AROUND 40 percent of Filipino Catholics are still unaware of the exact date of their Holy Birthday or the day of their baptism.
This is based on the results of the Veritas Truth Survey (VTS), conducted by Church-operated radio station on June 2019.
According to the VTS, which covered 1,200 respondents, 32 percent are not aware of the date of their baptism, while the remaining 11 percent are unsure of their baptismal dates.
Radio Veritas President Fr. Anton Pascual noted that lack of interest of some Catholics in their Holy Birthday may be attributed to the Church’s failure to promote its importance for a time.
The VTS showed that Baptismisal Day awareness is significantly high for adults or those in the 40 to 60 age bracket at 69 percent.
Awareness for teen respondents (13 to 20 years old) is the second highest at 63 percent. It was followed by elderly respondents (ages 61 and above) at 50 percent, and young adults (21 to 39 years old) at 46 percent.
Pascual stressed the sacrament of baptism is among the significant events in Catholics’ life since it celebrates their induction to the Christian community.
Pascual noted Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis, and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle have cited the importance of baptism “in entering the life of God.”
In practical terms, he said baptism is also relevant for Catholics since it is a requirement before they take the other sacraments.
To boost public awareness on their Holy Birthday, Radyo Veritas coordinated with the Quiapo Church on Sunday to hold its first ever “Holy Birth Day” campaign with the baptism of 12 infants from poor communities in Manila.
Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani conducted the baptismal rites, which was attended by actress Ai Ai delas Alas as well as college basketball stars and brothers Juan and Javier Gomez de Liano, who served as “volunteer godparents” for the newly baptized infants.
Pascual said they plan to make the campaign an annual event.
“Catholics who do not know when they were baptized can go to Radio Veritas and we will look for their Churches and help them find their Baptismal day,” Pascual said.
So what exactly does one do during one’s Holy Birthday?
Pascual replied: “They could celebrate it by going to confession since baptism is one’s entry to a life of salvation.”