Ermita Church marks 'Day of Penance'

MANILA, Philippines - Priests and lay leaders of the Ermita Church in Manila held 14 Stations of the Cross to mark yesterday’s “Day of Penance,” which was ordered by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales to be observed in connection with the reported blasphemous exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) recently.

Ermita parish priest Sanny de Claro said carrying the cross around the jurisdiction of the parish, which covers sections of United Nations Avenue and Taft Avenue and institutions such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), was their way to express penance.

“Conducting 14 Stations of the Cross was our initiative. This was in response to the Cardinal’s call for a day of penance and fasting,” said De Claro.

They went around the 14 Stations after the 6 p.m. Mass yesterday at Ermita Church, otherwise known as the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia.

Volunteers joined the priests and lay leaders in carrying the cross.

In a circular titled “Prayer of Reparation for the Sin of Sacrilege and Blasphemy,” Rosales declared Aug. 26 a Day of Penance at the Archdiocese of Manila where Masses are to be offered for the forgiveness of sins.

Aside from requiring the members of the clergy, who would celebrate Mass, to wear purple vestments, everyone was also encouraged to perform an act of penance or sacrifice on this day, such as fasting or other forms of mortification, “as an expression of remorse for the sins committed against God’s majesty.”

The Day of Penance is one of the highlights of the week-long “Prayer of Reparation” that started last Aug. 21 and will end tomorrow.

The faithful are asked to kneel down after communion and recite the special prayer.

The cardinal recently issued the circular in response to the controversial art work “Poleteismo” of artist Mideo Cruz, who was one of 32 artists that took part in the art exhibit titled “Kulo” that was shown at the CCP.

“In the past weeks we have witnessed the uproar created by the exhibit of art works by the Cultural Center of the Philippines purportedly on modern art mixed media installations on contemporary themes. Many agree that the work over-reached the boundaries of freedom of expression,” Rosales said.

“Most say it is offensive and a great affront to Catholics and Christians, and to all people who value decency. To them the work is ‘trash.’ And we agree,” he added.

The Manila prelate said, “For us Catholics and Christians, the offense goes beyond visual senses; it strikes into our souls. The public exhibition of the repulsive work is sacrilege and blasphemy. It is a sin. It has deeply offended the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Mother, and our Church.”

Several Catholic and Christian-based organizations and individuals have expressed their strong objection to the offending artwork through demonstrations and even filed a criminal case before the Office of the Ombudsman.