Holy Rosary Parish, Agusan, Cagayan de Oro, held a prayer rally for Fr Michael Sinnott on 24 October. The parish priest, in the photo below, is Fr Dick Pankratz from Wisconsin, USA.
MOVEMENT WITHINBy Sr Rosalind Figues CM
It was over lunch that Fr Dick Pankratz shared with Marisol and me what the students with disabilities did in Pagadian. Our spontaneous reaction was to organize a prayer vigil for the safety and release of Fr Michael Sinnott in our parish, Holy Rosary, Agusan, Cagayan de Oro, wanting to be in communion with the feelings fo the Columban Fathers who run the parish.
I presented the flow of the prayer to the core group of catechists in the parish. Six days later, Tuesday, 24 October, we gathered at 7:00 pm in front of the church for the prayers, songs and recitation of the Holy Rosary. We ended up marching to the river bank and releasing coconut husks with candles with the song Maria, Bitoon sa Ebanghelisasyon, ‘Mary, Star of Evangelization’.
On the previous Saturday we had a recollection for the 4th year students in Agusan. I invited them to join us in the prayer vigil. I was surprised when I saw some of the boys there. ‘Sister’, they said, ‘new life!’
Two days before the prayer somebody asked me if many would join. My spontaneous answer: ‘Yes, I believe’. During the vigil I was filled awe! It was well participated in with families, children, youth and adults. There were also two Columban priests, three Columban Sisters and three Carmelite Missionary Sisters. Between 200 and 300 people attended. I really felt the presence of God, the atmosphere of prayer. Even the weather cooperated with us.
Trust and confidence on God for the safety and release of Fr Michael Sinnott!
