Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged the Catholic faithful to spend the whole day on Saturday in penance, recollection and fasting in solidarity with the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
In a letter addressed to priests, religious and lay faithful, Tagle has called for a “Day of lament and hope: Solidarity in prayer (Panaghoy at Pag-asa: Damayan sa panalangin)” in the Archdiocese of Manila.
According to him, a day of prayer is an expression of communion and solidarity with fellow Filipinos “who are suffering, grieving and confused because of the successive calamities that afflicted the country.”
Tagle will lead in a prayer service and holy hour to cap the day at 8 p.m. at the San Fernando de Dilao Parish church in Paco, Manila, the temporary official church of the Archdiocese of Manila.
In a separate message released earlier, Tagle expressed his solidarity with the typhoon victims.
“We are one with our suffering brothers and sisters. You are not alone and will never be alone,” Tagle assured victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda.
Tagle has also called on the clergy to conduct a special collection to aid typhoon victims.
He likewise called for mobilization and coordination of efforts among parochial schools, religious communities in helping those affected by the calamity.
The cardinal said that in times of disaster, one should think less of oneself and more of others.
Meanwhile, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), the country’s biggest group of mainline Protestant and non-Roman Catholic churches, marked its 50th founding anniversary on Friday in a somber mood.
“We decided to tone down the commemoration of our jubilee in solidarity with our people who have faced the wrath of the storm,” said NCCP general secretary Rev. Fr. Rex Reyes Jr.
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