Pinoy priest to help promote 'Share Lent' project in Canada

Catholic Church officials in Canada asked a Filipino priest to help promote there this March the "Share Lent" program, an international fundraising project for communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. According to a news release of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Father Edwin Gariquez will be going around Canada from March 6 to 28 for the "Share Lent" program of the  Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP).  Gariguez is the executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA) of the CBCP. The CCODP is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and the Canadian member of Caritas Internationalis. On the CBCP news release, Gariguez said: “I was in Toronto only last year, for the Ecumenical Mining Conference and D&P (Development and Peace) sponsored my travel. But this time, it seems that I’ll be going around the different places and dioceses, which will be enjoyable to me."   During his solidarity visit to Canada, Gariguez will co-preside a Eucharistic Celebration and conduct meetings with Canadian bishops, clergy and members of the CCODP. The CCODP website said: "As people of faith and conviction, we are asked to live our values of justice and solidarity through prayer, action and almsgiving." The site encourages people to help organize "Share Lent" activities in parishes, schools or communities worldwide from February 22 to April 7. For Catholics, Lent is a season for prayer and penance. Lent begins every year on Ash Wednesday (February 22 this year) and ends on Holy Saturday (April 7 this year), the day before Easter Sunday, considered by Catholics as the greatest feast. - VVP, GMA News