Bishop hopes Duterte stays true to statement on Holy Week

An archbishop on Sunday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to always be “true and faithful” to his statements especially as the country observes the start of Holy Week.

“Sana po he (Duterte) will be true to his statements and he will always be faithful in what he said. Ang mahalaga po sa kuwaresma bigyan natin ng pansin ang prayer, deepen our prayer life, fasting, at bigyan pansin ang pagbibigay-limos sa nangangailangan,” Ozamiz Archbishop Martin Jumoad said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

(I hope Duterte will be true to his statements and he will always be faithful in what he said. What’s important during Holy Week is praying, deepening our prayer life, fasting, and giving alms to the needy.)

The President earlier issued a Holy Week statement calling on Filipinos to “reflect on the Catholic values and embody selflessness, compassion and love” and to take Holy Week as an “opportune time to rekindle our religious fervor and cherish our time-honored traditions as a pious people.”

READ: Duterte Holy Week message: ‘Revitalize faith’

Jumoad welcomed his statements even as Duterte previously cursed at the Pope, railed at bishops and criticized the Catholic Church.

“We know that the Catholic Church does not take vengeance or any other forms of vengeance, and we welcome the statement of the President, at ito po’y maganda po ito para sa sambayanan para we will be united, ang State may unity and then may adhikain para matulungan mga tao (and this is good for the public so that we will be united, the State will have unity, and then there’s a purpose to help other people),” the archbishop said.

This year’s Semana Santa begins on Palm Sunday, and will end on April 1, Easter Sunday.

March 29 to 30 are declared regular holidays, while March 31 is a special non-working day. /je

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