Buzon: Tuesday through Thursday are days of fasting

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Diocese of Bacolod yesterday appealed for prayers from the faithful amid the “strained relationship” between the Catholic Church and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a circular forwarded to various parishes under the local diocese, Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines earlier issued a pastoral exhortation entitled “Rejoice and be Glad,” in an effort to “offer guidance and shed light on the controversies which has recently created a stir and affected the Filipino society.”

Buzon said concerns over the rising violence, human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, the murder of priests, and blasphemous statements have all raised questions on how individual Catholics, or as a community of Christ’s faithful, are to respond.

Bishops invited everyone to “follow the way of Jesus” and “live out our common vocation and mission,” which they explained was to “be peacemakers in these turbulent times.”

The faithful were also advised to “speak always from the perspective of faith and morals, and never with any political or ideological agenda in mind” whenever confronted by the said issues.

In addition, Buzon noted, this week, Tuesday through Thursday should be observed as days of fasting, prayer, and alms-giving; although it was not specified in the circular if the suggested “fasting” is supposed mimic traditional Catholic practices during the Lenten season, which is observed earlier in the year./DGB, WDJ