TUGUEGARAO CITY (PIA), March 27 – Archbishop Sergio Utleg of the archdiocese here emphasized on the Catholic Church’s thrusts such as the preferential option for the poor and the perpetuation of the spirit of stewardship over God’s creation.

Archbishop Utleg said while people live in a very competitive world, the poor and the neglected have to be given attention for them to cope with life’s challenges.

“We (the Church) may not be able to help build houses for them but we have gone a mile in the building of basic ecclesial communities (BECs) to teach our parishioners to love one another, look after their spiritual upliftment, and to a certain degree, the material needs of our neighbors,” he said.

In most barangays of the city and the other towns of Cagayan, the barangay folk led by pastoral council leaders get together as often as possible and do activities like barangay profiling of the households and their environs including the existence of institutions like health facilities, schools, banks and others.

Part of the council members’ unwritten duties is the visitation of the sick and those of families in times of bereavement.

The archbishop, in his homily during the Chrism Mass of the entire Archdiocese of Tuguegarao held at the Metropolitan Cathedral here on March 26, Holy Tuesday, urged the priests to render full time for their priestly work.

He particularly cited some priests who have been assigned the tasks of the administration of catholic schools in Cagayan.

“It is important that you attend to the spiritual formation of your parishioners,” he said.

The highlight of this year’s Chrism Mass conducted during the Lenten Season were the blessing of the oil to be used to anoint the sick, and the renewal of the priestly vows of obedience, chastity and simplicity.

Almost a hundred priests assigned in the various parishes of Cagayan renewed their vows during the Chrism Mass.