By Christina Hermoso
A Church leader has called on the faithful to pray more amid the fast changing times and the many social problems faced by the Filipinos.
Pangasinan Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Layog
(VERITAS / MANILA BULLETIN)
“The foundation of the Church has been tested for a long time now and up to the present. We must accept and face these challenges because it builds a stronger Church and a deeper faith. It leads us to a deeper relationship with God, a deeper prayer life where we find ourselves praying more and asking for God’s help in the face of many social ills and challenges,” said Diocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Layog, who was formally installed to his new post Wednesday at the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Pangasinan.
Layog called on his fellow members of the clergy and the religious not to fear for their lives even if there are threats.
“This is the time for us to show how strong we are in faith and how strong the foundation of our Church is. Being threatened and attacked have always been the experience of the Catholic Church from the very beginning. The Church has faced persecutions in the past and even up to this time. Let us not fear knowing that we are never alone. God is with us. God will prevail,” Layog stressed.
Bishop Layog is the 30th bishop appointed by Pope Francis for the Philippine Church since 2013. To date, five dioceses remain vacant or without a bishop. These include the Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo, Sulu; Diocese of Iligan, Diocese of Malolos; Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; and Taytay, Palawan.