By Leslie Ann Aquino
Participants to the 5th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization on Thursday were urged by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to donate what they saved from fasting on the said day to missions.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Today is fasting. So, what we will save in food we can give to missions,” he told the audience after one of his guests in the “Conversation with the Cardinal” appealed for support for the Missionary Society of the Philippines.
Last week, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in its Pastoral Exhortation, “Rejoice and Be Glad,” urged everyone to observe a day of prayer and penance on July 16, the Feast of Blessed Mother of Mt. Carmel, and invoke God’s mercy and justice on those who have blasphemed God’s Holy Name, those who slander and bear false witness, and those who commit murder or justify murder as a means for fighting criminality in the country.
The bishops also invited the faithful to join them in three days of fasting, prayer and almsgiving from July 17 to 19, 2018.
“Support the world mission and the solidarity fund of the Pontifical Mission Society...there are three special collections..please remit 100 percent,” said Msgr. Esteban Lo, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Missions.
A priest from the Diocese of San Pablo also echoed the appeal of Lo.
“I think as a local church, we should generously support the missionary society of the Philippines. Sometimes I hear they go around making appeal for this and that for a project. I said: My God, we are 80 million Catholics. Instead of spending time for mission they will have to go around for collection,” Msgr. Jerry Bitoon, vicar general of San Pablo, said.
“I was at the Vatican City and was able to see some of the records there...but really I have seen that we are not that generous in giving to the mission,” he added.