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Message from Bishop Oscar Solis Read the following information on discrimination and racism against Asian Americans.
Warmest greetings of Christ’s peace and love to everyone during these hot summer months. I pray you are keeping yourself cool, healthy, and holy. We give thanks to God for blessing us with a respite from the pandemic. Our nation has slowly moved into the new normal and most of the churches throughout the country have re-instituted the public celebration of the Holy Eucharist with most of the safety and health restrictions lifted as well as other liturgical services, events, and practices back in place. However, let us continue to invoke our Lord’s protection from the new Delta variant and His healing grace for the end of the pandemic.
Amidst many challenges around us, we recognize God’s many blessings. Our subcommittee continues the implementation and dissemination of the USCCB document Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters. Consultation is ongoing on how Asian and Pacific Island communities will celebrate the 5th anniversary of its approval in 2023. Journeying Together: A National Intercultural Encounter for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults sponsored by the Cultural Diversity Committee also provides us inspiring experiences from the intracultural dialogues with some of our ethnic communities. Through a series of listening and small group sharing sessions, we learned of these ethnic Catholics’ strong faith and great love for God, enthusiasm, and active involvement in the Church’s mission of evangelization that bring hope during these trying times.
Furthermore, our Filipino brothers and sisters this year celebrate in joyful thanksgiving God’s significant and special gift to our small nation, the “500th Year Anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.” Since the Spanish missionaries first set foot on the island nation in 1521, the Catholic faith they planted in the heart of the people had been an integral part of the cultural tradition that sustained us through the years. This Jubilee highlights our colorful history and the fruits of the Catholic faith handed from one generation to the next in the countless bishops, priests, religious, lay ministers, and devoted people who continue to live and share their faith with others by the giving of themselves for the love of God and for the service of the Church in every corner of the world.
For this reason, the Philippines remains not only the country with the largest Catholic population in Asia but also a strong part of the Church’s mission that helps enrich the faith life of the community wherever they are. Pope Francis, in his video message for the occasion, recognized their contribution, “thanking the Filipinos for their deep sense of family, community, and fraternity, and urging them to be grateful and generous missionaries of the Gospel by renewing their enthusiasm for evangelization, in order to reach out to others and bring them the hope and joy of the Gospel, the love of God for our brothers and sisters.”
The theme of the Quincentennial celebration is Gifted to Give, reflecting the very essence of our Catholic identity and missionary life that Filipinos lovingly and gratefully witness with joy and enthusiasm. Their Christian faith has been a source of inspiration, courage, and perseverance that keeps our hope alive. Let us join them in their celebration and in our sacred responsibility to share with everyone the graces we have received from our God.
May the Lord bless us always and Mabuhay! St. Joseph, pray for us!
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