MANILA, Mar. 2, 2015—Better ready than sorry.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo (Photo: CBCPNews)
A member of the local Church hierarchy has reiterated the importance of preparedness ahead of unexpected natural disasters, exhorting the public to pray for and reflect on the one habitable planet God gave them.
In a recent interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo reminded the faithful to include the integrity of creation in their Lenten meditation.
Programs, initiatives
The prelate, who also chairs the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)’s Permanent Committee on Public Affairs (PCPA), further called on various organizations, not excepting those affiliated with the Catholic Church, to come out with concrete programs and initiatives that are designed to prepare the public for any impending calamities.
Accountability
According to him, the Church’s 40-day Lenten evangelization drive “Alay Kapwa” responds to this need.
“It is precisely for this reason that we are holding this Lenten program across the country in order to educate the faithful on their accountability to society, to nature, and to their environment,” he shared.
Emergency response
“Collections from Alay Kapwa are then set aside for the Church’s emergency relief efforts in areas frequented by natural calamities,” he added.
Alay Kapwa kicked off on “Ash Wednesday,” coinciding with the rest of Lent, a 40-day season commemorating Christ’s moments in the wilderness, during which Catholics are enjoined to “pray, fast, and do acts of charity.”
Fasting required
In a previous CBCP News post, Pabillo explained that while the Church requires all able-bodied Catholics to fast on Ash Wednesdays and Good Fridays, they are also encouraged to do so, if possible, on Holy Saturdays and all Fridays of Lent.
He stressed, however, that fasting does not only involve denying oneself of or abstaining from pleasurable activities one normally enjoys, like eating sweets and junk foods and drinking sodas, but also consists in giving to charity like Alay Kapwa and Hapag-asa of Pondo ng Pinoy (PnP).
Reaching out
Pabillo said fasting is not measured by how much one has sacrificed but by how well and how far one has gone to reach out to one’s neighbors.
For inquiries, interested parties may visit https://www.facebook.com/alaykapwanassa?fref=ts. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)
