MANILA, Philippines – Pope Francis has called on bishops, priests and the religious to be an instrument in curbing “the deeply rooted inequality and injustice, which mar the face of Filipino society, plainly contradicting the teaching of Christ.”
In the first Mass he officiated in the Philippines, Pope Francis called on all Filipino bishops, priests and the religious to keep up with the legacy of love by the bishops, priests and religious of past generations by “building bridges, to pasture Christ’s flock and to prepare fresh paths for the Gospel in Asia at the dawn of a new age.”
The Mass was held at the historical Manila Cathedral with a history that spans four centuries. It was destroyed several times, but it has risen from the ruins through the passion of its bishops.
The Pope, acknowledging the country’s fifth centenary of its evangelization, said the former church leaders “labored not only to preach the Gospel and build up the Church in this country but also to forge a society inspired by the Gospel message of charity, forgiveness and solidarity in the service of the common good.”
“As bishops of the Philippines have rightly taught, the Church in the Philippines is called to acknowledge and combat the causes of the deeply rooted inequality and injustice which mar the face of Filipino society, plainly contradicting the teaching of Christ,” Pope Francis said in his Homily.
Pope Francis also called on all Christians to “live lives of honesty, integrity and concern for the common good.”
“As ambassadors for Christ, we, bishops, priests and religious ought to be the first to welcome his reconciling grace into our hearts. Saint Paul makes clear what this means. It means rejecting worldly perspectives and seeing all things anew in the light of Christ.”
“It means being the first to examine our consciences, to acknowledge our failings and sins, and to embrace the path of constant conversion,” he added.
The Pope stressed on the importance of doing away with materialism and stripping away the complacency only then “will we be able to identify with the least of our brothers and sisters.”
Pope Francis also urged young priests, the religious and seminarians to help the young people, especially the confused and the despondent.
“Be present to those who, living in the midst of a society burdened by poverty and corruption, are broken in spirit, tempted to give up, to leave school and to live on the streets. Proclaim the beauty and truth of the Christian message to a society which is tempted by confusing presentations of sexuality, marriage and the family,” he said.