Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra challenged the youth who participated in the Jubilee Pilgrimage Walk yesterday to avoid the attraction of an easy life that offers all comforts and instead, be motivated by higher and nobler ideals that call for discipline and control.

Addressing the 20,000 people at the Paglaum Stadium in Bacolod City who joined the activity, among them students from different schools and parishes, Navarra said the youth should not allow themselves to give in to laziness, greed, envy, selfishness, and destructive competitions.

He also told the crowd that the activity was not meant to show force or to make people see how numerous the faithful in the diocese are but instead, everyone should reflect on the reason and meaning behind the celebration of the Jubilee year.

The activity is more of an awareness of the Jubilee celebration among those who participated and the bystanders who watched the pilgrimage passing by the streets towards the stadium, Navarra said.

The bishop also reminded the participants of the start of the Season of Lent which calls for penance, sobriety and temperance, charity and generosity.

The sacrifices made during the pilgrimage walk should be offered in honor of the sacred passion and death of Christ, the bishop said.

Also launched during the program at the Paglaum was Caritas-Bacolod, the diocesan relief center for victims of disaster and an agency that will facilitate housing for the homeless, welfare services for the sick, feeding center for the hungry, and intervention center for drugs and alcohol dependents, and mentally deranged, and services for prisoners, disabled and aged.

Participants in the pilgrimage walk contributed P10 for donation to the Caritas.

Among those who joined the activity was Mayor Evelio Leonardia who congratulated the bishop and the priests for organizing an event that drew participation from a large crowd.

Leonardia said the event heightened the level of awareness among the youth and gave the older generation a better glimpse of the history of the church in Negros .

During the program at the Paglaum Stadium, Navarra explained that the Diocese of Bacolod is composed of 67 parishes and chaplaincies from Victorias in the north and Hinigaran in the south.

The program at the Paglaum Stadium was hosted by celebrities Joel Torre and Jaime Fabregas with former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz also present.*NAB

back to top