MANILA Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula underscored the importance of Catholic families being prepared to discuss taboo topics and respond to difficult questions to adapt to the demands of the modern world, during the Eucharistic celebration held for the 2024 “Walk for Life” on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the UST Grandstand and Open Field.
In his homily, Advincula said such issues and questions should not be avoided in the family.
“Kailangan na rin nating harapin ang katotohanan na napakaraming isyu sa pamilya at lipunan ngayon [na] hindi na maaaring sagutin ng ‘huwag ka nang magtanong, sumunod ka na lang,”” he said. “We need to engage in more listening and dialogue. This is part of walking for life.”
Advincula said addressing these topics with love would be an act of “synodality,” the term used by the Vatican for a more welcoming and consultative Church.
“We need to rethink our approaches, methodologies,and strategies,” he said. “How do we deal with the dilemmas and complexities of modern families, the irregular situations in the home, the diversity in understanding identity and personhood, the wounds caused and inflicted because of polarization even in the home?”
“Pope Francis has pointed us to the style of synodality so we can listen and discern together. It is important that all of us here help each other to become a synodal Church in mission.”
This year’s Walk for Life bore the theme “Together, we walk for life.”
“Families today, including and especially the young people, need accompaniment in their journey. They don’t need more judgments and condemnations. To lead people to the truth, we must do so in love,” the Manila archbishop said.
Bishop Severo Caeremare, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity which organized the event, told the Varsitarian that to live up to the purpose of Walk for Life, Catholics should go back to the basics.
“I think we have to go back to the value and the appreciation of life as a gift; it comes from God. And with that also, the parishes could do that in a way how we could also, in a way, make strong our family and life ministry,” he said.
The march commenced at Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City and ended at the UST Grandstand.
Walk for Life has been held annually since 2017 to defend the “culture of life” against the “culture of death.”
