MANILA — “The Lord Himself taught us that there is no other way to combat the enticements of the devil especially among those who are obsessed with power, wealth and fame, other than prayer, fasting and acts of charity.”
Thus, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said in a statement as he invited the faithful to dedicate their Ash Wednesday fast in prayer for peace.
The Filipino Catholic bishops have joined Pope Francis’ call for fasting and prayer for an end to war in Ukraine.
“We also invoke the intercession of the Blessed Mother as we pray that the Lord move the consciences of the Russian people so that they themselves will be able to do the necessary steps in order to pressure their government to stop the war it has started,” he said.
Expressing “great pain” at the worsening situation in Ukraine, Pope Francis has earlier called for people to mark the beginning of Lent with fasting and prayer for peace.
The CBCP also deplored the war and voiced solidarity with the people of Ukraine who “are now asking for prayers”.
“Nobody is happy about war except those in the arms industries who make huge profits and stand to benefit from the disputes among nations,” David said.
