The role of 'Alay Kapwa Spirituality' amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The importance of spiritual nourishment has become the hope of the people in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This spiritual side of the people must be in tandem with the social responsibility for those in need. Dealing with both spiritual and social responsibilities points out the 'Alay Kapwa Spirituality'. Thus, in both spiritual and social aspects, this paper highlights that practicing 'Alay Kapwa Spirituality' in the time of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic is highly useful response in satisfying one's spiritual thirst and social responsibility. © Crown copyright 2021.

To the Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuously damaging the social well-being of many people across nations. In the recent correspondences,, creative ritual practices and the value of fraternal charity have been centered as some of the practical and effective ways of easing the hardships of our brethren in need and the society as a whole. The creative ritual practices made the Catholic faithful in the Philippines become closer to God in a new perspective fitted to the situation we are into, such as attending online Eucharistic celebration, as a way of approaching God and Jesus. It is also notable that the faithful’s spiritual well-being gives them hope to continue when they feel the presence of God in their lives with the increasing effort of the Church to fill the gap on physical presence due to the pandemic. Just as we approach God and Jesus through the liturgy, we should also be aware of our responsibilities to our brethren by valuing the fraternal charity we have for others to give them hope despite the sufferings they have experienced.

Looking through the perspective of the Philippine Church, efforts have been made to fill the gap between the spiritual life and fraternal charity of the faithful since 1975. This effort of the Church led to the promotion of ‘Alay Kapwa’—though it is widely known as Lenten fund drive to help those in need, and a spirituality has been introduced. The words ‘Alay’, which means offering, and ‘Kapwa’, which means others, can be understood, though not exactly equal to its Filipino concept, as offering one’s self to others. We understood the word ‘Kapwa’ as others, but at the same time consider the deeper meaning of ‘Kapwa’ as another self who needs help in many forms. The ‘Alay Kapwa Spirituality’ promoted by the Philippine Catholic Church speaks of sharing time, talent and treasure with others.

Thus, in both spiritual and social aspects, we highlight that practicing ‘Alay Kapwa Spirituality’ in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly useful response in satisfying one’s spiritual thirst and social responsibility. The spiritual nourishments we receive in attending online and physical liturgical celebrations are as important as practicing fraternal charity. Our social responsibility is not limited to giving financial aids; it goes beyond material things since our social nature demands being with others, considering others as another self. When people are suffering, praying is not enough when we neglect our duty as the ‘brother’s keeper’, knowing that we can do something for them, even how little may it be.

Conflict of interest

No funding was received for this paper. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.