Three days of meetings and prayers began today with a solemn ceremony led by Cardinal Tagle. The prelate also mentioned those who died in the recent earthquake and the old churches it destroyed. Funds for reconstruction were also raised. The Conference is an "opportunity to discuss and rediscover faith" and the role of the laity in the work of proclaiming the Gospel.

Manila (AsiaNews) - Rediscovering and deepening of faith, the evangelising mission entrusted to the Church and the work of proclaiming the Gospel in modern times through new technologies are some of the points on the agenda at the First Philippine Conference on the New Evangelization (PCNE). The meeting opened today (until 18 October) at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, bringing together more than 5,000 people, including local and foreign delegations, from all the Churches of Asia, plus a Vatican representative. In his homily, Card Tagle mentioned the victims of the earthquake that struck the central Philippines yesterday.

The central point of the three-day event is a call to each believer to convert, and take on "the task of evangelising" within the family, the community, and the workplace. The role of the laity is especially important because priests as well as men and women religious cannot be the only ones to bear witness to the word of God and proclaim the Gospel.

The ways to encounter God, popular devotion and the New Evangelisation, the ways of communion and renewal, the missionary side of evangelisation are also open for discussion during the conference.

In introducing the event, the Archbishop of Manila Card Luis Antonio Tagle stressed that the conference is not only meant "to strengthen the faith of Filipino Catholics, but also the Church's mission to serve the poorest elements of society."

A Mass celebrated by the cardinal of Manila formally launched the three-day event today, using the language, gestures and symbols typical of the Christian culture of the Philippines.

This was followed by a discussion among members of the clergy and lay people on the stories of faith among the new generations.

In the afternoon, participants turned to the relationship with God, focusing on the experiences of prayer that can lead to a meaningful dialogue with the Lord. This included a look at the various aspects of Biblical analysis, as well as music and the arts, new media, justice and peace.

The day ended with a Eucharistic adoration according to the prayer of Taizé.

During his homily, Card Tagle mentioned the victims of yesterday's earthquake, which sowed death and the destruction in parts of the country, wiping out historic and centuries-old churches.

"It breaks your heart," the archbishop of Manila said, "to see ancient churches, milestones of a centuries-old faith, pulverised . . . . We do not even know if they can be rebuilt."

The cardinal went on to say that he hoped the Conference itself could contribute to "rebuild" the world "in the only way possible," i.e. through Christ and his "word of life".

Such "faith amid the ruins," he added, is a sign of a love that is stronger than death and ruin.

Funds were also raised during the ceremony for earthquake victims.

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