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Pope calls human trafficking despicable, a disgrace

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Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Election results questionable

THE Catholic Churchs social action arm has asserted that the recently concluded election was a mockery of our democracy and the results were questionable. In a statement, the National Secretariat for Social Justice and Peace (Nassa) observed the large-scale vote buying, disenfranchisement of voters, malfunction of voting machines, corrupted compact flash cards and transmission failures. While Nassa respects some positive assessment on the recent polls being relatively peaceful and the process easier and faster, it said the Commission on Elections (ComeResults / A6

Bishops to lead countrys consecration to Mary

By Pinky Barrientos, FSP
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the entrustment, led by bishops across the nation, would re-affirm the Filipino peoples profound affection on the Blessed Mother. He said the national consecration will show that our country is indeed pueblo amante de Mariabayang sumisinta kay Maria: a people truly loving Mary the Mother of Jesus the Lord, a people in a true sense made one by this love and devotion which we bear, by Gods great gift, to the Mother of God. Reasons for consecration Palma, in a pastoral exhortation, said the June 8 event is part of the celebration of the Year of Faith and of the nine-year preparation to the 500th year of Christianization of the Philippines which will be celebrated on 2021. But he also mentioned other significant reasons why there is a need for a consecration citing social concerns and conflicts in the country and neighboring Asian neighbors.
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May 27 - June 9, 2013

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Millions of Filipinos are set to demonstrate their filial devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a nationwide consecration on June 8.

Hopes high for Pope Francis visit

THE Philippines is hoping to get Pope Francis itinerary for a possible papal visit in 2016. Archbishop Jose Palma said he received a request from the Vatican to move the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) to be held in Cebu City to an earlier date. Originally set on May 23 to 29, 2016, Palma said the IEC will now be held four months earlier, from January 25 to 31. He said the request to change the date was made by Archbishop Piero Marini, president of the Pontifical Committee on the International Eucharistic Congress. Two weeks ago, we received a letter from Archbishop Marini asking us if we could move the event to the second preferred date because the pope has another schedule in May, Palma said.

TRAINING THE TRAINER. A seminar-workshop on Sphere Minimum Standards and Emergency Needs Assessment prepares diocesan social action workers to enhance their abilities to do trainings for emergency preparedness and response at a hotel in Manilas Malate district, May 28, 2013. Organized by the Catholic Relief Services together with the National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (Nassa) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the trainings cover a wide range of situations, including natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Pro-life lawmaker vows to fight antilife bills in upcoming Congress

Pope Francis aboard the pope mobile, greets the faithful in St. Peters Square after a general audience.

We told them that January is fine because our suggestion was to make the popes visit to the Philippines a priority, he said. The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) also called on the Filipinos to continue praying that the papal visit will push through. We know that the pope continues to inspire us and his visit will have an enormous impact on our faith and our Christian life, said Palma. Held every four years, the 51st International Eucharistic Congress 2016 will reflect on the theme Christ in You: Our Hope of Glory. Preparations for the event, which is expected to draw thousands of participantsincluding laity and Church leadersfrom countries around the world, are ongoing. (Roy Lagarde)

Stephen Driscoll / CNA

File photo shows pro-life advocates zealously following up deliberations on the reproductive health bill during the 15th Congress.

A PRO-LIFER is committing himself to dedicate his time and endeavor in fighting against death bills while encouraging fellow legislators to do the same. Buhay partylist 2nd nominee

Lito Atienza said he will attend to all the needs of the public and of the country in his capacity as a legislator. We will tend to economic reCongress / A6

Tension eases in Taiwan priest

IN a sign of easing tensions, many Filipinos are attending Mass again in Taiwan following a diplomatic crisis triggered by the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman off Batanes last May 9. Filipino priest Fr. Leonilo Mantilla, parish priest of St. Christopher s Church in Taipeis Zhongshan district, said the situation is going better with the help of the Taiwanese authorities. At this moment, the situation is very cool and the tensions have eased, Mantilla said over Manila archdiocese-run Radyo Veritas. Mantillas parish is the busiest in Taiwan having the highest number of Masses daily and 99 percent of his parishioners are Filipinos. In the past few weeks, some Filipinos reportedly experienced forms of mistreatment from some angry Taiwanese nationals. We were really affected here. Many Filipinos refrained from attending Masses for almost two weeks, he said. The priest said the situation prompted them to call on Filipino workers in Taiwan to take extraprecaution. We urged them to go by group because of the hate campaign here against us but Taiwanese are peaceful and peace-loving people, said Mantilla. He also blamed inaccurate news reports for further causing anxiety, even prompting some to ask if the Philippine government has a contingency plan for Filipino workers who will be forced to return if the tension escalates. The situation was blown out of proportion because of the media. And of course the false reports in the social media, he said. (CBCPNews)

CBCP head exhorts laity for stronger Catholic vote in 2016

A WEEK after election, a Catholic bishop has acknowledged the existence of a Catholic vote in the recent polls, thanking groups that banded together to help the faithful discern how to choose candidates based on faith and morality. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma, D.D. said the existence of a Catholic vote was truly felt and seen in the mid-term elections. This is what we have been saying, in the sense that these groups actual message is the importance of them being Catholics, said Palma in the vernacular. When asked if there will be a stronger Catholic vote in 2016, Palma added that, I will not join in the prediction, but I will join in the exhortation of lay people who should do the process of discernment, serious study and of course coming out with sharing their convictions with other lay people. Palma highlighted the importance of a prayerful discernment in the undertaking of lay initiatives citing the two Filipino saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod as models of prayerful lay empowerment. He also admitted the need for improvement asking conveners of lay initiatives to do further studies, discernment and preparations based from experiences and studies of the recent elections. Urging the lay faithful to persevere in doing good, Palma said, Be a little bit more patient even with ourselves, in our hope and dream for the good of the people. Referring to a stronger Catholic vote in 2016, he added, I think it will come in due time. (Raymond Bandril)

Bishop reminds new mayor of 8-point governance agenda

ARCHBISHOP Antonio J. Ledesma has reminded Mayor-elect Oscar Oca S. Moreno and the city councilors-elect of the eight-point governance agenda that they should implement starting on their
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World News

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

China Catholics mark Prayer Day at Shanghai shrine

Around 2,000 gather for World Prayer Day for the Church in China

Vatican Briefing
Papal encyclicals expected on faith and poverty

Booklet published to foster closeness with Church in China

ROME, May 23, 2013An Italian publisher dedicated to the missions has published a booklet to aid in prayer for the Church in China, as May 24 is the World Day of Prayer for the Church there. Since China mandates that religious organizations be registered with the Patriotic Association and strictly controlled by the government, many Catholics live their faith within the underground Church. Editrice Missionaria Italiana (EMI) [Italian Missionary Publishers] publishd Forti nella tribolazione, perseveranti nella preghiera [Strong in Tribulation, Steadfast in Prayer] as an Italian-language guide to help participate in the World Day of Prayer, created by Benedict XVI in 2007. May 24 was chosen for the World Day because it is the feast of Mary Help of Christians, the day in which the Chinese faithful honor the Virgin at the Sheshan shrine, on the outskirts of Shanghai. Wednesday, during the general audience, Pope Francis recalled the importance of this occasion, inviting all Catholics to prayer. Forti nella tribolazione, perseveranti nella preghiera is a booklet that proposes a Vigil of Prayer made up of important points for reflection on the history and difficulties of the Church in China. Among other things, the aid includes texts from Benedict XVI and excerpts of his 2007 Letter to Chinese Catholics. In that text, the Pope exalted the testimony of faith of Catholics of China inviting the Church in China to unity, recalling that no difficulty can separate us from the love of Christ. Also, among the different testimonies of concrete faith contained in the aid, is that of Don Bao, a Chinese priest who recounts his suffering spiritual journey, always illumined by faith. The choice of the Catholic faith and consecration entailed for him clandestinity, poverty and loneliness. But Don Bao confirms: My strength is Jesus Himself. He said: You did not choose me, but I chose you. On this path I find the cross but also joy and peace. The publication was edited by Gerolamo Fazzini, editorin-chief of Credere, and Father Angelo Lazzarotto, PIME missionary with a long experience of relations with China (author of What Future for the Church in China? EMI, 2012. (Zenit)
www.ucanews.com

According to an Italian bishop, Benedict XVI is concluding work on what was to have been his encyclical on faith, and Pope Francis will be writing an encyclical on poverty. Benedict XVI is finishing writing the encyclical on faith which will be signed by Pope Francis. Following this, he himself will prepare his first encyclical on the poor: Beati pauperes, Bishop Luigi Martella of the Molfetta-Ruvo-GiovinazzoTerlizzi diocese wrote May 23 on his diocesan website. Beati pauperes is Latin for Blessed are the poor, and Bishop Martella added that it is to be about poverty understood not in an ideological and political sense, but in the sense of the Gospel. (CNA)
Famous exorcist says Popes simple prayer cast out demon

Catholic laymen carry the statue of Our Lady of Sheshan in the procession on May 24

Romes most well known exorcist says Pope Francis performed an exorcism in St. Peters Square last May 19 and that the man was possessed because of Mexicos abortion law. The Pope, in good faith, got close to him and performed an exorcism on him in the form of a liberation prayer, not like the classical exorcism that one does with a book, said Father Gabriele Amorth. He is really a soul of God, which the Lord is using to criticize Mexico for legalizing abortion, he said. (CNA)
Vaticans financial intelligence unit nets suspicious activity

SHANGHAI, China, May 24, 2013Around 2,000 Chinese pilgrims gathered at Chinas largest Catholic shrine this morning to observe the feast of Our Lady of Sheshan and the World Prayer Day for the Church in China. The event at the Sheshan Marian shrine in Shanghai was the first since Pope Francis took office, and the first since the barring of Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin, who has not been allowed to enter his Episcopal ministry since July 2011. Those who gathered today also marked the death last month of Coadjutor Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian, who heads the open community of the Shanghai diocese. Pope Francis on Wednesday encouraged Catholics across the globe to join in the World Day of Prayer, which was first declared by his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2007. He gave special mention to China, where Catholics are

growing increasingly frustrated at what they say is interference in the Church by the government. A recently introduced regulation stipulates that bishops up for election must have approval from the government-sanctioned Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China and demonstrate support for the ruling Communist Party of China. Bishop Ma offended Beijing when he quit his post at the government-backed Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association in July 2011. We feel helpless, as the government has paved the way for our Church, said one elderly Shanghai native. We can do nothing but pray in silence. Church sources said that government officials in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, strongholds of the unregistered Church community in eastern China, had dissuaded Catholics there from traveling to Sheshan for the event. (UCAN)

The Vatican revealed that its enhanced procedures have enabled it to flag more suspicious transactions in 2012 than it did in 2011. Im not saying that everything is great and perfect, but that a lot of progress has been made in the last two years, said Rene Brlhart, director of the Financial Information Authority. Its important that were setting a system here to protect the Holy See, he added. The Vaticans Financial Information Authority made the statistics public at a May 22 press conference, where it made its first-ever annual report available. The report shows that in 2012 there were six reports of suspicious activity, versus one in 2011. Brlhart said this proves that his department and its system, which became operational in April 2011, are working well. (CNA)
Pope makes fourth appeal for Oklahoma tornado victims

US Bishops welcome step forward in immigration overhaul

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 23, 2013The chairman of the US bishops Committee on Migration applauded a step forward in an overhaul of the US immigration system. Archbishop Jos H. Gomez of Los Angeles, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Migration, today applauded approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. This is an important step in the legislative process, he said May 22, the day after the committee vote. I applaud Chairman Patrick Leahy and the committee members for their efforts and strong bipartisan cooperation. The Senate panel considered over 150 amendments during the process. Archbishop Gomez said that the bill should be taken up by the full Senate as soon as possible, and that amendments to improve upon the legislation should be adopted. In his remarks, he specifically mentioned the need for improvements to the path to citizenship and the family immigration provisions in the legislation. The path to citizenship should be widened, so that the maximum number of persons can access it and come out of the shadows, he said. To leave a large population behind would defeat the purpose of the bill, which is to bring persons into the light so they can become full members of our communities. The USCCB has been working to shorten the amount of time an individual must wait to apply for permanent residency, to move forward the cut-off date for eligibility, and to ease income and work requirements. Archbishop Gomez also expressed concern over cuts to the family-based immigration system, a hallmark of the nations immigration laws for decades. We must not abandon our focus on families, which are the backbone of our society, he said. Family unity, based on the union of a husband and a wife and their children, must remain the cornerstone of our nations immigration system. Archbishop Gomez welcomed several amendments added to the legislation helping immigrant children. He also commended the Senators for turning back efforts to strike provisions assisting asylum-seekers and refugees. It is expected that the full U.S. Senate will consider the legislation in June. (Zenit)

As he hosted his weekly Wednesday audience in St. Peters Square, Pope Francis made his fourth appeal for prayer for the victims of the tornado that killed 24 people in Oklahoma. Before he greeted all of the English-speaking people at the May 22 general audience, Pope Francis invited everyone present to pray for those who were killed or injured by the May 20 tornado that ravaged the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore. The death toll was originally reported as 91 people, including 20 children, but subsequent counts showed that some casualties were counted twice in the chaos. According to the states chief medical officer Doctor Eric Pfeifer, the correct number of dead stands at 24, with nine of those being children. (CNA)
Pope prays for Chinese Catholics

In the face of difficulty, its natural to hope just to get by, but being Christian means patiently enduring trials and overcoming oppression with love, Pope Francis said at a Mass that included special prayers for China. During the Mass May 24, Pope Francis concluded the prayers of the faithful with an invocation for the noble Chinese people, that the Lord would bless them and the Blessed Mother keep them. The days feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians is a feast close to the hearts of millions of Chinese Catholics and is the day Pope Benedict XVI designated as a worldwide day of prayer for Catholics in China. (CNS)
New leader of Friars Minor says pope has energized Franciscans

Denver archbishop calls for end to Colo. death penalty

DENVER, Colo., May 24, 2013 Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver has called for the repeal of the death penalty following the Colorado governors grant of a temporary reprieve to a death row inmate convicted of four murders. My support for the death penaltys repeal is rooted in my respect for the dignity of all human life, the archbishop said May 22. Every human being has a fundamental right to life. It is wrong to take life needlessly, either through execution, or abortion, or criminal acts of violence. Humanity is at its best when it protects and defends human life from the time of conception until natural death. Let us continue to work for peace in our families, our communities, and in our state, he added. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday chose to delay Nathan Dunlaps execution three months before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection. He said in an executive order that Colorados capital punishment system is not flawless. Hickenlooper noted that death sentences are not handed down fairly, citing a judge who said the punishment is the result of happenstance like a district attorneys decision, the jurisdiction of the trial, and possibly the race or economic circumstances of the defendant. Colorados system of capital punishment is imperfect and inherently inequitable, the governor said after announcing the order. Such a level of punishment really does demand perfection. Although the governor refrained from granting full clemency to Dunlap, he said it is highly unlikely he will reconsider the death penalty for his case, the Denver Post reports. Dunlap was convicted of killing four employees, including several teenagers, at an Aurora, Colo. Chuck E. Cheeses pizza parlor in 1993. He was 19 at the time and a former employee of the restaurant. He shot and seriously wounded a fifth employee before stealing about $1,500. call between the governor and victims families. Archbishop Aquila voiced his support for the victims and their families. My heart goes out most to the families of the victims of Dunlaps heinous crime, he said. I pray that they will find closure to the violence that was committed to their loved ones and to them. Few of us will ever experience that type of violence. However, he said Gov. Hickenlooper was right to emphasize that execution is a matter which should be considered thoughtfully by all Coloradans. Coloradans should work together to end the practice of punitive killing for the sake of justice, and the sake of human dignity, he said. When will Americans open their eyes to recognize that violence only begets violence? We who stood for the life of Nathan Dunlap should work together to end violence undertaken in our state, in the womb, and in our hearts, the archbishop added. (CNA)

The new minister general of the Order of Friars Minor said the Franciscans are united, energized and challenged by the ministry of the new pope, whose name honors their founder, St. Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis has energized us, but he also has challenged us just by who he is, said U.S. Franciscan Father Michael Perry, who was elected May 22. The popes authenticity is challenging us to rediscover our own authenticity, and calling us to simplify our lives and to speak less and demonstrate more who we are. (CNS)
Pope calls for global, ethical finance reform, end to cult of money

His attorneys have argued that Dunlap was a victim of continual abuse as a youth and suffers from bipolar disorder. They said he was in the middle of a manic episode when the killings took place. Many relatives of the victims responded to the temporary reprieve with anger and disappointment. The knife thats been in my back...was just twisted by the governor, Bob Crowell, whose 19-year-old daughter Sylvia was among the slain, told the Denver Post after a conference

Pope Francis called for global financial reform that respects human dignity, helps the poor, promotes the common good and allows states to regulate markets.Money has to serve, not to rule, he said in his strongest remarks yet as pope concerning the worlds economic and financial crises. A major reason behind the increase in social and economic woes worldwide is in our relationship with money and our acceptance of its power over ourselves and our society, he told a group of diplomats May 16.We have created new idols where the golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal. (CNS)

Marian devotion overcomes religious barriers in India

Mumbai, May 24, 2013Marian devotion in India overcomes religious barriers and more than 80% of pilgrims to Marian sanctuaries are non-Catholics. They bring all kinds of offerings flowers, garlands, coconutsand it is not unusual to see women dressed in burqas who pray to Our Lady. On the occasion of the feast of Mary Help of Christians, which falls on May 24, AsiaNews spoke with the Jesuit scriptures scholar, Fr. Errol Fernandes, to better understand the phenomenon. The mother goddess has always been venerated from the earliest times. Durga and Kali are some examples of this venerationexplained the Jesuitdespite the fact that the girl child is frowned upon and in many cases women are treated as objects rather than persons, Indian tradition has contradictorily held women/mother goddesses in high esteem. Mary, the mother of Jesus is also venerated by people of all faiths in many parts of India. Velankanni in Chennai, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and Mount Mary in Mumbai are striking examples of such veneration and honour given to Mary. People are able to see in Mary (and by extension in Mother goddesses) a figure who will fulfill their aspirations and answer their prayers. Father Errol is also an expert in new media and has traveled extensively throughout the country and keeps a blog (http://errolsj.blogspot.com ), explaining the Scriptures. The intercession of Mary is seen very clearly in the Catholic Scriptures, the scholar continues. At the beginning of the Gospel of John, the intervention and intercession of Mary is responsible for the water being turned into wine by Jesus. And this despite the fact that his hour had not yet come. Mary is with the first group of Apostles constantly praying with them for the coming of the spirit (Acts 1:14). In recent times, the intercession of Mary has been responsible for numerous favors that people have received. I have heard from so many who make the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour that seeming impossible situations have become possible through Marys intercession. These include conception of a child after many years, acquisition of a job, settlement of family disputes and the like. In my own life, I believe that it is the constant intercession of Mary which keeps me optimistic and positive despite the many challenges that come my way each day. With regard to the Marian shrines in India, as an example of religious harmony, Fr. Errol recalls Pope Francis: As Pope Francis has recently said, our God is too big to be pigeon-holed or placed in a box. God is bigger than anything we can ever imagine and as human beings we need to realize this. Often we tend to make God in our image and likeness and so restrict God to a Church/Mosque/Temple or other place of worship. This is a disservice to God. It is a wonderful example of religious harmony when we see people of all faiths converge to pray to God who is all and in all. I think anyone who is devoted to Our Ladyconcludes Fr. Errolis on the right track. It was never known that anyone who fled to her protection was left unaided. Mary will never let any devotee stop at her, but will always leads people to God. (AsiaNews)

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Vol. 17 No. 10
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News Features
In a world that talks so much about rights, how many times are human rights trampled, he said. In a world that talks so much about rights, the only thing that seems to have them is money. Dear brothers and sisters, we live in a world where money rules. We live in a world, in a culture, where money worship reigns. Pope Francis made his comments during a meeting with members of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, who were holding their plenary assembly at the Vatican. Their main focus was on the rights and needs of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The pope urged government leaders, legislators and the inof life and for facing the challenges emerging from modern forms of persecution, oppression and slavery. He also urged Catholics to take seriously their obligation to see migrants and refugees as their brothers and sisters and give voice to those not able to make their cries of pain and oppression heard. Christians must be sensitive and respond to refugees and forcibly displaced people and their experiences of violence, abuse, being far from their familys affection, traumatic events, fleeing their homes and being in refugee camps uncertain about their futures. At the same time, he said, Christians must learn to appre-

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ciate the light of hope shining through the eyes and lives of refugees and displaced people. It is a hope that is expressed in their expectations for the future, their willingness to make friendships, their desire to participate in the society that welcomes them, including through learning the language, entering the job market and sending their children to school. Pope Francis, whose four grandparents were born in Italy and immigrated to Argentina, said, I admire the courage of those who hope to gradually resume a normal life in the expectation that joy and love will once again brighten their existence. All of us can and must nourish their hope. (CNS)

Pope calls human trafficking despicable, a disgrace

VATICAN City, May 24, 2013 Human trafficking is a despicable activity, a disgrace for our societies, which describe themselves as civilized, Pope Francis said. Refugees, displaced and stateless people are particularly vulnerable to the plague of human trafficking, which increasingly involves children subjected to the worst forms of exploitation and even recruitment into armed conflicts, the pope said May 24. With many victims of trafficking forced into prostitution, Pope Francis said that exploiters and clients at every level must make a serious examination of conscience before themselves and before God.

Pope Francis

ternational community to find effective initiatives and new ap-

proaches for safeguarding their dignity, improving their quality

Pope Francis urges Christians to not be museum pieces Pope tells Catholics to shout Jesus
VATICAN City, May 23, 2013Pope Francis reflected May 23 on Jesus Christs exhortation to be salt of the earth, warning that Christians who do not live their faith become flavorless salt and are fit to be museum pieces. The pontiff said that God gives Christians the salt of faith, hope and charity. This salt should not be hoarded because if the salt is preserved in a bottle it does not do anything: it is good for nothing. We can show the salt: this is my salt and how lovely it is! This is the salt that I received in Baptism, this is what I received in Confirmation, this is what I received in catechesis, he said. But look: museum-piece Christians! A salt without flavor, a salt that does nothing. The Popes comments came in his homily during morning Mass at the chapel of St. Marthas residence in the Vatican, Vatican Radio reports. The days gospel reading, from the Gospel of Marks ninth chapter, contains Jesus question to his disciples: if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Pope Francis said that faith preached with this salt helps others receive it according to their own individual circumstances, as when it is used judiciously on food. Each with his own peculiarities receives the salt and becomes better, he added. The Christian originality is not a uniformity! It takes each one as he is, with his own personality, with his own characteristics, his culture and leaves him with that, because it is a treasure. He said this salt also gives something more. It gives flavor! he said. This Christian originality is so beautiful. He said those who want everything to be salted in the same way risk a situation where a cook throws in too much salt. One tastes only salt and not the meal, he said. The Christian originality is this: each as he is, with the gifts the Lord has given him. He urged Christians to get out there with the message, to get out there with this richness that we have in salt, and give it to others. The Pope said Christians may give this salt both in service to others and in service to God. The salt of faith also keeps its flavor through preaching, prayer and adoration. With the worship of the Lord I go beyond myself to the Lord, and with the proclamation of the Gospel I go out of myself to give the message, he said. He repeatedly encouraged Christians to share their faith. Salt makes sense when you (use) it in order to make things more tasty, he said. The salt that we have received is to be given out, to be given away, to spice things up. Otherwise, it becomes bland and useless. He said Christians should pray that God not let them become Christians with flavorless salt that stays closed in the bottle. (CNA/EWTN News)

instead of Francis
VATICAN City, May 20, 2013 Pope Francis asked those gathered for the Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Vatican to chant Christs name instead of his own, highlighting his role as Christs vicar on earth. From now on no more Francis, only Jesus, alright? he asked rhetorically during the Pentecost Vigil Mass said May 18 at Saint Peters Square. All of you in the square shouted out Francis, Francis, Pope Francis, but where was Jesus? he admonished them. I want to hear you shout out Jesus, Jesus is Lord, and he is in our midst. During his homily, he spoke to the more than 200,000 people gathered from ecclesial movements from around the world. The Pope told how his grandmother was the first to pass on the faith to him, and insisted that a persons faith begins through their family. I received my first Christian proclamation right from this woman, from my grandmother. That is something beautiful, he exclaimed. The first proclamation is in the home, within the family. This makes me think of the love of many mothers and so many grandmothers in the transmission of the faith, he said. He told mothers to conscientiously transmit faith to their children, because God puts people alongside us who help our journey of faith. He also told how, at the age of 16, he felt a sudden urge to go to confession one day. It was there that he heard the call to priesthood. After the confession I felt that something had changed, I was not the same. I felt a voice call me, and I was convinced that I had to become a priest. This experience of faith is important, he added. We say that we must seek God, go to him to ask for forgiveness but when we go, he is waiting for us, he is the first one there. Attendants had posed four questions to the pontiff, which he answered during his homily. The first question inquired about how he has achieved certainty of faith and how he would guide each of them to overcome our fragility of faith. Fragilitys biggest enemy, curiously enough, is fear. But do not be afraid, he advised. We are weak, we know it. But Jesus is stronger and if you are with him, then there is no problem. The second question given him was on the challenge of evangelization for ecclesial movements and how to effectively communicate the faith in todays world. If we push ahead with planning and organizationbeautiful things indeedbut without Jesus, then we are on the wrong road. Jesus is the most important thing, emphasized Pope Francis. The pontiff underscored the importance of prayer and letting God gaze at you. He said that he prays the rosary daily, but often nods off in front of the tabernacle. But he understands me. I feel so much comfort when I think that he is looking at me. The Bishop of Rome underscored the need for letting ones self be guided by
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Stephen Driscoll / CNA

Pope, visiting shelter, says Christian charity is witness of Gods love

VATICAN City, May 21, 2013Marking the 25th anniversary of the Missionaries of Charity soup kitchen and womens shelter at the Vatican, Pope Francis said that while unbridled capitalism has taught people that money is more important than anything else, works of Christian charity witness to Gods love for each person. Unbridled capitalism has taught the logic of profit at any cost, of giving in order to receive, of exploitation without looking at the person, Pope Francis said May 21, visiting the Dono di Maria or Gift of Mary. The results of such attitudes, he said, we see in the crisis we are now living through. The facility is inside the Vatican walls near the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Paul VI audience hall; it serves meals to about 60 people each day and offers accommodation to 25 women. In these years, how many times you have bent down to those in need like the good Samaritan, the pope told the sisters. You have looked into their eyes, you have given them a hand to help them up. How many mouths you have fed with patience and dedication. How many wounds, especially spiritual ones, you have bound up. Following the Indian tradition, the sisters placed a garland of flowers around the popes neck as he arrived for the visit. Pope Francis said modern men and women need to recover their understanding of what a gift is, what it means to offer something without expecting anything in return and what it means to be in solidarity with the suffering. For Christians, he said, charity is not a social obligation, but a sharing of the love of God, the charity of God. Pope Francis said the shelter, on the border between the Vatican and Italy, should be a strong reminder to us allthe church, the city of Rometo be ever more a family, a home that is ready to welcome, to give attention, to foster brotherhood. Blessed John Paul II gave the building to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta May 21, 1988, and visited the facility and the people it serves eight times. Pope Benedict XVI also visited the shelter. Pope Francis said that between the beatified pope and the beatified founder of the Missionaries of Charity, the Dono di Maria is something between saints, between the blessed. He told the women who live at the shelter that the house really is theirs since it was planned and opened for them. And, he said, while it may have been a gift to them in their need, you are a gift to this house and to the church. You tell us that loving God and your neighbor isnt something abstract, but profoundly concrete; that means seeing in every person the face of the Lord to be served and to serve him concretely. (CNS) VATICAN City, May 21, 2013Marking the 25th anniversary of the Missionaries of Charity soup kitchen and womens shelter at the Vatican, Pope Francis said that while unbridled capitalism has taught people that money is more important than anything else, works of Christian charity witness to Gods love for each person.

Unbridled capitalism has taught the logic of profit at any cost, of giving in order to receive, of exploitation without looking at the person, Pope Francis said May 21, visiting the Dono di Maria or Gift of Mary. The results of such attitudes, he said, we see in the crisis we are now living through. The facility is inside the Vatican walls near the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Paul VI audience hall; it serves meals to about 60 people each day and offers accommodation to 25 women. In these years, how many times you have bent down to those in need like the good Samaritan, the pope told the sisters. You have looked into their eyes, you have given them a hand to help them up. How many mouths you have fed with patience and dedication. How many wounds, especially spiritual ones, you have bound up. Following the Indian tradition, the sisters placed a garland of flowers around the popes neck as he arrived for the visit. Pope Francis said modern men and women need to recover their understanding of what a gift is, what it means to offer something without expecting anything in return and what it means to be in solidarity with the suffering.

For Christians, he said, charity is not a social obligation, but a sharing of the love of God, the charity of God. Pope Francis said the shelter, on the border between the Vatican and Italy, should be a strong reminder to us allthe church, the city of Rometo be ever more a family, a home that is ready to welcome, to give attention, to foster brotherhood. Blessed John Paul II gave the building to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta May 21, 1988, and visited the facility and the people it serves eight times. Pope Benedict XVI also visited the shelter. Pope Francis said that between the beatified pope and the beatified founder of the Missionaries of Charity, the Dono di Maria is something between saints, between the blessed. He told the women who live at the shelter that the house really is theirs since it was planned and opened for them. And, he said, while it may have been a gift to them in their need, you are a gift to this house and to the church. You tell us that loving God and your neighbor isnt something abstract, but profoundly concrete; that means seeing in every person the face of the Lord to be served and to serve him concretely. (CNS)

God. He reflected on St. Peters vision of the sheet with all the animals, when Christ told him to eat non-kosher foods, Christ having made them clean. Though St. Peter was at first reluctant and did not understand, some non-Jews came to call him to go into a house, and he saw how the Holy Spirit was there. Peter was guided by Jesus to reach that first evangelization to the Gentiles, Pope Francis said. Be guided by Jesus own leadership, he urged. The third question was concerning suffering, and how the movements may address it for the good of the Church and of society. When the Church becomes closed in on itself, it gets sick, Pope Francis said, appealing to people to not close in on themselves, on their own friends and movements. Think of a closed room, a room locked for a year, when you go in, has a smell of damp, he said. A Church that is closed in on itself is just the same it is a sick Church. When Christians are starched, speaking of theology calmly over tea, rather than being courageous and encountering non-Christians and the poor, the Church is sick, he said. The pontiff believes people cannot rest in peace knowing that a starving child is not news worthy. We cannot become starched Christians, too polite, who speak of theology calmly over tea, we have to become courageous Christians, he said. Catholics must themselves reach out to the poor and assist them on a personal level, he stressed. A poor Church for the poor begins with going to the flesh of Christ, which he called the poor. Personally helping the poor, for Pope Francis, is a theological response to Christs own poverty. It is a loving response to Gods own solidarity with us, since he humbled himself and became poor, walking with us on the road. He also emphasized the danger of letting worldliness creep into the Church. There is a problem that is not good for Christians: the spirit of the world, the worldly spirit, the spiritual worldliness. The final question asked of the pontiff regarded how Catholics can help and support those who are persecuted for their faith. We must try to make them feel, these brothers and sisters, that we are deeply united to their situation, he said, highlighting the importance of praying in solidarity with them. In the prayer of every day we must say to Jesus, Lord, look upon this brother, look at this sister who suffers so much, he concluded. (CNA/EWTN News)

Environmentalists hit govt agency for allowing Surigaos old mines to operate
MANILA, May 18, 2013As the Church celebrated the solemnity of Pentecost Sunday, a Catholic priest called on the faithful to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in building the kingdom of God. Rev. Fr. Lucio Rosaroso, also a police superintendent in the Philippine National Police, urged the laity to continuously help the Church in strengthening mans relationship with God through evangelization and catechesis aided by the Holy Spirit. The laity has a role in building the kingdom of God, he said in his talk during the Katolikong Pinoy recollection held at the San Carlos Seminary. The Holy Spirit is empowering the lay. Let us all continue in building His kingdom. He added that entering the religious life is not the only way to serve the Lord as lay people also have the capability to live a devout life through their own simple means. According to Rosaroso, every person is called by God to help in the mission of evangelization. However, His will varies for each and every person who will partake in the accomplishment of this earthly mission. All of us are called to the holiness of life. All of us are called to a loving and intimate relationship with God. However, the will of God for every person varies, he said. He also expressed gratitude over the Church initiatives spearheaded by lay people, noting that it helps priests in accomplishing their task of guiding humans toward a spiritual and moral life. There is power in the lay the spirit is moving, the spirit is acting. Hindi lahat ng gawain ay sa pari lamang, the priest added. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit During times of despair and trouble, he noted that the Holy Spirit provides the needed inspiration that would push humans to endure the challenges and hardships they are facing. Ang Banal na Espirito ang siyang nagbibigay ng inspirasyon sa akin. Sa panahon ng pighati, binigyan niya ako ng katiwasayan. Sa panahon ng kalungkutan sa buhay, nagbigay siya ng tuwa, Rosaroso said. Ang tuwa na binibigay ng Espiritu Santo ay hindi nakadepende sa external circumstances. Ito po ay nakikiisa kay Kristo magunaw man ang mundo, ito ay mananatili sa atin. Ito ang klase ng tuwa na si Kristo lang ang nagbibigay, he added. The Holy Spirit also strengthens those who are spiritually challenged by providing them the needed encouragement to hold firmly to their faith and to overcome all forms of temptation, he noted. Ang mga kasamaan po ay maiiwasan sa pamamagitan ng pagtanggap sa mga banal na sakramentong siyang tunay na magbibigay sa atin ng tunay na grasya at lakas ng loob upang talunin ang paggawa ng masasama, Rosaroso said. In every trying situation, Rosaroso said that it is through the intervention of the Holy Spirit that a person may overcome the looming sadness brought by the problems and complexities of day-to-day living. Sa mga hamon na ibinabato sa atin ng Panginoon, dapat lamang ay i-focus natin ang lahat sa tamang concern. Naniniwala akong may paraan ang Diyos para maresolba ang mga problemang kinakaharap natin,he said. (Jennifer M. Orillaza)

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EDITORIAL

Opinion
A question of credibility

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

THE so-called 60-30-10 theory seems to be the latest travail of the Commission on Elections on the recently conducted midterm elections. This hypothesis propounded by local statisticians show a statistical pattern for senatorial candidates of the randomly received certificates of canvass: 60% for Team PNoy, 30% for UNA and 10% for candidates belonging to minor political parties grouped together. The Comelec Chair, Sixto Brillantes was quick to rebut that if indeed there be such a pattern then that is merely coincidental and does not translate to any kind of fraud in the electoral exercise. Definitely, there was no fraud. Im sure of that because the pattern that theyre saying would mean that it was programmed. Definitely, it was not programmed. I will stake my reputation on that: No one programmed it, he assured. It should not be very hard to take that the Comelec chair has good intentions which certainly are not enough to justify irregularities if indeed there are. But true or not these speculations, which by the looks of it look more than that, were expected even before the elections because of the seeming inaction of the electoral body to answer legitimate questions raised by electoral watchdogs and IT groups. The transparency, for instance, of the source code has been persistently demanded by these groups aside from it being mandated by law, but this has remained ignoredexcept a few days before elections when Comelec supposedly opened the code to party representatives and the media for a couple of minutes. But, of course, it was a mere moro-moro because it would take several weeks to really verify the program written on the source code, as even an IT student would know. The technical glitches that were pervasive on election day was generic. It meant many things: from the ballots that could not be inserted into the PCOS machines to the failure of electronic transmission of the contents of the compact flash cards, the election returns. But the most horrible of them all was the exponential tally received by the PPCRV servers on election day so that by about 10 oclock or so in the evening PPCRV authorities stopped the transmissions and reportedly called the technicians to look into the matterwhich, hopefully, did not mean reprogramming the software in midstream because that could amount to tinkering the source code by an anonymous getek. But granting it did not happen, still the private companies that supplied the PCOS machines and the software have the capability of tweaking the servers quite easily according to the electronic behavior that they wish the computer program to follow. Every nerd in town knows that. At the end of the day, the overarching issue really is all about transparency and credibility. That was why there was some sense to the suggestion of Bishop Broderick Pabillo to maximize the random manual audit (RMA), which anyway is mandated by law, by doing a parallel manual count. This could have substantiated once and for all what the Comelec chair is crooning now that there has been no fraud in the current electoral process. The only rub is he does not present any empirical proof to his claim except a lawyers mastery of words and syllogism.
Brothers Matias

Ominous signs
THERE is the fact that graft and corrupt practices in the country have already become ingrained especially in government from the national to the local levelsnotwithstanding all rhetorical negations and artistic postures to the contrary. There is also the standing phenomenon that millions of Filipinos are still living in poverty if not wallowing in miserydespite all glorious surveys saying otherwise. There is further the phenomenon that criminality in the country has already become the daily bread of the peopledespite all glorious claims of peace and order by those mandated by law to protect individuals, families, and communities from goods, from crooks, and thieves. And nothing is herein said about the not yet pacified certain Muslim rebels in Mindanao plus the apparently invincible NFA particularly in Luzon. Salaries and wages have been long since kept to the minimum while the costs of oil and prime commodities are allowed to zoom

Oscar. V. Cruz, DD

Views and Points

owned what. It was then that China flexed its muscles, looking at the Philippines as an enemy. Then came the squabble over Sabah. This time Malaysia made the Philippines keep quiet and the latter remains curiously silent to this date. Hereafter, there was the destruction of the Tubbataha Reef by nothing less than a US warship. Strange but true, a Chinese fishing vessel shortly thereafter also caused damage to the same place. The latest is this: Members of the Philippine Coast Guard gunned down an old Taiwanese fisherman. And Taiwan is taking revenge against the OFWs in their country. How more ominous can the signs be? The above past and present historical facts amply demonstrate how other countries belittle and thus look down at the Philippines, considering its known poverty and helplessnessdespite all counter-arguments of Malacaang. Hopefully, Malacaang itself does not in turn also look down at the poor and helpless Filipinos all over the land.

Foundation of the lay apostolate

THE Council gave a new perspective on the laity when it described the theological sacramental and ecclesiastical foundation of the Apostolate of the Laity. From the fact of their union with Christ the head, flows the laymens right and duty to be apostles. Inserted as they are in the Mystical Body of Christ by baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit in confirmation, it is by the Lord Himself that they are assigned to the apostolate. If they are consecrated a kingly priesthood and a holy nation, it is in order that they may in all their actions offer spiritual sacrifices and bear witness to Christ all the world over. Charity, which is, as it were, the soul of the whole apostolate, is given to them and nourished in them by the sacraments, the Eucharist above all. (Apostolicam Actuositatem, #7) From this it is clear (a) that the apostolate of the laity is of divine right; (b) that it is Christ who calls the laity to full participation in the life of the Church and full commitment to the mission of the Church, and (c) that this call is by virtue of Baptism and Confirmation. You too go into my vineyard. (Mt. 20:7) This call is addressed to the entire community to move with zeal and swiftness in bringing about the reign of God through Christian renewal. Therefore, all the baptized, not just the hierarchy, the clergy or the religious, share in the whole mission of Christ. All are responsible for the building up of the Church. This responsibility is too great and too important to be entrusted to only one group or to only a few. The newness of the Christian life is the foundation and title of the equality of all the baptized in Christ, of all the members of the People of God, writes Pope John Paul II. (cf. Christifideles Laici, #15) And precisely from this equality in dignity flowing from Baptism, the Pope concludes, each member of the lay faithful, together with ordained ministers and men and women religious, shares a responsibility for the Churchs mission. The fundamental images of the Church in Scriptures and in Vatican II as People of God and Body of Christ demand that pastors and lay faithful collaborate in the diffusion and sanctification of the whole Church. Christs redemption is carried out not only by the pastoral activity of the individual priest, but by all the members of the Church. The laity together with the clergy-hierarchy and religious, constitute the Lords Community of Disciples. The laity are never meant to have only a passive function. (PCP-II Acts of the Council Nos. 407-411) Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 1991

to the maximumnot to mention the price of local electricity said to be relatively the highest in the whole world. There is also the intriguing fact that when people have earnings for whatever legitimate ventures, they pay the so-called direct taxes. Yet when they make expenses like buying consumer goods, eating at fast food chains and the like, then they also pay the ignominious indirect taxes under the cryptic title of Value Added Tax of 12%. All apparently heroic pronouncements and seemingly noble posturing to the contrary, following are some of the well-noted and publicized events forwarding ominous signs for the People of the Philippines: It all started with the Luneta debacle when even elderly foreigners were massacred with neither pity nor remorse. Thereafter, Hong Kong looked at the Philippines with disdain and disgust. This was followed by the territorial conflict about the Spratly Islands as to which country

Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM

Year of Faith Reflections

CHRISTIAN creeds address God as the Father, the almighty. Calling God Our Father is a personal address, asserting his care for all creation, especially for all humanity. Gods fatherly care for his people is already found in the Old Testament (Deut 7:6-9); however, Jesus reveals a totally new and profound meaning to addressing God as Father. God is called Father 170 times in the Gospels [Mark (4); Luke (15); Matthew (42); John (109)]. Gods fatherhood is a clear hallmark of Jesus life and prayer. Frequently, Jesus prays to his Abba. He calls God my Father (Mt 11:26; Lk 10:21). His mission is from the Father (Jn 11:41-42). During the last supper he addresses his Father (Jn 17:1, 5, 11, 21, 24, 25). Jesus turned to his Abba in the crisis moments of his life: Gethsemane (Mk 14:36; Mt 26:42), Calvary (Lk 23:34). His dying words are: Father, into your hands I commend by spirit (Lk 23:46). Indeed, our addressing God as Our Father is already an act of faith; it reflects both our relationship to God and to others. Jesus taught his disciples this prayer on different occasions. The New Testament preserves two versionsone by Matthew (6:9-13) and one by Luke (11:2-4). Because Jesus the Lord taught this prayer to his disciples, it is known as the Lords Prayer. Tertullian called it the summary of the whole Gospel, and Saint Thomas Aquinas said it is the most perfect of all prayers. The first half of the Our Father expresses our faith by

Living Mission

Knowing God as compassionate Father

praising God, asking that your kingdom come, your will be done. The second half of the Lords Prayer consists of four petitions; we ask for the good things we all need. When we Christians in faith express our needs to our Father, we are also committing ourselves to making our prayer requests a reality. Praying for our daily bread means doing our part in relieving hunger and deprivation in the world. We ask forgiveness with the sincere promise to forgive others. We also ask that we would not be led into temptation and be delivered from evil. Here we are not asking that we never be tested or tried; in fact, God allows testing as a way of determining the depth and genuineness of our faith. Our prayer is simply asking that we be spared from being tested beyond our capacity to endure trials and tribulations. As we plead for this grace, we also commit ourselves to bear each others burdens (Gal 6:2) and remain in solidarity with others who are experiencing lifes difficult challenges. Truly, in praying the Our Father we declare our faith in God as a loving Father, and we also are manifesting our commitment to readily serve our neighbors. Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote in 1980 the encyclical Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy) which is focused on the Father of compassion and God of all consolation (II Cor 1:3). Undoubtedly, our God is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4.)

Humility liberates
OFTEN understood as a lowly and useless virtue, humility actually enhances our humanity. It is what keeps our dignity as persons and as children of God in a realistic way. Many times, we fall victim to our own illusions and delusions about ourselves, and the many other ways and forms, very subtle at that, that pride can blind and mislead us. For example, we always like to get our own way, or to make ourselves the hero in a particular situation while diminishing the role of the others, or we can even speak badly about ourselves, so that the others may form a good opinion of us, etc. Conceit grips us. We have to be keenly aware of the deceptive ways and tricks of pride. Humility clears our vision, showing both our wretchedness and our greatness. Thus it is indispensable in our life. Without humility, nothing of real value would develop in our life. Without humility, we cannot obey properly, we cannot understand things and love others, we cannot find meaning in our adversities nor the real blessing in our successes and victories. Without humility, we cannot be fair, we tend to be self-righteous, we cannot appreci-

Fr. Roy Cimagala

Candidly Speaking
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ate well the views of the others, we tend to complicate matters as we sort out and resolve our differences and conflicts. Without humility, we cannot truly know ourselves. We become blind as we lock ourselves up in our self-centeredness, selfsufficiency, self-absorption, self-justification, self-assertion and self-satisfaction. We cannot escape from our own world. We will always think we are better than others. Without humility, there is no way we can persevere in our efforts to do good, and much less, to grow in our spiritual life. We become easy prey to our weaknesses and the temptations around. To persist in developing other virtues and to wage continuing ascetical struggle would hold no charm to us. We have to understand though that humility is a function of our self-knowledge that in turn is a function of our knowledge and love for God. Its he who knows us objectively. After all, he is our Creator and Father. And he intervenes in our life all the time. He is never far nor indifferent to us. We should disabuse ourselves to gain self-knowledge by simply relying on some self-analysis using human sciences, like phi-

losophy, psychology or sociology, etc., that are not inspired by our effort to know God better. That approach can only produce fantasies and bloated, distorted ideas about ourselves. St. Augustine expressed this truth well. Let me know you, O you who know me. Then shall I know even as I am known. How important therefore to have a running conversation with God! Otherwise, we would be out on a limb. Lets understand that humility can only develop in us if we pray, if we wage an abiding interior struggledeveloping virtues and battling temptations and sinsif we do sincere examination of conscience regularly and conscientiously, if we always rectify our intention. Without these means, we can never have dominion over the notorious enemies of our soul and of God. These are our concupiscence of the eyes, concupiscence of the flesh, and the pride of life. Especially when we notice our talents and other blessings and privileges we enjoy in life, we should see to it that we burn in humility. St. Peter has something to say about this.

Candidly Speaking / A4

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 10
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Opinion
Who wants to be a saint? (Part 3)
Lords company is almost like having Jesus the man around in the flesh. The humanity of Christ, in fact, is a fundamental tenet in her teachingsa mystery which Teresa had grasped first-hand. In 1554 she was to have a spiritual experience she would call her conversion for the deep mark it would leave on her lifeshe was 39 then, and her soul was now grown weary due to the miserable habits it had contracted. She would write, It came to pass one day, when I went into the oratory, that I saw a picture (the Ecce Homo) which they had put by there, and which had been procured for a certain feast observed in the house. It was a representation of Christ most grievously wounded, and so devotional, that the very sight of it, when I saw it, moved meso well did it show forth that which He suffered for us. So keenly did I feel the evil return I had made for those wounds, that I thought my heart was breaking. I threw myself on the ground beside it, my tears flowing plenteously, and implored Him to strengthen me once for all, so that I might never offend Him any more It seems to me that I said to Him then that I would not rise up till He granted my petition. The experience made her very distrustful of myself, placing all my confidence in God. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in his presentation on the Doctors of the Church in February 2012 said, St. Teresa of Jesus is a true teacher of Christian life for the faithful of every time. In our society, which all too often lacks spiritual values, St. Teresa teaches us to be unflagging witnesses of God, of his presence and of his action. She teaches us truly to feel this thirst for God that exists in the depths of our hearts, this desire to see God, to seek God, to be in conversation with him and to be his friends. This is the friendship we all need that we must seek anew, day after day. Might this be the kind of friendship the devotees in Quiapo church hunger for when they rub and kiss the foot of the suffering Nazarene, or when they sit for hours on end staring at the statue of the Crucified Christ? Are the Filipinos truly natural contemplatives? Who knows? Suffice it to say that a profoundly contemplative and effectively active unschooled woman from Avila who would become a Doctor of the Church would nowalmost 500 years after her birthserve to encourage simple believers by her example. She merely asks us to look at Himand that gaze of faith will lead to the grace of friendship with the One who we know loves us very much.

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Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

and thats the truth

A MISSIONARY priest frequenting Quiapo church would observe that Filipinos are natural contemplatives. He was impressed by the sight of ordinary people in Quiapo church who would just sit there and stare at the crucifix for hours. He would say: Its amazing that a middle aged man wearing a T-shirt, shorts and rubber slipperslike the sidewalk vendors around the churchwould devote so much time doing nothing before the image of the suffering Christ. St. Teresa of Avila (whose religious name is Teresa of Jesus) is not that well-known to Filipinos, thus it would be presumptuous to say that the Quiapo devotees observed by the missionary priest must be imitators of the Saint from Avila. Whether it is coincidence or grace at work here, it is heartening to know that such devotees are on the right track as far as this Doctor of the Church teaches to those at the earliest stages of their prayer life. Filipinos, often praised by foreign visitors and tourists for their friendliness, would naturally take to Teresa of Avilas idea that Mental prayer is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. Aware that some minds could be so distracted when trying to pray, she writes, I am not asking you now to think of Him, or to form numerous conceptions of Him, or to make subtle meditations with your understanding. I am asking you only to look at Him. For who can prevent you from turning the eyes of your soul upon this Lord? Believe me, you should stay with so good a Friend for as long as you can before you leave Him. If you become accustomed to having Him at your side, as if He sees that you love Him to be there, and are always trying to please Him, you will never be able, as we put it, to send Him away. In our world today when peoples hunger for social approval and friendship makes them satisfied to be surrounded by (and proud of) hundreds of Facebook friends, Teresa of Avila assures us that in Jesus we have a Friend who will never unfriend us in spite of our unfaithfulness. And we dont even have to try too hard to befriend Him and keep Him company, as she says, If you are happy, look upon your risen Lord. If you are suffering trials, or are sad, look upon Him on His way to the Garden. Love to speak to Him, not using forms of prayer, but words issuing from the compassion of your heart. For St. Teresa, keeping the

Duc in Altum
ASSUMING that the May 13, 2013 election was clean, honest, orderly, peaceful, and reflects the true sentiment of the Filipino electorate and that the PCOS machines had honestly captured the votes of the Filipino voters, one can say that there is really a Catholic Vote. Several lay church organizations listened and followed the pastoral exhortation of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP that lay initiative must see to it that the May 13 elections will truly reflect the conscience vote of the Filipinos. As everyone knows, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas or Laiko (Council of the Laity of the Philippines) initiated the White Vote Movement or WVM, a coalition of archdiocesan and diocesan councils of the laity and national lay organizations with the vision of preserving and protecting the Filipino family and life. WVM endorsed senatorial candidates who are so committed and determined to fight DEATH billsDivorce, Euthanasia or mercy killing, Abortion, Total Population Control, Homosexual or same sex unionwhich are pending or may be filed in Congress. WVM had to personally interview the candidates and discern who among them will be endorsed. WVM must get the first hand information about the candidates stand on DEATH bills and the RH Law. Catholic vote was present when 6 of the 10 senatorial candidates endorsed by WVM landed in the Magic 12. Congratulations to Senators-elect Nancy Binay, Koko Pimentel, Sonny Trillanes, Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito-Estrada and Gregorio Honasan. Catholic vote was present when 2 of the WVM endorsed candidates landed in the 13th and 14th place, pro-RH Sen. Loren Legarda slid to the 2nd place, Risa Hontiveros lost, Buhay partylist top the sectoral representation. By the way, the WVM did not endorse local candidates partylist, members of the House of Representatives, provincial, city and municipal officialsdue to lack of time to study and discern which and who to endorse. *** In its post evaluation of the May 13 elections, WVM acknowledged that it could have done better had they surpassed some problems among which are: Limited time to disseminate information about WVM and its endorsed senatorial candidates. Some media practitioners are not with the WVM. Some lay church organizations are prohibited from endorsing candidates. Some clergy favored endorsement of candidates, others did not. Some priests allowed the display of names of endorsed candidates, others did not. The need to reach out to the grassroots level was not achieved because the parish pastoral councils, bishops or priests did not allow the distribution of the names of endorsed candidates. WVM vows to continue its work up to 2016 election. To be more successful, there is a need to strengthen the membership of the organization. The relationship between the clergy and the laity must be improved. The clergy must support and enable the lay initiative. The laity should convince the bishops and priests to actively support the lay organizations in their discernment and endorsement of candidates for elective positions. There is a need for formation of leaders, members and the parishioners about the social doctrines and the Catholic teachings of the Church; modules must be prepared. *** The WVM had been saying, a divided vote changes nothing, a united vote changes everything. Transformative change can be achieved if only the electorate would unite to vote for the candidates who are competent, conscientious, and have commitment. *** It was reported that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines President and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma acknowledged that the existence of Catholic vote was felt and seen in the mid-term elections. Several groups which
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Believing and listening

I NEVER thought I would be enjoying watching a graduation ceremony on television. But I was. More strangely still, no one among the graduating students were related to me. I kept asking myself why I was not switching the channel. Then I realized there was something in the family of one graduating medical student that I could relate to. They were also poor. The wonder was now they had a doctor in the family. Before I knew it the television correspondent was interviewing the now widely grinning graduate. He was asked how he managed, despite his familys circumstances, to have graduated with flying colors from medical school. He said simply and directly, Oh, I just listened to both my parents. They told me to study hard so I dont lose my scholarship, and not to spend unnecessarily. Im grateful to the Lord I had parents who guided me throughout my years in medical school. Wow, I said to myself. Then the parents were also interviewed. They were a simple and shy couple in their sixties. They were asked what they could say now that their son was a doctor. They looked at each other and said, Were just thankful to the Lord our son listened to us all these years Listening as an essential key to success is seldom talked about. But it is. The medical student in our story is only one example. And it is not only true to the secular education. It is as much true to our spiritual life as well, and to our discipleship. In the book of Genesis, Jacob gathers his sons and counsels them: Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father(Gen 49:2). What are they to listen to? To their fathers word of blessing raising Judah to a position of leadership in the family and in mysterious words prophesying an unworldly and indestructible lofty stature throughout the

Rev. Eutiquio Euly B. Belizar, Jr., SThD

By the Roadside
But before he knew it, he ate all the cake in the refrigerator when he opened it looking for water. Fortunately or unfortunately, his sister saw it all and said, When you diet, it doesnt mean you dont eat anything. It only means you should eat the right food in the right way. Sometimes I think we could be in that mans shoes. Remember when teachers used to say of some students, Overfed but undernourished? Does it occur to you and me we could fit this description? For instance, could we not be overfed by too much television, too much internet, the media and other such fare we consider ordinary, even a must, in todays world? These are things that are basically good but need we not take a caveat, admitting this goodness including the added fact that it is a goodness so incomplete as to be anything but satisfying (we are not even talking here about the other consequences). Do we really feed ourselves with the right diet of Gods Word and the Eucharist, the Bread of Life? Isnt the Church our last recourse for any such thing? Still, we hear it affirmed again and again, i.e., that to truly be happy and to grow in real happiness the right diet is a must (in the physical and spiritual worlds). Again, Benedict XVI pointed to us why. Indeed, the teaching of Jesus still resounds in our day with same power, Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life (Jn 6:27). The question posed by his listeners is the same we ask today: What must we do, to be doing the works of God? (Jn 6:28). We know Jesus reply: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent (Jn 6:29) (PF 3). If our believing is Gods work in us, then our listening to him whom he has sent is the beginning of our work for God.

succeeding generations. You, Judah, shall your brothers praiseyour hand on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to youThe scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, while tribute is brought to him, and he receives the peoples homage (Gen 49:8, 10). From our perspective as Christians, we know this is to be fulfilled when from out of Judah the Messiah will be born. The first name in the genealogy of Matthews gospel is Judah. The last is that of Jesus, the Messiah, his descendant. The point is, Judahs words were not his but Gods. His sons listening to his words indicates the right response to Gods revelation of his will and plan through their father. The reason is that listening is the first moment of faith. It is a sine-qua-non moment of faith. That is to say, without listening faith is not possible. Hence, Pope Benedict XVI once counseled that we imitate a model listen-er in the gospel of John. The people of today can still experience the need to go to the well, like the Samaritan woman, in order to hear Jesus, who invites us to believe in him and to draw upon the source of living water welling up within him (Jn 4:14) (Porta Fidei, n. 3). But in the same way that the sons of Judah listened to Gods word through their father, we need to listen to the Word of the living God today through the living Word Jesus Christ as proclaimed to us by the Church. So continues Benedict XVI: We must rediscover a taste for feeding ourselves on the word of God, faithfully handed down by the Church, and on the bread of life, offered as sustenance for his disciples (Jn 6:51) (PF 3). I once heard about a man being told by his sister, a doctor, that he was overweight and had to diet. He stopped eating for a day. He was asked if he was hungry. He said, No.

Candidly Speaking / A5

He said: Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God, put yourselves at the service of others. If you are a speaker, speak in words which seem to come from God. If you are a helper, help as though every action was done in Gods orders. So that in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ, since to him alone belong all the glory and power forever and ever. (1 Pt 4,10-11) Our problem is that we always tend to grab the credit for ourselves even if we know that

everything comes from God. We like to flaunt the good things we have, and we become extremely embarrassed when our weaknesses and mistakes get known. We should realize that humility involves some kind of abandonment of our own selves, unafraid of being known as we are. When we commit mistakes, we, like the prodigal son, should go back to God whose delight it is to forgive and to strengthen us. Yes, humility is what leads us to ask for forgiveness when we fall. Humility liberates us from own foolishness.

Fr. Francis Ongkingco

Whatever
THERE are games that can be played alone and there are much more games that are best played and enjoyed with others. I recall back in high school how, after our last afternoon class, we would congregate in one of the many cul-de-sacs. No one was exempt from these group games like tag, patintero, and tumbangpreso, etc. Even the younger children joined in as extras or saling-pusa. They had very minor roles, but if they ever made a point, it counted just the same in the game. When the weather was not so cooperative, smaller groups formed circles to play Monopoly, scrabble, a card game or simply to tell stories. When the weather improved, someone would usually call out for a major group game and the street was immediately filled with excited bustling young boys, girls, toddlers and also their care-takers. *** Faith is a personal actthe free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself. But faith is not an isolated act. No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 166) God revealed that the gift of faith is meant to build the people He has congregated into His Church. And it is important to realize that it is not because of a collective faith that builds the Church but the other way around. The Church is the One who first believes, bears, nourishes and sustains my faith. () It is through the Church that we receive faith and new life in Christ by baptism. (Ibid., no. 168) Although salvation can only come from God, we have received the life of faith through the Church, and we therefore profess that She is the Mother of our new birth, and not in the Church as if She were the author of salvation. (ibid., no. 169) Taking into account mans social nature, God wants this supernatural gift to be properly nourished, strengthened and sustained within a communitythe Catholic Churchwhich is both a human reality and also the Mystical Body of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Its more F.U.N: We believe

The gift of faith, therefore, is something personal and at the same time ecclesial. It is sowed in each persons heart when he or she personally responds with a yes to this invitation to an adventure of conversion, love and apostolic calling. A great deal of the life of faith depends principally on each ones intimate and generous self-giving to God. However, as long as pilgrim man journeys towards his Heavenly goal, he will not encounter any other place that can cradle, nourish and develop his faith efficiently. It is in fact the Church that believes: and thus by the grace of the Holy Spirit precedes, engenders and nourishes the faith of each Christian. For this reason, the Church is Mother and Teacher. (Compendium of the Catholic Church, no. 30) Unfortunately, many faithful are unaware of this wonderful ecclesial feature of their faith. Many are satisfied with sentimentally feeling Church by belonging to a parish and some its pious committees or they only see Her serving as a mere institutional support group. Every faithful is called to become Church. Each one must feel a certain pride to belong to an institution that has mysteriously withstood the test of time, the countless persecutions of godless men and nations, and has shown Her growing splendor in the midst of worldly trends without becoming Herself worldly. She doesnt only make us a part of Her, but each one is an essential and unique member building Her by striving for personal holiness in his or her own state in life. And a member s utmost joy and security are rooted in the Churchs principal marks: onefor having one Founder and therefore expressing Her unity; holybecause Christ, Her Founder is Holy, and the means She offers for the holiness are holy; apostolicsince She was founded upon the Apostles, from whom we inherit the same mission of being sent to all nations; catholicfor Her universal reach, and that Her teachings are for all men of all times. *** The F.U.N. (Faith Up Now) part of all this is to discover broader horizons where we can constantly grow in our being Church and daily offer something personal for the other members. Here are a few ideas: Praying our Baptism. Grab your baptismal certificate! Consider that date as a special one to pray about and thank God for. Pray for the priest who baptized you, your parents and god-parents. Touching our Head and Toes. Our personal concern and contribution to the Church must be a prayer that extends from the Pope down to the latest baptized Christian. We shouldnt hesitate to adopt either a Bishop or Priest whom we could pray and offer specific sacrifices for daily. Learn your History. Every institution has a history. Get a good book on the history of the Catholic Church. The simple and sincere reading and study of Her life has converted many. Her history will also make us realize Her divine origins and mission. Tradition! As part of knowing Her history, open your curiosity to the saints who have built and extended the Church throughout the world. (e.g. the works of the Fathers of the Church, the life of the early Christians, and the lives of the saints.)

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Local News

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Kiram visits CBCP anew for Catholic schools justify tuition hike talks on resolving Sabah row
THE Sultanate of Sulu has described his latest meeting with the head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on May 29 as strategic path to a peaceful end to Sabah crisis. For the second time in two months, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III met with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president, on Wednesday at the CBCP main headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. Abraham Idjirani, Kirams spokesman, said the meeting, which lasted for around two hours, was a follow-up of their April 1 talks to resolve the territorial dispute that pits the Sultanate of Sulu and Malaysia. This meeting serves as strategic path to reach and achieve a complete resolution of the Sabah issue, Idjirani said. After this first meeting, Palma brought the case to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue for the resolution of the conflict. According to Idjirani, Palma related to Kiram that there is a suggestion from the Vatican Council to organize a meeting between Archbishops Giuseppe Pinto, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines and Joseph Marino, Papal Nuncio to Malaysia. As per our understanding, the Nuncios of the Philippines and Malaysia must sit down together to really talk about the issue, he said. One of the initial steps to be taken, he added, is tackling the issue on the religious angle. If in a religious point of view, it is more on the humanitarian concerns of both Christians and Muslims. It may not move in the political aspect but in the humanitarian, it may move, Idjirani said. (Roy Lagarde) A 10 percent tuition fee increases in Catholics schools may sound like a lot but it is not for some who risk losing teachers demanding salary hike. Msgr. Gerry Santos, president of Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association (MAPSA), said its members risk losing teachers to public schools that offer better pay. In a radio interview, he said that Catholic schools need to raise school fees to keep their teachers from moving to public schools. The starting salary for our teachers ranges between P11, 000 to P14, 000 a month unlike in public school which is P19, 000 so our salary is way below what government is giving, Santos said. Santos is a former president of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP). He appealed to parents and critics to understand why some Catholic schools are raising tu-

PPCRV seeks inventory of CF cards

THE Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is seeking an inventory of all used compact flash cards during the May 13 midterm polls. PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa made the appeal to the Commission on Elections on amid reports that some CF cards containing the election results have been used in fraud. What we are saying is not to hold an investigation but an inventory of CF cards to determine how many of them were lost, damaged or replaced, De Villa said. She said that an inventory is necessary to preclude all doubts into the credibility of the recent elections. We need an inventory of CF cards because they can be bought outside but on allegations that those on the PCOS (precinct count optical scan) were replaced is yet to be proven, De Villa said. The PPCRV head also urged the Comelec to look into the delayed transmission of election results and the physical components of the voting machines. Around 18,000 out of the 78,000 PCOS machines, or 25 percent reportedly experienced transmission lags during the elections. (CBCPNews)
Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Msgr. Gerardo Santos

Ana De Villa-Singson, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Votings Communications and Media Director, shows a copy of electronically transmitted election returns (ERs) from the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) sent from various points in the country as part of mandated unofficial parallel count at the PPCRV Command Center in Manila, May 14, 2013.

Bishops back creation of polls truth commission

CATHOLIC bishops supported calls for the creation of a truth commission to investigate reported irregularities in the recently concluded automated polls. At least three ranking church leaders believed that an independent probe is necessary to let the truth about the glitches in the last elections come out. Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Bishops Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao and Jose Oliveros of Malolos made the call despite the statement by the Commission on Elections that there was no fraud. I am in favor of a truth commission to investigate recent poll irregularities in order that justice may be achieved, honesty promoted, Lagdameo said. Lagdameo is a former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). According to Oliveros, the
Agenda / A1

ition fees this school year. Just passing this 10 percent increase was even hard for Board of Trustees for fear that we lose students. But if you dont do this, the teachers will also move to public schools, said Santos. MAPSA is composed of around 117 member schools from within the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila. (CBCPNews)

Bishop cries failure of elections in E. Samar

MASSIVE vote buying was among the reasons a Catholic bishop concluded that the May 13 midterm election was a failure in one of the countrys poorest provinces. Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez condemned politicians who influenced voters with gifts of cash and other things in Eastern Samar. The prelate was preaching the sermon at a recent Pentecost Vigil at the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Maypangdan, Borongan City. If we talk only of election as a venue for electing leaders, then it was successful. But if we look at the election as an exercise of true democracy, it was a failure. Why? Vote buying was massive and vote selling was, perhaps, at its worst, Varquez said. Money politics prevailed in the 2013 midterm elections. Many candidates won because of money except for a few candidates who were voted because the electors truly believed in their capacity, commitment and honesty, he said. The church leader fears that candidates who win through vote buying will recoup their expenses through corruption and politics will become a business. Hopefully, they would rather consider their expenditures as a form of sacrifice for the sake of the people they serve. It is then that they would deserve to be called honorable, Varquez said. Dynasties thrive because of money politics. I pray and wish that I will still be alive when the time will come that the electoral process in the Philippines will no longer be plagued by money politics, he added. Bishop Varquez also called on the new local and provincial government leaders to endeavor to fulfill their campaign promises made to their constituents. I hope and pray that in your term of office you will fulfill all your promises to the people so that our country will not remain a place of broken promises, he said. (Roy Lagarde)

Paraaque organizes Diocesan Olympics for clergy and youth

INSTEAD of the annual advocacy fun run Takbo Para Kay Kristo, the Diocesan Commission on Youth (DCOY) of Paraaque diocese is organizing the DCOYLYMPICS 2013 as a venue for young people and the clergy to bond with one another. Participating priests and young people are expected to engage in fun-filled activities coupled with formation. Slated on June 8 and 12, the two-day activity will have different games injected with formation inputs in order to deepen the
Congress / A1

youths understanding of Faith and the Eucharist as the diocese celebrates the Year of Faith as well as the Year of the Eucharist. According to Peter Pardo, the diocesan youth coordinator, formation program will be injected during sports that include basketball, volleyball and different Pinoy games. For example, in the game 4 pictures 1 word, words to be used and pictures will be inserted with words and pictures in relation to Faith and Eucharist, Pardo said.

Formation program on the other hand will focus on the Year of Faith and the Year of the Eucharist. Teams for the games will be named after youth Saints, Pardo added. He stressed that the annual runs objectives were already achieved, prompting the youth commission of the diocese to provide an opportunity for priests and young people to bond, thus, organizing an Olympics. Takbo Para Kay Kristo run was held from 2010 to 2012 following the 3 year objectives of

the diocese which are good governance (2010), pro-life (2011), and environment (2012). Themed Faith Factor DCOYLYMPICS will be joined by young people from 6 vicariates in the diocese. Venue of the games and the culmination mass on June 12 will be at the St. Joseph Parish (known to be the house of the Bamboo Organ) in Las Pias City. Paraaque Bishop Jesse Mercado will celebrate the culmination mass. (Jandel Posion)

uniformity of election results in Bulacan province to that of the national result in favor of the administration senatorial bets. What Im baffled at is the uniformity of the transmission of the PCOS (precinct count optical scan) machines 70-30 in favor of the administration. Here in Bulacan, its almost the same as the national report. Its almost a statistical improbability, he said. The irregularities must be addressed. An independent body different from the Comelec would have more credibility, added Oliveros. Aside from the technical glitches, other concerns raised after the May 13 polls was the slow transmission of election results. I think it would be good to have one truth commission to investigate this issue to maintain the credibility and integrity of the electoral process, Ongtioco said. (Roy Lagarde)

forms, political reforms, and peace and order conditions. There must be an improvement to all of these. We will see what we can do as legislators but I will personally commit myself to dedicate my time to all of these endeavors in order to help in the development of our country. Atienza, a former mayor of Manila, emphasized that if peace and order do not improve, investments will not pour in. If politics will not be reformed, dynasties will not be dismantled; our situation will remain the same. Economic, political and social problems are well connected and we need to tend to all of these also, Atienza pointed out. Meanwhile, he said, he will ensure that the main advocacy of Buhay will be introduced
Results / A1

and fight for in Congress. With us being in Congress, we can guard the passage of anti-life proposals because we are against it and that is what our advocacy is and what we will fight for, Atienza said. Divorce bill When asked about the move of some legislators to introduce the divorce bill in the 16th Congress, Atienza said he will help in explaining to the people, especially to legislators that divorce is not the solution to marital problems. Again, this is a band aid solution. There are lots of people who are experiencing problems in marriage thats why some legislators are planning to introduce divorce. But this is wrong. Marriage problem is there, that is

true. What we should do right now is to find other means on how to strengthen marriage despite the problems being encountered, Atienza said. He stressed that divorce law will only weaken the institution of marriage and eventually destroy the family. We must look into those countries with divorce law, we must study their mistakes in order for us not to commit those. What we are fighting for is the truth and we are against any death bills that will be introduced in the upcoming congress, Atienza added. He then furthered that if pro-life legislators have a big number in the Congress, they will explain to and enlighten the minds of their fellow legislators in repealing the Reproductive Health (RH) law. (Jandel Posion)

lec) has a lot of explaining to do about the alleged poll-related irregularities. Nassa is not blind to the glaring discrepancies and election violations, the highly-suspicious interventions during the canvassing, and the possible manipulation of election result during the lull hours of transmission, canvassing and consolidation of votes, the statement reads. The Comelec and its deputies, as well as other stakeholders who subvert the will of the people, should be made accountable for their actions, it said. No safety measures The Church agency also criticized the poll body for its supposed non-compliance on the automated election system laws. Even before the election, it said that the Comelecs refusal to allow interested parties to review the source code, as well as to install the necessary safeguards on the PCOS machine,

as provided by law, including the proper implementation of the random manual audit, cast doubt on the poll bodys sincerity to conduct a transparent and authentic election. Source code review and other safety features are basically confidence-building mechanisms to attain clean, authentic and credible election, the Nassa said. No factual, legal basis Nassa also questioned the Comelec in proclaiming, on an installment basis, the 12 senators without factual or legal basis. It is a violation of election rules relating to winners to be proclaimed only after all ballots are officially canvassed, it said citing the Comelec Resolution Nos. 9700 and 9700-A. Nassa said that candidates who have insurmountable lead can be proclaimed winners if the remaining uncanvassed ballots will not adversely affect result, but the Comelec acted suspi-

ciously when it proclaimed the first six winning senatorial bets on May 16, with only 72 out of 304 certificates of canvass (COCs) accounted for. The number of COCs, it added, is representing only more than 13 million of the countrys 52 million voters. When the Comelec proclaimed the next three winning candidates on May 17, about 23% of the total clustered precincts or 18,187-clustered precincts with potentially 8.6 million voters are still to transmit the election returns. Obviously, the number of votes can adversely affect the 7th to 12th senatorial candidates, according to Nassa. We could not understand why Comelec sacrifices accuracy and truthfulness over speed. Almost all transactions and decisions of the Commission are characterized by speed, especially in conducting the bidding and the buying of the PCOS machines. Ironically, the Comelec did

not show the same speedy consideration to the suggestions and recommendations from election advocates and watchdogs, the Nassa said. Accountability Nassa reiterated that the Comelec should be held accountable for the controversies hounding the May 13 elections. It also called on the responsible agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of election irregularities and incidents reported. Huge penalty and punishment should be imposed on those who easily took advantage and violate the law. Public office is a public trust; it should be public service for the common good, the Nassa said. We as citizens should speak now. This so-called automated election with its malpractices will be perpetuated in the coming elections if we do not loudly clamor for accountability, it said. (Roy Lagarde)

first day in office, June 30. These are (1) water system improvements; (2) health program for the poor; (3) increased budget allotment for the city hospital; (4) city peace and order); (5) environmental preservation and cleanliness; (6) enforcement of traffic rules and regulations; (7) transparency of city hall; and (8) balanced integrated urban-rural development. In his homily during the Thanksgiving Mass offered by Team Oca Friday after election, Ledesma echoed these marching orders as he stressed the need for newly-elected public officials to adhere to the principles of solidarity, participation and political charity. These three principles, he stressed, are the foundation for good governance that should be heeded especially by our public officials. But these principles also apply to everyone, the voters, the electorate, the people who chose their leaders when they exercise their right of suffrage last May 13. The eight-point governance agenda was earlier endorsed by the church-based alliance of private and public groups called Manag-silingan Ta, which also urged for an urgent change in the city government to a participatory, people-community
Duc In Altum / A5

development-driven, transparent governance. We can achieve change in our city under an atmosphere of developmental vision, professionalism and competence, transparency and integritywhich we can bond together under a brand of servant-leadership with our people at heart, the group said. Mayor-elect Morenowho heard mass with his family was observed to have looked and listened intently to Ledesma the entire sermon. But when Ledesma started itemizing each of the eight point governance agenda, Moreno started covering his face and looked down at his feet a visible sign that he has realized the enormity of the task of changing Cagayan de Oro for the better or even for the best. Kagay-anons, who were dreaming for change but were frustrated in 2010, gave their allout support to Moreno, whose Hapsay nga Pang-gobyerno campaign slogan summarized all their dreams and wishes for Northern Mindanaos premier city. Hapsay nga pang-gobyerno or good governance can only be achieved when those elected adhere to the three principles of solidarity, participation and political charity, Ledesma said. (Bong D. Fabe)

went on discernment as whom to vote also acknowledged the importance of being Catholics. Archbishop Palma said that he joins the exhortation that the lay people should do the process of discernment, serious study and of course coming out with sharing their convictions with other lay people in the coming 2016 elections. He further stated that there is a need for improvement asking convenors of lay initiatives to do further studies, discernment and prep` arations based from experiences and studies of the recent elections. ***

Good news for the Filipinos. There is a possibility that Pope Francis may visit the Philippines in 2016 during the celebration of the Eucharistic Congress. Vatican asked the CBCP President Archbishop Jose Palma if the celebration could be moved from May to January 2016, it appearing that Pope Francis has already a pre-scheduled activity in May 2016. This is a good sign that Vatican is considering a papal visit in the Philippines in 2016. Archbishop Palma said there is no problem in changing the date of the celebration. He urged the Catholic faithful to pray for the visit of the Holy Father.

www.ceap.org.ph

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 10
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Diocesan News
ministry in different field of works in the archdiocese, they added. In his homily, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles stressed the importance of brotherhood and unity. We are all brothers whether one is a bishop, a monsignor, parish priest or just a priest. One must not look on the achievement or position of others, rather on their very identity as ordained brothers, Valles said. We must love one another as brothers ordained for the people of God, the archbishop added. Msgr. Edgar Labagala gave a short input in which he reminded the clergy about the importance of communion. He also emphasized that love comes first in order to be happy and not that we are happy because we are loved. Meanwhile, Msgr. Abel Apigo, rector of the Regional Major Seminary (Remase) celebrated his birthday during the event. The clergy together with seminarians played games such as lawn tennis, basketball and the like in the afternoon. A short program in the evening culminated the gathering. Also present at the gathering were Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla and Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando. (Jandel Posion with Sem. Ritzchild John Cariaga and Sem. Argie Ybanez)

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Clergy assembly aims on building stronger relationship

DAVAO CityA quarterly gathering of clergy and some seminarians together with the bishop focused on building a strong relationship between the bishop to his priests and among themselves. Held last May 21 at the DLeonor Inland Resort and Wavepool in Davao City, the activity gathered less than 50 priests, 3 bishops and 14 theologians. According to the clergy of the Archdiocese of Davao, the event was a celebration of the gift of brotherhood and aimed to strengthen relationship with one another as ordained ministers of Christ. This event also became a venue where the clergy shared our experiences to our brother priests about the priestly

Clergy and seminarians of Davao seek to strengthen bond and unity with one another by gathering at least three times during the year.

Ledesma to newly-elected officials: Adhere to 3 principles in building the city

CAGAYAN DE ORO City Archbishop Antonio Ledesma reminded politicians who won the recent midterm elections to adhere to three principles taught by the church in order to build the city. He reminded everyone, especially winning candidates during the May 13 elections, that the word politics comes from the Greek word polis which means city or city-states. It means that politics is the art of building our city, our civilization, our culture. And it is in the constant good governance of people that we achieve this progress and development of the polis today, Ledesma said on May 19. According to him, the term good governance should not be limited to just good government from public officials since it really pertains to the relationship between those who govern and those who are governed. It is the constant mutual interaction between the governors and the govern that we bring about the development of the polis. And in order to really build the city, public officials should adhere not just to the principles of the city of man but most importantly to the principles governing the city of Godthe principles of solidarity, participation and political charity. Solidarity, according to Pope John Paul II, is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, the good of all and the good of each individual, he said. This sense of inclusive growth is what is meant especially in reaching out especially to those who are under privileged, those who have less in life and as President Magsaysay would put it, those who should have more in law, he added. But Ledesma stressed that building the city is not just the work of elective public officials, or of one man or party or sector of society. It is a common effort where everyone can contribute to the good of the polis, of the wider society. And for this to work, he urged everyone to exercise the principle of participation. But for everyone to fully participate in building the city, the principle of political charity must be exercised especially by those who won so they can effectively reach out to their political rivals who lost and their supporters. Love is not only interpersonal but also social and political. To do good for our neighbor is not simply in terms of one-to-

Palo archdiocese sets May as Mass Media month

TACLOBAN CityAs part of its Diamond Celebration as a diocese, the Archdiocese of Palo in Leyte Province has set the month of May a Jubilee of Mass Media to give thanks for the wonderful gifts of Social Communications and to acknowledge and honor those working in the field of media. Archdiocesan spokesperson Fr. Amadeo Alvero said activities like novena masses, archdiocesan Pentecost vigil, annual holy retreat of media practitioners, blessing of instruments for social communications, visitation and blessing of media outfits and the media beach Olympics are being held for the whole month of May until sometime in June. For the preparation of the 47th World Communications Day last May 12, all parishes held novena masses from May 4-12. Then last Saturday afternoon until 5:00 in the morning of Sunday, we had our 1st Archdiocesan Pentecost Vigil attended by the faith communities, renewal movements, mandated organizations under Fr. Oscar Florencio and also by media practitioners who call themselves Media for Christ, Alvero said. Alvero added that other activities include reflection on the theme Communicating Holiness by the Power of the Holy Spirit given by Fr. Arlo Bernardo Yap, SVD; motorcade from Sto. Nio Church to Tacloban City Convention Center Astrodome; theme presentation explained by Sr. Gemma Dela Cruz, FSP; testimonies; synthesis from Fr. Bart Pastor; and Mass and commissioning, empowering of the Holy Spirit and blessing from Archbishop John Du during the vigil of Pentecost Sunday. An Annual Retreat of Media Practitioners in the archdiocese was held on May 26 at the Archdiocesan Chancery where everyone had the chance to bond with the archbishop during lunch. Retreat master was Fr. Oscar Lorenzo while Archbishop John Du celebrated the mass at 3:00 in the afternoon. After the retreat, media practitioners had a pilgrimage at the Our Lords Transfiguration Cathedral in Palo, Leyte. Blessing of the instruments for social communications are done on four Sundays of May: blessing of mobile phones was held last May 5; blessing of laptops, iPads, and iTabs last May 12; blessing of cameras and handy cameras on May 19, and the blessing of iPods and other portable music media players on Sunday, May 26. Visitation and blessing of media outfits are also scheduled during the month, as Alvero is set to visit all media stations to bless the offices and instruments for mass communications. The last activity will be the Media Beach Olympics, which will be held on June 16 at Tadyaw Beach Resort in Tolosa, Leyte. (Jandel Posion)

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ

one relationship but it can be in terms of how those who govern can reach out for the common good of everyone, he stressed. Quoting Pope Paul VIs our aim in society is to build a civilization of love, the Jesuit softspoken prelate explained that political charity means it is the antithesis or opposite of egoism and individualism. It is the opposite of worldly pride and in fact it calls for the need of what we now call servant leadership. These three principles, he stressed, are the foundation for good governance that should be heeded especially by our public officials. But these principles also apply to everyone, the voters,

the electorate, the people who chose their leaders when they exercised their right of suffrage last May 13. [This is] a challenge for all of us to achieve this in our society, in our city under an atmosphere of developmental vision, of professionalism, of competence, of transparency and integrity where we can band together under the brand of servant leadership, he said. It is only in the exercise of these principles as foundational stones in building the polis, Ledesma said, can everyone be able to build the city under what we call principled inclusive politics in our communities. (Bong D. Fabe)

Oblate Sisters elect new leadership

COTABATO CityThe 11th General Chapter of the Oblate of Notre Dame (OND) Sisters elected the five new members of the General Administration Team on May 19, 2013, Pentecost Sunday, at the OND Shalom Hall in Tamontaka, DOS, Maguindanao. Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo proclaimed the newly elected leaders during a Eucharistic Celebration he presided right after the 23 capitulars had cast their secret ballots. In his homily, the bishop assured the sisters of his as well as the priests and religious prayers for the success of the Chapter Meeting as the capitulars undertake a serious review and assessment of the sisters living out of their founding charism and spirituality expressed in their varied apostolic ventures. The archbishop also encouraged the new team to exercise a servant leadership with the unconquerable Force from within which is Integrity in order to set ablaze Gods mission in the wilderness. The five newly elected leaders are Sr. Carmelita Millette Y. Olifernes, Superior General; Sr. Erlinda Linda Hisug, 1st Councilor & Asst. General; Sr. Bernadette Badette Baldemor, 2nd Councilor; Sr. Estrella Corotan, 3rd Councilor; and Sr. Nenita Nenette Juntilla, 4th Councilor. Sr. Millette, a waray from Calbayog City, is 32 yrs in the religious institute since she pronounced her 1st vows in 1981, and was part of the last General Council as Apostolate Coordinator and School Superintendent for the past 8 years; she was a high school
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Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, OMI presided the Thanksgiving Mass after the election of the new General government of the OND sisters.

teacher before she entered and after her profession, was assigned in the Parish/Diocesan and School apostolates and in the Formation program. Sr. Linda, the past Junior Directress, was born in Koronadal City; had obtained a Psychology degree from FEU, Manila, and was a member of the faculty of the Notre Dame of Marbel University before she joined the congregation. As professed OND for 30 yrs., she had served in the media apostolate as research-consultant in Radio Veritas Asia and station manager of DXGD, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, and also in the Family and Life Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Cotabato. A Boholana from Taloto, Tagbilaran City and part of the previous General Team, Sr. Badette joined the OND 25 years ago in

1988, after her graduation from Notre Dame University in Cotabato City. She attended to various ministries/programs of the congregation, including Vocation, Formation, Retreat, and Parish assignments in Cotabato and Basilan. Sr. Estrella, a native of Makilala, North Cotabato and the past Asst. General, is already 40 yrs. professed in the OND family, since she joined after her teaching stint at the Notre Dame of Kabacan under the ONDs. She had spent many years in the congregations program of formal education and catechetical training (Notre Dame Center for Catechetics NDCFC dean of studies) and a years pastoral involvement in the parish of Kidapawan, North Cotabato. From Digos City, Davao del Sur, hails the 4th General Councilor Sr. Nenette, who has been 34 years with the OND since she arrived in 1979, three years later making her 1st profession. Her last assignments were with the Marist universities in Kidapawan, Gensan and Marbel as Religious Program/Campus Ministry coordinator, and in the earlier years as classroom teacher-directress/principal in OND schools, NDCFC directress, parish worker in Isabela, Basilan, and Vocation Directress. The new OND general superior extended her gratitude to the sisters for the encouraging assurance of your support that consoles me with the feeling that I am not alone in the task, most of all because I have entrusted myself to God and whatever be His plans for me. (Sr. Marietta Alo, OND)

Bong D. Fabe

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Briefing
Naga faithful celebrates Peafrancia de Mayo

NAGA CityDevotees culminated the month-long celebration of the Peafrancia de Mayo with a procession bearing the image of the Our Lady of Peafrancia from the Basilica Minore de Peafrancia to the Naga City Peoples Mall last May 20. Created for a number of reasons, including a fund raising project for the construction of the Basilica, the celebration focused on women in contrast to the feast held in September where men board the Pagoda and carry Ina. During the May festival, women devotees bring the image from the Cathedral to the City Market, which houses Ina. A Triduum Mass has been held in the Virgins honor since May 21 and on May 24, a fluvial procession via the Naga City River was held from the Peoples Mall back to the Basilica. (Natalie Hazel Quimlat)
Sports fest promotes camaraderie among youth ministers

Although acknowledging some positive gains the nation has achieved in some areas, Palma also pointed out the dark areas that bring the country down. He noted some economic progress under our present governments policies and programs; equally recognized improvements and progress in governance, in health care, in anti-poverty and pro-education endeavors; sincere efforts at diminishing corruption, and more. But dark and shadow areas remain, he said, citing the ongoing violence and conflicts in Mindanao [as well as] the ongoing decades-old Communist-led revolutionary movement. The CBCP head also stressed the chronic lack of job opportunities at home that drives thousands of Filipinos to seek jobs abroad, and the unabated destruction of the environment. The threats of having anti-life legislations introduced in the upcoming Congress after the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill are also another factor why there is a need to ask the

protection of the Blessed Mother, Palma said. He also pointed out in the statement the manifestations of a spreading relativistic mindset in some sectors of our society (the dictatorship of relativism reaching even us) and its effects in our own changing lifestyles. New evangelization The prelate said the call for new evangelization urges the faithful to a more authentic living of the faith which every Christian must take as a challenge if they are to live truly as Gods people and Gods Body in our land. As the nation observes the Year of Faith and embarks on the nine-year journey towards the celebration in 2021, invoking the guidance of the Blessed Mother by consecrating the entire nation offers every faithful an opportunity to rediscover the Christian faith and intensify our efforts for a renewed integral evangelization, said Palma. This Year of Faith, our Consecration to her Immaculate Heart, will be a firm renewal of our unshakeable trust in her, of our filial

love for hershe who is now, as ever in our past, our Queen and our Mother of mercyvita, dulcedo et spes nostra: yes, of all our people, our life, our sweetness and our hope, he said. The CBCP president encouraged the faithful to continue the observance of Marian practices, such as Mass and Communion of Reparation on the First Saturday of each month; Prayer and Penance in union with Our Ladys Immaculate Heart; and the daily recitation of the Rosary, which are all part of the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Activities leading up to Na tional Consecration With a week to go to the national event, Digos Bishop Guillermo Afable said the ground work on the NCIHM is really happening on the diocesan and parochial level. In the diocese of Digos, he said media have been utilized to make more information widely disseminated to the people. Thanks to our active radio ministry our faithful and unfaithful have been adequately informed and encouraged to

participate. Our parishes have been active in utilizing the Flores de Mayo program to provide the catechesis, Afable, who heads the CBCP Ad Hoc Committee on National Consecration, said. He said the NCIHM will manifest more profoundly the role of Mary in the life of Faith and the deep devotion the Filipino people have for the Mother of God. In the context of the Year of Faith and the nine-year era of New Evangelization, this NCIHM brings the Marian profile of the Church as an integral component of the Renewal of Faith of the Filipino nation, he said. The basic framework, suggested activities and resource materials for the consecration event have been prepared by the CBCP executive committee and made available for use in dioceses. The National Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be held simultaneously in all Cathedrals, Parish Churches, Shrines and Chapels led by the Bishops in their respective Arch/Dioceses, Prelatures and Apostolic Vicariates, all over the country on June 8 at 10 a.m.

CALAMBA CityAs part of the celebration of the Year of Faith, a vicariate in the diocese of Laguna recently held a youth sports fest to promote camaraderie and strengthen friendship with other youth ministers in the vicariate. Themed Calabataan: Stay Fit in the Faith, the activity gathered youth ministers of the vicariate of St. John the Baptist in the spirit of serving the Lord as one youth commission. Robson Tagle, communications head of San Pablo Youth Commission, said the activity also focused on the development of the youths psychomotor abilities, instill discipline among them, and lead them to refrain from various forms of vices such as drugs, smoking, drinking and even gambling. Around 500 young people from all over the vicariate participated in the sports fest, held last May 16-18. (Jandel Posion)
Novaliches holds 4th children congress

QUEZON CityCelebrating the Year of Faith, around 800 children gathered for their annual Diocesan Children Congress, which focused on mission and faith awareness held at the La Consolacion College-Deparo last May 14.Themed Bata, Bata, May Pananampalataya! (Children, you have Faith!), the 4th Diocesan Children Congress organized by the Mission Animation Ministry promoted mission and faith awareness among children in the diocese and celebrated the Flores de Mayo, praying the mission rosary for the world. Fr. Polash Henry Gomes, SX, mission director of Novaliches diocese, said the congress reminded the children on basic prayers and understanding the faith, getting to know different Saints, praying the mission rosary, and had fun through mission games. (Jandel Posion)
Cubao WYD pilgrims to visit Basilica of the Our Lady of Aparecida

QUEZON City Pilgrims from the Cubao-Philippines official delegation are set to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Our Lady of Aparecida as part of their Missionary Week for the World Youth Day (WYD) pre-proper celebration. Together with the Augustinians of the Assumption, the pilgrims will visit the Basilica on July 20, 2013, three days before the WYD proper celebration on July 23-28 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A prominent Roman Catholic Latin-rite Basilica located in Aparecida, Brazil, the Church is dedicated to the Our Lady of Aparecida (a variant of the Immaculate Conception), the principal Patroness of Brazil. Currently, the official delegation of Cubao diocese is consists of 38 youth leaders from the dioceses of Cubao, Pasig, and Paraaque. (Jandel Posion with reports from John Florence Granado)

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People, Facts & Places

CBCP Monitor

Vol. 17 No. 11

May 27 - June 9, 2013

Bishop urges media awardees to utilize technology for good

AWARDEES of the 1st Pasig Catholic Mass Media Awards were reminded to utilize the use of modern technology particularly the media and internet in deepening self knowledge towards establishing profound communion with others. Stressing that people must transcend from communication to communion, Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara quoting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, told the 400 attendees of the diocesan mass media awards that it is not only ideas and information that are shared, but ultimately, our very own selves. Can the social networking be an instrument of deeper communion with others, building communities and enhance my communion with God? the bishop asked. He exhorted the faithful to transcend from free expression to evangelization, again quoting Pope Emeritus Benedict, in their witness, in the way in which they communicate choices, preferences, and judgments that are fully consistent with the Gospel. Vergara handed the trophies and awards to the recipients of the media awards during the Mediafest 2013 held at the Pasig Catholic College Aula Minor last May 17. Winners were Universitas of the University of Asia and the Pacific for Best Newsletter/Magazine Category; An Unlikely Lesson on Rights and Liberties by Frances Christine Sayson of St. Paul College Pasig for Best News, Opinion or Feature Article; Ikaw Na! produced by Roque Rey Navarro and Nick Tayag of Pasig Catholic College for Best Video Documentary or Narrative (Long Film); and Kuwaresma: Pagpalain ng Pananalig, Pag-asa at pag-ibig of Sta. Clara de Montefalcos for Best News Photo Award. Special citation was also given to Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay, a long film documentary produced by Antoinette Jadaone of San Guillermo Parish for its unique, witty, and intelligent treatment and engaging presentation on the character actress slice of life, remarkably weaving both fact and fiction, and for exemplifying the values of perseverance and determination to excel in ones field and craft, according to the organizers. Also given special citations were Palayok, Pangarap, Pag-asa, a short film documentary produced by the Pasig ICC Soup Kitchen, using the medium of television to give voice to the voiceless and inspiring the audience of helping them live humane lives, and the websites www.pasigiccsoupkitchen. com,www.stmichaelparishhagonoy. weebly.com, and www.uap.asia for exMark Lavien Inocencio

Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara hands the citation to one of the winners in the recent Mass Media Awards organized by the Diocese of Pasig in celebration of 47th World Communications Day.

celling in website design, presentation and access to information in the fields of non-profit organization, parish and academic institutions. The bishop also gave a catechesis on Social Networks as Portals of Truth and Faith; New Spaces for Evangelization highlighting the message of the Holy

Father for the 47th World Communications Day. The Mediafest and Pasig Catholic Mass Media Awards 2013 were organized by the Pasig Diocesan Media Ministry headed by Fr. Joselito Jopson and Conrad Alvez, lay coordinator. (Jandel Posion)

Pauline Sisters hold 3rd convention of lay collaborators

ECY issues WYD must-have list

WITH two months to go before the World Youth Day (WYD) happens in Brazil, the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) issued a list of things for delegates to prepare for their pilgrimage. The ECY-Philippines delegation secretariat has urged Filipino WYD delegates to learn and practice basic Portuguese words and phrases ahead of their flight to Brazil, which will host the global Catholic event from July 17 to 28. In a list emailed to pilgrim groups under the ECY-Philippines Delegation, the secretariat, headed by Fr. Conegundo Garganta, reminded delegates to travel light. In preparing your things, the general rule is to travel light with only one checked-in luggage (if possible a trolley bag or a backpack; maximum is 32 kilos, which you do not have to fill up) and a hand-carried bag, the ECY handout sent to pilgrims reads. Since it is winter in Brazil during the WYD, delegates are urged to bring a hat or scarf, and sweater to aid them in adapting to the cold weather. The winter months in Rio are considered to be July, August and September. However, during this time it never really gets cold. This period also has the least amount of rainfall of the year, the ECY handout further reads. WYD Delegates are also urged to bring sleeping mat with malong or blanket, easily distinguishable clothing, swimsuit, comfortable walking shoes, mosquito repellent, toiletries, medicines they usually take, an AM-FM radio for language translation, writing materials and a Bible. Aside from their passports, pilgrims are also reminded to bring their yellow fever vaccine record, as vaccination is a prerequisite to entering Brazil. Make sure that your things are safe and secure at all times. Bring along (small) padlocks which can help secure your things. Bring only enough cash to get you by. Keep to the minimum gadgets and other expensive stuff which you may have to bring, the ECY added. Although pilgrims are advised to keep their luggage at a minimum, they are nevertheless advised to bring tokens like souvenirs that they can give their host and newfound friends as gifts. Do not come empty-handed. Bring a gift, such as a decoration for the house or a simple souvenirsomething to show your appreciation, something to remember you by, the ECY advised. At least 50 individuals and some 12 groups from different parishes, organizations, schools and dioceses have joined the ECY-Philippines delegation. Cubao to stage parallel WYD in Manila Meanwhile, the Ministry for Youth Affairs (MYA) of the Diocese of Cubao and the Campus Ministry Network of the Philippines are organizing a local WYD celebration parallel to that one happening in Rio de Janeiro this July. Dubbed WYD from Rio to Manila, the event aims to cater to Filipino pilgrims who would like to attend the event in Brazil but could not do so because of financial consideration, among others. In a teaser invitation posted over Facebook, MYA said Cant go to Rio for the 2013 World Youth Day? No worries. The Diocese of Cubao through its Ministry for Youth Affairs in cooperation with the Campus Ministry Network of the Philippines will bring you the sights and sounds, the colors and the beat of the drums, and the awesome experience of the youth gathered in faith together with Pope Francis here in Manila, it says. The event will happen on July 27 to 28, simultaneous with the Vigil with the Pope, and the Closing Mass and Ceremonies in Santa Cruz Air Base, west of Rio de Janeiro. However, venue for the local WYD celebration is not yet finalized. Organizers said the WYD from Rio to Manila will be open not only to young people from the Diocese of Cubao but also around Metro Manila and all over the country. This WYD From Rio to Manila is a youth ecclesial event that will simulate the WYD2013 Youth Vigil with the Pope and the Papal Mass the following day. It will gather young people from all over Luzon and some parts of the Visayas, the MYA said. Registration for the local WYD celebration will start on June 2013. Interested participants are invited to visit MYAs website www.mycubao.org for more details. Earlier, the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth echoed the appeal of Pontifical Council for the Laity president Stanislaw Cardinal Rylko, who encouraged the celebration of the upcoming WYD beyond the host country. ECY executive secretary Fr. Conegundo Garganta said Cardinal Rylko made the strong appeal during the second international preparatory meeting with the WYD international and local organizers last November 26 to 29 in Brazil. The Pontifical Council for the Laity is the Vatican organizer of the WYD while the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is their local counterpart. The ECY is set to issue guidelines on how to celebrate the international event locally but Garganta clarified that the guidelines are only meant to be a basis or template for parishes, schools, communities and dioceses to consider. Our proposed guidelines will be shared to the dioceses and down to the grassroots level. But this should be seen only as a template or basis, and should not in any way limit the creativity of the local organizers, he added. The 27th WYD is slated on July 17 to 28 in Brazil with the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro as the host diocese.Details on the venue and schedule of the different events of the WYD and the pilgrims transportation, accommodation, security and meals are still on the process of polishing, according to organizers. (YouthPinoy)

More than a hundred lay collaborators from the Philippines and Malaysia participated in the 3rd National Convention of the Association of Pauline Cooperators last May 17-21 at the Pius XII Center, Manila.

THE Daughters of St. Paul Philippines organized the third national convention for its lay collaborators, the Association of Pauline Cooperators (APC) at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Centre in Paco, Manila last May 17-21, with the theme Together We Evangelize with the Prophetic and Bold Faith of St Paul. About 115 APCs from the Philippines and Malaysia attended the four-day convention. In his talk on Church and Laity, Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches underscored that the laity, like the priests and religious men and women, are also called to strive after holiness and to share to all the Word of God. Other speakers during the convention were Fr. Rollin Flores, SSP (APC in the mind of Blessed James Alberione, Founder of the Pauline Family), Sr. Evangelina Canag, FSP (History of

Youth rallied as advocates of environmental protection

THE Ministry on Ecology of the Archdiocese of Manila organized a seminar for youth leaders at the Ecology Farm of Manila archdiocese in Tagaytay City in a bid to rally the youth to become advocates of environmental protection. Called Creation Spirituality and Youth Leadership Training for Climate Change, the seminar was held last May 5-8. Youth leaders who participated in the four-day seminar came from dioceses mostly in Luzon and one in Mindanao region, namely, Antipolo, Batangas, Casiguran in Aurora, Cubao in Quezon City, Lingayen in Pangasinan, Mindoro, Nueva Vizcaya, and General Santos City. The Ministry for Youth Affairs of Cubao diocese sent five youth leaders as participants to the seminar, according to its website www.myacubao.org. Izza Sagmit, a youth from the Holy Family Parish in GSIS Village, in a post on her facebook page shared her experience of living with Gods creation during the seminar. Five days of living in this farm/ jungle/forest; sleeping on the ground, eating mostly organic vegetables, taking a bath with fear of being attacked by surrounding frogs, learning to deal with the insects, communicating with roaming chickens and their chicks, holding on to fragile trees, gazing at countless

the APC), Sr. Timothy Villaram, FSP (APC in the Pauline Family), and Sr. Bernardita Dianzon, FSP (Collaboration in the mind of St. Paul). Other activities included regional reports, a cultural night on May 18 at the Alberione Home Auditorium in Pasay City and a pilgrimage to Lipa City on May 20 in commemoration of the 75th foundation anniversary of the Daughters of St Paul in the Philippines on 13 Oct. 1938. The two previous national conventions of the Pauline Cooperators were held in Antipolo City (1994) and Pasay City (2009). Founded by Blessed James Alberione, the APCs collaborate with members of the Pauline family in the work of evangelization, using the modern means of social communications. (Sr. Teresita de Lara, FSP)

Daughters of St. Paul

Lay apologetics group to expand evangelization including political arena

CATHOLIC Faith Defenders (CFD), a nationwide lay run apologetics organization that explains the truth of the Catholic Doctrines, will hold its two-day annual national convention in Cebu City. Catholic Faith Defenders national spiritual director Rev. Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, CRS reiterated the need for apologetics to further boost the faithful convictions of many Catholics. There is a need for Renewed Apologetics in the Year of the Faith because the Catholic Faith and the Catholic Church is under attack nowadays from various sides, including political areas, said Arganiosa. Arganiosa emphasized the present need to restore the slowly declining traditional Filipino values due to massive westernization. He added that to do so one has to start with re-catechizing the faithful. It is the moment for us Catholics to rise to the challenge and defend our faith with reason and with fire of the Spirit, he said. Themed Renewed Apologetics in the Year of Faith, the convention is slated from May 25 to May 26 at the Tabor Hills in Talamban. Rev. Fr. Abe Arganiosa, CRS was

www.myacubao.org

Living close to nature and experiencing its natural beauty is what youth leaders need to understand more profoundly the importance of protecting the gift of creation.

starsIts amazing how humans adapt with his/her environment and embrace it. And with this beauty, one cannot fathom how others can consciously destroy all these, Sagmit said. Meanwhile, another delegate, Earl Cortez of Holy Family Parish in Roxas District mentioned, also in his facebook account that the responsibility of sharing the knowledge of creation becomes a profound sense of obligation because there are so many people that need further education and steps to take action. Eating mostly organic vegetables, meet new friends from provinces and new learnings, I had a great experience

while staying in the farm. What is clear is that the crisis is getting worse by the day and it is requiring bigger actions from everyone. We need people to help lead the conversations as Climate Leaders who can empower the will of the masses to grab a hold of this issue, because humanity is certainly worth saving, Cortez added. Aside from Sagmit and Cortez, other delegates sent by MYA-Cubao were Divine Grace Pineda of the Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Julien Panis of San Antonio de Padua Parish and Ron Papa of St. Joseph the Worker Parish. (Jandel Posion)

Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, CRS

ordained as a Somascan Priest in the Clerics Regular of Somasca in Sto. Rosario Parish of San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. He took his philosophy from Don Bosco-Canlubang Seminary and Bachelor of Theology from Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay City with the then Fr. Luis Antonio Tagle, now Archbishop of Manila, as his Dogma professor. He was station manager of AITV5 in Sorsogon City and also served as KBP President in the same city last 2012. (Angelique Guevarra)

Hundred youth join annual parish sports fest

IN order to bring camaraderie among young people, a parish in New Manila organized a youth sports fest last May 17-18 at the parish grounds. The annual youth sports fest at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine Parish in New Manila, Quezon City gathered around 100 young people from different ministries and mandated organizations in the parish to bring them closer to Christ through sports. According Jude Liao, a member of the organizing team, the annual sports fest aimed to bring camaraderie and unity among the youth in the parish through sports. Aside from that, we also wanted to strengthen the youths bond together and with the parish. Lastly, we would like to bring them closer to Christ, Liao added. Games during the 2-day sports fest were basketball for men and women, mixed volleyball, chess, skwabble, kadang-kadang, sack race, patintero, catch the dragons tail, egg catch, extra challenge or the amazing race. Participants also joined the daily mass at the parish before the start of the game. (Jandel Posion)

Workshop to empower educators of pro-life values

WHILE the implementation of the highly controversial Reproductive Health law (Republic Act 10354) remains halted after the Supreme Court issued a 120 days status quo ante order, Pro-life Philippines will hold a three- day workshop aimed to counter the objective of RH law by empowering teachers, counselors, catechists, lay leaders and parents to teach pro-life values despite the RH Law. Pro-life Philippines executive director Lorna Barcarse Melgrito stressed that the workshop is in response to the needs of todays teenagers which is, to strengthen the ability of participants to respond to the needs of the youth with respect to issues o f h u m a n s e x u a l i t y, s a i d Melegrito. The workshop will also tackle issues on human sexuality, marriage, family planning and population education, specifically based according to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Melegrito also called on prolife Catholics to be vigilant and steadfast in monitoring the proceedings at the SC when an oral argument on RA 10354 starts on June 18. (Raymond Bandril)

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CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Pastoral Concerns
Thus does Jesus unite the Christian more closely with himself. The Christian, as an adopted child of God, is inserted into the inner life of His Body which is the Church on earth, and thus enters into Jesus own communion with the Father. Thus does the living Jesus himself take up more fully the Christians life and activity into his own. Thus does the Christian man or woman share in the redemptive presence and action of Jesus in the world and time. Thus does the Christian person also participate in special ways through ones own apostolate in the mission of Christ and His Church today. Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Among these other consecrations, here we single out especially the Consecration to the Sacred Heart, the pierced Heart, of Jesus, and the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The words in Jesus last supper prayer (John 17: 9, 17-19) indicate the root of our consecration to God, For these I pray. For these you have given me, for they are really yours. Consecrate them by means of truth, your word is truth. I consecrate myself for their sakes now, that they may be consecrated in truth. As Jesus consecrates himself to the Father for our sakes, he can take us and our offerings up into his own selfconsecration. Our acts of self-giving and consecration to God are thus received by the living Jesus in glory into his own giving of himself to the Father through the Spirit. Then the living Jesus gives to us also the grace necessary to realize our own offering in our lives. O ur acts of self-offering and consecration are first and fundamentally to Jesus, to the Heart of Jesus and ultimately to the Father, in, with and through Jesus and the Heart of Jesus. Imitation of and insertion into the life and heart of Jesus is the ultimate term of the spiritual life of every Christian and of every Christian community. Our self-offering and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is then necessarily joined to our consecration to the Heart of Jesus. In a true sense, necessarily, the consecration to the Heart of Mary is linked with, and goes side-byside with the consecration to the Heart of Jesus. Our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is to the person of Mary

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By Fr. Catalino Arevalo, SJ

IN our time, the devotion and especially the Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are decisively linked with Our Lady of Fatima. In fact, it has been authoritatively said that the very centerthe very heartof the Message and Meaning of the Fatima Apparitions is the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Fr Michael O Carroll, in his book ALLIANCE OF THE TWO HEARTS, HOPE OF THE WORLD, wrote: Fr. Joaquin Alonso, the great historian of the events of Fatima, has said: The soul of the mighty drama of Fatima is the Immaculate Heart of Mary.1 On May 13, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI, at Fatima, said: One deceives himself who thinks that the prophetic mission of Fatima is concluded. Marys Immaculate Heart is the great sign revealed by Our Lady herself at Fatima; the sign of her motherly love, its presence and its mediation of divine mercy; the sign of her constant and continual invitation to open ourselves to her intercession, and to her invitation to enter with our own hearts into the redemptive reparation of the Son, into His communion with the Father through the Holy Spirit. Fatima owes its greatness to the fact that it has placed in full light the Heart of Mary, Mother of the Church. (J. M. Alonso, FATIMA) The three fundamental practices prescribed by the Message of Fatima are: prayer (linked especially with the Rosary); reparation and penance (linked with the Communion of Reparation of Five First Saturdays), and, consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Here, by way of this primer, we will develop rather briefly a basic theology of the consecration to the Immaculate Heart, this core-theme of the Message of Fatima. Consecration Every Christian is fundamentally and primarily consecrated. Every Christian is brought into union with the sacred, that is, with the Blessed Trinity: Father, Son and Spirit, in and through Baptism. St. Augustine teaches, It is Christ Himself who baptizes. It is God himself who consecrates the baptized person in

Baptism, per ipsum, et cum ipso et in ipso, through Christ Jesus, with Christ, and in Christin oneness with the Holy Spirit. This fundamental consecration is in a true sense renewed and made real in every sacrament. O ver and above this primary consecration, the Church has recognized other consecrations which focus and renew the sacramental consecration. In these other consecrations, the consequences of the baptismal consecration are, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, activated, made more and more real and experienced in the Christian life. Vows of religious life, the vows taken by those who enter into the consecrated life as members of religious Orders or congregations, are perhaps the best-known officially and canonically validated other consecrations. Y et other consecrations and consecrations of devotion are often linked with particular apostolic projects or with devotions accepted and blessed by the Church. With the grace of the Spirit, they enable and foster an everfuller self-giving of baptized persons and of groups and communities of baptized persons. These consecrations foster an ever-fuller, more intense, more committed self-giving out of love, to God and to our neighbor, in the living-out of Christian life and mission. T his is the Christians personal receiving of Gods own gift-initiative of mercy and love, inviting each one to live out ones consecration in practice through the years, and at special moments in life. This is the Christians entering into the sacrificial self-giving of Jesus to the Father, sharing in it ever more fully, so that one may genuinely imitate the life of Jesus and be transformed by the Spirit of Jesus more and more into the likeness of Christ.

as united to her Son, the Word Incarnate. This oneness is unequalled and unique: because she is His Mother, because of the bond of her divine maternity because of her unequalled and unique association with her Sons redeeming work and her Sons salvific mediation; and because she is Mother of the Body of Christ (the Church) and Mother of the members of the Church. W e consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart as the sign of her maternal love and her mediation for us of the divine grace and mercy. Pope John Paul IIs teaches that to consecrate ourselves to God through the virginal and motherly hands of Mary, through her Immaculate Heart, is to consecrate ourselves to Her as Mother of Jesus and Mother of us all, as mother of unbounded Love and Mercy. Our blessed Lady, speaking to Sister Lucia, mandated her to dedicate herself to the work of bringing together, to bringing side-by-side the devotion to the Heart of Mary and the devotion to the Sacred Heart. This is why Pope John Paul II fostered the consecration to the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary, a consecration brought by the Spirit into the Alliance of the Two Hearts, of Jesus and Mary. To sum up the foregoing paragraphs, let us listen to the words Pope John Paul II spoke at Fatima on 13 May 1982: Behold, as we stand before you, Mother of Christ, as we stand before your Immaculate Heart, we desire, together with the whole Church, to unite ourselves with the consecration which, for love of us, your Son made of himself to the Father, For their sake [he said] I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. [John 17:19] We wish to unite ourselves with our Redeemer in this, his consecration for the world and for the human race, which in his divine heart,

has the power to obtain pardon and secure reparation. The power of this consecration lasts for all time and embraces all individuals, peoples and nations. It overcomes every evil that the spirit of darkness is able to awaken and has in fact awakened in our time, in the heart of man and in his history. Hail to you, Mother of Christ, who are wholly united to the redeeming consecration of your Son. The devotion and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary We must, however, take up Our blessed Ladys words to the children at Fatima, and words in later years spoken by her to Sister Lucia dos Santos. Our Lady lays down certain specific elements of the devotion-and-consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. T o live out this consecration in practice involves: 1 . PENANCE AND PRAYER. Penance and Prayer, offered earnestly for conversion from sin and the conversion of sinners those who do not believe, who do not hope and do not love. This penance includes sacrifices and the bearing of suffering, offered for sinners. The prayer is above all prayer of the Rosary, as much as possible prayed daily for conversion from sin and peace in the world. 2 . REPARATION FOR SIN. In traditional devotion, such as in the practice of the Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament, reparation was understood as consoling the heart of Jesus for the sufferings he endured in his passion and consoling him in face of the sins offending him in our time. But we are reminded that Christ in the Eucharist is the crucified and risen Jesus Christ in his glory. Christ in his glory suffers no more; the sufferings of his historical passion and death are present

no longer. Regarding this reparation of consoling Jesus, many theologians today ask if this understanding of reparation is a valid and helpful one Reparation for sin: Another approach to reparation has been developed: the objective of reparation is this: that God may be less and less offended by sin and sinful lives, reparation is understood rather as striving earnestly for fidelity to Gods will in fulfilling the tasks and duties of our daily lives; to practice genuine justice (righteousness and fidelity) in our own observance of Gods law. This is done also with the intent of countering , of making up for, of repairing the sinand- sinfulness which disobeys Gods law, which offends God by violating his commandments and going against his will in our lives, personal and social. Reparation is then understood more correctly theologically as devoutly joining in, as sharing in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus; as sharing in Jesus mission of vanquishing sin and overcoming the power of sin in the lives of human persons and in the life of human communities. Reparation then, means, sharing in the sacrificial and redeeming work of Jesus, in him and through him overcoming sin and repairing the effects of sin, of selfishness and injustice, of violence, as these injure and destroy human lives in todays world. Pope Paul VI said that the fullest reparation desired by the Heart of Jesus (and we add, by the Heart of Mary) is the building up of an authentic civilization of love. This means building up human solidarity, justice, and compassionate love in our relationships, in our communities, through prayer and penance in and with the Heart of Jesus, through action for justice and peace, rooted in and empowered by Christs love.

Pope John Paul II, after Pope Paul VI, took up and also fostered this understanding of reparation, the building up of an authentic civilization of love. Sister Lucia wrote also that one evening, while keeping the Holy Hour of Reparation, Our Lord told her: The fulfillment of duty and the observance of my Law is the sacrifice [of reparation] required of each one. This is the penance [and reparation] I now ask for and require. Reparation by prayer and action: we are asked to realize, that is, to make real in practice this reparationthrough and with the Pierced Heart of the Crucified and Risen Jesus, and through and with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, by the power of their covenant love and mercy. Finally,theCommunionofReparation, offered on the First Saturdays of each month(of five or more months)for the intentions mentioned above: prayer, penance, reparation, for conversion from sin, for the conversion of sinners, in reparation for sin and the effects of sin in humanity and in the world. Sacramental confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation) should also be made, but not necessarily on the same Saturday or the same weekend. Some fifteen minutes are to be spent with Our Blessed Mother praying the Rosary and reflecting on the mysteries of Our Lords and Our Ladys life story. As is also well-known, a great promise is linked with the observance of the First Saturdays: for those who strive to fulfill this practice asked for by Our Blessed Mother: assistance at the hour of death with all the graces needed for their salvation. We must add that this great promise and its consequences, of course inevitably reaches into society, into the lives of
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Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
remuneration for special service to the Church: Can. 231, 2: [Except for the stable ministries of lector and acolyte] they have a right to a decent remuneration suited to their condition; by such remuneration they should be able to provide decently for their own needs and for those of their family with due regard for the prescriptions of civil law; they likewise have a right that their pension, social security and health benefits be duly provided. 3) Capacity to cooperate in the governance of the Church: Can.228 1. Qualified lay persons are capable of assuming from their

Updates
those rights effectively. 2) By giving the lay faithful the right to actioni.e., the right to demand from the competent Church authority the redress of any violation of those rights by any party. 3) By obliging the hierarchy to guarantee the effective exercise of those rights of the lay faithful through proper formation, coordination and supervision. This is a great field of actuation by the hierarchy: e.g., more serious doctrinal formation of the laity as to their obligations to imbue temporal realities with the 2) To acquire appropriate formation for ecclesial tasks: Can.231 1. Lay persons who devote themselves permanently or temporarily to some special service of the Church are obliged to acquire the appropriate formation which is required to fulfill their function properly and to carry it out conscientiously, zealously, and diligently. In these cases, the Code properly empowers the lay faithful in two ways: 1) By establishing such obligations on the part of the world: Can. 225 1. Since the laity like all the Christian faithful, are deputed by God to the apostolate through their baptism and confirmation, they are therefore bound by the general obligation and enjoy the general right to work as individuals or in associations so that the divine message of salvation becomes known and accepted by all persons throughout the world; this obligation has a greater impelling force in those circumstances in which people can hear the gospel and know Christ only through lay persons. 2. Each lay person in accord with his or her condition is bound by a

CBCP Monitor
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

Empowerment of the laity (II)

Rights of Lay Christian Faithful The Code enumerates two rights and a capacity of lay faithful: 1) Freedom in temporal affairs: Can.227. Lay Christian faithful have the right to have recognized that freedom in the affairs of the earthly city which belongs to all citizens; when they exercise such freedom, however, they are to take care that their actions are imbued with the spirit of the gospel and take into account the doctrine set forth by the magisterium of the Church; but they are to avoid proposing their own opinion as the teaching of the Church in questions which are open to various opinions. 2) Right to decent

sacred pastors those ecclesiastical offices and functions which they are able to exercise in accord with the prescriptions of law. 2. Lay persons who excel in the necessary knowledge, prudence, and uprightness are capable of assisting the pastors of the Church as experts or advisors; they can do so even in councils, in accord with the norm of law. N.B. This is not a right, but just a capacity. In these cases, the Code properly empowers the lay faithful in three ways: 1) By acknowledging such rights of the lay faithfulthe Code empowers them to exercise

Gospel, more constant spiritual direction so as to open horizons of sanctity and apostolic zeal, more intense delivery of the means of salvation (the Word of God and the sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist). Duties of Lay Christian Faithful The Code enumerates the following duties: 1) To sanctify marriage and family: Can.226, 1. Lay persons who live in the married state in accord with their own vocation are bound by a special duty to work for the upbuilding of the people of God through their marriage and their family.

lay faithful, the Code empowers them for those acts which the fulfillment of such obligations entails. 2) By establishing such obligation on the part of the lay faithful, the Code also indirectly obliges the hierarchy to make the fulfillment of such obligations feasible. Right-Duties of Lay Christian Faithful In some cases, what the Code establishes are rights which are at the same time duties. In these cases, the mode of empowerment is even more encompassing: 1) To do apostolate in the

special duty to imbue and perfect the order of temporal affairs with the spirit of the gospel; they thus give witness to Christ in a special way in carrying out those affairs and in exercising secular duties. 2) To access and teach Christian doctrine and sacred sciences: Can.229 1. Lay persons are bound by the obligation and possess the right to acquire a knowledge of Christian doctrine adapted to their capacity and condition so that they can live in accord with that doctrine, announce it, defend it when necessary, and be enabled to assume their role in exercising the apostolate. 2. Lay persons also possess

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query: ) Q: My fiance would like to be married within the Catholic Church. She is an Irish citizen and I am American. We are planning to marry in Ireland, but because of immigration issues, we were thinking of having a civil ceremony in the United States and then later having the Catholic ceremony in Ireland. We were concerned that the civil ceremony would affect the Catholic recognition of the marriage. The full Catholic marriage sacrament is very important to us. We do not want to ruin it. Will the Catholic Church allow us to be civilly married before our wedding within the Church?E.U., Arlington, Massachusetts A: A first principle to be observed is that the Church does not recognize the validity of civil marriage among two Catholics. All Catholics are obliged to follow the procedures outlined in canon law, although the bishop has the authority to dispense from some requirements in special cases. The question of how civil marriage relates to the sacramental celebration depends on the laws of each country. Broadly speaking, there are two principal possibilities based on these laws: One situation is where the Church wedding usually has civil effects. This would be the case in the United States, Ireland, Italy and several other countries. In each country there is a particular process to be fulfilled before the public authorities, but in the end there is only one marriage ceremony. There are some cases in which the Church celebrates a wedding with only sacramental effects. An example would be a couple who entered a civil marriage and, at some later point, desire to regularize their situation before God. In this way they will be able to fully participate in the Churchs life, especially by being able to return
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Singing the Gospel

Q: I know that the Gospel is to be sung during Christmas and Easter Holy Mass. Because each are a season, does that entitle or require the deacon or priest to sing the Gospel every Sunday of the season or just during the octave of said season? For the past four to five years I have been singing the Gospel during the Christmas and Easter season. Are we to proclaim, emphasize via song, the good news of the season? I do not see a clear-cut word in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal or in the missal itself.C.D., Pendleton, California A: Actually there is no rule which would oblige the Gospel to be sung in any particular season nor any norm that would restrict its being sung outside of these seasons. In other words, the Gospel could theoretically be either sung or read on any day of the year. The choice as to do one or the other is based on such circumstances as the solemnity of the liturgical day or season, the ability of the minister to do so adequately, and the overall pastoral efficacy of the practice. That said, it is highly recommendable to sing the Gospel on all major solemnities and feasts so as to underline its importance within the celebration. The liturgical norms also highly recommend the singing of the responsorial psalm. This does not mean that the singing of the other readings is to be excluded if the readers can be sufficiently well trained. The Gregorian tradition has several chants that are commonly used in solemn Masses. One chant is for the Old Testament, another for the Epistle, and a third for the Gospel. The importance of the latter is underlined, not just by the fact of its being sung, but by the solemnity of the introduction, the procession of the Book of Gospels, the use of incense, and its proclamation being reserved to an ordained minister. In recent years, several composers have proposed relatively simple chants adapted to the particular musical traditions of each local language. Regarding the importance of singing at Mass, the Introduction to the Roman Missal says the following: 39. The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lords coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the hearts joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus Saint Augustine says rightly, Singing is for one who loves. There is also the ancient proverb: One who sings well prays twice. 40. Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation. In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together. 41. All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful. Since faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially the Creed and the Lords Prayer, set to the simpler melodies.

to reception of Communion. In the above situations, where the religious celebration has civil effects, a civil marriage is not really a viable option for faithful Catholics. At the same time, a previous civil union is not, as such, an impediment for a couple to enter into a sacramental marriage. A different situation arises in countries that grant no civil recognition to the religious celebration. In these cases there are usually two wedding celebrationsa civil and a religious. This would be the case in many European and Latin American countries. In most cases the civil celebration precedes the religious one. The interval can be as short as a few hours, several days or even longer. Since the Church grants no recognition to the civil celebration, faithful Catholics would not begin married life until the sacramental celebration has taken place. In spite of not recognizing civil marriage, in some countries Church authorities do not allow a religious celebration until after the civil marriage is carried out. This is above all a pastoral measure to ensure the full legal protection of both partners, and the upkeep of any eventual children in the case of an unfortunate breakdown and separation. If such a measure were not taken, then a man or a woman could find himself or herself bound in conscience to the marriage union but with limited means of legal redress regarding custody of children, property, or other shared responsibilities deriving from their marriage. With respect to the particular case of our correspondent, I think that if he does his legal homework and completes the necessary paperwork, there is no reason why a civilly recognized religious wedding in Ireland would not be legally recognized in the United States. If there are particular difficulties, then one can consult ones local bishop.

families, communities, nations and peoples, by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, of divine grace, healing and purifying hearts, and thus reaching deeply into our human communities and our common history. We recall again, as we end these paragraphs, the words of Pope John Paul II at Fatima (13 May 1982): Hail to you, Mother of Christ, you who are wholly united to the redeeming consecration of your Son. Mother of the Church, enlighten the people of God along the paths of Faith, Hope and Love. Help us to live in the truth of the consecration of Christ for the entire human family of the modern world. In entrusting to you, O Mother of the world, all individuals

and peoples, we also entrust to you this very consecration of the world, placing it in your motherly heart. Conclusion Pope Benedict XVI on 13 May 2010 said in his homily at Fatima: He deceives himself who thinks that the prophetic mission of Fatima is concluded. What the Message of Fatima has asked of us: penance and prayer, conversion from and reparation for sin, sacrifice and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the practice of the First Saturdays, these are still our assignments from the historic events of Fatima. Their work, under the Holy Spirit, toward bringing conversion into our lives and helping to build a civilization of justice, love and

peace, is ongoing, unfinished. What the CBCP asks of all our dioceses and parishesthat is, our Catholic faithful in the Church in the Philippines to do and offer earnestly this coming 7th and 8th of June 2013 is an act of faith in this Year of Faith. This consecration of ourselves and our country, in the spirit of Fatima, is at this time to be our peoples earnest prayer, joined to the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the redemptive power of the Heart of Christ, to implore the grace of conversion and reparation for us all in our country, to implore the grace for the genuine pursuit of integrity and justice, of true and lasting peace in our communities throughout

our land. This Year of Faith should be also a year of authentic Hope for our country and especially for the Church in our country, as we move forward to the remembrance and celebration in 2021 of the gift of the Christian faith and life to our people five hundred years ago. O ur renewed consecration of ourselves and our land to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will then be a truly a special event in our history as a people of faith, as pueblo amante de Maria, bayang sumisinta kay Maria. Isang bansa na naghahandog ng puso sa puso ni Maria: a people giving its heart to the Heart of Mary. As our old time beloved hymn puts

it: El pueblo Filipino te da su corazon. To the Heart of Jesus, and to the Heart of Mary, all of us Filipinos, on the 8th of June 2013, will cry out as isang bayan, one united people: Jesus and Mary, we give you the offering of ourselves and our lives, this bayang magiliw we entrust to you. In Faith, Hope and Love, we give you our hearts!
(Endnotes) 1 ALLIANCE OF THE TWO HEARTS, HOPE OF THE WORLD, p. 57. Vid. Joaquim Alonso CMF and Abilio Pina Ribeiro CMF, FATIMA: MESSAGE AND CONSECRATION (Quezon City, Claretian Publications, 1984) for ready and brief reference. Fr. Alonso is a peritus on the theological study on the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the history of the Fatima apparitions.

Noli Yamsuan / RCAM

TIME and again, one hears the expression lay empowerment in the lips of priests and parish lay leaders. More often than not, they would be referring to the faculties now granted to some of our parishioners to act as lay ministersto have a more active participation in the liturgical ceremonies and to be extraordinary ministers for Holy Communionor to form part of the Parish Pastoral Council. In contrast, in a convention of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines that I attended in Antipolo some years ago, I heard a very different notion from more than one of the speakers. What does the expression lay empowerment really mean? The proper sense of empowerment of the laity in Canon Law is enshrined in a set of canons contained in Book II: The People of God, Title II: The Obligations and Rights of the Lay Christian Faithful, covering cc.224-231. These canons, in fact, positivized and formalize a set of rights and duties which are really proper and specific to the lay faithfulnot something they have in common with clerics and religious as lay faithful, as covered by Title I: The Obligations and Rights of all the Christian Faithful , cc.208223and therefore constitute a proper empowerment of the laity as laity.

the right to acquire that deeper knowledge of the sacred sciences which are taught in ecclesiastical universities or faculties or in institutes of religious sciences by attending classes and obtaining academic degrees. 3. Likewise, the prescriptions as to the required suitability having been observed, lay persons are capable of receiving from legitimate ecclesiastical authority a mandate to teach the sacred sciences. 3) To educate ones children: Can.226, 2. Because they have given life to their children, parents have a most serious obligation and enjoy the right to educate them; therefore Christian parents are especially to care for the Christian education of their children according to the teaching handed on by the Church. Conclusion From the foregoing, it becomes clear that the juridic notion of empowerment of the laity goes much farther than the participation of lay faithful in properly ministerial functions (much less merely liturgical ones), or even in the pastoral work of the Church. Even in this latter case, the Law only gives the faithful the capacity to cooperate in the governance of the Church, but not a right to such power of governance. The proper sphere of lay empowerment has to do more with the mission of the lay faithful to be leaven in the world, ordering temporal affairs according to the Gospel. To the extent that the lay faithful are given the adequate doctrinal and spiritual formation, the support of an intense sacramental life, and a healthy autonomy to fulfill their role in the world responsibly, they are by that same measure empowered to be what they are: Christian lay men and women, and not lay ministers or brothers, and much less secularized versions of religious men and women. Paraphrasing the Apostle to the Gentiles, the world is groaning for the revelation of the sons of God! Christian lay men and women need to be empowered to be themselves: to be Christ in the middle of the world!

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Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Features

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Walking Through Vatican II

(Talk delivered by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle at the morning session of the Congress on Liturgical Renewal organized by the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission of Manila in celebration of the Year of Faith, on May 18, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena.)
NAGPAPASALAMAT po tayo sa Panginoon na nagtipon sa atin sa araw na ito. Sa Kanya po ang lahat ng pagpupuri at pagpapasalamat. At nagpapasalamat din po tayo sa ating Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission sa pagoorganisa po ng ganitong summit. At maraming salamat sa ating parish priests, sa atin pong mga assistant parish priests, sa ating ibat ibang liturgical ministers na sa araw pong itomamayang hapon darating pa ang Manila district, ito po ay Makati districtnatitipon po tayo sa isang espesyal na pagkakataon upang ipagdiwang ang Taon ng Pananampalataya at ang hamon ng New Evangelization. Ito hong tinawag ng ating Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI na Year of Faith ay hindi lamang dahil ang mundo ay parang, sabi nga nila medyo matamlay sa pananampalataya, kundi ito rin po ay celebration. Malaking bahagi ng Taon ng Pananampalataya ay ang makuha muli ang kaligayahan ng maging mananampalataya. We want to show the world the joy of being a believer, especially a disciple of Christ. At bahagi po ng ating ipinagpapasalamat ay ang Vatican II, yung Second Vatican Council na 50 years ago nung 1962 ay binuksan ni Pope John XXIII. So up to now puwede po nating sabihin sa ating panahon that the Second Vatican Council is THE moment of renewal for the Church, and for the Churchs mission and faith. Marami tayong naging renewal moments nitong nakaraaang limampung taon subalit namumukod tangi ang Vatican II. Kaya po dito sa ating panayam ang title po ay Walking through Vatican II and limampung taon na po iyon eh di limampung taon tayong maglalakad. Ang gagawin ko lang po ay kukuha ako ng ilang salient points na ito po ay parang background para po sa ibibigay na panayam naman na tututok sa liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, at mamaya po ay Faith and Liturgy, uuwi naman sa commissioning. Kitang-kita po natin ang dynamics ng tatlo. Napakayaman po ng ating tatalakayin, sa sobrang yaman nakakalito, ano ho ba ang ating uunahin? At ano ang kaya nating sakupin? Ang gagawin ko lang po ay aanyayahan ko kayong bumalik sa puso ng tao na tumawag ng Vatican II, si Blessed Pope John XXIII. Puwede hong malaman kung sino sa inyo ang naipanganak na noong ang Papa ay si John XXIII. Ay, lahat tayo dito ay bata? O baka sa isang legal o canonical na pananaw ang ecumenical council ay ang pagtitipon ng lahat ng obispo ng mundo upang bilang episcopal body o body of bishops ay kanilang ma-exercise their supreme, universal authority in the Church. Parang napakabigat supreme, universal authority in the Church. Pero bagamat totoo ito, sa isip po ni Pope John XXIII, sabi niya, kung titingnan natin ang ecumenical councils sa kasaysayan ng Simbahan, ang ecumenical councils pagkakataon upang makita ng mundo muli ang luningning ng mukha ni Kristo. At iyon ay sa pamamagitan ng kadalisayan ng Simbahan. So we can approach an ecumenical council from the point of view of legislation, from the point of view of power and authority. But for John XXIII, an ecumenical council is more an event of faith. It is getting to see Jesus again, makita muli si Hesus. At ang mukha ni Hesus na nakikita ng Simbahan ay makita muli ng buong mundo. So hindi lamang pala seremonya ang isang ecumenical council. Hindi lamang pala isang legal event ang ecumenical council. Sa malalim na pamamaraan ang ecumenical council is a moment of faith, renewal of faith. Iyan ang mahalaga. Kaya po, hindi lamang yung karanasan ng council kundi yung mga aral na magmumula sa ecumenical council hari nawa sa isip ni John XXIII ay umuwi sa mas malalim na pagkilala kay Hesus at sa pagdadalisay ng Simbahan. Sa araw na ito yung liturhiya ayon sa Vatican II ang ating magiging tutok. Pero huwag kalilimutan ang nasa isip ni John XXIII ang buong ecumenical council at ibat ibang bahagi niya, at ngayon ang liturhiya. Ang napakahalaga diyan ay sa pamamagitan ba ng ipinagpanibagong liturhiya, renewed liturgy, mas nakikila natin si Hesus? Mas naipapakita ba natin sa mundo ang mukha ni Hesus? At nadadalisay ba ang Simbahan sa pamamagitan ng ating pagsamba at liturhiya at ang ating mga sama-samang pagdarasal. So hindi lamang po ritualism. Mahalaga ang ritual, pero ang ritual at the service of making the face of Christ radiate to the world. Kaya nga po sigurado mamaya maraming mga halimbawa pero uunahan ko na. Kung ang ecumenical council nagpapakita ng luningning ng mukha ni Hesus at kadalisayan ng Simbahan, o mga readers, nakikita ba ang luningning ni Hesus sa ating ano... eh baka tawag pansin sa luningning lahat iyan ni Father Gennie iyan. Kagabi ni-re-review ko nga yung Sacrosanctum Concilium, ang dami kong naririnig na sinasabi ni Pope John XXIII, the Face of Christ and the True Nature of the Church. Liturgy man iyan, Catholic education man iyan, Social Communication man iyan, Engagement with the Modern World man iyan. Lahat ng iyan na pinasok ng Vatican II, ipakita ang mukha ni Hesus. Yung mga collector, baka mukhang collector nga, hindi mukha ni Hesus. Papaano ba ang mukha ni Hesus na nag-aanyaya, hindi yung, dagdagan mo pa iyan!. Ang relo mo ay hubarin mo at ihulog mo, ang hikaw mo... Pinapatawa ko kayo kasi napakahirap nitong sinabi ni daw ho. Parang inspiration. Pero ano ang purpose? Para saan? Ang unang purpose po ay upang ang spiritual riches will become greater in the Church. Ang ating kayamanan ay ang ating pananampalataya. Ang tunay nating kayamanan ay ang ating spiritual energies coming from our faith. And by rekindling the flame coming from these spiritual energies we will look to the future without fear. Napansin ni Pope John XXIII ang mundo ay parang punong-puno ng takot sa kanyang paglalakbay at pagharap sa kinabukasan. At nakita niya ang Simbahan ang mayroong mga ganitong mga lakas galing sa spirituality, galing sa pananampalataya na mag-aakay hindi lamang sa Simbahan kundi sa buong mundo ano ho. Mabuti pa noon, ayan.. At kapag ipinaghambing yung lahat ng nakaraan ay parang mas mabuti, mas maganda kaysa sa ngayon. Eh ang sabi ni Pope John XXIII, you should learn from history. Hindi naman lahat ng nakaraan ay maganda. Mayroon din namang hindi mabuti nung nakaraan. At hindi naman lahat ng kasalukuyan ay masama, ruined. Ang tawag niya dun sa mga ganoon ay mga prophet of gloom. Biruin niyo ang pangalan ninyo, Propeta ng Kadiliman. Yung mga wala ng ginawa kundi yung magreklamo ng mag-reklamo sa mga bagay na hindi maganda at walang nakikitang mabuti sa mundo ngayon. Sabi ni Pope John XXIII, ang bait bait nga niya, eh, we feel we must disagree Filipino mayroong kahit kapatid, pinsan, magulang, bayaw ng hipag ng kanyang ninong... o kaya aso ng kapit-bahay ng hipag ko sa apo sa tuhod. Pero mayroon tayong mga nasa abroad, at alam natin migration causes a lot of wounds in the family. Yung maraming bata absentee parents, lumalaki kulang ng isa or dalawang magulang. May sakit po iyon, may sugat na naiiwan. At nakausap nga po ako ng isang obispo sa Iraq. Sabi niya, Why are your brother Filipinos leaving the Philippines? Sabi niya, delikado ang buhay sa Iraq pero bakit pumupunta dito? Hindi niya maintindihan. Sabi ko naghahanap ho ng trabaho yung iba. So yung migration is also in a way a sign of the failure of our country, of our

John XXIII. Parang napakasimple pero to keep implementing it in all aspects of life we have to be conscious and deliberate about it. And that should be the norm, the criterion for our evaluation of our conduct, of our policies, of our way of doing things. Yun po ang unang punto. Ang ikalawa po ay pumunta na si Pope John XXIII specifically to Vatican II. Ano raw ang purpose of calling an ecumenical council. Alam niyo sa kuwento ni Pope John XXIII, parang dumating sa isip niya ang ecumenical council as an inspiration from above. Iyon

bata-bata pa ng kaunti yung iba... Kasi na-elect siyang pope 1958. Sino ang tao na noon? O, biglang dumami. Siya ay Papa 1958 hanggang... namatay siya ng 1963. Bibigyan ko ng pansin muna yung kanyang opening speech noong October 11, 1962, pagbubukas ng Vatican II. Doon po, sa puso at sa isip ng napakabanal at napakabuting Papa, makikita po natin ang inspiration tungkol sa Vatican II at ito naman ay pinagsikapan lalo ni Pope Paul VI na humalili sa kanya na isakatuparan. Unang bahagi po. Ang ecumenical council sa buhay ng Simbahan. Ano ba itong ecumenical council? Para po

ko! Papunta palang sa lectern tumatawag na ng pansin, Tignan ninyo ako! Mga sapatos na, tok, tok, tok, tok, tok. Uyyy, parang hindi si Hesus ang magsasalita. Tapos yung ... talaga naman minsan, malinaw naman ang pagbabasa kaya lang masyadong ma-twang, Pagbaysa moolah sa sulayt ni .... Teka, teka mukhang hindi na yata luningning ni Hesus, baka kung anu-ano ng luningning iyan. O yung mga nagbibigay ng komunyon... si Hesus ang ibinibigay, luningning ni Hesus. Kaya hindi ho yung sarili ko. KATAWAN NI KRISTOH! Para bang hindi mo alam kung Gabi ng LAGIM! Mamaya ipapaliwanag

ang sabi niya. Bago pa lamang siyang Papa, parang dumating ang isang liwanag mula sa langit na nagsabi sa kanya, ecumenical council. At iyon ay ibinahagi niya nung January 25, 1959, sa St. Paul outside the Wall. Ibinahagi niya na may intensyon siyang tumawag ng Synod for the Diocese of Rome, and an Ecumenical Council for the whole Church. Siyempre, hindi dapat mawala yung Synod of Rome kasi ang Papa is Bishop of Rome and as Bishop of Rome, Universal Pastor. Eh, papaano siyang tatawag ng ecumenical council ng hindi rin siya tatawag ng local synod sa Rome. So magkasabay iyan. Illumination

na lumakbay, makilakbay sa kasaysayan ng may katatagan at may pag-asa. At sa ganitong pamamaraan dala dala ng Simbahan hindi kayamanan na galing sa pera, property, o kaya influence, kundi spiritual energies, then the Church can journey with families, with the youth, with men and women towards a future that God has prepared for us. Kita ninyo, ho, para kay Pope John XXIII ang ecumenical council ay hindi lamang para sa Simbahan kundi pagpapatatag ng Simbahan para magawa natin ang ating misyon sa mundo. Ang mundo na parang, yun nga, takot at walang direksyon. Kaya sabi rin ni Pope John XXIII, babasahin ko po ito, In the daily exercise of our pastoral office we sometimes have to listen, much to our regret, to voices of persons who though burning with zeal are not endowed with too much sense of discretion or measure. In these modern times, they can see nothing but prevarication and ruin. They say that our era, in comparison with past eras, is getting worse and they behave as though they have learned nothing from history which is nonetheless the teacher of life. They behave as though at the time of former councils everything was a full triumph for the Christian idea and life, and for proper religious liberty. We feel we must disagree with those prophets of gloom who are always forecasting disaster as though the end of the world were at hand. Magandang Tagalugin ito... Parang sinasabi ni Pope John XXIII... Bilang Papa, araw araw nakakapakinig siya sa ibat ibang tinig pero parang hirap na hirap siya sa isang uri ng tinig o boses. Ano yun? Yung boses ng mga tao na wala ng nakitang maganda sa mundo ngayon at lahat ng nangyayari sa mundo ngayon ay pangit at pabagsak, at para bagang yun daw mga nakaraan henerasyon lamang ang maganda. Yung mga kaidad ko ganyan niyo malalaman kung tumatanda na kayo, eh. Lahat ng nakaraan ay parang mas maganda kaysa sa ngayon. Nung panahon namin, ganyan,

with those prophets of gloom. Napaka-gentle. Pakiramdam ko, kailangan ako ay hindi sumang-ayon sa mga propeta ng kadiliman. O, ilan po sa ating dito ang hanggang ngayon ay propeta ng kadiliman? Minsan, hindi natin dinidisisyunan iyan pero nangyayari, na wala ng nakikitang liwanag, wala ng nakikitang opportunities sa mundo ng kasalukuyan kaya naman ang kanilang involvement in the Church and in the world is very gloomy and quite despairing. Galing lang po ako ng Kuala Lumpur kagabi. Isa ho iyan sa pinag-usapan. Bakit kaya sa ilang bahagi ng Asia maraming kabataan na Katoliko na ang pakiramdam kapag nakikiisa sa pagsamba natin at sa ibang bahagi ng buhay simbahan, ang pakiramdam nila, boring, walang kabuhay-buhay? Pinaguusapan ho iyan. Bakit kaya? At ang tanong ay, ano ba ang lenguwahe natin? Ano ba, baka tayo ay batikos dito batikos diyan, criticize dito, criticize diyan. Baka bumalik na naman after Vatican II ang mga prophets of gloom. Na sinabi na ni Pope John XXIII na ito nga ang dapat nating maconvert. How? By recovering the spiritual energies that our faith offers to us and through those energies we will have no fear, we will face the world. At sabi nga po sa New Evangelization, the Synod of Bishops, yung mundo natin ngayon talaga namang maraming problema, pero ang mundong ito ay patuloy pa ring minamahal ng Diyos. Nakikita natin yung problema pero nakikita ba natin yung mga opportunities for apostolic life which our world also gives to us. Sinabi iyan ni Pope John XXIII. Wala namang bulag, maraming problema ang mundo pero nakikita ba natin ano ang mga binubuksan ng Diyos sa mundong ito na mga avenues for spiritual energies and renewed mission? Magbibigay lang ho ako ng ilang halimbawa, hindi ho sa liturgy. Migration. Ilan ho sa atin dito ang mayroong kahit isang kamag-anak na nasa ibang bansa? Taas ho ang kamay. O, lahat tayo. Parang lahat ng

economy to provide sufficient jobs for our own. So yung migration ay talagang malaking wound kahit na tawagin natin na bagong bayani. O, eto, yung nangyayari sa Taiwan ngayon. Ilan daw yung mga Filipino na baka mawalan ng... Okay, puwede ba nating sabihin, Sige umuwi kayo! Pag tinanong nila, ano ho ang trabaho namin? Teka hihingi tayo ng patawad. Hindi rin natin alam kung ano ang tayo natin. Pero tingnan ninyo, malungkot ang migration pero maraming simbahan sa ibat ibang bahagi ng mundo na pasara na, ngayon ay bukas pa rin, dahil nagsisimba ang mga Filipino overseas workers. Kung baga ang pinupuntohan halimbawa ni Pope John XXIII. Mayroon ngang isang malungkot na bahagi na buhay, halimbawa migration, pero ano ang opportunity na binibigay ng migration para sa mission and spread of faith? Marami rin at tingnan din iyon. Tingnan din kung ano ang naidudulot ng mundo ngayon na opportunities for our Christian mission. That will require looking at not only the hindrance but the doors and windows that the Lord is opening for us. And sana po ganyan din sa parish planning, ating involvement. Minsan problema lang ang ating nakikita, hindi nakikita ang napakaraming opportunities for engaging the world in mission. Ang mindset ng Vatican II according to Pope John XXIII sa mga members ng pastoral council, members ng mga ibat ibang commissions, kung kayo ay nagmimiting at pinag-uusapan ang problema, huwag kayong titigil dun. Pagkatapos niyong ma-identify ang problema, the Vatican II mindset says, o ano naman ang mga opportunities na nasa mundo ngayon? At pasukin yung mga opportunities na iyon for the transmission of the faith and for mission. Ngayon po sa ganyang diwa dalawa raw ang direksyon na dapat gawin ng Vatican II: Una ay to guard the sacred deposit of the Christian doctrine. Pangalagaan ang katotohan na itinuturo ng ating Simbahan. So ang Vatican II hindi parang o bahala ka na
Walking / B4

Noli Yamsuan / RCAM

Noli Yamsuan / RCAM

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From the Inbox

Features

CBCP Monitor
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

And we call ourselves, Basix!

life. Despite our huge number, we took the initiative to really know each other well through our exchange of pleasantries and conversations during meals, group sharing, and free time. The Lubid Challenge was a defining moment for all of us because the activity encouraged us to really work as a team and to establish friendship and camaraderie. We also had our own sports fest where we engaged in different outdoor and indoor games, not necessarily for the reason of competing and winning, but to further solidify and deepen our sense of community. The Grace of Experiencing Galilee The grace of prayer and reflection, the grace of selfawareness and transformation, and the grace of friendship and camaraderie were motivated by one essential purpose and that was to experience Galilee. We underwent this one-month program, not just by obligation because we wanted to go back to the humble beginnings of our own call and mission, by responding with much eagerness and enthusiasm to the invitation of Jesus Christ: to pause for a while, to listen to his very words and to partake the many good things that he has prepared for us. This AIR Program was indeed an opportunity for us to nourish ourselves, not just with the necessary information that will aid us in handling the formation of seminarians, but with the necessary wisdom that we should inculcate in our minds and hearts so that we will fully embrace our seemingly challenging yet very fulfilling ministry that is founded on healing, reconciliation and service. This experience has kept our hearts burning with passion and zeal, with a renewed commitment in our task and responsibility as seminary formators. Christ indeed, has become more real and more palpable for all of us and we have this renewal program as a testament of this genuine spiritual experience that we will never ever forget. At the end of the day, we can only profess with much faith and trust in our hearts that indeed, It is the Lord! We are truly grateful for this life-changing experience! To God be the glory! (Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco of the Archdiocese of Jaro is presently assigned to Saint Joseph Regional Seminary in Iloilo; he belongs to AIR Batch 6, April 8 to May 10, 2013)

Improved homilies
BLESSINGS from the Holy Trinity to our clergy! I always make it a point to watch and listen to the homilies every Sunday from Cardinal Tagles program, The Word Exposed and from the TV Sunday Masses celebrants. Today, Feast of the Holy Trinity, I was particularly impressed by how Fr. Larry Faraon, OP explained this great mystery of our faith by relating it to human filial experience that common people or simple folks without much background in catechism would understand. I particularly appreciated his emphasis on the grave responsibility of all fathers to be the living image of the loving Father in heaven especially today, also the complete obedience of Jesus the Son and Wisdom of the Father to follow the Will of the Father which is the primary reason he willingly became man, suffered and died on the cross. The Holy Spirit, the perfect Love between the Father and the Son, allows us to remember what Jesus already preached so we may be able to obey the Will of the Father for us faithfully as Jesus himself did. The other homilists were also good but, they were more dogmatic while Fr. Faraon was more experiential in his explanation. Knowing the dogmas of our faith is essential but, more importantly, people need to know how these dogmas should be applied in our own lives to make us true followers of Jesus Christ. My only critique for Fr. Faraon is I wish he lessens the number of jokes in his homilies so as not to distract the listeners from his main message or lessen its seriousness. I appreciate it very much and thank you to all priests who take time to really prepare for their homilies because, not many people take time to study and understand the message behind the readings and Gospel. Mrs. Mary Joan A. Angeles

By Rev. Fr. Philip Vincent S. Sinco

We are the batch six of the AIR for Seminary Formators! Because of our graced experience, we believe thatTo go up, one must go downTo bear fruit, one must grow deep in the rootsTo achieve success, one must go back to the basicsTo grow in mission in the seminary, one must go back to Christ in Galilee ON April 8, 2013, 31 participants from different seminaries and formation houses in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao went to Saint John Mary Vianney Galilee Center, Tagaytay City in order to attend the annual Assisted Intensive Renewal (AIR) Program for Seminary Formators. The program was facilitated by the Episcopal Commission on Seminaries (ECS) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, with Most Rev. Mylo Hubert Vergara, DD, Bishop of Pasig as its head, together with his two competent secretaries, Rev. Fr. Jun Gregorio and Rev. Fr. Kenneth Masong. This years batch was more of a breakthrough because it was the first time where four women counselors joined the priest-formators. This initiative was an affirmation of the role of lay collaborators, especially women, in forming young men to be future ministers of the church. The entire month was spent in prayer and reflection, in personal transformation and renewal, in establishing friendship and camaraderie, and of course, in experiencing Galilee, wherein the participants were embraced by Gods kindness and love through the healing hands of

No to GMOs
GREEN Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy lauds the recent Court of Appeals decision to stop field testing of genetically modified eggplant and what would have been its consequence, commercialization. Hopefully, this decision paves the way to stopping the planting of any and all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Philippine soil. There has been growing evidence of the dangers to health and ecology of GMOs and it is imperative that any experimentation on this technology be done under the strictest confined conditions until it is proven safe. Unfortunately, the testing protocol that the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines follows does not in any way measure safety to human health nor does it determine to an acceptable degree the impact on biodiversity. Its only concern is the viability of organism under various growth conditions. Furthermore, there has been no long term study on the effect of GMOs on human health anywhere in the world and in fact, many studies in various countries have shown the negative effects of GMOs on experimental animals organs, growth and immune systems. With its view that field testing without the protocol to ensure safety violates our constitutional right to a healthful and balanced ecology, the Court of Appeals virtually stopped the wanton exposure of the Filipino people to a hazardous product. The Philippines now proudly joins other countries who have taken the bold step of reversing the mindless embrace of this technology and rejecting increasing control by multinationals of our food safety and sovereignty. Angelina P. Galang President, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy

Jesus Christ. It was also an opportunity for the formators, both lay and ordained, to renew their commitment and deepen their sense of mission, particularly in their involvement in the various aspects of the formation of seminarians in philosophy and theology. As one of the participants, I can confidently say that the program was grace-filled because it allowed us to go down deep into ourselves, with the ardent desire to become the best possible formators who can exude integration, spirituality, wisdom and compassion so that we can make a change in the very lives of those young men who were entrusted to us. Hence, we dubbed ourselves, Basix, a moniker that expressed our need to go back to the very basic: to complement our gifts in handling the formation of the seminarians with our honesty and humility to form our own selves. As agents of renewal and transformation, there are indeed so many hearts we wish to touch, so many minds we wish to educate, so many hands we wish to empower, and so many souls we wish to unite, yet behind all these things, is the unassuming recognition of our own weaknesses and frailties that enable us to seek help, guidance and inspiration. To sum up everything that transpired in this program, I think there are certain things that we should be grateful for: The Grace of Prayer and Reflection The AIR Program gave us, participants, enough time to integrate everything that we have learned from every session through moments of

prayer and reflection. Every morning, we would gather at the chapel in order to have holy hour and exposition. It was the best way of starting our daily routine because the experience of prayer drew us closer to the divine formator, who is God. We were also given individual spiritual directors and counselors and they journeyed with us with much kindness and generosity during the duration of the program. Our masses became opportunities to embrace our own vulnerability because we courageously bared our own heart and soul with the sincere desire to impart our own stories of triumphs, struggles and fulfillment in the ministry. The Grace of Self-Awareness and Transformation The AIR Program was also an opportunity for us to learn more about ourselves, especially our personal dynamics and to learn more about the behavior and the disposition of the seminarians that we were forming, through the talks, the workshops, and the modules that were given to us. Our facilitators were indeed very competent and well-versed in the topics that they have imparted to us. The group sharing was also enriching and liberating because we have learned so much from each other. Indeed, we have managed to form our own little community and this community was strengthened by honesty, respect, acceptance and compassion. The Grace of Friendship and Camaraderie It was quite surprising that our batch easily bonded even if we came from different regions, cultures and ways of

Walking / B3

kung ano ang gusto mong paniwalaan. Hindi ganoon. Ang Vatican II, alamin mo ano talaga ang dapat paniwalaan ng ating Simbahang katoliko at iyon ay alagaan. Eh kasi ngayon minsan, ano na lang tayo, lagi kong naririnig, o basta saan ka maligaya. Eh hindi ho ganoon sa pananampalataya. Paano kung sabihin ko, maligaya ako na patayin kita. Ano ang sasabihin niyo? Sige, suportahan kita, kung diyan ka maligaya eh. Ganoon ba? Hindi ganoon ang pananampalataya. Hindi ko puwedeng sabihin rin... Kasi minsan may lumapit sa akin, sabi sa akin nitong dalaga, Bishop I am physically attracted to one of your priests. Pumunta pa sa bishop, no? Nashock ako. Wow, talagang ano... Ayan na naman, yung tayong matatanda, nung unang panahon, hindi yan mangyayari.

Iiyak na lang sa isang sulok ang dalagang iyan, sasabihin, late have I known you. Pero ngayon, iba, lapit pa sa obispo, ang terms, ano.. I am physically attracted to one of your priests. Biniro ko naman, To me? Grab the opportunity. Sabi niya, No! Buti na lang hindi ako. Eh di sabi ko, well but you know he is a priest and he has made a promise. Pero sabi niya, Kahit na ho ba pari siya eh kung iyon ang gusto ko. Eh baka sa doctrine ganyan na, ito ng gusto ko! Sawang sawa na ako sa three persons in one God, madagdagan nga, para bago naman. Makapagdagdag nga ng grandson. May mga ganyan, para maiba iba naman. O kaya sa liturgy, kasawa naman yan, paulit ulit na lang puwede ba bukas Pentecost naman, let the spirit blow, unahin natin ang final song, unahin

natin ang recessional. Umpisa pa lang, Go! Di, maikli. Para maiba naman, let the spirit blow. Kaya yung mga tao na kung anu-anong experiment at kung anu-ano ang ginagawa, sasabihin nila, eh Vatican II na po. Eh, hindi po. Ang sabi po ni Pope John XXIII for us to rediscover the face of Christ and the splendor of the Church, for us to renew the spiritual energies we have to defend and to guard the deposit of the faith. Fidelity to the truth that we have received from Christ and from the apostles, what we call the apostolic tradition. Tagatanggap tayo niyan, hindi natin puwedeng baguhin iyan. Alam niyo aaminin ko sa inyo may mga turo si Hesus na kung kaya ko lang baguhin, babaguhin ko. Yun ba namang pag sinampal ka sa kanang pisngi ibigay

mo yung kaliwa. Kung may karapatan lang ako babaguhin ko yan, eh. Pag sinampal ka sa kanan, tampalin mo rin. Tadyakan mo pa. Eh yun eh kung ako. Pero hindi ganoon eh. We are recipients. This is a gift given to us and we are not at liberty to create our own truths. This is revealed truth and whether you like or not it is the truth that Jesus gives. Love your enemies. Yung iba, aanuhan pa iyan... siguro naman ang ibig sabihin ni Hesus ay ganito... HINDI. Ang ibig sabihin niya, mahalin mo ang kaaway mo. Kung sino man iyan, asawa mo, kapitbahay mo, parish priest mo, mahalin mo. Huwag ng kung anu-ano pa... Mahalin. Huwag mong baguhin. Minsan sa pagbabago natin, pupunta sa punto na nawalan na ng saysay ang sinabi ni Hesus, na mahalin mo ang

iyong kaaway. So Vatican reaffirms the sacred deposit of the faith and it must be guarded. But Pope John XXIII added a second dimension. We proclaim and defend the truth that we have received as a sacred patrimony but at the same time the Pope said, the Church must ever look to the present, to new conditions and new forms of life introduced into the modern world which have opened new avenues to the Catholic apostolate. Ibig sabihin, sabi niya po, the Church should present the authentic doctrine that it should be studied and expound through the methods of research and through the literary forms of modern thought. Ito po yung tinatawag na aggiornamento. Na andito yung turo na hindi mababago
Walking / B7

May They Be One

Help Put a Bible in Every Filipino Home

No. of Dioceses participating in the Bible Campaign 85 out of 86 Dioceses Bibles Distributed (Jan 1, 2013 - May 9, 2013): 85,602 copies Bibles Distributed by Languages - Bicol (2,041 cps.) Cebuano (19,540 cps.) English TEV (9,928 cps.), English NABRE (1,130 cps.), Hiligaynon (9,528 cps.), Ilocano (2,374 cps.), Pampango (603 cps.), Pangasinan (1,504 cps.), Samarenyo (283) Parishes/Communities served: 1,370 Total Bible Distribution: (Jan 2009- May 9, 2013): 894,221 cps. Target No. of Bibles for Distribution for 2013: 600,000 cps.

Bible Campaign

Members of the MTBO Advisory Committee: Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo DD, Fr. Oscar A. Alunday, Mr. Rod G. Cornejo, Mr. Rene E. Cristobal Sr., Dr. Philip C. Flores, Mr. Dante M. Lanorio, Fr. Antonio B. Navarrete, Dr. Natividad B. Pagadut, Mr. Albert S. Tanlimco and Atty. Jose Tale. Praise God for many churches and groups participating in the Handwritten Unity Bible a historic, ecumenical and multi-sectoral project of the May They Be One Bible campaign. Pray for the HUB to be held on June 16, Fathers Day, 1pm-6pm at Camp Atienza, Libis, Quezon City: that 500 people will participate in the activity and that there will be good weather. To learn more about how you can be part of the Campaign and make significant change, call Helen at PBS 524-5337, ECBA 527-9386 or visit www.bible.org.ph and www.ecba-cbcp. com. Donations can be made by making a deposit to the following bank accounts: PBSMTBO Account #3903-0649-34 (BPI Sta. Mesa Branch) Fax deposit slip to 521-5803 or ECBACBCP Account #0251-021376 (BPI-Tayuman Branch) Fax deposit slip to 527-9386. For credit card payments go to PBS website (www.bible.org.ph)

Purpose-Driven

Early on in life. Bernard de Guzman from Maypajo, Caloocan City, got hooked in gambling, smoking and drinking. Being in the company of wrong friends, he often got involved in street fights. Interestingly, Bernards family background was a picture in contrast to his wayward lifestyle. His mom was a churchgoer, trying to pass on sound spiritual values to her son. His dad, for his part, would give Bernard frequent reminders to straighten up his life. Sadly, Bernards dad died with his advice falling on deaf ears. But Gods eyes were on Bernard. He intervened and stopped the young man in his aimless track, bringing to him the Bible through the May They Be One (MTBO) campaign. With the help of the MTBO Bible, Bernard began to understand Gods purpose for his life. God became his Guide, giving him wisdom and direction in his decision making. Through His Word and the working of the Holy Spirit, Bernard was empowered to give up his vices. Reading the stories of David and Samuel inspired Bernard to dream big dreams for God. Grateful for what the Lord has done to him, Bernard began to reach out to the young people in his church. Now serving as the church Youth Cluster Coordinator, Bernard is helping the youth lead productive and purposeful lives. A favorite passage of Bernard is found in Psalm 23:3, 6 which says. He gives me new strength, He guides me in the right pathsyour goodness and love will be with me all my life.

Bernard de Guzman with his Tagalog language MTBO Bible

Photo courtesy of Fr. Kenneth Masong

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Statements
A Statement of the CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA)

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2013 Elections: Questionable

THE recent mid-term national election makes a mockery of our democracy. Reports of rampant and large scale vote-buying, disenfranchisement of voters, malfunction of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, corrupted Compact Flash (CF) cards, transmission failures and the non-compliance on the election laws by the Commission on Election (COMELEC) which is mandated to manage and protect the electoral processes, create public mistrust among the Filipinos, thus making questionable the authenticity of the result of the 2013 automated election. Even before election, the refusal of COMELEC to allow interested parties to review the source code, as well as to install the necessary safeguards on the PCOS machine, as provided by law, including the proper implementation of the random manual audit, cast doubt about the sincerity of the COMELEC to conduct a transparent and authentic election. Source code review and other safety features are basically confidence-building mechanisms to attain clean, authentic and credible election. We could not understand why COMELEC sacrifices accuracy and truthfulness over speed. Almost all transactions and decisions of the Commission are characterized by speed, especially in conducting bidding and the buying of the PCOS machines. Ironically, the COMELEC did not show the same speedy consideration to the suggestions and recommendations from election advocates and watchdogs. We question COMELEC in proclaiming, on an installment basis, the 12 senators without factual or legal basis. It is a violation of election rules relating to winners to be proclaimed only after all ballots are officially canvassed (COMELEC Resolution Nos. 9700 and 9700A). Yes, we recognize there is an exception, that the candidates who have insurmountable lead can be proclaimed winners if the remaining uncanvassed ballots will not adversely affect the result. COMELEC, however, acted suspiciously when it proclaimed the first six winning candidates for senators on May 16, with only 72 out of the 304 certificates of canvass (COCs) accounted for, representing only more than 13 million of the countrys 52 million registered voters. When it proclaimed the next 3 winning

NAMFRELS Statement
WITH the transmission of Election Returns (ERs) at COMELECs Transparency Server being stalled at 76.3273% as of 5:41 p.m. on May 17, Friday or five days after the May 13 voting, a lot of apprehension is going around over COMELECs plan on how it will account for the remaining 23.6727% missing ERs. This has not been made easier by the proclamation of the 9 leading senatorial candidates based on untenable figuresthe proclamation was made on the basis of 117 out of 304 expected Certificates of Canvass (COCs). The COCs are the summary of the total Election Returns of a province or of a chartered city, which form the official and legal basis for the proclamation of winning candidates. Right now, the low turnout of the COCs being served to the National Board of Canvassers is due to the incomplete or unaccounted ERs. NAMFREL explained in an earlier press release that the probable causes of unavailable ERs are PCOS malfunction, corrupted CF cards, transmission failure due to defective or absence of modem, and weak or absent signal, among other causes. The question begging to be answered is, what is the plan of the COMELEC to account to the public the remaining 18,504 ERs, estimated to contain at least 8.5 Million votes? COMELEC is enjoined to share with the public the status of these ERs: Were the CF cards brought to the Municipal Board of Canvassers? Were the ballots counted manually at the precinct and an ER prepared? Were the ballots counted manually at the Municipal Board of Canvassers and an ER prepared? Were there manual counts at the Municipal Canvassing or Provincial Canvassing sites? In another light, NAMFRELs Systems Group is wondering how come there were still transmission of ERs coming in 4 days after the close of polls? From where are these ER figures being sent, when PCOS machines are supposed to have been sealed by this time? The problem of low signals may be discounted since the telecom companies have stated that signals were available in all the sites. If and when the transmission to the transparency server resumes, from where are these ERs being sent? Are the contingency plans for this event (if any) being followed? The lowest percentage of ERs transmitted to the COMELEC by regions is ARMM at 34.9% of 3,124 ERs; next is Region IX transmitting 62.2% of 2,968 ERs; following closely is the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which transmitted 62.31% of 1,828 ERs. The issue appears to be the call for transparency in explaining where the votes of the 8.5 million voters are, if they will find their way to the National Board of Canvassers. Call to mind that the Philippines has always adhered to the principles of free and fair elections. All things remaining unexplained, there are still two remaining safeguards at the backend of the automated election system that will not only crosscheck the numbers yielded by the PCOS machines but will also, if done right, fill the gap left by the 23.67% unaccounted Election Returns: firstly the result of the parallel manual count (assuming this has clear methodology, that the unit of the count are the precinct ERs, and the figures can be disaggregated by region, by province, by municipality and by precinct), and secondly the results of the postcount Random Manual Audit in 234 randomly selected precincts in as many congressional districts. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is authorized to conduct the parallel manual count from the 3rd copy of the ER (and cascading other copies of other documents) as one of the four COMELECs citizens arm. The Random Manual Audit Committee chaired by the PPCRV Chairperson is responsible for summarizing and analyzing the results of the Random Manual Audit. The public waits. May 17, 2013

candidates on May 17, about 23% of the totaled clustered precincts (18,187 clustered precincts with potentially 8.6 million voters) are still to transmit the election returns. Obviously, the number of votes can adversely affect the 7th to 12th senatorial candidates. We ask: why did COMELEC proclaim the winning candidates without factual evidence? Why did it do so with haste? Can the 8-3-1conspiracy be true? Can we blame our people for entertaining such thoughts? While we respect the positive observation and assessment of some Filipinos on the recent mid-term election (being relatively peaceful, the process easier and faster made easier by teachers/ BEIs on duty, faster parallel manual counting, etc.), NASSA is not blind to the glaring discrepancies and election violations, the

highly-suspicious interventions during the canvassing, and the possible manipulation of election result during the lull hours of transmission, canvassing and consolidation of votes. The COMELEC and its deputies, as well as other stakeholders who subvert the will of the people, should be made accountable for their actions. Already many people are openly saying that this election is ruled by money. Vote buying is common knowledge. This is against the law and yet the COMELEC has done very little to prosecute perpetrators of this crime. This is another instance of the ineptitude of the COMELEC. Those who buy votes will continue to make people poor so that they can continue buying them! We join the Civil Society watchdogs in demanding accountability from COMELEC.

We call the responsible agencies for a thorough investigation of election irregularities and incidents reported, and challenge all the faithful and people of goodwill, to break the culture of impunity. Huge penalty and punishment should be imposed on those who easily took advantage and violate the law. Public office is a public trust; it should be public service for the common good. We as citizens should speak now. This so-called automated election with its malpractices will be perpetuated in the coming elections if we do not loudly clamor for accountability. How can we obey and respect our leaders if we are not sure whether they are really elected by the people? The stake is the future of our democracy! 28 May 2013

PPCRV Letter to COMELEC

17 May 2013 Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr. Commission on Elections Dear Chairman Brillantes, Warm greetings. This is to inform you that as per your instructions we suspended release of the data (electronic count of election results) received from the Transparency Server and made public through the PPCRV-KBP Unofficial Parallel Count. This was effected on 16 May 2013 at 6:30 PM as soon as the proclamation process of six (6) winning senatorial candidates started. We also made the necessary public announcement of this to the media present here in the PPCRV Command Center monitoring the PPCRV KBP Unofficial Parallel Count. Anent to our 15 May 2013 letter on two issues, we are herein reiterating our request for your swift and appropriate action. Relevant to said issues and on behalf of the PPCRV and the KBP, we are requesting for the following: The audit logs of the Transparency Server which could support the Smartmatic/Comelec explanation of the alleged interference with and/or deletion of data in the Transparency Server on 14 May 2013. The list of manually uploaded election results that were not transmitted through the Transparency Server. Both requests are for the purpose of rendering Elections 2013 truly transparent and accountable, a shared objective of the COMELEC and the PPCRV. As always, prayers for you, for the Commission and most of all for Elections 2013 to be our worthy offering to the Filipino people are unceasing. Sincerely, Henrietta T. de Villa National Chairperson (Source: PPCRV Website, http://server1.ppcrv.org/global/?p=1282)

A CENTURY and a decade since the first Labor Day was commemorated in the Philippines, Filipinos continue to seek the respect and dignity to human work. The intensification of hardship and lamenting plight of millions of workers worsen over time and continue under the globalization policies that the Aquino administration continues to adhere. The supposedly dignity of human labor has been traded and commodified for the super-profit of the few ruling elite. H uman works is regarded as participation to the continuing act of creation. The handiwork of the toiling laborers and their produce are invaluable contribution to nation building. However, it is an undeniable fact that for many workers who toil and serve as the backbone of the Philippine economy, their situation remains depressing under an economicpolitical system that grips even tighter the chain of oppression and modern slavery. Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cry of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts (Jas 5:4).

Defend the Dignity of Work, End to Unjust Labor!

While the President calls for a good job day, palliative offers of poverty wages, contractual employment and trade-union repression in the context of rising prices of basic commodities and erosion of standard of living are the daily reality of the Filipino workers. When the right to and dignity of work constitutes one of the valuable human conditions, then work must essentially contribute to the integral development of a human person. More so when the relationship between labour and capital underscored their participation to ownership, management and profits a concrete manifestation to a decent and meaningful life. (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church on the Dignity of Work) Without real and immediate relief to the plight of Filipino workers, Labor Day will remain a day of reckoning to whom the demands are due. The suffering perpetuates at a depressing rate and no amount of sugar-coating and patronizing by the state can change the degrading state of Filipino workers. Despite a 6.6 percent growth, the National Statistics Office reported that

Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

7.1 percent of the 9.8 million Filipinos remain unemployed in January 2013, almost three years into Aquinos sixyear presidency. Poverty incidence also remained unchanged during the first half of 2012 as reported by the National Statistical Coordination Board. They who breathe life and development to a nation are bleeding dry from wretched poverty and intense starvation. As we give importance to workers worldwide, the Promotion of Church Peoples Response reiterates its aspiration for the common welfare of the people especially of the poor. The clamor for right to work and dignity of labor is an unceasing call. We long to see the day that workers have utilized, at best, their full potential and enjoy the fruits of their labor, that justice is rendered upon them when new structures and systems pave way in attaining abundant life especially to the marginalized and the downtrodden. Reference: Mr. Nardy Sabino, Secretary General Promotion of Church Peoples Response May 1, 2013

Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

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Ref lections

CBCP Monitor
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

An Exegetical Reflection on the Gospel of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Luke 9:11-17, June 2, 2013
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
IT has been noticed that there is a growing popularity of perpetual Eucharistic adoration in the country. Probably there is no diocese in the Philippines where one cannot find one or two adoration chapels. And if one asks those who frequently visit them, he will likely be told that it is there that they pour out their hearts before the Lord, offering their thoughts, actions, asking favors from him, or simply enjoying the nearness with him. The devotion is of course a praiseworthy custom, because the adoration of the Sacred Host in these chapels is firmly founded on the belief that the Lord is truly, really, and substantially present in it. However, it would be even more praiseworthy if we, Christians, are led to a wider understanding of what the Eucharist is all about. For example, we can be taught that the Eucharist is an experience of the presence of the Risen Lord who wants us to reach out to others, especially the poor and the needy, in loving service. Todays Gospel on the miracle of the loaves can enlighten us on this aspect. To begin with, the account of the feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9:11-17) is the only miracle story of Jesus Galilean ministry that is recounted in all the four gospels (John 6:1-15; Mark 6:30-44; Matt 14:13-21). It is obviously a symbolic miracle. With his inauguration of the Kingdom of God, Jesus now provides a foretaste of the Old Testament promises about God feeding his people in the Kingdom: On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines (Isa 25:6). In the story that gives us a glimpse of blessing and the breaking of the bread which Jesus did in Bethsaida (9:11) is, as Luke recounts, continued in the practices of the early Church: in the agape meals where sharing is the common feature (Acts 2:46) and in the distribution of goods to those in need (Acts 4:35). These reflect the responsibility given by Jesus to the apostles to nourish the Christian communities: (Luke 9:13). What is Lukes point in linking the miracle with the Eucharist? The evangelist seems to be saying that as part of the realization of the kingdom of God, the community of the reconstituted Israel, Gods people, is not only being healed psychologically and spiritually, but also being nourished eucharistically. There are three interconnected meanings of eucharistic feeding, but all of them have something to do with what ought to happen in the community in which Gods kingdom is being realized. First of all, the life of the community is centered on the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist, but this celebration cannot be isolated from the ministry of feeding the hungry; otherwise, the liturgy will be reduced to a ritual that is divorced from life. For this reason, it is not enough to receive communion without mortal sin; it is equally important that the reception leads to the sharing of resources with the hungry and those in need. Second, this also means that satisfying the hunger of the community members is not in itself a Christian ministry. Even Communists, who do not believe in God, still less in Jesus, feed the hungry. Rather, action on behalf of the hungry, the poor and the disadvantaged must be motivated by the Eucharist and ones faith in it. And third, the feeding is done in the manner of the Eucharist: it is really a breaking
Eucharist / B7

The Eucharist envisions a society that brings about solidarity with the poor and the disadvantaged

what the Kingdom is all about, Jesus is the host, welcoming the uninvited and intrusive crowd. In unfolding the meaning of the Kingdom, he cares for his people who suffer from hunger and want. The kingdom of God is thus not wholly spiritually; it is a community where all bodily and material needs are satisfied. Luke brings home this point by linking the miracle to the Eucharist, which is the microcosm of the Kingdom of God.

To be sure, the linkage between the account of the miracle of the loaves and the Eucharist can be seen in the way Luke describes the feeding of the five thousand and in the way he narrates the institution of the Eucharist. The parallels are so obvious that one is led to conclude that the eucharistic liturgical formulations colored the account of the multiplication of the bread. The wording matches almost verbatim with that in Lukes account of the institution

(Luke 22:19). The sequence of the verbs having taken, he blessed, he broke, he gave, immediately recalls the Eucharist. Moreover, the sequence could be compared with the meal scene that concludes the encounter with the Risen Lord at Emmaus which is doubtless eucharistic (Luke 24:29-31:35). This implies that for Luke the meaning of the Eucharist is to be seen in the feeding of the five thousand. Equally important, one should not fail to point out that the

Food for hungry hearts

Body and Blood of Christ, June 2, 2013
need to experience it not only as a gift coming from God but also as an event into which we enter in a fully human and participatory manner. This means that the saving sacrifice of Jesus, historically accomplished once on Calvary, has to be made present and operative time and again for all those who freely accept to benefit from it in faith. Such is the miracle that takes place whenever the Eucharist is celebrated as the memorial of Christs suffering, death, and resurrection. It was Jesus himself who, at the Last Supper, invented this wonderful way of making his saving work contemporary with every generation, for all those who wish to be part of it. And it was he who commanded his disciples to repeat in memory of him what he had just done in the Upper Room, in anticipation of the dramatic events that would take place between his capture and his resurrection. We Catholics take Jesus words seriously and for what

We believe in the God of life

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 9, 2013
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
THERE are people who believe that life on earth has appeared by chance, the fruit of a blind evolution that has no mind, no heart, no purpose . . . They are grossly wrong! This nonsensical explanation of life is an insult to human intelligence, and deprives our existence of any meaning and purpose. Life, with all its innumerable forms, beauty and potentials, cannot have originated by itself or by chance. It has been created by God, the eternal Source of all life. He is the One who has conceptualized it and has traced for it, billions of years before computer science came into being, those wonderful programs that govern and guide its development and manifestations. Thats why God is rightly called The Source of all Life. The opening chapters of the Book of Genesis and the Book of Wisdom tell us, in a figurative and poetic way, how God communicated life to all that exists. He spoke His mighty Word and things came to be. (See Genesis, chapter 1). He blew His breath into the nostrils of the first earthlings and man became a living being! (See Gn 2:7.) All forms of life are wonderful, though not all have the same degree of preciousness. There is a physical life, an intellectual life, an emotional life, a moral life, and a spiritual life. Our faith tells us that, in addition to natural life, there is also a supernatural lifethe life that transcends all others and which enables us to share in the most intimate way in the very life of God. But life, for all its preciousness and richness, has also its enemies. And the most terrible of them all is the Devil, the fallen angel who dwells in hell, the Kingdom of Death. He is the one that has injected into life the terrible viruses of weakness, decadence, sickness and death. That is his way of showing his hatred for God, Whom he cannot harm directly. Unfortunately, these destructive forms of virus affect us all. They become our torment. Our victories are destined to remain short-lived, for in the end, death does strike all with its implacable sickle that spares no one. Thats why the very Son of God took human nature. He came that all human beings might have life and have it to the full. (See Jn 3:15 and 10:10.) He defined himself as The Life. (See Jn 11:25.) The power of his divinity, hidden in his vulnerable and mortal human life, slew death itself through his sacrificial death and resurrection. Jesus Christ, Gods incarnate Son, the firstborn of all creation and of the new mankind, rose from death, thereby becoming also the firstborn of all the dead. That momentous event was unparalleled in its occurrence and universal in its effects. It became also the spiritual
Believe / B7

By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB

JESUS Christ offered himself on Calvary as the Passover Lamb of the new and everlasting Covenant between God and all mankind. Just as there is only one Mediator (see 1 Tim 2:5), so there is only one expiatory sacrifice in human history which has the power to atone for all the sins of all timesChrists. His sacrifice had the power to redeem not only mankind, but billions of worlds. This is the reason why it need not be repeated. And in any case it cannot be repeated, for Jesus cannot suffer or die any more since he is now enthroned at the right hand of the Father, where he continuously intercedes for us. (See Rom 8:34.) But how are men to benefit from his redeeming sacrifice and resurrection? We are beings who live in time and continuously feel the need to experience anew the salvation wrought by him once and for all. We

they sound. It is not for us to take a rationalistic stand, and even less to reject the reality of this saving mystery in the name of human logic. Gods salvation is not the result of a mathematical equation, but the fruit of His illogical love for sinners. All this is surely a challenge to our faith, but no more than Bethlehem or Calvary or the Empty Tomb. The result of our memorial of Jesus sacrifice is not our doing but Gods. What we do in the Eucharistic celebration is to fulfill the condition for Christ to become our food and drink. It is the Holy Spirit who makes Jesus present for us and us to him, by giving a divine power to the words pronounced by the priest celebrant during the memorial of his passion, death, and resurrection we call the Mass. In this way, we cannot only freely offer ourselves to the Father in union with Jesus, but also gratefully receive him from the Father as the sacramental sign of his self-giving love.

Bishop Pat Alo

Bo Sanchez

ENCOUNTERS

Paragon of true governance

THE example of St. John the Baptist gives us an idea of what really true governance should be. Not just only words but an honest attitude expressed in humble service. This is what St. John the Baptist answered when he was asked whether he was the expected Messiah. You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him. The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegrooms friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the bridegrooms voice. This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller (Jn. 3:28-30 True governance therefore is not just a pretense or make believe that we give first place to the people but an honest and sincere respect for their rights to be respected by the political servants who pledged their services at the time of elections. So that the election promises may not be criticized as its only words. The true servants of the people must emulate those words of St. John the Baptist and really mean it when they pledge to serve the people and seek the common good of the country. A public servant is not supposed to aggrandize himself or herself at the expense of the people but keep in mind the words of St. John the Baptist in serving persons or communities. He must grow great, I must grow smaller (Jn. 4:30).

Soulfood How to use the power of pictures to change your life

of Life, your Heavenly Father likes talking about how great you areand how great you will be. Listen to Him. Focus on His Words. And be blown away by how beautiful you are in His eyes. No matter what happens, never give up your divine Self-Portrait When I think of Self-Portraits from God, I think of Joseph in the Old Testament. Because Joseph had a dream about who he was in Gods eyes (Genesis 37:5-11, 23, 28). In that dream, he saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him. This became his fantastic Self-Portrait. He saw himself as a Child of God, Friend of God, and Champion of God. And through all the trials of his life, he held on to this Divine Self-Portrait. Joseph kept on rising after each fall, even if others kept putting him down. Consider this list of failures: Joseph was thrown into a pit. Joseph was sold as a slave. Joseph was falsely accused of rape. Joseph was thrown into prison. Joseph was forgotten in prison! Through all these, Joseph must have asked, Lord, what about that vision, the dream, that Self-Portrait that you gave me? Was it fake? But Joseph never gave up. Each time failure struck him like a lead pipe hitting his head, he held onto the Self-Portrait God gave him in his heart. He believed that he was going to be a winner. For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) And in the end, Josephs Self-Portrait came true. He became Governor of all of Egypt. Let me tell you one last story of another electric fan Use the power of pictures in your heart When he got married, Rudy was so poor, he couldnt even buy an electric fan. He and his wife were renting a tiny room for P90 a month. And this tiny room got warm during summer, and without a fan, it got really hot. But even in his poverty, Rudy believed in his dreams. He was also a great believer in having pictures to remind him of his dreams. So he did the ridiculous. He got a newspaper, cut out a photo of an electric fan, and pinned it on their wall. And each time he saw the photo, it reminded him of his great goal in life (at that time): That hed be able to buy an electric fan for his beloved wife. Whenever he saw beads of perspiration on her forehead, hed go to the photo, and press the switch of the fan. He focused on his dream. Four days later, Rudy heard a knock on the door. When he opened it, he saw his neighbor holding an old electric fan. The neighbor
Soulfood / B7

RONNI is a good friend and a very successful businessman. When I asked him why hes so successful, he told me a very peculiar reason: He said that when he was growing up as a kid, his father prohibited them from talking about gossip around the dinner table. They couldnt talk about showbiz actors, their neighbors, or the usual trivia that people talk about. Instead, they always talked about business. Imagine being a 5-year-old boy. And all around you, people are talking about how to increase sales, how to satisfy customers, and how to market your product! As a child, these daily family conversations around the dinner table painted a powerful picture in Ronnis mind about who he would become one day. Subconsciously, he already knew he was going to be a successful businessman. Today, Ronni owns a few companies worth hundreds of millions. For years, Ronnis father made him focus on a powerful SelfPortrait. And it has become a reality Focus on your portrait in Gods mind Friend, you have to learn how to focus. Dont focus on the negative things happening in your life. Accept it, yes. Acknowledge it, yes. Dont deny it. But dont dwell on it, meditate on it, and analyze it to death. Instead, focus on what God is telling you. Because as you eat around the Banquet

Pinky Barrientos, FSP / CBCP Media

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Social Concerns

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of 20.5 kilos was registered on the clock face of the scales. Then it was put to one side while the rest of the days harvest was likewise weighed and recorded. At the end of the day, each of the collectors and gatherers came forward to claim the payment due for what they had gathered. Most were able to sign as they took the money; others pressed their thumb to an ink pad and made their mark. Then, as an additional help to the community, Donard and Roger, the Preda agriculturists, off-loaded two hand-operated water pumps, lengths of steel pipe and bags of cement. The village would get two new community village pumps to give clean drinking water to the villagers. Everybody clapped when the chieftain took the pumps in the name of the community and the obligatory photos were taken to the glee of the children. There is a local elementary school and most of the children were attending. Only a few would go on to high school. But it was subsistence, they lived on the edge of survival and the mangoes brought extra cash and a ray of light into their lives. The surplus they sold in the town eight kilometers away brought them little relief. They were cheated and exploited. What they need is more fairness, more social justice where they could have the benefits of land reform and be given government support to become productive, self-sufficient communities growing their organic food with a healthy surplus that can get fair prices without exploitation. Then they can educate their children and grow out of poverty. Fair Trade is a first important step in community development. All of us can help by buying Fair Trade products, mango and more, and by working for global justice.

By Fr. Shay Cullen

A FEW weeks ago, I was in the mountain villages of Zambales talking to a group of small subsistence farmers from the Aeta indigenous people. The agriculturists from the Preda Fair Trade project were there to help them gather and weigh their wild mangoes and Preda Fair Trade staff were ready to pay them 100% higher than they would get from the lowland traders. The chieftain, Mario Pabalan, speaking in Tagalog although his native language is Zambal, told us about the trading hardships they encountered. It is very hard work for us to carry the mangoes across the mountains and to the town and get only a few pesos a kilo for them from the traders, thank you for buying our mangoes at a fair price, he said smiling. Looking up at a magnificent mango tree, sixty years old at least, silhouetted against the blue sky, I marveled at the resilience of these people as strong as their trees but marginalized by Philippine society and the world at large. Mario went on, in the past years we did not harvest the wild mangoes, the price of the commercial traders was so low so mangoes were wasted, now everybody is busy harvesting the trees because of the high price that Preda is paying, he said with a smile. I was happy to hear that and to know that Fair Trade, doing what is just and right in business by paying a fair price, could bring such simple benefits and happiness to these rugged, weathered, impoverished yet proud people. Their grandparents had planted the trees; their grandchildren were reaping the harvest with hard work and a happy disposition. I observed an agile Aeta man perched
Eucharist / B6

Visit to a mango harvest

in the tree with a rope to tether him. He held a long bamboo pole with a small net bag or pouch on the end. He extended the pole to the bunch of green mango fruits above him and gathered them into the net bag and with a tug they dropped inside. He retracted the pole and retrieved the mango fruit and placed them carefully into a basket that was hanging beside him from

a branch. It was soon full and he lowered it on a rope to the waiting hands below and pulled up an empty basket that was soon filled as the one previously. So the harvesting went on like that all day with dozens of gatherers climbing the great trees. The children were eating the green mangos with relish, their faces turning into a grimace, twisting their smiling faces at the

sweet sour taste. Others added a pinch of salt. An old lady with sun-burnt face and arms and wrinkled skin like dried leaves was gathering the mango seeds from children. She had a small nursery for the planting of more trees. When the baskets were loaded with fruit, they were weighed one by one. Some mangos were added until the exact weight
Believe / B6

of ones bread, not just an act of giving that one does simply because he no longer needs the resources. Rather, it is a form of giving in which part of the giver dies, just as the Eucharist symbolizes the dying of Jesus. For this reason, the miracle of the loaves teaches us that the Christian community must express the life of the Kingdom in the sharing of resources among the members. When
Walking / B4

resources are shared, miracles happen. Hoarding, monopoly, exclusivity may be commended in the business world, but they do not have any place in the Christian community, for they are anti-Christian values. To partake of the Eucharist is to imbibe the value of sharing, of giving, of losing and of dying. Without these values, the Christianity of the community is a sham. In fact, the reason

why Paul in the 2nd Reading (1 Cor 11:23-26) upbraids the Christians in Corinth is that, in their agape meals, the rich do not share with the hungry poor (1 Cor ll:21). Selfishness destroys the community; it is an anti-Kingdom value. It depreciates the significance of the Eucharistic celebration. Indeed, selfishness robs the Eucharist its meaning (11:20), is a contempt for the community

and an embarrassment of the poor (11:22). The purpose of sharing, of course, is not to have Christians who are filled, but to create a society where those who have share with those who do not have. That the Eucharist is central to our faith demands that we envision a Christian society that brings about solidarity with the poor and the disadvantaged as well as universal brotherhood.

resurrection of all those buried in the grave of their sins. Likewise, it became the first fruits and the prototype and guarantee of the final resurrection of all human beings. (See 1 Cor 15.) St. Paul proclaims this truth in his Letter to the Romans (Rom 8:29); the Letter to the Colossians (Col 1:15. 18); and the First Letter to the Corinthians, where Christ is called the first fruits of the

www.preda.org

victory over death (see 1 Cor 15:22-23.26). As children of Christs Resurrection, we have eternal life with God as our final destiny. This vocation/privilege makes us also Gods/Christs partners in the promotion of life in all its forms already in the earthly stage of our existence. Only those who love, protect and promote life on earth as God does are worthy to inherit and enjoy it forever.

pero papaano mo iyan ipahahayag, ituturo sa mundo na may sarili nang pagiisip, mayroon ng sariling pananaw without changing the truth. How do you proclaim it using the literary forms of the contemporary mind. Nandyan po yung napakalaking hamon. So yung fidelity to the truth does not mean, uulit ulitin mo lang ng uulit uulitin. Halimbawa ako nagsurvey ako noon sa theology class. Sasabihin nila God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, they share the one substance. Nagtanong ako sa mga bata bata, ano ba ang intindi niyo sa substance? Substansiya. Sagot ng karamihan, ah, sustansiya, yun po yung healthy food. Masustansiya. Naku papaano mo ituturo itong Trinity na in the past ang salita ay substance, eh yung salitang substance at yung translation, sustansiya, sa panahon ngayon ay minerals, vitamins, nutrients. Papaano iyan? Malaking challenge iyan. Kaya ako tuwang tuwang nagtuturo, eh. Halimbawa po, sabi ni Hesus, I call you friends. I do not call you servants anymore. Eh nung isang araw ho may lumapit sa akin isang babae, sabi, Bishop, friend mo ako. Di tinignan ko. Ho? Ano ho ang pangalan niyo? Friend ko daw siya, hindi ko naman kilala. Yun pala, sa Facebook. So yung friendship na itinuturo ni Hesus mukhang sa mundo ngayon medyo iba. Dati para ka maging kaibigan, anong sabi ni Hesus? I call you friends because I share with you everything that I have heard from the Father. Nandun yung friendship. I do not call you friends anymore. A slave is left in the dark. Ngayon even if you are left in the dark you can be a friend. At puwede ka rin ma-unfriend nang hindi mo pa nakikita. Marami kang friends na hindi mo pa nakikita, at hindi pa nagtatagal tagal na-unfriend ka na. So how do you teach the friendship of Christ in a world na ang daming friends, ang daming friends, na hindi man nagkikita kita, nagkakape. Dati rati para maging magkaibigan nagkikindatan
Soulfood / B6

muna kayo. Pamaya maya, ano ang pangalan mo. Maya maya, gusto mo ng biscocho? Saan ka nakatira? Matagal iyan! Matagal! Eh, ngayon, isang click, friend ka na. Kaya rin, sa isang click, puwede ka nang unfriend. How do you teach, hindi mo babaguhin yung teaching ni Christ, but how do you teach into a world na ang literary form ay I can click you as a friend and I can click you as my unfriend, as not my friend anymore. Marami po ito. Exciting. So ang mata ng Vatican II, fidelity to the teaching, at the same time, fidelity to the world. Huwag babaliwalain yung mundo sa pagturo. At panghuli po, ano ang method natin ng pagpapahayag ng turo ng Simbahan sa mundong nagbabago, sa mundong talagang ibang iba na? Oh, by the way, sabi nga natin kanina, minsan parang mabigat, parang maraming problema, pero marami ring opportunities itong ating modern world. Nung ako po ay unang inanyayahan na magkaroon ng show sa TV, sabi ko, kaya ko ba iyan at saka bagay ba iyan? Sabi ko, susubukan ko lang. Eh ngayon parang nakita ko na it is a way na mas marami kang maabot. Kapag nagsermon ka sa isang linggo sa isang misa ang nakapakinig sa iyo, yun lang nagsimbang iyan, kung eight hundred iyan, eight hundred. Pero through the media talagang makaabot ka ng mas marami rami. So, wow, yung mode of doing mission, dati nag ha-house tayo, sana huwag rin mawala iyon. Yung mga Legion of Mary dati naghahouse to house. Ngayon ba naghahouse to house? Sana ituloy iyan. Pero ngayon pag punta mo sa bahay minsan walang tao. At yung iba, walang bahay. So papaano mo gagawin yung mission mo sa mundo na ganyan? Mayroong mga nag-e-email. Mayroong nagte-text. You might want to use those elements of technology. Nakakatawa nga may nagtanong sa akin, papayagan kaya ng Simbahan na i-text na lang namin ang aming kasalanan? Bahala na si Father

diyan. Yun naman ang literary form ngayon, i-text na lang ang kasalanan. Sabi ko, ano ang pakiramdam niyo kung ang absolution ninyo ay naka-text din? Tapos nung pinag-uusapan namin iyan kita niyo yung generational divide. Sabi ko nung ibang mga ka-generation ko, ay mas gusto ko naririnig, nakaharap ko yung nag-a-absolve. Sabi naman nung mga bata bata, okay lang sa akin ang text. These are the things that we will explore. Pero ano nga ang method, papaano? At dito nga po ako magtatapos. Sabi po ni Pope John XXIII, The Church has always opposed errors. Frequently She has condemned them with greatest severity. Nowadays however the disciples of Christ prefers to use the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity. She considers she meets the needs of the present day by demonstrating the validity of her teaching rather than by condemnation. Lalabanan ang kamalian pero hindi sa isang marahas na pamamaraan. At sabi po ni Pope John XXIII, papaano po lalabanan ang kasamaan, hindi lamang through condemnation of the errors, hindi. Ito po ang mahirap, ito ang mahirap... Ipakita niyo sa contemporary world the validity of your teaching. Kumbinsihin ninyo ang contemporaray world na ang itinuturo ninyong katotohanan ay talagang maganda at totoo. Mga magulang kayo ang magandang example dito, pag tinanong kayo ng inyong mga anak, bakit kailangan akong umuwi ng nine o clock sa gabi? Kalimitan ang sagot, BASTA! Sinabi ko, umuwi ka. Eh bakit nga alas nuwebe? Ano ang diperensiya sa alas diyes? BASTA! Hindi kita bibigyan ng allowance mo, sige ka. Ano nga ho, ano nga ba ang kaibahan ng alas nuwebe sa alas diyes. Ang kaibahan ay, ako ang magulang mo, na nagsasabi sa iyo. Ang sinasabi ni John XXIII yung ganoon maaaring sumunod pero hindi mo na-convert. Susunod iyan dahil,

eh, ikaw ba naman ang i-terrorize na hindi bibigyan ng allowance. Hindi pagsunod ang tawag doon, nag-comply. But they are not convinced of the truth. Ngayon ang sinasabi ni Pope John XXIII ang dapat daw nagiging approach ng Simbahan ay hindi lamang yung batikos dito, batikos doon, kung hindi kung ano yung itinuturo mo ipakita mo na totoong totoo at magandang sundan. Now that is the more difficult path. Mas madali kasi yung, sinabi ko na, eh. Mayroon ba namang isang bata, five years old, lumapit sa akin, sabi sa akin, where was God before the creation of the world? Nasaan ang Diyos bago siya lumikha ng mundo? Eh narinig nung tatay. Sabi nung tatay, Ssshhh Ginugulo mo si Cardinal. Tumahimik ka. Sabi ko, hindi, halika. Yung bata naman parang... hindi naman theological yung hinihintay niyang sagot. Mukhang ano lang, siguro intelihente yung batang iyon. Ako nung limang taon ako hindi ko iniisip yung mga bagay na iyan. Pero eto limang taon iniisip na niya iyan. Pero kung nagtatanong tama ba yung sagot na iyon, Sshhhh, quiet! Hindi yata iyon ang sagot sa tanong. So mga kapatid, ito ang sinasabi sa atin ni Pope John XXIII, we are aware of the errors at marami iyan, and we defend the truth, but the Church will raise the torch of religious truth, sabi niya, by presenting Herself as the loving Mother of all, benign, patient, full of mercy and goodness toward the brothers and sisters who are faraway from her. Sa bandang huli ang inaano niya ay the world needs the light of Christ, who is the mercy, the compassion, and the truth of God. At sana ang Simbahan ganoon din. Maranasan daw ang Simbahan bilang Ina na puno ng pagtitiyaga, na puno ng pangunawa lalo na sa mga anak na napapalayo. Minsan malayo na nga pag umuwi pagagalitan pa. Kami rin minsan, kaming mga pari, halimbawa, magmimisa ka, labing lima lang ang dumating , bakante yung isandaan pang

silya. Minsan sila pa ang napapagalitan namin, sa halip na pasalamatan namin, salamat nandito kayo, pagagalitan naman. Kaya susunod na misa, lima na lang iyan. Binanggit ito ni Pope John XXIII 1962, and ang tanong natin ay, how far have we walked with the Council? Drawing from our spiritual energies, we make the face of Christ radiate to a world that is fearful, a world that is walking in darkness. It is the light of Christ, not our own. But how can we be the bearer of the light of Christ, be a Church that defends the truth, defends the truth not so much by a severe condemnation of others but by showing the splendor of that truth in compassion, mercy and love. Tatapusin ko po ito sa isang napakahalagang salita ni Pope Paul VI na pumalit kay Pope John XXIII and he was the one who continued the council, brought it to conclusion and implemented it. Sabi niya, kahit napakahirap ng proseso, during the council and after the council ang kanyang prinsipyo, no one defeated, everyone convinced. No one defeated but everyone convinced. Lalapit ka. Ipaliliwanag mo hanggang makita nila ang liwanag ni Kristo at sila mismo ay sumang-ayon, without defeating or condemning others. Ito po yung renewal na ibig ng Vatican II at ito ay sa inyo na nasa ibat ibang larangan ng Simbahan at misyon. I hope na itong simpleng pagpapaliwanag na ito ay makatulong sa ating makapasok man lang doon sa puso at diwa ng Papa na tumawag ng Vatican II, si Pope John XXIII. Mas komplikado pa po ang Vatican II dahil marami pang mga documents, wala na ho tayong oras para doon. So I limit myself to this sharing. Maraming salamat po sa inyo at sana maging larawan tayo ng Vatican II, renewal sa atin pong mundo, lalo na po sa ating minamahal na Archdiocese. (Source: www.rcam.org)

said he was moving out and wondered if Rudy wanted to buy his old fan for P50. Rudy was overjoyed. Yes! he said. In four days, the real fan now replaced the photo. The next photo he pinned on the wall was a beautiful white van. Foolish, right? How in the world can a poor man who couldnt even buy an electric fan now dream of buying a van? But he kept on dreaming for that van and worked hard. The white van came. And so did the larger homes. Both here and America. Today, Rudy is a multimillionaire. Because he had pictures that guided him through his journey. (And in case youre wondering, yes, Rudy is also one of the financial mentors in my

Truly Rich Coaching Program. I hope you can meet him one day.) Having photos work! Hang in your heart your divine Self-Portrait But Im asking you not just to hang a photo of an electric fan on your wall. Use the power of pictures for a more important task: Hang a photo of yourself in your heart the kind of person God wants you to be in the future. Like Rudy, I want to you to focus on that photoyour Self-Portraitand dream big dreams. See yourself as a holy person. See yourself as a loving person. See yourself as a successful person. And see yourself as a truly rich person. Redefine yourself. Now.

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B8

Features

CBCP Monitor

May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

Complete family, best care for kids

Surprisingly, guys think virginity is the in thing
By Nirvaana Ella Delacruz
GUYS speak up about virginity and the reasons of why they do not think it is outdated could prove surprising to some. Sex happiness I think virginity is just what we need right nowOur perception of happiness has changed, so that we think pre-marital sex (PMS) and other sexual acts can make us happy, said Paolo Magtibay, 17, an incoming Ateneo de Manila freshman. Despite an ongoing struggle to go against what movies or media show, chastity is a sure way to be happy, Magtibay added. Dondie Bernardino, 29, a multi media-product specialist, is even more upfront. I think pre-marital sex ang outdated, since Old Testament times pa, Bernardino said, explaining that PMS is an old story of humanitysomething that is at odds with the freshness of the Gospel itself. A Salesian Youth Movement leader, Bernardino added, valuing virginity is something new and concrete that Jesus gave us when He saved us from sinwhich includes sex outside of marriage. According to Bernardino, deciding to save ones virginity is a fruit of living a full lifea life with Christ. No to peer pressure, desperation Contrary to the popular notion of if it feels right, do it, some young people still believe sex belongs to marriage and not to people who just feel the heady hormones of puppy love. Feel isnt enough, you have to know that you love this person and want to spend the rest of your life with this person I think that sex after marriage is the best course of action, said Lakan Dela Cruz, 14, a Philippine Science High School Western Visayas student. He noted how young people may get pressured into losing their virginity because of peer pressure or desperation. With a culture obsessed with instantsinstant noodles, 10 Mbps internet speed, speed datingwaiting to have sex seems almost counter intuitive. But for Keith Janohan, 30, a marketing and communications head, time is exactly what adds up to the premium of virginity. Virginity is like a gift, it does not get outdated, he added.

By Nirvaana Ella Delacruz

FAR from providing gadgets for learning, tutors or a new house, the best way to take care of kids is to have a complete family, says a bishop. Anybody comes from a father and a mother, [but] for that somebody to be taken care of, there must be also the mother and fathertogether, said Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz in an interview. Impact of absentee parents Abp. Cruz, Judicial Vicar of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) National Tribunal of Appeals, said clinical psychology has already given evidence of the immense impact of one or both parents leaving the home, even physically, on a child. The moment one is out all the time, for years, dont tell me it will be better for a child to be missing the mother or a father, he explained, making reference to Filipino parents who continue to go abroad to work in

order to provide extra perks for their families. Abp. Cruz, one of three Judicial Vicars who processes cases of marriage nullity in the Philippines after it passes through the diocesan level, mentioned how Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) indiscretions like infidelity have a profound effect on their childrens emotional and psychological well-being as well. The problem is that when they are gone they do their own miracles outside the country and sometimes that reaches the knowledge of the childThat is when the family becomes dysfunctional, he added. Emotional to economic challenges Even with appointed guardians like grandparents or relatives, children of OFWs are largely left to deal with more challenges that range from the emotional to the economic. While an OFW parent can send home more than P100,000 monthly, the premium placed on financial comfort vis--vis the corresponding social and emotional toll on the family is questionable at best. According to a 2008 United National

Childrens Fund paper by Rosemarie Edillon on the effects of migration on children, Many children of OFWs age 1316 appear to be worse off than children of non-OFWs of the same age. They are more vulnerable to psycho-social shocks brought about by the splitting-up of families. Interestingly, the same study shows that most kids of OFWs do not feel they participate actively in family decisionmaking; they have lower community and civic organization involvement; and have a higher incidence of hygiene-related health problems, compared to children of nonOFW parents. For Abp. Cruz, family or married life does not require great wealth, as shown in the marriage vows, neither does ensuring childrens future need huge amounts of money. If [couples] want their children to have a good future, they better have a good marriage. Its as simple as that, he said. An estimated 9.5 million to 12.5 million OFWs live and work abroad at present.

TITLE: Star Trek into Darkness CAST: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Karl Urban, John Cho, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Peter Weller, Anton Yelchin DIRECTOR: J.J. Abrams SCREENWRITER: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof GENRE: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel Mindel RUNNING TIME: 133 minutes DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures LOCATION: US Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: MTRCB Rating: PG13 CINEMA Rating: V14

Moral Assessment

Technical Assessment

Abhorrent Disturbing Acceptable Wholesome Exemplary

Poor Below average Average Above average E xcellent

It is 2259 and Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew are on a mission to observe Planet Nibiru but find that they have to save this pre-warp society from volcanic eruption. The life of First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) is endangered and Kirk disobeys the United Federation of Planets Prime Directive in order to save him. Called back to earth, Kirk loses his seat as commander of the USS Enterprise, which goes back to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), and parts with Spock. At the same time, Starfleet agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) bombs an installation in London and declares war. After an attack on the Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller), Pikes superior, reinstates Kirk to capture Harrison, and bring him to justice. Though USS Enterprise is a spaceship for exploration, not war, its crew is thrust into a mission of life and death. Will it survive Harrisons one-man-

army, the threat and inevitable tensions among its ranks? Star Trek into Darkness follows JJ Abrams first Star Trek (2009) with aplomb. Trekkers (or Trekkies) will find much to like and remember of the Star Trek franchise. But even if you are not a fan, there is a lot going for this 12th installment. The cinematography and production design transports you to another universe, with some CGIs so convincing youd want to take cover from your seat. The action is almost non-stop with clever narrative twists; dialogue is engaging and fun (that is, if you

get the in-jokes) and the musical score heightens the excitement. The shiny lens flares in some scenes do not work, nor do the obvious plot holes. Trek loyalists would also say it is more an action/adventure movie than sci-fi. But regardless, what shines here are the characters who play the role that match their predecessors, and eventually making it their own. Quinto shines as the Vulcan Spock and Cumberbatch portrays the fully optimized human with such depth and ambiguity. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the

few. These words uttered and exemplified at the beginning of Star Trek into Darkness follow Gene Roddenberrys Trek and its principles. One of its major themes is what place, if any, feelings have in guiding actions. Are personal loyalty and the safety of others above military regulation? Another theme is leadership. What makes a true leader? Star Trek into Darkness shows a flawed leader who listens to his guts and his team. Obedience is not only towards the superior but also to ones inner voice that comes from God. Friendship and teamwork is indispensable in any enterprise, be it a fight against a common enemy or working on a project. An enemy can also take different forms. Befriending the enemy does not always mean surrender; it can lead to a win-win solution. It is the emotional bonds between the Enterprise crew, their family dynamics, and how they come to each others help which set this film apart. Because of the intense and frequent violence and emotional stress, some vulgar language, and a brief scene implying sex, CINEMA rates this film A14.

Buhay San Miguel

Brothers Matias

The long divorced couple Don and Ellie (Robert de Niro and Diane Keaton) get together with their grown-up children for the wedding of their adopted son Alejandro (Ben Barnes) to Missy (Amanda Seyfried). Alejandro has kept the divorce a secret from his biological mother, Madonna, a pious Colombian (Patricia Rae) who has not visited him in the United States since his adoption. Now Madonna is coming for the wedding. Don and Ellie pretend to be a loving married couple, which means Dons partner Bebe (Susan Sarandon) has to be eased out of the picture. This results in more or less 80 minutes of awkward situations and certain realizations for everyone concerned. Typical romantic comedy created more for laughs than for logic. The Big Wedding actors did their part well as far as the plot demands, and no ones complaining so far about the cinematography, dialogue, sound and lighting, script, editing, the works. So long as the audience is entertained, and entertain this movie doeswhat with those big names in the cast. Rom-com wedding movies from Hollywood provide the moviegoer ample leverage for comic relief from the resolution of knotty circumstances and the revelation of characters quirks. They are usually a well-meaning bunch whose primary purpose is to make the audience laugh, although sometimes, as in the case of The Big Wedding, the laugh is on the Catholic religion. Catholics who know their religion would recognize the false Catholicism and the outmoded catechesis shown in this movie, and would probably forgive it the ignorance it so blatantly displays. People, howeverwhether nonCatholics or Catholics with inadequate catechismwill surely be misguided and misled by the faux Catholicism The Big

TITLE: The big wedding CAST: Robert De NIro, Diane Keaton, Ben Barnes, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams DIRECTOR: Justin Zackham GENRE: Comedy DISTRIBUTOR: Lionsgate RUNNING TIME: 89 minutes LOCATION: US Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: CINEMA rating: V 18 MTRCB rating: R 13

Wedding picks on. Example: Robin Williams who in his role is 99 percent buffoon and 1 percent priest (thanks to the Roman collar he is wearing), warns the engaged couple that premarital sex and use of birth control will land them in hell. The overall message is its okay to be confused as long as you are not inhibited. In spite of its good intentions, the movie also has issues with (male) virginity and aberrant sex acts, and treats homosexuality and adultery frivolously. Mature adults and enlightened Catholics can take The Big Wedding with a grain of salt, after all, you dont learn catechism from such movies. But if you have spare cash enough for one movie this week, better reserve it for the likes of Epic or Gatsby.

April Frances Ortigas / CBCP Media

Vol. 17 No. 11

CBCP Monitor

May 27 - June 9, 2013

C1

The News Supplement of Couples for Christ

Through the Eyes of Faith2013 Gift of Life Conference

For most parents, the conference was an eye-opener, as they began to understand what young people are experiencing today. Moreover, the conference highlighted the need for parents to equip themselves with proper information in order to protect, teach, support and prepare their children to stand firm in obeying Gods instructions. The Gift of Life conference began with worship led by Francis Yap, Area Director of Toronto. The first talk, The Year of Faith, Why Focus on Faith?, was delivered by Rev. Fr. Ben Ebcas, Pastor and Mission Director of the Archdiocesan Filipino Catholic Mission. Fr. Ben talked about prayer being the fruit of silence, and faith as the fruit of prayer. The second talk, titled Ready for the Gay-Straight Alliance in Your Childs School System, was delivered by Jack Fonseca, Pro-life activist and Project Manager of Campaign Life Coalition. He talked about Bill 13, the anti-bullying act and its agenda. He accused the promoters of this bill of misleading the public sector by saying that body shape, body size, language and religion are the top reasons for bullying, excluding homosexuality from the list. He also mentioned that the primary objective of the Bill is to advance spiritual corrosiveness and to put into doubt the moral teachings of the Catholic Church with regard to homosexuality. The afternoon program was opened with worship led by Chico Nuguid, leader of the SFC music ministry assigned for the event. The third talk titled The Media: A Major Challenge Today was delivered by John Jalsevac, Managing Editor of LifeSiteNews.com. He mentioned the need for Christians, Pro-lifers and believers to step up and create a media blitz that promotes Christian values rather than what the world dictates. He added that at the heart of each Christian home should be a family that shares quality time with each other. The fourth talk given by Matthew Wojciechowski, Project Manager of Campaign Life Coalition, was aptly titled Lets Build a Better World TogetherTowards an Eternity of Happiness. Wojciechowski brought the audience 50 years back, when a new drug hit the world by stormthe birth control pill. This was initially promoted as the magic bullet for an ailing society. Moving forward to the present times, Wojciechowski opined that the birth control pill has caused even more problems in modern society by twisting the truth. Thus authentic love that comes from God alone is pitted against worldly love, contributing to the culture of death in the world today. Other resource speakers were Rose Heron, Natural Family Planning Coordinator, who shared the importance of the Billings Method; and Norma Borja, Gift of Life National Coordinator, who gave the closing remarks and shared the results of a survey conducted within the CFC Family Ministries. She affirmed the importance of educating not only the children but also the parents to create prolife awareness among all members. The successful and Spirit-filled conference was concluded with a praisefest led by Jojo Dizon.
Jack Fonseca

By Canada GOL Coordinators

Through the Eyes of Faith, the latest in a series of Gift of Life Ministry Conferences, was held on Saturday, April 20th at Canada Christian College in Toronto. The conference was open to both CFC and non-CFC members. Despite the chilly April morning, participants filled the auditorium to listen to the four powerful guest speakers. The talks were primarily addressed to the parents, singles and youth, ideally to clarify issues and concerns, most especially with the local school system.

Fr. Ben Ebcas

John Jalsevac

Matthew Wojciechowski

Countdown to EuroCon at CFC Ireland 11th Anniversary Celebration

Cfc leaders meet with ny Cardinal Dolan

has been doing in strengthening the family, particularly in terms of deepening the bonds between couples. He was pleased to hear that CFC has a presence in New York, particularly when Reandelar and Metzger reported on CFCs growth in NY and enumerated the parishes where CFC is present. The Cardinal opined that CFC USA should be involved in the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and recommended that CFC write Bishop Kevin Rhoades to see how the community can be a part of it. It may be recalled that last February, Cardinal Dolan granted recognition to CFC, stating in his letter that: As Archbishop of New York, I grant recognition to the presence and activities of Couples for Christ in the Archdiocese of New York. The meeting, which lasted for one hour, likewise served as further introduction to the New York Cardinal about the evangelization efforts and other activities of CFC, not only in New York, but worldwide, as well as CFCs work for the poor, ANCOP. Cardinal Dolan expressed interest in accepting an invitation extended by Cuenca to visit the Philippines to grace the CFC anniversary in June. The invitation will be coordinated via Manilas Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, who also asked Cardinal Dolan to visit the Philippines when they met in Rome recently to elect the new Pope. Cardinal Dolan would like CFC USA to be involved in the preparation for Pope Francis visit to the US when he attends the World Meeting of Families which will take place in Philadelphia on September 22-27, 2015. Cardinal Dolan agreed to celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass for CFC at St. Patricks Cathedral in the near future and to have a formal presentation of his recognition of CFC. In parting, the Cardinal told the CFC group they were always welcome to visit his home.

From left: Jojo Reandalar, CFC AH NY; Eric Villanueva, CFC USA National Dirctor; Cardinal Dolan; Ricky Cuenca, CFC Chairman; and Roger Santos CFC USA Council member and Executive Director, ANCOP USA

By ANCOP Communications

USA

By Carmelito Abragan
IRELAND, the country that offers A Hundred Thousand Welcomes (Cad Mle Filte), will be the host of the European Mega Conference this coming August 16-18, 2013. This will be held at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), Merrion Road, Dublin 4, the site of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress last June 2012. The Mega Conference will have as theme Celebration of 18 Years of Couples for Christ in Europe. In preparation for the Mega Conference, CFC-Ireland recently conducted a Pre-Conference, timed to coincide with the 11th anniversary celebration last 27-28 April 2013. It was held in the Regency Hotel Dublin, Swords Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. More than 200 active members from Dublin, Sligo, Tralee, Letterkenny, Belfast and other areas attended the event. CFC Ireland Country Coordinator, Arthur Sandoval of CFC Switzerland gave the first talk on Obedience (Do Whatever He Tells You) while the Country Coordinator of Italy, Don Sarmiento from CFC Vienna, gave the second talk on Witnessing (Witnesses of the New Evangelization). Cris Sarmiento of CFC Vienna shared her knowledge and skills in managing a European gathering before the evening event of dancing and fellowship. The Leaders Forum on the second day of the Pre-Conference was an opportunity to further discuss the plans and preparations for the upcoming Mega Conference. The leaders were also updated on the organizational structure of the CFC global community, particularly in Ireland where the Country Head/ National Director for CFC Ireland are Efren and Marivel Bagares. Victor Cosingan was appointed as the MegaCon National Event head. Both Victor and Efren were leaders in the Philippines before coming to Ireland, having served as chapter heads in Iligan City, Philippines. A few days after the Pre-Conference, Noli and Beth Arzadon, Northwest Regional Coordinator, made a pastoral visit to Dublin and conducted an ocular inspection of the RDS, the venue of the Mega Conference. For more information and registration details, kindly send email to secretariat.megacon2013@gmail.com.

Couples for Christ (CFC) leaders had a very warm and cordial meeting with Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York on May 13, 2013 at the Cardinals residence in Manhattan, New York City. CFC was represented by Ricky Cuenca, CFC Chairman; Eric Villanueva, CFC USA National Director and ANCOP USA President; Roger B. Santos, CFC USA National Council member and

ANCOP USA Executive Director; Jojo Reandelar, New York CFC Area Leader; and Chris Metzenger, Singles for ChristNY. After listening to the overview on CFC given by Cuenca, the good Cardinal quipped, Just listening to this man, I cant help but be excited about CFC. Cardinal Dolan expressed his belief in the sanctity of marriage and voiced out his deep concern about the attacks on marriage nowadays. He expressed his deep appreciation of what CFC

CFC Gift of Life Ministry Conducts Workshop on Theology of the Body

resource speakers on the Theology of the Body and develop specialized teachings based on TOB principles. Fr. Joel began the workshop with an exhortation on New Evangelization. He gave everyone a new insight on the true meaning of New Evangelization which is to journey with others and witness and experience Christ together. He further said that, we need to share with our hearts, not with our minds. In addition, he gave the participants valuable tips on how to communicate more effectively to different audiences and proclaim the right message. Finally, he advised everyone who will be tasked to speak before audiences to draw from ones own experience. He said, TOB is precisely all about witnessing, therefore it has to reach both the head and heart. After the exhortation, Aldy gave an overview of how the TOB is gradually being brought to different areas all over the world. However, he also challenged the group to confront the greater work that still needs to be done in order to fully bring the TOB to more areas. Joy facilitated the workshop proper, dividing the participants into different groups. Each group was assigned a specific target audience as their main focus in developing specialized modules. The entire afternoon was allotted for the groups to work on the modules. The final segment of the workshop saw each group presenting and delivering a talk using what they had learned during the workshop. It was indeed an enlightening and empowering experience. The whole day activity gave the participants more insights, learning and empowerment to share the TOB to more and more people all over the world.

By Samantha Catabas Manuel

CFC and Family Ministries representatives gathered last May 18, 2013 at the Lay Formation Center in Mandaluyong City for the first Theology of the Body Workshop. Fr. Joel Jason, Head of the Ministry for Family and Life of the Archdiocese of Manila, facilitated the workshop together with Gift of Life Coordinators, Aldy and Joy Katigbak. The workshop aims to train CFC members how to be effective

C2
Arnel Santos

Ugnayan
Emmanuel Dalman

CBCP Monitor

May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

A Missionarys Report
ences, teachings and even household meetings. Preparing for this mission required a lot of soul searching. Individually and as a couple, we reflected on our personal journey and how He led us through life; enriching our lives with countless blessings; helping us overcome trials and tribulations by His strength; enabling us to forgive each other by His healing grace. Cardinal Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) perfectly described our mission in his homily to Argentinian priests last year, Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit. God has prepared Marivie and me by giving us the boldness to proclaim Gods glory through the telling of our story as husband and wife. As Christs missionaries, we are blessed by the fact that as we evangelize others, we are evangelized as well. With this experience, we strongly feel that what matters most in life is our personal relationship with God, His mission and, of course, our salvation. Hence, there is need to obey and to witness to Christs love. To do this, God has led us to the best model of obedience and witnessing the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Her yes to the Lord is the highest kind of obedience that we can all emulate and follow in our spiritual journey in this world. We must obey what the Blessed Mother said during the wedding in Cana, Do whatever He tells you as it is surely our road to salvation. Our common experience on one of the events we served in, the You and I Weekend, has led us to the realization that there is, indeed, a lot of things to know and understand about married life, even for those married for a very long time. That married life is full of trials, challenges and obstacles is a reality. Every married couple has to understand and realize that marriage is part of salvation history; that being married to your spouse is preparatory to your eventual marriage to Christ, who is the head of the Church. The teachings of St. John of the Cross, coming as it were from the 13th century, were part of Gods message to all of us, both speakers and participants alike, in that weekend. Marriage therefore in this sense is the field of mission for couples. Love is not a feeling but a decision and our task is to strengthen our loving relationship, in all stages of married life. By Gods grace, ultimately our sacrifices will be blessed with the joy of togetherness and we shall be the best disciples to do Gods work! It has been an exhilarating experience for us to witness how our leaders and members worked together to launch three events in a single weekend (Leaders Conference, You and I Weekend, Womens Forum). Both the East Coast and West Coast conferences were hugely successful! For now, Marivie and I wait upon the Lord and see what He has set for us while here in the USA. I end this report with a quote from Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, a German religious and social reformer during the 1700s. He said, I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. As Couples for Christ, winning souls for Christ is our battle cry. Church mission is our mission and it does not have boundaries. Wherever you find yourself, whether it be in the confines of your home, at work or the four corners of the world, every day and everyplace is occasion to evangelize!

Pag-iisang dibdib
May is not just election or the fiesta season. It is also the wedding season. Per the National Statistics Office (NSO), May - not June-- is the Filipinos most sought-after month for weddings. In 2010, of the total registered 482,480 weddings, 11.2% or 54,037 were celebrated in May. In 2011, of the 476,408 registered marriages, 11.7 percent or about 55,529, occurred in May. June is not even second place. For 2010, December and January came in second, both at 10.6 percent. If the trend continues, there must be, for this month alone, in the Philippines, at least 55,000 couples saying I do. This translates to 55,000 families being founded this month, More dramatically, 1,774 new families emerge in the Philippines, every day in May, via the formal wedding route. It is, therefore, high time to talk about marriage and family life. As Aristotle said: Man is by nature more inclined to live as a couple than to associate politically, since the family is something that precedes, and is more necessary than the state. Marriage is best described by the Filipino word for it pag-iisang dibdib. Pag-iisa (the process of uniting) captures the reality that man and woman were created for one another. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Gen 2:24) The word dibdib (referring to the heart), in turn, signifies the unbreakable union of two lives, into a covenant of love, recalling what the plan of the Creator had been in the beginning: So they are no longer two, but one flesh. (Mt 19:6; CCC 1605) Pag-iisang dibdib vividly expresses the indissoluble union of man and woman, such that what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder. (Mt 19:6.) It also is a reminder that marriage is a process, not a state, a beginning, not an end; a threshold, not a goal. Your marriage certificate is a learners permit, not a diploma. (Catechism for Filipino Catholics 1901) In a report released last month, NSO stated that since 2009, the number of marriages has been declining. There was a 1.3 per cent drop from 2010 to 2011: from 482,480 to 476,408 marriages. There is nothing in these figures, however, that detract from the fact that marriage is still overwhelmingly popular and remains to be the Filipinos ideal. Filipinos still choose marriage over cohabitation or common law relationship; and they aspire to stay married instead of separating, whether legally or de facto. In NSO figures for 2000, 45.8% of the total population 10 years old and above, were legally married, 1.2% were separated, 4.2% were in common law relationship, 6.2% widowed and 1.1% unknown. The singles accounted for 41.4%. In 2007, the legally married accounted for 45.33%, the divorced/ separated 1.16%, common law/live-in/ unknown 4.86%, and the widowed 4.33%. The singles accounted for 44.3%, Indeed, just like in other countries, regardless of social background, marriage and family life remains a widely shared aspiration. This desire has increased over the past two decades from 77 per cent who said they would choose marriage in 1975 to 80 per cent in 1995. (Kevin Andrews, Maybe I domodern marriage & the pursuit of happiness, 2012 ed., p. 21) There is no doubt that the attacks against marriage are still raging. Experts refer to one of the most potent of these attacks as the deconstruction of marriage and family life, where marriage and family are viewed to be something that we ourselves created and therefore man may arbitrarily go for new forms of love and creation. This is the reason why, with the lack of pro-marriage and family initiatives and legislations, couples are helping other couples, and families are supporting one another, to preserve, promote, and witness to the dignity of pag-iisang dibdib. Since February this year, every week, in the various Philippine provinces and across the globe, thousands of couples have been renewing their marriage vows, after attending what has been dubbed as Cana Weekend. I personally witnessed the ones conducted in Baguio City, Tagaytay City, La Union, Ilocos Norte, and in Palawan. Mindanao couples held their Cana Weekend in Surigao City, those in Leyte in Ormoc City, those in Bicol in Legaspi, Albay. Singapore had its Cana Weekend last April 13, 2013 while UAE and Kuwait held theirs on February 22 and 25, 2013, respectively. The Cana Weekend in North America will be held on July 12-14, 2013 in Vancouver, Canada, and on July 26-28, 2013 in New Jersey. In all these Cana Weekends, married couples are reminded that marriage is actually a moment in salvation history and family life should be a foretaste of heaven. These notions are captured by another Filipino expression for marriage: lumagay sa tahimik (literally to be in a place of calm and peace) and the word tahan (be at peace, comforted or consoled). Indeed, the concept and reality of pag-iisang dibdib, paglagay sa tahimik, and tahanan should be defended against threats from forces that seek to make them extinct in the Filipino vocabulary and more importantly, in the Filipino psyche. Arnel M. Santos is a member of the International Council of Couples for Christ. He is a litigation lawyer, married to Mariter Delfin Santos, with two children: Jose Emilio and Maria Psalma.

The mission of the Church is missions. These are famous words from Dr. Oswald Jeffrey Smith, a Canadian pastor, author and missions advocate, who in his lifetime traveled the world to recruit missionaries. These words are also my inspiration. After the CFC election of June 2011, I was appointed by the International Council as Treasurer of Couples for Christ. Later, I was tasked to take on the role as Director of the Home Office, now called the CFC Global Mission Center. The GMC is my field of mission. Despite the busy workload in the GMC, I continue to accept invitations to be a speaker in Christian Life Programs and other formation programs, including those being conducted in some government offices. This has been the scope of my work as a missionary for CFC. Early this year, my wife Marivie and I had to leave for the U.S. to attend to some family matters. It was also going to be a reunion of sorts for the family since our two daughters, our one and only grandson and two sisters are in the States. Mission work has taken a different facet here in this foreign land. Often we say that God works in mysterious ways! Indeed as I write this article, I am at awe trying to fully comprehend His ways, approximating His thoughts as far as what our future in mission holds for my wife and me. It is getting evident that this year is a spiritual revolution, unfolding one place at a time. After our Annual Leaders Conference in Araneta, where the CFC Theme for 2013Obey and Witness was introduced, several echo conferences were held in different parts of the Philippines and in some countries of the world where CFC has been established. While here in the U.S. I started to receive invitations from CFC brothers and sisters to their assemblies, confer-

The Cornerstone summer sports clinic

A tale of t-shirts, rubber shoes, and wings to fly!

By Amor Confide
We thought it was just about teaching them how to read. We were wrong. Most importantly, we had to teach their hearts to be a child of God. We have personally witnessed the struggles of the children in Cornerstone of South B, Metro Manila. We have come face to face with their material poverty, the lack of confidence in themselves and the fear of being unloved and uncared for. We thought, if only we could give them wings to fly. The word summer conjures up images of sun and sand, and kids running around, enjoying the fresh air. Indeed, it is the time of the year when children are free from the confines of the classroom, and are allowed to enjoy the outdoors. Summer is the time for children to pursue nonacademic activities intended to develop their creative and athletic abilities, their hands and feet coordinating with their heart and mind. The sports programs in the public schools here in Manila (integral parts of the curriculum) have been compromised due to a lack of funds, and other priorities. In addition to this, due to the confined spaces in which these children live, they lack the opportunities to play as children do. It is in this spirit that the Cornerstone South B team conceptualized the Cornerstone Summer Sports Clinic. Not only would this redirect the tremendous energy displayed by the tutees in a more positive way, but it would also allow them to develop a sense of camaraderie, and enhance their physical well-being. For three consecutive Saturdays of April 2013, Cornerstone South-B held three sports clinics for the children. The first was a football clinic taught by the HSBC HDPP Football Club where one of our tutor volunteers, Andre Confiado, is a member. The Football Clinic was held at the Tahanan Village Covered Court in BF, Paraaque. This was followed by a basketball clinic at the Sampaloc Site II Elementary School facilitated by former Ateneo Blue Eagle and Philippine National Team player Fritz Gaston. Fritz was joined by Volunteer Coaches Bong Go, Daks, Merlyn and others. A volleyball clinic taught by Fritz and Duday Gastons daughters Therese and Pauline Gaston at the Goodwill II Subdivision covered c o u r t rounded up the Corners t o n e Summer Sports Clinic. C o r nerstone South-B

ANCOP Health Physicians Conduct Anti-TB Pre-Screening

ANCOP health physicians, Dr. Rossette Nancho and Dr. Mercy Balankig, visited the ANCOP Markham Village in Villa Monique, Las Pinas City last April 6, 2013 to conduct a pre-screening for young children under the Anti-TB Program for Children sponsored by CFC Malta. The pre-screening is part of the AntiTuberculosis Program initialized last March 15, 2013 during a meeting between

CFC ANCOP Health Director Noe Babilonia, Villa Monique Head Steward Fidel Parco, and other volunteers from CFC Metro Manila South A. As part of the procedure, laboratory examinations for 20-30 children with pulmonary condition will be conducted, while their parents were invited to a CFC ANCOP class to increase their awareness and address misconceptions about tuberculosis.

went all out in order to provide the tutees with a complete experience. Given their background, most did not even have proper sports attires. Thanks to generous hearts, the kids were provided with t-shirts, courtesy of USANA Health Sciences, and sports shoes. At the beginning of the school year we already noticed that many of our tutees did not have shoes to wear for everyday. Most of them came to Cornerstone school in rubber slippers. The summer sports program gave us an opportunity to knock on generous hearts to be able to provide each tutee with rubber shoes they could wear for the next school year. The children had wonderful, colorful and comfortable shoes with which to kick, to jump, to run and skip in football, basketball and volleyball. In keeping with proper sporting tradition, medals were given to the children as prizes for participation, and trophies were awarded to three of the most promising athletes for each sport. The three children selected for football showed enough promise that they were invited by the Carabaos F.C. football club to play for their junior team. True enough, the children showcased their athletic prowess during the sports clinics. They were energetic, and eager to learn. More importantly, through these activities, the Cornerstone tutees showed more discipline. They listened more intently to instructions, and followed them. Indeed through sports, children not only become skillful players, but better persons; they experience not only the joy of victory but also the humility of not winning. In sports the children get a glimpse of what life is all about. They also learn to be generous and kind to one another. The program plans to continue these sports clinics, in the hope that this positive behavior would be maintained in the classroom. Not only would this allow the teachers to handle their wards better, but it would also allow for a much better learning experience for the children. At the end of the day, a simple t-shirt, a pair of rubber shoes, a ball, plus a little love and care were all it took for the Cornerstone children to have wings to fly!

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 17 No. 11
May 27 - June 9, 2013

Ugnayan

C3

Joe Yamamoto

Fire in the Hole

Bangalore torpedoes!!! the commanding officer shouted with desperate urgency as his men lay exposed on the beach of Normandy, France.His men were continuously raked by murderous fire from the entrenched German gunners. Men were dying at an alarming rate. Blood soaked the sands of the beach. Body parts were scattered about. Something needed to be done, fast. The much awaited shout finally came: Fire in the hole!!A big blast ensued and the beach defences were breached. While under fire, the soldiers rapidly fanned out, regained the initiative and survived. Thus started the beginning of the end of Axis domination of Europethe liberation began with the breaching of the defensive German Atlantic wall by the brave Allied soldiers. Fire in the hole is a warning that an explosive detonation in a confined space is imminent. It originated with miners, who needed to warn their fellows that a charge had been set. Over time,the warning shout of fire in the hole became a general warning for the use of explosive weapons. It was subsequently adopted by the United States Army and Marines to give notice that a grenade or any other explosive charge was being thrown into a bunker, spider hole, or other enclosure. It was used repeatedly by Easy Company soldiers in one Band of Brothers episode, when blowing up concealed German howitzers during the Brcourt Manor Assault. The warning shout alerted friendly troops regarding proximate explosions and therefore protected them as they proceeded with their mission. In the Omaha Beach assault scene of Saving Private Ryan, the officer, Capt. John Miller shouted Fire in the Hole right after Bangalore torpedoes were inserted to breach the German defenses. Fire in the hole is a strong advance warning that can save lives in war. But how does a combat warning find use or relevance in ordinary lives? For the most part, people can relate to fire as an everyday event; occasionally, there might be explosive happenings in peoples lives that can qualify figuratively as Fire in the Hole warnings or situations. In other circumstances, when armies advance under artillery cover, the command given to the massed cannons and artilleries is Fire for Effect!, meaning allow the combined destructive power of the heavy guns to come ahead of the army and blast hostile defenses. Fire carries with it many realities and produces various effects, some for good, others for bad. When taken in the spiritual sense, fire and smoke are seen as manifestations of divine presence as God seeks to interact with His people,. In the gospel of Luke (Luke 12:49) , Jesus said I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing. He made it plainly clear to his followers that the gospel proclamation comes as a refining, purifying fire and involves sacrifices, frequently radically changing the person and the people that that person comes in contact with. Such is the power and clarity of the message of God that fire is used to send an image of imminence and urgency. 1 John 5:19 emphasized that we know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one.This makes real the conflict of good and evil and provides the faithful with the reality they have to face. During Pentecost, the prayers of the faithful capture the essence of fire in our lives as we invoke Come Holy Spirit, enkindle the hearts of the faithful. In the new Testament, Jesus used several images and messages in the call for disciples. Firstly, he assured Simon and the others Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. ( Luke 5:10). For the cost of discipleship, Jesus warned them that they must be ready to carry their crosses. In a bigger sense, Jesus required that his disciples have a heart on fire with God: You are the light of the world... Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matt.5:13-16) In the Old Testament, when God called Jeremiah to task, He presented him the image of intense fire and searing heat. The powerful, penetrating presence of God within Jeremiah became as fire that transforms and kindles. The prophet did not readily accept and even resisted the fire of Gods presence within him, deeming that experience too much for his comfort. Ultimately,the transforming searing divine flame persisted and once Jeremiah surrendered, he became passionately moved to serve the Lord with passion for truth and justice. Once he started to walk under the shadow of God , his prophetic voice blazed with the power of His Word. Fire And Smoke For The Wanderers In the Sinai Desert, the protection of the Lord came as smoke by day and column of fire at night.The Israelite wanderers knew that the column of fire was a reassuring and comforting presence of God in their midst and that He continued to journey with them as they sought freedom in the Promised Land. As long as they saw the smoke and pillar of fire, the people felt adequately protected. Fire and smoke was theophany , a manifestation of the presence of God in the Torah. Exodus accordingly recorded that the pillar of fire provided light so that the people could travel by night. During the daytime, it was paired with a pillar of cloud so much so that they were able to travel by day or by night. The Egyptian army was thrown into confusion by the pillar of fire, as they gave chase to the fleeing IsraeIites. Numbers 14:14 said it nicely: .. They have already heard that you, O Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The Lord protects and guide his people, then and now. Fire And The People Of God Except for Mary and a few other disciples, Jesus followers fearfully deserted him at Calvary. Despondent, leaderless and in great trepidation, the apostles huddled behind the bolted door and closed windows of the Upper Room. Even if the Resurrected Jesus showed himself to the apostles several times after the Easter Sunday, they had to wait for the tongues of fire to descend upon their heads at Pentecost in order to be reinfused with the courage and determination to boldly proclaim the Gospel and witness to the salvific power of Christs Resurrection.Christianity was never the same again. The history and map of the world was redrawn by the missionary zeal of the disciples. Descending upon the heads of the disciples as tongues of fire, the Holy Spirit continuously burned in their hearts, giving them unparalleled boldness. The unquenchable fire in the hearts of the disciples burned away their cowardice and hesitation. St. Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, refers to God as a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). Peter compellingly writes that the fire of God is a source of purification, continuously reinforcing and refining our faith (1 Peter1:6-9). To Moses, God revealed Himself as the I Am who I Am at Mount Horeb in the form of the burning bush and earlier, God established a covenant with Abraham by coming down as a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch ( Gen.15:17-18). Throughout the ages, people whose hearts are on fire with God are characterized as courageous truth seekers, willing to stand up for their beliefs and conviction. They demonstrate and selflessly share a passionate singleheartedness for God. Growing in their love for God, their deeply compassionate hearts ache to witness to that relationship and, with goodness and integrity, attract others to do the same. Even ordinary people, whose hearts are aglow with the fire of God, develop the humility and wisdom to acknowledge and accept their strengths and weaknesses. As the embers of Gods presence in their lives are stoked to become outright flames, they become catalysts that set on fire other peoples hearts. The strange fascinating reality is that the flames, once they reach a critical mass, will continue to synergize and fire up each one already aglow with the love of God. Models For Our Times During the People Power Revolution of 1986, the fire in the heart of the late Cardinal Sin for God and country was so contagious that it ignited the whole country to bloodlessly rise and overthrow a dictatorship. The whole world breathlessly watched and applauded the peaceful revolution. It was a great time to be a Filipino. In a spiritual sense, it was the flame of Gods love that flickered in a few hearts and then roaring to life, spread like wildfire in the hearts of countless people. On occasion, the inner fire moves a person to raise a strong voice of protest against injustice and oppression.They risk everything in order to free society from the bondage of falsehood,violence and repression. Previously living a quiet scholarly life, the late Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador was moved by the continuing injustice and cruel treatment of his people. The fire of God grew into a tremendous flame in his heart and he spoke courageously against the injustices vested upon his poor countrymen. Those who could not bear the power of the flame of God within Bishop Romero shot and killed him as he raised the chalice at mass. The martyred archbishop inspired his people and others around the world to raise their voices against the injistice. The cause for his sainthood has been initiated by the Vatican. To date, Archbishop Romerro is given the title Servant of God. Epilogue God speaks to all of us all the time, except that many remain deaf and insensitive to His promptings. He does not stop at that; alternatively, God enkindles a spark in the heart of each and everyone. If we let God, He will blow the Holy Spirit into each one of us, enough to give life to the ebbing embers in our lives. Pretty soon, the sparks will leap and grow,enabling the deepening of the passion for life that radiates into the lives of others. Such has been my simple quiet experience as I share the love of Bible study to more and more people. Thousands have reached into their hearts to find that spark for God. As the fire of God dances in our hearts, we will become more expressive of the change that comes from Him, generous with our witnessing to the love of Christ,and daring in our action to be the change that the world needs.

Cfc ancop scholars reap academic awards Education Beyond the

Cebu Normal University, graduated cum laude with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Another college graduate, Aniceto Olmedo from Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Negros Occidental, finished with a degree in BS Fisheries. He was Deans Lister for two consecutive years, and was also a recipient of a leadership award. Tezza Marie Fallorin graduated magna cum laude from the Asia Pacific College in Computer Science. Fallorin was a scholar under the partnership of CFC ANCOP and Caritas Manila. Meanwhile, six of the college undergraduate ANCOP scholars are in the Deans List, namely Jobet Daco of Metro Manila North A, Mary Grace Reprado of Metro Manila West A/ St. Martin, KC Lyn Lalic of Rizal, Krizza Mae Dumaluan of Misamis Oriental, Glory Jane Bandivas and Jovie Salubre of Southern Leyte. Among the 159 high school scholars, three graduated valedictorianAustria scholar Cristy Merin of Ilocos Sur, USA scholar Faudia Labanairi of Camarines Norte and Switzerland scholar, Lizabel Abustan of Camarines Norte. Labanairi was awarded a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholarship for her college education. Another high school scholar, Alejandro Mendoza from Mayao, Lucena City, Quezon, graduated salutatorian. Mendozas scholarship was funded from the ANCOP Global Walk fund. Twenty-seven of the current elementary undergraduate ANCOP scholars likewise received academic recognition as top ten of the class, with 7 of them awarded as first and second honors. Thirty of the current high school undergraduates received academic recognition as top ten of their class while 10 of them obtained first, second, third and fourth honors.

Classroom Walls

By Lance Fernandez
In a corner of the CFC ANCOP Bane Community in Balanga, Bataan, a handful of teenagers and mothers were answering an examination from a white manual. As they were busy answering the items, some of the children came running and immediately, their attention shifted to what their mothers were seriously doing. Apparently, we were witnessing an Adult Alternative Learning Program first-hand. Under this program by the Department of Education, mobile teachers roam around remote areas to conduct classes for people who were not privileged to have formal education. As per DepEds classification, individuals aged 11-14 will be taught grade school-level subjects while those who are 15 years old and above are given the high school curriculum. The lessons last for ten months, after which the students will take an equivalency exam at the end of the program. Those who will pass will then be awarded a diploma to certify their gradu-

Faudia Labanairi

Aniceto Olmedo

Cristy Merin with mother Susan

Tezza Marie Fallorin

Lizabel Abustan

Fevy Infortuna

By Ethel Balenton
CFC ANCOP Child Sponsorship Program scholars were able to graduate this school year 2012-13. Among the 5,160 sponsored children nationwide were 41 sponsored children in various 4-year college courses, 88 in vocational technical courses, 159 in high school and 258 in the elementary level. United Arab Emirates (UAE) scholar, Fevy Infortuna from

CFC ANCOP, LGU turn over houses in Hinunangan

Finally, on May 3, 2013, the initial 10 houses were turned over to the first 10 families. The event started with a morning worship led by Couples for Christ in Hinunangan and participated in by some of the home partners. It was followed by a turnover ceremony attended by Mayor Gomez and some Sangguniang Bayan members, Barangay Captain Elueterio Almine, some Brangay Council members, and officers of the CFC Ancop Matin-ao Samahan. Rev. Fr. Harlem Gozo, the head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Maasin, was also present. He celebrated the Holy Mass and led the blessing of the houses right after the turnover ceremonies. Fr. Harlem reminded the home partners to love and care for their houses because they are gifts from God. Eric de los Reyes, the President and CEO of ANCOP, inspired those present to continue the convergence among the local government unit, the Diocese of Maasin, CFC and the home partners. Mayor Gomez likewise extended his heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to the CFC international community for having such a wonderful vision and mission that benefits mostly the poor people of God. As a gesture of support, Mayor Gomez pledged more support in the efforts to improve the basic needs of those living in the community.

ation from either elementary or secondary education. Secondary education graduates also have an option to take up a vocational course from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). In the CFC ANCOP Bane Community, there are 14 high school-level students who are currently being taught English, Filipino, Math, Science and Values Education. According to Joni Punzalan, the Adult Alternative Learning instructor in the community, she started teaching the current batch last February 2013. Meanwhile, her first batch at Kanlungan ng Pag-asa took their equivalency examinations last December 2012. Adult Alternative Learning classes in CFC ANCOP Bane community are held every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. . Learning materials are provided by the Department of Education. Aside from this course, Punzalan and her fellow mobile teachers also conduct Basic Learning Process classes for those who lack reading and writing skills.

SFC Middle East Shares Gods Blessings

By Antonio Remojo Sr.

For most of the residents of Bgy. Matin-ao, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, May 3, 2013 was the day when their prayers were answered and their lives changed forever. Since 2003, Bgy. Matin-ao has been declared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau as a danger zone. Thanks to the initiative of the LGU, CFC and CFC ANCOP, the residents of this barangay will be relocated to a safer place. The local government of Hinunangan, under the leadership of Mayor Romeo Gomez, had purchased a 1.7-hectare land, with a commitment to level the land and construct an access road to make it ready for the construction of the houses. After the ground work, the community development plan was approved and appreciated by ANCOP Canada, prompting the latter to download funds for the construction of the first ten units in December 2012.

Noli Manuel, SFC Middle East Region Head, along with SFC Middle East full time workers Jojerry Mercado and Melanie Torralba, recently handed-over the donation of one house to CFC ANCOP Bani Community in Bataan. This donation came from the proceeds of the 14th SFC Middle East Conference (MEC) last November 2012, from the Blessed to Bless City (B2B City) booths and the Clubpraise program. The 2012 MEC, titled Blessed, proved true to its theme that each person is indeed blessed to bless others. The community in the Middle East continues to promote a way of life that proclaims Jesus to everyone. This sharing has made it evident that the MEC was more than a conference, but a lifestyle. (Grace Entereso)

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Ugnayan

CBCP Monitor

May 27 - June 9, 2013

Vol. 17 No. 11

2 Mindanao Kids Village A Weekend of Surprises

The ROCK show, Essay Writing and Poster Making, Sports Competitions, and other contests were conducted in different designated areas near the Main Venue. The audience watched the KFCs at their best as they represented their areas in the different competitions. Workshops were held simultaneously with the competitions. After the morning events, the kids gathered in the evening once again for the Kids Praise and Second Session titled Jesus wants you to Obey, depicting stories of obedience from the Bible. The session also taught the kids to pray for each other. Sunday, the last day of the conference, began with a Holy Mass, followed by the Kids Praise where the young participants worshipped the Lord with their eyes closed, arms raised and in sincere prayer. The final session, Jesus wants you to become a Good Example, was really COOL as the kids were taught the Ten Commandments Boogiea fun and simple way of conveying the commandments of the Lord. One, by one, each commandment was clearly understood and everyone was dancing gracefully in unity. The Awarding Ceremony officially closed the event, together with the announcement of the next conference venue in 2014 -- Tagaytay City!

CFC Zamboanga City Celebrates 19 Years

By Siony Gonzales
Couples for Christ Zamboanga City celebrated its 19th anniversary, thanking the Lord for His faithfulness and love, through a 3-day festivity held last May 10 to 12. CFC Executive Director, Melo Villaroman Jr. and his wife, Nini, graced the event. The celebration opened Friday night at the Guiwan Parish Church, which was filled with CFC members. The event began with a vibrant praise and worship led by Christian Aliwanag, SFC fulltime worker. Fr. Totong Soliva, CFC Spiritual Director, gave the welcome remarks, followed by an inspiring and uplifting teaching by Melo Villaroman on new evangelization. Melo spoke of the urgent need to bring many Christians, whose faith has gone cold and stale, back to church, and how CFC can contribute to this ministerial work. The second day, May 11, was the Surigao Cana Weekend. After the praise and worship led by Prince Ratilla, talks were powerfully delivered by the members of the Area Governance Team. Melo Villaroman Jr. delivered the last talk. His wife, Nini, shared an equally moving and powerful experience of their CFC life. Towards the end of the second day, was the Couple Duet Competition, which highlighted the abundant talents in Couples for Christ. As finale, the Villaroman couple rendered a duet that drew loud applause from the audience. May 12, the final day of the anniversary, was the grand CFC gathering where everyone expressed gratitude to God for the favors showered upon the whole community for the past 19 years. Joel Gregorio led the spirit-filled morning worship, with the entire community joining him in thanking God for His graces and blessings to CFC Zamboanga. Mon Julian, together with the entire AGT, led the Holy Rosary. The highlight of Day 3 was the celebration of the Holy Mass officiated by Fr. Totong Soliva. Villaroman delivered the anniversary message. Jerry Flordeliz, Provincial Area Head of Zamboanga City, likewise gave his greetings and blessings to the CFC community. The celebration ended with a powerful praisefest led by Lester Guillermo, YFC fulltime worker.

Hazel Olive O. Parmes

CFC Kids for Christ from all over the island gathered for the 2nd Mindanao Kids Village, held in Butuan City Capitol Grounds, Agusan del Norte. The kids and their families came to experience God and celebrate His eternal victory in a way that His children would surely enjoy! Delegates from the different regions were ready to FOLLOW JESUS, exhibiting various reactions and emotions while entering the gates leading to the venue proper. Some were giggling, smiling, laughing, curious, nervous but, one thing was sure, they were in for a BIG SURPRISE. There were also the familiar faces of ever-supportive parents, KFC Coordinators, and R.OC.K. Facilitators who were constantly guiding the little angels. Participants were immediately attracted to the standing wooden planks painted with images depicting important people and objects in the BibleNoahs ark, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Abraham, Moses, and the tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments. The Praise Parade officially opened the event, with representatives from the three Mindanao regions walking in their shimmering costumes, and even dancing to delightful music.

The kids listened intensely and watched the creative play of the First Session: Jesus wants you to go to Heaven, which was about the creation by God of all things on earth. The Kids Praise powerfully ended the first day of the conference. Everyone was tired, but for the participants, it was all worth it. For the second day, the kids prepared for the various competitions: Dance, Singing, Rap, and Band Creative Competitions at the Capitol Grounds, while

CFC Guam18 years of abundant blessings For God so Loved the World: CFC ME Mission to Uganda
still with the words of God resounding in my heart. The weather was perfect. The warmth of the locals and the fresh air of the land welcomed us. We immediately headed to a nearby primary school and spent some time there with the kids. Those were moments and scenes I only used to watch in the news. But there it was, happening to me. All I could think of during that time was, They need our love, our care, our support. And how I hope to be with them some more. We spent four days in Uganda just heeding the Lords guidance. There were some plans that didnt materialize, even detours that we had to go through, but we believed and had already set our faith in the ways of God. With the very short span of time, God allowed us to do so much. We participated in the Holy Eucharist every morning, made a courtesy visit to Bishop Paul Ss, and conducted one campus-based CLP, as well as one pocket CLP for the local singles in Kisubi. Through the interactions I had with our local brothers and sisters, I came to realize that the Uganda mission made me appreciate even more the people I love and the things I have. I went to Uganda to do the mission, only to realize in the end, that I was the mission itselfit was I who was moved, blessed and changed.

Couples for Christ Guam celebrated its 18th year of blessed existence with a week-long set of activities. First off was the back-to-back Marriage Enrichment Retreat 1 & 2 held April 27 & 28 at the Verona Hotel. This culminated in the Cana Echo Conference held on May 5. The Manila team, headed by Guam Country Coordinators Jess and Mercy Ferrer, together with CFC Executive Director Melo Villaroman Jr. and spouse Nini, Country coordinators for Seychelles Bob and Aileen Serrano (Musical Director of Teen Saint Pedro, The Musicale), Mission Core Group members Leo and Edith Campos (Central C) and Jimmy and Beth Guray (South B) were warmly welcomed and hosted by the gracious and hospitable CFC brethren led by Guam Country Head Ebet and Carrie Sapida. Jess and Mercy Ferrer, being also the National Coordinators for the CFC Migrant Workers Program, paid a courtesy call on the Philippine Consul General, the honorable Bayani V. Mangibin on April 30, along with Melo and Nini Villaroman, Governance Team members Caloy Nuez and Danny Manuel. During the meeting, Ferrer offered the CFC Migrant Workers Program (MWP) Values Formation modules to be part of the Consulates Post Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for OFWs. The response of the Consul General was very encouraging and hopefully, the CFC Guam MWP team may be able to engage in the consulates next PAOS schedule in June. A very pleasant discussion ensued thereafter, which focused on the life and struggles of migrant workers. With this development, the CFC Guam MWP team was given an Orientation/ Appreciation and Facilitators Training by Jess and Mercy on May 5 to prepare them for the engagement in June. Part of the week-long anniversary itinerary was a visit to the Archbishop Chancery, arranged by Richard Nartia (Church Relations) and CFC member Deacon Dave Richards. The Manila CFC team, with CFC Guam Ebet Sapida and Rita Lorenzo, were received cordially by Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron.

Melo briefed the Archbishop on the CFC Mission and Vision. Part of the discussion also centered on the possibility of bringing Teen St. Pedro, The Musicale to Guam. The Archbishop was enthusiastic and receptive of the idea. Furthermore, the CFC team invited His Grace to the Cana conference, which he gladly accepted. At the conference, the Archbishop gave an exhortation for CFC to take the lead in promoting the Catholic Churchs teachings on the Family and its stand against divorce and same sex marriage. The Archbishop likewise led the CFC couple-participants in the renewal of their wedding vows. A well-attended mid-week teaching was held on Wednesday, May 1 at the SBC parish hall with Melo Villaroman Jr. leading the Mens conference, where he discussed the powerful and enabling 7 Es of leadership. Meanwhile Nini Villaroman led the women in a separate venue with the stimulating topic, Mary, the Woman of Today. Bob and Aileen Serrano, on the other hand, visited landmarks and cultural/ heritage site to research on the stories of St. Pedro Calunsod and Blessed Diego de San Vittores. They also visited the place where St. Pedro and Blessed Diego were believed to have been martyred in Tumon. Hopefully, the musical will be a channel for the youth of Guam to emulate and take St.Pedro as their role model, and for the musical to be an instrument for the eventual canonization of Blessed Diego. The couple also gave a Music Ministry workshop and Healing to the Guam CFC choir. The culminating activity of the 18th anniversary was the Cana Echo Conference that started at 8:30 AM and ended at 6 PM, in time for the Eucharistic cele-

bration at Santa Barbara Church at 7pm in Dededo, officiated by Fr. Dan Bien. The morning worship was led by Rene de a Cruz (GT-PFO) while Greg Calvo of CFC Yigo led the afternoon worship. Talks no. 1 The Wedding Feast, and no. 5, Witness! Gods Glory Revealed were delivered by Melo Villaroman Jr., with spouse Nini as sharer along with Richard Nartia. Talk no. 2, Do Whatever He Tells You was given by Bob Serrano, with spouse Aileen as sharer together with April Leon Guerrero. Jess Ferrer gave Talk no.3, Filled to the Brim, with spouse Mercy and Maridel Santos as sharers, while Jimmy Guray delivered talk no.4, From Water to Wine, Radical Transformation, with spouse Beth and Senator Dennis Rodriguez of CFC Yigo as sharers. The personal testimonies were all inspiring, giving more meaning to the talks. The hectic and tiring preparations paid-off amazingly by Gods grace , resulting in an empowering and motivating celebration. Hopefully, all the activities have set the hearts of CFC Guam brethren On Fire and their spirits uplifted and ablaze to bring their service and evangelization efforts to a higher level, as they Obey & Witness!

By Maru Santos

Guam mission, clockwise from top: Melo Villaroman Jr. giving the 7 Es of leadership to CFC men; Nini Villaroman at the Womens Forum with the topic, Mary, the Woman of Today; the mission team from Manila in a courtesy call to Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron.

A week before our flight to Uganda, with my heart so at peace for the upcoming trip, I had this strong sense that God was personally affirming our planned mission. As I went through the daily gospel that week, all the readings were about Christ telling His Apostles to Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 (April 6, Saturday). Day after day, His desire for me to do His work of evangelization in Uganda was being revealed through those readings: As the Father has sent me, so I sent you. John 20:21 (April 7, Sunday). As I became busy preparing for some physical requirements of the mission, the Lord on the other hand was busy empowering me: He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:22 (April 7, Sunday). I was in so much joy because Christs words were becoming so clear and real in my life. On the following days, He continued to speak with me: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor in God. Luke 1:30 (April 8, Monday). I couldnt believe it that the words of Scripture could turn into actual reality until it was confirmed that I would be joining the Uganda Mission Team. You see, Ive been unemployed for quite some time. No doubt, its Gods favor that allowed me to go out on mission. The same gospel talked about Marys obedience to Gods call (Luke 1:38); I had faith that it was God who chose me, and my humble Yes will complete His great plan for Uganda. The day before we left, Gods sendoff message to me was, For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son John 3:16 (April 10, Wednesday) And so, early in the morning the following day, we left for the mission,