Fr. Soc rallies support contra death penalty

By December 10, 2016Headlines, News

DAGUPAN CITY—Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas has called on his parishioners to join in prayer and attend a protest rally to resist the threat of the death penalty in the country.

“The death penalty bill is being pushed for approval in Congress before Christmas. What a tragedy if this would be passed in this holy season of Christ’s birth,” Villegas said.

He quoted a Biblical passage describing the death penalty as “prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1Peter 5:8).

He said the death penalty “is contrary to our Catholic moral life”.

In all the anticipated Masses on December 10 and in all the Masses of December 11, third Sunday of Advent, Villegas urged the faithful to pray the Prayer Against the Death Penalty instead of the Prayers of the Faithful.

All the parish church bells must ring for 15 minutes at six o’clock in the evening for three evenings on December 10, 11 and 12, he said.

“This is a conscience call to stand up for life,” Villegas said.

On December 12, 2016, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said a prayer rally for life will be held at the Parish of Saint Dominic, San Carlos City.

“I am calling on all our Catholic schools, social action ministers, catechists, youth leaders, BEC leaders to encourage our Catholic faithful to attend this prayer rally and defend human life,” he said.

There will be a Mass at 3:00 pm inside the parish church, followed by a March Against the Death Penalty around the plaza.

People will converge at the city plaza and hold a candle lighting memorial prayer for all the victims of violence afterwards, he added.

He encouraged all to wear white.

“We know that Pope Francis blesses us as we rally, because the Holy Father himself has called for a worldwide abolition of the death penalty declaring that the commandment “Thou shall not kill” is valid for the guilty as for the innocent,” he said.

He added, “In resisting the threat of the restoration of the death penalty, we cannot be disunited or indifferent. On this pro-life issue let us truly unite. Come out and make a stand!”. (Tita Roces)

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