A church aid group in the Philippines urged the Filipino faithful to reach out and “listen to the cry” of the poor.
“Get to know what is happening in the world, open your eyes, open your ears, listen to the cries of those who are suffering especially those who are undergoing difficulties,” said Msgr. Pedro Gerardo Santos of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) – Philippines.
The priest made the call on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the organization in the country.
ACN is an international Catholic pastoral aid organization, which yearly offers financial support to more than 5,000 projects worldwide.
“The more we know, the more we are enlightened to pray. The more we know about persecution in the different churches not only the Catholic Church, the more we commit ourselves to help and to assist,” said Msgr. Santos.
The priest said the Philippines is one of 23 countries in the world that have been tasked and hold offices of Aid to the Church in Need.
“It is a wonderful occasion for us Filipino Catholics to be truly missionaries in our times to reach out beyond the borders and boundaries of our homes, parishes and dioceses,” said Msgr. Santo.
He said ACN, a pontifical foundation dedicated to pastoral charity, has been serving in various projects to assist Christians persecuted throughout the world.
ACN was established in 1947 and was recognized as a papal foundation in 2011. In 2016, the Philippines established a branch in the country.
