Filipino bishops call for peace as Lent and Ramadan converge

Two Filipino bishops have called for greater interfaith solidarity and peace as Catholics and Muslims in the Philippines begin their respective seasons of fasting and prayer within a day of each other.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue, and Archbishop Alberto Uy of Cebu issued separate messages ahead of Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18 and the start of Ramadan in the Philippines on Feb. 19.

“This shared beginning is a grace,” Bagaforo said in a statement released ahead of the two seasons. “It invites us to slow down, to return to God, and to walk together in faith.”

“In these sacred seasons, Muslims and Christians enter a time of prayer, fasting, repentance, and generosity,” the prelate of Kidapawan said. “We turn our hearts to the Merciful. We learn again to see one another as brothers and sisters. In a world marked by violence and division, this moment calls us not only to pray for peace but to live it and work for it.”

Uy, who was installed as archbishop of Cebu in September 2025, emphasized the common humanity shared across religious lines.

“No matter what religion we are, whether we are Christians, Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, or something else, we all share one basic truth: We are all brothers and sisters in our humanity,” Uy said.

The archbishop said that authentic faith leads believers to respect, care for, and show compassion for others rather than hatred or division. He called on the faithful to build bridges, protect human dignity, and respond to conflict with understanding.

“This is why believers have to promote peace; it’s part of our calling,” Uy added.

The prelate also said that peace grows when people choose to talk to each other instead of being suspicious, work together instead of competing, and care for the poor, sick, and weak. He said that religion does its job when it heals rather than making things worse.

Roots of conflict

The Philippines is a predominantly Christian country — about 79% Catholic and roughly 90% Christian overall, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Muslims make up an estimated 6% of the population according to the 2020 census, though the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) puts the figure at approximately 11%, or about 10 million people. Most Muslims live in Mindanao and nearby islands in the south.

Spanish and American colonization pushed Mindanao’s Muslim population to the periphery. After independence, the government encouraged Christians from Luzon and the Visayas to resettle in Mindanao, sparking land disputes.

Since the 1960s, fighting between Muslim separatist groups and the government has led to widespread displacement and loss of life. Muslims have long decried the perceived marginalization of their culture and appropriation of their ancestral lands.

In recent decades, the conflict has shifted from armed struggle to negotiation, leading to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Catholic and Muslim leaders, along with civil society groups, have worked to build trust and understanding through interreligious dialogue, despite lingering tensions.

Sabuddin Abdurahim, secretary of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, said in a Feb. 17 statement: “This sacred time reminds us that faith is strengthened through patience, compassion, and sincere devotion.”

Source: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/asia-pacific/filipino-bishops-call-for-peace-as-lent-and-ramadan-converge