Over 2,000 Faithful Participate in Pilgrim Walk of Hope in Tuguegarao City

TUGUEGARAO City — More than 2,000 Catholic devotees from across Cagayan congregated in Tuguegarao City on Sunday, November 23, to participate in the "Pilgrim Walk of Hope." The faithful marched through city streets, carrying placards advocating for honesty, justice, and peace. The procession culminated at the St. Peter and St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, with participants gathering from four distinct assembly points.

Held on the Solemnity of Christ the King, the event voiced a collective demand for moral leadership amid growing concerns over corruption and mismanagement of public funds. Rooted in prayer and religious devotion, the march also echoed broader calls for reform and accountability, resonating with civic initiatives such as the Trillion Peso March, initially organized on September 21 and scheduled for a significant recurrence on November 30.

Fr. Manuel Vicente Catral, archdiocesan director of pastoral programs, described the event as "a testament that we are a Church on the move, a shepherding Church. In these footsteps, we see a desire for a Church and society that values a governance structure of transparency, accountability, and collaborative leadership."

He emphasized that these virtues extend beyond administrative or political concerns, stating, "They are deeply rooted in the Gospel's call to justice and peace."

The march also served as the platform to unveil the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao’s new five-year pastoral plan, set to guide religious activities between 2026 and 2031. Titled "Walking Together in Faith: A Missionary Conversion Towards a Synodal Church," this roadmap seeks a profound transformation within individuals, communities, and Church operations to foster participatory decision-making, enhanced transparency, and ministries more attuned to the people's needs.

Archbishop Ricardo Baccay explained that the pastoral plan emerged from comprehensive consultations during the Vatican’s global synodal process. It addresses the people’s "quiet but persistent longing for spiritual renewal," alongside increasing demands for discernment, shared governance, and co-responsibility within Church life.

The plan highlights priorities such as fortifying family life, revitalizing Basic Ecclesial Communities, amplifying lay participation, promoting accountability, nurturing servant leadership, and encouraging ecological conversion and stewardship.

Fr. Catral concluded, "Our Pilgrim Walk and pastoral plan underscore the Church’s commitment to both spiritual renewal and active engagement in Church and society. Conversion of processes is not an abstract ideal but a practical expression of Gospel values."