Pasig bishop closes Jubilee Year, urges faithful to stand for truth, justice

December 30, 2025 – 7:00 AM

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Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara officially closed the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Diocese of Pasig on Sunday, urging the faithful ‘to rise up for truth and justice’ amid social and political challenges.

In his homily at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig City, he said the close of the jubilee should not signal a pause in the Church’s mission but a renewed commitment to evangelization and service.

“We are called to stand up and proclaim the values of the Gospel: truth, justice, unity, and love,” Vergara said.

The call, according to him, has become more urgent as Filipinos demand integrity in public life.

“Our country finds itself in disarray and our people cry out for transparency and accountability amid scandals and anomalies, including the so-called ghost flood control projects and many others,” he said.

He stressed that Christians are not sent on missions alone. “If we attempt to go on mission alone, we will surely fail,” Vergara said, adding that Christians carry Jesus most tangibly through the Eucharist and through lives rooted in faith.

The bishop also urged Catholics to embrace a spirituality of synodality. “Move forward, persevere in the mission,” he said, calling the faithful to reach “the margins of the Church and of society.”

He specifically pointed to the youth, the elderly, the sick, prisoners and people with disabilities, and “especially the many poor who need our attention, care and love.”

Quoting Pope Leo XIV, Vergara said the close of the jubilee does not end the journey. “We will remain pilgrims of hope,” he said, urging the faithful to continue witnessing hope in daily life.