Parish holds summer talent workshops for youth

A Franciscan parish in Quezon City is holding summer classes for young people this year for the firs time to help them develop and grow in their talents.

According to Fr. Edwin Peter Dionisio, OFM, Santuario De San Pedro Bautista parish priest, the occasion offers training in theater arts, painting, vocals, instrument playing, and dance.

“It is an enhancement of talent of the youth and also a personality development,” the priest pointed out.

He observed young people are good with gadgets but score poorly in terms of social connections.

“They communicate well in social media,” Dionisio said. “But in terms of interrelationship they are very poor.”

Parish involvement in the future

The workshops that run for almost a month could also help them develop interrelationship skills, he explained, as they collaborate during class group work.

The enrollees, most of whom come from the parish, attend the workshops thrice a week at the parish in San Francisco Del Monte.

“We are also hoping that the enrollees would eventually get involved in the parish,” Dionisio said.

The priest said enrollees in vocals and instrument-playing classes may join the parish’s music ministry afterwards.

1st liturgical teacher

Dionisio believes the young have talents that are waiting to be discovered and developed.

In some cases, talents remain latent because of an absence of opportunity and venue, he said.

“Pope Francis encourages young people to not bury their talents that God has given them,” Dionisio pointed out.

The parish of San Pedro Bautista offers summer talent workshops for the young this year for the first time, the priest added.

San Pedro Bautista was the first liturgical teacher in the Philippines, Dionisio noted. He established liturgical music schools in Sta. Ana, Manila and Lumban, Laguna.