priest

  Sambuhay, Sto. Nino

  Sambuhay, Holy Child

MANILA, Jan. 15, 2012—The Church urges the lay faithful to remember and pray for the victims of child labor, pornography, pedophile and out of school youth in today’s feast of the Sto. Niño. More than just bringing images of Sto. Nino in procession, offering to it flowers and clothing it arbitrarily, people should also try to manifest their devotion to the Holy Child Jesus by giving attention to the children who are suffering from different realities of abuse, injustice and oppression. Fr. Conegundo Garganta of the Episcopal Commission on Youth said Jesus’ life as a child reminds the faithful “of the powerlessness of a child and brings to mind the humility of God when he allowed himself to be at the care of man.” Garganta said children who are physically challenged, working at an early age, being abused by adults and were deprived of their right to a decent life should be remembered by those who are fortunate not to have experienced what they did. “We should not only rememb...

MANILA, Jan. 15, 2012—The Feast of the Señor Sto. Niño usually brings to fore the role of children in the life of the Church. But according to a Church official, the feast of the Holy Child Jesus also highlights the responsibility of parents to seriously shape their children’s spirituality. Citing the story of Jesus when he was lost in the temple, Fr. Conegundo Garganta said the Holy Child’s ability to speak and converse with the elders at the age of 12 signifies the successful rearing of Mary and Joseph of the Son of God. “At an early age, Jesus made himself fully aware of the true plan of God for him. He was sitting with the elders doing his ministry very early,” he said. “He wouldn’t be filled with that much wisdom if not for the rearing of his parents, Mary and Joseph. This is why the feast of Sto. Niño also highlights parents’ role in shaping their children’s spirituality,” he added. Garganta, the executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth, nevertheless ur...