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Apologies to those who have been following our column to
read and learn more from Pope Benedict XVI’s Encyclical
entitled Spe Salvi. Please allow me to bring to you
special Lenten messages for this week and next. After
Holy Week, we resume with Spe Salvi. For this week, let
me share with you the Palm Sunday pastoral message of
our Cardinal.
Pastoral
letter for Alay Kapwa Sunday
March
16, 2008
My dear
brothers and sisters in Christ,
In this
season of Lent, and on the occasion of Alay Kapwa Sunday
with the theme: Protection and Preservation of the
Environment, a Christian Responsibility, I invite you to
reflect on the teachings of Jesus.
The Holy
Bible stated, “Do not defile the land in which you live
and in the midst of which I dwell.” (Numbers 35: 34)
Natural
calamities due to man’s exploitation of nature’s bounty
have claimed many innocent lives. Our brothers, mostly
from poor indigenous communities, had to bear the deadly
consequence of man’s greed and disrespect for people’s
rights and God’s sacred creation.
We have
received so many blessings from our environment, and we
have to take care of it for our children and our
children’s children. Each and every one of us must heed
the call to live up to our Christian responsibility to
protect and preserve mother Earth. We must commit to
living a simple life, to use what is only essential and
to avoid the mentality of wanting to have more, with the
utmost desire of serving God and their fellowmen.
“Reform your lives and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark
1:15)
We are
all responsible for the well-being of our neighbors, as
reflected in the verses of Genesis 4:9: “Am I my
brother’s keeper?” The love of Christ compels us to care
for our people, our country and our God-given resources
that others may benefit from the use of them. Our task
is to be stewards of His creation.
The
global crisis on the environment should compel us to
make a move right now. Let us all get involved by
supporting projects that promote the protection of the
environment. Your Alay Kapwa love offering will support
Caritas Manila’s Programs on Leadership Training for the
Youth and advocacy on environmental conservation,
health, livelihood and restorative justice. Your
contributions will also support and sustain nationwide
initiatives on sustainable agriculture, peace, advocacy,
governance, children’s rights and disaster management.
Lastly,
I pray that more people would support Caritas and its
work for the development of the poor. Together, let us
spread Christ’s message of love, truth and justice in
our community, not just in words but in deeds. “Caritas”
is the Latin word for love. “Where there is love, there
is Christ.” Where there is Caritas, there is Christ.
God
bless us all!
+
Gaudencio B. Cardinal
Rosales,
DD
Archbishop of Manila
For comments/feedback: e-mail:
caritas_manila@yahoo.com; for donations to Caritas
Manila: 563-9311; and for inquiries: 563-9308 and
563-9298; Fax: 563-9306. |
