Detached but Attached: AYP 2025 and the Pilgrimage of Presence

^{By Andrew John Cellona}

Last May 11, my phone fell out of my pocket while I was driving our sidecar. Boom—screen shattered, totally unusable. At first, I was just frustrated. “Unsaon na lang ni?!” But I didn’t have it fixed right away. I waited. Days passed. Weeks. I didn’t know it yet, but that unexpected disconnection was preparing me for something beautiful. A pilgrimage not just of place, but of presence.

That journey began when I was chosen as one of the delegates from Redemptorist Youth Ministry – Iligan City through our Catholic Center Campus Ministry (CCCM) to join the Alphonsian Youth Pilgrimage (AYP 2025) in Dumaguete City. With the theme “Rejoice in Hope,” the pilgrimage was a seven-day journey filled with movement, reflection, noise, silence, laughter, tears—and God. Ironically, I was offline the whole time. Walay phone. Walay scroll. But I was never more connected. I wasn’t online, but I was fully present.

That absence of digital connection made space for something deeper. It’s easy to equate being “online” with being involved or available—but AYP taught me otherwise. Having nothing but my AYP Kit, my rosary, and the people around me made every moment feel fuller. Every Amen, every Kuyog ta, every Mangaon sa ta, every Tala na —it all meant more because I wasn’t distracted.

This sense of deeper presence was nourished each day by the Eucharistic celebration and the powerful homilies from Redemptorist priests. Their words were not just spiritual reflections—they were fuel for the soul. They prepared us not just for the long walks ahead, but for the interior journey that each of us had to take.

And speaking of nourishment, the talks we received were equally life-giving. These weren’t just lectures—they were personal encounters. Fr. Cristino Robles Pine, OFM opened our eyes in “Youth and Common Home,” reminding us that caring for creation is part of our faith. Mr. Bernard Garcia of CFC-YFC hit close to home with “Youth and Family”—that “our first mission is our family.” Then Fr. Jessel Gerard Gonzales, SJ ignited hope within us during his keynote “Rejoice in Hope,” not as an idea but as a way of life. Finally, Fr. Julius Martin Malacas, C.Ss.R. brought it all together in “Lifehacks of a Youth Missionary”—giving us practical, heart-hitting wisdom. “Work smart, not hard—and make it personal.”

While the inputs were amazing, the real transformation also happened in our relationships. I met eleven strangers who quickly became my brothers—PBB Gen 12: Aaron, AJ, Andrian, KC, James, John, Cyril, Josh, Meiko, Edward, and Ryan. Together, we laughed, got sunburned, shared meals and stories, and opened up about our lives. Di lang ni barkada—igsoon mi sa pagtoo—igsoon mi sa paglaum . Faith formed the bond, and brotherhood sealed it.

But what is a pilgrimage without hospitality? That’s where Tatay Mulo and Nanay Minyang, and the BEC of Daro North and South, came in. They didn’t just offer a bed—they offered belonging. From strangers to family, from guests to children of their home. In their simplicity and warmth, I saw a living example of Church—not bound by walls, but built in relationships.

And truly, that’s what this experience revealed to me: the Church is alive. Buhi, batan-on ug maayo ang Ginoo nga among gialagaran. Being with hundreds of youth from across the country—praying, listening, sharing and growing—I realized we are not just the Church of tomorrow. We are the Church now. Vibrant. Rooted. Rejoicing.

That’s why I want to express deep gratitude to the Apostolic Units of the Redemptorist Youth Ministry who made this experience possible: RYM Dumaguete (our generous host!), RYM VP Manila, RYM Davao, RYM Cebu Parish, RYM Cebu Chaplaincy, RYM Iloilo-Bacolod, RYM Tacloban, and RYM RIMT. Lahi-lahi mig gigikanan ug pinulongan, apan usa ra gayud among espiritu. Usa ka lawas. Usa ka paglaum.

As I walked the long roads of Dumaguete, I came to embrace the slow, sacred rhythm of pilgrimage—walking with intention, listening with depth, and being present without distraction. In this silence, in this presence, hope came alive. Hope was no longer a vague word—it had a name. Si Jesus, ang tinuod nga paglaum.

So before I end this reflection, let me say this: No phone, no feed, no filter—but what I found was something far better. I found connection without signal, joy without selfies, and a hope that doesn’t end when the pilgrimage ends.

May we keep rejoicing in our one true hope—Jesus.