ARCHDIOCESAN Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace Rector Fr. Jerome Secillano yesterday said the Filipino faithful should look at the historic EDSA Shrine in Quezon City as being more than just a place of worship.
In a radio interview, Secillano said it is imperative for Filipinos to see EDSA Shrine as a symbol of democracy and good governance.
“EDSA is not just a place,” said Secillano, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)-Permanent Committee on Public Affairs.
“It is an advocacy for good governance, a call for justice and peace, a movement against tyranny, and an aspiration for a better country,” he added.
Secillano’s statement was backed by the co-convenor of the Movement Against Tyranny, Sister Mary John Mananzan.
In a separate interview, Mananzan said the EDSA Shrine should serve as a reminder that Filipinos can achieve great things if they are united for a single goal.
“We were able to oust a dictator during EDSA because people were there and they had one goal, which is to end Martial Law, and that is what happened,” she said.
“At this time, we must have that kind of thinking, that if we are united and have one goal, we can do something about it,” added Mananzan.
The religious leaders issued the statement ahead of the 37th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25.
The historical event was a non-violent revolution that led to the departure of President Marcos Jr.’s father, the late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., ending his 20-year dictatorship.
