Mass for calamity-stricken Burma, China held

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales has led a “solidarity mass” for the people of Burma and China to mark Corpus Christi solemnity on May 25.

Rosales also offered the Mass as a special intention for the people of the two countries, which now face separate trials. The Eucharistic celebration was held in the afternoon at the Sta. Cruz Church in Manila. In his homily, Cardinal Rosales said that people needed “reminders” to fully give one’s self even in the face of disastrous events.

“How do you understand a calamity? Just a suffering? How do you understand a natural tragedy? Just bad luck where hundreds of thousands die? Is this the way we understand natural calamities? No. “Like in every event and episode in human life that draws our attention, God wants us to see a call to love. An awakening to compassion. And this is the reason we are here to pray for our brothers and sisters,” he said.
After the Mass the Cardinal led the Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) procession of the exposed Blessed Sacrament towards the Manila Cathedral.

He said the Solidarity Mass was celebrated to coincide with the Corpus Christi feast to stress God’s true and selfless giving of love through His only son, Jesus Christ.
Pope Benedict XVI designated May 24 as the Day of Prayer for the Catholic Church in China and composed a prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians who is venerated at the Marian Shrine at Seshan, about 40 km from Shanghai. The prayer was recited during the Mass.

Rosales also issued a circular asking all parishes in the archdiocese to undertake a second collection in all Masses on June 1 for the victims of the earthquake in China.
The donation will be given to the poorest province hit by the earthquake.
A second collection for the victim of Cyclone Nargis in Burma was also held in Manila parishes on May 25.

Caritas Manila, for its part, has been directed to give relief assistance to those severely affected by typhoon Cosme in Zambales, Pangasinan and La Union.