Cebu policemen join the Walk For Life procession in Cebu City initiated by the Cebu Archdiocese at dawn of Satuday, Feb. 16, 2019. |CDND Photo/Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma urged the faithful to keep life sacred, as the Catholic Church celebrates the Pro-life Awareness Month this February.
Palma, in his homily for the Walk of Life Mass held this morning, February 16, at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, the prelate reminded the faithful, especially the youth, to be grateful to God for the life he has given the world.
“Life is a gift and so life is sacred. We should cherish and care for it,” Palma said.
Palma also urged the faithful to fight for the right to life especially those whose voices cannot be heard such as the children.
He said that kindness can go a long way for homeless children and with a community that helps, these children can have a better life.
The prelate also emphasized that everyone deserves a second chance despite the mistakes they have done in the past.
“Let us allow people to cleanse themselves and give them a second chance,” he said.
He said that people should not always be ready to give a second chance to people the way God gave mankind a second chance through Jesus Christ.
Palma was also grateful for the clear weather during the solemn procession, which he saw as a sign that God was happy with the faithful’s movement for life.
“Pila ka adlaw nag uwan pero karon wala gyud. Makita nato nga murag nalipay gyud ang Ginoo sa ato gibuhat. It is a blessing,” he said.
Young people join the Walk for Life dawn procession in Cebu City on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, initiated by the Cebu Archdiocese. | CDND Photo/Delta Dyrecka Letigio
The Walk of Life solemn procession in Cebu was attended by policemen, youth groups and pro-life advocates numbering about a thousand (according to a police estimate). It started at 4:45 a.m. from the Fuente Osmeña Circle and ended at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, covering a distance of about three kilometers.
The event was simultaneously being done in other dioceses across the country.
The Walk of Life is a part of series of activities for the Pro-life Awareness Month led by the Philippines Foundation Inc. and the Catholic Church in the Philippines./elb