World Apostolic Congress on Mercy opens at the Manila Cathedral

The five-day World Apostolic Congress on Mercy 4 (WACOM 4) officially opened on Monday with a well-attended concelebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral presided by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as homilist. (Pictured) (Photo: Jess M. Escaros Jr. / PNA)

MANILA –The five-day World Apostolic Congress on Mercy 4 (WACOM 4) officially opened on Monday with a well-attended concelebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral presided by Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as homilist.

The Archbishop of Manila urged the faithful to show mercy to parents who have lost their children to violence and vices.

In his homily, Tagle said the faithful should follow Jesus who when He was nailed to the cross told his Mother Mary and his disciple John, “Woman behold your son, son behold your mother.”

“The mercy of Jesus… to mothers and parents losing their children to violence, to vices, to human trafficking, to new forms of slavery. Children were being kidnapped, sold to prostitution, their body parts harvested in international syndicated business of body parts,” he said.

The Cardinal added, “When a mother cries, it is the hour of Jesus, it is the hour of mercy. We are the disciples that Jesus wants to be with his mother. We are the disciples of mercy, Jesus’ mercy.”

The WACOM4 will be held from January 16 to 20 with the theme “Communion in Mercy, Mission for Mercy”.

The Manila Cathedral (January 16, 2016), University of Santo Tomas (January 17), National Shrine of Padre Pio in Santo Tomas, Batangas (January 18), National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in the Diocese of Malolos (January 19) and Diocese of Balanga (January 20) will serve as venues for the events.

Some 6,000 local and international delegates are expected to attend the event, which is being held every three years.