Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown and former Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David lauded the Prelature of Marawi for staying on in the war-torn area despite being "homeless" in Lanao del Sur for the last nine years.
Visit to Marawi Prelature
In a report by CBCP News, Brown and David visited the Prelature of Marawi on Friday and lauded Marawi Bishop Edwin de la Peña for not abandoning the prelature despite the Marawi siege in 2017.
“The cathedral may have been destroyed, the chancery displaced, and the bishop’s residence lost, but the Church herself was not defeated,” David said. “Their steadfast presence is a quiet but eloquent witness that the Church has not abandoned the people she was sent to serve.”
Church's Role in Healing
The Cardinal said the decision of the Prelature to stay on only shows the important role played by the Church. “There are wounds that concrete cannot repair, and memories that no reconstruction project can erase. Yet the Lord tells us today that his first work is not reconstruction but healing,” said David.
Background of Marawi Siege
To recall, the Marawi Siege began in May 2017 when Islamic State-linked militants seized the city, which triggered a massive military offensive. The fighting devastated the city, and led to the death of more than 100 soldiers and police officers, over 900 militants, and scores of civilians.
Also lost during the war are the cathedral, chancery, and bishop’s residence of the Prelature of Marawi. Since then, the Prelature of Marawi has been run from its pro-cathedral in nearby Balo-i, Lanao del Norte.
