Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle of Manila, Bishop Jose Bantolo of Masbate, and other priests sing with former drug dependents and volunteers from the Fazenda de Esperança drug rehabilitation center in Masbate City after the “Mass of Hope” at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. (Photo from CBCPNews)
“Do not waste God’s blessing of hope.”
This was the message of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle during his homily at the “Mass of Hope,” which he celebrate at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, the Feast of Epiphany.
Tagle directly addressed his message to reformed drug addicts helped by the Fazenda da Esperança (Farm of Hope), a Catholic drug rehabilitation center in Masbate, and other addicts still undergoing rehabilitation who attended the Mass to show that there is still hope for society’s least, lost and last.
Bishop Jose Bartolo of Masbate was among those who attended the Mass.
“God wanted to accept us all,” Tagle said. “Let us not waste the blessing that He is giving us.”
“I hope we do not waste the new life He is giving us,” he added. “All of us commit mistake, but the Lord never gets fed up. He never gets tired of us. He’s always willing to accept us. Do not be afraid. Do not be indifferent.”
“No person will be discarded by Jesus. Every person is welcome to follow the light and hope. Every life has hope,” he said.
“His good news is the light we call hospitality… This is the welcome that God offers to those who were considered outsiders, outcast. With the light of God, come, have no fear. God is a hospitable God. You can find a home in God.”
On the other hand, Tagle also urged the faithful not to judge drug dependents.
“Tama na po ang pagmamalinis,” he said. “Diyan ka, dito ka. Tama na yung panghuhusga: ‘Kayo makasalanan, madumi. Kami maayos, malinis’.”
(“Enough of acting holier than thou: ‘You stay here, you stay there.’ Enough of being judgmental: ‘You’re sinful, unclean. We’re proper, clean’.”)
“The light of Christ is for everyone and that light gives hope,” the prelate said. “Let us ask for grace to accept those who commited mistake and those who want to lead a
new life.”
After the Mass, Caritas Manila, the social action arm of the Archdiocese of Manila, signed a partnership with Fazenda aimed at strengthening the archdiocese’s own parish-based Sanlakbay, drug rehabilitation program run by Caritas Manila.
Launched last October 2016, Sanlakbay aims to help thousands of drug dependents who had surrendered under resulting from the Duterte adminstration’s war on drugs.
Sanlakbay also offers paralegal assistance, religious studies, livelihood training, education, advocacy, services for social action, and medical assistance to drug dependents.
Fazenda was founded in Brazil in the 1980s by Fr. Hans Stapel. It eventually expanded to 120 farms in 18 other countries, including the Philippines. /ATM