ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Forty years after the “Rosary revolution”, a “revolution of the heart” is urgently needed today

Manila – “Filipinos today face a new ‘moral fatigue’ and, forty years after the historic People Power Revolution of 1986, they are called to actively safeguard freedom and truth.” This was the statement made by Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines , during Mass celebrated on the 40th anniversary of the so-called “Rosary Revolution,” an event that marked national history. In February 1986, nearly two million people gathered on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to peacefully and nonviolently protest the oppression and corruption of the Ferdinand Marcos Sr. regime and to demand the restoration of democracy.
“Moral fatigue,” Bishop Garcera emphasized during the Eucharist celebrated at the National Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace in Quezon City, arises when freedom “is reduced to a memory,” faith “becomes devotion without courage,” and peace “is sought without justice.” In this way, “the spirit of EDSA slowly dies,” he warned. Therefore, he exhorted Filipinos to face current challenges with the same courage, sense of responsibility, and moral conviction that marked the People Power Revolution: “Freedom has a price. Peace has a price. Faith demands responsibility.” In this context, the Church, he added, must continue to be “a prophetic voice: not complacent, not silent, but faithful,” because “remaining silent in the face of injustice is complicity, not holiness.”
The Archbishop’s words echo the message disseminated by the entire Episcopal Conference on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of EDSA, entitled “Remember the wonders the Lord has done.”
“From February 22 to 25, 1986,” reads the text sent to Fides, “we saw how Filipinos, courageously and peacefully, expressed their indignation and frustration in the streets. The long stretch of EDSA became an immense open-air cathedral of faith and peaceful defiance. Millions of Filipinos, from all over the country, gathered under the protective mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son, Jesus. Praying the rosary, celebrating Masses, and singing hymns, we stood shoulder to shoulder, facing tanks and soldiers, with nothing but unwavering faith in our hearts.”
“The dictatorship,” the statement recalls, “fell not through violence, but thanks to silent perseverance and the strength of piety and a collective faith that cried out for justice and true change.”
“This extraordinary event was not merely a human feat; rather, it was a testament to God’s favor toward his people, who sought him in their darkest hour. Faith and love for our country united us. Our prayers were heard. The ‘miracle of EDSA: People’s Power’ became a reality.” In commemorating the anniversary, the bishops express gratitude “for the grace that made it possible” and call upon everyone to embrace three sacred duties: to remember, to repent, and to react, “to embrace once again the spirit of that miracle and walk toward a better future.” The first is to remember the anonymous heroes, who “demonstrated the true power of faith, capable of transforming society without bloodshed. Prayers proved stronger than tanks; faith triumphed over fear.” Regarding repentance, the bishops urge us to recognize that “we have squandered the gift of EDSA” by becoming complacent: “We have reverted to old habits and forgotten our brothers and sisters in need. We have not fully embraced the responsibility of building the nation,” which has resulted in “persistent poverty, entrenched corruption, eroded trust, and underdevelopment.” The third point, the response, must be characterized “by courage and love, through a change that demands honesty.” “Let us not tire of seeking and upholding the truth, nor of rejecting falsehood. Dishonesty masks our wounds and our poverty.” Change, they emphasize, “is born of love. Love is action. Without love, we continue to suffer.” It requires personal conversion, understood as “the daily integrity of doing good even when no one is watching,” and also collective conversion, because “institutions and communities must abandon the practices that perpetuate corruption.” From this perspective, the bishops call for a united fight against impunity, for vigilance, and for a commitment to supporting “honest and competent leaders, attentive to the common good,” as well as for continued promotion of education for good citizenship and governance in the lead-up to the 2028 elections. “All of this,” the message concludes, “requires a revolution: a revolution of the heart.”

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