Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila urged Catholics to donate to the church’s fundraising efforts for the hungry and typhoon victims this Lent, starting Ash Wednesday, February 17.

Pabillo, temporary head of the Archdiocese of Manila, said Catholics can share with the poor the money they will save while fasting or abstaining from meat and other luxuries.

Ash Wednesday is the start of the 40-day penitential season of Lent, when the Catholic Church encourages prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as it prepares to celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ during Holy Week and Easter.

“The pandemic has brought too much misery among us. But God in His abounding kindness and mercy, is asking us to lend a hand, give help to the poor, and feed the hungry,” Pabillo said in a pastoral letter.

All parishes in the archdiocese will hold a second collection for all Sundays of Lent, from February 21 to March 28. Proceeds will be remitted to Caritas Manila, the archdiocese’s social arm, for their relief and emergency response and humanitarian aid.

Those who cannot attend Masses physically can also join Caritas Manila’s “Alay Kapwa 40 for 40 challenge.” People can set aside P40 ($0.82) for each of Lent’s 40 days.

According to their year-end report, Caritas Manila received P1.7 billion ($35.14 million) total worth of donations for its Damayan COVID-19 relief aid, serving 9.8 million individuals. 

Meanwhile, Pondo ng Pinoy Community Foundation, founded by former Manila archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, is also relaunching its Fast2Feed program.

Fast2Feed will help fund the Hapag-Asa Integrated Nutrition Program, which seeks to reduce malnutrition prevalence among Filipino children and lactating mothers through supplemental feeding. 

“Whatever we can save on Ash Wednesday because of our fasting, abstinences and other acts of penance, let us share with those in need of food,” Pabillo said.

Donations may be coursed through Caritas Manila, indicating that the amount is for Fast2Feed, or through Pondo ng Pinoy’s official accounts. – Rappler.com

*$1 = P48.38