Green Faith Travels will bring Catholic pilgrims to Bicol and Batanes.

 

Pilgrimage on March 22-24 will include 15 heritage churches in Albay and Camarines Sur in Bicol.

 

Albay churches include the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City. Saint Gregory Cathedral in Legazpi City, Saint Lawrence in Tiwi, Saints Joachim and Anne in Malinao, Saint Joseph the Baptist in Tabaco City, Saint Dominic in Santo Domingo, Saint Padre Pio Shrine, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Nuestra Señora De La Porteria (after a visit to the Cagsawa Ruins).

 

In Camarines Sur: Saint Anthony de Padua, Holy Cross, Saint Raphael, San Francisco, Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral in Naga and Peñafrancia Parish.

 

Batanes pilgrimage will be on May 24-28: Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Basco Cathedral), Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Tukon chapel, San Vicente Ferrer church (Sabtang church), Santa Rosa de Lima chapel, San Jose de Ivana (San Jose Obrero) church, Our Lady of Lourdes chapel, San Carlos Borromeo church, San Antonino de Florencia church, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal church, and San Lorenzo Ruiz chapel.

 

Pilgrimage fees include round-trip land and airfare, meals and snacks, tours and entrance fees, pilgrim’s kit and tokens, and donations to churches.

 

Tel. 0926-6152596, [email protected] and [email protected], Facebook: Green Faith Travels.

 

No to lowered criminal age

 

Catholic Church leaders have opposed lowering the criminal liability age of children from 15 years old to 12.

 

The House of Representatives has passed a bill allowing criminal prosecution of 12-year-old children.

 

The Senate is expected to follow.

 

Church leaders said studies show that children lack “discernment” and start to develop it only when they’re 15 years old.

 

“Children ought to be educated, not imprisoned,” said University of Santo Tomas Rector Rev. Herminio Dagohoy, OP.

 

Church leaders said the bills run counter to international obligations and standards that the Philippines is a signatory to.

 

Church leaders added lowered age for youth criminals could “also be detrimental to a child’s development.”

 

Bill’s recall welcomed

 

Bishops have welcomed the decision of the House of Representatives to recall approval of a bill that made drug possession punishable by capital punishment.

 

Rep. Fredenil Castro, House majority leader, said legislators wanted to prevent “multiple interpretations” of the death penalty provisions in the proposal “that might mislead Filipinos into believing that the death sentence has been restored.”

 

In 2006, former president Gloria Arroyo, now Speaker of the House of Representatives, abolished the death penalty.

 

Church leaders maintained their stand against capital punishment.

 

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said legislators seeking to reimpose the death penalty are “people who promote killings.”

 

 

For announcements, e-mail [email protected].