Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit Jr., chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Social Communication (CBCP-ECSC) has called on the faithful to use social media to evangelize and help spread the Word of God this Holy Week.
As Christendom marks the second day of the Holy Week on Holy Monday, April 11, Bishop Maralit stressed that social media may be used as an effective tool to strengthen the Catholic faith and help spread the Word of God.
“Social media is a modern way of helping spread the Word of God. We have different digital platforms to help evangelize,” the Church leader said over Radio Veritas.
As vice chairman of Pondo ng Pinoy, the prelate said, the Church’s Lenten program Fast2Feed is now even more active as it reaches more because of social media.
“Fast2Feed which calls on the faithful to donate P10 a day or P1,200 for a period of six months to feed the poorest of the poor has also become very accessible because of social media,” he said.
Meanwhile, the faithful will observe Holy Monday traditions today, most of which have resumed while still observing safety measures against the coronavirus. Traditional Holy Monday observances include the three-day “pabasa.”
Also known as “pasyon” in reference to the Passion of Christ, the Gregorian chanting of the poetic prayer story on the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, are traditionally led by the town elders who sing in shifts.
Holy Monday in the life of Jesus narrates the story of the Anointing at Bethany, which focuses on Mary, the sister of Martha and the resurrected Lazarus. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly perfume and wipes them with her hair. Many of the Jews were also starting to affirm their faith in Jesus on seeing Lazarus whom He raised from the dead.
From today until Holy Wednesday, prayers and reflections will focus on the theme, Jesus as the Bridegroom of the Church.