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Circular 2016-14
On the Death Penalty
Brothers and sisters in Lingayen Dagupan:
The death penalty bill is being pushed for approval in Congress before Christmas. What a tragedy if this would be passed in this holy season of Christ’s birth. The death penalty is “prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1Peter 5:8)
I am calling on the God loving people of the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan to come together in prayer to resist the threat of the death penalty in our country. The death penalty is contrary to our Catholic moral life.
In all the anticipated Masses on December 10 and in all the Masses of December 11, Third Sunday of Advent, the enclosed Prayer Against the Death Penalty must be prayed INSTEAD of the Prayers of the Faithful.
All the parish church bells must ring for FIFTEEN MINUTES at SIX O’CLOCK in the EVENING for three evenings on December 10, 11 and 12. This is a CONSCIENCE call to stand up for life.
On December 12, 2016, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we shall hold a PRAYER RALLY FOR LIFE at the Parish of Saint Dominic, San Carlos City.
I am calling on all our Catholic schools, social action ministers, catechists, youth leaders, BEC leaders to encourage our Catholic faithful to attend this prayer rally and defend human life.
There will be a Mass at 3:00 pm inside the parish church. Right after Mass, we shall hold a March Against the Death Penalty around the plaza. We will converge at the city plaza and hold a candle lighting memorial prayer for all the victims of violence afterwards.
PLEASE WEAR WHITE.
We know that Pope Francis blesses us as we rally, because the Holy Father himself has called for a worldwide abolition of the death penalty declaring that the commandment “Thou shall not kill” is valid for the guilty as for the innocent.
In resisting the threat of the restoration of the death penalty, we cannot be disunited or indifferent. On this pro-life issue let us truly unite. Come out and make a stand!
Sincerely yours,
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
