Duyog Ramadhan

During the late 1970s the Prelature of Marawi under Bishop Bienvenido S. Tudtud and the Diocese of Iligan under Bishop Fernando R. Capalla had a common program during the month of Ramadhan as a means to promote understanding and friendship with our Muslim neighbors.‎ For us Christians it meant fasting also for a month in the way the Muslims were fasting.

It preparation for this our pastoral catechesis mostly aired through DXDD radio of the Diocese of Ozamis ‎focused on explaining the meaning of fasting in Islam and in Christianity. Generally, for Muslims it demands charity to oneself, to others and the environment. For Christians it meant the acquisition of self-control through limitation of food-intake.
Aside from fasting it also meant praying at the same time in our own respective prayer form. Then on a Friday, we would hold dialogues on common values as taught by the Bible and the Qur-an.

All the activities during the month of fasting was called DUYOG Ramadhan, an accompaniment by Christians, a symbolic journey and a public witness to an important virtue. DUYOG is Cebuano for joining with.

I am happy that the Archdiocese of Davao‎ through the Archdiocesan Center of Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue (ACEID) is reviving this interest on fasting in Islam and Christianity and focusing it’s relevance to the Year of Mercy.