The Catholic Church in Lingayen-Dagupan has launched a two-year spiritual renewal as it begins preparations for the centenary of the local Church in 2028.
In a New Year pastoral message, Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas said the archdiocese is now “exactly two years away from the great centenary,” describing the moment as a call to renewal rather than mere commemoration.
“This milestone is not merely a look backward at our history, but a clarion call to look forward,” he said, as he introduced the theme for 2026, Pasimbalo, a Pangasinan word for renewal that “literally means making things new again in Christ.”
The prelate said the centenary journey requires concrete and sustained conversion, anchored in spiritual discipline.
He identified prayer as the foundation of renewal, saying, “Our primary tool is prayer. Real change starts on our knees.” Prayer, he added, moves believers “from talking about God to talking with God.”
He said the feast offers “the perfect lens through which to view this renewal,” noting that Mary “does not simply let life happen to her; she allows the grace of God to renew her understanding and her purpose.”
The pastoral letter also situates centenary preparation within the Church’s moral and social responsibilities.
The archbishop called for resistance to corruption, which he said “is not just a political issue; it is a ‘sin against God and the poor.’”
He urged Catholics to resolve “to make corruption shameful again” by refusing bribery or vote-selling.
Addressing issues of life and human dignity, he said the Church cannot honor the “Mother of Life” while remaining silent about summary executions or disregard for human dignity.
“Sustained conversion means choosing to protect life from conception to natural death, every single day of 2026,” he said.
As part of Pasimbalo, Villegas called on the faithful to “prune all that is inconsistent with the Gospel,” including vulgarity, online abuse, and degrading speech.
Vulgarity, he said, “is not a sign of ‘authenticity’; it is an offense against the dignity of the person.”
He also urged vigilance for the poor and accountability from those in power, warning against “false prophets” who exploit public anger for political gain.
Mary, he said, remains the model for the renewal journey, having been “the first to experience the ‘renewal’ of humanity through the Incarnation” and remaining faithful and vigilant “at the foot of the Cross.”
