“BY YOUR PATIENT ENDURANCE YOU WILL SAVE YOUR LIVES” (Lk 21:19)
Pastoral Letter to Super Typhoon Yolanda Victims: Observations and Appeals
November 27, 2013
Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Beloved People of God:
In my continuing visits to areas hardest hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda in this our Diocese of Borongan, as your Bishop, I would like to share the following:
1. We really need to persevere in patience, endurance and sacrifice. Rising back to normalcy will not be achieved in an instant. Let us recognize the importance of continuing our efforts to help one another and to share with one another our time, abilities, including our treasures, food and drinking water etc., not only for the good of our individual families but also of our whole community. One community’s rise is the rise of all of us.
2. I am deeply concerned and saddened by the ongoing out-migration of many of our people to Cebu, Manila and other cities or places far from their origin. This is because you and I know only too well that they are not necessarily secure in their places of destination. In fact, many of our people end up in urban centers where work is also scarce and the only certainty is being lured into a life of crime or being further victimized by as yet rising urban criminality.
3. On the other hand, from where we are we see plenty of help coming and will continue to come not only from sources within the Church and government, local and national, but also from many NGOs and other foreign organizations, such as the U.N.O. and other aid agencies from many foreign governments or organizations. Needless to say, they could be more helpful to victims who are here with us rather than elsewhere. I am aware, of course, that some of the victims need to temporarily leave the place where they suffered ‘trauma’ before they eventually return to continue the process of normalization. There are also those who no longer want to go back to the place of ‘trauma’. I respect their decision, but I still appeal to all to keep loving our homeland and to work together so that it may rise again. Who we are we owe a lot to where we are from.
4. Let us take all necessary precautions so that diseases of any kind may not spread in our land. Let us continue to clean our homes, yards, in fact our whole environment. Let us also refrain from eating contaminated food or unsafe drinking water. Cleanliness is not only next to Godliness; it is also a way to saving lives.
5. During this time of crisis and tragedy, let us not cease giving support to one another. Let us seek to be more understanding of one another, especially of those who are suffering and in need of help more than we do. Let us not hesitate to sacrifice for one another for the good of our neighbor and for the common good. In this way we show ourselves to be true reflections of our loving God and followers of Jesus Christ his Son. Let us always heed his new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12).
May our loving and merciful God continue to bless you all. And may we be assisted by the prayers and intercessions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and by those of all the Saints of God in our sufferings and losses.
Please remember that your Bishop is one with you in prayer and in the struggle to our common revitalization.
Your Bishop and Brother,
Most Rev. Crispin B. Varquez, DD
Bishop of Borongan