Some of the country’s most prominent Roman Catholic priests shared their views of the beginning of the 40-Day Lenten season or Cuaresma for the year 2016. According to Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, “everthing is transitory. everything will die,” as he shared his thoughts about Ash Wednesday today, February 10, 2016.
Ash Wednesday is considered as the start of the 40-day Lenten season, or more popularly known as the Cuaresma, it signifies that millions of Roman Catholics will flock to churches to have their foreheads marked with ashes, reminding them that life on earth is ephemeral.
In a message to the Filipino people, Archbishop Soc Villegas reminded all candidates not to engage in violence and corruption just to win as the start of the Lenten season, comes a day after the beginning of the campaign period for the May 2016 national elections.
During the Ash Wednesday, Roman Catholics are urged to do good works, fast and pray, and have their foreheads marked with a cross by a priest or lay minister as a reminder that every person is only dust. Fr. Genaro Diwa, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Liturgy “With that dirt on your forehead, you declare to everybody that you are no different from the others who need to be converted,” he stated.
Manila Arcbishop Luis Antonio Tagle for his part urged Roman Catholics to support a Church-based feeding progam for malnourished children.