Devotion, the Church, and Basura
Once again, expect thousands of devotees and guests for this year’s Feast of the Sto. Niño and Sinulog. Processions, masses, and visits to the Basilica will be the spiritual counterpart of this feast. The secular component of Sinulog will be highlighted by parade and performance of contingents and possibly the presence of celebrities and stars.
Where people are, sadly, expect basura as well.
This was demonstrated in the recent celebration of the Black Nazarene. Traslacion in Quiapo turned into TRASH-lacion with 68 truckloads or 330 tons of garbage collected and recorded by the Manila Department of Public Services.
Regrettably, there is no clear data about total collected trash for Cebu Sinulog 2019, except for the 11 tons of collected garbage from the 50 eco-stations deployed by the Cebu City government.
What about the trash collected elsewhere in the city? Was it more or less than the 319 tons of trash collected by the Department of Public Services for 2018 or the trash collected for 2017 Sinulog which was 50 tons more than the 2018 collection?
How much basura will be left behind this 2020 Sinulog? Basura remains a real concern daily and, especially during major celebrations and fiestas. As basura destroys our common home, God’s creation, should not the Church remind devotees about the strong message of Pope Francis II in his encyclical Laudato Si to take swift and unified local and global action to protect God’s world?
Devotees run to thousands during special events like the Sinulog. Can the Church not encourage or remind all to be more protective of God’s earth starting with basura? Cannot the officiating priests for masses and processions make a strong statement for God’s environment by asking the devotees to be mindful of and responsible for their own basura?
Can they not, during the masses and processions, make short announcements or reminders for the devotees to pick up any trash they see around them and request the devotees to bring the trash home as their precious gift offering to God and His world?
For this year’s Feast of the Sto. Niño, can the Church be encouraged or reminded to be more active in leading the devotees to be more responsible for their basura and their environment?
Not only for this Sinulog but throughout the year, should not the Church take a more active stance in the campaign to save our people by saving our planet? Cannot the Church start with the simple task of asking devotees to responsibly take their trash home and properly segregate?
Oh, if only the Church leaders and priests can take up this holy task of linking one’s responsible management of basura to their devotion to Baby Jesus, to God and care for God’s home.
How can one be clean of heart when their hands throw waste and dirty God’s home? How can the Church not be involved in the waste segregation campaign to keep God’s earth clean and protected?
Can you imagine the power of a simple statement and instruction from Archbishop Jose Palma to all priests and parishes, to ask everyone during masses, processions and other spiritual celebrations during this Sinulog for a 1-miute pause, to look, pick up the trash around them, and to segregate and properly dispose of these at home or designated areas within the Church premises?
Can you imagine how clean all churches and streets for the Sinulog will be with this simple reminder from Archbishop Palma for all priests and devotees to offer their responsibly collected and disposed of trash as their precious, unique offering back to the Lord for His blessings during and after the Sinulog?
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