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Manila Bulletin

'Don't be scary, be holy' – Balanga bishop

'Don't be scary, be holy' – Balanga bishop

By Leslie Ann Aquino Instead of focusing on being scary, a Catholic prelate has asked the faithful to focus on being holy during the observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on November 1 and 2.

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga. (CBCP / NICO BALBEDINA / MANILA BULLETIN)

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga
(CBCP / NICO BALBEDINA / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) "Don't be preoccupied to look scary. Let us not present ourselves to be horrible," Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said in an interview. He added: We are made to be holy, and have all potentials to be saints. "We are created good, to be good and to do good," said Santos. "And so as we remember our faithful departed let us then live a good life so that we can return to God. We can report or present to Him our goodness," he added. For his part, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said as we pray for our departed loved ones we are also reminded of our final destination. "The main focus of our celebration is prayer in celebrating All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day remembering our departed ones," he said. "The feasts remind us about our final destination and so we ask ourselves where is our life heading to?" added Ongtioco. All Saints’ Day is a solemn holiday commemorated annually on November 1, in honor of all the known and unknown saints of the Catholic Church. All Souls’ Day commemorated every second of November is the Catholic day of remembrance for the friends and loved ones who passed away. In the Philippines, this holiday is called “Undas”. During this time, Filipino families traditionally visit cemeteries and hold gatherings around the graves of their departed loved ones and lay out flowers and candles.

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