Aimed at enticing students’ participation in the 2010 national elections, the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) held a registration drive for first time voters on Friday, at San Beda College (SBC), Mendiola.
Former Ambassador Henrietta de Villa, NAMFREL-PPCRV national chairperson has cited the significance of the place and the participation of students in the electoral activity.
“Mendiola where San Beda is located has been a traditional site for the manifestation of the Filipinos advocacy for freedom and democracy. It is also the cradle of student formation. I am hopeful that this special registration of young voters will signal the pro-active engagement of our nation’s Bagong BIDA—the Filipino youth voters,” De Villa said.
The activity named Bagong BIDA be the change Botanteng Pilipino-Magpalista Ka is an ongoing joint project of PPCRV, NAMFREL, CEAP and COMELEC.
Mr. Albert Oasan, National Service Training Program (NSTP) faculty facilitator of San Beda College and head of NAMFREL Manila Chapter said the registration campaign themed “Guiding First Time Voters Towards Vigilance and Responsible Voting”, was in line with NSTP Week.
NSTP is a curriculum-based initiative aimed at persuading students to render community service.
“We are encouraging our students to be involved in community initiatives that promote volunteerism and vigilance in safeguarding the electoral process, which is the goal of NSTP,” Oasan said.
Around 200 first time voters from the 4th and 6th districts of Manila registered in the Satellite Registration Center COMELEC set up inside SBC campus.
Aside from Bedans, other participating students come from the University of the East, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, San Sebastian College, Centro Escolar University and Far Eastern University.
Resource speakers for the whole-day affair include COMELEC Commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Leonardo Leonida.
The two commissioners also monitored the conduct of registration which started at 10 a.m. in the morning and ended at 5 p.m.
Friday, February 27, 2009
OFWs are ambassadors for Christ, says CBCP official
Overseas Filipino workers are not only “modern heroes”, as the government would like to cite them for the money they bring, but in the eyes of the Church, they are ambassadors for Christ.
Fr. Edwin Corros, CS, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) said OFWs are evangelizers in their own right and as such can be regarded as ambassadors for Christ.
“That is a beautiful word to describe the migrants, that they are actually ambassadors for Christ. Imagine, as ambassadors you are carrying with you the values of Jesus,” said Corros, adding:
“Think about the roles of our ambassadors, our diplomatic officials. They carry with them the culture, the values [of their native land]. That is how you are supposed to present yourself to your host. St. Paul as ambassador for Christ, carried with him such responsibility, such value that wherever he goes as a missionary to the gentiles, he presented not himself but Christ,” he explained.
Cited by Pope John Paul II as modern-day missionaries, Filipinos working overseas practiced the Catholic faith in their adoptive country more fervently than in their own native land.
They find solace in their faith in the midst of deprivation, loneliness and exploitation in the workplace.
The 23rd National Migrants Sunday celebration on March 1 has taken the theme “The sacrifices of the Filipino migrants mirror the journey of St. Paul.”
Corros said the chosen theme is very opportune not simply because the Church celebrates Pauline year but that OFWs can relate very well with the Apostle’s own experience of travails and uncertainties.
“Our migrants are sacrificing [a lot] for the sake of their [families’] future. St. Paul always reminded the communities he founded to think of other Christians, other communities who need help,” Corros said.
Despite poverty and difficulties Filipino migrant workers can still think of reaching out to others in need, said Corros
“The Filipinos are very generous; they are always expressing their philanthropic [acts] either in goods or in cash. I remember when a landslide occurred in Quezon in 2004 [and the] province was inundated by flash flood. I called up our chaplain overseas. In a matter of one month I was able to gather I million plus of donation. This is for me a testament to the generosity of our Filipino migrants,” said Corros.
Fr. Edwin Corros, CS, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) said OFWs are evangelizers in their own right and as such can be regarded as ambassadors for Christ.
“That is a beautiful word to describe the migrants, that they are actually ambassadors for Christ. Imagine, as ambassadors you are carrying with you the values of Jesus,” said Corros, adding:
“Think about the roles of our ambassadors, our diplomatic officials. They carry with them the culture, the values [of their native land]. That is how you are supposed to present yourself to your host. St. Paul as ambassador for Christ, carried with him such responsibility, such value that wherever he goes as a missionary to the gentiles, he presented not himself but Christ,” he explained.
Cited by Pope John Paul II as modern-day missionaries, Filipinos working overseas practiced the Catholic faith in their adoptive country more fervently than in their own native land.
They find solace in their faith in the midst of deprivation, loneliness and exploitation in the workplace.
The 23rd National Migrants Sunday celebration on March 1 has taken the theme “The sacrifices of the Filipino migrants mirror the journey of St. Paul.”
Corros said the chosen theme is very opportune not simply because the Church celebrates Pauline year but that OFWs can relate very well with the Apostle’s own experience of travails and uncertainties.
“Our migrants are sacrificing [a lot] for the sake of their [families’] future. St. Paul always reminded the communities he founded to think of other Christians, other communities who need help,” Corros said.
Despite poverty and difficulties Filipino migrant workers can still think of reaching out to others in need, said Corros
“The Filipinos are very generous; they are always expressing their philanthropic [acts] either in goods or in cash. I remember when a landslide occurred in Quezon in 2004 [and the] province was inundated by flash flood. I called up our chaplain overseas. In a matter of one month I was able to gather I million plus of donation. This is for me a testament to the generosity of our Filipino migrants,” said Corros.
Catholic bishops reject revival of nuke plant
The influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has added its voice in opposition to the revival of the mothballed nuclear power plant in Bataan.
In a pastoral statement released yesterday, CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo appealed to lawmakers to reject the opening of the plant.
“We earnestly appealed to our Congressmen, with fervent hope and prayer that Congress will completely and irrevocably reject the opening of the nuclear plant as the most dangerous and expensive way to generate electricity,” the statement read.
Lagdameo said hazardous consequences on life and environment and the possibility of corruption far outweigh the projected benefits of BNPP.
He urged the anti-BNPP lawmakers and Greenpeace Forum to dismantle the plant “as its revival will be most hazardous to health and life of the people.”
“It is for this reason that we also strongly oppose coal-fired power plant as source of energy in Iloilo province and other parts of the country,” said Lagdameo.
Instead, the bishops propose the implementation of the bill that has been approved by Congress, recommending the use of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and water, as safe sources of electricity.
The Catholic bishops join the Environmentalist Group Greenpeace and the Diocese of Balanga headed by Bishop Socrates Villegas in opposing the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
In a pastoral statement released yesterday, CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo appealed to lawmakers to reject the opening of the plant.
“We earnestly appealed to our Congressmen, with fervent hope and prayer that Congress will completely and irrevocably reject the opening of the nuclear plant as the most dangerous and expensive way to generate electricity,” the statement read.
Lagdameo said hazardous consequences on life and environment and the possibility of corruption far outweigh the projected benefits of BNPP.
He urged the anti-BNPP lawmakers and Greenpeace Forum to dismantle the plant “as its revival will be most hazardous to health and life of the people.”
“It is for this reason that we also strongly oppose coal-fired power plant as source of energy in Iloilo province and other parts of the country,” said Lagdameo.
Instead, the bishops propose the implementation of the bill that has been approved by Congress, recommending the use of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and water, as safe sources of electricity.
The Catholic bishops join the Environmentalist Group Greenpeace and the Diocese of Balanga headed by Bishop Socrates Villegas in opposing the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
Thursday, February 26, 2009
La Union to host migrants’ national celebration
The Church pays tribute to millions of overseas Filipinos and their families at home in a nationwide celebration of Migrants Sunday on March 1 at Christ the King College High School, San Fernando La Union.
Spearheaded by the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and itinerant People (ECMI), the occasion has the theme “The Sacrifices of the Filipino Migrants mirror the journey of St. Paul”.
ECMI executive secretary Fr. Edwin Corros, CS said there is little understanding among people why migrant Sunday is being celebrated, hence the need to go to different dioceses to make people aware on the importance of the event.
“We want to create a greater awareness for the celebration of migrant Sunday because many people do not understand the reason behind the celebration,” said Corros.
“Sometimes also our priests are not familiar what it is all about. So we try to go out of Manila. We do a lot of catechesis, information dissemination,” he added.
The out-of-town celebration has been going on since five years ago. The first diocese to sponsor the national migrant celebration was the Archdiocese of Lipa, followed by the archdiocese of Pampanga.
Corros said they pick out dioceses that have the greatest concentration of migrants among its faithful.
“We are also trying to follow the trend where the bulk of migrant workers are coming from. La Union may not be the largest but we look at [the place] as center for Northern Luzon,” he said.
The La Union celebration will feature talks on migration and cultural presentations from the children of OFWs.
Corros will give a situationer on overseas migration while local government officials invited to grace the event will give their solidarity messages.
Corros said they expect around 1,500 families of OFWs to participate in the affair.
The occasion will be capped with a Eucharistic celebration to be led by ECMI Chairman Bishop Precioso Cantillas, SDB, and La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD.
DIOCESAN CELEBRATION
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Bayombong will also hold a diocesan activity at St. Mark Parish, Cabarroguis, in Quirino province to mark the event. The occasion will be highlighted by a gathering of 500 participants from migrant families and government agencies and celebration of Holy Eucharist.
Other dioceses who will lead NMS celebration on Sunday include Luzon dioceses of Alaminos, Ilagan, Bangued, Antipolo, Imus, Kalookan, Novaliches, and Archdioceses of San Fernando, Pampanga, Lipa and Manila.
In the Visayas, the Dioceses of Maasin, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, San Carlos, Kalibo, Kabankalan, Dumaguete, and Archdioceses of Palo, Cebu, Jaro and Capiz will organize activities to highlight the event. In Mindanao region, all Dioceses in the provinces of Davao will also celebrate the occasion.
STATISTICS
Statistics of 2007 showed there are about 8.72 million Filipinos overseas, 4.13 of whom are OFWs. A 2007 study also revealed an average of 2, 950 OFWs departing daily for overseas job, 50% of them women.
In 2007, OFWs have remitted 13.44 billion US dollars that helped prime up the country’s ailing economy.
Spearheaded by the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and itinerant People (ECMI), the occasion has the theme “The Sacrifices of the Filipino Migrants mirror the journey of St. Paul”.
ECMI executive secretary Fr. Edwin Corros, CS said there is little understanding among people why migrant Sunday is being celebrated, hence the need to go to different dioceses to make people aware on the importance of the event.
“We want to create a greater awareness for the celebration of migrant Sunday because many people do not understand the reason behind the celebration,” said Corros.
“Sometimes also our priests are not familiar what it is all about. So we try to go out of Manila. We do a lot of catechesis, information dissemination,” he added.
The out-of-town celebration has been going on since five years ago. The first diocese to sponsor the national migrant celebration was the Archdiocese of Lipa, followed by the archdiocese of Pampanga.
Corros said they pick out dioceses that have the greatest concentration of migrants among its faithful.
“We are also trying to follow the trend where the bulk of migrant workers are coming from. La Union may not be the largest but we look at [the place] as center for Northern Luzon,” he said.
The La Union celebration will feature talks on migration and cultural presentations from the children of OFWs.
Corros will give a situationer on overseas migration while local government officials invited to grace the event will give their solidarity messages.
Corros said they expect around 1,500 families of OFWs to participate in the affair.
The occasion will be capped with a Eucharistic celebration to be led by ECMI Chairman Bishop Precioso Cantillas, SDB, and La Union Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD.
DIOCESAN CELEBRATION
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Bayombong will also hold a diocesan activity at St. Mark Parish, Cabarroguis, in Quirino province to mark the event. The occasion will be highlighted by a gathering of 500 participants from migrant families and government agencies and celebration of Holy Eucharist.
Other dioceses who will lead NMS celebration on Sunday include Luzon dioceses of Alaminos, Ilagan, Bangued, Antipolo, Imus, Kalookan, Novaliches, and Archdioceses of San Fernando, Pampanga, Lipa and Manila.
In the Visayas, the Dioceses of Maasin, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, San Carlos, Kalibo, Kabankalan, Dumaguete, and Archdioceses of Palo, Cebu, Jaro and Capiz will organize activities to highlight the event. In Mindanao region, all Dioceses in the provinces of Davao will also celebrate the occasion.
STATISTICS
Statistics of 2007 showed there are about 8.72 million Filipinos overseas, 4.13 of whom are OFWs. A 2007 study also revealed an average of 2, 950 OFWs departing daily for overseas job, 50% of them women.
In 2007, OFWs have remitted 13.44 billion US dollars that helped prime up the country’s ailing economy.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
CBCP head calls for new breed of leaders to solve country’s problems
Saying that widespread poverty and corruption are like contagious cancer that devours the whole of society, a high-ranking Church official has called for new breed of leaders to cure the country’s social ills.
In a Lenten message released to the media yesterday, CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said next year’s national elections should generate new kind of leaders who would crush the social cancer permeating every fabric of society.
“The forthcoming national elections must not simply be a changing of hats for the same persons, or change of faces but with unchanged hearts. We must be able to gather a critical mass of citizens-leaders with a genuine passion and obsession for good governance and prophetic leadership,” the message read.
The CBCP head said this “critical mass” should become the training ground of like-minded citizens who will lead the country imbued “with the values of honesty and justice, truth and integrity, credibility and accountability, transparency and stewardship.”
“These are the moral values that citizens must use to criticize and measure the present brand of leaders and raise up a new breed of leaders,” said Lagdameo.
He lamented that it is the poor, “oftentimes treated like commodities”, who suffer the most by the breakdown of moral values in government.
“Graft and corruption breed widespread poverty. Widespread poverty in turn breeds graft and corruption,” Lagdameo said.
Reflecting on the current crises the country is facing, he said a paradigm shift is necessary to solve the nation’s present problems.
“We will not solve our problems—religious, social, economic, political—by insisting on doing the same things that have produced the problems,” he said.
The prelate said the season of Lent calls for a profound moral renewal from every Christian, a total change of mind and behavior.
“Lent is an opportune occasion for profound re-examination of life, for confronting ourselves with the truth of the Gospel, which demands radical moral renewal,” said Lagdameo.
A renewal in moral values can only be possible if there is “a critical mass of citizens-leaders who are willing to ‘break out of the box,’ to jump on to the beginning of a new wave, to move into a new cycle of development, to operate with a new social consciousness and conscience, not for their individual or group security, but for the good of the greatest number,” he said.
Quoting the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR), Lagdameo said, “failures in renewal have come from a deeper source: our hardness of heart and resistance to conversion… We as Church, have to confess responsibility for many of the continuing ills of Philippine society.”
The same assessment also came out in a 2006 Pastoral statement “Renewing Our Political Life”. The same pastoral letter pointed out that “at the bottom of our political chaos is a crisis of moral values, a crisis of truth and justice, of unity and solidarity for the sake of common good and genuine peace.”
In a Lenten message released to the media yesterday, CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said next year’s national elections should generate new kind of leaders who would crush the social cancer permeating every fabric of society.
“The forthcoming national elections must not simply be a changing of hats for the same persons, or change of faces but with unchanged hearts. We must be able to gather a critical mass of citizens-leaders with a genuine passion and obsession for good governance and prophetic leadership,” the message read.
The CBCP head said this “critical mass” should become the training ground of like-minded citizens who will lead the country imbued “with the values of honesty and justice, truth and integrity, credibility and accountability, transparency and stewardship.”
“These are the moral values that citizens must use to criticize and measure the present brand of leaders and raise up a new breed of leaders,” said Lagdameo.
He lamented that it is the poor, “oftentimes treated like commodities”, who suffer the most by the breakdown of moral values in government.
“Graft and corruption breed widespread poverty. Widespread poverty in turn breeds graft and corruption,” Lagdameo said.
Reflecting on the current crises the country is facing, he said a paradigm shift is necessary to solve the nation’s present problems.
“We will not solve our problems—religious, social, economic, political—by insisting on doing the same things that have produced the problems,” he said.
The prelate said the season of Lent calls for a profound moral renewal from every Christian, a total change of mind and behavior.
“Lent is an opportune occasion for profound re-examination of life, for confronting ourselves with the truth of the Gospel, which demands radical moral renewal,” said Lagdameo.
A renewal in moral values can only be possible if there is “a critical mass of citizens-leaders who are willing to ‘break out of the box,’ to jump on to the beginning of a new wave, to move into a new cycle of development, to operate with a new social consciousness and conscience, not for their individual or group security, but for the good of the greatest number,” he said.
Quoting the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal (NPCCR), Lagdameo said, “failures in renewal have come from a deeper source: our hardness of heart and resistance to conversion… We as Church, have to confess responsibility for many of the continuing ills of Philippine society.”
The same assessment also came out in a 2006 Pastoral statement “Renewing Our Political Life”. The same pastoral letter pointed out that “at the bottom of our political chaos is a crisis of moral values, a crisis of truth and justice, of unity and solidarity for the sake of common good and genuine peace.”
Monday, February 23, 2009
Balanga diocese gears for massive anti-nuke rally today
A huge anti-nuke rally is set to happen in Balanga this afternoon to protest the revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
In a communication sent to the Manila archdiocese Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas said the rally will start with three separate marches from various points of the province converging at the Balanga Cathedral at 3:30 p.m in time for the 4 p.m. Mass.
Youth and parish delegations from Northern Bataan will converge at Garcia Avenue in Balanga.
Parishes from the south and west of Bataan will assemble at the Pilar-Balanga boundary while the civil society groups will gather at Petron Gas Station.
Villegas will be the main presider during the Mass and will read his pastoral letter as his homily.
The bishop roughly estimates the march will gather close to 8,000 participants.
He said various environmental groups from Manila like Green Peace, Eco Waste Coalition and others, have sent their notice of participation.
Likewise, the entire clergy and religious of Balanga diocese will be present during the protest rally.
Local officials such as the Governor and some mayors have also confirmed their attendance, Villegas said.
Among those expected to speak during the rally after the Mass are Msgr. Tony Dumaual, who led the protest against BNPP as Morong parish priest in the 1970s, Dr. Nicanor Perlas, who headed the presidential Commission to investigate the safety standards of the nuclear plant in the late 1980s, and a youth leader.
The rally will be capped with a prayer to Our Lady of the Pillar, patroness of Morong, and the singing of Bayan Ko.
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY AGAINST BNPP REVIVAL
The Interfaith community has also raised its voice in opposition against the revival of the mothballed nuclear plant.
Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, who co-chairs the Ecumenical Bishops Forum, said in a statement, the project does not only pose danger to the environment and lives of the people but also a major source of corruption even during the time of Pres. Marcos.
“It is a known fact that this project was full of anomalies and was a source of corruption during the time of Pres. Marcos. The Filipino people [were] then saddled with paying for this monstrosity for close to two decades,” the statement read.
Iñiguez said the revival of the project is very questionable and immoral in the light of serious defects on the safety of the plant as research studies have shown.
The BNPP was built on an earthquake fault and near three active volcanoes: Mt. Natib, Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Mariveles.
Bro. Gilbert Billena, O.Carm., spokesperson of Interfaith Justice and Peace Network, also denounced the move to revive the plant saying resuscitating it is an act of deception to the Filipino people.
“Reviving the said project is tantamount to an act of deception to the Filipino people who are directly paying the millions of dollars of loans and interest payments through taxes,” he said in a statement.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has likewise added its voice in calling for Congress to stop the commissioning of the nuclear power plant.
The immediate Rehabilitation, Commission and Operation of BBNPP, also known as HB 4631 was sponsored by Congressman Mark Cojuangco.
The bill is set to be deliberated on February 24 in a third meeting by the Congress’ Committee on Appropriations.
In a communication sent to the Manila archdiocese Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas said the rally will start with three separate marches from various points of the province converging at the Balanga Cathedral at 3:30 p.m in time for the 4 p.m. Mass.
Youth and parish delegations from Northern Bataan will converge at Garcia Avenue in Balanga.
Parishes from the south and west of Bataan will assemble at the Pilar-Balanga boundary while the civil society groups will gather at Petron Gas Station.
Villegas will be the main presider during the Mass and will read his pastoral letter as his homily.
The bishop roughly estimates the march will gather close to 8,000 participants.
He said various environmental groups from Manila like Green Peace, Eco Waste Coalition and others, have sent their notice of participation.
Likewise, the entire clergy and religious of Balanga diocese will be present during the protest rally.
Local officials such as the Governor and some mayors have also confirmed their attendance, Villegas said.
Among those expected to speak during the rally after the Mass are Msgr. Tony Dumaual, who led the protest against BNPP as Morong parish priest in the 1970s, Dr. Nicanor Perlas, who headed the presidential Commission to investigate the safety standards of the nuclear plant in the late 1980s, and a youth leader.
The rally will be capped with a prayer to Our Lady of the Pillar, patroness of Morong, and the singing of Bayan Ko.
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY AGAINST BNPP REVIVAL
The Interfaith community has also raised its voice in opposition against the revival of the mothballed nuclear plant.
Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, who co-chairs the Ecumenical Bishops Forum, said in a statement, the project does not only pose danger to the environment and lives of the people but also a major source of corruption even during the time of Pres. Marcos.
“It is a known fact that this project was full of anomalies and was a source of corruption during the time of Pres. Marcos. The Filipino people [were] then saddled with paying for this monstrosity for close to two decades,” the statement read.
Iñiguez said the revival of the project is very questionable and immoral in the light of serious defects on the safety of the plant as research studies have shown.
The BNPP was built on an earthquake fault and near three active volcanoes: Mt. Natib, Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Mariveles.
Bro. Gilbert Billena, O.Carm., spokesperson of Interfaith Justice and Peace Network, also denounced the move to revive the plant saying resuscitating it is an act of deception to the Filipino people.
“Reviving the said project is tantamount to an act of deception to the Filipino people who are directly paying the millions of dollars of loans and interest payments through taxes,” he said in a statement.
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has likewise added its voice in calling for Congress to stop the commissioning of the nuclear power plant.
The immediate Rehabilitation, Commission and Operation of BBNPP, also known as HB 4631 was sponsored by Congressman Mark Cojuangco.
The bill is set to be deliberated on February 24 in a third meeting by the Congress’ Committee on Appropriations.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Lagdameo challenges CBCP officials to develop theology of stewardship
The head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has challenged the executive secretaries of Episcopal Commissions to develop a “comprehensive theology of stewardship” as decreed by PCP II.
In his homily during the opening mass of a one-day seminar for Episcopal Commission secretaries, CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the group might just have to sit together again to articulate a theology of stewardship for the CBCP.
“It is hoped that through your group one of the decrees of PCP II will come to life, which says ‘The Church through the initiative of CBCP should develop a comprehensive theology of stewardship…’(Art. 31, sec 1). It has never been done. Will it be done this year? Through you? That is the challenge I am putting on you,” Lagdameo said.
Lagdameo was the convenor of the seminar-workshop on Spirituality of Stewardship (Buhay-Katiwala) held February 13 at the Our Lady of the Reparatrix Center, Tagaytay City.
Lagdameo told participants that the spirituality of stewardship is a common way each one can adopt in accomplishing respective responsibilities, “in the spirit of unity in diversity.”
“Each one of us, each one of you, may consider himself/herself as a steward, steward not only of the bishop-head of the commission, but more importantly of God himself in the work of your commission,” he said.
As stewards, he said, one is not the absolute owner or master of himself and possessions, nor the world of nature and of grace.
He stressed that everything has been received as gift and talent from God.
“We must use them as grateful, accountable and responsible persons, in accordance with the intention or plan of the Divine Owner, to promote the common good and to establish the reign of God in the hearts of men,” said Lagdameo.
Citing the various Commissions’ diverse ministries he encouraged each one to bring the spirituality of stewardship to a wider spectrum according to the Commission’s sphere of activity and influence.
“The Spirituality of Stewardship would then be an overarching value that will provide other related values such as cooperation, co-responsibility, partnership, collaboration, interdependence, solidarity, servanthood and subsidiarity,” said Lagdameo.
He said the spirituality of stewardship would bring a shared approach to the various concerns of the Church.
“Through you, individually and collectively, the Philippine Church will be in a state of stewardship,” said Lagdameo. “This you will do together with the priests, religious and other lay people and of course, with the bishops, who are the primary stewards in their respective local churches,” he added.
Expressions of stewardship include the spending and use of God gifts such as time, talents and treasures for God and neighbor.
The February 13 conference came at the heels of a 4-day journey on the Spirituality of Stewardship attended by over 100 participants from 18 dioceses and 4 Episcopal Commissions.
The two seminar-workshops were facilitated by a team from Socio-Pastoral Institute, in partnership with St. Thomas More Parish in Denver, Colorado.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Manila celebrates world day of the sick on V-day
The Manila archdiocese urged everyone to show their love and compassion to the infirm on February 14, Valentines Day, by attending the archdiocesan mass in observance of the 17th World Day of the Sick.
In a statement, Archdiocesan Health Care Minister Fr. Prudencio Solomon, Jr. asked everyone to encourage the sick to attend the Eucharistic celebration intended for them.
“On this special day, the day of hearts, let us show to our sick brothers and sisters that we truly have a heart and care for them by inviting them to come over especially those who can attend the mass. Let us show our solidarity with them by also making ourselves present in this celebration,” he said.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo will lead the 9 a.m. Eucharistic celebration at the Holy Spirit Parish, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The archdiocesan event is organized by the Philippine Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Archdiocesan Health Care Ministry and Espiritu Santo Parish.
Commemorated every February 11, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the World Day of the Sick was instituted by late Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1992, and since then has been celebrated annually.
In a statement, Archdiocesan Health Care Minister Fr. Prudencio Solomon, Jr. asked everyone to encourage the sick to attend the Eucharistic celebration intended for them.
“On this special day, the day of hearts, let us show to our sick brothers and sisters that we truly have a heart and care for them by inviting them to come over especially those who can attend the mass. Let us show our solidarity with them by also making ourselves present in this celebration,” he said.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo will lead the 9 a.m. Eucharistic celebration at the Holy Spirit Parish, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The archdiocesan event is organized by the Philippine Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Archdiocesan Health Care Ministry and Espiritu Santo Parish.
Commemorated every February 11, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the World Day of the Sick was instituted by late Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1992, and since then has been celebrated annually.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Spirituality on Stewardship seminar opens in Tagaytay
A conference on the Spirituality of Stewardship titled “Journey to Interwovenness—A Cross-Cultural Sharing of Stewardship Experiences Towards Becoming A Community of Disciples, a Church of the Poor” will be held in Tagaytay City on February 9-12.
Over a hundred participants composed of bishops, priests and laity will participate in the 4-day seminar.
Resource persons include Fr. Andrew Kemberling, Pastor of St. Thomas More Parish, Denver, Colorado, together with Ms. Mila Glodava, Ms. Irene Lindemer, Mr. Philip Lindemer and Ms. Sharon Hueckel of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Claremont, California.
Convened by Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, the event is a platform where practitioners of the Spirituality of Stewardship can learn from each other’s practices.
Bishop Julio Labayen, OCD, will act as Conference Secretary while Bishop Broderick Pabillo will be the Moderator of the event.
A corollary seminar will be given to CBCP Commissions’ Executive Secretaries on February 13.
The Tagaytay conference is the sixth in a series of gatherings on the Spirituality of Stewardship, made possible by the partnership of the St. Thomas More Parish and the Socio-Pastoral Institute.
Cebu was the site of the 2003 conference; Pius XII in Manila in 2005; Lucena in 2006; and practitioners gathered twice in Tagaytay in 2008.
Over a hundred participants composed of bishops, priests and laity will participate in the 4-day seminar.
Resource persons include Fr. Andrew Kemberling, Pastor of St. Thomas More Parish, Denver, Colorado, together with Ms. Mila Glodava, Ms. Irene Lindemer, Mr. Philip Lindemer and Ms. Sharon Hueckel of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Claremont, California.
Convened by Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, the event is a platform where practitioners of the Spirituality of Stewardship can learn from each other’s practices.
Bishop Julio Labayen, OCD, will act as Conference Secretary while Bishop Broderick Pabillo will be the Moderator of the event.
A corollary seminar will be given to CBCP Commissions’ Executive Secretaries on February 13.
The Tagaytay conference is the sixth in a series of gatherings on the Spirituality of Stewardship, made possible by the partnership of the St. Thomas More Parish and the Socio-Pastoral Institute.
Cebu was the site of the 2003 conference; Pius XII in Manila in 2005; Lucena in 2006; and practitioners gathered twice in Tagaytay in 2008.
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