Monday, May 28, 2007

CBCP Office on Women trains Diocesan Coordinators

THE CBCP Office on Women (CBCP-OW) held a one-day training program for prospective desk coordinators on April 28 at the Holy Spirit School Multi-Media Center in Tagbilaran City.

Fifty lay leaders from different parishes and representatives of different organizations such as the Council of the Laity of Tagbilaran, Catholic Women’s League, Family Life Apostolate Pro-Life Movement, HNU Guidance Center, and Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals participated in the training seminar.

Organized by Tagbilaran bishop, Most Rev. Leonardo Medroso, and the Diocesan coordinators, the seminar was conducted to prepare desk coordinators for the task of assisting women/children in crisis situation by equipping them with necessary knowledge and skills on basic counseling, networking and netbonding.

CBCP-OW executive secretary Dr. Zenaida Rotea and Pro-Life Philippines founder Sr. Pilar Versoza, RGS led the panel of speakers coming from various government agencies who were also invited as resource persons.

Issues tackled during the seminar included Women and Child concerns, domestic violence in all its forms, poverty, ignorance, and migration.

The participants were also trained on the area of counseling principally in specific cases like domestic violence, pre-marital sex and unwanted pregnancy, post-abortion, marital crisis and sexual abuse.

The training program concluded with participants and trainors mapping out strategies on how to address the various concerns of women and children as discussed during the seminar. The basic guidelines for setting up a diocesan/parish desk were also laid out.

The Office on Women is conducting the seminar in various parts of the country as part of its ongoing program of empowering women and helping them regain their dignity. The office has so far covered 48 dioceses.

Recently, the diocese of San Jose in Antique launched its own diocesan commission on women.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Ledesma: Asian Religions, key to peace building

INTERRELIGOUS dialogue is a must to achieve peace and unity in the world’s most populous region, thus said CBCP Vice President and Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J.

Ledesma, CBCP Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue and head of secretariat of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, spoke before regional leaders of the Asian Conference on Religions for Peace (ACRP) on the Bishop-Ulama dialogue and its programs to promote peace and understanding between Christians and Muslims.

ACRP is the Asian network of the World Conference on Religions for Peace (WCRP) and had its assembly at the Pius XII Catholic Center last Thursday, May 24 to plan for the forthcoming general assembly scheduled to be held in Manila in October 2008.

ACRP Secretary-General Dr. Sunggon Kin said the group is closely coordinating with the Catholic community, especially with the bishops who they plan to invite for the coming assembly.

“Roman Catholic is the major religious community in the Philippines so we expect the assistance of the country’s Catholic community,” Kim said.

Dr. Lilian Dizon, ACRP Philippine Chapter Secretary-General said next year’s assembly will be in partnership with the CBCP and the country’s pontifical university, the University of Santo Tomas.

Other religious groups in the Philippines include Muslims, Protestant groups, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs.

Now on its 30th year, the Asian Conference on Religions for Peace’s general assembly is held every five years which tackles important issues that concern the regions of over two billion people.

ACRP Secretary General Kim said their three-pronged approach to the region’s pressing concerns include the exchange of religious people for peace and understanding, second, peace, education and complimentary researches and third, service and helping people in need.

Positive action should follow sincere dialogues, Kim said.

For next year’s general assembly, the theme is Peacemaking in Asia with five sub-committees to work on five sub-themes which include Human Rights, Community Building, Healing the Past, Building the Future and Conflict Transformation. Two pre-assemblies on Youth and Women will be held in Mindanao.

Ledesma said the theme Peacemaking in Asia is also a challenge for all how to make use of religious traditions to build peace.

There are 16 ACRP national chapters from Asia and the Pacific representing the Roman Catholics, Protestants, Islam, Hindus, Buddhists among others.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Filipino Chaplaincy in Auckland to mark anniversary

THE Auckland Catholic Filipino Chaplaincy in Auckland, New Zealand is gearing up to celebrate its 10th anniversary on May 26-27 with a fiesta atmosphere.

His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, Main Presider and Guest, will officiate the closing Mass of the year-long celebration on May 27 at the Malaeola Samoan Catholic Community Centre, 16 Waokauri Place, Mangere. Other guests include Fr. Mario Tejada, MSP, Fr. Manuel Jadraque, MSP (1st ACFC Chaplain) and Mr. Christian Tecala (1st ACFC Chairman).

Two special events highlight the anniversary celebrations. The Chaplaincy Night on May 26 will present A Night of Thanksgiving and Recognition at the Top of the Park Lounge, Alexandra Park, Greenlane Road West, Epsom.

The morning of May 27 will feature the Filipino Senior Citizens’ of Auckland Grand Santacruzan Procession and a shared lunch, picnic style; among participants. The event will be culminated with a Filipino Cultural Dance Festival, Games and Entertainment, dubbed as Sayaw Saya!

The Auckland Chaplaincy functions as a quasi-parish. It was established under the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland in response to the religious and cultural needs of Filipino migrants in Auckland and in the wider New Zealand Catholic Church.

The Chaplaincy provides a feeling of “being at home” for Filipinos living and working in New Zealand.

In the Chaplaincy, Filipinos pray and worship in their native tongue. Sunday Mass is said in Tagalog, and Filipino fiestas and devotions are celebrated.

The place also serves as a meeting place for Filipinos to meet their country men and share their common migrant-life stories, and to seek and offer assistance to anyone in need.

More than anything else, according to pastoral worker Mark Barrios, the Chaplaincy is a home to Filipinos and “to our other brothers and sisters who would like to belong to a Community.”

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Bishop urges youth to get involved in May polls

EPISCOPAL on Youth Chairman Bishop Joel Baylon wrote several proposals to those involved in the Youth ministry in an effort to make the electoral exercise in May “a truly transformed and transforming endeavor.”

Earlier, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has requested the collaboration of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) for a joint effort to safeguard the upcoming May polls to be honest, orderly and clean.

Baylon cited three important suggestions for youth’s participation that can help alter the political landscape: education, formation and involvement.

He said the youth should be encouraged to get to know those running for public office, both at the local and national levels “through candidates’ fora, profiles, interviews, and other similar activities.”

Baylon said the youth should take the chance to watch/listen the “Halalan 2007 Senatorial Forum” spearheaded by PPCRV in collaboration with ABS-CBN and Radio Veritas.

“Let us patronize opportunities like this to educate ourselves about the elections and the candidates,” Baylon said in his letter.

A module called “Kabataang Bayani: Youth for H.O.P.E” (Honest, Orderly, and Peaceful Elections), which the ECY prepared last 2004 is again being used for formation program this coming elections. Baylon also cited the PPCRV module “Pinoy Voters Academy” that can be used and adapted to local situations.

Involvement in social transformation is the fruit of education and formation of the youth, according to Baylon. He stressed the need for the youth to participate in the electoral exercise, as voters and as involved citizens, in their families, schools and parishes.

“Let us accompany our youth in volunteering in election-related activities, such as those programmed by the PPCRV,” said Baylon. Stressing the importance of participating, he added: “Let us be informed and involved in election-related activities in our local churches, always moving as one Church.”

Baylon reiterated his call on everyone to remain vigilant, to watch and pray for the good of the country.

“Allow me again to call you and our young people to pray and light A Candle for HOPE—honest, orderly and peaceful elections—on 13 May 2007, the eve of the elections, in your homes, groups, and parishes,” said Baylon. “As one country and one people, we lift up to the Lord our humble and heartfelt pleas for conversion, guidance, and renewal,” he added.

Pinning his hopes on the youth’s positive response to ECY’s program for the coming elections, Baylon said he prays that today’s youth “may not only become socially aware but also actively involved citizens, all by the grace of God who strengthens and empowers us to ‘hold on to what is good and shun every form of evil’ (1 Thes. 5:21-22).”

A Candle for Hope was an activity conceptualized by ECY in 2001. This concerted action calls for simultaneously lighting a candle at six in the evening on the eve of the elections in May 2001. Since then, this activity has been done every time there are elections in the country.