodate this special event which happens just once a year besides propping up and serving the Kerygma Feast which is held every month at the Sacred Heart Center.

Celebrating the Holy Mass again is Fr. John Iaccono. During his homily he touched on the preservation of life and spoke out against the proponents of the Reproductive Health Bill as anti-life. I agree with Fr. John.

For the third straight year, I am invited again to attend and serve in KCON as a volunteer. For the years 2009 and 2010, I have been tasked to secure KCON. But, this time, my task is more complex as it is broad. Eight people are under my bidding and supervision. Four at the venue and four following the itinerary of Bro. Bo.

Coming back also to serve and part of my team are Marco Albeza of Camp Red and Eugene Abarquez of Pundok Habagat. Joining them are Camp Red's Laertes Ocampo and Glenn Pestaño. I get my team of volunteers from the outdoors people. However, there are other concerns which need to be addressed and I contracted four guards from Tactical Security & Detective Agency, Inc.

Together with Bro. Boy Dy, I and my four subalterns fetched Bro. Bo from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 3:30 PM of November 25 and tailed behind him going to Park Mall for a meet-up with the KCON Marketing Team. After that, we proceed to SM City and then to Ayala Mall where a dinner was served at Cafe Laguna. The day ended at the Waterfront.

KCON formally started at 9:30 AM and ended at 6:00 PM. Bro. Bo took two sessions for the book signing before leaving Cebu for Manila. I did not have a camera this time unlike last year where I am able to document the whole KCON, but, fortunately, my sister-in-law Beth took many shots of me behind Bro. Bo during a book-signing session. I believe it is a blessing to serve in KCON and to shake hands with Bro. Bo.

See you again on the next KCON.

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Photos courtesy of Beth de Egurrola

KERYGMA CONFERENCE 2010: Restoration

THIS IS YEAR 2 of the Kerygma Conference here in Cebu. Today is December 4, 2010 – a Saturday and this year's theme is Restoration. Now a crowd is milling around the reception area of the Grand Pacific Ballroom in Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City. As was last year's KCon, held then at the Cebu International Convention Center, I am again tasked to handle security.

My team of volunteers – all ardent outdoorsmen except two - are already in place at their posts and it is truly a big big day for everyone. It is their first time to serve in KCon and all are very eager to hear the message that will be delivered by the Kerygma Preachers, notably from Bro. Bo Sanchez himself who will come directly from Davao in the last part of the program.

Ernie Salomon¹, Eugene Abarquez² and Rowel Seno³ are manning the entrances; Marco Albeza⁴ and Vince Delicano⁵ are at the stage wings; Jay de Paula is securing the backstage; Jecris Dayondon⁶ guards the staff room and Lito Lawas is at the balcony. Me, I do the most trying part – walking here and there and up and down and in and out aside from eyeing the arrival of Bro. Bo who might arrive incognito (as he have done in previous engagements).

Prior to this day, preparations have already been organized for the Cebu leg of KCon starting on October 25, 2010 where Bro. George Gabriel of the Shepherd's Voice Radio and TV Foundation and managing editor of FiSH Magazine came for this purpose. After that, many many meetings were scheduled to fine-tune the committees that will handle the process of work for this big day.

I was here last night and gone home late. I excused myself for this day from my day job and arrive early to serve Jesus at His banquet! Last minute rehearsals were undertaken by Fr. Joseph Skelton and the Light of Jesus Music Ministry. Fr. John Iaccono blessed the venue, exhorting the prayers for protection and imploring the Blessed Virgin Mary for intercession.

At 1:00 PM, the program start with a Healing Mass celebrated by Fr. John then a song and worship by Fr. Joseph. Bro. Carl Fontanilla provide the first talk where an entertainment number by the SOS Children's Village ensue thereafter. At 4:00 PM, Bro. Michael Angelo Lobrin render the second talk and followed by another entertainment number by Fr. Joseph and the SOS children. Bro. George came next with song and worship before Bro. Bo finished the day with the Grand Feast Talk and exhortation and, later, the launching of his latest book entitled Awaken the Healer in You.

There is a book-signing afterwards by Bro. Bo and a crowd developed along the sidelines. My team found their hands full but they were up to the challenge. Everyone who bought Bro. Bo's book got what they wanted plus a cheek-on-cheek pose before flashing cameras. After an hour, my team whisk Bro. Bo to a waiting van for transfer to the airport and our team took the opportunity to have their events ID signed by Bro. Bo himself and pose with him and everyone feel blessed that evening!

For me, I feel like I am walking on air and tomorrow I will climb a mountain...

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1Of Camp Red, a bushcraft and survival group.

2Of Pundok Habagat and currently Vice President for Visayas of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc.

3Of Timex Outdoor Club.

4Of Camp Red, a bushcraft and survival group.

5Of the Cebu Mountaineering Society.

6Of the Cebu Mountaineering Society.

KERYGMA CONFERENCE 2009 CEBU

HAVE YOU HEARD of Bo Sanchez? Of the Light of Jesus Catholic Community? Of the Kerygma Preachers?

If you have, YES, they were here in Cebu recently during the Kerygma Conference 2009 at the Cebu International Convention Center for two days on November 28 and 29, 2009. Not only that, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal led a concelebrated Holy Mass on the first day and Fr. Joey Faller celebrated a Healing Mass on the second.

Spiced in between is the life-changing testimony of singer Raki Vega and the mini-concert of Fr. Joseph Skelton, Bro. Alvin Barcelona and the Out-of-the-Box talents backed by the One In Him band led by Bro. Oscar Aliño. 

Bro. Arun Gogna came on the second day and lent his singing voice during the healing session of Fr. Joey.

The Kerygma Conference 2009 is done in Cebu for the first time and is held simultaneously with those in Manila at the Araneta Coliseum. A live feed video updated the crowd inside the CICC through two big stage screens.

Below are the photos of the Kerygma Conference 2009 held in Cebu courtesy of Joseph Cabrera in his Facebook account.

DAY ONE

DAY TWO

Those who came to assist the LOJ-Cebu Community at KCon '09 were a contingent of “body catchers” from the Oasis of Love-Cebu. The Amor Dei also facilitated and assisted LOJ-Cebu in the preparations that KCon '09 will become a success.

Why I am doing this? I am with LOJ and I served at KCon '09 during those two days as the one tasked for security.

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