A Catholic bishop on Saturday appealed for continued support for the Church’s prison ministry during a Mass celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, stressed the importance of sustaining efforts to assist persons deprived of liberty.
“Fifty years is 50 years. We continually ask for blessings from the Lord so that ECPPC would address the needs of our PDLs,” Florencio said in his homily during Mass to mark the occasion at Arzobispado de Manila in Intramuros.
The bishop encouraged the faithful to remain committed to prison pastoral care, emphasizing that their presence and service have a profound impact on those behind bars.
“I hope and pray that we can reach them through our services,” he said. “I’d like to encourage everyone to continue helping us because one of the things the Holy Father encourages us to do is works of mercy.”
Florencio, who is also the bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, underscored the significance of personal interaction with PDLs, saying that even small gestures of compassion can bring comfort and hope.
“When we give our time and our services to PDLs, this means so much to them,” he said. “Even just our presence lets them know that people care for them. This is more than enough.”
The prelate also reflected on the broader meaning of prison pastoral care for the Church, explaining that while some individuals may be imprisoned due to personal choices, others find themselves incarcerated due to unfortunate circumstances.
“It is our great hope that one day, with God’s grace, they may find freedom and renewal,” he added.
On March 25, 1975, the CBCP responded to the petition from death row inmates of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and formed the Episcopal Commission on Prisoners Welfare to promote the total development of the prison society.
In 1998, the agency was renamed the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.
For the past five decades, the ECPPC has been dedicated to ministering to PDLs and advocating for the restorative ideals in the criminal justice system.
On Tuesday, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP president, also presided over a Mass at the NBP maximum security compound to mark the occasion. The liturgy was concelebrated by Bishop Florencio and several prison chaplains.
