Vietnamese people offer prayers, solidarity for quake victims

The centuries-old Baclayon Church after the Oct. 15 quake (Photo: Anthony Vincent Manding)

THE Vietnamese people joined the rest of the world in praying for the victims of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Central Visayas on Oct. 15.

Archbishop Phaolô Bùi Văn Đọc, president of Vietnam’s Bishop Conference expressed sorrow on the calamity that struck Central Visayas, especially Bohol and Cebu, and assured Filipinos of solidarity from the Vietnamese people.

In a message sent to Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president, Bùi Văn Đọc said it was painful for them to hear that just after suffering a devastating typhoon, an equally destructive earthquake will hit the country soon after.

“We are deeply painful to hear that, just after the devastating typhoon “Nari” passing have killed many people and scores of people missing, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocks the central Philippines on Tuesday October 15^th, killing hundreds of people and affecting millions others, destroying many infrastructures,” the letter read.

Speaking on behalf of the Vietnamese bishops and the Catholic people of Vietnam, Bùi Văn Đọc assured the Filipinos “of our closeness in prayer to the many others still experiencing the hardship” and of entrusting those who have died into the “merciful arms of Our Heavenly Father.”

The archbishop also expressed sadness over the “many precious national historic cultural heritage [properties that] have been gravely damaged, including oldest churches of the country.”

Wishing for the nation’s speedy recovery from the devastation, the archbishop also invoked the protection of St. Michael the Archangel for the entire country.

Bishop calls for promotion of IP rights

Photo: CBCP Media

AS the Church commemorates the Indigenous People’s Sunday on October 13, a Catholic bishop called on the faithful to protect and promote the rights of the indigenous people.

Quoting the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCPII), Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez said “Our Indigenous Peoples are among those who should receive our special concern because as the greater majority of our Pilipino society strives to become genuinely sovereign economically and politically, the Indigenous Peoples are losing their freedom and self-determination.”

He noted that the Diocese of Marbel is home to several indigenous communities— B’laan, T’bolis, Tagakaulo, Ubo and Manobo—who possess their “unique cultural tradition and value system.”

However, encroachments on ancestral domain due to mining and other development projects threaten the preservation of the IP’s “cultural tradition and value system.”

Gutierrez, together with other Mindanao bishops have been very vocal in their opposition to mining in South Cotabato because of its negative impact on the life of the communities and the environment.

In a statement released last July by the Episcopal Commission on the Indigenous People (ECIP), the Church agency called for the passage of the Alternative Mining Bill to replace the Mining Act of 1995 and a faithful implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) with the IP Communities with any development project that will affect their ancestral lands, among other things.

The same statement also called for a careful study of the IP educational system that would respect and give due credit to their cultural practices, knowledge system and spirituality.

The group also urged for participation of IP leaders in local governance; resolution of conflicting issues between IP communities and government agencies like DENR, DAR, NCIP and Land Registration Authority (LRA); and respect for the dignity and rights of the IP in their ancestral home especially in cases involving mining, plantation and other related activities.

The theme of this year’s Indigenous People’s Sunday is “Evangelization and Inculturation.”

Church joins Pope Francis in entrusting the world to Mary

THE Philippine Catholic Church joins Pope Francis in solidarity as he entrusts the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, October 13.

In a letter to the Holy Father, Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president, expressed the joy of receiving the news of the pope’s intention to “entrust the whole world to Our Lady of Fatima which is an Act of Filial Entrustment to the maternal care and protection of our Lady of Fatima, Queen of Peace.”

He recalled with the Holy Father the Philippines’ own National Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary last June 8 and said, “we thank you again for your message to us and your Apostolic Blessing on that occasion.”

Bishop Guillermo Afable presents to Pope Francis the icon of "Puso ni Maria, Ina ng Bayang Sumisinta."

Members of the CBCP Ad Hoc Committee of the National Consecration are currently in Rome to take part in the celebration and represent the Philippine Church: Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos diocese, Fr. Yulito Ignacio, Ms. Victoria Borres of Marian Solidarity, Ambassador Merceditas    Tuazon, Ms. Carmela Borres and Mrs. Josie Bantug.

The group presented to Pope Francis  the original icon of “Puso ni Maria, Ina ng Bayang Sumisinta” during the General Audience on October 9 at St. Peter’s Square.

The icon—painted by Fr. Armand Tangi, SSP—was given to the Holy Father as a remembrance of the National Consecration and a sign of the Filipino Catholics' unwavering love and unity with Pope Francis.

On Sunday, the Holy Father will lead in St. Peter’s Square the entrustment of the world to the Immaculate Heart as part of the Marian Day celebration of the Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima.

Hundreds of movements and institutions around the world that highlight Marian devotion are participating in the event.

It will be recalled that Francis’ pontificate, upon his request, was consecrated by Cardinal Jose Polycarp, the Patriarch of Lisbon to Our Lady of Fatima on May 13, her feast day.

The original statue of Our Lady of Fatima from the Little Chapel of Apparitions in Portugal will be brought to Rome for the occasion on October 12 and will return to Portugal on the afternoon of October 13.

Daughters of St. Paul celebrate 75th anniv of foundation in Phl

At last year's launching of the 75th anniversary celebration.

THE Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul (FSP) in the Philippines marks a milestone of its existence in the country with the celebration of its 75^th anniversary on October 13, 2013.

Themed “Celebrating fidelity, counting blessings, reinvigorating service” the anniversary celebration will be an occasion for the Philippine province to look back with gratitude to God and to the many people who have been part of its life since its foundation in the country in 1938.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president, will be the officiating prelate of the jubilee Thanksgiving Mass on October 13 at 9 a.m. at the Queen of Apostles Sanctuary in Pasay City.

Other highlights of the day’s events include a video showing of the journey of the Daughters of St. Paul for the past 75 years, a Pauline concert and a telefest.

Telefest

Noting the popularity of “telenovelas” among Filipino audiences, the FSP sisters launched an initiative dubbed Paulines telefest 2013 to acknowledge and commend the worth-watching “telenovela” and promote the advancement of stimulating and formative broadcasting.

“[Our] aim is to encourage our local scriptwriters and directors to come up with wholesome ‘telenovelas’ which can uplift the moral standards of our Filipino people,” said Sr. Cloth de las Llagas, in charge of Mobile Literacy program of FSP’s Paulines Institute of Communication in Asia (PICA).

Two awards will be given to winning “telenovelas” chosen by the group of jurors—the Jury’s Choice Award and the Pauline Citation Award.

De las Llagas said the Pauline Citation Award will be given based on Christian values that are present in the “teleserye.”

To come out with a winner of the most-watched “telenovela”, a survey in sample population of 3,200 was conducted to find out the most watched telenovela by adults and children between 10-11:30 a.m. and 2:30 – 11:00 p.m. on ABS-CBN, GMA & TV5 in 2012-2013.

De las Llagas said survey results were discussed, analyzed and evaluated by groups of parents and teachers from selected schools in Luzon and group of media educators from PICA.

The FSP nun also said that a Commendation Certificate will be given  to the Cast and  Production Crew of the 3 TV Networks with TV serials that help strengthen family relationships, boost the morale of children, promote search for truth and happiness unoccupied with material pursuit and TV productions that are  value-laden and faith-enhancing.  

Jubilee projects

Since the opening of the jubilee celebration last year, the Pauline sisters have launched various projects and intensified other media activities to commemorate the occasion.

Among the activities are the “Biblia sa Bawat Pamilya” project – biblical animation and diffusion of subsidized Bible to poorest families; reach-out project to street children/juvenile youth offenders/women inmates and poor children of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay area through teaching of catechism and film showing on the bible;  media animation to families, professionals and youth; Bible catechism and seminars on personality development to lay collaborators; and teaching catechism to youth and children, and the elderly of Sta. Rita and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay.

Apostolic initiatives

Numbering almost 200 hundred sisters and 19 communities in various cities nationwide and abroad— in Malaysia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea— the FSP Sisters carry out the work of evangelization through various initiatives using the means of social communications: publishing, media centers, pastoral involvement, media animation and production of AV, radio and TV programs.

Vocations

Although still many young women today continue to show interests in the life inside the convent, the congregation nonetheless experiences a shortage of vocations—a phenomenon that seems to be afflicting many religious institutes in the Church today.

“At the moment, our Congregation in the Philippines is suffering a demographic winter due to the scarcity of vocations and the ageing, sickness and death of members,” Sr. Evangelina Canag, a member of the Jubilee executive committee said. 

“Nevertheless, the apostolic passion has not waned, it is still vibrant, even and especially among elder sisters who have borne the heat of the day,” she declared.

With the media penetrating all aspects of human life, she noted how the congregation’s charism has become ever more relevant today.

She said, “For me, three major challenges stand out for us: first, to be holy, because God does not need our work, he wants us to be intimate with him and reveal his face as the God of love to our brothers and sisters; second, to use all the forms and means of communication, especially the social media, to bring the Word of God, with special attention  to the poor and the ‘far away’, with all the ardour of our being ;  third, to  open our hearts to humility, simplicity  and compassion, so that in our evangelization we will not be self-righteous Pharisees but wounded healers who need ourselves to be saved.”

Founded in 1915 in Alba, Italy, the Daughters of St. Paul is the second of the 5 religious and 5 aggregated institutes established by Blessed James Alberione that make up the Pauline Family. These are the Society of St. Paul, Daughters of St. Paul, Sisters Disciples of the Divine Master, Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd (Pastorelle), Institute of Mary Queen of Apostles; Our Lady of the Annunciation; St. Gabriel the Archangel; Jesus the Priest; Holy Family and the Association of Pauline Cooperators. 

The communities of the Daughters of St. Paul are found in 52 nations across the continents of Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.