11/10/2025
𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑
[CBCP Circular No. 25-14]
For the past few days now we have been experiencing terrible calamities: typhoons, volcanic eruptions, fires, and earthquakes—one after another! Let us beg the Lord's mercy on our people.
Let us reiterate our invitation for our people to turn again to God with humble and contrite hearts. Let us reiterate our recently released National Call to Prayer and Public Repentance, asking our people to observe it every Sunday-and, where possible, every day-until the Solemnity of Christ the King, with the tolling of bells.
Let it be our collective Miserere, our plea for mercy and renewal as a nation.
"𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘱, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯; 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘖 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦." (𝘗𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘮 51:9, 12)
Following the beautiful suggestion of Bishop Jimmy Afable, we encourage our faithful:
✔️ to wear white clothes every Sunday of October and November,
✔️ and to display white ribbons in homes, churches, and public places - as a sign of our desire for transparency, accountability, and good governance, and as a humble prayer that our nation may be washed clean and renewed in God's mercy, and spared of further calamities.
Let our white garments be a symbol of the purity we seek for our land and our hearts. May this season of prayer and repentance lead us to hope, healing, and the restoration of our common life in truth and justice.
Let us beg the Lord to renew our nation, and make us instruments of justice and peace.
(Sgd.) +𝐏𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐎 𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐎 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐃
Bishop of Kalookan
President, CBCP