Church visits no picnic, say bishops

MANILA, Philippines—The traditional Visita Iglesia as well as other pilgrimages should not be treated like a picnic or excursion.

Catholic prelates on Wednesday gave a word of caution to the faithful who may participate in the various church services highlighting Holy Week.

Fr. Carmelo Arada, assistant director of the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Manila, said that while the Visita Iglesia bound the faithful, particularly the youth, in prayer and friendship, its significance should not be neglected.

“Let’s try to avoid turning it into a picnic,” Arada said. “It’s good that you enjoy each other’s company but also remember that we do all of this in the spirit of prayer and sacrifice.”

Abuse of a holy thing

Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales in a separate interview said, “Taking advantage of a pilgrimage by turning it into an outing or a picnic is wrong. This has to be corrected because that is abuse of a holy thing.”

Rosales said a pilgrimage was usually conducted with a priest leading the prayers and liturgy. A priest may also give a homily and lead in the Way of the Cross.

The Visita Iglesia (Spanish for church visit) is a popular Catholic tradition on Holy Thursday commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his Apostles. It entails going to seven churches to pray and meditate.

Arada clarified that the Visita Iglesia was not the time to follow the Stations of the Cross.

“The Stations of the Cross is prayed on Good Friday but the Visita Iglesia is really a time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament that is reposed during Maundy Thursday,” he said.

“During Holy Thursday, especially in the evening, we commemorate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, meaning we commemorate the institution of the Eucharist. The institution of the Eucharist we can only find its meaning when we look at the cross. It’s like a ritual, anticipation of what will happen on the cross. It is where Jesus offered up his body and blood for the salvation of all. In that spirit, we go to churches and remember that the real meaning of Holy Week is Jesus died out of love for us,” he said.

Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, said the Visita Iglesia was also a pilgrimage.

“It’s a pilgrimage of seven churches on Maundy Thursday for the appreciation of the Eucharist, penance for sins and blessing of needs,” he said.

A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey and discipline of Lent and Holy Week as a participation in the suffering of Christ and the poor in history, Pascual added.