The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines will soon come up with a list of modern day martyrs for the Church, those who gave up their lives in defense of their faith.
CBCP secretary general Monsignor Bernardino Pantin said the bishops’ organization will order a census of 21st century martyrs. The list, he said, will not be limited to Catholics but to all Christian confessions.
“In our country, we also have our share of the faithful who have died for the faith. The CBCP will be asking all the dioceses, religious congregations and the different commissions to help in gathering the data of the Filipinos or foreign missionaries who have been murdered for their faith so that they could be submitted to Rome in time for the 2025 Jubilee,” Msgr. Pantin said in a CBCP News post.
The Church leader presided over the Red Wednesday mass at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila on Nov. 29 in honor of persecuted Christians around the world.
Red Wednesday is an initiative launched in 2015 by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Catholic charity that supports the plight of persecuted Christians around the world.
In the country, several cathedrals and parish churches were lit in red. Masses were offered in honor and to pray for the more than 250 million Christians “who courageously bear the cross for their faith in Jesus Christ.”
“They endured hardships, discrimination, violence, and even death because they refused to renounce their faith. Let us recommit ourselves to living out our faith boldly, following the example of those who persevere amid persecution,” Msgr. Pantin said in his homily.
“Let us be steadfast in prayer, support, and advocacy for our persecuted brothers and sisters, knowing that through our solidarity, we contribute to the spread of God’s kingdom on earth,” he added.
Pope Francis set up a special commission in July to study the modern-day killings of Christians and identify those he calls “new martyrs” of the 21st century. The Pontiff assigned the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints the Commission for New Martyrs – Witnesses of the Faith, which was created in view of the Jubilee 2025.
Included in the commission’s objectives is “to draw up a catalogue of all Christians who have shed their blood to confess Christ and bear witness to the Gospel.”