Rev. Fr. Jason Laguerta, director of the Office for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, underscored the importance of authentic human relationships and friendship during the opening of the 12th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE), saying they remain at the heart of the Church's mission.

Addressing participants of the annual gathering, Laguerta said the life of the Church must be rooted in meaningful personal relationships, with friendship serving as a cornerstone of Christian life.

Quoting the Gospel, he said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends," noting that Jesus referred to his disciples as friends rather than merely servants or brothers and sisters.

He said this reflects relationships founded on equality, mutual respect and genuine concern for one another.

"In order to engage in technology, it's very important to establish meaningful relationships, much less friendship," Laguerta said, adding that the Church seeks to emphasize the value of authentic friendships and relationships amid rapid technological change.

The Philippine Conference on New Evangelization was established in 2013 by then Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle following the XIII Synod on the New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Faith. It was envisioned as the Church's response to the call for renewed evangelization in the Philippines.

Organizers said the conference encourages Catholics to renew their communal experience of faith and proclaim the Gospel through evangelization that is "new in its ardor, in its methods, and in its expressions."

Inspired by Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' pastoral exhortation Live Christ, Share Christ, the conference seeks to help people encounter God amid the challenges of the modern world, strengthen communion within the Church and inspire the faithful to embrace the mission of evangelization.

Organizers also noted that the CBCP amended its statutes and received confirmation from the Holy See on 20 May 2024, formally integrating the PCNE as a national event under the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Evangelization and Catechesis.

Held under the auspices of the CBCP in partnership with the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, the conference continues to promote deeper encounters with God, strengthen communion among the faithful and encourage Catholics to actively share their faith.