UST Senior High School Regent Fr. Ermito de Sagon, O.P. called for an end to the persecution of Christians by fellow Christians, during the University’s commemoration of “Red Wednesday” on Nov. 24.
“We should not let other people suffer because of our faith. Nakalampas na tayo sa age na the Church was also persecuting its own members,” de Sagon said in his homily.
“We have to be careful because sometimes, we can be the source of the persecution. We should not be persecuting one another. We should be helping one another and growing in faith,” he added.
De Sagon said that while Red Wednesday is about raising awareness on Christian persecution, Christians should also be mindful not to persecute those from other faiths.
“The majority of the Philippines is Catholic, and in such situations usually kung ano ‘yong majority, you persecute the others without us knowing [t]hat we are also hurting other people. Hindi na puwedeng gano’n,” he said.
The regent also decried those who “show off” their faith.
“We have to show [and] stand up for our faith, but we should not show off. To show your faith is one thing, to show off is another,” he said.
Several buildings in the University, including the Main Building, Santisimo Rosario Parish Church’s Martyrs Monument, UST Hospital, Arch of the Centuries and the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building were lit in red after the Mass.
This year’s Red Wednesday had the theme, “Red without fear: A Church journeying as one.”
Red Wednesday is a prayer campaign of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a pontifical foundation and international Catholic charity that supports and raises awareness on Christian persecution.
In Christianity, the color red symbolizes martyrdom.
In a statement, ACN Philippines said that Red Wednesday is an “inter-religious cause dedicated to the stand for religious freedom against our persecuted brothers and sisters.”
“We hope and pray that this day of dedication will not be misrepresented and used for any other cause or motive because above all, the color red is the color of blood,” the organization said in a statement.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines officially institutionalized “Red Wednesday” in January 2020 as an annual celebration.
Data from the 2021 World Watch List by Open Door USA showed that more than 340 million Christians experienced religious persecution worldwide.
