A Filipino bishop underlined the immense power imbued in the prayers of children.
Bishop Renato Mayugba of the Diocese of Laoag said that the prayer intentions of little ones are rapidly heard by God because of their hearts’s innocence.
“Children are God’s favorite… Your prayers are significant and powerful,” said the prelate.
“When you run to the Blessed Mother, the Lord hears you loud and clear,” he also said.
The bishop was delivering the homily during the local celebration of the 1st World Children’s Day in the Philippines on Saturday.
Bishop Mayugba invited the attendees to start a prayer chain focused on family preservation, world peace, and global environmental protection.
This is in line with the event’s theme, “God Makes All Things New,” with a specific focus on “peace, the environment, and encountering Jesus.”
The bishop also reminded parents to never neglect the “youngest members of the Church.”
“Beloved parents, you must see to it that you truly love your children,” he said. “They are the future of the world. They are the future of your own family. They are the love of Jesus.”
The Philippine celebration of the 1st World Children’s Day was held at the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro in Manila on May 25.
The whole-day affair opened with a Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Mayugba, and was followed by various activities such as interactive games, Bibleympics, a community parade, learning workshops, and magic and puppet shows.
This gathering was the Philippine Church’s response to the new initiative of Pope Francis toward deeper formation and dialogue with children.
The Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education, in partnership with the Catholic community of Sant'Egidio, the Auxilium Cooperative, and the Italian Football Federation, sponsored this.
In Rome, the Holy Father marked the celebration by meeting around 50,000 children at the country’s Olympic Stadium, which was transformed into a “Children’s Village” for this day’s gathering.
Pope Francis also met with a group of Palestinian and Ukrainian children at the Vatican on Saturday morning.
Some of the children show visible signs of injuries they have suffered from the ongoing conflicts in their respective countries.
They also joined the pope during his Sunday Mass on May 26.
Jacqueline Tolentino, the event convenor, expressed her gratitude to the sponsors for their support in making the event possible.
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