CBCP to faithful: Preserve justice, truth, peace amid 40th EDSA anniversary

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday appealed to Filipino Catholics to preserve justice, truth, and peace as the country marked the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

In a pastoral letter for good citizenship posted on the CBCP News Facebook page, CBCP President and Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera said remembering the historic event also means engaging in constant social transformation.

“As the nation remembers EDSA at 40, the challenge is not merely to commemorate the past, but to continue the work of conscience and conversion. Social transformation remains possible when citizens choose integrity over convenience and truth over silence,” Garcera said.

The CPCBP issued the statement as it launched the Katipunan Formation Program for Good Citizenship.

It is a campaign for reflection, prayer, and study on the following social problems: corruption, poverty, crime, lies, and treachery.

“Guided by faith, inspired by history, and strengthened by community, the Katipunan Formation Program seeks to help Filipinos rediscover their role in shaping a nation where justice is served, truth is honored, and peace is within reach,” Garcera said.

He encouraged every diocese to participate in the program as he added that the Philippines is now facing different challenges.

“Faith challenges this resignation. History – and the Gospel – teach that lasting change begins not only with systems and leaders, but with formed consciences and converted hearts,” Garcera said.

He said identifying oneself as a Katipunan means to affirm the following values:

• A love of God and country
• A sense of responsibility for the common good, and
• A commitment to live one’s faith in daily social and political life.

The program also proposed the following concrete commitments to translate faith into action:

• Being grounded with God through prayer
• Taking a stand against corruption, lies, and injustices
• Demanding accountability through dialogue, participation, and lawful means
• Rejection of corruption practices through informed voting and respect for the rule of law, and
• Embracing formation in parishes and civic groups that result into renewal.

“Faith, after all, is not meant to remain inside church walls. It must inform how people speak, work, vote, and relate to one another,” Garcera said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News