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Unlocking youth’s potential through values education

2012-01-15T07:34:00.000+08:00

The youth’s potential in creating an impact in today’s evolving society is immense.

Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 2011 World Day of Peace titled “Educating young people in justice and peace” highlights the important contribution young people can make to bring meaningful changes in the Church and in society. Knowing the young’s great potential and fiery idealism, the pope calls on the youth to use their latent abilities to contribute in the building up of a “more humane and fraternal society.”

The Holy Father stresses the importance of education in unlocking the potential of the young. Educating the youth in justice and peace will lead them to become integral persons, deeply convinced of the value of human life and respectful of the dignity of the human person.

Educating in justice and peace also necessitates educating in truth and freedom. The pope notes that the prevalence of the culture of relativism in society is an obstacle in the effort to educate and form the young in authentic freedom which is vital in the promotion of justice and peace.

With all their idealism and spontaneity, the need to inculcate values founded in justice and peace among the young couldn’t be more significant at a time when the bulging demography of young people is making a mark in a society enmeshed in upheavals fuelled by a sinking economy.

Recent mayhems that happened in some societies across the globe had the youth at the forefront, questioning the status quo and demanding reforms from a leadership that has failed them.

The face of the Arab discontent that begun in Tunisia in late 2010 and has swept the rest of the Middle East was young. The message was clear—today’s young generation, fired with idealism—will not take sitting down a corrupt government and sinking economy that drive millions of citizens to the brink of poverty.

The face of the deadly riot that happened in London in August of 2011 was also young. The protesters were also aiming at the government’s failure to address the plight of the poor and underprivileged. But the extreme violence the picketers had resorted to led many to question the values of these young people who erroneously believed their violent way of protesting—with its disastrous consequences on others—was justified.

A task shared by all

Obviously, the pope has this phenomenon in mind when he said in his peace message that the young can offer new hope to the world if they are educated in justice and peace.

And the task of educating today’s young generation is a responsibility that is shared by each individual as it is the duty of every member of society to teach young people “an appreciation of the positive value of life” and awaken in them “a desire to spend their lives in the service of the Good.”

“It takes a village to raise a child,” an old African proverb says, thus clearly indicating that the task of educating and forming a child is not an effort that can be accomplished only by an individual.

The pontiff, in fact, cited the role of various sectors in society— the family, educators, leaders in the various spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life, and the media— in the formation of young people.

Family as first school

The family—as the basic unit of society—is where the child first learned his or her values and where true education in justice and peace takes place, according to the pope.

But the structure of most families today—especially in the Philippines—is far from ideal. It is all too common for contemporary households to have only one parent present, and in some instances, not even one, because both parents are working abroad. The social costs have been tremendous, as the absence of one or both parents from their children’s lives has taken a toll on the psychological and emotional ability of children to cope positively with challenges they may encounter in life as they grow up.

Various studies have shown that adolescent children seem to be the most affected by the separation. Although regular remittances from an overseas parent assure financial stability and a comfortable lifestyle, the absence of the affective and moral influence of parents led some teens to fail in school, experiment on drugs and early pregnancy.

Fully aware of the sacrifices that parents make to be able to provide a better life for their children, the pope urges them not to get discouraged, exhorting them to teach their children “by the examples of their lives to put their hope before all else in God, the one source of authentic justice and peace.”

Educators take on the role

In the absence of both parents, who takes on the role of providing guidance to children? From whom and where the young can learn the values that would shape them as persons of character? Here, we have our extended families, and outside the home, the church and other institutions can pitch in the formation of the youth.

Especially mentioned in the pope`s message are educators who have direct responsibility over the formation of children outside the home. Here, the pope calls on educators to become authentic witnesses to young people, whom they are “leading to move beyond themselves and introducing them to reality, towards a fullness that leads to growth.”

Outside the home, educators assume the role of second parents to children whose full potential as a human being they are responsible to help develop— to enable the young to contribute productively in the building of a caring and compassionate society.

The pope stresses that educational institutions have “to ensure that the dignity of each person is always respected and appreciated” and that children “can receive an education that does not conflict with their consciences and their religious principles.”

Aside from educators, the pope also mentions political leaders who are also asked to provide concrete support to families and educational institutions in their duty to educate. And on top of that, political leaders ought to provide the young a clear idea of politics as an authentic service to benefit the public.

Naturally, the role of the media in education has been singled out as well by the Holy Father. He said the function of the media is not merely to inform but also to form the minds of audiences, hence, “it can make significant contribution in the education of young people.”

We live in an era where every movement or decision we make is influenced by the media. More than anybody else, perhaps it is the youth who are most impacted by the media’s allure, whether in terms of embracing a particular lifestyle, obtaining technological knowledge or acquisition of digital gadgets.

Setting the same standards for themselves

The responsibility of educating does not only rest on the shoulders of the teachers but on the learners as well. So the young should also take charge of their education and apply to themselves the same yardstick that they require for others.
Being youthful, young people tend to hold on their ideas aggressively and be impulsive in their actions.

Dispensing fatherly advice, the pope invites the youth to be “persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the tide.”

The Holy Father encourages young people to remain steadfast in the face of difficulties and “not be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, [and] choose the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication.”

“Dear young people, you are a precious gift for society. Do not yield to discouragement in the face of difficulties and do not abandon yourselves to false solutions which often seem the easiest way to overcome problems… Be confident in your youth and its profound desires for happiness, truth, beauty and genuine love! Live fully this time in your life so rich and so full of enthusiasm.”

‘Be aware of your potential’

In the same way that the young can look up to adults as role models, the pope says the youth can also set themselves as examples and inspiration to adults, as they “seek to overcome injustice and corruption and strive to build a better future.”

“Be aware of your potential; never become self-centred but work for a brighter future for all. You are never alone. The Church has confidence in you, follows you, encourages you, and wishes to offer you the most precious gift she has: the opportunity to raise your eyes to God, to encounter Jesus Christ, who is himself justice and peace.”

Blessed John Paul II—also known as the youth’s pope—was the first pontiff in history to acknowledge the potential of the youth in enriching the Church with their zest for life and fervour in living the faith. His special affection for young people inspired him to establish the World Youth Day in 1984, a global youth gathering that brought incredible impact on the status of the youth within the Catholic Church.

In similar fashion, Pope Benedict XVI inspires young people with his encouraging counsels. In his message for the 26th World Youth Day held in Madrid last August, he rallied young people to remain steadfast in their faith amid the “culture of relativism” creeping in society, declaring that the Church depends on them.

“[The Church] needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope," the pope told young people in his 2011 WYD message. "Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God."

A peacemaker needs to be compassionate

As peace can only be attained through the joined efforts of everyone, the youth, like anybody else can become a peacemaker and a promoter of justice according to their particular capability.

But to become true peacemakers, the pope says it is necessary to educate oneself in “compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution.”

The pope urges the faithful to sincerely work for the attainment of peace in the world.

“Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace,” the Holy Father says.

Young people offer new hope to the world, pope says

2012-01-01T08:09:00.001+08:00

Highlighting the contribution young people can make in the society marked with growing discontent due to the crisis happening in the world of labor and economy, Pope Benedict XVI said the young can offer new hope to the world if they are educated in justice and peace.

The pope said he is convinced that the young people, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can contribute in the building of a more humane society.

With education as theme, the pope’s message for the 45th World Day of Peace on January 1 also stressed the role of parents, educators, leaders in the various spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life, as well as the media in forming the young in the values of justice and peace.

“Attentiveness to young people and their concerns, the ability to listen to them and appreciate them, is not merely something expedient; it represents a primary duty for society as a whole, for the sake of building a future of justice and peace,” the pope said in his message titled “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace.”

He said it is the task of every member of society to teach young people “an appreciation of the positive value of life” and awaken in them “a desire to spend their lives in the service of the Good.”

Citing the young people’s participation in various demonstrations across the globe calling for societal change, the pope said the young people’s concerns revealed their desire to look to the future with solid hope.

But he also noted that faced with many problems in and outside the home, young people are unsure of their potential to contribute in the transformation of societal structures.

“At the present time, they are experiencing apprehension about many things: they want to receive an education which prepares them more fully to deal with the real world, they see how difficult it is to form a family and to find stable employment; they wonder if they can really contribute to political, cultural and economic life in order to build a society with a more human and fraternal face,” the pontiff said.

Family as first school

Pope Benedict XVI said that the family is the first school where the young are formed in values and trained in justice and peace.

He said that the parents are the first educators from whom children learn the human and Christian values that shape their character as persons.

But he also noted the challenges facing modern families today, saying that “we are living in a world where families, and life itself, are constantly threatened and not infrequently fragmented.”

He said the efforts of parents to provide an adequate livelihood for their children often lead them to “working conditions that are often incompatible with family responsibilities,” that sometimes deprive the young of their presence.

“This presence makes it possible to share more deeply in the journey of life and thus to pass on experiences and convictions gained with the passing of the years, experiences and convictions which can only be communicated by spending time together,” he said.

Urging the parents not to get discouraged, the pope exhorted them to teach their children “by the examples of their lives to put their hope before all else in God, the one source of authentic justice and peace.”

Other sectors share the task

The Holy Father also called on educators of their responsibility to ensure that the young be accorded the dignity they deserve and help them develop their God-given gifts.

“May they reassure families that their children can receive an education that does not conflict with their consciences and their religious principles,” the pope said.

Reminding political leaders of their task to provide assistance to families and educational institutions, the Holy Father asked them to “give young people a transparent image of politics as a genuine service to the good of all.”

He also appealed to media to make a significant contribution to the education of young people by not only informing but also forming the minds of their audiences.

But even as he called on various sectors to help the young people, the pope also reminded the youth that “they too are responsible for their education, including their education in justice and peace” and that they should also find “the courage to live by the same high standards that they set for others.”

Be steadfast

He encouraged young people to remain steadfast in the face of difficulties and “not be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, [and] choose the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication.”

In the same way that the young can look up to adults as role models, the pope said the youth can also set themselves as examples and inspiration to adults, as they “seek to overcome injustice and corruption and strive to build a better future.”

“The Church has confidence in you, follows you, encourages you and wishes to offer you the most precious gift she has: the opportunity to raise your eyes to God, to encounter Jesus Christ, who is himself justice and peace,” the pope said.

He further urged the faithful to sincerely work for the attainment of peace in the world.

“Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace,” the Holy Father said. (CBCPNews)

Be vigilant like Mary—bishop

2011-12-28T09:15:00.001+08:00

A Catholic bishop urged his flock to place their trust in the maternal guidance of Mary in the face of uncertainties and fear spawned by proliferation of crimes around them.

Daet Bishop Gilbert Garcera, in a pastoral letter, exhorted the faithful to imitate the example of Mary, saying that “God will continue to lavish us with His choicest blessings through the powerful intercessions of Mary, our Mother.”

“Like Mary, we are being called to be vigilant lest evil forces overwhelm us. As a popular adage would put it ‘For evil to triumph, it is enough that good men do nothing’,” Garcera said.

“She guides and protects us as we tread the treacherous roads of this world that seek to draw us away from Jesus,” the bishop added.

Garcera noted that reports of a number of crimes committed within the province have been spreading in the past months sowing fear in people.

“Some of us must have experienced personally these crimes that disturbed our peace and our sense of security in the province of Camarines Norte,” he said.

The province has recently had a spate of robbery and murder targeting business establishments and businessmen.

Mining sites in the province particularly in the towns of Paracale, Jose Panganiban and Labo had also its share of violence and killing.

Garcera urged the people to do their share “in working for peace in our province and in our country by being pro-active.”

“Let us join hands with our local government and the different law enforcement agencies in driving away the dark clouds of evil from our midst so that justice and peace will reign once more in our locality,” he said.

“It seems that ours is a time that is constantly buffeted by the stormy winds of greed, violence and the unbridled quest for riches and power,” the bishop added.

The pastoral letter, released in time for the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary on January 1 and the World Day of Peace reiterates a previous papal message to ask Mary’s intercession for peace, especially where violence is rampant.

Garcera said the Filipinos’ devotion to Mary has reaped numerous benefits on the people.

He said this devotion is also manifest in the local Church of Daet, saying that the Vatican approval of the canonical coronation of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria during the closing ceremonies of the quadricentennial celebrations of the diocese’s first three parishes was in itself a distinctive gift that highlights the people’s love and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

As the diocese aims to accomplish two events for 2012 to revitalize the spiritual life of the faithful, Garcera hopes that the said occasions “will bring us closer to God’s plan for us.”

The diocese will celebrate in 2012 the Year on Liturgy which aims to bring the faithful to worship God “with more dignity and solemnity.”

Another event is the reorganization of the Parish Pastoral Councils and the Parish Finance Councils “to become more effective and efficient in responding to the peculiar needs and challenges of the present times.” (CBCPNews)

Bishop calls for communal action to protect environment

2011-12-28T03:13:00.000+08:00

A Catholic bishop urged people to look deeply into the issue of environmental destruction that contributed greatly to the tragedy that struck the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

Iligan bishop Elenito Galido called for a communal action to protect and preserve the environment from further destruction.

Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were the two cities worst hit by typhoon Sendong in a flash flood that killed thousands and left hundreds missing.

“We must do more, as a community, to be in solidarity and work intensely to protect and preserve our environment,” the bishop said.

He lamented how greed pushed some people to illegally cut down trees all “for a quick gain.”

“Quarrying and mining indiscriminately also contributed to the destruction of nature. Loads of garbage are clogging our water ways. These are all man’s work so we suffer from nature’s wrath,” he added.

Even as he grieves for the sufferings and the loss of lives of many, the bishop also lauded the generosity of people in helping the victims.

“I am also consoled by the fact that this calamity has brought out the best in people, sharing generously their resources and efforts in whatever way they can to alleviate the suffering of the victims,” Galido said.

The diocese has put up an assistance center at St. Michael’s Cathedral to receive donations for the victims.

“I ask all our parishes, schools, organizations, and basic ecclesial communities to give the needed assistance or contribution to the victims,” the bishop added.

He also asked the people to continue to help and pray for the victims

“As they journey forward to rebuild their lives, they need strength and hope which can come from our help and most especially from God,” he said.

“My heart goes out to the suffering survivors of this terrible tragedy even as I deeply condole with the families whose loved ones perished. I commend their souls to the God’s mercy and I also pray that many more will be found alive and rescued,” Galido further said.

On December 17, flash floods triggered by large amount of rainfall brought by Typhoon Sendong submerged most barangays of Iligan City.

Worst hit were communities from San Lorenzo Parish that left several hundreds dead and hundreds more missing. (CBCPNews)

Bishop blames illegal logging, mining for flash floods

2011-12-24T15:39:00.001+08:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma has blamed illegal logging and irresponsible mining activities for the massive flooding that submerged Cagayan de Oro and neighboring towns at the height of Typhoon Sendong, December 16.

Illegal logging and mining activities have caused the degradation of the environment and the siltation of the river bed, said the archbishop in a pastoral letter released December 21.

“The continued hydraulic flush mining along Iponan River has likewise caused widespread flooding of the Canitoan-Iponan areas of the city,” he added.

Ledesma said it is important to boost the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council to protect and conserve Cagayan de Oro’s river system, “our most precious natural resource after our human resources.”

Earlier, multi-sectoral groups led by Ledesma has petitioned President Benigno Aquino III to create the Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council that will oversee the protection of the city’s watershed area.

The resolution urged Aquino to prioritize the completion of the River Basin plan and to mandate the immediate coordination among responsible agencies and officials for its finalization.

“We also encourage the President to certify as urgent the pending legislative measures in Congress regarding the creation of the said River Basin Management Council and to implore the members of Congress to hasten the passage of such bill into law, which is tied to the adaptation strategy which is embodied in the national climate change action plan which the President signed last November 24, 2011,” the resolution partly read.

The entire river basin area of Cagayan de Oro River extends to the northwestern part of Bukidnon and surrounding areas. (CBCPNews)

Archdiocese helps re-build lives in the face of grief

2011-12-24T15:34:00.001+08:00

CHRISTMAS is a time of rejoicing, but for thousands of families in Cagayan de Oro City, it’s a time of grief, of rebuilding lives and homes.

With thousands of families huddled in evacuation centers, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is faced with the great challenge of helping families re-build their lives and homes after rampaging flash floods destroyed properties and killed many.

In a pastoral letter, Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma expressed solidarity with the victims saying that the tragedy has indeed brought intense sorrow for everyone.

“[But] even as we grieve with those directly affected by this tragedy, the challenge for us now is to help re-build the lives and broken homes of the survivors,” he said, adding that “evacuation centers are slowly being organized in the distribution of relief goods – in particular, water, food, medicine, mats, blankets, etc.”

The archbishop lauded volunteers and organizations who have shared their time, energy and resources to help the victims.

He said social workers and parishes affected by the floods have collaborated with government agencies in running the evacuation centers in the City Central School, West City Central School, Macasandig, Bulua, Kauswagan, Iponan, and others.

The city’s 14 centers have been providing shelter and basic needs to more than 7,000 families and 43,000 individuals.

Ledesma said the longer-term challenge is to help these families re-build their present homes or re-locate to safer grounds.

Earlier, President Benigno Aquino has visited the areas battered by the typhoon and declared a national state of calamity. He also instructed city officials not to allow any family “to return to extremely dangerous areas.”

Ledesma said that almost everyone in the city has lost some relatives or personal friends in the tragedy.

“Schools have lost some students and staff; officemates have not reported because of the condition of their homes; and a number of unidentified bodies still await a dignified burial in a common resting place,” he said.
The sudden rise of flood waters evening of December 16 have caught people unaware. Many lost their lives, either trapped by rising flood waters inside their homes or washed away by rampaging waters.

Floating bodies were retrieved in nearby towns, with many still unaccounted for.

As of Friday morning, death toll from the floods has reach 1,080, based on the data released by the National Disaster Coordinating Council. (CBCPNews)

Mindanao bishops reject Tampakan mines; urge govt to protect people’s interests

2011-12-17T14:11:00.002+08:00

Three Mindanao bishops called on the government to protect and promote the interest of the people and not of mining companies.

Kidapawan Bishop Romulo dela Cruz, Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Guetierrez and Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable, in a collective statement, urged for protection of the environment and promote sustainable development.

The prelates reiterated their opposition to the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project of London based XSTRATA/SMI, which has a $5.6 B worth of mining investment in the country.

Mining will bring irreversible damage to the environment, the bishops stated, as they call for a moratorium from mining activity.

They added that they are particularly concerned of “the biodiversity and the last remaining forest, livelihood, food security, health and of the poor communities both of the IPs and the down-stream communities.”

Bishop Dela Cruz said he is not convinced “that the good which can be expected of the project will outweigh the harm it brings to man and nature alike.”

The prelates also called on authorities to respect the indigenous people’s right to self-determination. The Tampakan project is situated on ancestral lands belonging to B’laan communities.

Fr. Rey Ondap, a Passionist priest who works at the Catholic Mission on Indigenous Peoples, said that because of strong opposition from IPs to the project, “tensions are prevalent.”

The alleged harassment of the military in the IP communities prompted Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez to urge concerned parties to “avoid the escalation of violence.”

The bishops also denounced the country’s skewed mining policies which favor foreign investors to the detriment of the environment and the people’s health and livelihood.

They argued that after many years of mining the country’ minerals, only hazardous waste will be left to the Filipinos.

“The countries metallic minerals will be all gone and our laws only [required] pitiful taxes [from the company], but its destruction of the watershed, protected areas and agricultural zones are irreversible,” the bishops said.

XSTRATA/SMI is only required to pay the government a 2% excise tax and other local taxes during its operation.

But the bishops said the taxes “which the mining companies are boasting are all fictitious because of its very minimal contribution of the mining industry to the Gross National Product (GNP).”

They also pointed out that the Tampakan Copper and Gold Project go against President Benigno Aquino’s seven strategic priorities to combat climate change, namely: 1) food security, 2) water sufficiency, 3) ecosystem and environmental stability, 4) human security, 5) climate smart industries and services, 6) sustainable energy, and 7) knowledge and capacity development.

“Above all, it goes against the Philippine Constitution which declares as a state policy “to promote healthy and balance ecology,” they added.

With a life span of about 17 to 20 years, the XSTRATA/SMI Tampakan project will extract around 6.375 tonnes of copper (375, 000 tonnes per annum) and 6.120 million ounces of gold (360, 000 ounces per annum of gold) in concentrate.

For his part, Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable voiced his concern on the impropriety of constructing facilities like fresh water dam and tailings dam at the Mal River Catchment, noting that these huge storage facilities are directly under criss-crossing fault lines.

His apprehension was seconded by the reviewer of the EIS of the company saying that “[t]he Tampakan mine has a high potential for loss of life and high environmental damage if a failure of Dams or Rock Storage facilities occurs.”

The bishops’ statement also noted that “the $76M Environmental Impact Assessment cost of the XSTRATA/SMI is not enough to study the impact of mining on this one of the most bio-diverse area comprehensively. It still leaves five general impacts that are not adequately answered: 1) the displacement and resettlement of onsite households, 2) the loss of onsite forest lands and biodiversity resources, 3) the diversion of surface and groundwater for the use of the mine and the displacement of existing in-stream and off stream users, 4) the acid drainage, spillage, leakages, overflows and the pollution of natural water source; 5) the risks of a tailings dam failure or collapse.

On November 9, the prelates sent a letter to the President asking for a meeting to discuss the issue of “open pit mining that is very destructive” because it is situated “in the heart of Quezon Mountain Range and at the heart of our forest and watershed,” but they did not receive any reply on the request.

The three dioceses of Kidapawan, Marbel and Digos have gathered some 108,424 signatures to back up their campaign against the mining project.

The CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) submitted the signatures to Malacanang on Dec. 14.

Bishop tells govt: promote and defend human rights

2011-12-10T11:54:00.000+08:00

Being at the service of the people, government officials are duty bound to promote and defend human rights, a Catholic bishop said.

As public servants, government officials must have as their goal the common good and not their own personal gain, said Jaro Auxiliary Bishop Gerardo Alminaza.

Alminaza, who is also head convenor of Visayas Clergy Discernment Group made the statement in anticipation of the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, also celebrated worldwide as International Human Rights Day.

Denouncing the culture of death and impunity, he noted how justice has remained elusive to the victims of human rights violations.

“We condemn the extra-judicial killings, whose latest victims in Mindanao include our brother priest Fr. Fausto Tentorio and peasant leader Ramon Batoy. The culture of impunity hounds us, as two years after the Maguindanao Massacre, justice remains elusive,” the statement partly read.

Alminaza said social doctrines consistently promote and defend the dignity of the human person and denounce human rights violations because “a just society can become a reality only when it is based on the respect of the transcendent dignity of the human person.”

He pointed out that without justice, peace will remain elusive because “peace is the fruit of justice.”

“We are then reminding concerned groups and institutions that peace is not a mere absence of war. Rather, a peaceful society is fulfilled through the defense and promotion of human rights,” he said, quoting Church documents.

The prelate also said that “human rights include the people’s right to development,” citing environmental destruction, landlessness, homelessness and joblessness, as some of the social problems that keep many people from living a dignified life worthy of a human person.

“We assert that economic development which is a right of all people, necessarily includes environmental protection,” he said.

He stressed the need for government to respect the rights of the people because peace is not possible if there is a continuous violation of human rights.

Nat’l Youth Day to pursue role in social change

2011-11-10T08:49:00.000+08:00

THE upcoming celebration of the National Youth Day highlights the potential of the youth to contribute for change amidst social problems confronting church and society today, an official of the Catholic Bishops Conference said.

Fr. Conegundo Garganta, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth said NYD 2011is also a challenge for church leaders to recognize the need to prioritize concerns affecting young people today.

PCP II tells us that the Church acknowledges and recognize that there has to be a preferential option for the youth, Garganta said.

“[But] the question here is: have we really reached that stage or level that we can claim that we have placed our priority for them?” he asked.

He said the national event is also an invitation for bishops, priests and religious to place more priorities in ministering to young people, seeing that the young people is a significant component of church and society.

Agents for change

Garganta added that the youth can become catalysts for change.

“I feel they are only waiting to be able to share more and to contribute more to be responsive to issues that affect the church and society as a whole,” the priest said.

He believed that the youth on their part, wants to be acknowledged and given opportunity to be heard, have their views respected and be taken as part of shaping the society or community.

“We train them, we prepare them, but that it is still to be seen in terms of how we really allow our young people become active members [who are] really shaping and forming a community that is responding to the call of the gospel,” Garganta said.

The priest said there has to be “a mutual expression of this need from our young people and from those [who are] tasked to lead them.”

Each has to complement one another, so that the gifts that our young people have― their dynamism, enthusiasm, fresh ideas―will be put to good use, Garganta explained.

Social issues highlight NYD

Among the issues NYD will tackle are the many social concerns that affect today’s youth, such as drug addiction, out of school youth and gender issues, Garganta said.

The priest said the gathering will also stress on the youth’s capacity to respond to issues that would have impact on them, one of which is the reproductive health bill.

Although local dioceses already came up with their own statements on the RH bill, the NYD delegates are expected to draw up a unity statement that would support the church’s stand on the issue.

Evangelizers to fellow youth

The youth event will also give attention on the need for our young to be evangelized and become evangelizers to their fellow youth.

That’s the rationale behind the foster family program of the NYD, according to Garganta.

“It is our desire that the delegates truly benefit from their stay with their host families, not only to be evangelized but become evangelizers themselves, through their encounter and interaction with the foster families.

The NYD has three-day catechesis that would include workshops and sharing with respective host families.

Garganta explained that the sharing is part of the program as it is structured. He said the whole-day catechesis from November 15-17 will end at 6:30 p.m. to give time for family sharing.

“This is quite a challenge because we would like our delegates to hold to that goal that enough time will be spent significantly with the foster families,” he said.

Doubly significant

The NYD celebration this year is doubly significant as it is celebrated during the celebration of the Year of the Youth as proclaimed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

All dioceses have been given 50 slots each but can send more delegates if they wish.

To date 3,329 delegates have already registered but Garganta said they are expecting around 6,000 participants for the gathering.

The delegates will be equally distributed in six festival sites in the metropolis: Mary Help of Christians in Parañaque, Miraculous Medal Shrine in Sucat, Don Bosco in Tondo and Mandaluyong, Claret School in Quezon City and St. Joseph Parish in Las Piñas.

The culminating highlight of the NYD event will be the awarding on November 18 of youth ministry award or John Paul II award to outstanding youth ministers and youth organizations across the country.

Interfaith prayer held to mark 25th anniv of Assisi peace-dialogue

2011-10-30T21:45:00.001+08:00

Catholic groups and representatives of various faith traditions gathered for an interfaith prayer in observance of the 25th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace.

Held last October 27 at Quiapo’s Plaza Miranda, the gathering was also in solidarity with Pope Benedict XVI who called for a day of reflection and dialogue in Assisi to commemorate the first historic meeting that happened there 25 years ago.

In October 1986, Pope John Paul II convened the celebrated gathering of various religious leaders in Assisi for a day of prayer and fasting. The late pope had called for a united voice among various religions while respecting each other’s diversity and “to proclaim that peace is both necessary and attainable.”

Fr. Carlos Reyes, the Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue (ECID) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on each faith tradition “to walk the path of peace as pilgrims, to reflect, pray and fast for justice in our world, and to dialogue with one another in an effort to discover creative ways to build mutual understanding and common aspirations for peace.”

“Following the example of St. Francis, dialogue entails employing one’s whole being in this task, listening, and speaking kindly to accept the other, whoever he may be, and welcome him as he is in himself with his convictions and actions, and calling for reciprocity,” Reyes, who led the event’s organizing committee, said in his closing remarks.

The inter-faith prayer began with the offering of a symbolic lighted lantern while representative groups prayed or chanted a prayer for peace.

Groups came from indigenous Tuklas Katutubo, mainline protestants from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i,Hare Krishna followers, Muslims and Roman Catholics.

Those present in the inter-faith prayer committed themselves to work for “peace based on the teachings of their respective religions; …[defend] the basic human rights and dignity of all persons of every race, belief, culture; …declare that peace is based on justice and forgiveness; reject and abhor all forms of intolerance, be it religious, cultural and gender related; [and] …condemn violence committed in the name of God or religion and declare that it is incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion.

The participants also offered prayer for peace in Mindanao and the victims of armed conflict in the region.

Also present during the gathering were Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim; Monsignor Gabor Pinter, the Charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature; Alfonso Tagliaferri, the Charge d’affaires of the Italian Embassy; and Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio, the rector/parish priest of Quiapo Church.

Organizers of the event together with ECID were Silsilah Dialogue Movement (Manila); Focolare Movement; Peacemakers’ Circle; Religions for Peace; and the Ministry of Ecumenical and Inter-Faith Affairs of the Archdiocese of Manila.

PNoy urged to end violence against indigenous peoples

2011-10-30T21:35:00.000+08:00

A human rights leader called on the Aquino government to end the violence perpetrated against indigenous peoples.

Judy Pasimio, executive director of Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center urged President Benigno Aquino III to stop the state of impunity under his administration.

Mining companies should be made accountable for human rights violations, Pasimio said in a statement, urging Aquino to review the government’s skewed mining policy that tramples on human rights and brings irreversible destruction of the environment.

Pasimio lamented that mining has slowly become “synonymous to violence,” as many advocates have been murdered because of their strong stance against mining.

On October 14, Datu Roy Gallego, a Manobo chieftain in Surigao del Sur was killed in an ambush. Gallego, who was also a broadcaster, was a known anti-mining tribal leader.

Last October 17, PIME missionary Fr. Fausto Tentorio, a strong defender of the lumads and known for his anti-mining stance was also gunned down by a motorcycle-riding assassin.

Pasimio noted that the murder happened just few days after Aquino approved the mining companies’ proposal to allow the formation and funding of militias for their protection, at a time the nation celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Month.

She rued Aquino’s apparent ignorance of the human rights violations suffered by rural communities in the hands of private armies that protect big business like mining and logging.

Aquino’s decision to allow mining corporations to have their own paramilitary units for their protection can be taken that [he is] for mining and against those who oppose it, Pasimio said.

It is appalling, she added, that the indigenous people like Datu Gallego and those who support their struggles, are militarized and killed for defending their rights to their territories.

“[While] mining companies, which pose grave threats to the environment, the livelihoods of the peoples, the integrity of the communities, and to the lives of those who defend these, are given protection by the Aquino government,” Pasimio said.

“This should not be allowed to happen. Not anymore,” she stressed.

She urged for the enactment of an alternative mining bill, saying it “will seriously address the issues being raised against current mining operations and the government’s mining policy” that favors mining corporations.

“Mr. President, it’s time now to listen not to the people who funded your presidential campaign, but to those who actually voted for you,” Pasimio added.

Rizal province holds youth climate summit

2011-10-21T17:00:00.001+08:00

Around 100 youth leaders in Rizal province gathered to discuss the basic concerns of climate change and to find a way to respond effectively to the challenge of climate crisis.

Dubbed as Provincial Climate Youth Conference, the event was organized by the Rizal Provincial Government in partnership with Antipolo Youth Alliance, Climate Change Commission and The Climate Reality Project.

Although the youth can hardly be blamed for the climate crisis the world is experiencing, they are the ones who will suffer the future consequences of climate change, according to Rodne Galicha, Country Manager of Nobel Laureate and former US Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Reality Project (TCRP).

“They feel inconvenient and they see the need to act and pressure the elder ones to be true [to] their commitments and responsibilities for the present and next generation, hence, climate justice for the young ones,” he stressed.

As inconvenient youths, the young generation’s fresh understanding of the basic science of climate crisis and its impacts will lead to a unique force of change to make their future convenient in harmony with the environment, Galicha continued.

For his part, Rizal Governor Casimiro Yñares III dared the youth to take active roles in the community to respond to the challenges posed by the global climate crisis.

"I hope someday, you will take active roles in the community in collective steps in combating the adverse effects of climate change by responsibly using your skills, zeal and creativity," he said in his opening message.

The governor expressed hopes that the young generation of Rizaleños will serve as unique changing force to face the climate crisis.

According to Mark Lester Delgado, an officer of the Antipolo Youth Alliance (AYA), a large percentage of Rizal population is composed of youths which can work together, take action and make a change for a better future.

“The young people of Rizal have significant roles to play in the climate issue because they are one of the most vulnerable yet active and dynamic to help building disaster resilient communities,” he said.

The youth conference also served as a prelude for the upcoming national youth gathering that will seek for the formulation of a national climate change youth agenda.

“This event is an opportunity for the young people to voice out their opinions, perspectives and sentiments on what has been happening and what needs to be done to solve the climate crisis,” Pebbles Sanchez of Climate Change Commission (CCC) said.

Ms. Loraine Gatlabayan, of CCC’s Division Chief for Information and Knowledge Management, who also graced the event, stressed that youth climate advocacy is a priority of the Commission thus its willingness to support climate change initiatives of the youth.

“We encourage other provinces in the country to replicate Rizal’s provincial climate change conference and the Climate Change Commission is willing to assist,” she said.

The climate change conference served as venue for young people to talk about the climate realities and challenges of the province.

Next month, a series of activities that will lead to a national event as part of the observance of the National Climate Change Consciousness Week will be launched by the Climate Change Commission, The Climate Reality Project, government agencies and non-government organizations.

For more information on the national conference, please contact the Climate Change Commission’s Pebbles Sanchez:pebbles.sanchez@climate.gov.ph

Church leaders, groups urge Aquino to halt extrajudicial killings

2011-10-19T16:42:00.000+08:00

In snowballing protests against the seeming inaction of government to halt the spate of killings, church leaders and groups called on President Benigno Aquino to act decisively and put a stop on extrajudicial killings and bring to justice perpetrators of the crime.

The recent murder of PIME priest Fr. Fausto Tentorio has once again revealed the “culture of impunity” that has been prevailing in the country because of the government’s failure to provide protection and justice to human rights defenders, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said in a statement.

Pabillo, who also chairs the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace, hit the government’s failure to bring murderers to justice.

He said families and friends of victims need more than just the government’s offer of “condolences” and “condemnation” of the crime.

“Families and friends [of victims] don’t need these futile words,” Pabillo pointed out, adding that “we desire to see these killings stop than be consoled by the platitudes they give in exchange of our grief.”

“No peace workers and human rights defenders should ever live in fear or shed blood because of what they believe in and what they stand for,” he added.

Tentorio was shot eight times by an assassin on October 17 as he was getting into his pick-up truck parked at the Mother of Perpetual Help Church compound in Arakan, North Cotabato.

Fr. Pops, as Tentorio was called by the locals, was a staunch advocate against mining and other extractive operations that threaten the indigenous people. He had been an inspiration to his parishioners as wells as the lumads who have been opposing activities that are harmful to the environment.

For his part, Jaro Auxiliary Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said Fr. Tentorio’s senseless killing “must wake us up in our slumber and passivity.”

“How many more people should die before we unite in putting an end to this culture of impunity?” he lamented.

Alminaza, head convenor of Visayas Clergy Discernment Group, in a separate statement called on the Aquino government to bring justice to Fr. Tentorio and other victims of human rights violations.

The Aquino government should distinguish itself from the previous administration, Alminaza said.

“Otherwise, its slogans of "straight path" will remain empty,” he added.

Fr. Tentorio’s murder, Alminaza said, is another number added to the more than 50 victims of extra-judicial killings since President Benigno Aquino III took office.

“His death strengthens our resolve to continue Christ’s work in building a society of justice and peace, even if it means giving the ultimate sacrifice for the common good,” the bishop said.

Meanwhile, the Good Shepherd Sisters of Mindanao and the RGS-WJPIC Mindanao Network also denounced the killing, calling it an “affront to peace.”

In a statement, the group called on the Aquino government “to stop the political killings in this country, to cease the operation of Oplan Bayanihan and to put an end to impunity and bring to justice the countless victims of extra-judicial killings.”

“We challenge the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Justice to conduct immediate investigation and prosecution of those responsible for this cowardly act,” the statement read.

Urging all Filipinos to join the Church-led “Justice for Father Fausto Tentorio Movement”, the group said the action will “release the flood gates of justice and integrity.”

“Fill the streets with marches and songs, prayer vigils, candle lighting and drum the beat for truth to come out free and victorious,” the group further said.

Fr. Fausto has served the diocese of Kidapawan for the past 33 years.

As a rural missionary and as an anti-mining advocate, he helped and worked with the indigenous peoples in opposing the operation of large-scale plantations and mining which would harm them. As a human rights advocate, he joined in calling for justice for slain human rights workers and farmers in Central Mindanao in 2002.

Despite threats to his life, he fearlessly persisted in the work for justice and peace. His martyrdom, in the words of Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI of the Archdiocese of Cotabato, will “fan the daring and courage of those who care about peace and justice enough to sacrifice themselves.”

Other church groups including the NCCP, Philippine Misereor Partnership, Promotion of Church People`s Response (PCPR) and KALUMARAN, a group of indigenous people in Mindanao, joined the Catholic Church in condemning the senseless killing of Tentorio while demanding the Aquino government to stop the extra-judicial killings of human rights defenders.

Govt urged to protect indigenous communities, not mining companies

2011-10-18T20:50:00.001+08:00

A group that advocates empowerment among marginalized people has called on President Benigno Aquino III to repeal his approval for mining companies to organize its own armed units to protect its operations.

The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center Kasama sa Kalikasan / Friends of the Earth - Philippines (LRCK-KsK/FoE-Philippines) in a statement on October 16, said it is the indigenous people and rural communities who are in need of government protection from violent attacks, and not mining corporations.

“We are demanding from President Aquino to make a break in the cycle of violence that has marked government policies and actions in the past. Do not use the rebel attacks against mining operations in Claver as an excuse to again escalate conflict and violence in ancestral domains and rural communities,” the group said in a statement.

The president has recently approved proposal of mining companies to create their own Special CAFGU Armed Auxiliary (SCAA) units to secure their operations.

On October 12, Aquino sanctioned the deployment of paramilitary units to protect mining companies after forces of New People’s Army attacked mining operations at Surigao del Norte, killing three private security guards.

Amnesty International in a statement said the Aquino government should withdraw the plan of deploying militias noting that CAFGU’s (Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Units) has a long history of human rights violations in the country.

It stressed that it would be on the government’s responsibility if human rights violations are committed by militias “which the military has trained, equipped and deployed, even if they are securing private interests of mining corporations.”

For its part, the LRKC said the president’s approval of mining militias violates the rights of indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination inside their ancestral domains.

The indigenous peoples’ continued resistance against mining operations on their ancestral lands has sparked violence and death among leaders in the community.

The deployment of military units in 2008 in Compostela Valley by then President Arroyo after a gold processing plant was attacked by NPA rebels led to the harassment and displacement of hundreds of indigenous people in the area.

Similar instances of violence involving paramilitary units had been reported even before as in the case of Sibuyan Councilor Armin Marin who was killed by a security guard in 2007 during a protest against nickel mining in Sibuyan Island.

Other anti-mining advocates who met their death in the course of their struggle against mining include Eliezer Billianes who led campaigns against the Swiss Xstrata Tampakan Gold Copper Project, and was killed in a public market in 2009.

Ricardo Banad who had opposed the Mindoro Nickel Project of Norwegian Intex Resources was killed in his house in 2010.

In January this year, Dr. Jerry Ortega who denounced mining in Palawan was killed by hired killers; while in March, Rudy Segovia, another anti-mining advocate was gunned down in a road blockade set up in protest of TVI Resources Development (TVIRD).

The group said that even without the government sanction of deploying militias in mining areas, environmentalists and human rights defenders have been killed.

Approving their deployment “would be tantamount to formalizing mining related human rights violations,” they stressed.

“Again we urge President Aquino to put an end to all this violence, prioritize the protection of indigenous peoples and rural communities and work to give justice to mining related human rights violations,” the group stated.

“It is also time for government to end facilitating and protecting corporate plunder of the environment at all costs in exchange for a pittance in government revenues. A new Minerals Management Law must be enacted to replace the conflict causing Mining Act of 1995,” they further said.

Mining firm’s withdrawal of application a victory for the people—Church group

2011-10-15T18:11:00.000+08:00

The recent withdrawal of a mining firm of its application to explore the island of Romblon is a victory for the people who continue to fight for human rights and integrity of creation, an ecumenical group against mining said.

The Romblon Ecumenical Forum Against Mining (REFAM) said the victory of the people is only the beginning of a life-long commitment to protect the island from the threats of environmental degradation.

Mining firm Ivanhoe Philippines has earlier withdrawn its application for a mining exploration of the island according to a letter sent to Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

In a letter dated September 30, 2011 to the MGB, Ivanhoe Philippines President Leo S. Deiparine said the company’s board decided to withdraw its applications “based on Tablas as a low priority exploration target for Ivanhoe Philippines and the strong opposition of the local politicians for the approval of our applications.”

REFAM’s convenors Msgr. Nonato Ernie V. Fetalino, a Roman Catholic priest and Bishop Ronelio Fabriquer of the Philippine Independent Church both called for the scrapping of Mining Act of 1995.

The group is seeking for the enactment of a new law that would rationalize the mining industry, “protect and promote human rights and establish No-Go Zones, based on alternative minerals management bills lodged in Congress.”

The mining advocates said they are right into “the middle of a spiritual battle against greed and corruption” and they will continue the fight to “defend the integrity of creation and human rights.”

Meanwhile, local officials and residents in the island also lauded the withdrawal of the mining application in the province.

Romblon Representative Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona said he received a copy of the letter dated October 11, 2011 from MGB-IVB Regional Director Roland de Jesus informing him of the withdrawal.

“It is indeed the unity and strong opposition of the people of Romblon against mining which resulted to the withdrawal of the application for exploration permit of Ivanhoe Philippines. This is a giant step towards a mining-free Romblon,” he declared.

Madrona has recently filed House Bill 4815 in Congress declaring the province of Romblon a mining free zone.

Meanwhile, Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo stressed they will continue their fight to preserve the healthy ecology of the island. He has earlier issued an Executive Order declaring an indefinite ban on metallic mining in the province.

“The power of the people and the political will of the leaders with the help of the civil society and religious sector clearly manifest the strong position of the province. We will continue to defend the right of our people to a balanced and healthy ecology,” he said.

Ivanhoe Philippines is a subsidiary of Canada-based Ivanhoe Mines. The company’s application to do mining exploration in the island has created uproar among the local community, especially the indigenous people who will be displaced if the exploration goes through.

More than 15,000 hectares in Tablas island that span the municipalities of Odiongan, San Andres, Calatrava, San Agustin, Sta. Maria, Alcantara and Looc have been eyed for exploration of gold and copper.

Pauline Sisters launch 75th jubilee celebration

2011-10-15T10:57:00.000+08:00

The Daughters of St. Paul launched the 3-year preparation of its diamond jubilee celebration of foundation in the Philippines in 2013 with a Holy Mass celebrated Thursday at the Sanctuary of Queen of Apostles in Harrison St., Pasay City.

Presided by Masbate Bishop Jose Bantolo, the Holy Mass was concelebrated by Manila Archdiocese Vicar for Religious, Fr. James Perry, MM and several priests from the Society of St. Paul.

Attended by members of the Pauline family, benefactors and friends of the congregation, the Mass began with the processional entrance of some sisters carrying cultural symbols that represent the various Pauline communities in the country and its year of foundation.

A simple reception followed after the Eucharist. The celebration was capped with a musical concert with the University of the East Chorale and the Pauline choir as performers. With Elsie Eranista of the Madrigal Singers conducting, the Pauline choir was accompanied by Alejandro Consolacion II at the organ, and Franz Miguel Ramirez playing the oboe.

Themed "75 Years Celebrating Fidelity, Counting Blessings, Reinvigorating Service", the launch of the 3-year preparation was done simultaneously in all 13 communities of the Pauline sisters throughout the country.

Various activities are lined up during the three-year preparation leading to the celebration of the jubilee in 2013, according to Sr. Evangelina Canag, a member of the core group of the jubilee executive committee.

Among the activities she mentioned are the target diffusion of 75,000 thousand bibles to families, conducting of bible studies and lectio divina on the word of God, bible enthronements at homes, publication of pamphlets on the thoughts of Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Pauline family and publication of books on the life of the pioneer sisters in the Philippines.

She also mentioned some other activities that have social impact but are still to be threshed out, like planting trees for the environment and feeding and teaching catechism to children.

First Philippine foundation

The Daughters of St. Paul founded its first community in Lipa, Batangas when a group of three Italian Sisters arrived in the country in October 13, 1938. The house in Lipa now serves as the novitiate where young sisters preparing for consecration undergo training and study of religious life.

Since then, the congregation has branched out to different regions across the country and founded communities and media centers in Pasay, Manila, where the central house, apostolic centers and pre-novitiate house are currently located; Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu, Baguio, Tuguegarao, Legazpi, Naga and Marikina, which also serves as the Juniorate House where Junior sisters pursuing their theological studies at Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City, stay.

The Daughters of St. Paul, whose main charism is evangelization through the means of social communication, are second among the 10 religious and secular institutes founded by Blessed James Alberione, an Italian priest beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 27, 2003.

Pinoy joins Al Gore in online global campaign on climate change

2011-09-18T05:59:00.000+08:00

A Filipino environmentalist took part in a global campaign via internet on the reality of climate crisis and how the change is impacting the earth and lives of people.

Rodne Galicha, Executive Director of Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for Environment, joined former U.S. vice-president Al Gore and 22 others in delivering multi-media presentations to show the connection between the changing climate and the extreme weather that is felt around the world.

Galicha gave a presentation on the impact of climate change on the Solomon Islands to an online audience of about 2.6 million people.

At the beginning of his presentation, Galicha paid tribute to the indigenous peoples, saying he recognized “the indigenous peoples of the world who have been inspiring us all, who have been maintaining the balance of this planet.”

During the presentation, Galicha showed the solar panels in a research facility in Laguna, the e-jeepney and the effects of typhoon Ondoy in the country.

“If we are unable to act, with this phenomenon, we are committing suicide, for the next generation. Homo sapiens now become the most critically endangered species of all time,” he said at the conclusion of his presentation.

Called 24 Hours of Reality, the global campaign was broadcast live over the internet on Sept. 14-15 by Ustream, and can be viewed at http://www.climaterealityproject.org

Galicha is one of the 11 Filipinos trained personally by Al Gore to conduct presentations on climate change, and currently serves as The Climate Reality Project District Manager in the Philippines.

The 24 Hours of Reality campaign featured scientists, celebrities, business leaders and concerned citizens together with Al Gore.

Presenters showed the impact of climate change, characterized by extreme weather events—including floods, droughts and typhoons—on many places across the globe, from Tonga to Cape Verde and Mexico City to Alaska.

The campaign was hosted by Gore’s The Climate Reality Project in partnership with various organizations throughout the world that are working to find solutions to help solve the problem of climate change.

In the Philippines, presenters led by Galicha have delivered more than 300 presentations in the span of three years and have reached a combined audience of 50,000 to 60,000 people.

The Philippine presenters are the only authorized people in the country who can officially present the updated slideshow of Gore on climate change.

The other presenters, aside from Galicha are Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, Chief, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO); Miguel R. Magalang, Executive Director of Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC); and Gilbert Roland M. Sape, International Campaigner of Pesticide Action Network – Asia Pacific (PAN-AP) who were trained in Melbourne, Australia in July 2009.

Another presenter, Bro. Jaazeal D. Jakosalem, OAR Administrator of University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos (UNO-R) was trained in Beijing, China in June 2010.

Five more presenters were trained in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2011. These were Dr. Maria C. Balatbat, Senior Lecturer at the School of Accounting, University of New South Wales, Australia; Fr. Amado Emmanuel A. Bolilia, OAR, Vice President for Religious Affairs at University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR); Philline Marie Paye-Donggay, Communications/PR of Greenergy; Napoleon E. Paris, Regional Coordinator of Tuklas Katutubo (Discover Indigenous Peoples); Shiela Castillo-Tiangco, Co-Founder, Movement of Imaginals for Sustainable Societies through Initiatives, Organization and Network (MISSION); and Noel N. Verdote, Director of PhilEnergy, Ayala Property Development Corporation (APMC).

Civil society groups renew call for Sierra Madre’s preservation

2011-09-18T05:44:00.001+08:00

A network of environmentalists and civil society groups renewed its call for the protection of the biodiversity of Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

The call was made during the official launch of the network’s Save Sierra Madre Day celebrations on Sept. 9.

Fr. Pete Montallana, chair of the Save Sierra Madre Network (SSMN), in an earlier statement, expressed alarm on the fast disappearing biodiversity of the mountain ranges due to rampant logging and other human activities harmful to the preservation of the mountain rainforest.

SSMN represents Dumagat tribes and other indigenous peoples, local communities, environmentalists, faith-based organizations, and other forest protection advocates.

“What is disturbing is that Sierra Madre’s biodiversity-rich rainforest, which enables the mountain range to shield much of Luzon from raging Pacific storms, is fast diminishing due to rampant logging, quarrying and other developmental aggressions, such as dam, landfill and garbage dump projects,” Montallana has previously stated.

The priest, who was a recipient of Fr. Neri Satur Awards for Environmental Heroism, stressed the importance of weeding out corruption within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), citing the “unholy alliance” between corrupt DENR officials and illegal loggers.

President Benigno Aquino III has declared September 26 as Save Sierra Madre Day through Proclamation No. 233 signed on August 10, 2011.

The September 26 celebration of Save Sierra Madre Day coincides with the anniversary of Typhoon Ondoy that claimed numerous lives and destroyed properties due to heavy flooding.

Last February 1, the president also issued a logging moratorium in natural and residual forests through Executive Order No. 23.

SSMN members in Metro Manila area are planning to have a Mass and other activities on September 26 in Marikina City, one of the most affected areas by Ondoy.

Members based in Quezon, Bulacan, Rizal, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija will be holding tree-planting activities, thanksgiving masses, and a mountain-climbing trip in their own provinces.

Rich in biodiversity, the Sierra Madre is the largest remaining tract of rainforest in the country with about 1.4 million hectares, 400,000 of which are primary or old-growth forests.

The forests contain more than 3,500 plant species, more than half of which are endemic or unique to the Philippines, and at least a hundred of which are endangered.

It is also home to about 70 threatened animal species which include the Philippine eagle, golden-crowned flying fox, and pygmy forest frog.

Church, workers urge govt to create just labor policies

2011-09-16T21:12:00.003+08:00

Church people and workers called on government to put an end to exploitative working conditions and create just labor policies that give workers their right to security and decent living.

In a conference held by Church People and Workers Solidarity in Cebu City on Sept. 12-15, church people and labor leaders threshed out through a series of testimonies and workshops the problems of unjust labor policies in the country.

Participants came out with a statement at the conclusion of the four-day convention stressing four primary concerns of Filipino workers—contractualization, unjust wages, the violation of workers’ right to organize and migration of Filipino workers.

“Ignoring its inherent immorality, the legalization of contractualization allows capital to violate the workers’ basic right to security. Regular employees are now terminated summarily and then coerced to re-apply as contractual laborers together with new applicants, in total disregard of their many years of service,” partly read the conference statement which participants formulated at the end of the four-day convention.

The group decried the practice of contractualization which “deprives workers of the benefits of tenure and prevents them from organizing themselves into legitimate labor unions.”

They said the system is identical to a “modern version of slavery, with contracting agencies simply replacing the slave traders of old.”

Highlighted with excerpts from Catholic Church’s social teachings, the statement also denounced the practice of certain companies to ask workers “to sign vouchers certifying that they are paid the minimum legal wage, when in fact, they have received less, under the threat of termination.”

It also criticized the present government’s anti-labor policies citing its pro-capital stance as in the case of PAL vs. PALEA labor dispute.

The statement likewise noted that both past and incumbent administrations have done nothing much but to encourage more the continuous outflow of migrant workers because of lack of domestic opportunities.

“Focused on increasing the remittances to prop up a failing economy, the government has put in place exploitative labor policies to avoid facing up to the basic need of generating employment for its citizens. The social cost of forced migration to Philippine society is equally staggering,” it further read.

Among other things, the statement also recommended the establishment of the Church People and Workers Solidarity “as a permanent organization to serve as an instrument to assist workers in their struggle for dignity and rightful recognition as partners in the pursuit of peace and progress in the country; to task current convenors to serve as the transitional leadership body charged with defining and establishing the needed organizational structures for the new group; and to mandate the transitional leadership group to formulate and develop programs and services that the CWS would undertake in behalf of workers.”

CWS convenor and Jaro Auxiliary Bishop Gerardo Alminaza read the statement on Sept. 15, together with some representatives from Religious women and labor leaders during the closing Eucharistic celebration led by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

The church people and workers conference was convened in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical on Human Work (Laborem Exercens).

Bishop: Women, environmental issues inadequately addressed in Church teachings

2011-09-16T21:07:00.000+08:00

A Catholic bishop expressed hopes that other significant social issues in contemporary society would be addressed in the Catholic Church’s canon of social teachings.

Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo on Tuesday stated that he hopes other vital issues such as the status of women and environmental concerns will be included in the future in the list of Church social doctrines.

“The role and status of women in society and in the church has not been addressed adequately and remains a significant limitation of catholic social doctrine,” Lagdameo noted.

He said that despite the importance of catholic social teaching in the light of the contemporary church, still some other matters which report further development are yet to be included in the Church’s canon of teaching.

“An encyclical on the environment has not yet come out ever, is overdue even though some move has been made in this direction by the current Pope Benedict XVI,” he said.

Lagdameo stated that the main purpose of the Catholic social doctrine has been anthropocentric and not environmental.

And yet, he said, “we have actually been created by the environment and we create our environment.”

The former CBCP president was the keynote speaker during the opening plenary session of the national conference of church people and workers being held at the Mariners Court in Cebu City.

He affirmed before 800 participants of church people and workers that it is part of the Church role to be the voice of the poor in the face of injustice and oppressive structures.

“[The Church] cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice,” Lagdameo said, quoting a line from Pope Benedict XVI’s celebrated encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.

Lagdameo quoted extensively from Church social documents highlighting the Church’s position on the dignity of labor and rights of workers.

He explained the development of the Church social documents from Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum that dates back to 1891, a seminal encyclical on Labor and Capital, up to Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens published in 1981.

The social encyclicals, beginning from Rerum Novarum underline the Church’s “preferential option for the poor”, “the primacy of labor over capital”, and the task of the Church to fight injustice as an essential part of evangelization.
Lagdameo said, “what is now known as catholic social teachings develop organically.”

“That’s the reason why I tried to enumerate some of the magisterial statements because you have to look at the social doctrine organically. Each document drew upon and affirmed what precede it but also added to and develop the teaching. Given this it is important to point to consistent values and principles within this tradition,” he said.

“We are not lacking in the tradition of social teaching… what is lacking is to fill it up,” he added.

Lagdameo expressed hopes that the Church continue to live up to the tradition of the social teachings which evolved in 1891 “into this new century and continue to push the boundaries of faith to incorporate the big issues to the future.”

Noting that the social teachings have been rarely discuss in “Church circles”, these also rarely “informs decision making and action, at least explicitly,” Lagdameo said

“The Catholic social teaching has been referred to oftentimes as the catholic church’s best kept secret. It is Church teaching that is rarely preached about in our pulpits, rarely written about and rarely spoken about in Church circles. Consequently in rarely informs decision making and action, at least explicitly,” he said.

“Now is a good time to reclaim this tradition, and to allow it to become a benchmark for the seeding out of the powerplay in today’s world,” Lagdameo furthered.

Church can’t stay neutral in the face of injustice—bishop

2011-09-16T21:03:00.001+08:00

Echoing the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo stressed the role of the Church as the voice of the poor in the face of injustice and oppressive societal structures.

“[The Church] cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice,” Lagdameo said, quoting a line from the pontiff’s celebrated encyclical, Deus Caritas Est.

Speaking before 800 church people and workers gathered at the first plenary session of the National Conference of Church People and Workers in Cebu City’s Mariners Court, Lagdameo quoted extensively from Church social documents highlighting the Church’s position on the dignity of labor and rights of workers.

He explained the development of the Church social documents from Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum that dates back to 1891, a seminal encyclical on Labor and Capital, up to Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens published in 1981.

The social encyclicals, beginning from Rerum Novarum underline the Church’s “preferential option for the poor”, “the primacy of labor over capital”, and the task to fight injustice as an essential part of evangelization.

Positively pleased by Lagdameo’s address, Sr. Emelina Villegas, ICM, Board President of labor NGO, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, noted that the Church has indeed been adapting to the changing issues of society.

“I am glad because the Archbishop presented the history of the encyclicals in a developmental manner – how the Church is adapting and responding to the changing issues that confront society. Although still reactive, the Church is somehow able to cope with our changing reality. With this, my hopes are renewed and I can see that concrete action will result from this [conference],” she said.

For his part, Kilusang Mayo Uno National Chairperson, Elmer Labog said he agrees with the Archbishop’s message that the Church must not stay neutral when there is injustice.

“In these times when connivance between capitalists and the government is ever inflicting more suffering to workers and the poor, there is no room for neutrality [for the Church]. Because if the Church will be neutral, then the workers have no one else to run to and the Church might be more easily swayed by reactionary forces.”

Valid calls for just remuneration

Former Anakpawis Partylist Representative Joel Maglunsod who also attended the conference said that learning about the Church teachings on the value of labor and human work puts Anakpawis in a high moral ground to further their calls and legislative agenda for just remuneration, security of tenure, and protection of workers’ rights and freedoms.

“The teachings of the Church only validates that the proposed bills of Anakpawis are just and legitimate in the same way that these bills were aligned with International Covenants and the 1986 Constitution,” he said.

Why only now?

The conference came at the time of the Church’s commemoration of the 30th year of anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Laborem Exercens.

Lagdameo voiced out what perhaps many of the workers have been wanting to ask the Church for a long time.

“What we are doing now—a national conference—why only now? After 90 years of social teachings of the church, why only now? After 30 years of Laborem Exercens, why only now? And until when?” Lagdameo asked to the wild applause of the participants.

"We are not lacking in the tradition of the social teachings, what is lacking in us is to fill it up," he said.

He nonetheless noted that other social issues such as the environment and the status of women in the Church and society need to be included in the canon of social doctrines.

Reacting to Lagdameo’s question, on why it is only now that the Church has organized a conference such as this, Labog said that it is always better late than never and the move of the Church to reach out to the workers is still a welcome development.

“We hope that this conference will result to concrete steps that will truly help the workers in organizing and forming unions. Forming church people-worker groups in economic zones in Mactan, Cavite, Mindanao and some parts of Central Luzon will be of utmost help as workers in these areas experience severe exploitation and oppression,” he said.

At least 33 dioceses and archdioceses and around 200 union and association of workers nationwide have sent delegates to participate in the historic dialogue that ended Thursday.

Filipino seafarers: Nation’s ‘heroes’, exploited workers

2011-09-08T11:10:00.002+08:00

Filipino seafarers keep the economy afloat with billions of remittances annually.
But what keeps the government from enacting laws that
would provide them security and protection?

Globally, the Philippines holds the distinction of being called the “manning capital in the world”. Of the 1.23 million of seafarers of various nationalities manning the world’s ocean-going vessels, 28 % are Filipinos. Filipino seafarers, like their fellow land-based overseas workers have been hailed time and again by the Philippine government as “heroes” for helping the economy stay afloat through billion of pesos of remittances they send back home annually.

But the connection ends there. Unlike their fellow land-based OFWs, whose basic rights are protected by Republic Act 10022, or the expanded OFW protection law, the seafarers have basically nothing to shield them from exploitation and human rights violations they often experienced at work.

While the global impact of the shipping industry has led governments of various nations to craft an international law that provides safety and protection to millions of seafarers manning the ships that ply in the world’s oceans, the Philippine government until now has not passed a single law for the protection of the Filipino seafarer.

International laws for seafarers

In 2006, the International Labour Organization has adopted the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) aimed to provide protection to the world’s 1.2 million seafarers. The landmark agreement provides for the minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship. It also spells out conditions of employment; accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering; health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection; and compliance and enforcement.

The MLC 2006 is actually a consolidation and updating of several international laws related to maritime industry in the last 80 years. The convention is expected to be fully implemented in early 2012, as it has already reached the “required registered ratifications of members with a total share in the world’s gross tonnage of ships of 33 percent.” (http://www.ilo.org/global)

Although the convention specifies that at least 30 members that have a total share of 33% of world’s gross tonnage of ships should have ratified the convention before it is fully implemented, the 33% requirement was fully met by only 16 member-states (see table below) that already ratified the convention.

Irony

Touted as a leading supplier of seafarers to the world, the Philippines ought to have been the first one to jump at the opportunity to ratify a landmark document that would ensure protection of its seafarers plying the world’s oceans.

Ironically, until now the government is silent about the matter. Not even both houses of Congress have passed a single law aimed to protect the rights of seafarers despite cases of exploitation and labor malpractices they are exposed to.

The Apostolate of the Sea in the Philippines, an international Church-based organization that provides practical and pastoral care for seafarers is urging government to act swiftly in protection of the seafarers by ratifying the MLC 2006.

Fr. Paulo Prigol, CS, the AOS National Director says the national government was very quick in crafting a bill to protect the rights of OFWs, (land-based) but so slow in the case of seafarers.

“Isn’t it an irony that the largest and the leader supplier of seafarers in the world is nowhere to be found in the MLC radar?” he asks.

Another convention that is waiting to be ratified by the Philippine government in favour of the seafarers is the Seafarers Identity Document (SID) Convention, (2003, No. 185), that has been in full force since February 9, 2005. The SID Convention was adopted by ILO during its 91st session in 2003. To date, only 19 countries so far have ratified the SID convention.

Implications

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center had resulted in some countries applying stringent measures in its international ports, requiring seafarers to have a visa in every port they docked. Since Philippines is not a signatory to the SID convention, Filipino seafarers whose ship calls port in Brazilian shores are not allowed to go on shore leave.

Prigol says the Brazilian Federal Police may only allow Filipino seafarers to go on shore leave provided they have a “visa 5” which they must secure before departing the Philippines. A single entry visa costs P5,500.00 or around US$130.00.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has tasked concerned agencies like DOLE (Department of Labor and Industry) and DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) to advise all manning agencies in the country to require Brazil-bound Filipino seafarers to secure the proper visa before leaving for Brazil. Meantime, AOS gets an assurance from DFA that the government is working towards ratification of ILO C185.

Pinoy seafarers favoured over foreign counterparts

Back in 1975, the Philippines was considered as the number one supplier of seafarers in the world. At present, seafarers from other nations like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Greece, Indonesia and India work side by side with Filipinos in manning the world’s ocean-going vessels.

But compared with other nationalities, Filipino seafarers are still the most sought after maritime workers in shipping industry across the globe. Among other qualities, Filipinos’ facility of the English language puts them ahead of other nationalities who are also vying for the same job.

Prigol said Filipinos are still the most preferred seafarers by foreign maritime companies mainly for two reasons.

"Because they speak English, and they are well trained," he said.

But Teodoro Dalaguan, a seafarer from Surigao who presently stays at Stella Maris Center in Ermita while waiting to be deployed, believes that it is their industriousness and dependability that give Filipinos an edge over their foreign counterparts.

Hundreds of thousands of contracts processed annually

Each year, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) deals with hundreds of thousands of contracts of seafarers.

In 2009 alone, the POEA has processed 435,115 contracts of seafarers but only 330,424 seafarers were deployed in the same year.

“It means that 105,091 were not able to find a job,” Prigol says. “That’s a daily average of 290,” he furthers.

On the average, around 903 seafarers leave the country everyday to board their ships docked in other countries.

Regular deployment

One of these regularly deployed is Nelson Pimentel, a 45 year-old bachelor from Cebu City. A Marine engineering graduate, Pimentel first boarded a ship in 1988.

Pimentel says it was relatively easy during his time. He did not have to wait long to get onboard. He worked as an apprentice in an inter-island vessel after graduation. After a short stint, he went to Manila and applied in an international shipping company. He believes his experience as an apprentice helped him land a job at once.

“During my time, only few were taking up this course (marine engineering), but now many are already taking up this course,” he says.

In his 23 years as a seaman, Pimentel has worked in 25 ships. Like everybody else, he started from the lower ranks and worked his way up. He started as an oiler with a monthly salary of US$600. He is now a third engineer and gets a salary of US$4,500 a month.

Officers have an advantage than the ratings since they don’t have to wait too long for deployment. In the case of Pimentel, this year he was on leave for barely two months. His ship called port only last June and he went onboard again just last month.

But for the ratings (ordinary seamen), waiting time for the next deployment sometimes stretches from six to seven months due to stiff competition, according to Pimentel.

He says the salary they get for working seven months onboard a ship sometimes is just enough to cover the expenses they incur during months of waiting time for the next deployment.

Although the current shipping company he works for pays relatively well, he nonetheless admits that his job is difficult and demanding. He discloses that he has been injured at work a few times, and their ship once was almost overtaken by pirates.

Piracy attacks

Piracy attacks is rife along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in Africa, mostly carried out by Somali pirates, who make a living out of attacking ships and holding seafarers captives in exchange for hefty ransom.

According to the Piracy Reporting Centre of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), as of August 18, 2011, reported cases of piracy attacks worldwide has reached 314, while hijacked ships totalled 31. In these piracy attacks, 178 has been carried on by Somali pirates, who successfully hijacked 22 ships and taken 362 seafarers as prisoners while killing seven others. Currently, Somali pirates are holding 18 vessels and 355 hostages.

With Filipino crews manning 51,000 of the world’s maritime vessels, it is expected that every ship taken hostage by pirates have Filipinos in it. Based on latest data released by DFA on 11 June 2011, 78 Filipino seafarers are on board of 8 vessels still held in captivity by pirates.

With the increased cases of piracy through the years, seafaring has become a dangerous trade not only in terms of human cost but financial as well. In the span of four years, from 2006-2010, around 542 Filipino seafarers had been hijacked aboard 45 vessels, as reported by DFA. Of these, 461 had been released on board 39 vessels. In 14 April 2011 report, 155 Filipino seafarers remain hostage by pirates.

Just this year, news of a Filipino seafarer killed by Somali pirates along the Indian Ocean hit the headlines. Farolito Vallega, whose ship M/V Beluga was hijacked by Somali pirates on January 22, 2011, was killed when a rescue mission was launched a few days after.

Last May, another Filipino became a casualty of piracy attacks. Christopher Ceprado who worked as a crew of tanker M/T Sea King, was also killed when their ship was attacked by pirates in Benin.

The piracy attacks come with a “high price” to pay not only in terms of financial ransom, but also in the psychological, emotional and physical trauma that the seafarers and their families have to endure for a long time in life.

Policies that work

A magna carta for seafarers has been introduced in the Senate a few years ago, but until now, lawmakers have not acted on it. In the light of the recent tragedies, lawmakers in both houses of Congress are pushing for a law that would ensure equal protection for seafarers especially those who have fallen victims to piracy.

Just over two months ago, President Benigno Aquino III has issued Proclamation No. 183 giving due recognition to the invaluable contribution of the seafarers to the country’s economic development.

The presidential proclamation signed on June 3 by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. seeks to recognize and acknowledge the important role of Filipino seafarers in the “global maritime community.”

“The Conference of Parties, under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), that adopted major revisions otherwise known as the 'Manila Amendments' to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for seafarers and its associated Code that was held in Manila from 21-25 June 2010 approved a resolution declaring every 25th Day of June each year as the “Day of the Seafarer,” the proclamation stated.

But what does this one-day recognition mean or impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of seafarers who have to contend daily with threats of piracy and other physical dangers while toiling out there at sea?

More than just paying them lip service, the Philippine government should put in place aggressive maritime laws that would ensure the safety and protection of seafarers from exploitative working conditions and physical dangers they are exposed to while working onboard ocean-going vessels.

The nation’s unsung “heroes” who keep the country’s economy on the roll by their P3 billion remittances yearly deserve more than just a day of recognition from their government that is supposed to provide livelihood to its people and protect its citizens from exploitation.

Half a million pilgrims attend WYD opening Mass

2011-08-18T17:11:00.000+08:00

MORE than half a million pilgrims coming from various countries across the world packed Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles as the celebrations of 26th World Youth Day officially opened with a Mass on August 16.

The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, presided the inaugural Mass, concelebrated by bishops and priests participating in the WYD, while Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Laity president Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko welcomed the delegates.

The pilgrims, hundreds of thousands of whom arrived a week earlier to participate in the Days in the Diocese (DID) events across Spain, are housed in various schools, parishes and public facilities in the city of Madrid.

Of the more than half a million delegates participating at the WYD celebrations in Madrid around 3,000 are Filipinos, according to www.madrid11.com, the official website of WYD 2011.

But the official delegation of the Philippines, registered under the name of ECY-Philippines of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Youth, has only 425 delegates under its care.

Other Filipino delegates attending the WYD are registered in the name of their respective groups outside of ECY-Philippines.

Reports also said that many Filipino youth living abroad who are attending the WYD, may have registered Philippines as their country of origin, which consequently has added to the number of delegates listed under Philippines.

WYD celebrations

In the capital, WYD pilgrims were given their official WYD backpack that contains the week’s schedule of activities, official ID, map of the city, a pilgrim’s guide, Bible, catechesis book “YouCat”, food stubs, transportation passes and some WYD memorabilia like WYD official beer, t-shirt, hat and fan.

Aside from the main WYD events that include catechesis sessions, welcoming the pope, and other spiritual exercises, the week-long celebration also offers WYD pilgrims the chance to participate in cultural programs that include watching plays, visit to museums and touring historical sights in Madrid.

The celebration will culminate with an overnight vigil with the Pope at Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome on August 20 and an early morning Mass on August 21.

Year of the youth

For the Filipino youth participating in the WYD celebrations, the event is profoundly meaningful as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth and the proclamation of 2011 as the “CBCP Year of the Youth” by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Bishop Nereo Odchimar, in a pastoral letter addressed to the young people lauded the ECY on the great progress it has made in youth ministry even as he acknowledged that there is still much to be done, especially in reaching out to those who are “still outside the reach of the Church.”

He urged for integral formation for those involved in youth ministry as well as to pursue programs that would address various issues related to spiritual, moral and social development.

Odchimar lauded the youth’s involvement in the various mission of the Church saying that through their God-given talents young people can make a difference in society and in the world.

He also appealed on various sectors in the Church and society to make this year of the youth significant to the young by providing them a “meaningful and fruitful” existence.

CBCP Statement at the Senate Hearing Regarding the Problem at the CCP Art Exhibition

2011-08-16T17:32:00.001+08:00

Honorable Members of the Senate:

We thank you most deeply for inviting us to help you craft better legislation on the matter concerning the Art Exhibition at the Cultural Center in the Philippines. The particular exhibit in question has been the subject of widespread condemnation especially by our lay Catholic faithful and by other Christian denominations.

1. Our position is simple and straightforward. This position has to do with the moral limits of the freedom of expression. What the legal limits may be we do not presume to suggest, although we also believe that what is legal should first of all be moral.

2. We hold that no human freedom is absolute. Human freedom is a gift of God and has corresponding responsibilities to (a) the moral law of God; (b) to the rights of others; and (c) to the common good. These responsibilities are the triple test for the just exercise of human freedom.

3. When the exercise of human freedom defies the moral law of God or violates the rights of others or militates against the common good of all, the act would be objectively unjust or immoral.

4. In the particular case of some of the art installations exhibited recently at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the exercise of human freedom for the sake of art is subject to moral criteria. To be just or moral, the artistic expression of human freedom must respect the religious symbols of various religions, especially those that are most sacred to them, whether the religion be Islam or Christianity or Hinduism or Buddhism. Disrespecting them by artistic portrayal would be a form of objective desecration of religious symbols. This is especially true for visual art which is a powerful instrument of public discourse. Ars pro gratia artis (art for the sake of art), therefore, has moral limitations.

5. In the same way that we condemn sinful acts but do not condemn the sinner, we condemn such artistic portrayal as objectively immoral; but we do not necessarily condemn the person of the artist who may not be aware of the objective immorality of his action.

We respectfully suggest that the crafting of a law that covers freedom of expression through art include the corresponding responsibilities for the exercise of human freedom.

Once again we express our profound thanks to you for inviting us to this forum and for the privilege of being of some help to your work of legislating for the common good.

For and in behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,

Most Rev. JOSE S. PALMA, DD
Archbishop of Cebu and
Vice-President, CBCP
16 August 2011

SC asked to issue injunction on mining operations in Zamboanga

2011-08-11T15:56:00.002+08:00

A group of indigenous people has filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to issue an injunction on mining operations in Zamboanga Peninsula.

In time for the observance of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples on August 9, the Subanen people have asked the SC to issue the Writ of Kalikasan to end all mining activities in Zamboanga Peninsula.

Mario Catanes, Chairman of TUPUSIMI, an organization of Subanen people, said they will never allow any form of mining to destroy their ancestral lands.

“As a Subanen, we do not want that our ancestral domain which is the source of everything that we need will be destroyed. Our ancestral domain supplies us with everything that we need. It provides us with fresh air, medicines, clean water and healthy food. And all of these, along with our culture will be lost because of mining,” he said.

Catanes led other concerned groups and individuals from Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur and other parts of Zamboanga Peninsula in filing the petition.

The Writ of Kalikasan is a Special Civil Action provided under the Rules of Procedure of Environmental Cases promulgated by the Supreme Court in April 2010 to achieve a quick and effective resolution of environmental cases.

The court order protects the right of any individual, organization or any public interest groups “to a balanced and healthful ecology” that is being violated, or threatened with violation that could bring environmental damage prejudicial to life and property.

Jesus S. Catamco Jr. Vice-Chairman of the Alliance for the Integrity of Nature (ASIN) and one of the petitioners, disclosed that application for mining permits in the area has been unabated since 1997.

“Since 1997 until now, mining companies did not stop on applying for mining permits despite our strong opposition to their entries to protect and defend our homes, livelihood and food base,” he said.

“We are here in the Supreme Court today to do so, Subanen, Moro and Christian tribes in unity for this cause,” he added.

Various government agencies like the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau), PAWB (Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau), NCIP (National Commission for Indigenous People) and several mining companies were named as respondents in the petition.

The petition alleged that, “by allowing mineral extraction in almost all the upland areas of Zamboanga peninsula,” the government agencies named as respondents, “ have callously impaired or threatened to impair petitioners’ right to ecology. Because of their wholesale mining grants, mountaintops will definitely be ultimately scraped or bored hollow, valleys will be filled with quarried earth and raised, rivers and creeks that supply water into downhill communities for their domestic, agricultural and industrial uses will be polluted or will run dry.”

The petition further stated that a 2008 data from the MGB showed that the total land area subject to and opened for mining in Zamboanga Peninsula was 703,595.33 hectares, accounting for 45.25% of its total land area. However as of March 2011, one hundred and seventy (170) mining tenements already entertained or otherwise approved involving a total of 808,269.09 hectares, which is about 51% of peninsula’s land mass, the threat to the environment has become very real rather than merely apparent.

Zamboanga peninsula is comprised of the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga-Sibugay. It also includes the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan of Zamboanga del Norte and Pagadian City of Zamboanga del Sur.

The petitioners also asked the court to issue a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to stop the DENR and MGB from processing, granting and issuing mining permits in any part of the country and to halt mining operations in the peninsula until all environmental concerns raised in the petition have been sufficiently dealt with.

The peninsula’s rich bio-diversity, including Mt. Pinukis, Mt. Mediau and other mountains is being threatened by large-scale mining, according to the group.

Aside from Catanes’ group, other petitioners include organizations such as Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. (PEJC) and Alliance to Save the Integrity of Nature, Inc. (ASIN), as well as individuals like Bishop Jose Recare Manguiran of Dipolog Diocese, Sultan Maguid A. Maruhom and Jerry S. Espinas, member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sindangan. They were represented by Atty. Benjamin A. Cabrido, Jr., a Cebu-based environmental lawyer from PEJC.

Boholanos write own Catechism book

2011-08-10T18:33:00.000+08:00

In an effort to respond to the specific religious needs of its faithful, the Diocese of Tagbilaran is publishing a catechism book that is uniquely Boholano.

But the catechism does not aim to digress from the traditional doctrine that is contained in the official “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, according to Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso.

Neither is it meant to flaunt that the Boholanos “have finally reached the age of maturity in faith, capable of producing a catechesis out of their human resource, effort and creativity,” Medroso said in his blogsite http://medroso.blogspot.com .

The catechism, Medroso explained, is being written “to meet the particular needs of our people, the BEC, our clusters, our parishes, our Diocese.”

The book is being published also in celebration of Tagbilaran’s forthcoming diamond jubilee on November 2016.

The journey of the diocese in the past 70 years “following faithfully the Sacred Scripture, traditional doctrine of the Church, and the Magisterium” has created in them a spirituality that is “uniquely Boholano,” the bishop said.

Because of this uniqueness, the “universal teaching of the Catholic Church cannot fully satisfy their cultural and spiritual needs [and] it is along this context that the publication of a Boholano catechism is conceived,” explained Medroso.

Part of the catechism book’s uniqueness is its inclusion of the island’s heritage churches that bear witness to the richness of the Boholanos’ spiritual and cultural heritage.

A pool of writers, headed by Fr. Valentino Pinlac has been tasked to carry out the project.

Conceding that the book is insignificant it may not find a place in any library or bookstore, Medroso however, believes the volume “will become a priceless possession of our BECs and clusters, for it contains the content of our faith.”

The Boholano catechism follows the same sequence as the universal catechism, but it has its “unique style and presentation.”

“It starts with the study of the Trinity to show that our life is communitarian in origin and therefore communitarian in its nature, activity, and purpose [and] ends with the presentation of the Kingdom of God to inculcate the lesson that we are not headed nowhere,” Medroso said.

The book, due to come out next week, will serve as a manual for catechizing in the basic tenets of the Catholic faith the diocese’s basic ecclesial communities.

It will have an initial run of 5,000, but Medroso said they are aiming for a total print run of 20,000.

Another diocesan project in the offing is a catechism for the family, Medroso revealed.

KCs’ collaboration boosts Church’s pro-life advocacy―CBCP

2011-08-10T10:29:00.003+08:00

The Catholic leadership has lauded the staunch support of a world-wide lay organization of men in the Church’s ongoing fight against the reproductive health bill being pushed in Congress.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar said the presence of the Knights of Columbus in the country’s dioceses is a big boost in the Catholic Church’s pro-life advocacy.

“The Knights of Columbus is a big deal to the Church in the Philippines,” he told hundreds of participants during the 129th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Denver, Colorado on August 5.

He appealed for collaboration even as he acknowledged the financial support of the KC to the Church so as to aggressively push its fight against the reproductive health bill.

With so many foreign lobby groups allegedly financing the legislation of the RH measure, Odchimar said the Bishop’s conference has only one international institution it could rely on for help.

And that is, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, he said.

The Knights of Columbus have been at the forefront in the fight against measures that threaten the sanctity of life and family.

Church’s greatest challenge

Odchimar conceded that the issue of RH bill has placed the Philippine Church on a crossroads.

“Perhaps never before in the history of our faith in our country that we have been confronted with a greater challenge than today when the Reproductive Bill and Divorce Bill are vigorously pushed in the halls of Congress and the Senate to be enacted into laws,” he told Convention participants.

The issue on the RH bill has divided the country’s predominantly Catholic population and pitted the Catholic Church against the government that is pushing for its legislation.

He noted that the recent attacks made on the person of some bishops were perceived to have been made “in view of discrediting them and pulling down their moral prominence in their crusade against the legislation of the RH Bill.”

“We stand as the last bastion that still holds on to the respect for the culture of life and the unity and indissolubility of marriage in our national legislation,” Odchimar said.

Proponents of the RH measure have also revived lately the discussion on Divorce law after Malta, a Catholic nation, approved in a referendum the legislation of divorce, leaving the Philippines outside of Vatican, as the only country without divorce.

“There has been no time in the Philippines Church history when the Catholic Church has been so much challenged, attacked and even maligned than today,” he said.

The bill has been introduced in Congress off and on for the past 15 years but has not gained much support from any sitting president, until now.

Due to this, the Church has been pro-active in the campaign against this anti-life legislation, Odchimar said.

Odchimar explained that the financial assistance the CBCP acquired from the KC Supreme Council in the fight against RH bill is being used for education, lobby, mobilizations and media.

Support Church various advocacies

In the country’s 85 ecclesiastical territories the over 260,000 member knights are active in their pro-life advocacies and promotion of the parish’s pastoral programs.

The Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI), KC’s insurance arm; and two charitable foundations, KC Philippines and Fr. Willmann Charities, are committed in fulfilling its social responsibilities through various works of charity, relief distribution, building houses for the poor, and providing scholarships for priests, seminarians and lay students.

Aside from the three states of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the CBCP has always been grateful to the assistance rendered by the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, Odchimar said.

He noted that the CBCP has been a recipient of financial assistance from KCFAPI through a P10M Seed of Hope Fund aimed to finance priority projects of the bishops’ conference.

And this year, he said, the organization has also partnered with the CBCP in the project of evaluating the implementation of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines.

He also acknowledged the financial support given by the Supreme Council to the CBCP Office on Women for its Women Advocacy program and to CBCPNews, the official news agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Statement of Bishops Before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

2011-07-14T15:05:00.000+08:00

Honorable Members of the Senate:

We thank this august body for inviting us to shed light on an issue that has deeply saddened not only the seven of us but all the Catholic faithful. We hope that our presence will aid your work of legislation. We shall reply with great respect to your questions as far as the facts enable us.

We are from provinces that have some of the most difficult areas that we as Bishops have to reach. Most of us are from calamity or conflict-stricken areas. We serve communities some of which are the poorest of the poor. Our vocation is to help them in so far as we can with our resources. When we lack resources, we seek the assistance of others, especially from those whose mandate is to provide assistance, particularly in health services and in charity. Some of us received service vehicles from PCSO that are heavy duty 4 x 4 pick-ups in order for our social, health, and charitable services to reach remote areas. Others received vehicles that have multiple purposes of bringing indigent sick people to hospitals or distribute food, medicines, and clothing to calamity stricken families.

We are very grateful for the help extended to us. We still believe that we have not violated any law, or even the Constitution. We express our sadness that our sincere desire to help people and receive necessary assistance for doing so has confused, disturbed and even scandalized many of the Catholic faithful. As our pastoral statement has said, we honestly “failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead.” We also express our “readiness to do everything that is necessary to heal this wound so that we can all move forward in hope.”

For this reason, regardless of whether the acquisition of the vehicles has been lawful or unlawful, constitutional or unconstitutional, we are returning the vehicles. The vehicles in Mindanao are ready for immediate turnover to a duly authorized PCSO official. The vehicles in Luzon are right now outside the Senate for immediate turnover to PCSO officials.

Again, we thank Your Honors for this opportunity to voice our sentiments on this matter.

Thank you and God bless you.

Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, O.M.I.
Bishop Rodolfo Beltran
Archbishop Ernesto Salgado
Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD
Archbishop Romulo Valles
Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos

July 13, 2011

A time of pain, a time of grace

2011-07-12T14:56:00.001+08:00

(A Pastoral Statement)

Our Dear People of God,

Our Mother Church has been deeply wounded by the controversies in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that have erupted in the past two weeks. Some members of the Church believe in the innocence of the bishops involved in the issue, while others do not. There is no doubt that everywhere in the Church there is great sorrow. We your pastors are one with you. As shepherds struggling to love you like Jesus the Good Shepherd, we are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you.

We are saddened that many of you, especially the youth, the poor, our Basic Ecclesial Communities, have been confused because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions with our pastoral preaching.

As we express our sadness, we also ask you to be slow in judgment and to conscientiously seek the whole truth behind the controversy. Let us seek the truth always in charity.

We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their action and to face the consequences if it would be proven unlawful, anomalous, and unconstitutional. We assure you that their action was done without malice. Out of their sincere desire to help their people, they failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead them. They have also expressed their readiness to do everything that is necessary to heal this wound so that we can all move forward in hope.

We also assure you, our beloved people, that we shall re-examine the manner of our collaboration with government agencies for purposes of helping the poor, making sure that pastoral sensibilities are respected and the highest ethical standards are observed. We shall examine our values in the light of our vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves to the long journey of personal and social transformation required of all disciples of the Lord. We plead with you to walk with us in this path of constant renewal.

We express again our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people. The good Lord knows our love for you. The words of the psalmist come to our mind: “My sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn” (Ps.51). As the same Psalmist addresses the Lord, we take his words as our own to encourage and challenge us: “Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.”

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
July 11, 2011

Church soon to implement changes in Mass translation

2011-06-23T11:15:00.000+08:00

CHANGES in the English translation of the Order of the Mass are soon to hit parishes across the country when the full implementation of the new liturgical text is adapted next year.

The adoption of the new English translation of the Roman Missal has been approved by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) during its plenary assembly in January this year.

Some parts of familiar responses and prayers have been amended to reflect the true meaning in the original Latin text, the language of the Roman liturgy.

In the Introductory Rites, for instance, the response of the faithful “And also with you” to the priest’s greeting “The Lord be with you” has been replaced with “And with your spirit.”

Similar changes have also been introduced in other parts of the Mass, such as the Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites.

Also in the Eucharistic prayer, the text “…cup of my blood” has been changed to “…chalice of my blood.” Likewise, the text “it will be shed for you and for all men” has been changed to “which will be poured out for you and for many.”

English-speaking countries including the Philippines are currently using the 1973 English translation of the Roman Missal prepared by the International Commission on English Liturgy (ICEL) which followed a sense translation.

Catechesis

To prepare the faithful for the liturgical changes, the CBCP has asked Fr. Anscar Chupungco, OSB, former executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy, to make a catechetical primer on the liturgical development.

Chupungco was a professor and president of St. Anselm Pontifical Institute of Liturgy in Rome and currently the director of the Paul VI Institute of the Liturgy in Bukidnon.

Addressed to both clergy and laity, the primer explains the major changes in translation and gives an analysis and catechesis on the translated text.

“The text to be discussed is shown in Latin and in the 1973 and 2010 English translations. This facilitates quick comparison between the Latin text and its translations,” Chupungco explained in the primer’s preface.

He said the catechesis offered in the primer is in the form of reflection on the text or a part of the Holy Mass.

“Comprehension of the meaning of liturgical prayers and other formulas is necessary for active participation as desired by the Second Vatican Council,” Chupungco explained.

‘Tools for translators’

Although the primer has been prepared mainly to aid pastors in catechizing the faithful regarding the changes, Chupungco said the material also serves “to provide some tools for translators in other languages”.

He explained that translations of the liturgy in other languages should be made from the original Latin text. Translating from English is not advisable, he said, “because English has linguistic and cultural properties that are proper to it and may not be present in other languages.”

The Holy See has twice issued Instructions on how translations of the Roman Missal to other languages should be done, first in 1969 and second in 2001. The first Instruction preferred the sense translation while the second insisted on literal translation.

Because of almost 40 years of familiarity with the 1973 English translation, there is a need to explain well to the people the rationale behind the changes, Chupungco said.

“It should be pointed out that the previous and the new translations do not differ in doctrinal content, although each expresses it in distinctive styles proper to the methods of translation known as dynamic equivalence and formal correspondence,” he said.

For his part, Fr. Genaro Diwa, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy said any changes always usher in some difficulties, hence the need for liturgical catechesis for everybody, including the bishops and priests.

The new translation will be introduced throughout the Philippines on the first Sunday of Advent in December 2, 2012. The season of Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical season in the Church calendar.

Manila to hold 60-hour adoration for pope’s 60th sacerdotal anniv

2011-06-21T17:45:00.000+08:00

THE Archdiocese of Manila will hold a 60-hour Eucharistic adoration to mark the 60th anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s sacerdotal ordination on June 29.

In a communiqué sent to all parish priests, rectors and religious superiors throughout the archdiocese, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said the 60-hour adoration “presents an inspired occasion for us to present a sincere manifestation of our spiritual union” with the pope.

The Holy hour will be offered for the sanctification of priests and will begin on June 29, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, (also the pope’s presbyteral ordination date) and ends on July 1, Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

A prayer booklet in English and Tagalog has been prepared by the archdiocese’s Liturgical Commission to be used for the occasion by parishes and religious communities.

The cardinal further urged the parish priests, chaplains, rectors and religious superiors to document their 60-hour adoration or part of it and furnish the archdiocesan chancery with a copy together with a written summary of the activities.

The documentation will be sent to the Holy Father, Rosales said.

The Vatican’s Congregation of the Clergy on June 16 has encouraged bishops all over the world “to promote 60 hours of Eucharistic adoration for the sanctification of all priests, for new vocations, and for Pope Benedict XVI, who will celebrate 60 years as a priest on June 29.”

So what if we are the only country left without divorce law?

2011-06-14T14:02:00.002+08:00

The lawmakers who are pushing for divorce to become a law in the Philippines argued that the Philippines is the only country (aside from the Vatican) left without divorce law after Malta, a Catholic nation like ours, has finally allowed divorce after the people voted for the measure in a referendum. This argument of the lawmakers borders on the simplistic if not idiotic, to say the least. So what, if we are the only nation left standing without a divorce law? I find it sad that as a people, we tend to imbibe so easily the practices of other countries even if these are contrary to our long held cultural values. Is having no divorce in the country something to be ashamed of? No, in fact, love of family and children are at the very core of our cultural identity as a people.

Former CBCP president Archbishop Oscar Cruz even said having no divorce in the country is a distinction and indeed, we should be proud of it. He said the Filipinos are known internationally as being family and children oriented. In fact, he said, when the Holy Father was asked on one occasion what the Filipino culture was noted for, the Pontiff reportedly declared, it was ‘love for the family.’

The Philippine Constitution upholds the sanctity of marriage and family life. Article II, Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” Since the very aim of divorce is to break the marriage of a husband and wife, and consequently the family, then there’s no doubt the bill goes against the provision of the constitution.

And yet, despite what the Constitution clearly says, one of the authors of the bill, Gabriela Party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan stands pat on her argument that the divorce bill will not violate the Constitution. Hello?

Another argument is that divorce will allow women to get out of a bad marriage and be able to remarry. The lawmakers even quoted some statistics on the increasing number of cases of battered women in the country. Still, I believe divorce is not the answer to the problems raised. Instead divorce will only weaken the foundation of marriage, because individuals may enter into marriage with a person without much thought and preparation, since anyway, it would be easy to divorce the person once the relationship does not work.

The Family Code of the Philippines allows couples to separate in the event that the two cannot live together because of serious reasons; and the Catholic Church also permits annulment on some cases. But both situations do not allow the individual to remarry again.

Marriage is a sacrament, a sacred covenant between two individuals with God as their witness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “The love of the spouses requires, of its very nature, the unity and indissolubility of the spouses' community of persons, which embraces their entire life: ‘so they are no longer two, but one flesh’.” The love that binds the couple in marriage is a reflection of the love that God has for man.

Legalizing divorce in the country will only lead to more broken families and kids growing up without parental guidance. Children always end up as victims in the event of a family breakdown caused by the separation of parents. Divorce will certainly open a floodgate of problems that would eventually destroy the family—considered the basic unit of society.

Lost innocence

2011-06-11T05:55:00.002+08:00

One of the many children begging in the streets
He came up the jeep I was riding in
And distributed dirty envelope to passengers
I glanced at the envelope the child shoved on my knee
Did not say a thing
I raised up my eyes and noticed the other passengers
Indifferent, staring at nothing
I looked down again
This time on a small paper bag I had on my lap
Inside it were bits of chocolates
And a boiled saba
Extra of what I had for lunch
I couldn’t give him money
I didn’t want to
‘Coz he might just spend it for sniff
Or gamble it away, so I thought.
But will give him the bag
So he can eat the chocolates and the saba
He stood up and gathered again the envelopes
Dirty, empty envelopes from the knees of passengers
Unmindful of his presence.
I handed him the bag
Did I see a flicker of gratitude lights up his eyes?
Would those pieces of chocolates and saba
Stab the pangs of hunger in his stomach?
Or somebody else’s?
A mother… or a younger sibling perhaps…
waiting for him to come home?

Easter is a call to new life

2011-04-24T11:03:00.002+08:00

Easter is a call to new life! Jesus rose from the dead and destroyed the darkness of sin that have shackled us for so long.

His resurrection brings hope into our hearts, firmly believing that even in the midst of sufferings and utter hopelessness, the light of his resurrection will guide us and pull us through the tunnel of darkness.

Speak the truth without fear—CBCP head

2011-04-24T08:09:00.002+08:00

The triumphant joy of the Resurrection should challenge every Christian to preach the truths of faith without fear in the face of ongoing attacks on the dignity of life, a high-ranking Catholic prelate said.

CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, in an Easter message, called on the faithful anew to safeguard the dignity of life and counteract “every form of attack against the dignity and welfare of humankind.”

“Let us not be selfish as to deprive others of their right to live,” Odchimar said in his message.

The Catholic Church has been staunchly opposing the reproductive health bill being deliberated in Congress, citing the proposed measure as anti-life and anti-family.

Odchimar urged the people to contribute in building a transformed society, encouraging everyone to “work for peace that lasts and justice that enhances human condition.”

He said the rising of Jesus from the dead makes us the “victorious children of the resurrection,” and it would be “unjust of us not to proclaim the triumphant joy of Easter to those who are seeking for light and life.”

The prelate exhorted the faithful to remain steadfast in preaching the truth of the gospel even amidst opposition of “those whose hearts are hardened by pride and humanly motivated principles.”

He said that there are people who even now remained firm in their unbelief either because they have not heard the gospel or simply trapped in atheistic values.

But Jesus’ resurrection has conquered death, he said, and “once and for all crippled the fortress of darkness.

“This incorruptible remembrance of God putting an end to the definitiveness of death is a strong message of hope—that in all of this, every work of evil shivers before the power of goodness,” he said.

End apathy and get involved, prelate urges faithful

2011-04-24T06:07:00.001+08:00

A young prelate called on the faithful to put an end to cold apathy, insensitivity and callousness, and get involved in the various issues the country is facing.

Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, in an Easter Message, said that Easter is a feast of love, and that love made possible by Jesus’ resurrection should move us to action and get involved in all societal concerns.

He said that “we must prove that [Jesus] has indeed risen from the dead not by wise argumentations but showing that our lives have been changed by Jesus Christ.”

As Easter people, we must allow love to rule our life and say “goodbye to indifference and apathy, insensitivity and heartlessness, callousness and audacity,” Villegas said.

“The victory of Easter is the victory of the Greatest Lover of all who died that we may have fullness of life. We who are an Easter people must pour love into our bleeding world, bind the wounds of our society and bring it back to life—through love,” he said.

Spread values of Christ

The young prelate said there is a need to evangelize the areas of politics and economics, even as he urged the faithful to spread the values of Christ in these fields.

“The risen Lord pricks us to get involved in politics and make it a liberating not a corrupting kind of politics. The risen Lord urges us to bring Christian ethics to economics and put charity not profit as its overriding principle,” he said.

Act now!

Villegas also said the love that comes from the resurrection should move us out of complacency and reach out to the poor.

“Love takes responsibility. Love is rich in mercy. Love is kind. We cannot continue with Easter and continue to ignore the poor. It is not hard to meet the poor if we are not playing blind to their presence,” he said.

Lamenting the rise of criminality, abortion and drug use, the prelate urged for swift action to curb if not stop the menace, saying that “we cannot claim to be Easter people” and “remain insensitive” to the crisis.

“We cannot claim to be an Easter people and yet not do anything about the silent moans of aborted babies. We cannot sing Alleluia and remain insensitive to rising criminality, the commercialization of sex and the unabated availability of shabu in the neighbourhood,” the archbishop further added.

Stand up for life

The young prelate slammed the reproductive health bill, reiterating that “contraception a corruption of love and life” and is never the solution to the problem the country is currently facing.

“Obedience to the Ten Commandments is normal. Let us not extol impurity and ridicule virtue,” he said.

“Polluting the minds of children by teaching them sex without God cries to heaven for divine justice,” he added.

The Suffering and Death of a Shepherd

2011-04-22T13:17:00.002+08:00

Biblical Reflection for Good Friday by Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

For our Good Friday Reflection this year, and in preparation for the beatification of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II on Sunday May 1, I have chosen to share with you the this reflection on what Pope John Paul II taught us at the end of his life.

I cannot celebrate Good Friday without remembering Pope John Paul II, especially his final Good Friday on earth in 2005. This reflection is part of a major address I gave at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Connecticut, for the opening of the special exhibit, "Blessed," that commemorates the life of this great man.

Human suffering

One of the beautiful and not frequently cited writings of John Paul II was his 1984 apostolic letter "Salvifici Doloris," (On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering). The late Pope, following the Apostle Paul and the entire Catholic Tradition, maintained throughout his life that it is precisely in suffering that Christ displayed his solidarity with humanity, and in which we can grow in solidarity with Christ, who is our life.

In "Salvifici Doloris," suffering is the consequence of sin, and Christ embraces that consequence, rather than repudiating it. By embracing suffering, he shares fully in it, he takes the consequence of sin into and onto himself. He does this out of love for us, not simply because he wants to redeem us, but because he wants to be with us, to share what we share, to experience what we experience. And it is this shared love, this shared suffering in love, which completes and perfects the relationship broken in sin, and so redeems us.

Pope John Paul II taught us that the meaning of suffering is fundamentally changed by the Incarnation. Apart from the Incarnation, suffering is the consequence of sin. It offers opportunities for insight into oneself, for personal growth, and for demonstrating practical love for others, but these are incidental. Because of the Incarnation, however, we become sharers in the Body of Christ. Our suffering becomes his suffering, and becomes an expression of redeeming love.

Because he was the leader of a billion Roman Catholics; because he was the first pontiff of the satellite and Internet age, reaching out to billions more, and because he was John Paul II, who has ruled the church for more than 26 years -- in that public experience of suffering was found enormous power. And that he certainly knew. In 1981, after recovering from the gunshot wound that almost took his life in St. Peter's Square, John Paul declared that suffering, as such, is one of the most powerful messages in Christianity.

During the final years of his pontificate, John Paul II brought suffering back into the realm of the expected in human life. Everyone could see that his spirituality gave him an inner strength -- a spirituality with which one can also overcome fear, even the fear of death. What an incredible lesson for the world! His struggle with the physical effects of aging was also a valuable lesson to a society that finds it hard to accept growing older, and a culture that sees no redemption in suffering.

In 1994, as age and infirmity began to incapacitate John Paul publicly, he told his followers he had heard God and was about to change the way he led the church. "I must lead her with suffering," he said. "The Pope must suffer so that every family and the world should see that there is, I would say, a higher gospel: the gospel of suffering, with which one must prepare the future."

A Consoling letter to his peers

In 1999, in preparation for the Great Jubilee, Pope John Paul II published his "Letter to the Elderly." Following his Letters to the young in 1985, to families in 1994, to children in 1994, to women in 1995 and to artists in 1999 year -- and not counting those letters that he wrote each year to priests on Holy Thursday, since the beginning of his pontificate, he wrote deeply moving and encouraging words to his peers in the "Letter to the Elderly."

He had no fear in placing before the eyes of the world the limits and frailties that the years placed upon him. He did nothing to disguise them. In speaking to young people, he has no difficulty in saying of himself: "I am an old priest." John Paul II continued to fulfill his mission as the Successor of Peter, looking far ahead with the enthusiasm of the only youth that does not deteriorate, that of the spirit, which this Pope maintains intact. The letter had a very personal, almost confidential, tone and was not an analysis of old age. Rather, it was a very intimate dialogue between people of the same generation.

"The passage of time," wrote the Pope in that memorable letter, "helps us to see our experiences in a clearer light and softens their painful side." Moreover, he says, the daily difficulties can be eased with God's help. In addition, "we are consoled by the thought that, by virtue of our spiritual souls, we will survive beyond death."

"Guardians of shared memory" was the title of the one part of the Pope's Letter. Pointing out that "in the past, great respect was shown to the elderly," the Pope remarks that this is still true in many cultures today, "while among others, this is much less the case, due to a mentality which gives priority to immediate human usefulness and productivity." He wrote: "It has come to the point where euthanasia is increasingly put forward as a solution for difficult situations. Unfortunately, in recent years the idea of euthanasia has lost for many people the sense of horror which it naturally awakens in those who have a sense of respect for life."

The Pope added: "Here it should be kept in mind that the moral law allows the rejection of 'aggressive medical treatment' and makes obligatory only those forms of treatment which fall within the normal requirements of medical care, which in the case of terminal illness seeks primarily to alleviate pain. But euthanasia, understood as directly causing death, is another thing entirely. Regardless of intentions and circumstances, euthanasia is always an intrinsically evil act, a violation of God's law and an offense against the dignity of the human person."

Pope John Paul II continued in that letter: "Man has been made for life, whereas death ... was not a part of God's original plan, but came about as a consequence of sin. [...] However rationally comprehensible death may be from a biological standpoint, it is not possible to experience it as something 'natural.'"

We ask ourselves, he says here, "What is on the other side of the shadowy wall of death?" The answer comes from faith "which illuminates the mystery of death and brings serenity to old age, now no longer lived passively as the expectation of a calamity, but rather as a promise-filled approach to the goal of full maturity."

Pope John Paul's "Letter to the Elderly" closed with a section entitled "An encouragement to live life to the full." He writes: "I feel a spontaneous desire to share fully with you my own feelings at this point of my life, after more than 20 years of ministry on the throne of Peter. [...] Despite the limitations brought on by age I continue to enjoy life. For this I thank the Lord. It is wonderful to be able to give oneself to the very end for the sake of the Kingdom of God!"

"At the same time," he concludes, "I find great peace in thinking about the time when the Lord will call me: from life to life! [...] 'Bid me to come to you': this is the deepest yearning of the human heart, even in those who are not conscious of it."

What a magnificent signature piece of Pope John Paul II! He not only wrote the letter, but enacted it in his own life. We were eyewitnesses.

Public suffering

Pope John Paul II taught us that life is sacred, no matter how painful his own life became for him. Rather than hide his infirmities, as most public figures do, Pope John Paul II let the whole world see what he went through. The suffering and dying of this Pope did not take place in private, but before television cameras and the whole world.

In the final act of his life, the athlete was immobilized, the distinctive, booming voice silenced, and the hand that produced voluminous encyclicals no longer able to write. John Paul II's final homily was an icon of his Galilean Master's final words to Simon Peter: "Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." After this, he [Jesus] said to him, "Follow me" (John 21:18-19).

Many Catholics and non-Christians saw the Pope's suffering as something like the agony of Jesus himself, and neither John Paul nor those around him discourage such comparisons. When asked a few years before his death if he might consider resigning, John Paul reportedly asked, in reply, "Did Christ come down from the cross?" His close aides say that debate about his ability to administer the church, as if he were the CEO of a secular corporation, essentially missed the point. This pope is not doing a job, he is carrying out a divine mission, and his pain is at its core.

That final Good Friday evening

One of my most vivid memories from the last week of our late Holy Father Pope John Paul II's life was during the Way of the Cross on Good Friday evening in 2005, in which he participated by watching the service at the Coliseum in his chapel on television. The television camera in his chapel was behind him so that he would not be distracted from taking part in this ceremony in which he always took part personally. Then-Archbishop John Foley was doing the television commentary in English from Rome, reading the very provocative meditations prepared by a certain Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.

At one point toward the end of the Way of the Cross, someone put a rather large crucifix on the knee of the Holy Father, and he was gazing lovingly at the figure of Jesus. At the words, "Jesus Dies on the Cross," Pope John Paul drew the crucifix to himself and embraced it. I will never forget that scene. What an incredibly powerful homily without words! Like Jesus, Pope John Paul II embraced the cross; in fact, he embraced the crucifix of Jesus Christ on Good Friday night.

The death of a patriarch

Several hours before his death, Pope John Paul's last audible words were: "Let me go to the house of the Father." In the intimate setting of prayer, as Mass was celebrated at the foot of his bed and the throngs of faithful sang below in St. Peter's Square, he died at 9:37 p.m. on April 2. Through his public passion, suffering and death, this holy priest, Successor of the Apostles, and Servant of God, showed us the suffering face of Jesus in a remarkable way.

Pope of holiness

Karol Wojtyla himself was an extraordinary witness who, through his devotion, heroic efforts, long suffering and death, communicated the powerful message of the Gospel to the men and women of our day. A great part of the success of his message is due to the fact that he has been surrounded by a tremendous cloud of witnesses who stood by him and strengthened him throughout his life. For John Paul II, the call to holiness excludes no one; it is not the privilege of a spiritual elite.

"Lumen Gentium," the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, notes that the holiness of Christians flows from that of the Church and manifests it. It says that holiness "is expressed in many ways by the individuals who, each in his own state of life, tend to the perfection of love, thus sanctifying others" ("Lumen Gentium," No. 39). In this variety "one and the same holiness is cultivated by all, who are moved by the Spirit of God...and follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross bearing Christ in order to be worthy of being sharers in his glory" ("Lumen Gentium," No. 41).

When the throngs of people began chanting "Santo Subito" at the end of the Pope's funeral mass on April 8, 2005, what were they really chanting? They were crying out that in Karol Wojtyla, they saw someone who lived with God and lived with us. He was a sinner who experienced God's mercy and forgiveness. He was the prophetic teacher who preached the word in season and out of season. He looked at us, loved us, touched us, healed us and gave us hope. He taught us not to be afraid. He showed us how to live, how to love, how to forgive and how to die. He taught us how to embrace the cross in the most excruciating moments of life, knowing that the cross was not God's final answer.

That a person is declared blessed is not a statement about perfection. It does not mean that the person was without imperfection, blindness, deafness or sin. Nor is it a 360-degree evaluation of the Pontificate or of the Vatican. Beatification and canonization mean that a person lived his or her life with God, relying totally on God's infinite mercy, going forward with God's strength and power, believing in the impossible, loving one's enemies and persecutors, forgiving in the midst of evil and violence, hoping beyond all hope, and leaving the world a better place.

That person lets those around him know that there is a force or spirit animating his or her life that is not of this world, but the next. Such a person lets us catch a glimpse of the greatness and holiness to which we are all called, and shows us the face of God as we journey on our pilgrim way on earth.

In the life of Karol Wojtyla, the boy from Wadowice who would grow up to be a priest and Bishop of Krakow, the Bishop of Rome, and a hero for the ages, holiness was contagious. We have all been touched and changed by it. Pope John Paul II was not only "Holy Father," but "a father who was and is holy."

At his funeral Mass on April 8, 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger told the world that the Holy Father was watching us and blessing us "from the window of the Father's House."

As we prepare for the beatification of this great shepherd and holy priest and bishop on Sunday May 1, 2011, may we learn from "Papa Wojtyla" how to cross thresholds, open doors, build bridges, embrace the Cross of suffering and proclaim the Gospel of Life to the people of our time.

May we learn how to live, to suffer and die unto the Lord. Let us pray to have a small portion of the fidelity of Peter's witness and the boldness of Paul's proclamation that were so mightily present in Karol Wojtyla -- Blessed John Paul II. May he intercede for us and for all those who suffer in body and spirit, and give us the desire to help carry one another's crosses, to grow in holiness and to become saints. (Zenit.org).

Reflections for Holy Thursday

2011-04-21T10:03:00.001+08:00

The Washing of the Feet

The beautiful liturgy of Holy Thursday leads us to reflect more profoundly on Jesus’ immense love for us. He has taken the posture of a slave, knelt before his apostles and washed their feet in a humble gesture of love and service. In doing so, he has given us an example to follow. He invites us to do the same, offer ourselves in humble and loving service to our fellow human beings.

Bread broken

During the last supper with his apostles he gave himself as bread to be broken and shared so that others may have life. The act of self-offering that will be culminated by his death on the cross on Good Friday. God’s unconditional love for humanity is so profound that our finite mind cannot comprehend its depth. We can only beat our breast in sorrow for our sins and in our failure to respond to such great love.

Pope Benedict’s Reflection on the Easter Triduum

2011-04-21T08:30:00.000+08:00

"I Invite You to Seek in These Days Recollection and Prayer"

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We have already arrived at the heart of Holy Week, the fulfillment of the Lenten journey. Tomorrow we will enter the Easter Triduum, the three holy days in which the Church commemorates the mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. After being made man in obedience to the Father, the Son of God, being in everything like us except for sin (cf. Hebrews 4:15), accepted fulfilling his will to the end, to face for love of us his Passion and Cross, to make us sharers in his Resurrection, so that in him and through him we can live forever, in consolation and peace. Hence, I exhort you to receive this mystery of salvation, to take part intensely in the Easter Triduum, the culmination of the whole liturgical year and a moment of particular grace for every Christian. I invite you to seek in these days recollection and prayer, to be able to accede more profoundly to this source of grace. In connection with this, given the imminent festivities, every Christian is invited to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation, a moment of special adherence to the death and resurrection of Christ, to be able to participate with greater fruitfulness in Holy Easter.

Maundy Thursday is the day in which we recall the institution of the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. In the morning, each diocesan community, gathered in the cathedral church around the bishop, will celebrate the Chrism Mass in which the sacred chrism, the oil of the catechumens, and the oil of the sick are blessed. Beginning with the Easter Triduum and during the whole liturgical year, these oils will be used for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and priestly and episcopal ordination and the anointing of the sick; in this is manifested how salvation, transmitted by the sacramental signs, springs precisely from the paschal mystery of Christ. In fact, we are redeemed by his death and resurrection and, through the sacraments, we go to that same salvific source. During the Chrism Mass tomorrow, the renewal of priestly promises takes place. Throughout the world, every priest renews the commitments he assumed on the day of ordination, to be totally consecrated to Christ in the exercise of the sacred ministry at the service of his brothers. Let us support our priests with our prayer.

On the afternoon of Maundy Thursday the Easter Triduum effectively begins, with the remembrance of the Last Supper, in which Jesus instituted the Memorial of his Pasch, fulfilling the Jewish paschal rite. According to tradition, every Jewish family, gathered at table on the feast of Passover eats the roasted lamb, recalling the Israelites' deliverance from the slavery of Egypt; thus in the Cenacle, conscious of his imminent death, Jesus, the true paschal Lamb, offered himself for our salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7). Pronouncing the blessing over the bread and wine, he anticipated the sacrifice of the cross and manifested the intention of perpetuating his presence amid the disciples: Under the species of bread and wine he makes himself present in a real way with his body given and his blood shed. During the Last Supper, the apostles were constituted ministers of this sacrament of salvation. Jesus washed their feet (cf. John 13:1-25), inviting them to love one another as he loved them, giving his life for them. Repeating this gesture in the liturgy, we are also called to give witness with the deeds of our Redeemer.

Maundy Thursday, finally, is closed with Eucharistic Adoration, in memory of the Lord's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Leaving the Cenacle, he withdrew to pray, alone, in the presence of his Father. At that moment of profound communion, the Gospels recount that Jesus experienced great anguish, such suffering that he sweat blood (cf. Matthew 26:38). Conscious of his imminent death on the cross, he felt great anguish and the closeness of death. In this situation an element is seen that is of great importance also for the whole Church. Jesus said to his own: Stay here and watch; and this call to vigilance refers in a precise way to this moment of anguish, of menace, in which the betrayer arrives, but it concerns the whole history of the Church. It is a permanent message for all times, because the somnolence of the disciples was not only the problem of that moment, but is the problem of the whole of history.

The question is what this somnolence consists of, and what is the vigilance to which the Lord invites us. I would say that the disciples' somnolence in the course of history is a certain insensitivity of soul to the power of evil, an insensitivity to all the evil of the world. We do not want to let ourselves be too disturbed by these things, we want to forget them: We think that perhaps it is not so grave, and we forget. And it is not only insensitivity to evil; instead, we should be watching to do good, to struggle for the force of good. It is insensitivity to God -- this is our real somnolence: this insensitivity to the presence of God that makes us insensitive also to evil. We do not listen to God -- it would bother us -- and so we do not listen, of course, to the force of evil either, and we stay on the path of our comfort.

The nocturnal adoration on Maundy Thursday, our being vigilant with the Lord, should be precisely the moment to make us reflect on the somnolence of the disciples, of Jesus' defenders, of the apostles, of ourselves, who do not see, we do not want to see all the force of evil, and we do not want to enter into his passion for the good, for the presence of God in the world, for the love of neighbor and of God.

Then the Lord began to pray. The three apostles -- Peter, James and John -- slept, but then they woke up and heard the phrase of this prayer of the Lord: "Not my will but thine be done." What is this will of mine, what is this will of yours, of which the Lord speaks? My will is that I "should not die," that he be spared this chalice of suffering: It is the human will, of human nature, and Christ feels, with all the consciousness of his being, life, the abyss of death, the terror of nothingness, this menace of suffering.

And he more than us, who have this natural aversion to death, this natural fear of death, even more than us, he felt the abyss of evil. He also felt, with death, all the suffering of humanity. He felt that all this was the chalice he must drink, that he must make himself drink, accept the evil of the world, everything that is terrible, the aversion to God, the whole of sin. And we can understand that Jesus, with his human soul, was terrified before this reality, which he perceived in all its cruelty: My will would be not to drink the chalice, but my will is subordinated to your will, to the will of God, to the will of the Father, which is also the real will of the Son. And thus Jesus transformed, in this prayer, the natural aversion, the aversion to the chalice, to his mission to die for us. He transformed this natural will of his into the will of God, in a "yes" to the will of God.

On his own man is tempted to oppose the will of God, to have the intention to follow his own will, to feel free only if he is autonomous; he opposes his own autonomy against the heteronomy of following the will of God. This is the whole drama of humanity. But in truth this autonomy is erroneous and this entering into God's will is not an opposition to oneself, it is not a slavery that violates my will, but it is to enter into truth and love, into the good. And Jesus attracts our will, which is opposed to the will of God, which seeks its autonomy. He attracts this will of ours on high, to the will of God. This is the drama of our redemption, that Jesus attracts our will on high, all our aversion to the will of God and our aversion to death and sin, and unites it to the will of the Father: "Not my will but thine be done." In this transformation of the "no" into "yes," in this insertion of the will of the creature in the will of the Father, he transforms humanity and redeems us. And he invites us to enter into this movement of his: To come out of our "no" and enter into the "yes" of the Son. My will exists, but the decisive will is the will of the Father, because the will of the Father is truth and love.

A further element of this prayer seems important to me. The three witnesses have kept -- as it appears in sacred Scripture -- the Hebrew or Aramaic word with which the Lord spoke to the Father, he called him: "Abba," father. But this formula, "Abba," is a familiar form of the term father, a form that is used only in the family, which has never been used toward God. Here we see in the intimacy of Jesus how he speaks in the family, he speaks truly as Son with his Father. We see the Trinitarian mystery: The Son who speaks with the Father and redeems humanity.

One more observation. The Letter to the Hebrews gives us a profound interpretation of this prayer of the Lord, of this drama of Gethsemane. It says: these tears of Jesus, this prayer, these cries of Jesus, this anguish -- is not all this simply a concession to the weakness of the flesh, as could be said. But precisely in this way he realizes the task of High Priest, because the High Priest must lead the human being, with all his problems and sufferings, to the height of God. And the Letter to the Hebrews says: with all these cries, tears, sufferings, prayers, the Lord took our reality to God (cf. Hebrews 5:7ff). And it uses this Greek word "prosferein," which is the technical term for what the High Priest must do to offer, to raise his hand on high. Precisely in this drama of Gethsemane, where it seems that God's strength is no longer present, Jesus realizes the function of High Priest. And it says, moreover, that in this act of obedience, namely, of conformity of the natural human will to the will of God, he is perfected as priest. And it uses again the technical word to ordain a priest. Precisely in this way he becomes the High Priest of humanity and thus opens heaven and the door to resurrection.

If we reflect on this drama of Gethsemane, we can also see the great contrast between Jesus, with his anguish, with his suffering, in comparison with the great philosopher Socrates, who remains peaceful, imperturbable in the face of death. And this seems to be the ideal. We can admire this philosopher, but Jesus' mission is another. His mission was not this total indifference and liberty; his mission was to bear in himself all the suffering, all the human drama. And because of this, precisely this humiliation of Gethsemane is essential for the mission of the Man-God. He bears in himself our suffering, our poverty and transforms them according to the will of God. And thus opens the doors of heaven, he opens heaven: This curtain of the Most Holy, which up to now man closed against God, is opened by his suffering and obedience. These are some observations for Maundy Thursday, for our celebration of the night of Maundy Thursday.

On Good Friday we will recall the passion and death of the Lord; we will adore Christ Crucified, we will share in his sufferings with penance and fasting. Looking "on him whom they have pierced" (cf. John 19:37), we will be able to drink from his broken heart that gushes blood and water as a fountain; of that heart from which springs the love of God for every man, we receive his Spirit. Hence, on Good Friday we will also accompany Jesus as he goes up to Calvary; let us be guided by him to the cross, let us receive the offering of his immaculate body.

Finally, on the night of Holy Saturday, we will celebrate the Easter Vigil, in which the resurrection of Christ will be proclaimed to us, his definitive victory over death which calls us to be, in him, new men. Participating in this holy vigil, the central night of the whole liturgical year, we will recall our baptism, in which we were buried with Christ, to be able to resurrect with him and take part in the banquet of heaven (cf. Revelation 19:7-9).

Dear friends, we have tried to understand the state of spirit with which Jesus lived the moment of extreme trial, to understand what guided his action. The criterion that guided all of Jesus' choices during his whole life was the firm will to love the Father, to be one with the Father, and to be faithful to him. This decision to correspond to his love impelled him to embrace the Father's plan in every circumstance, to make his own the design of love that was entrusted to him to recapitulate everything in him, to lead everything back to him.

On reliving the Holy Triduum, let us dispose ourselves to receive also in our lives the will of God, conscious that in the will of God, though it seems hard, in contrast to our intentions, is found our true good, the path of life.

May the Virgin Mother guide us on this journey and obtain for us from her divine Son the grace to be able to use our life for love of Jesus at the service of brothers. Thank you. [Translation by ZENIT]

Pope calls for Church's greater presence in cyberspace

2011-04-14T08:51:00.002+08:00

ACKNOWLEDGING the great potential of the new media in the proclamation of the Gospel, Pope Benedict XVI has urged for a greater presence of the Church in cyberspace.

In his 2011 message for World Communications Day, the pope said the digital era offers an arena that every Christian should take advantage of to make the presence of Christ known in a truthful way.

"I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible," the pontiff said.

The pope noted that the internet has allowed "people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of potential friendships."

The Vatican has, of late, strengthened its presence in the internet by making use of the social networks in its attempt to reach out to the younger generation who are internet savvy.

Aside from its presence in Youtube, Facebook and Twitter, the Vatican also maintains Pope2you.net, a web portal launched in 2009 during the 43rd World Communications Day.

Visita Iglesia online

Mindful of the pope’s call to use the internet responsibly for evangelization, the media office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), in time for the Holy Week observance, has launched a website that caters to overseas Filipino workers and physically impaired to join the celebration of Holy Week and Easter.

Dubbed Visita Iglesia Online, the Lenten site which can be accessed at http://visitaiglesia.net offers a virtual experience of celebrating Lent, Holy Week and Easter at the comfort of one’s room—in front of a multimedia laptop or desktop which somehow becomes a virtual chapel for those who will not make it to churches.

But CBCP Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, said the site should not be used as a substitute to the liturgical celebrations done in parishes.

He said those who have the capability to celebrate liturgical services in their parish churches should do so.

“The liturgy is a community act and being so it is most meaningfully celebrated in the context of the community or the parish,” he stressed.

The website features various resources for spiritual growth and deepening of one’s faith.

It also includes catechesis and reflections for Lent, Holy Week and Easter preached by bishops and priests.

The “online church-goer” (OCG) will have the traditional Visita Iglesia in a multimedia presentation that features 14 shrines and pilgrimage churches to correspond with the 14 Stations of the Cross with reflections given by priests.

It also features the traditional Seven Last Words and the Pasyon.

The site likewise highlights the architectural marvel of centuries-old baroque churches in the country.

Social networks

Visita iglesia online is only one and the latest among the list of media platforms the CBCP media office maintains to intensify its work of evangelization via the internet.

Aside from its regular websites: www.cbcpnews.com; www.cbcponline.net; www.cbcponlineradio.com; www.cbcpworld.net; the media office has also brought its evangelization efforts into the arena of social networking through Facebook and Twitter.

The sites of Good Morning CBCP and CBCPNews on Facebook currently have a registered likes of 3,121 and 2,437 respectively, while CBCPNews in Twitter has 1,876 followers.

The office also keeps a Youtube account at www.youtube.com/cbcpmedia and blogs of bishops and priests at www.cbcponline.net.

Internet bloggers

Although the Vatican has solidified its presence in various social networks, setting up Youtube and Facebook accounts for the pope, its’ “relationship with blogs, however, has been a little more prickly,” according to a CNA report.

In an unparalleled move, the Vatican has issued an invitation for a meeting among internet bloggers in May, in time for the beatification of Pope John Paul II and the expected influx of international bloggers in Rome.

The first ever meeting is seen as an effort on the part of the Church “to give bloggers and Church representatives a chance to move beyond the relatively impersonal medium of the Internet and establish a more personal connection.”

Authentic presence

Although lauding the great potential of digital technology, the pope nonetheless called for a more authentic presence, especially in social networks, where there is the danger to create a "parallel existence."

"Entering cyberspace can be a sign of an authentic search for personal encounters with others, provided that attention is paid to avoiding dangers such as enclosing oneself in a sort of parallel existence, or excessive exposure to the virtual world. In the search for sharing, for “friends”, there is the challenge to be authentic and faithful, and not give in to the illusion of constructing an artificial public profile for oneself," he said.

He said that the presence of Christian believers in cyberspace help bear witness to the truth of Christ.

“In this field too we are called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God, the Saviour of humanity and of history, the one in whom all things find their fulfillment” (cf. Eph 1:10), said the pope.

“Believers who bear witness to their most profound convictions greatly help prevent the web from becoming an instrument which depersonalizes people, attempts to manipulate them emotionally or allows those who are powerful to monopolize the opinions of others,” the pope further said.

Recognizing the expertise of young people in digital technology and their ubiquitous presence in social networking sites, the pontiff urged them to “make good use of their presence in the digital world”, even as he noted that new technologies play a great part in the preparations being done for the upcoming World Youth Day in Madrid.

Pauline sisters hold media assembly

2011-04-11T08:54:00.000+08:00

PAULINE sisters directly involved in the media apostolate held their annual media practitioners’ assembly and workshop at the Paulines Communication Center in Pasay City on April 5-7.

Twenty one sisters of the Daughters of St. Paul from across the country and Malaysia gathered to share on their apostolic initiatives and map out a more effective response to the challenges they encounter in their respective ministries.

Themed “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age”, the seminar touched on the challenges of the media apostolate in the digital age.

Resource speaker during the seminar was Sr. Consolata Manding, FSP, directress of Paulines Institute of Communication in Asia (PICA). She spoke on the culture of communication and expounded on Pope Benedict XVI’s message for 2011 World Communications Day.

Communication is in a flux, Manding said. The radical development of digital technology has altered the way people communicate with one another and so our way of doing the apostolate, she added.

She asked participants of the changes they observed in their practice of communication… among themselves, community, family, friends, and in the apostolate.

Manding dared participants to respond aggressively on the challenges posed by the Holy Father in his message, especially that of using more effectively the new media in the proclamation of the Gospel.

Participants in the assembly were sisters working in ministries that include media literacy education, radio, TV, audio-visual, information technology and pastoral involvement in arch/diocesan commission on social communications and the media office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Parents have primary role in children’s education, pope says

2011-03-04T16:21:00.000+08:00

Parents are the primary educators of their children in the faith, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Addressing Filipino bishops on March 3, the pope highlighted the importance of catechesis for families in the face of negative influences that threaten to destroy its rights and integrity.

He told the bishops to reach out to families and educate parents on “their role as the first educators of their children in the faith.”

The pope lauded the bishops’ efforts even as he singled out the contributions of “many religious sisters and lay catechists” in the ministry.

“The deep personal piety of your people needs to be nourished and supported by a profound understanding of and appreciation for the teachings of the Church in matters of faith and morals,” the pope stressed.

Peace dialogue

Alluding on the ongoing peace dialogue in Mindanao, the Holy Father said “dialogue with other religions remains a high priority, especially in the southern areas of your country.”

“I commend you for the work you have already done and I encourage you, by means of the dialogue that has been established, to continue to promote the path to true and lasting peace with all of your neighbors, never failing to treat each person, no matter his or her beliefs, as created in the image of God,” said the Holy Father.

Seek the “lost sheep”

The pope urged the bishops to seek out “the lost sheep” and make sure “that all the faithful draw life from the great gift given to us in the Sacred Mysteries.”

He told the prelates not to "grow weary of doing good" as “the greatest good that we can offer those whom we serve is given to us in the Eucharist.”

“It is heartening that many Filipinos attend Sunday Mass, but this does not leave room for complacency on your part as shepherds,” the pope said.

The last batch of bishops from Mindanao and Lipa are in Rome, Feb. 21 to March 5 for their five-yearly ad limina visit.

Pope tells Filipino bishops: take care of your clergy

2011-03-04T16:17:00.001+08:00

Pope Benedict urged Philippine bishops to put a premium in the ongoing formation of the clergy and to guide them to spiritual maturity.

The bishops have a paternal duty towards their clergy and should guide them with sincere concern, said the pope.

The Holy Father said the statement on March 3, during the “ad limina visit” of Mindanao bishops and the Archbishop of Lipa.

He lauded the continuing formation programs many dioceses have for the young clergy to help them adjust to an independent life outside the seminary.

“Along these lines, it is also helpful for them to be assigned mentors from among those older priests who have proven themselves to be faithful servants of the Lord,” he said.

“These men can guide their younger confrères along the path toward a mature and well-balanced way of priestly living,” the pope added.

Saying that “priests of all ages” need continuous care in all aspects of their priestly life, the Holy Father also encouraged that “regular days of recollection, yearly retreats and convocations, as well as programs for continuing education and assistance for priests who may be facing difficulties”, be promoted.

He also urged the bishops to look after the well-being of their priests assigned in isolated areas.

The pontiff noted how the Second National Congress for the Clergy held during the Year for Priests “became an occasion for renewal and fraternal support” among the clergy.

He encouraged the prelates to benefit from the annual celebration of Holy Thursday, “during which the Church commemorates the priesthood in a special way.”

“Remind your priests of their commitment to celibacy, obedience, and an ever greater dedication to pastoral service,” the pope told the bishops.

“In living out their promises, these men will become true spiritual fathers with a personal and psychological maturity that will grow to mirror the paternity of God,” he added.

Romblon residents renew call against mining

2011-02-15T01:24:00.001+08:00

Romblon residents staged a rally today as they renewed their call against mining in the island.

More than ten thousand people led by Romblon Forum Against Mining (REFAM) and Alliance of Students Against Mining (ASAM) gathered at Odiongan, Tablas Island calling for the junking of Mining Act of 1995.

REFAM chairman Msgr. Ernie Fetalino said the people’s attendance in the rally is a concrete manifestation of their opposition to all kinds of mining because of the dangers it pose on the islands’ topography.

“Mining fuels disasters brought about by the inconsistencies of our climate. We will never stop defending the integrity of creation and dignity of persons,” he said.

In a video message shown during the rally, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros lauded Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo for issuing a mining moratorium in the province.

“Congratulations to Gov. Eduardo Firmalo, the local councils and the people of Romblon for the executive order and resolutions on mining moratorium. We continue to work against all destructive forms of mining,” Hontiveros said.

She said House Bill 3763, also known as Minerals Management Bill (MMB), filed in Congress by Akbayan aims to manage efficiently the country’s mineral resources. It will strictly establish and implement No Go Zones for mining, involve a multi-sectoral committee in decision-making, and a rights-based approach to development.

“We need the support of local governments like Romblon to strengthen the cry against large-scale mining. Let’s work together to preserve our resources,” she added.

Firmalo on January 10, has issued an executive order declaring an indefinite mining moratorium in the province.

It has been reported that Ivanhoe Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of Canada-based Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. has applied for permit to explore 15, 000 hectares of land spanning several towns in Tablas Island.

Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) also declared his group’s support to the indigenous people, saying, “These people know that they will not benefit from mining, and their lives will be further put at stake when mining starts and their islands are in a greater disaster risk, and it is just right that they are fighting for their land.”

“We stand together with them in calling the national government and President Aquino, to stop letting these companies dig up our natural resources and leave the islands half bare with people to suffer the consequences,” Garganera further said.

The nine municipalities in Tablas Island have earlier approved resolutions opposing any exploration, development and utilization of minerals on the island.

Sorsogon environmentalists light candles for slain activist

2011-02-05T07:25:00.002+08:00

Anti-mining advocates in Sorsogon lighted candles as they sought justice for slain activist Dr. Gerry Ortega.

Hundreds of people gathered in a symposium on Mining and Climate Change in Sorsogon City lighted their own candles in solidarity with thousand others in Palawan and Metro Manila who prayed and held vigil for the slain environmentalist.

Fr. Alexander Jerus, Matnog parish priest and chairman of the Coalition Against Mining (CAMPS) in the Province of Sorsogon led the people in praying for enlightenment and environmental justice.

"Let these candles enlighten our dark minds and souls to understand our role as stewards of creation and maintain ecological balance; let the light of justice shine upon those who were persecuted and oppressed for the sake of defending the integrity of creation and dignity of persons," he said.

Sorsogon is also at the forefront of an ongoing crusade against mining in the province.

For Jerus mining in Sorsogon is generally "a moral and spiritual issue for it destroys the relationship of persons with each other, with the environment and with God; it further degrades the dignity of persons through the evils of greed and deception."

Many of those who participated in the symposium organized by Alyansa Tigil Mina expressed grief on the untimely death of Ortega even as they salute his commitment in protecting the environment.

Bryan Gavanzo, Matnog municipal tourism officer and public information officer of CAMPS said Ortega’s crusade for ecological preservation serves as an inspiration for all of them.

He pointed out that mining, both large and small scale may "destroy tourism potentials and fuel the effect of climate change disasters in the upland and coastal communities."

Food security is also at risk if mining will be allowed in the province, according to Teodoro Garbin, president of Matnog Sagip Kalikasan Organization (MSKO) and Matnog Environmental Protection and Waste Management officer.

Intensified agriculture and aquaculture is a top priority program of the municipality, Garbin said, adding that “climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction management are being implemented in the province of Sorsogon.”

Meanwhile, Sorsogon provincial board member Vladimir Ramon Frivaldo disclosed that roughly “35%-40% of Sorsogon's mountains and coastal areas are being opened up for extractions of iron, magnetite, manganese, gold, copper and titanium.”

"I am surprised that our lands are already mapped to be sold without the knowledge of our constituents,” he said.

He called on the provincial government to protect the environment and uphold the rights of the people.

“I challenge the provincial board and Governor Raul Lee to defend our people and serve within the mandates of the Local Government Code to enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology and the Philippine Constitution to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature," he said.

The groups who participated in the symposium and prayer service were the Coalition Against Mining in the Province of Sorsogon (CAMPS), Matnog Environmental Advocates Organization (MEAO), Matnog Sagip Kalikasan Organization (MKSO) and United Matnoganons International (UMI).

Millions of devotees pay homage to Nazarene icon

2011-01-11T13:00:00.000+08:00

Amid the mammoth crowd of pilgrims, the statue of the Black Nazarene floated atop heads of devotees as its carriage inched its way along a 4.2 kilometre-long procession that would last for at least 15 and a half hours.

Considered one of the country’s biggest and spectacular religious events, the annual celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene every 9^th of January draws millions of pilgrims from all walks of life who come from all over the country to pay homage to the revered icon.

Devotees believed the image is miraculous and many have attested for extraordinary healings as well as spiritual and material blessings obtained after touching the statue. Those who joined the procession do so to fulfill their vow or panata, often in thanksgiving of a particular grace received from God.

Popular devotion

Devotion to the Black Nazarene is particularly close to the hearts of millions of poor Filipinos who identify their sufferings and tribulations with those of the suffering Christ.

This fact is further reiterated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who said that people are drawn to the devotion to the Black Nazarene because they recognize in His cross their own struggles.

“The image of the Black Nazarene is the image of suffering, struggling, that is why people like Him… they see in the cross a picture of them,” he explained.

Devotees believed their devotion to the suffering Christ will help improve their lives, bring forgiveness to sins, cure illnesses of family members as well as bring peace and prosperity in the country.

The church in Quiapo, where the image is enshrined has become a place of refuge for people who are burdened with life’s troubles. Pilgrims can be seen walking on their knees as they implore God for special blessings.

Although daily masses are often well attended, it is the first Friday Masses and novenas celebrated in honor of the Black Nazarene that draw the most number of devotees.

The Black Nazarene

The life size statue of the Black Nazarene has been enshrined at the Quiapo Church since it was moved there some time in 1791. When the icon was brought into the country by the Augustinian Recollects in 1606, the image was first enshrined in a Recoletos church in Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park). It was later on transferred to Quiapo Church upon the order of the then Archbishop of Manila Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina.

The image is said to have been made by a Mexican carpenter and came into the country via the galleon trade. Tradition also holds that the galleon carrying the image caught fire which explains the Nazarene’s dark color.

Papal approval

Two popes on separate instances have given their blessing on this uniquely Filipino devotion. A papal bull was issued by Pope Innocent X in 1650, giving his pontifical blessing for the canonical establishment of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Black Christ Nazarene. In the 1880s, Pope Pius VII granted plenary indulgence to those who pray devoutly before the image of the Black Nazarene and fulfill all the requirements necessary to gain an indulgence.

In 1988, the Quiapo Church was declared the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene by the Vatican.

The Traslacion

Every January 9, the Black Nazarene is brought out in procession to commemorate the icon’s transfer from its original location in Luneta to its present shrine in Quiapo Church.

The traslacion is usually preceded by an overnight vigil at the Quirino grandstand in Luneta where thousands of devotees gather in prayer to prepare for the next day’s procession of the image back to the shrine.

This year’s procession, according to news reports, has an estimated 7 million devotees, slightly higher than last year’s count. Organizers said that the increase in number of pilgrims might have also contributed why the procession took so long to reach the shrine.

Devotees wear clothing that is of the same color the image has and join the procession barefooted in imitation of Jesus’ walk in Calvary.

Processions in the past were infamous for the record number of injuries and death of devotees who were trampled upon by the mammoth crowd. In 2006, two people died and around 20 people were injured. In 2008, the number of injuries climbed up to 50, again with two reported deaths.

During the celebration of the Nazarene’s 402^nd year, the procession’s original 4.7 kilometer route was changed to its present course to avert injuries and stampede. The change in route is also in keeping with the original meaning of the traslacion, which is the transfer of the image from Luneta to Quiapo. Last January 9, the number of people injured has risen to 708, tripled than that of last year’s 246, but no death was reported.

Black Nazarene’s 404^th year

The overnight vigil held at the Luneta before the procession on the feast day is a practice that has been in place for three years now. The vigil gives pilgrims the chance to spiritually prepare themselves for the feast through liturgical celebration, healing service and catechesis. They also get the chance to venerate and kiss the image before it goes in procession.

Simultaneous with the celebration of the feast of Black Nazarene in Manila is a similar observance in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro where a replica of the image donated by Quiapo Church is enshrined in the church of Jesus Poon Nazareno in Calamian, Cagayan de Oro city. The replica that used to be the pilgrim image was given to the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro in 2009 to make it easier for devotees from the regions of Mindanao and Visayas to make their annual pilgrimage in a place nearer to them.

Pope urges religious tolerance, condemns attacks on Christians

2011-01-06T02:40:00.001+08:00

POPE Benedict XVI appealed for religious tolerance amidst surging persecution of Christians and urged the faithful to commit themselves in building a society that ensures freedom of worship as a means to achieve peace in the world.

Allowing everyone to have the freedom of worship is the only way to peace, the Holy Father said.

“I implore all men and women of good will to renew their commitment to building a world where all are free to profess their religion or faith, and to express their love of God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind,” the pope said in his 2011 World Day of Peace message.

He said he prays “especially for peace”, as he noted how the previous year has been again “marked by persecution, discrimination, terrible acts of violence and religious intolerance.”

But even as he appealed for peace on New Year’s Day, media reported of a suicide bombing in Alexandria, Egypt that targeted Christian worshippers leaving a New Year’s mass at a Coptic Orthodox Church.

The bombing killed at least 21 people and injured several others, according to reports.

Christians targeted

The pope made the plea for peace in the light of continued persecution of Christians, especially in countries that suppress freedom of worship.

For anyone to suffer persecution because of religious belief is an affront to God and human dignity, the Holy Father said.

The pope noted in his new year’s message the violent attack on Iraq Catholics in October 31 last year that killed two priests and over 50 faithful while gathered for the celebration of Holy Mass at the Syro-Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baghdad.

Pope Benedict expressed his closeness to the suffering Christian community who endured more attacks in the aftermath of violence.

“My thoughts turn in a special way to the beloved country of Iraq, which continues to be a theatre of violence and strife as it makes its way towards a future of stability and reconciliation,” the pope said.

The Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops held in October discussed the situation of unpeace in the region, encouraging “the Catholic communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East to live in communion and to continue to offer a courageous witness of faith in those lands.”

‘Most persecuted’

The pope said Christians are the most persecuted religious group because of their faith.

“Many Christians experience daily affronts and often live in fear because of their pursuit of truth, their faith in Jesus Christ and their heartfelt plea for respect for religious freedom,” he said.

In his Christmas message, the pope especially prayed for the faithful in China to remain steadfast in their faith despite restrictions “imposed on their freedom of religion and conscience.”

Reiterating the message of peace that Christmas brings, the Holy Father prayed for countries who have suffered the most due to injustices, conflicts, natural disasters and political instability.

On Christmas Eve, a series of bomb blasts targeting churches and a marketplace in Jos, Nigeria killed at least 32 people and injured 72 others, according to news reports.

In the Philippines, a Catholic chapel in Jolo exploded while a Mass was being celebrated on Christmas Day, injuring a priest and several churchgoers.

Denouncing the violent attacks in his Dec. 26 Angelus message, the pope renewed his call for peace urging everyone “to abandon the path of hatred in order to find peaceful solutions to conflicts and bring security and tranquility” to all.

Religious freedom

Religious freedom, the pope said, is the “synthesis and keystone” of all fundamental rights and freedoms.

Assuring persecuted Christians of his prayers, the pope called on government authorities to step in, citing the discrimination and religious intolerance being suffered by Christian communities in Asia, Africa, Middle East and Holy Land.

The pope expressed hope for end in hostilities, especially directed towards Christians who are being prejudiced because they chose to live their lives according to gospel values.

Rooted in human dignity

“The right to religious freedom is rooted in the very dignity of the human person,” the Holy Father further stressed in his New Year’s message.

Essential elements of this human dignity are the right to life and the right to religious freedom, the pope said.

He noted not without pain that “in some areas of the world it is impossible to profess one’s religion freely except at the risk of life and personal liberty.”

The pontiff also decried religious extremism, saying that “fanaticism, fundamentalism and practices contrary to human dignity can never be justified, even less so in the name of religion.”

Calling on people to become peacemakers, especially the young, the pontiff urged them to open their hearts to God to attain “authentic freedom.”

“Religious freedom is an authentic weapon of peace,” Pope Benedict said, and “it gives hope for a future of justice and peace, even in the face of grave injustice and material and moral poverty.”

Among other things, the pope's lengthy New Year’s message also touched on the interrelationship between religious freedom and mutual respect; the family as the first training ground for freedom and peace; religious freedom as a common patrimony for all; the public dimension of religion; and the need for dialogue between civil and religious institutions.

Pass moral judgment on public order, pope says

2010-12-06T20:37:00.000+08:00

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The Church has the prophetic duty to pass moral judgment in those matters which regards public order whenever the fundamental human rights of a person or the salvation of souls requires it, Pope Benedict said on November 29 as he received the first group of Philippine bishops during their five-yearly “Ad limina” visit.

The Holy Father stressed that in proclaiming the Gospel, the Church may touch upon “issues relevant to the political sphere.”

“This is not surprising,” the pope said, “since the political community and the Church, while rightly distinct, are nevertheless both at the service of the integral development of every human being and of society as a whole.”

Quoting a Vatican II document, he said “the Church contributes most toward the building of a just and charitable social order when, ‘by preaching the truths of the Gospel, and bringing to bear on all fields of human endeavour the light of her doctrine and of a Christian witness, she respects and fosters the political freedom and responsibility of citizens’.” (Gaudium et Spes, 76)

The Holy Father noted that the truth of the Gospel have led “generations of zealous Filipino clergymen, religious and laity [to promote] an ever more just social order.”

Pope Benedict also lauded the efforts of Philippine bishops in safeguarding the sanctity of life and preserving the integrity of marriage and the family.

The pontiff said it is the task of the Church to speak out on matters of moral and spiritual matters that affect the lives of believers.

He commended the Catholic hierarchy “for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defence of the integrity of marriage and the family.”

The Church must act as a leaven in society, the pontiff said. But to be such, it must speak out the truth, he added.

This is best conveyed, according to the pope, “in the public witness offered by the Bishops, as the Church’s primary teachers, and by all who have a role in teaching the faith to others.”

The pope made the statement as he welcomed the group of 35 bishops led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

RH Bill

The Holy Father praised the Philippine bishops for their efforts to uphold the sacredness of human life from all stages and preserve the sanctity of marriage and family.

Church leaders in the country are currently at loggerheads with government officials against the passage of the controversial reproductive health bill.

The proposed law has contentious provisions which the bishops said are morally unacceptable as they go against the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Among others, it promotes the use of contraceptives, which bioethics experts say are abortifacients as they prevent the implantation of fertilized egg into the uterus.

The measure also provides for a mandatory sex education for students from Grade V up, which bishops fear could lead to promiscuity and teen pregnancies.

“In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from the natural law, an order which is accessible to human reason and thus provides a basis for dialogue and deeper discernment on the part of all people of good will. I also note with appreciation the Church’s work to abolish the death penalty in your country,” the pope said.

The Church, in proclaiming the gospel values, will necessarily have to touch on issues that can be considered political, the pope said.

‘Prophetic stance’

The Holy Father also welcomed the bishops’ efforts to care for the weak and deprived as he noted the rise of Catholic charitable institutions in the country that care for the poor.

“A third aspect of the Church’s mission of proclaiming the life-giving word of God is in her commitment to economic and social concerns, in particular with respect to the poorest and the weakest in society,” he said.

The pope lauded the bishops for their “prophetic stance” on social issues as he mentioned the problems of unemployment, lack of adequate education and basic services in the country.

“In addition to this effort, you are rightly concerned that there be an on-going commitment to the struggle against corruption, since the growth of a just and sustainable economy will only come about when there is a clear and consistent application of the rule of law throughout the land,” said the pontiff.

‘Unified voice’

The pope also mentioned communications media as a field where the Church can have a voice to reach out to the faithful more effectively.

But he stressed that to create an impact it is important for the Church to have a “unified and positive voice” in presenting the gospel values to the faithful.

The Holy Father said lay people expert in social communications can contribute much in making the Gospel message attractive to people.

“If the Gospel of Christ is to be a leaven in Filipino society, then the entire Catholic community must be attentive to the force of the truth proclaimed with love,” he said.

The bishops who are in Rome for their five-yearly “ad limina” visit come from the 30 ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Metro Manila, and Central and Northern Luzon. The group is the first of three batches of bishops scheduled to visit Rome for the quinquennial visit “ad limina apostolorum.”

Priest clarifies pope’s remarks on condom

2010-11-25T03:21:00.003+08:00

The head of the Archdiocese of Manila’s Commission on Family Life debunked the media reports claiming that Pope Benedict has changed Church’s teachings on condoms.

Fr. Joel Jason, SThL, currently the Dean of Studies at San Carlos Seminary and professor of Moral Theology, Sexuality and Integrity and Bioethics has issued some clarifications on the controversy generated by the pope’s remarks on the use of condoms.

The pontiff’s words were clearly taken out of context, he said, pointing out that the media took only excerpts of the pope’s answer to the question asked of him, thus leaving out the essential meaning of the text.

Citing the principle in Biblical interpretation, Jason said the message or the text must be taken in its integral context or risk to lose its real meaning.

“Taken in isolation, a text in the Bible can be reduced to a pretext, i.e., a half-truth or at worst, a misleading misinterpretation,” the priest said.

The controversy stemmed from an interview the pope has granted to journalist Peter Seewald in a book released on Nov. 23, titled “Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times.”

In the interview, the pope gave a lengthy answer to Seewald’s question on the Vatican’s policy on AIDs.

An excerpt of the pope’s response mentioned the case of some individuals who may have basis in using a condom.

“There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility…”

Jason pointed out that the media took out in isolation the above excerpt without considering the sentence in its entirety.

Those who interpreted the pope’s remarks did not even finish the sentence, the priest said.

Media reports claimed the pope has changed the Church’s teaching on contraception.

Supporters of RH bill in the country are riding the issue and calling the Catholic bishops to follow the stance of the pope.

But Jason said the pope’s remarks in the interview should not be taken as official teachings or pronouncements.

If the pope wants to issue a new teaching in his capacity as the Successor of Peter and the Supreme Teacher of the Catholic faith, he will not do it through an interview, Jason pointed out.

“Everyone who knows basic Catechism understands this, much more the Pope. And so headlines claiming, ‘Pope changes teaching on Condoms, Contraception and HIV’, or ‘Pope: Condoms OK in fight Against AIDS” are totally way out of line,’ the priest said.

Jason explained that “nowhere in the text of the Pope Benedict’s response can we find summary justification of condom use.”

The pope instead stressed that much must be done to solve the problem of AIDs, not by distributing condoms.

“This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves,” the pope said.

The pope’s response, Jason furthered, “was not even a direct commentary on the possible moral justification of condom use, clearly not for contraception. He was making a moral speculation on what may be going on in the heart of one (a male prostitute) who uses the condom in a homosexual or heterosexual sex act.”

Jason said “what the Pope stressed was not that condom use is OK in the case of a male prostitute engaged in heterosexual or homosexual acts. He merely said that ‘this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility’…”

The country’s prelates have also called on government officials and supporters of RH bill not to use the words of the pope as a justification to push their own agenda.

Church leaders in other parts of the world have likewise issued their individual statements defending what the pope said in the book.

Seewald, during the launching of the book on November 23 at the Vatican, complained of what he called “crisis of journalism”, referring on how the media twisted the words of the pope out of context.

He said the pope discusses wide ranging topics in the book, “…the pope appeals to humanity—our world is in the process of collapse, and half the journalists are only interested in the issue of condoms.”

Cardinal issues guidelines for simbang gabi; masses in malls not allowed

2010-11-20T01:23:00.001+08:00

The faithful who used to attend simbang gabi masses in malls are now urged to go to the parishes to participate in the celebration.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales in a directive sent to archdiocesan clergy said simbang gabi masses will not be allowed anymore in malls “unless there is a chapel in the establishment, where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated with frequency and duly approved” by the archdiocese.

The guidelines are issued to ensure a “proper, solemn, dignified and meaningful celebration of the Simbang Gabi”, the cardinal said.

“We do not allow Simbang Gabi to be celebrated in corridors and hallways of shopping malls where the celebration of the Holy Eucharist is needlessly exposed to shoppers that are indifferent to the celebration,” Rosales said in the circular.

He said masses for simbang gabi should be celebrated in the parishes or chapels that are duly recognized by the parish.

Simbang gabi, also known as misa de aguinaldo is traditionally celebrated at early dawn, from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., although it is already a practice in many parishes to celebrate simbang gabi masses in the evening.

“If the Misa de Aguinaldo is celebration from 8:00 o’clock in the evening onwards, it should be motivated by genuine pastoral care for the spiritual benefit of the faithful,” the cardinal stressed.

The simbang gabi masses celebrated in the evening started during martial law years because of the curfew imposed by the government at the time.

But the practice has remained because many faithful “who follow the urban rhythm of work find it easier to join in the evening instead of the dawn Masses.”

“We wish to encourage the practice of Simbang Gabi, whether at dawn or in the evening, because it is a great source of spiritual nourishment to our faithful,” the cardinal said.

But celebration of simbang gabi masses at other times such as morning, mid-day or late afternoon mass is not allowed since it “is not in keeping with the liturgical norms of the Archdiocese of Manila and is to be regarded as an abuse.”

The simbang gabi or the nine-day dawn masses preceding the feast of Christmas is a tradition brought into the country by the Spanish evangelizers.

In 1953, the Plenary Council of the Philippines formally requested Rome for special dispensation to celebrate the nine-day dawn masses leading to Christmas.

Celebrated with solemnity, the simbang gabi masses are votive masses in honor of the Virgin Mary.

“For Filipino Catholics, Simbang Gabi is above all an expression of their filial devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. For nine consecutive days, they join and accompany her, so to speak, as she awaits the birth of her Son,” according to Rosales.

“May the faith and devotion of Mary, the Mother of God and the Mother of the Filipino nation, inspire us to receive in our hearts and home God’s surpassing Aguinaldo in the person of Jesus Christ. Let us keep her company through prayer and good works, so that she may also keep us company as we journey toward the fulfillment of God’s promise of peace in our nation and in the world,” the cardinal further said.

‘Stop mining in our region’—Eastern Visayas bishops

2010-10-27T18:40:00.000+08:00

Six bishops from Eastern Visayas have made an impassioned plea on government leaders to stop mining in the region.

The mining aggression in Eastern Visayas will only worsen the already deteriorating state of the environment and destroy the livelihood of the people, they said.

“We call on our responsible leaders in government, in the private sector and all those who harbor intentions of mining our region to listen to the voices of our people, ‘Bring back the Beautiful Land we had once; STOP MINING IN OUR REGION’,” the bishops said in a statement issued on Oct. 22.

Both government and private sectors have shown keen interest in developing the mining industry in the territory.

The prelates criticized the “misplaced priorities” of some local leaders accusing them of acting “more as agents of the mining firms rather than agents of the people.”

The bishops noted in the statement that several mining permits for exploration and mining production sharing agreements (MPSAs) have been issued in many parts of the region’s islands of Samar, Leyte and Biliran.

They expressed alarm on the irreversible impact of extractive industries especially on the islands of Manicani and Homonhon in Eastern Samar and Batag in Northern Samar which remain imperiled by large and small-scale mining operations.

“As shepherds of our flock, it is our collective sentiments that the continuing drive for development of the Eastern Visayas region anchored on mining as well as other extractive economic pursuits, only reinforce the irreversible trend of permanently damaging nature's endowments. As a consequence, the many lines of opportunities upon which our people can draw their life sustenance will definitely be threatened immensely,” the statement said.

The bishops said previous experiences attest on the harmful effects of mining on environment and livelihoods and these should have at least imparted some lessons on everyone.

Citing Bagacay as an example, the prelates said the mining company left the area permanently devastated and the river poisoned after having extracted all minerals from the ground.

“The people who had high hopes of being lifted from their sorry state of poverty were left to fend for themselves and grapple with the realities that there are no more fertile grounds to grow their food or natural river systems to catch the fishes for their day's meal,” they said.

The prelates also noted the decade-long struggle of the people in the islands of Manicani, Homonhon and Batag who have to make do with what was left of the environment and livelihood destroyed by mining.

Added to the damage done on the environment is “the destruction of the islands’ social fabric, [with] families and communities [being] polarized,” they said.

“What pervades has been the situation of unpeace and disharmony. People in the islands have been constantly threatened by another prospect of systematic destruction of the island they call home,” they added.

The bishops reiterated that the social costs and irreversible destruction caused by mining far outweigh its perceived economic benefits.

Signatories of the pastoral statement titled “A Call to Stop Mining in Eastern Visayas Region” were Palo Archbishop Jose S. Palma, Catarman Bishop Emmanuel C. Trance, Borongan Bishop Crispin B. Varquez, Maasin Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, Calbayog Bishop Isabelo C. Abarquez, and Naval Bishop Felomino G. Bactol.

Borongan clergy hits move to resume mining in Manicani island

2010-10-27T02:49:00.001+08:00

The apparent move of a mining company to continue its mining operations in Eastern Samar’s Manicani Island has met outright resistance from the diocesan clergy of Borongan.

Voicing out the fears and apprehensions of concerned residents, the clergy said allowing mining in Manicani will result to the “wanton destruction of the environment in the island”, citing DENR 2003 siltation report in the area.

In a statement released on October 13, the Borongan clergy led by Bishop Crispin Varquez rapped the obvious attempt of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) to have the suspension of mining operation in the island be lifted that would pave for mineral extraction in Manicani.

“[We] reiterate our collective stand to oppose the resumption of mining in the island of Manicani in solidarity with the people of the island who have suffered long enough because of unmitigated greed of the very people who vowed to protect them; because of the wanton disregard of their basic right to live through the denial of their access to a basic element that sustains their life; and because, we cannot remain deaf and blind to the excesses of mining while our people suffer the consequences of actions not of their own making,” the statement partly read.

Mining will destroy agriculture and fisheries, which are the main livelihoods of the people, the clergy said.

With only an area of 1,165.89 hectares and no major source of water except rain water, Manicani communities will be at a disadvantage if mining operations continue, they furthered.

“What is more basic than any right, more basic than the right of mining firms, is the right of the people of Manicani to live safely and peacefully in their own island without the presence of mining which endangers their very lives,” the statement said.

The clergy also raised other issues such as the company’s failure to comply with the condition agreed with the people of Manicani regarding the last loading of mineral stockpile in 2004-05, stating “That immediately after the loading of the 150,000 MT nickel ore, all open pit caused by the mining operations shall be rehabilitated" (No. 8 of SB Resolution No. 32 series of 2004).

They said compliance to the above condition is necessary at least before any endorsement of the Guiuan Barangay council should be made.

The Guiuan Sangguniang Barangay is currently in the process of formulating a resolution to lift the suspension of mining operation.

So far, the barangay councils of Banaag, Buenavista, Hamorawon and San Jose, all in Manicani island, have already passed a resolution seeking the same.

HMC failed to assume the responsibilities and consequences relative to mining, the statement said, pointing out that the company left the island even before the expiration of its permit.

"How then it would account for its failures and shortcomings?” the statement asked.

In an effort to get the diocese soften its stand against the loading of mineral stockpiles, HMC offered to donate one million for the spiritual and pastoral endeavours of Borongan diocese, which the bishop declined.

But the company was able to buy people’s support by handing out P10,000 to every household, which led to the loading of mineral stockpiles, the statement said.

According to the clergy, the NAC has been doing a maintenance program on the “mined out areas in Manicani, specifically the settling ponds, periphery canals and catchment basins” already for several months now with some hired locals doing the work.

The mining company has even taken all the members of the island’s four barangay councils for a field trip to Rio Tuba, a mining area in Palawan.

The clergy reiterated their collective stand on the issue during their regular assembly on October 13 held at the Bishop Leonardo Y. Medroso Social Hall at the Bishop’s Residence in Borongan.

Laity, agents of social transformation

2010-10-09T02:25:00.005+08:00

As a developing country, the Philippines is continually confronted with myriad of problems typical to many third world nations. With its previous government enmeshed in strings of allegations of corruption, the country has even won a disgraceful title of being the most corrupt country in Asia. But corruption is only one, if not at the top of a long list of crises the country is experiencing. Added to the problem of corruption are poverty, social injustices, environmental destruction, extra-judicial killings and other moral issues.

With a new government in place, there is hope that positive changes might take place. But the public may have to rein in their hopes as it is apparent the problems have remained despite the promise of transparency and good governance.

A year prior to the 2010 national elections, the Catholic hierarchy has issued a pastoral exhortation inviting the Filipino faithful to prepare spiritually for the forthcoming event so crucial in the life of all Filipinos.

The bishops specifically singled out the laity in that pastoral letter, noting that the lay people will have to take the lead themselves if ever a “moral regeneration” will take place in the country. They pointed out that although religious leaders exercise “spiritual and moral leadership” on the faithful, there are certain spheres in society where it is only the laity who can exercise an effective leadership such as in the areas of “politics and governance, in business and economics, in the sciences and the mass media.”

Laity’s role in the Church

Vatican II documents have emphasized the role of the laity in societal transformation. The decree Apostolicam Actuositatem stresses that “renewal of the temporal order” must be taken up by the laity “as their own special obligation.”

The second Vatican Council has opened wide the doors for an active participation of the laity in the life and ministry of the Church. Council documents also acknowledged the immense contribution the laity can make in the work of evangelization especially in areas of society that only they can penetrate.

“Led by the light of the Gospel and the mind of the Church and motivated by Christian charity, they [laity] must act directly and in a definite way in the temporal sphere. As citizens they must cooperate with other citizens with their own particular skill and on their own responsibility. Everywhere and in all things they must seek the justice of God's kingdom. The temporal order must be renewed in such a way that, without detriment to its own proper laws, it may be brought into conformity with the higher principles of the Christian life and adapted to the shifting circumstances of time, place, and peoples.” (AA)

Catholic Laity in the Philippines

But long before Vatican II has given its stamp on the importance of the lay apostolate in the evangelization ministry of the Church, the Catholic Laity in the Philippines was already organized into a national federation of Church-mandated organizations.

Initially called Catholic Action of the Philippines, the name was later changed to Council of the laity of the Philippines. The Council of the Laity (Laiko) under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has under it some 70 affiliated lay groups, associations and movements nationwide that are active in various ministries of the Church. Many of these lay associations are at the vanguard fighting for their advocacies in support of life, good governance, justice and human rights.

Working for social transformation

Laiko National President Edgardo Tria Tirona thinks the Catholic laity have gone as far as it could (despite limited logistics) in working for social transformation.

“Witness the many different lay organizations working for poverty alleviation by means of housing and community building, educational programs, micro financing and other capacity building including continuing formation through Life in the Spirit Seminars, Cursillo movements, etc.,” he said.

And these initiatives, he explained, “are not only in the cities but in the countryside as well with the BECs in many areas outside of the cities.”

The Council of the Laity has also been very vocal and have made its position very clear in regard to controversial issues such as RH Bill, Population Control, Electoral Reforms, Social Injustice and lack of good governance due to corruption.

Since 2004, a team from Laiko has sat as observers in the Bids and Awards Committees of many large government agencies as part of its advocacy for good governance.

“Advocacies for social justice with legal assistance to the poor is also being undertaken by the lay faithful,” Tirona said. “These help our ‘masa’ attain a degree of social transformation in the light of Gospel values,” he added.

Pro-life issues

Despite the raging debate on the issue of the reproductive health bill Tirona said Laiko does not preclude the option for dialogue to clarify positions of both Church and government.

“Under our present leadership we opt for dialogue first and exhaust all means to clarify positions avoiding confrontation and hostilities,” he said.

Following President Benigno Aquino’s pronouncement that the government will distribute contraceptives to poor couples to stem the tide of growing population, several lay organizations led by Pro-life Philippine Foundation president Erick Manalang, have met to discuss possible steps to take in response to the government’s move.

Over a month ago, Bro. Mike Velarde, leader of Catholic lay movement El Shaddai, which boasts of millions in terms of membership, vowed to use his political influence to stop the passage of the infamous reproductive health bill in Congress.

Evangelizing politics

In the world of politics, the laity is encouraged by the church to become innovative leaders who can work and bring change in the society.

During the recent election, the voice of the laity was most prominent in calling for a “moral regeneration” in the country. In response, the Catholic hierarchy issued a statement challenging the laity to become active participants in achieving social change.

The electoral exercise last May has seen a serious involvement of lay people in educating the public to choose their leaders wisely. Heeding the call of the bishops many church and civic organizations had taken upon themselves the responsibility of ensuring a credible and honest election.

Tirona said that the laity’s intervention in politics is seen through political education where “a number of lay organizations, some in joint collaboration with the clergy have embarked on educational campaigns to encourage critical thinking for voter maturity in the light of Church teachings.”

“We have such large groups as PPCRV for Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Lampstand, providing legal assistance, CIDE again for voter education, and more,” he said.

Witness of life

In Pope John Paul’s pastoral exhortation Christifideles Laici, the laity’s role is further defined as they are called to a more intense living of their Christian vocation through witness of life that calls for both prayer and action.

“Many activities of the lay are actually meaningful attempts to live Gospel values with contemplative action coupled with active contemplation,” said Tirona.

Tirona, who is also the president of lay association of St. Vincent de Paul, believes that social problems cannot be solved “by bread alone” and it is important that God be put in the equation or else there is the danger for one to succumb to radicalism.

Accordingly, the St. Vincent de Paul association believes in the saying that one cannot preach in an empty stomach, hence they make it a point to address first the material needs of the person before any attempt of evangelizing him/her.

“Besides, the show of kindness, love and understanding are forms of evangelizing itself as it shows that in living our faith we are actually "walking our talk" so to speak,” he said.

Take the lead

Calling on the laity to take the lead in seeking for social change in the country, the bishops further challenged the Catholic laity to head start the pursuit for the country’s moral renewal.

“We challenge our Catholic laity, in particular, to take the lead in the task of moral renewal towards a deeper and more lasting change in the Philippine society,” bishops said.

They went on to urge laypeople in various spheres of society to make a difference for the sake of the country.

“We challenge all lay people involved in politics to renounce corruption and bond together in the task of evangelizing politics for effective governance and the pursuit of the common good. We challenge the laity involved in legislation to unite themselves and consciously allow their actions to be guided by the truth of the Gospel and the Christian faith. We urge the Catholic lay people involved in legitimate business to organize themselves and consciously practice their trade with a strong sense of corporate social responsibility informed by the social teachings of the Church. We enjoin all Catholic law enforcers to form associations among themselves that consciously renounce violence, respect basic human rights, and truly work for the preservation of peace and social order. We call upon the Catholic laity involved in social communications and the modern mass media to form networks among themselves that can articulate a genuinely Christian ethics in their practice of their profession. We urge every Catholic lay person to give a concrete expression to Christian discipleship through responsible citizenship.”

The challenge is thrown not only to a specific group but to every lay person in all spheres of society. For, indeed, it takes only one willing person to make a difference. However, there is strength in numbers, and if only for this, we can put a greater responsibility to church-mandated lay organizations to take the lead to transform Philippine society.

Economist debunks claim of population explosion in RP

2010-10-01T01:30:00.002+08:00

Is the Philippine population indeed a ticking time bomb as proponents of RH bill say so? One of the country’s economists and academicians thinks otherwise.

Dr. Bernardo Villegas, PhD, calling himself a long-term student of demography, claimed that the country’s population data is a “statistical abracadabra”.

Debunking the claim of population control advocates, Villegas in an article published at the CBCP Monitor said, that “he had always suspected some doctoring of population data by birth-control pushers”, to justify the government’s push for artificial family planning methods.

Villegas, a university professor and senior vice-president of the University of Asia and the Pacific, said the congested slums in Metro Manila area could have created the illusion that the country’s population is a “ticking time bomb”.

That, coupled with the “inflated” data of the 2000 census, gives the wrong idea that the population is indeed “exploding”.

On the contrary, he said, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) quotes in its website that “the Philippine Population Growth Rate (PPGR) for the year 2010 to be at the slowing rate of only 1.82 percent per annum (vs. the 2.36 percent during the census year 2000, which figure is often still used to justify the view that PGR is “exploding”).”

Villegas also cited the claims of former Population Commissioner Dr. Jose Sandejas that the NSCB “single-handedly added 146,582 babies to the actual number recorded in the 2000 census.”

The “arbitrary addition”, he said, increased the “population growth rate (PGR) and the total fertility rate (TFR) by some 9 percent more than the actual figure measured in the 2000 census.”

“The TFR for the year 2000 should have been reported as only 2.7 babies per woman, already dangerously close to zero population growth rate,” he further explained.

The NSCB quoted the TFR for 2010 at 2.96 births per woman, which according to Villegas, “represents a significant decline from the NSCB figure of 3.41 births per woman.”

He said that even without “aggressive population control campaigns”, population is obviously declining because young couples decide to have fewer children than their elders before them.

“The main factors for the decrease in fertility are urbanization, later marriages, and increased education of women,” he said.

Villegas quoted Sandejas that the country “does not need a policy on family planning which will tend to slow down PGR even more rapidly” instead it “can reap a demographic dividend if we can slow down or reverse the declining PGR or TFR.”

“The government’s role is to assist parents to educate and nurture the youth leaders so that they can be more productive citizens in the future.”

Natural family planning

The Church has always maintained its stand against the use of contraceptives as it goes against Church teachings.

It urges couples to apply the natural family planning methods in spacing out children, saying natural family planning is “the only morally acceptable way of practicing responsible parenthood.”

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in an earlier statement, has stated that “the Church does not forbid the advocacy of the increase or decrease of population provided the freedom of the couple to exercise sexual and family morality according to their religious conviction are respected.”

Filipino liturgists advocate use of vernacular in liturgy

2010-09-20T04:37:00.000+08:00

Many of the faithful may prefer Tridentine Mass with the blessing of the Vatican but Filipino liturgists still advocate the use of the vernacular in liturgy.

The diocesan directors of liturgy said they would rather prefer that masses and other liturgical celebrations in parishes and communities use the native language.

The statement was made at the conclusion of the National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy (NMDDL) held at Pope Pius XII Center, Manila.

They said that while they respect the option to use Latin and celebrate the Tridentine liturgy, they would recommend the use of vernacular and “recommend translations that faithfully reflect both the spiritual doctrine of the texts and the linguistic patterns of our vernacular languages.”

Calling attention on “the unfinished agenda of liturgical inculturation” which began after Vatican II, the liturgists noted that “our rich cultural heritage has much to offer to make the Roman liturgy truly Filipino.”

The liturgists also mentioned the need for some dioceses to encourage participation of women in liturgical ministries.

“Some dioceses in the Philippines still reserve to male persons ministries like serving at the altar and leading Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest. We believe that we should encourage the ministry of women where it is allowed by universal law,” they said in a statement.

The delegates also mentioned the need for liturgical studies of those involved in liturgy, especially the clergy.

“[They] should be sent by their bishops or superiors to enroll in academic institutions that specialize in liturgical studies.”

The NMDDL meeting, organized by the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and hosted by the Archdiocese of Manila was held from Sept. 13-16.

Themed “The Veneration of the Saints”, the meeting also coincided with the 25^th anniversary of NMDDL.

As part of its silver jubilee activities, the NDMML honoured six people who have made outstanding contribution to the promotion of the Church’s teachings on liturgy with the Sacrosanctum Concilium Awards.

Among those who were feted were the late Bishop William Brasseur, CICM, Fr. Camilo Marivoet, CICM, Fr. Hermann Gräf, SVD, Fr. Jamess Meehan, S.J., Ozamis Archbishop Jesus Dosado, and Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo.

Sibuyan local officials sign joint resolution vs mining

2010-09-18T01:44:00.002+08:00

Local officials in Sibuyan Island’s three municipalities have signed a joint resolution rejecting mining operations in the island.

The municipalities of Magdiwang, Cajidiocan and San Fernando issued Joint Resolution No. 1 and 2, indicating the people’s opposition to mining in the island.

In Joint Resolution No. 1, the local officials asked President Benigno Aquino “to declare Sibuyan Island free of all metallic mining (all forms of mining except gravel and sand)”, while Joint Resolution No. 2, addressed to DENR Secretary Ramon Paje asked that all mining permits issued in the island be revoked.

Sibuyan’s officials recently trooped to the office of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to insist that their autonomous decision to free the island from mining activities be respected.

Environmentalists and anti-mining advocates hailed the local officials’ joint resolution to reject mining to protect and preserve the island’s rich ecosystem.

Sibuyan island, dubbed as the Galapagos of Asia, is rich in natural resources and biodiversity. It is known to have the densest forest in the world.

The island is home to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. One hundred twenty-three species of trees, 54 of which are not found anywhere in the world, 700 vascular plant species, and 131 species of birds, and many mammals and rodents still yet to be catalogued, are found in Mt. Guiting-guiting Natural Park.

Naga declared Bicol region’s pilgrimage capital

2010-09-18T01:33:00.002+08:00

The city of Naga and the province of Camarines Sur have been declared pilgrimage capitals of the Bicol region and recognized top tourist destinations in the country in a presidential proclamation by President Benigno Aquino III.

Aquino, in Presidential Proclamation No. 33 released on Sept. 10, said Bicol’s Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia “is the only regional feast in the country [and] for the past three centuries has become an epic historical event that has become part of our cultural heritage.”

Aquino noted the contribution of the Peñafrancia celebrations to the local economy, and the sense of unity and religious fervor that bond all devotees who come from all over the world.

He said the festivities also “provide an environment conducive to tourism, a venue for appreciation of Bicol arts and culture, its indigenous and culinary arts, natural wonders and archaeological treasures.”

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to Naga and Camarines Sur every year from September until middle of October to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia whom Bicolanos endearingly call “Ina”.

This year’s festivities also feature the tercentenary celebration of the Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia highlighted by an International Pilgrims’ Congress (IPC) held yesterday until today at the Peñafrancia Basilica in Naga City.

The presidential proclamation stresses the government’s participation by providing assistance to maintain peace and order and preserve the solemnity of the occasion.

“The government shall ensure that the conduct of the observances essential to the feast, which include but are not limited to the Traslacion, the Fluvial and Dawn Processions and other cultural and historical remembrance activities, shall be respected, and that commercial exploitation during the pilgrimage period such as street parties that may become rambunctious, drinking sprees in plazas, street vending that obstruct passages towards the pilgrimage sites, and other similar activities, shall be discouraged,” part of the proclamation read.

The proclamation also mandates the local government units to partner with other government agencies and the Archdiocese of Caceres to put together “their technical and financial resources and participate in the conduct of trade fairs, job fairs, skills training and seminars on agriculture, aquaculture and crafts during the months of September and October.”

The decree likewise underscores the role of the Philippine National Police to maintain peace and order and provide security to all pilgrims during the celebrations.

The annual Penafrancia festival begins every second Friday of September with the traslacion, a procession from the Basilica Minore to the Metropolitan Cathedral where the nine-day novena is held.

Tomorrow, Sept. 18, the venerated image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the icon of Divino Rostro will be carried in fluvial procession to the Bicol River with thousands of voyadores in small boats amid chants of Viva La Virgen. The procession will be capped with a 6 p.m. Pontifical Mass at the Basilica Minore led by Papal nuncio Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams.

The Salmon run

2010-09-04T08:11:00.005+08:00

People buying salmon from fishermen at the Wharf.

The sockeyes we bought at the Wharf. They look small but actually big.

Every summer, sockeyes return to B.C.’s rivers to spawn after staying for one to four years in the deep ocean. This summer, the salmon returning to Fraser River is on record high. Reports of an estimated 34 million sockeyes have returned to B.C.’s waters to spawn, the largest run in 100 years. Apparently , more are still coming in from the sea, and the stunning turn out baffled if not worried authorities because such a massive run will also have its consequences, it has been said. With so much salmon to can, B.C. canneries have been sourcing out production simply because they cannot cope up with the demand.

Prized for its juicy, bright orange meat, sockeye salmon normally costs higher than any other salmon in the market. My family doesn’t buy any kind of salmon, unless it’s sockeye. The first time I was around in B.C. I could not understand why they go gaga over sockeyes when summer comes. But when I tried it the first time, I found out how good it was. It can be cooked in many ways, but a hit in the family is cooking it in soup, with lots of green vegetables, and spiced with lemon juice and lots of ginger. (In Filipino, it’s the traditional “sinigang”). It`s so yummy, and instantly I got hooked.

With millions of sockeyes literally flooding the Fraser River, fishermen are on a frenzy hauling catch and selling them fast. For the second time last week, we went to the Fisherman’s Wharf in Richmond to buy sockeye. The second time we went, the boats were not yet in when we arrived so we decided to wait. But it turned out we were not the only ones who decided to stay put. After a while, the wharf started to fill with people, and a long line began to snake up the bridge starting from the dock. After waiting under the sun (thank God, the breeze was cool enough to prevent us getting a head ache) for almost two hours, the fishing boat arrived, followed by another half an hour later.

A little bit of research gave me some interesting facts regarding sockeye. Like all Pacific salmon, sockeyes are born in fresh water. That’s precisely the reason why they return back to B.C. waters to spawn. It’s said that they stay in their freshwater habitat for up to three years more than any other species of salmon before venturing into the deep ocean. They grow rapidly once in the deep and stay there for up to four years before returning back to their natural habitat to spawn and die few weeks after spawning.

Very interesting piece of knowledge, indeed. But what would be more interesting for me is to see the Fraser River up close, which according to one scientist who has gone upriver, is “boiling” with millions of sockeyes. That would indeed be an interesting sight to behold.

Pro-lifers urge lawmakers to pass bills that promote life

2010-08-30T14:16:00.002+08:00

Pro-lifers have renewed the call on legislators to pass two important bills in Congress which support the promotion and defence of life.

The lobby group in a statement urged lawmakers to deliberate on and pass two proposed life bills titled “Citizen Protection Act” and “Protection of the Unborn Child Act 2010.”

The call was made after a Manila policeman turned hostage taker killed eight HongKong tourists as seen in television worldwide.

“Why a dismissed policeman should be allowed to possess a high-powered rifle is an issue that lawmakers should address as they deliberate on a proposed bill calling for stricter measures for the carrying of firearms,” said Andrea Mendigo of Pro-Life Philippines Foundation.

But support for life should be applied in all human activities, said Mendigo, as one cannot condemn a law enforcer in torturing a prisoner and yet advocate the murder of defenceless and voiceless human beings through abortion.

“Respect for life must apply in all human activities, whether it be in sports, sexual encounters, or one’s profession,” Mendigo stressed.

She said doctors “who perform abortions on the one hand, and deliver healthy babies on the other hand, may feel conflicted in their professional psyche.”

“We all are part of the web of life,” she said. “When we begin to devalue the life of one member of the human race, we escalate into the cheapening of the rest of human life,” she added.

Mendigo said legislators should consider this “domino effect” when they deliberate on the bill calling for protection of the unborn child.

Movie proceeds to feed hungry Filipino children

2010-08-28T12:10:00.001+08:00

Watch a movie and feed a hungry child.

A film that tells the greatest miracle of the 20th century will be shown in special screening to raise funds for the benefits of malnourished children.

Hapag-Asa, a program of the Pondo ng Pinoy that feeds at least 120,000 poor children each year, will be the recipient of the proceeds of “The 13th Day”—a movie on the miracle of Fatima.

The 13th Day, a film on the three young children who witnessed the apparition of Our Lady at Fatima will be shown in cinema in time for the commemoration of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8.

The Pondo ng Pinoy Community Foundation and the Assissi Development Foundation which co-manage the feeding program invite the movie-going public to make a difference in the lives of hungry children by watching the film.

Organizers said it only “takes P10 a day or P1,200 for 6 months to feed a hungry child and help him improve his future.”

Being undertaken in partnership with dioceses, parishes and local organizations, the feeding program has already fed more than 500,000 poor and hungry children in the last five years.

Hapag-Asa is the local Church’s response to alleviate the problem of malnutrition and hunger which Pope Benedict XVI considered as “the most cruel and concrete sign of poverty.”

Both Pondo ng Pinoy and Assissi foundation are urging movie buffs to see the film and participate in Hapag-Asa’s mission to feed the hungry and malnourished Filipino children.

The movie’s release in Philippine theaters is made possible through the Marian Solidarity for Pope Benedict XVI.

Based on the memoirs of Lucia Santos, one of the three children of the apparition, “The 13th Day” re-create the true story of the three children chosen by the Blessed Virgin to bring the message of hope to the world.

Tickets at Ayala cinemas are priced at P75.00 for block screenings and at P100.00 for walk-in patrons.

For advanced online ticket purchase, check out Ayala’s www.sureseats.com. Interests for group and block screenings may call 632-1003 or send email to assisifoundation.13thday@gmail.com

“The 13th Day” will open September 8 at Greenbelt 3, Glorietta 4, TriNoma, Market!Market!, Alabang Town Center and in Ayala Center Cebu and in Marqueemall at Angeles Pampanga.