Lay group calls for ‘show of force’ against drug killings

A lay organization is calling on Catholics to join a “show of force” against the ills plaguing Philippine society, including extrajudicial killings in President Duterte’s war on drugs, at Our Lady of Edsa Shrine in Quezon City on Sunday.

At the same time, Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (SLP) is asking Catholics to help build support for the call for healing by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

“Let us help our Church to show our force, our strength in objecting to what is happening in our country and to call for the healing to commence,” Marita Wasan said on Church-run Radio Veritas.

Wasan is the incoming president of the SLP, which is also known as the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on the Laity.

The group is made up of organizations of lay people from different dioceses and parishes all over the country.

Mass, procession

The CBCP will hold a Mass for victims of extrajudicial killings in the war on drugs at Edsa Shrine on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The Mass will be followed by a 1-kilometer, candle-lit procession from the shrine to the People Power Monument to pray for the drug war victims.

The image of Our Lady of Fatima will be carried from the shrine to the People Power Monument during the procession.

The Nov. 5 event is called “Lord Heal Our Land Sunday” and it will mark the start of a 33-day “Start the Healing” period.

During that period, the faithful are requested to pray the rosary and receive Holy Communion every day until Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The CBCP has repeatedly called for an end to the killings.

‘Walk for Life’

In February, the SLP organized a “Walk for Life” to urge President Duterte to put an end to the killings, with thousands of Catholics gathering at Rizal Park in Manila.

The gathering was followed by similar activities organized by dioceses across the country.

Wasan said the main point of Sunday’s gathering was to begin the healing, as the ills plaguing society have destroyed people and families.

“Let us all be one, and let us all unite so we can right the wrongs. Let us love our nation,” Wasan said.