The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) recently urged the public to do their share in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) by staying home.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, the national director of National Secretariat for Social Action/Caritas Philippines, said the people will greatly help the frontliners by not leaving their homes.
“Staying home is the only way everyone can show solidarity and compassion to our frontliners. Let’s do everything we can to help them,” he said in a statement.
President Duterte, in a late Sunday night public address, announced that Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal would be reverted to more stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from August 4 to 18 from general community quarantine.
Duterte made the decision in response to the medical frontliners’ appeal for a two-week “timeout” to address “health-care work force deficiency, failure of case finding and isolation, failure of contact tracing and quarantine, transportation safety and workplace-safety public compliance.” as infections surged beyond 100,000.
As of August 5, the number of Covid-19 cases in the Philippines jumped to 115,980 with 3,462 new cases, the Department of Health reported 3,226 new Covid-19 infections.
Bishop: Fight vs Covid-19 is ‘everybody’s responsibility’
Another Catholic bishop said efforts to thwart the coronavirus won’t work unless the public “would do their part.”
Bishop Roberto Gaa of Novaliches said the fight against the pandemic is everybody’s responsibility.
“First, we should take care of ourselves. Let us not pass this responsibility to others,” Gaa said.
“And if we do that, we also take care of our family and all the people we meet,” he said.
The bishop was urging the public to strictly follow the advised health protocols and avoid going out if not necessary.
According to him, this is a time to act together in order to combat a threat of this scale.
“If we do our part, we are also helping our [medical] frontliners,” Gaa pointed out.
Masses offered every Wednesday
Diocese of Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos announced he is offering the Holy Masses every Wednesday to all health-care workers, particularly in Bataan.
“We will dedicate the celebration of the Holy Eucharist every Wednesday as an offering to all the healthcare workers, most especially here in Bataan,” he said in a statement.
Public Masses suspended in 10 dioceses under MECQ
When the government issued new orders restricting movements, public Masses in Mega Manila and nearby areas were suspended anew.
Metro Manila and four provinces have been placed under a stricter quarantine status again from August 4 to 18.
Besides the Manila archdiocese, the MECQ covers nine other dioceses: Cubao, Kalookan, Parañaque, Novaliches, Pasig, Antipolo, Imus, Malolos and San Pablo.
Religious gatherings in areas under MECQ would be highly restricted and limited to five persons.
However, Churches in areas under MECQ are holding online Masses everyday for the faithful.
Archdiocese of Manila responds to frontliners
Even before the government’s order, the Archdiocese of Manila and the dioceses of Cubao and Parañaque have already initiated a temporary suspension of public liturgical services for two weeks.
In a pastoral instruction issued on August 1, Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the decision was made in response to the appeal of the medical community for a “time out” to arrest the Covid-19 surge.
“As a response to the call of our medical people, all the Churches and shrines in the Archdiocese of Manila will revert to the period of the ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] protocols. We will not hold public religious activities from August 3 to August 14 but we continue our online religious activities. We will also use this time to evaluate our Church response to the pandemic and see how we can improve them,” the diocese’s statement said.
“We share the compassion of the medical frontliners for the many sick people being brought to our hospitals. We have witnessed their dedicated service to those who come to them. Many among them are tired and even discouraged by their heavy responsibilities. So we support their appeal for a ‘timeout,’” Pabillo said.
“It seems that the current responses are not working because the cases are rising after four months-and-a-half of quarantine,” Pabillo said.
The archdiocese also asked the public to pray for frontliners, those affected by the deadly disease and their families.
Other dioceses that also suspended the holding of public Masses are Cubao, Parañaque, Pasig, Novaliches and Malolos.
Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao said the situation also calls for the Church to evaluate how it can better help those who are suffering.
He asked the faithful “to be diligent” in practicing simple health protocols such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks and frequent washing of hands.
“Our compliance will help save lives and stem this virus,” Ongtioco said.
For his part, Bishop Jesse Mercado of Parañaque appealed, “Let us intensify our support to our beloved frontliners, especially our prayers for their strength and good health, as well as protection of their families against Covid-19.”
Faithful urged: Pray for priests amid pandemic
The CBCP urged the faithful to offer prayers for all priests around the world, especially Filipino priests who continue to serve and spread the word of God amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Let’s pray for our priests for them to continue their mission, the celebration of Masses and the spread of the Good News,” said San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, chairman of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Clergy in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.
The statement was issued in connection with the celebration of the recent feast of St. John Vianney, the patron of priests.
Famadico expressed hope that priests will continue to respond to the needs of the faithful, particularly to the less fortunate who are the most affected by the crisis as they have lost their source of income.
He believes that their compassion will help the people to feel the love of the Lord in the midst of the crisis the public is experiencing right now.
“In such spirit, they will be able to make the faithful feel that Jesus is with them and He will not forsake us,” Famadico said.
He also asked to pray for priests all over the world, numbering to 400,000, wherein 2 percent or more than 10,000 priests, are serving in the Philippines, a predominantly Roman Catholic country.
Pabillo now Covid-19 negative; Iñiguez ill
Meanwhile, Bishop Pabillo is now negative for Covid-19, after announcing on July 23 that he had contracted the disease.
However, Kalookan Emeritus Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez tested positive for Covid-19 on August 1.
He is now receiving treatment at a hospital, said Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David during his Mass at the San Roque Cathedral.
Speaking at a webinar, the administrator of the Manila archdiocese thanked those who prayed for his fast recovery.
“I have no more virus,” Pabillo said. “I attribute this to your prayers. Prayers are really powerful.”
The prelate earlier said he is asymptomatic.
Since his retirement in 2013, Iñiguez has been staying at the National Shrine and Parish of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan.
According to the parish, the 79-year-old retired prelate is isolated in the hospital “but in stable condition.”
“We urge everyone for fervent prayers to ask the mercy of God for Bishop Deogracias’s speedy recovery,” the parish said.
As a safety precaution, services at the shrine have also been suspended until all priests and personnel in the rectory are tested negative from the virus.
“We assure the public that we are doing all necessary health protocols to stop the spread of the virus,” it said.
“May the Lord grant His healing grace to our beloved bishop Iñiguez and all the people affected by the disease,” David said.
Iñiguez is the second Catholic prelate to fall ill of Covid-19 after Pabillo. PNA and CBCP News