Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of the Diocese of Cubao urged parishes and religious communities to observe a Diocesan Day of Prayer on the first Friday of August as an act of reparation for the sacrileges committed against the Lord in a circular letter issued July 31.
"This act of reparation promotes spiritual growth and strengthens the sense of unity among believers," said Bishop Ongtioco.
This comes after a video of a drag performer dancing to a remixed version of "Ama Namin," or Our Father, went viral early in July.
The bishop said "The significance of the Lord's Prayer as a testament to God's love for His people and the need to address the ingratitude, irreverence, sacrilege, coldness, and contempt shown towards the Lord."
The prelate invites the faithful to observe this special day of prayer as "an opportunity for believers to seek forgiveness for sins" and "to show mercy and forgiveness to those who have committed sacrilegious acts."
According to the bishop by observing a day of prayer and offering a Holy Hour, Christians demonstrate their commitment to responding to damage with compassion and understanding, thereby imitating Christ's actions.
Bishop Ongtioco hopes that this initiative will prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and encourage parishioners to teach their children the significance of respecting all things sacrosanct, such as the Eucharist and the Lord's Prayer.
Meanwhile, a Christian group, the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM), filed charges against the drag performer, stating that their move was to defend their faith on August 2, 2023.
The letter also recalls that, throughout history, sacrileges against the Lord have taken many forms and have been committed in various aspects of life.
Bishop Ongtioco reminded the devout to 'embrace' the new culture of digital technology as a means of expressing their opinions, but also as a means of upholding their faith.
"As society becomes more technologically advanced, the internet and social media have presented new challenges to the religious community. While these platforms offer individuals the opportunity to express their views and opinions, there is also a risk of offensive material being disseminated, which can disparage religious beliefs." said the bishop. "This poses a significant challenge for believers who strive to uphold the sanctity of their faith. -Leahna Villajos
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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