KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 8 February) – With Ramadan and the Lenten Season expected to begin on the same day, February 18, Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, a senior member of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), urged the faithful “not only to pray for peace, but to live it and work for it.” In his message for the Shared Observance of Ramadan and Lenten Season 2026, Bagaforo, chair of CBCP’s Commission on Inter-Religious Dialogue, described the shared beginning of the two holy observances by Muslims and Christians as “a grace,” inviting believers to slow down, return to God, and walk together in faith. Both seasons emphasize prayer, fasting, repentance, and generosity. Bagaforo stressed that peace goes beyond the absence of war, highlighting that it entails right relationships with God, one another, and creation. He emphasized that both faith traditions view the earth as a sacred trust, citing Pope Francis’ Laudato Si and the Qu’ran’s teaching on humanity’s role as stewards (khalifa) of creation. He called for caring for the poor, protecting creation, educating for peace, and addressing global wounds as essential works of peace. Mufti Abdullah Cantong, head of the Darul Ifta Region 12, noted that the moonsighting to determine the start of Ramadan is scheduled for February 17. Ramadan involves 30 days of fasting, communal prayer, and abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk, while Lent, a 40-day period beginning on Ash Wednesday, focuses on spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal in preparation for Easter. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
