Lingayen-Dagupan: Archbishop Socrates Villegas urged Pangasinenses to embrace a renewed sense of patriotism rooted in faith rather than ideology or partisan politics this Lenten season.

According to Philippines News Agency, in his Pastoral Letter for the second Sunday of Lent, addressed to the faithful in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Villegas emphasized personal accountability in nation-building rather than blaming others. He stated, "We all have contributed to this pandemic of criminality and sin. Let us begin with self-critique and open ourselves to a new kind of patriotism based on faith, not on ideology or partisan politics. The path to heroism begins with contrition."

Villegas warned against division and misinformation, noting, "It is not the will of God for us to be divided. The devil wants us disunited and splintered. The mission of Satan is to crush unity and fracture our wholeness." He urged the community to combat misinformation and embrace facts as the basis for actions and words.

The archbishop also addressed the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, highlighting the need for unity and sober reflection amid the situation. "Let us widen the space for sobriety. Let us pause and examine our sources of facts, which should be the basis for our words and actions," he said.

He called for rationality and responsibility, asking people to agree to disagree with sobriety and charity, rooted in justice and truth. "Let us widen our hearts for atonement. Let us widen our capacity to remember the pitiful tears and the restless moans of the victims of the bloody drug war," Villegas urged.

Concluding his letter, Villegas appealed for unity, urging people to lower their defenses and remember their shared humanity and nationhood.