HOLY Week is a good opportunity for Catholic families to show unity in commemorating the sacrifices of the Lord, according to Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.
“Go to church as a family. Attend the Last Supper as a family. Undertake the Seven Church Visitation (Visita Iglesia) as a family. Join the procession as a family. Do the Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) as a family. It’s nice to imagine if we all do these activities as a family,” the 69-year-old prelate said in Cebuano.
In a press conference last Monday, April 15, at the Archbishop’s Palace, Palma called on Catholic parents to continue motivating their children to actively take part in church undertakings during and even after Holy Week.
“I’m sure that in The Seven Last Words, the youth can learn many lessons from God’s words, especially since we’re focusing on the youth this year,” he said.
He said the faithful from other countries commend Filipino youth for participating in church practices which, according to him, is not the case abroad.
“In fact, for other people, it’s nice that in the Philippines the parents bring their children to church,” he said in Cebuano.
“The best way to retain the tradition is for parents to, at an early age, involve the children and make them participate in church-related activities. We should continue this tradition,” Palma added in Cebuano.
He, however, discouraged the faithful from extreme devotional practices such as undergoing actual crucifixion on Good Friday.
Meanwhile, Palma said they are prepared for the 2019 National Youth Day (NYD), which will be held here in Cebu starting on April 23.
He said the Cebu archdiocese, which is the NYD host, is putting on the finishing touches.
The archbishop hopes for a peaceful NYD and urges Cebuanos to extend their hospitality to the delegates.
“We will do our best to ensure the event will have meaning for the participants, that it will be fruitful and peaceful and hopefully memorable for them, too,” Palma said in Cebuano.
The NYD was conceived in 1986 by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines.