The Church leaders urged Catholic faithful in the Puerto Princesa City and the southern towns in Palawan that comprises the Vicariate of Puerto Princesa, to follow Jesus Christ by doing his good deeds and defend the Catholic faith from any potential threats.
Apostolic Papal Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia speaking before thousands of Catholics including local officials, priests, lay leaders, parish ministries at the City Coliseum during the Bugsayan 2019, said that turning away from bad deeds and following Jesus’ example is the best way to imitate Him.
“How can we follow him? To follow him now is very simple. Jesus is alive and continues to speak his word. Read the gospel. To follow Jesus is to listen to His words. Jesus wants to transform our feelings. Be merciful, be compassionate, like our father in heaven. If we want to follow Him, we should have the same feelings with Him. Leave our ancient ways of judging things, our ideas, our feelings, our actions. To follow Jesus is become a little bit similar to him,” the Papal Nuncio said.
Atty. Marwil Llasos, a Catholic Faith Defender (CFD) based in Metro Manila during his talk, emphasized the importance of apologetics, which he said is speak in defense of our Catholic faith. He said that leaders and even ordinary members of the different Christian denominations are articulate in the Bible, therefore they easily attacked the Catholic Church doctrines and teachings.
“Sila ay magagaling sa Bibliya. Dapat ganun rin po tayo. Because Bible is a Catholic book,” Atty. Llasos said.
He urged the different parishes to form their local chapters of CFD.
He further said that the Bugsayan’s gathering of Catholic is a celebration of faith in preparation of the country’s 500 years of Christianity.
Christianity reached the country when Magellan’s expedition in 1521 baptized hundreds of early settlers in Cebu, and the wooden cross was erected, now enshrined in the historic Magellan’s cross near the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Nino, where the oldest icon of the Holy Child of Jesus is also enshrined.
“Ito ay sabay-sabay na pagsa-saguan kasi we are in the Church together. Sa church ay walang ikaw walang ako, kundi tayo. It is a celebration of faith, ipagdiwang natin ang ating pananampalataya bilang Katoliko dahil aabot na tayo ng 500 years of Christianity dito sa Pilipinas,” Atty. Llasos said.
Bishop Socrates Mesiona urged the Catholic especially the youth to share the God’s gift of faith and to continue to journey together in faith, through sharing.
“This is the gift that we have to share to others-faith. The church will be assured to continue to grow and shared to others because of the young people. Yet we paddle together because of your youthfulness, energy, idealism. Do not afraid to give and share your faith to others,” Bishop Mesiona said.
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