PRAYER FOR PEACE. Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese in this file photo on Friday (July 12, 2024) announced the holding of a rosary fluvial procession and prayer gathering in Infanta town, Pangasinan on July 16 amid the ongoing conflict in the West Philippine Sea. He said that despite the maritime dispute the Filipinos and Chinese “belong to the same human family.” (Photo courtesy of Father Soc Facebook page)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese will be holding a rosary fluvial procession and prayer gathering at Barangay Cato Infanta town, Pangasinan on July 16 for peace amid the conflict at the West Philippine Sea.
“We will pray for both China and the Philippines. We will pray not just for protection from conflict but to make all of us, Chinese and Filipinos together, as peacemakers. Beyond human ideologies and political parties, the peoples of China and the Philippines belong to the same human family,” Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese said in a circular posted on his Facebook page, Father Soc, on Friday.
He said the event, to begin with a Holy Mass at 6 a.m. by the sea coast of Barangay Cato, is in line with the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
“After the Mass, we will pray the rosary on the shore while a few of our boat-riding brothers and sisters will sail offshore praying the rosary too, each boat carrying a venerated image of Our Lady,” he said.
Prayer banners with the printed image of Our Lady will also be installed to float over the sea as an act of instrument and gesture of trust, Villegas said.
“I am inviting the Catholic faithful and priests of our archdiocese to join the fluvial rosary procession. You can also show your spiritual unity with those in Infanta by praying the rosary wherever you may be at around 7:30 a.m. on July 16, if you are unable to join personally,” he said.
He also encouraged renewed faith in the power of the rosary.
Villages earlier appealed for praying the rosary from June 27 to August 15 for peace in the country, especially on the West Philippine Sea. (PNA)
