“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one
another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrew 10:24)
In his pastoral letter, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said that “we are called upon 0to exercise charity in our dealings with our neighbor—that is to say, to have a genuine concern for those who are needy and who suffer, and to perform concrete good works” during the season of Lent.
The Lenten season directs us in a very special way to practice the values of kindness and generosity. Through these values, we are able to help and support our social services to the poor, especially those who suffer during natural and human-caused calamities. As what Cardinal Tagle said, “we are called to love God, and our love for God is best expressed by the love we have for our brothers and sisters.”
“If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?” (1 John 3:17).
Recognizing the value of kindness and generosity, we at Caritas Manila also found the inspirational story of Mercury Drug who had been known for their core value of “compassion.” Throughout the years, Mercury Drug had successfully launched various programs that focused on health and education.
Through Mercury Drug Foundation, they are continuously empowering and promoting our communities by engaging in various projects and programs for the deprived sectors of our society. This inspiring kindness and generosity as a way of building “community of charity” brings us to work with them in encouraging, serving and helping the marginalized poor in our country.
Caritas Manila, for its part, helps the poor and deprived sectors through its Caritas Damayan, our Preventive Health and Disaster Management program that provides emergency and relief assistance, humanitarian aid to victims and educates disaster-prone communities by conducting pre-disasters trainings, and help in the restoration and rebuilding of communities.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may this inspiring story of compassion encourage us to practice the value of kindness and generosity in this season of Lent. May this story become an instrument to strengthen our faith to Almighty God.
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To know more about Caritas Manila, visit or follow us on Facebook: CaritasManilaInc. For your donations, please call our DonorCare lines 563-9311, 564-0205, 0999-7943455, 0905-4285001 and 0929-8343857. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph and follow its Twitter and Instragram accounts @veritasph and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For comments,
e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.