San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza has outlined a series of actions for his congregation “to actively pursue peace and community healing in response to the ongoing unrest on Negros Island”.
The call to action is contained in a pastoral letter titled “Embracing Our Christian Duty to Work for Integral Peace” to be read in all anticipated and Ascension Sunday Masses, Alminaza said.
Alminaza said he is encouraging the diocese to engage in various peace-building activities.
Key initiatives include facilitating dialogs within parishes and community groups to address local tensions, advocating for policies that protect individuals affected by violence and hunger, and extending support through community service and charitable works, a press release from the Diocese of San Carlos said.
The bishop is also calling all Church communities to continue the nightly ringing of church bells at 8 p.m. as a prayer for peace and for a dialog among all parties involved in the armed conflict to address roots of the unrest.
The pastoral letter emphasizes the role of Christian values in fostering a compassionate community and highlights the teachings of Pope Francis on the importance of dialogue and solidarity.
As the diocese also marks Mother’s Day, the bishop drew parallels between maternal nurturing and the broader nurturing of the community through peace efforts.
Alminaza called on the faithful of the Diocese of San Carlos to become agents of change, embodying Christ’s peace in a region striving for stability and justice.
The pastoral letter concludes with a prayer for peace titled “Peace Prayer of the Icon of ‘Reyna sa Paghidaet’ (Queen of Peace),” which embodies the call for food security, equality, justice, and harmony among different religious and social groups, Alminaza said.*