Cagayan de Oro’s ‘Bisikleta Simbahan’ aids psych facility

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines ―  Cyclist Henry Rosalejos gathered more than a dozen Kagay-anon bikers at the Saint Augustine of Hippo Metropolitan Cathedral on Maundy Thursday, April 6, for the ‘Bisikleta Simbahan.’

The activity, which was halted from 2020 to 2021 due to the Covid-19 contagion is a twist on the traditional ‘Bisita Iglesia’ of Roman Catholics devotees across the country.

Bisita Iglesia is a local pilgrimage to 14 churches, representing the Stations of the Cross, commemorating Jesus Christ’s passion, crucifixion, and death.

The Myx Bikers Club started the annual activity in 2009. Members of the club visit churches around Cagayan de Oro on their mountain bikes.

“In 2009 we started with this Bisikleta Iglesia-Prayer Fasting Almsgiving Ride with 108 cyclists from different clubs. It was stopped for a year when the pandemic came,” Henry Rosalejos, Bisikleta Simbahan organizer said.

The club modified its activity this year.

Instead of visiting the usual 14 churches in the city, from the Cathedral they went to the House of Hope Foundation, Inc., in Upper Palalan, Barangay Lumbia.

They handed over a cash donation collected from the participants of this year’s Bisikleta Simbahan.

The House of Hope Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit charitable institution established as a refuge for individuals with mental illness.

The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro City, through its Ad Extra Ministries apostolate, owns the custodial psychiatric care facility.

Renz Gines, a nurse working at House of Hope thanked the club for the visit and the donation for the patients.

Rosalejos said the club plans to resume the Stations of the Cross in next year’s Holy Week.

“We hold this yearly cyclists’ Way of the Cross to have at least a sacrifice of prayer and penance as a cyclist. In this way, we also share with our least brothers and sisters after the Station of the Cross,” Rosalejos said. – Rappler.com