Manila (AsiaNews) Three days of prayer, penance and fasting, from 5 to 7 December, have been set apart in the Philippines as a time to focus on spiritual renewal. The initiative comes at a time when the country grapples with a faith crisis. This was announced yesterday by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in a circular endorsed by all the bishops and priests, religious and lay people. The idea came from the Council of the Laity of the Philippines (CLB), which will organize the event. The council said: "A reflection is very much needed not only because of the faith crisis, but also to tackle the grave crisis in our government, the fear of threats of terrorism, bird blue and other calamities".
A circular issued by the CBCP, signed also by the former archbishop Fernando Capalla, said: "Hopefully, these days of prayer, penance and fasting will help in renewing the heart of every one of us and will help strengthen the hearts of the faithful amid all uncertainties."
The three days will coincide with the end of national celebration of both the Marian year and the Year of the Eucharist on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The initiative to dedicate the year to Mary, the main patron of the Philippines, was announced by the diocese of Tarloc in a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio of the Philippines, Bishop Antanio Franco, and it marked the 150th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Other national Marian years have been observed between December 2004 and December 2005, to mark 2000 years since the birth of Mary, and from 1987 to 1988 as desired by John Paul II. It was during these two Marian years that the Filipinos witnessed two miraculous events in their history: the popular revolution which led to the downfall of the regime of Fernando Marcos in 1986 and the fall of communism in 1988. A CBCP statement said: "In both cases, the Filipinos saw the power of God at work through constant prayers and work through constant prayers and though intercession of the Blessed Mother."
