On May, 22, 2010, Charice and her brother Carl received the sacrament of baptism as well as confirmation at the Pasig Cathedral in the Philippines. With their mother Raquel by their side, they were also joined by close friends, family, and godparents. After the ceremony, Charice celebrated with 500 children from neighboring barangays (village).
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Oprah Sent Her TV Crew to Film Charice Baptism
ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET.
Here come the godparents, Oprah Winfrey and David Foster at the baptism of international singing sensation Charice Pempengco and her brother Carl Saturday morning at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig City.
Add to the power cast more than 20 pairs of godparents led by a contingent from ABS-CBN: network president Charo Santos-Concio, TV director Laurenti Dyogi, “The Buzz” hosts Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino-Yap, radio and TV host Jobert Sucaldito, “TV Patrol” news anchors Karen Davila and Julius Babao, and Star Records boss Annabelle Regalado-Borja.
US entertainment mogul Winfrey and Canadian record producer/composer Foster, two principal sponsors who played a major role in Charice’s ascent to international stardom, couldn’t make the international flight to Manila to attend the ceremony.
Instead, Winfrey sent her own TV crew to document the event.
Bishop’s attack
The religious rites were a bit delayed for want of a chocolate bar.
“Get some chocolates, now!” barked a bishop’s assistant to a sacristan midway into the proceedings.
Moments later, the sacristan rushed back with a pack of Hershey’s Kisses. He handed it to the assistant who gave the chocolates to the presiding priest, Pasig Bishop Francisco San Diego.
With a smile, San Diego apologized: “I’m sorry for the delay. I had a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) attack.”
The incident hardly caused a stir, as the sweltering heat inside the baptism font drove people to fan themselves briskly, while some tried shutting their eyes intermittently to avoid distractions.
In the middle of the room sat the Pempengco siblings—Charice looking solemn in a formal white dress, and Carl sporting a more casual attire also in white.
Second baptism
Behind the Pempengcos sat their mother, Raquel Relucio-Pempengco, who spoke to the Inquirer and explained why she decided to have her children baptized in Catholic rites.
Mrs. Pempengco said that she, too, was baptized Catholic but converted to Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) when she married Ricky Pempengco, who was a member of INC.
The children were also baptized in INC rites.
For two years, Mrs. Pempengco said she regularly attended INC worship services, until marital discord forced her to leave the house with her kids.
When she moved to another address, she failed to submit the transfer records required by the INC, which resulted in her name being declared “missing from the list.”
That was 15 years ago. “Matagal na akong tiwalag sa (I have long been expelled from the) INC,” she said.
Single mom
Charice was only 3 when her mother struggled to fend for the family. “At the time, I really wanted her and Carl to be baptized Catholics,” Mrs. Pempengco said. “But I thought it was not possible if we were not a complete family. [Besides], money was scarce.”
Recently, she asked Bishop San Diego about the possibility of having her children baptized and confirmed in Catholic rites. The prelate not only welcomed the idea, he agreed to preside at the ceremony at the Pasig Cathedral.
Charice is fond of the church because she once played the role of an angel during Easter vigil rites there, according to Mrs. Pempengco.
Happy Birthday, Charice
After the baptism and confirmation ceremony, Charice proceeded to the church quadrangle where hundreds of children sang “Happy Birthday” to the international pop star.
Charice, who turned 18 recently, decided to forego a lavish reception and instead brought food to the children, residents of 10 barangays around the parish, who were also under the care of the church’s soup kitchen program.
The celebrated singer, whose self-titled US debut CD is currently at No. 8 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart on its first week of release, happily sang an a cappella version of her hit single, “Pyramid.”
Her childhood
When the kids screamed for more, she obliged with “We Are the World,” the song and charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti and a remake of the 1985 hit song composed by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.
As she looked around her, she was reminded of her own childhood.
In one corner stood 12-year-old Ma. Hadassa Macaranas of Barangay San Nicolas, who was awed by the performance.
“Charice is a good singer,” she said. “I want to be like her.”
Source: By Pocholo Concepcion, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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Here is a compilation of articles and other news coverage:
ABS-CBN News article: Celebrity heavyweights stand as Charice’s godparents by Gretchen Fullido
Video: ANC Dateline News May 22, 2010
Video: TV Patrol, courtesy of ABS-CBN TV10, 5/22/2010
Video: Charice’s Baptism & Confirmation – GMA News, 5/22/2010
CNN iReport video: Charice, Pasig Cathedral, Philippines
Video: Charice sings Pyramid and We Are The World, Pasig Cathedral (courtesy of ChipmunkTheo)
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Posted by DrTP
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Yes, Edmund Silvestre (of the New York-based The Filipino Reporter, Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent), I and everybody else I’m sure...
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Charice truly is a role model for any person of any age. She has the wisdom to see the most important things in life which many people miss; she knows that faith in God and love for family and others, especially those in need, count for more than any possession and/or fame. I pray that you will remain as you are, Cha!
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Welcome to the Catholic family Charice and Carl! May God always bless you both!
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God has so GIFTED you not only with BIG TALENT but also with GREAT WISDOM and WARM HEART and SOUL.
Thank God for you CHARICE…for inspiring all of us to work devotedly… live passionately… and LOVe UNCONDITINALLY.
LOVE YOu CHARICE!
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Even more, though, I am truly touched by her spirit and compassion towards the underprivileged kids that she is sharing her special day with. It’s amazing at her young age to think that she can be so generous towards others instead of becoming a big-headed person. These kids will remember this day for the rest of their lives (and tomorrow at Enchanted Kingdom) and might even be inspired by Charice’s example to achieve great things themselves.
What a Gift you are to the world, Charice. Thank God for bringing you into the world to share your beautiful voice, your spirit, your kindness. Your future is so bright, it’s only gonna get better. Throughout your journey, I suspect we’ll be witness to many more such events as this one. By sharing your blessings with others, it seems your life is destined to be a great one, your legacy measured by the difference you will surely make in so many people’s lives.
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We are living through such trouble times
And every child that reaches out
For someone to hold
For one moment
They become my own” …
“If we all stand together this one time
Then no one will get left behind
Stand up for life
Stand up for love” …
These were the words that got my inner attention while reading the above article. The song “Stand Up for Love” ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAQyGA6Kmw8&feature=related ) happened to be playing while I read this article about Charice’s baptism and her 18th birthday celebration shared with hundreds of underprivileged children.
Charice sets a good example not only for other kids, but also for all grown-ups. Barely an adult, Charice is already showing us a great example of what we should be doing as citizens of this world. Helping others, being kind to others, sharing our blessings with others, or doing any good deed to others is something just about anybody can afford to do no matter his/her status in life.
I admire many personalities of our generation and prior – great and small – but I admit I have not been a fan of any artist in my whole life until now. I love Charice for her big voice, but I love her more for her big heart. I am deeply touched…
Welcome to the faith, Charice and Carl!
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@mytimeandplace – very well said about us grown-ups needing to learn something from her as well.
if I may, I would like to interpret your username as a way of illustrating another point about Charice’s example. We all talk about how she amazes and inspires us with her great gifts from Above, making the most blase of us inexplicably crazy about her. That she has such an effect on anyone she comes into contact with, is a sign that there is a deeper message behind her talents and her life. For me, it is to remind us that we all have our own gifts and corresponding responsibilities in our own lives, and we must light our own candle and pull our own weight in addressing the manifold problems in this world – indeed, to do my best in “my time and place” in this world.
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Great job Mommy Raqz and congratulations to Charice and Carl.
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The pictures says it all. They are filled with love, support and admiration from all of her friends and family. May Charice continue to stay grounded. May her star continue to shine and be a beacon of hope to all Chasters all around the world.
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