Bishop to faithful: Don’t spend Holy Week in places of material pleasure

An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philppine on Saturday reminded the faithful to strive to make the Holy Week meaningful by spending it on meditation and self-examination, and not on beach resorts, malls, theme-parks and other places of escape and secular pleasures.

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, chairman of the CBCP-Permanent Committee on Public Affairs, also encouraged the faithful to do works of charity and tag along the whole family so that all of them together could strengthen their relationship with God.  

“Itong  Holy Week ay intense moments of relationship with God, sana ay ganun sila ... it’s ok na  halimbawa mag-uwian tayo sa ating tahanan, bonding with the families at sa ating mga friends na naiwan sa  bahay that’s very good ...

"Pero kung kayo ay mag-swimming, magba-bathing, makikihalo para lang nagpupunta lang kayo sa mall to  enjoy the secular pleasure ay that is against the spirit [of the Lenten Season],” said Arguelles in an interview on church-run Radyo Veritas.

He said the time dedicated to seek reconciliation with God and the pursuit of holiness cannot be replaced by the time spent away on material pleasures.

“Dapat dito we have to establish our strong relationship, strengthen relationship with God, our  relationship with other people  specially those entrusted to us by  God. Sa ating sarili magkumpisal tayo na magkaroon tayo ng peace of mind at moment of rest," he added.  — LBG, GMA News