Catholic bishop urges the faithful to help Church's 'Alay Kapwa' program

MANILA (PNA) -- As the 40-day Lenten Season starts on Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday, a Catholic prelate urges the faithful to support the Church’s Alay Kapwa” program which aims to gather funds for the less fortunate.The campaign is being relaunched nationwide during the observance of the Lenten Season this year, which has also been declared as the Year of the Poor. Muli nating panalangin ang ating pakikiisa sa solidarity at kongkretong pagtulong sa mga ganitong uri ng programa,” Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona said in an interview over Radio Veritas on Tuesday.The chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP–NASSA) added, Ngayong taon nga ay ginugunita ang Year of the Poor o Taon ng mga Dukha, bilang paghahanda sa ika-500 taon ng Katolisismo sa Pilipinas sa taong 2021, kaya’t patuloy ang paghikayat ng Simbahan na mag-ambag, makiisa at tumulong sa mga dukha at mga tunay na nangangailangan sa ating bansa.”The program was launched in 1974 to help gather funds for programs and projects intended for the poor Filipinos.On the other hand, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo noted that the people should think about the welfare of poor people at the start of Lent.He also urged them to pray, to fast and to repent. Sana pumasok tayo sa ganitong panahon ng grasya ng buong kabukasan ng loob sa panalangin, sa pag-aayuno, penitensiya at sa ating pagkakawanggawa sa kapwa. Pumasok tayo sa ganitong programa ng simbahan upang mas maging bukas tayo at magkaroon ng pagpapanibago ng bawat isa at buong simbahan sa pamamagitan ng ating pananalangin at bukas na pagkakawanggawa at sa ating generosity at pagpepepenitensiya,” said the chairman of the CBCP Public Affairs Committee.Meanwhile, Catholics in over 45 countries will take part in a 40-day Lenten fast for climate justice starting on Feb. 18 until March 28, the Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM) said.In an article posted on the CBCP news website, the GCCM encourages participants to fast not only from food, but also from products and services made possible by carbon use, especially oil, electricity, plastic, paper, water, and the like to recycle during Lent.Likewise, the group also asked the people to pray for a united Catholic stand and world leaders on climate change.GCCM is an international coalition composed of laity, religious, and clergy, theologians, scientists, and activists from Argentina, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Australia, the United States, and many other nations, who are united by their Catholic faith and work in various roles and organizations on climate change issues. (PNA)SCS/FGP/EDS