A Filipino bishop has called upon social workers, partners, and fellow Catholics to walk and work alongside marginalized communities.
Bishop Bartolome Gaspar Santos of Iba emphasized, "We must journey with poor communities to empower them."
His message underscores the value of unity and support for Caritas Philippines in its efforts to uplift those in need.
Speaking at the 41st National Social Action General Assembly of Caritas Philippines on June 18, held at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, in Iloilo City, Panay Island, he highlighted the theme: "Social Action Network: Journeying to Empower Communities in Faith, Love, and Justice."
"We must stand by those experiencing natural or man-made disasters. They need our compassion and presence,” the prelate added.
The event, organized by Caritas Philippines, drew around 200 social development professionals from 67 Catholic dioceses across the Philippines.
Caritas Philippines is the humanitarian, development, and advocacy arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, chairperson of Caritas Philippines, celebrated the opening Mass, focusing on the question, "How do we empower communities?"
In his homily, Archbishop Jose Romeo Juanito Orquejo Lazo of Jaro highlighted the importance of justice, love, and faith in guiding development workers and Catholics to respond compassionately and collectively to challenging circumstances.
"Our motivation for social action work in the Church is never ideology or any political conviction but only the love of Christ, the love traditionally expressed through the Latin word Caritas," stated CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David in a separate statement.
"Love and faith lead us to see a brother or sister in every neighbor, especially among the least, the lost, and the last," he continued. "We inevitably become involved in practical acts for justice because of our faith and love."
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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