‘They are killing our flock’ – Archbishop Villegas

“We are not afraid,” declared the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan led by Archbishop Socrates Villegas and his clergy in a pastoral message released following the killing of another priest in Nueva Ecija.

Father Richmond Nilo of the Diocese of Cabanatuan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Sunday. He is the third priest killed in the country in a span of six months.

“They are killing our flock. They are killing us the shepherds. They are killing our faith. They are cursing our Church. They are killing God again as they did in Calvary,” read the message dated June 12.

The pastoral letter said the archdiocese will observe a Day of Reparation on June 18, the ninth day of the death of Father Nilo. Other activities have also been planned to mark the day.

In the letter, Archbishop Villegas and his clergy said they are not afraid because they trust in the Lord.

“We are ready to battle for God’s honor. They want to bury us priests. But they forget that we priests are seeds. When you bury us, we will grow more and flourish. You cannot stop the Gospel from growing. You cannot stop God from being God. You cannot muzzle the voice of Truth,” the message read.

The prelate and his clergy lamented how the nation has turned into a “killing field” with killings happening in the streets, homes and even chapels.

In the pastoral letter, the church leaders asked the faithful: “Are you afraid to talk?”

On June 18, Masses in the archdiocese will be offered as reparation for the sins of blasphemy against God, the sins of sacrilege; the murders that continue.

Parish priests were asked to expose the Blessed Sacrament for one hour for the parishioners to adore and make reparation and also hear confessions.

All parish church bells will toll for 15 minutes at six o’ clock in the evening on June 18th to commemorate the time when Father Richmond Nilo was killed.

The image of the Santo Entierro or the Black Nazarene will be brought out in procession in the evening of June 18th to close the Day of Reparation.

In their message which will be read in the pulpit in Masses on June 17, Archbishop Villegas and his priests also called on their fellow priests from other dioceses and religious congregations to join them in the observance if their bishops and religious superiors agree.

“Let us implore the grace of God to touch the heart of the President of the Philippines to stop the verbal persecution of the Catholic Church because such attacks can unwittingly embolden more crimes against priests,” they said.

The pastoral message to the people of God by the clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan was also signed by Bishop Elect of Bayombong Elmer Mangalinao.