Church leaders: Live up to essence of Holy Week

CEBU, Philippines - Religious leaders of both the Catholic and Muslim communities are reminding the public of the true essence of the observance of the Holy Week. 

Fr. Rod Salazar, former president of the University of San Carlos, said that the Holy Week is “not on what happened years ago, but how it is lived today.”

Salazar shared that it is on how people live the passion and death of Jesus Christ until today and that it is a “continuing passion.”

He reminds the faithful to use this moment to see “where we are in our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters.”

As for the Muslim community, Ustadz Haro Magadapa said that they support the Catholics in observing the Holy Week, same way that the Christian community respects their Ramadan.

Magadapa shared that they offer the same sacrifice, in the form of fasting, in their month-long Ramadan; and that they also take up their responsibilities to the community, to God, and most especially to those in need.

“This is a time to enlighten ourselves of who we are and what we are,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fr. Carmelo Diola of the Dilaab Foundation, Inc. said that this year’s theme of the archdiocese on its jubilee - “At 75 the Archdiocese of Cebu: Growing together in grace as the body of Christ” - emphasizes on the need for catechism.

He said that what serves as a challenge for us today is “to move beyond without leaving the realities.” – AJ dela Torre/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)