The pain from the deadly blast that claimed four lives during a Mass in a southern Philippine city will not derail the Church’s commitment to dialogue and peaceful coexistence in Mindanao, a Catholic archbishop said.

Archbishop Emeritus Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro, co-president of Pax Christi – Pilipinas, said that religious leaders remain committed to “continuing dialogue” and “working for peace and development in Mindanao.”

Pax Christi Pilipinas is a member organization of Pax Christi International, a global Catholic peace movement working for peace, respect for human rights.

The explosion occurred as Catholics were gathered for the first Sunday of Advent Mass on Dec. 3 at the gymnasium of the Marawi State University (MSU) in Marawi City.

The attack also took place as the region observes the Mindanao Week of Peace.

“We express our condolence and shared grief with the victims and families of those affected by the bombing,” Ledesma said.

But he said the ‘most heartening’ thing for him was that many Maranao students immediately took measures to help victims and protect their Christian schoolmates from any further harm.

“May this gesture of solidarity not only affirm the spirit of MSU as an inclusive institution for higher learning but also symbolize the ongoing aspirations for the tri-people of Mindanao in coming home through solidarity and harmony,” he added.

Confreres of Franciscan Fr. Benigno Flores, who was presiding over the Mass “on that atrocious morning”, described the attack as “an act of terrorism done in the most inhumane way, devoid of respect for the sacred and the holy”.

“This violent incident was nothing but an act of selfishness and cruelty that must be condemned in the strictest sense of the world,” the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) said in a statement.

However, the congregation urged everyone, regardless of faith, to consciously strive for a culture of peace and harmony “despite dialogue setbacks and frustrations in dialogue”.

“The path toward genuine interreligious dialogue, universal fraternity, and solidarity is difficult and full of challenges. Yet, we draw our hope and strength from our all powerful, most compassionate, and merciful God, who showed us the way of genuine brotherhood through his Son, Jesus Christ,” it said.

The Franciscans also urged the authorities to use peaceful means “to counteract the forces of evil and violence” and “to hold responsible and accountable those who perpetrated these acts of terrorism”.