MANILA, May 2, 2013 –After a good dose of voters’ education and dollops of good sense, what young voters need before heading to the polls is prayer, a priest said.
Executive secretary of Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY), Fr. Conegundo Garganta invites all Filipinos, particularly young people to participate in the prayer component of the ECY’s voters’ formation, “A Candle for HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) on May 12, 6 p.m. at Our Lady of the Abandoned parish in Marikina City.
“The sincerity of young people in prayer will be one of our greatest offerings to God to hope for a successful elections,” Garganta said in an interview.
Some 300–400 people are expected to be part of the celebration of the Holy Mass, to be presided over by Garganta.
After the mass, everyone will light a candle for the intention of the mid-term elections the following day, bringing the candles home with them until they are fully consumed.
Voters’ send-off
According to Fr. Kune, as he is often called, the candle-lighting signifies the sustained consciousness voters have to be able to carry out the duty of casting their votes the following day.
“It’s like a send off of, not only of a voter, but also of those who will be concretely involved in election activities — volunteers, candidates themselves. It is actually a prayer of all who will be involved,” he explained further.
Garganta called on dioceses, parishes and even families to replicate the May 12 effort and organize a similar “Candle for HOPE” mass wherever they are.
Materials needed are downloadable from http://cbcp-ecy.ph/elections-2013/ [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
