The president of the Bishops' Conference calls on people to seek, speak and do what is right in accordance with the truth. Society should be based on truth and love, which is expressed in "solidarity with and service of others". The message is primarily for those who have "drifted from the faith and from the Church".

Manila (AsiaNews/CBCP) - The central value, the cornerstone of the New Evangelisation, is all about truth, seeking what is right, speaking what is right, and doing what is right, said Mgr Socrates Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The 2014 edition of the New Evangelisation Conference (NEC) was held recently in Pasay City, Metro Manila region.

In a message addressed to the more than 4,000 people present, read by Mgr Joseph Latorre, bishop of Parañaque, the president of the Bishops' Conference laid down the guidelines to contribute to the development of the Church and the Philippines, the only Asian nation with a large Catholic majority

In working to renew the country, the prelate stressed, all Catholic Filipinos, especially the lay faithful, are called to return to truthfulness and the common good.

In a more poetic tone, Villegas said that New Evangelisation is about "proclaiming the beautiful in the world" and "celebrating what is right with the world" as well as "restoring integrity to" it.

"A society that is not founded on truth cannot stand," the message said, " because a society not founded on truth is either founded on lies or deceit which can provide no stable basis for human relationships and a stable social order".

"This means that we must seek what is right, speak what is right, and do what is right; and to do so in love, that is, in solidarity with and service of others."

Evangelisation, the prelate explained, is the "proclamation, witness and implanting of the Gospel given to humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ and the opening up of people's lives, society, culture and history to the Person of Jesus Christ and to His living community, the Church".

However, what distinguishes the New Evangelisation from the old is the recipient of the message. The former addresses primarily those who have "drifted from the faith and from the Church" in traditionally Catholic countries like the Philippines

"We are challenged anew to foster in the Church in our country a renewed commitment and enthusiasm in living out the Gospel in all the diverse areas of our lives," the Bishops' president said, "in real-life practice, challenged anew to become more and more authentic witnesses of our faith, especially to our Asian neighbours as a fruit of our intensified intimacy with the Lord."

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