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The Synod of Bishops addressed the crisis facing Christian families in the Middle East who have suffered violence and been forced to flee their homes. The bishops condemned the "sheer barbarism" against families in Syria and Iraq, likening their plight to that of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. They offered prayers for families throughout the region and called for peace amid the ongoing conflicts.
The Synod of Bishops addressed the crisis facing Christian families in the Middle East who have suffered violence and been forced to flee their homes. The bishops condemned the "sheer barbarism" against families in Syria and Iraq, likening their plight to that of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. They offered prayers for families throughout the region and called for peace amid the ongoing conflicts.
The Synod of Bishops addressed the crisis facing Christian families in the Middle East who have suffered violence and been forced to flee their homes. The bishops condemned the "sheer barbarism" against families in Syria and Iraq, likening their plight to that of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt. They offered prayers for families throughout the region and called for peace amid the ongoing conflicts.
POPE FRANCIS addresses the Synod Fathers at opening of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
on October 5, as Cardinal Antonio Luis Tagle, one of the three
delegate presidents, looks on. In his address the Pope exhorted the synod participants to speak with parrhesia and to listen with humility. SALT AND LIGHT TV Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 Php 20. 00 Bohol, a year after AT the first anni- versary of the dev- astating earthquake which shook Cen- tral Philippines, Bo- holanons seem to have overcome the crisis and are suc- cessfully rebuilding their lives. Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medro- so, in an interview with CBCP News, sai d the fai thful have high spirits, remained optimis- tic and learned to muster their own strength. He said the tragic series of events from 8:15 a.m. that fate- ful Tuesday morn- ing on Oct. 15, 2013 made locals more resilient. Bohol / A7 A3 C1 Ugnayan The News Supplement of Couples for Christ B1 The Cross A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI and the Order of the Knights of Columbus Speak with parrhesia, listen with humility CBCP / A6 Tagle / A7 Bangsamoro / A6 Speakers ask pope, synod to clear up confusion on contraception Yolanda survivors wish more time with Pope Francis By Roy Lagarde PEOPLE who sur- vived the fury of typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas wish they will have more time with Pope Francis when he vis- its Leyte early next year. When reports came out that the pope will only spend at least six hours in Leyte and the rest will be in Manila, many people felt unhappy about the small amount of time given to them. The pope will be in the Philippines on January 15 to 19. Details of his visit, however, have not yet been offcially revealed. But Palo Archbishop John Du already told me- dia that the pope will visit Tacloban City and the ad- jacent town of Palo, Leyte on Jan. 17. Du said the pope will also share a meal with the poor victims of last years calamities. Bishop Leonardo Me- droso of Tagbilaran also said fve survivors of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Bohol in October 2013 will be among the individu- als who will meet and eat with the pope in Leyte. Fr. Edu Gariguez of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action said many people are wishing that pope will spend more time with them. Sana mapakinggan ni pope yung kanilang mga kahilingan, (I wish the pope will listen to their yearning) Gariguez said. He said aside from Leyte, many typhoon victims in Samar and Palawan are also praying that the pope will visit them. Sabi nga nung mga taga Samar at Palawan gusto din namin makita yung pope, (The victims of Samar and Palawan said they also want to see the pope) he said. Pinaparating ko lang yung mga hinain nila. (I just want to make their wishes known). Kaya nga rin ako nag- tataka kasi ang orihinal in- tention ng pope e pumunta dito sa mga nasalanta. Pero bakit isang araw lang ang ititigil niya doon? Dapat mas matagal. Bakit puro Manila? (I am also won- dering why this is so be- cause the original intention of the pope was to visit the victims. But why is he there only for a day?) he added.
Mercy and compassion Organizers said they are Controversy prompts Vatican to clarify Synod midterm VATICAN CITY, Oct 14, 2014 After a media frenzy and lively internal debate were both raised by the publication of the mid- term relatio of the Synod of Bishops, its secretariat issued a statement clarifying its merely provisional nature. The General Secretariat of the Synod reiterates that it is a working document, which summarizes the interventions and debate of the frst week, said an Oct. 14 declaration of the Holy See press offce on behalf of the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. The statement was made in response to reactions and discus- sions following the publication of the Relatio post disceptatio- CBCP-NASSA launches Year of the Poor, AK40 THE Catholic Bishops Confer- ence of the Philippines (CBCP), in coordination with its National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), launched on Monday, Oct. 6, the Year of the Poor and Alay Kapwa 40 (AK40) at the St. Joseph Cathedral Diocesan Shrine in Butuan City. The Church is constantly challenged to take the side of the poor and the oppressed, par- ticularly in the situation where there is a continuing violation of human rights wherein justice is Bishops request more inclusive Bangsamoro talks THE Catholic hierarchy believes the government should strive for a more inclusive dialogue to try to restore peace and stability in the troubled southern Philip- pines, especially with regard to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Phil- ippines (CBCP) said that discussion on the said leg- islation must be inclusive as much as possible to address the root causes CBCP: Shun not in my backyard mentality on environment SAYING that reducing the impacts of climate change is everyones duty, Catholic bishops called on the com- munities to avoid the not in my backyard mentality. Unfortunately, we, Fili- pinos, are content to say not in my backyard! We keep our home and sur- roundings clean, even if it means dumping our waste in our neighborhood, the Catholic Bishops Confer- ence of the Philippines said in a pastoral exhortation. (See full text in page B5) The bishops believe fght- ing climate change remains a huge challenge because many communities are not proactive about saving the planet. Having examined our- selves and our relation to the environment, we are then obligated to ensure that our response is not just on the individual, but also on the community level, part of the statement read. The statement, signed by CBCP President Arch- bishop Socrates Villegas, stressed how important it is Tagle shares why he is traumatized by airports AN emotional Filipino churchman related his traumatic experiences of airports, associating the place with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) forced to leave their fami- lies behind to fnd greener pastures abroad. Talking to Catholic News Service (CNS) at the Vatican on Tuesday, Oct. 7, Manila Archbishop Lus Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle shared he has been a witness to these heart- breaking scenes.
Airport goodbyes You know the airport has become a traumatic Time / A6 Synod / A7 Mohagher Iqbal (left) and Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chief negotiators of the MILF and GPH, respectively, shake hands while holding a copy of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro during its formal signing on March 28, 2014 in Malacaang. OPAPP Fr. Edwin Gariguez, CBCP-NASSA executive secretary. FILE PHOTO On October 8, 2013, The Holy Father called for an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2014 on topics related to the family and evangelization. SALT AND LIGHT TV AK / A6 A2 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Sheer barbarism against Middle East families must end VATICAN CITY, Oct 11, 2014 The Synod of Bishops on Friday denounced barbaric violence in the Middle East, saying the Holy Familys flight to Egypt offers a sign of hope and recon- ciliation for all families suffering due to armed confict. We join with the Holy Father Francis in emphasizing that no one may use the name of God to commit violence, and that to kill in the name of God is a grave sac- rilege, the Oct. 10 message read. The message, addressed to all families who suffer as a conse- quence of the numerous conficts the world is currently undergo- ing, came in the context of the Third Extraordinary General As- sembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, whose meetings are taking place Oct. 5 to Oct. 19. The message offered specifc prayers for the families of Syria and Iraq, who have been forced to abandon everything and flee towards a future without any form of certainty due to their membership in a certain religious or ethnic community. The synod fathers also offered their thanks to international organizations and communities for their solidarity and invited persons of good will to offer the necessary assistance and aid to the innocent victims of the current barbarism. At the same time we implore the international community to act to re-establish peaceful co-existence in Iraq, in Syria, and in all the Middle East, the statement continued. In addition to the families of Syria and Iraq, the synod fathers offered their condolences and support to families who are torn apart and suffering in other parts of the world, and who suffer persistent violence. We wish to assure them of our constant prayer that the Lord may convert hearts and bring peace and stability to those who are now in need. The statement concluded with a petition to the Holy Family of Nazareth, noting they also suf- fered the painful road of exile to make each family a community of love and reconciliation a source of hope for the whole world. During the synod, Pope Fran- cis called a special consistory to address the situation of Chris- tians in the Middle East. It will be held at the Vatican on Oct. 20, the day after the conclusion of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family. (CNA) Syrian Christian refugees. LAURA SHEAHEN / CARITAS Christian families in Mosul desperate, archbishop says ERBIL, Iraq, Oct. 11, 2014The solidarity expressed by Synod currently being held in Rome towards Christian families in the Middle East who are experiencing a period of great diffculty, in particular Iraq is a very positive signal because it is im- portant to talk about this situation and it gives us the strength to go forward, says Msgr. Emil Shimoun Nona, Chaldean arch- bishop of Mosul, in the north, the second most important city in the country and frst city to fall into the hands of the militia of the Islamic State. Yesterday, the Synod devoted special at- tention to the Syrian and Iraqi Christians, victims of jihadist violence and the repercus- sions on the family, disrupted by the death of its members [...] deprived of a future for young people [...] and for the older people, abandoned to themselves. For Iraqi Chris- tians the presence of our patriarch Sako and the other patriarchs in Rome is vital, to talk about the situation of refugees and the challenges that they face. Over time, warns the prelate, the spirit and the mood of the refugees is becoming more disheartened and desperate, because they do not see positive signs for a return home in the near future. Msgr. Nona was the frst to raise the alarm on the danger posed by the advance of the Islamists after the conquest of Mosul, where about 500 thousand people - Muslims and Christians - have fed in early June to avoid being forced to convert to extremist Islam and where a caliphate was founded and sharia imposed. In these hours, the Iraqi authorities have sounded the alarm, calling for military aid in the western province of Anbar, which could soon fall into the hands of the militia of the Islamic State (IS). Jihadists are attacking the provincial capital, Ramadi, and have captured large portions of land. The eventual fall of Anbar would give the IS possession of a large area between Syria and Iraq, setting up a direct supply line ahead of an assault on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the ultimate goal of the terrorists. The situation of tension and danger of the eventual fall of all Iraq into the hands of the Islamic state, is accompanied by the increasing diffculties faced by refugees (Christian and non) in the north of the country, particularly among those who have fed Mosul and the Nineveh plain. Now people are desperate - says Msgr. Nona - and no longer believes in a return home, it is clear that the Islamic State is stronger than the coalition bombs. The prel- ate said the commitment of the Church and ecclesiastical personalities to families who still live in tents, in schools, in classrooms and in the parishes. He adds that the focus is to help them live in a more humane way, and we are grateful for the many donations that come from all over the world. Were looking for houses to rent - says the archbishop of Mosul - but it is impos- sible to find accommodation for all, so we are looking for other solutions. Msgr. Nona warns of the many risks, many chal- lenges and difficulties experienced by the Iraqi Christian families torn from their land: How is it possible to stick together - asks the prelate - and lead the everyday life of a family home, when you are in a tent in a public school or sharing an apartment with other families. Problems are emerg- ing in terms of personal relationships, in the internal relationship of the couple and education of children, all the problems that accompany serious economic difficulties. This is why priests promote activities for children and young people, to help them play to forget, even for a few moments, the drama of war. Finally, the archbishop of Mosul calls on the Synod in Rome to pay attention to the diffculties experienced by families, look- ing at different situations and different realities elaborating that is not a global one for everyone, but respecting the way of thinking and living of families around the world. (AsiaNews) Church leads ght against gay discrimination in Nigeria VATICAN CITY, Oct 11, 2014 The Catholic Church in Nigeria has been at the forefront in fghting discrimination towards persons with same-sex attrac- tion, says Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos, who adds that media coverage of the Church has been imbalanced. In one of the strongest state- ments made about homosexual- ity during the frst week of the Synod on the Family, the Ni- gerian prelate told the press on Oct. 8 that the Catholic Church respects all human beings, and we believe we are all created in the image and likeness of God. Archbishop Kaigama said that the people of Africa believe mar- riage is only between a man and a woman, based on culture, biol- ogy, and religious belief. How- ever, he stressed that this does not translate into support for the the criminalizing of people with different sexual orientations. The Catholic Church is in the forefront of defending them, he said, and we would defend any person with a homosexual orien- tation who has been harassed, who has been imprisoned, who has been punished. The archbishop criticized the media for focusing on the Churchs defense of marriage be- tween a man and a woman, while ignoring the Churchs advocacy against discrimination towards persons with same-sex attraction. They forgot that we are seri- ous defenders of human rights. We have our justice and peace department, we go to prisons, we see people who are unjustly im- prisoned, or denied their rights. The media should have a bal- anced approach, he said, in the sense that we respect human beings. Even though homosexual ac- tivity is not in conformity with our culture and religion, the archbishop continued, we do not just throw away the persons. We embrace them in love. We try to share our point of view. We dont punish them. The pastoral care of persons with same-sex attraction has received relatively little atten- tion thus far, although it is on the agenda for the Synod on the Family. At the opening session of the Synod on Oct. 6, Cardi- nal Peter Erdo noted a broad consensus that people with a homosexual orientation should not be discriminated against. In an Oct. 10 briefng, Holy See Press Offce director Fr. Federico Lombardi told the press that participants had noted the need for further discussion on issue of same-sex marriage. The diffcult and controversial questions will come, Arch- bishop Kaigama told the press. By the grace of God, were go- ing to deal with them the best way possible for the good of the Church and the salvation of souls. (CNA) PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Oct 10, 2014-- At a recent Mass, the bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands revealed a roadmap for pastoral plan- ning to guide the transformation of their societies. The new evangelization is at the core of the pastoral plan, along with the pastoral care of the family, the poor, the youth, street kids, as well as the media and a wide range of social concerns, Fr. Giorgio Licini, head of social communications for the bish- ops conference, told CNA. The pastoral plans priorities are adapt- ed to the unique challenges facing the population of the two island nations located in Melanesia. In Papua New Guinea, nearly all the population is Christian, and 27 percent is Catholic. Yet many Christians there inte- grate indigenous beliefs and practices into their religious life. Many indigenous Papua New Guin- eans believe in sorcery, and retain such practices as contraception, abortion, and polygamy. In 1945, the nation gained a saint in Blessed Peter To Rot, a catechist who was martyred following his denun- ciation of polygamy. The pastoral plan is meant to underline the importance and the role of the Gospel in transforming Papua New Guinean society, especially in correcting such tra- ditional practices as polygamy. Archbishop Michael Banach, apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea and to the Solomon Islands, at the pastoral plans unveiling that this is the frst time that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands has worked out a common pastoral plan. (CNA) PNG and Solomon Islands bishops reveal joint pastoral plan A S IA N E W S . IT World News Vatican Briefng Sheer barbarism against Middle East families must end The Synod of Bishops on Friday denounced barbaric violence in the Middle East, saying the Holy Familys flight to Egypt offers a sign of hope and reconciliation for all families suffering due to armed conflict. We join with the Holy Father Francis in emphasizing that no one may use the name of God to commit violence, and that to kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege, the Oct. 10 message read. The message, addressed to all families who suffer as a consequence of the numerous conflicts the world is currently undergoing, came in the context of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, whose meetings are taking place Oct. 5 to Oct. 19. The message offered specific prayers for the fami- lies of Syria and Iraq, who have been forced to abandon everything and flee towards a future without any form of certainty due to their membership in a certain religious or ethnic community. (CNA) Teen Malalas Nobel prize sparks pride in Pakistani bishop Malala Yousafzai has received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 making her the youngest ever recipient of the prestigious award and prompting local Archbishop Joseph Coutts to laud the great honor shes bestowed on the country. The Pakistani teenager gained global attention when she was shot in the head by Taliban activists in 2012, at the age of 14, as a punishment for her public campaign for the rights of girls to be educated. She received treatment for her injuries in the United Kingdom, where she continues to reside with her family. Yousafzai has continued to campaign for global access to education. This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard, Yousafzai told the press on Oct. 10 following her reception of the reward. They have the right to receive quality educa- tion. They have the right not to suffer from child labor, not to suffer from child traffcking. They have the right to live a happy life. (CNA) Pope Francis to make apostolic voyage to France in 2015 In their announcement of the Popes schedule for his visit to the European Parliament next month, the Vatican also revealed that he intends to return to France in 2015 for a longer visit. In the context of the publication of the schedule of the Pope to the European Parliament and to the Council of Europe that will take place November 25, I can now say now that the Holy Father intends to make an apostolic voyage to France in the coming year 2015, Vati- can spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. said in an Oct. 7 statement. The announcement of Pope Francis projected visit to France marks his second international trip set for 2015, the first being a Jan. 12-19 visit to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. (CNA) Benedict could attend Paul VI beatification, spokesman reveals Retired pontiff Benedict XVI may take part to Paul VIs be- atifcation Mass Oct. 19, revealed Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Offce. Asked if the former Pope was expected to give his personal contribution to the two-week synod of bishops, Fr. Lombardi said during a press conference that it is not expected that the Pope emeritus will take part in the synod, which is so committing and long. Since his resignation, the Pope emeritus has been living a private life in prayer, Fr. Lombardi, adding that everybody hopes to see him for Paul VIs beatifcation. The beatifcation Mass will take place Oct. 19, at the end of the extraordinary synod on the familythe synod of bishops being an institution the late Pope wanted and promoted. (CNA) Vatican media reform committee to make first proposals by Easter Having met for the frst time late September, the committee to reform the Vaticans media and communications will continue to formulate its proposals, being able to present them by Easter of 2015. In an interview granted to Vatican Radio Sept. 24, Chris Patten, who chairs the committee, emphasized that the Churchs resources must be spent as effectively as possible to communicate its unique message of healing, love, hope and generosity of spirit. Pattens words thus disclose that the committees frst goal is to rationalize the expenses of the Vaticans media. The committee was established in July, and met Sept. 22-24. It will again meet in November and Decem- ber, making an in-depth analysis of the state and structure of Vatican media. (CNA) Cardinal Pells secretariat continues economic reform at the Vatican The Secretariat for the Economy is developing a fnancial management manual which is to be the basis of budgeting and accounting operations in 2015 for Vatican agencies. To sup- port the new budgeting and fnancial management practices being developed under the supervision of the Council, the Secretariat is preparing a manual of key fnancial management policies, read a Sept. 26 internal bulletin from the economy secretariat. The manual will help all areas meet the Councils requirement for compliance with inter-national standards. The Secretariat for the Economy, as well as the Council for the Economy, were established Feb. 24 by the motu proprio Fidelis dispensator et prudens. (CNA) Church suffers from bishops choosing ill-suited priests, pope says Many of the problems in the church today come from accepting men who are unsuitable for the priesthood, Pope Francis told the Congregation for Clergy. The vocations crisis and lack of priests have meant that we bishops are tempted to take in, without discernment, the young men who present themselves. This is bad for the church, he told those taking part in the congregations plenary assembly meeting at the Vatican. We have to think of the good of the people of God, which means taking the time to screen and study those seeking a voca- tion, he said Oct. 3. The church does need priests and there is a lack of vocations, he said, but the solution cannot come at the expense of the faithful. (CNS) Pope: People must open hearts to migrants who face closed borders People need to open their hearts to the many people who are forced to migrate as they face enormous diffculties and sometimes tragedy, Pope Francis said. I pray for closed hearts that they may open. And everything I have available to me, is available to you, he told a group of young Eritreans who survived a deadly shipwreck off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa. The pope met with 20 survivors and their family members at the Vatican Oct. 1, just a few days shy of the anniversary of the Oct. 3, 2013, disaster. More than 360 people were killed after a boat, reportedly carrying more than 500 migrants from northern Africa, capsized and sank near Lampedusa, Italys southernmost island. Some 155 people survived. (CNS) A3 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Speakers ask pope, synod to clear up confusion on contraception VATICAN CITY, Oct. 9, 2014A married couple from Brazil told Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops that the church should stop giving contradictory ad- vice on birth control and help Catholics obey church teaching against contraception. On the same morning, one of the synods leaders spoke forcefully against a widespread contraceptive mentality that has led many Catholics to think the use of artifcial birth control is not a sin. Arturo and Hermelinda As Zamberline, married for 41 years with three children, addressed the synod during the morning session Oct. 9. The designated subject for the session was the pastoral challenges concerning an openness to life. We must admit without fear that many Catholic couples, even those who seek to live their marriage seriously, do not feel obligated to use only the natural methods of birth control condoned by the church, said the Zamberlines, leaders in their country of an international Catholic movement, Teams of Our Lady. We must add that generally they are not ques- tioned by their confessors on the subject. The Zamberlines, who are participating in the synod as non-voting auditors, said the rhythm of life today makes it diffcult to fnd time to learn natural methods of family plan- ning, which they said have ac- quired an unjust reputation of being unreliable, because they are badly explained and thus badly practiced. The great majority of couples do not reject the use of contra- ceptive methods. In general, they do not consider them a moral problem, the Zamberlines said. The Brazilian couple con- cluded with an appeal to the pope and the synod to help Catholics understand and obey Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical by Pope Paul VI that affrmed church teaching against contraception. If couples, as well as clergy, could at least fnd illumination and support, that would already be a great encouragement! Of- ten, contradictory advice only aggravates their confusion. We ask, may the magisterium hasten to give priests and faithful the major lines of a pastoral teaching program to help people adopt and observe the principles laid out in Humanae Vitae, the Zamberlines said. In remarks introducing the couple to the assembly, Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris, one of three synod presidents ap- pointed by the pope, said Catho- lic couples often do not believe that the use of contraceptive methods is a sin and therefore they tend not to speak of them in confession and so they receive Communion untroubled. It is necessary to encour- age a mentality of openness to life to thwart the contraceptive mentality and the spread of an individualist anthropological model that in certain countries has led to a strong demographic drop whose social and human consequences are not suffciently considered today, the cardinal said. (Francis X. Rocca/CNS) Synod fathers ask: Does the church need to watch its language? VATICAN CITY, Oct. 10, 2014In of- fcial reports of the closed-door talks at the Synod of Bishops on the family, an emerging theme has been the call for a new kind of language more appropriate for pastoral care today. Language appeared many, many times, Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, the briefer for English-speaking journal- ists, told reporters Oct.7, the assemblys second working day. Theres a great desire that our language has to change in order to meet the very complex situ- ations the church faces. One bishop, whom Father Rosica did not name in accordance with synod rules, reportedly told fellow partici- pants that language such as living in sin, intrinsically disordered or con- traceptive mentality are not necessarily words that invite people to draw closer to Christ and the church. (Intrinsi- cally disordered is a term used by the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe homosexual acts.) Speaking to the synod Oct. 7, Arch- bishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin spoke of the need for new language with which to communicate with mar- ried couples. To many, the language of the church appears to be a disincarnated language of telling people what to do, a one-way dialogue, the archbishop said, accord- ing to excerpts of his remarks published by the Irish bishops conference. The lived experience and struggle of spouses can help fnd more effective ways of expression of the fundamental elements of church teaching. Following the same session, Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier of Durban, South Africa, told Catholic News Service that language is something weve over- looked for a good while; weve used language that is out of touch with the way people speak today. In the past, it was suffcient to say to people, You are going to hell if you continue this way of life. Hell was a reality and it was something they knew and they understood it. But if you talk about hell today, people dont know what you are talking about, Cardinal Napier said. So I think the emphasis is shifting (toward), how can you be in a loving relationship with Jesus, and through Jesus with your brother and sister in the church, if you are living in this condition which separates and alienates you from Jesus? German Cardinal Walter Kasper, whose controversial proposal to make it easier for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion has been a major topic of discussion at the synod, told CNS Oct. 1 that a traditional description of such couples as practicing perpetual adultery is not acceptable in a pastoral context. If you tell people who live in this way and they do it in a responsible way, tell them that adultery, permanent adul- tery, I think they would feel insulted and offended. We must be very careful also in our language, Cardinal Kasper said in English. Permanent adultery? It seems to me too strong. Couples living together outside of marriage, using contraception or resorting to in vitro fertilizationall activities prohibited by Catholic moral teachingdeserve more respect and a more nuanced evaluation than the language of certain church documents appears to prescribe. The mechanisms of accusation and exclusion they have the potential to activate can only block the way to evangelization, Bishop Bonny wrote. The synod heard an example of newer language Oct. 6, when two non-voting auditors told Pope Francis and the rest of the assembly that Catholic parishes should welcome same-sex couples. In their remarks, Ron and Mavis Pi- rola used the word gay, rather than homosexual person, which has been the preferred term in offcial Vatican discourse. The Pirolas may have taken their cue from the pope, who famously used the word gay during an infight news conference in July 2013. The Pirolas also said much of the churchs teaching is expressed in lan- guage that seems to be from another planet and not terribly relevant to our own experiences. Not all synod fathers have the same idea of what language the church should adopt or discard. Later that day, Cardinal Vingt-Trois told CNS that, although the church must fnd modes of expression and modes of communication that will allow it to announce the good news so that it may be heard, changing pastoral language does not mean changing the language in which theologians formulate church teaching. When a physician makes a diagno- sis, he uses terms to designate precisely the disease in question, but these terms, if he tells them to the patient, he will not understand them. Therefore, he must explain the diagnosis with words that are not technical words. In theology, it is the same thing, Cardinal Vingt-Trois said. (Francis X. Rocca/CNS) PH couple shares abortion story with Pope, bishops at Synod VATICAN City, Oct. 10, 2014A Filipino couple who had once been faced with the possibility of aborting their own child, shared with the Holy Father and the worlds prelates gathered at the Synod on the Family the decision they made the day they said no to abortion. Healthy baby girl On my fourth pregnan- cy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. We were told that my life would be at risk if I continued the pregnancy and my child had a high probability of being born abnormal, shared Cynthia Campos, a mission volun- teer of Couples for Christ (CFC), who was with her husband George, CFC ex- ecutive director, and Manila Archbishop Lus Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle representing the Philippines at Synod 14 on Oct. 8. We were advi sed t o choose between terminating the pregnancy and taking the risk. It was truly a test of faith and surrender. We decided to have the baby and to abide by the will of God, she said. By Gods grace, we both survived and my daughter Christen is now very healthy and full of life, Campos added. Married in 1987, hus- band-and-wife George and Cynthia Campos have been blessed with four children. As CFC members, they commit themselves to liv- ing as Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth and to a mission of Building the Church of We need more, younger catechists bishop JARO, Iloilo, Oct. 7, 2014 A new gen- eration of younger catechists is needed, says a bishop during the launching of the National Catechetical Month with the theme Ikay kag Ako: LAIKO; Ikaw, Kita, KATEKISTA! in the Archdiocese of Jaro on Oct. 6. We need more catechi sts. We need more and younger catechists! Jaro Archbishop Angel N. Lagda- meo said both seriously and jok- i ngl y duri ng the 8: 30 a. m. Hol y Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Candles (Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral). He encouraged the faithful to invest in training young people, who, he said, will serve the Church as dedicated cat- echists for many years. In the homily, Lagdameo also told the faithful that, while everyone is called to be a saint, to be a catechist entails a spe- cial grace. He explained that it is a grace not only to announce the Word of God but one that directly identifes a person with the Word. This is why, he said, recalling a teach- ing of Pope Paul VI in his exhortation on Evangelization, the catechist will only be effective if he is not only a teacher but, above all, a witness. Lagdameo went on to remind his lis- teners of the importance of prayer in the life of a catechist. (Fr. Mickey Cardenas) The Archdiocese of Jaro launched the National Catechetical Month with the theme Ikay kag Ako: LAIKO; Ikaw, Kita, KATEKISTA! on Oct. 6, 2014. SHEILA BANDERADO the Home and of the Poor. But the Camposes story is not as simple as it seems. Serving as a family Cynthia would have been a nun but was told by a priest she was consulting that a cloistered life was not for her. I applied to be a nun with the Rosas Hermanas (Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit), a contemplative con- gregation. I was accepted. However, I was asked to un- dergo a one-on-one directed retreat with a priest. At the end of the retreat the priest said, You are not meant for the religious life. God will give you a husband who will help you rear the chil- dren who will serve Him in the future. Your work is outside. George, a former altar server at the convent his future wife was applying to, had an enviable position in a company he dedicated 25 years of his life tountil God called him. At age 46, I opted to re- sign. I told the owner that I have spent the frst half of the prime of my life serving this company and now I want to spend the 2nd half serving the Lord, he said. Cynthia, at 47, quit her job also, so that the two could serve together as a couple. We have grown deeper in faith and love for the Lord through our teaching f ormat i ons and weekl y household prayer meet- ings with other couples. Thi s bl essed encount er with Jesus led us to be- come fulltime missionary di sci pl es. Our chi l dren are following suit. They have joined the CFC Family Ministries beginning with Kids, Youth and Singles for Christ. We have been i n mi ssi ons together i n Vi et nam, Thai l and and Australia, George added. In 1998, Cynthia was diag- nosed with breast cancer, and was told by her doctor she had only three to six months left to live. Instead of letting the ill- ness take over their lives, the Campos couple and children stood fast in their service, knowing they are supported by the prayers of their family and their CFC community. Cynt hi a shared, My prayer was Lord, with just a flick of your finger you could change my illness. You just have to will it. God heard our prayers, for now I am standing before you cured with a simple medical intervention and a dose of antibiotics, she said. (Ray- mond A. Sebastin) A teen hero and her story PARAAQUE City, Oct. 8, 2014Girl. Teenager. Heroshe is all these rolled into one. Barely ffteen, Rodelyn Molina had al- ready done what most grownups wont even dare doing, even if they could put her life at risk to save someone else. Its not in spite of, but because of her scars that so fttingly sums up the es- sence of this years Childrens Month, an event celebrated at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the rest of the country each October. Risked her life Speaking before a shrine full of Ba- claran devotees on Sunday, Oct. 5a feat heroic in itselfMolina proved to the world there is more to todays kids than gadgets and games. In December 2011, Molina, who was then 11 years old, risked her life to save a three-year-old child trapped in an area which caught fre following a plane crash. Unconscious and burnt beyond rec- ognition, the two were rushed to the hospital, where the younger one died soon after from serious injuries. Learning of the girls fate later, Molina could only be happy for the toddler, knowing in her heart the child was already in a place far better than the one she had left behind. She now enjoys the Lords com- pany, she said in her speech. Scars of bravery Her selfess bravery notwithstanding, the now disfgured Molina often fnds herself putting up with the cruel taunts of small-minded people unaware of what she has been through. Molina says she couldnt care less, certain it is not for nothing she has earned her scars. Lesser mortals would have been ashamed of theirs, consigning themselves to seclusion, but not Molina, who seems to wear them as athletes do their medals, yet with all the innocence of youth. Shed rather mind her studies which she was forced to quit during her re- covery. Unfortunately, the girl who, years before politicians would fght to have a photo-op with, is practically a nobody today, with little prospects in life. She needs our help. Those interested to extend assis- tance to her may contact 09077233421. (Raymond A. Sebastin) Rodelyn Molina, who risked her life to save a three-year-old from a burning structure in 2011, shares her story during the launch of Childrens Month at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on Oct. 5, 2014. BACLARAN MULTI-MEDIA MINISTRY George and Cynthia Campos, shown here at a recent Couples for Christ event, shared their life story at the ongoing Synod on the Family in Rome, Italy. MARIA AURORA JAPITANA News Features A4 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor EDITORIAL Opinion Pedro C. Quitorio Editor-in-Chief Nirvaana E. Delacruz Associate Editor Roy Q. Lagarde News Editor Kris Bayos Features Editor
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M a t i a s THE need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good order of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises. Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be considered merely temporary responses. As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and fnancial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the worlds problems or, for that matter, to any problems. Inequality is the root of social ills. The dignity of each human person and the pursuit of the common good are concerns which ought to shape all economic policies. At times, however, they seem to be a mere addendum imported from without in order to fll out a political discourse lacking in perspectives or plans for true and integral development. How many words prove irksome to this system! It is irksome when the question of ethics is raised, when global solidarity is invoked, when the distribution of goods is mentioned, when reference in made to protecting labor and defending the dignity of the powerless, when allusion is made to a God who demands a commitment to justice. We can no longer trust in the unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market. Growth in justice requires more than economic growth, while presupposing such growth: it requires decisions, programmes, mechanisms and processes specifcally geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality. I am far from proposing an irresponsible populism, but the economy can no longer turn to remedies that are a new poison, such as attempting to increase profts by reducing the work force and thereby adding to the ranks of the excluded. I ask God to give us more politicians capable of sincere and effective dialogue aimed at healing the deepest rootsand not simply the appearancesof the evils in our world! Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good. We need to be convinced that charity is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones). I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor! It is vital that government leaders and fnancial leaders take heed and broaden their horizons, working to ensure that all citizens have dignifed work, education and healthcare. Economy, as the very word indicates, should be the art of achieving a ftting management of our common home, which is the world as a whole. Each meaningful economic decision made in one part of the world has repercussions everywhere else; consequently, no government can act without regard for shared responsibility. --Evangelii Gaudium, #202-206, 2013 THIS was how Pope Francis exhorted the participants of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops during the opening session on October 5. He said: A basic general condition is this: to speak clearly It is necessary to say everything that is felt with parrhesia. After the last Consistory (February 2014) in which there was talk of the family, a Cardinal wrote to me saying: too bad that some Cardinals didnt have the courage to say some things out of respect for the Pope, thinking perhaps, that the Pope thought something different. This is not good; this is not synodality because it is necessary to say everything that in the Lord one feels should be said, with human respect, without fear Therefore, I ask you, please, for these attitudes of brothers in the Lord: to speak with parrhesia and to listen with humility. After the frst half of the Synod, the Relator, Cardinal Peter Erdo, presented the Relatio Post Disceptationem, a midterm report that outlined the main questions highlighted at the general congregations from October 6 to 10. According to Vatican reports, the hour-long presentation of the Relator has caused 41 out of 184 synod fathers to take the foor and comment on the presentation. Some commented that the midterm report used strikingly conciliatory language toward divorced and remarried Catholics, cohabitating couples and same-sex unions which did not refect the general views of the participants. The prefect of the Vaticans Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature told the Catholic World Report that the midterm report advances position which many synod fathers do not accept and, I would say, as faithful shepherds of the fock cannot accept. Clearly, the response to the document in the discussion which immediately followed its presentation manifested that a great number of synod fathers fount it objectionable. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban, South Africa, when told about media reports that the synod midterm report has stirred a new overture among divorced Catholics and homosexuals, said: Thats one of the reasons why theres been such an upset among synod fathers, because were now working from a position thats virtually irredeemable. The message has gone out, this is what the synod is saying, this is what the Catholic Church is saying, and thats not what we are saying at all. Presumably, the synod fathers heeded the exhortation of the Holy Father to speak with parrhesiaand liberally at that within the confnes of the synod walls. But when they did, it reportedly stirred controversy, because, aside from the fact that some contents of relatio synodi (synods report) were highly contentious (e.g. the report of the Holy See press offce that some synod fathers complained that the word sin is almost not present in the relatio.), its handling by the media made it appear that the relatio was fnal, when in fact it is only a working document, and, therefore, provisional. Cardinal Napier is concerned: My worry is that the message has gone outand its not a true messagethat this synod has taken up these positions, and whatever we say hereafter is going to be as if were doing some damage control, which is certainly not what is in my mind. Fr. Roy Cimagala Candidly Speaking The economy and the distribution of income Speak with parrhesia Ominous cry for renewal Rosary most relevant today And Thats The Truth / A7 Same-sex synod what? Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS and thats the truth Oscar. V. Cruz, DD Views and Points SUCH is the nature of the THE LIPA DECLARATION: AN URGENT CALL FOR NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION 27 AU- GUST A.D. 2014/2 DHU AL QADA A.H. 1435made by individuals from different professions and occupations, from differ- ent Churches in the Philippines, from the Muslim community, from active and retired government offcials. It is ominous because there are more and more people who are dis- mayed, if not, in fact, disgusted by the pres- ent government. No. They are not pessimists in spirit but simply realists in perceptions. It is also ominous because it echoes the exasperation and downright anger of more and more groups of people. It is ominous too, whereas, it is well in accord with lesser and lesser approval ratings of the national leader- ship. That is why although the Declaration was made and proclaimed in Lipa, it is slowly but surely making the rounds all over the country and thus making more people know it and thus also become more hopeful. The truth is that while composed and made in Lipa just recently, the sentiments it proclaims and the options it affrms have already existed -- for some time now as aroused in a special way by the dirty and sticky Pork Barrel revelationwith special mention of DAP, of which the august and illustrious creator does not even know the meaning of savings! To this date however, only non-Party mates of Malacaang are suf- fering the consequencesconsidering that those affliated with the latter are all saints. Three signal questions come to mind: What is Transformation? It does not sim- ply mean a change but a real changeover, a transmutation, a transfguration where what is existing, usual and customary is renewed, re-made, reformed. When will Transformation start? It can only start when precisely the one who is the over-all cause of the national malady and deterioration, is out of the way, divested of power and set aside. Who leads the Transformation? It is not simply one or two individuals no matter how competent or able they arebut a group of such qualifed and trust- worthy people acting as a temporary Council until the said Transformation is done. Renewal is mandatory for what is odious and deleterious! WE have just celebrated the liturgical memo- rial of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7). Its this celebration that has made the whole month of October the month of the rosary. Lets hope that we appreciate the true value of this prayer. I still remember my childhood days in the province when we were forced or at least pressured to say the rosary with Lola and Mama and other siblings who were caught at the time of this prayer. We did it kneeling down. Of course, I didnt quite like it, but neither did I feel mistreated. Filial obedience played a big role in this. Since I could not escape, I just played along, but wondered why this prayer was so important it had to be that way. In a sense, I was both there and not there, my mind alternating between praying and getting distracted. Pretension reigned often. It was only late in my youth, while I was already separated from the family to study in Manila, and therefore quite independent but aware I had to fend for myself, that I realized how important this prayer was. For a start, it gave me a tremendous calming effect. To a person who was extremely excitable and sensitive as I wasthough I would also know how to cover these traitsthe rosary was most welcome. It gave me time and space to breathe and consider things more calmly. But I soon discovered other more impor- tant aspects of this Marian prayer. I realized the value of vocal prayers. What I tended to take for granted actually contained precious ideas. I somehow discerned a certain beauty in them, far removed from merely physical beauty and transitory worldly pleasures. And so to prevent me from falling into mere mechanical praying, I would focus on some phrases of the prayers, one at a time, and try to understand and fathom their meaning and fgure out how they can affect my life. Thats when I relished the reality of God being a father to me, of what my attitude should be toward Him, what I can expect from Him, what I ought to ask from Him, etc. Also, that Mary is such a wonderful mother who is a most worthy model to follow, the most competent teacher with respect to the virtues I ought to develop. More importantly, the rosary would start to give me a global picture of the redemptive life of Christ which I used to take for granted. Even a cursory meditation of the mysteries of the rosary would elicit all kinds of insights and considerations that I felt were very use- ful to me. I could use the youth-speak of cool to describe them. With the rosary, I get the sensation that I am seeing the different parts of the life Christ through the eyes of Mary, the one who un- derstood perfectly the life of Christ and con- formed herself to it is the most intimate way. In other words, the rosary helped me to be a practical contemplative right in the middle of the world, teaching me how to see things through the eyes of faith and devotion. It inculcated in me a living piety that knows how to be lived right in the midst of the secular world. This, to me, is the greatest effect of the ro- sary. It is indeed an effective means to instill a supernatural outlook in us, a handy tool to ask for special favors through our Mothers intercession, a good way to spend time and know more about Christ and about her. If there are pressures to bear, problems to solve, challenges to face, and even special intentions to pray for, the rosary is a good companion. Even when we get visited by insomnia, the rosary helps us go to sleep. Especially these days when we are buf- feted with all kinds of tension-causing predicaments, the rosary is a good antidote. It puts our mind and heart in their proper place, frmly rooted on Christ and oriented toward Him. It makes us conscious of our human and Christian duties. The rosary can be done anytime, any- where. It need not be fnished in one sitting. And with the new technologies which enable us to follow it while listening to its record- ing, it can be done quite easily, even while we are driving. Its good to spread this devotion as widely as possible, frst in the family, then in the neighborhood, in schools, parishes, offces, etc. We can also organize pilgrimages to shrines of our Lady. All these can only have good effects on us all. THEY are at it againthose who have an axe to grind against the Catholic Church are fnding media morsels to feast upon at the ongoing Synod of Bishops in the Vatican. Further exploiting Pope Francis most misconstrued quote Who am I to judge?, these people with special in- terests label what is actually a synod on the family as same- sex synod, a novelty, an oc- casion for hundreds of celibate men to display once more their obsession with sex colliding head on with their puritanical idealism. It is high season for optimistic militant LGBT enti- ties to repackage and resell their pet theories while judging the bishops and the Church as being outdated and woefully out of touch with reality. I follow with mixed amuse- ment and compassion the ways anti-Church advocatesclaim- ing human rightsmanipu- late mainstream and social media to advance their agenda. They start with looking oppressedas though gays were the most tyr- annized people on planet Earth. But are they, seriously? At least in the Philippines, they are far from oppressedthey are not only accepted, they are loved, adored, and some are even en- vied for their wealth and popu- larity. And their gifts and talents are not just acknowledged by the Church but are welcomed and utilized in its ministry. I have heard of gay boys being rejected by their fathers, but only in the movies. All the gay persons I know have no problem with acceptance. The earliest memories I have of gays are those about the two men in charge of our towns Flores de Mayo. Dalawang bakla lang ang gumagawa ng lahat diyan, my mother would admiringly inform us, referring to the two middle-aged unmar- ried menwith soft wrists and hard core devotion to the Virgin Marywho would virtually bloom whenever Santacruzan time came around. They recruit- ed sagalas, assigned Reinas their consortes, supervised the make- up, the fower arrangements, the carroza decorationeverything! It never occurred to me that they were differentmaybe I was too nave to notice, just as I was too innocent to appreciate the biggest role in the Santacruzan given to meAng Babaeng Samaritana. No, I think the LGBT champi- ons want more than mere accep- tancethey want gay rights to be recognized as human rights. They want marriage (just like the straights), they want their own family of adopted kids, and in the process they try to revolutionize Church teaching in the name of human rights. Whats sad is they dont seem to understand that by fghting for gay rights they are seeking affrmation based on mere sexu- ality. In a sense they are actually asking people to measure their worth by the yardstick of sexual preference, thereby wasting their own potential as human beings. Claiming that the only natural A5 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Opinion A Christ-centered Papal Visit per pavore, por favor, please! Tacloban: One Year Later A Teacup without Tea We are saying poverty is not about money Rev. Eutiquio Euly B. Belizar, Jr., SThD By the Roadside Atty. Aurora A. Santiago Duc in Altum Fr. Francis Ongkingco Whatever MY sympathies lie with those who have taken the initiative in trying to shore up enthusiasm for the long-announced-and- much-anticipated coming of Pope Francis to the Philippines. They understand the power of images. The media hype over the life-size cardboard replicas of the Holy Father and such other paraphernalia says a lot about the excitement that has already been stirred up at least among Catholics and admirers of Pope Francis. Everything looks neat. Except for one thing. And this one thing is too crucial to ignore: Are these efforts not missing the real and essential sig- nifcance of the Holy Fathers visit, which is to proclaim Jesus Christ and not himself, in our midst and wherever he goes? Would Pope Francis be happy with a huge personality cult around him in the Philippines instead of the contin- ued growth of faith in Jesus Christ, unwavering hope and both being expressed by love that does justice and compassion among Filipi- nos? If the Holy Father himself is centered on Jesus the Master, shouldnt we? I know I need not belabor this point. Being a super typhoon Yolan- da survivor myself, I share in the joy of her victims in both Samar and Leyte as well as in other Central and Western Visayas provinces, who are anticipating a holy persons visit. But it is a joy that comes from Him whose presence the Holy Father brings and proclaims. The thought of that presence of Him who caused the infant John the Baptist to leap for joy (Lk 1:44) some- how has inspired me to make an unsolicited suggestion to those who are distributing the Holy Fathers cardboard replicas. I am not in the habit of making direct suggestions. But this time I am taking exception to that. Please allow me to do it indirectly. Just days after Yolanda I wit- nessed unforgettable traces of an incredibly horrifc devastation in Brgy Carmen, Hernani, Eastern Samar. The residents huts and their barangay chapel were either blown away or torn down into skeletal remains by mammoth waves and killer winds. All that was left of the chapel were parts of its walls and a roofess ceil- ing framework. The altar was nowhere in sight. But in its place the residents gathered images of the Sto. Nio, Mama Mary and the saints on top of a long table or the remnants of their altar niche. Then out of the blue our group saw a figure of a young man slowly walking his way to the altar. He had the huge crucifx of the chapel and he was carrying it on his shoulder the way Jesus is usually portrayed when he car- ries his cross. He wanted to put it where it belongs: at the center of the bare chapel altar. How, neither my companions nor I could tell. One of us, though, was a professional photographer, and he captured the scene in one gripping moment. That young mans figure re- minds me of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and what he has been doing for the Church and for the world. He has been busy pro- claiming to us the Crucifed Jesus and bearing Him on his shoulder so as to restore Him at the center of our hearts and the heart of every human being by his humility and compassion, the humility of Jesus Christ who emptied himself and took the form of a slave (Phil 2:7), the compassion of Jesus who dined with sinners and outcasts (Mt 9:10-11). Why not a replica that truly captures who the Holy Father is and what his ministry really means? ALMOST one year has passed after typhoon Yolanda, with international name Hiayan, devastated Tacloban and the rest of Central Visayas and part of Southern Luzon. How are the affected families doing? Fr. Rex Ramirez, Vicar General of the Arch- diocese of Palo, has confrmed earlier reports of the local government plan to relocate Yolanda survivors. The 250 affected families living in the Government Center compound in Candahug where they currently stay, will be transferred to the 300 permanent houses being constructed for them. The deadline for the relocation is November. Should the per- manent houses not be fnished as scheduled, the local government will have to move the residents to the temporary shelters in other parts of Palo. It is disheartening to learn about the plight of these Yolanda-affected families. A group of concerned citizens appealed to the Church to do something about it. It was reported that local politicians want to gloss over their ineffciency and incompetence in the rehabilitation work in their area almost a year after the tragedy by removing the survivors bunkhouses along the road which the Pope is expected to take during his visit to the town. These families are likely to face yet another displacement in the alleged whitewash campaign being planned by local government offcials in a bid to rid their town of eyesores ahead of the visit of Pope Francis, who will be in the Philippines from January 15 to 19, 2015. Ironically, the Pontiffs apostolic visit is precisely because of the Yolanda survivors whom he wants to visit and comfort. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC), as many as 3.4 million individu- als have been affected by the super typhoon. Pope Francis is the third pope to visit the Philippines; the frst two Popes were soon to be beatifed Pope Paul VI and St. John Paul II. *** In the opening of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis stated that We are all sinners and can also be tempted to take over the vineyard, because of that greed which is always present in us human beings. Gods dream always clashes with the hypocrisy of some of his servants. We can thwart Gods dream if we fail to let ourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us that wisdom which surpasses knowledge, and enables us to work generously with authentic freedom and humble creativity. The Philippines was at center-stage dur- ing the Synod on the Family when President Delegate Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, presided the event. The delegates also heard the witnessing of a Filipino couple, Mr. and Mrs. George Campos. The third General Congregation was entitled: The Gospel of the Family and Natural Law and Family and Vocation of the person in Christ. Mr. and Mrs. Campos are from the Arch- diocese of Manila. George Campos is a full- time pastoral worker, while his wife Cynthia is a mission volunteer in the same pastoral program of Couples for Christ. The couples shared that they have grown deeper in faith and love for the Lord through the teaching formations and weekly house- hold prayer meetings with other couples. This blessed encounter with Jesus led them to become fulltime missionary disciples. Their children are following suit. They have joined the CFC Family Ministries beginning with Kids, Youth and Singles for Christ. They have been in missions together in Vietnam, Thailand and Australia. During Cynthias dangerous pregnancy, they were told that her life would be at risk if she continued her pregnancy and the child had a high probability of being born abnor- mal. They were advised to choose between terminating the pregnancy or taking the risk. It was truly a test of faith and surrender. They decided to have the baby and to abide by the will of God. By Gods grace, both mother and child survived and the daughter is very healthy and full of life. Cynthia was also diagnosed with breast cancer, with 3 to 6 months to live. Instead of letting go of their service, they continued, supported by the prayers of their family and CFC community. Their prayer was Lord with just a fick of your fnger you could change my illness. You just have to will it. God heard their prayers and she is cured with a simple medical intervention and a dose of antibiotics. *** The clergy of the Diocese of Kalookan will hold the LaYKo si Pads Concert on November 14, 2014, Friday, 7:00pm at PICC Plenary Hall, CCP Complex, Roxas Boule- vard, Pasay City. The laity should support this concert since the proceeds will fnance the health care of the clergy of the Diocese. Tickets are available in all parishes in the Diocese, or you may contact the Curia offce at telephone number 288-9035. *** Happy 36th Fiesta to the parishioners and devotees of Nuestra Senora dela Paz y Buen Viaje, the patroness of the chapel in Cadorniga Street, Barangay Navotas West, Navotas City and within the jurisdiction of the Parish of San Ildefonso de Navotas. Known as Birhen Bilanggo, the Blessed Vir- gin has been proven to making miracles and all prayer-petitions are granted. *** I wish my nephews Patrick Robby Santia- go and Michael Gerald Rosales a very Happy Birthday. Michael and Robby are the young- est sons of Ate Violeta Santiago-Rosales and Bobby and Baby Santiago, respectively. Same birthday greetings go to Fr. Gau Sustento. Happy Sacerdotal Anniversary to Fr. Octavio Bartiana and Fr. Martin Guarin, all from the Diocese of Kalookan. AS we watched the moving beatifcation ceremony raising Bishop lvaro as one of the newest blessed of the Catholic Church, the student beside me whispered, Father, did you ever meet Blessed lvaro in person? I nodded a firm and proud affrmative. What was he like? Humanly and spiritually attractiveFatherly, I whis- pered back. Did he say anything unfor- gettable to you? Yup, What? That is was an empty tea- cup, I was amused to see the boys bewildered reaction. *** Do you speak Chinese? Bishop lvaro asked after he heard my very Chinese family name. Unfortunately, no, Father, I replied quite worried that my answer would perhaps disap- point him. But I was surprised that Bishop lvaro returned this with a very paternal smile. You are, as we say in Spain, like a teacup without tea! he jokingly remarked. The other people with us started to laugh and I no longer felt very insecure for not knowing how to speak Chinese. Back then in 1992, this sound- ed like a mere passing comment by Bishop lvaro, or the Father, as we familiarly and fondly call the one who received the sweet burden of becoming the head of the Prelature of Opus Dei who was lightening up the conversa- tion for his Filipino son who had just arrived in Spain and was obviously and nervously wres- tling with Spanish vocabulary and grammar. It would only be years later, after reading a more recent and detailed biography of Blessed lvaro, that I would realize how intensely he had set his heart and mind on the expansion of Opus Dei in Asia. Knowledge of either Mandarin or Cantonese was in- dispensable to begin and incorpo- rate oneself in that vast continent thirsty for God. Thus, his passing commentary was something both serious and urgent. It wasnt actually my frst time to meet Father lvaro. I was fortunate enough to greet him personally when he visited the Philippines in 1988. I had just joined Opus Dei then. Listening to him opened many horizons, especially the mission that we, his children in the Philippines, had in the whole of Asia. He also reminded us about our role in the Church: as vital sup- ports for the Pope, the bishops and our other faithful. He shared his personal encounters with John Paul II to help us pray more and ac- company closely the Holy Father. One striking anecdote was how he observed the Pope ar- riving very tired and dragging his feet. Bishop lvaro said with flial concern, Holy Father, you are very tired. John Paul II promptly replied, If Im not tired at this hour of the day, then Im not doing my job. This and many other stories from Bishop lvaro filled us with a richer outlook in our faith and a greater optimism to carry out our apostolic mission. I now return to my story about the empty teacup. Not only be- cause that was perhaps my last encounter with Bishop lvaro, but because it now affords me with a new lesson. Indeed, it would have been wonderful if my teacup had some tea but learning Manda- rin and going to China may not be one of the chapters written for my life. I realized, however, whether one knows Chinese or not, we all have as Bishop lvaro had taught and lived all his life the serious obligation to fll ourselves to the brim. This is realized by carrying out the simplest duties at hand where God expects us to serve him with our constant love and sacrifce. *** Mons. lvaro del Portillo was born in a Christian family in Madrid on 11th March 1914, the third of eight brothers and sis- ters. He held doctorates in Civil Engineering, in Philosophy and in Canon Law. In 1935, he joined Opus Dei, which had been founded by St. Josemara Escriv de Balaguer on 2nd October 1928. He lived out with complete fdelity his vocation in Opus Dei through the sanctifcation of his profes- sional work and the fulfllment of his ordinary duties, and car- ried out a profound apostolate with his fellow students and his professional colleagues. He soon became the closest aide of St. Josemara, remaining at his side for almost forty years. At St. Josemaras death on 26th June 1975, lvaro del Portillo succeeded him as the head of Opus Dei until his death on 23rd March 1994. After his death, thousands of people have sent written testimonies of their memories of his person: his kindness, the warmth of his smile, his humil- ity, his supernatural audacity, the interior peace which his words gave to them. On 28th June 2012, Benedict XVI authorized the Congrega- tion for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree on the heroic virtues of Bishop lvaro. On 5th July 2013, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing the miracle attributed to the in- tercession of lvaro del Portillo. Bishop lvaro was beatifed in Madrid, on 27th of September 2014. Commentary Sheila Liaugminas ONE can be poor in spirituality, poor in ideas, poor in educa- tion, and in many other ways. Gems of wisdom. Who is speaking with such bold clarity, and to whom? Nige- rian Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, to a Vatican press briefng during a break in the Extraordinary Synod on the Family. What he said is compelling. We are confronted with some issues, and sometimes [they are] quite perplexing. We recently had a big conference on pro-life issues, and in that conference, we came out very clearly to ascertain the fact that life is sacred, marriage is scared, and the family has dignity. We get international organizations, countries, and groups which like to entice us to deviate from our cultural practices, traditions, and even our religious beliefs. And this is because of their belief that their views should be our views. Their opinions and their concept of life should be ours. We say, No we have come of age. Most countries in Africa are independent for 50, 60, 100 years. We should be allowed to think for ourselves. We should be able to defne: What is marriage? What makes the family? When does life begin? We should have answers to those [questions]. We are wooed by economic things. We are told, If you limit your population, were going to give you so much. And we tell them, Who tells you that our population is overgrown? In the first place, children dieinfant mortalitywe die in inter-tribal wars, and diseases of all kinds. And yet, you come with money to say, Decrease your population; we will give you economic help. Now you come to tell us about reproductive rights, and you give us condoms and artifcial contraceptives. Those are not the things we want. We want food, we want education, we want good roads, regular light, and so on. Good health care. We have been offered the wrong things, and we are expected to accept simply because they think we are poor. And we are saying poverty is not about money. One can be poor in spirituality, poor in ideas, poor in education, and in many other ways. So we are not poor in that sense. We may be poor materially but we are not poor in every sense. So we say no to what we think is wrong. And time has gone when we would just follow without ques- tion. Now, we question. We evaluate. We decide. We ask questions. This is what we do in Africa now. Reading that, I wanted to stand up and cheer. Where are we hearing such strong voices of clarity and conviction these days? This is an important voice and message, and we need to pay it respectful attention. Note what Vatican analyst George Weigel said in this piece ahead of the Synod. The collapse of marriage culture throughout the world is indisputable. More and more marriages end in divorce, even as increasing numbers of couples simply ignore marriage, cohabit, and procreate. The effort to redefine marriage as what we know it isnt, and to enforce that redefinition by coercive state power, is well-advanced in the West. The contraceptive mentality has seriously dam- aged the marriage culture, as have well-intentioned but ultimately flawed efforts to make divorce easier. The sexual free-fire zone of the West is a place where young people find it very hard to commit to a lifelong relationship that inevitably involves sacrificing ones autonomy. And just as the Christian understanding of marriage is beginning to gain traction in Africa, where it is experienced as a liberating dimension of the Gospel, European theologians from dying local churches are trying to empty marriage of its covenantal character, reducing it to another form of contract. The Christian understanding of marriage, which is the understanding of a sacramental covenant between man and woman is beginning to gain traction in Africa, where it it experienced aswhat?liberating. Imagine that. Its time the West becomes aware of and comes to terms with what wethrough any number of proxieshave been exporting to Africa and other developing countries. This Washington Post interview with Bill Gates is revealing. Ezra Klein: Your letter talks a lot about the myth that aid will just lead to new problems through overpopulation. I was a bit surprised to read you focusing on it. Are fears around overpopulation an impediment in your day-to-day work? Bill Gates: Its a huge impediment in convincing rich- world donors that they should feel good about these health improvements. Our foundation focused in the 1990s on reproductive health. We werent nearly as big then. But we wanted to make contraception available because we thought population growth would make everything so difficult, whether its the environment or feeding kids or stability. It was only when we found out about this phenomenal connection between improved health and reduced population growth that we felt: Great, lets just make the foundation as big as possible to go after these health problems. Because before then the commonsense thing was more kids would make these problems less tractable. I dont think people like to say out loud that we want to let these kids die because there are too many of them. But by choosing not to get into health in our early days I was a victim of the myth around overpopulation. And here we are today: An African archbishop attending the worldwide meeting of Catholic bishops frankly criticized Western attitudes toward his continent Wednesday, lambasting imposition of foreign cultures on African people. Africans have come of age, said Nigerian Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama. We should be allowed to think for our- selves. We are wooed by economic things, said Kaigama, who heads Nigerias Jos archdiocese. We are told if you limit your population, were going to give you so much. And we tell them, Who tells you that our population is overgrown? Good question. Te Christian understanding of marriage, which is the understanding of a sacramental covenant between man and woman is beginning to gain traction in Africa, where it it experienced aswhat? liberating. Imagine that. A6 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Local News Old pics show Mayon church not buried, says historian MOST Filipinos had been taught it was buried in lahar following Mayons 1814 erup- tion, leaving only the belfry, but a few vintage photographs of the Cagsawa Church gives clues that may prove otherwise. While the building is obvi- ously in ruins now, a concerned Bicolano bent on setting histori- cal records straight pointed out that its destruction was gradual, and not so much as caused by the volcano itself as by the peoples reluctance to save it. Proof in pictures The faade and some of the walls fell on the ground over time because the area was abandoned for over 120 years. Today the walls continue to crumble gradually. Why? Because of our inaction, Abdon M. Balde, Jr. who posted these pictures on social media site Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 11, and have since created a stir. There was no signifcant fow of lava or lahar. The churchs combustible materials were burned. The bell tower stood because it has a massive base and no combustible materials. The rubbles of the fallen faade is right there beside the bell tower. Nothing to excavate but the church floor, explained Balde, a consultant of the Albay provincial government. Despite strong documentary evidence, not everyone was convinced. Jose Briones commented, As a tourism offcer and now retired, I never disputed this historical fact as it was written that it was buried in 1814. Who is more correct, the historians of today or the historians of yester- years? How can this historical fact be disproven? This to me is what happened: that Cagsawa was buried in 1814. And no one can change this, not by anyone Interfaith group condemns Pikit church bombing A LARGE alliance of Christian churches on Friday condemned the grenade attack on a Protestant church in South- ern Philippines that killed at least two people and hurt three others. The National Council of Churches in the Philippines said it mourns with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) at the suffering inficted by the attack on its church in Pikit, North Cotabato. Reports said that two motorcycle rid- ing men fred a M203 grenade into the UCCP church while the congregation was gathered in prayer. While motives behind this attack are still unclear, it is yet another suffering inficted on the UCCP which has al- ready experienced extrajudicial killing, disappearance and illegal detention of many of its members and pastors over the recent years, said NCCP General Secretary Fr. Rex Reyes. Our prayers at this time are with those who are grieving the loss of loved ones, we are praying for those who have been injured, for the congregation at Pikit, and the leadership of the UCCP, he said. The NCCP criticized those behind the heinous attack against its mem- ber church which is known for its strong campaign against human rights abuses. He said the country had enough of the culture of impunity where the innocent suffer and the guilty go free. We call on the responsible authori- ties to conduct a proper and thorough investigation of this atrocity so that those behind it will be brought before the courts and made to give account for this brutal crime, he said. (CBCPNews) Ecumenical group formed RECOGNIZING shared avenues for collaboration and dialogue, some 150 religious leaders from the major world faiths and members of civil society formed the Council of Religious Leaders on Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple in Pasay City. Calling it the way forward, Episcopal Commission on Inter- religious Dialogue (ECID) executive secretary Fr. Carlos Reyes said the Council of Religious Leaders, which gathers representatives from the Catholic Church, Islam, Buddhists, the Hindus, among others, will be a council of various religious denomi- nations that will not just spearhead projects and initiatives based on common values, but will form col- lective statements on socio-political issues like ecology and good gov- ernance on an institutional level. Representatives from the different religious denominations participat- ed at the inter-faith forum on Oct. 11, 2014 at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. (Photo: Masol Santiago) As religionists, we have a spiritual duty to counter the hijacking of reli- gionReligion fosters peace, unity, justice and harmony. As religionists, we have a spiritual duty to contribute positively to culture and society, not only what we can do unilaterally but also what we can do united, Reyes said in his opening message. The proposed structure of the said council will have various commit- tees for good governance, ecology, justice and peace, disaster relief, and confict resolution. It will have a secretariat, which temporarily fnds an offce in the Asian Confer- ence of Religions for Peace Philip- pines (ACRP) under the leadership of Dean Lilian Sison, its secretary general. Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) secretary general Fr. Marvin Mejia, who was present at the event, praised the move as a step towards the pastoral recommendations of Vatican II on ecumenism, which he lamented have largely remained just paper, for the Church in the Philippines. [The experience of inter-religious dialogue] has to go down1965 was Vatican II.. Fifty years after, its still a paper in the sense that communities are not experiencing this dialogue, this sense of harmony, Meijia said, expressing the hope that people of different faiths can come together even at the grassroots level. The formation of the Council was preceded by an inter-faith forum which focused on The Positive Role of Religion on Culture and Society. Dr. Michael Lao of Bud- dhas Light International Associa- tion gave a short presentation on Buddhism; Dean Julkipli Wadi of the UP Institute of Islamic Studies talked about Islam; and University of Sto. Tomas assistant professor Val Brillo presented the Catholic faith. Invited to the event as guests were representatives from the apol- ogist group Catholic Faith Defend- ers Manila, Robertson Poblete, Masol Santiago, Mary Hao, Eric Bernardino and Danilo Lampano. (Nirvaana Ella Delacruz) The Cagsawa Church near Mayon volcano shown in an old photo. NATIONAL ARCHIVES who wants to disclaim and push a controversy around it. Balde answered,The first workable camera was invented in 1816. The frst patented cam- era was by Wolcott in 1840. Eastman patented his camera in 1879which means these photographs of the ruins were all taken after the 1814 destruction of Cagsawa. He stressed, This is a picture of the church in 1928 before it was cleaned in 1936. The church was still standing. The caption says the church was buried, but the picture shows the faade still standing beside the bell tower. Also seen on the left are the faades of the Casa Real. He added, These pictures will not tell lies. What better proofs do we need? The evidences are there for us to see and to measure. Wrong information Others lament local tour guides, as well as the govern- ment marker displayed in the area peddle the wrong informa- tion, and school children learn this in school. This is what local guides in Cagsawa would tell their guests. I suggest they should be correct- ed at once because theyre the frontliners, said Dayrit Jelica. When I was there, the tour guide said the church was buried right there. Maybe we should give them a lecture or work- shop to correct the stories being spread out to the tourists, Myl- ene Narciso Urriza added. Tessa Espinas blames the error on Filipinos fascination with romance, often at the expense of historical truth. She said, We all want the more romantic version. Theres still much more than meets the eye, especially if we take time to remove our rose-colored glasses. Bernard Supetran believes lin- guistic blunder was more likely. I think whoever said that the Cagsawa Church was buried by lava had no intention to romanticize or exaggerate the incident. Maybe, in search of a more appropriate word, buried was used in the narration, she said. According to architect Rey- naldo O. Nacional, because of ignorance about the value of old structures, Filipinos had already lost so much of the built heritagechurches, municipios, plazasand they are bound to lose more if they do not rethink their development policies. Marne Kilates shared, In short, what happened, it seems, was that Cagsawa was never buried but simply abandoned after the devastating Mayon eruption of 1814 Thats where the historical rectifcation should start or come in. (Raymond A. Sebastin) preparing the faithful to embrace the idea of mercy and compassion which is the theme of the papal visit. Yung message na mas higit na ang layunin ni pope na makita yung mahihirap na nasalanta pero wala na- man sila sa Manila kundi nasa Leyte and Samar, (The message says that the pri- mary intention of the pope is to see the poor victims, but they are not in Manilathey are in Leyte and Samar.) Ga- riguez said. Di ko sinasabi na huwag na pumunta sa Manila. Ang sinasabi ko lang ang kahilin- gan ng mga nasalanta na mas matagal na makapiling si pope. (I am not saying that he should not go to Manila. All I am saying is that the longing of the survivors is that they should have more time with the pope.) If there are concerns about popes accommodation in typhoon-ravaged areas, the priest believes that is not a major problem. Titira yun kahit saan. Handa si pope na tumigil at makipamuhay sa mahihirap. Di naman kailangan sa fve star hotel, (He can stay wherever. The pope is ready to stay and live with the poor. He does not require a fve star hotel.) said Gariguez.
Survivors transfer A Catholic prelate sees no reason why Palo offcials should remove Yolanda sur- vivors from their present location in view of the papal visit if it will only mean glossing over their ineffi- ciency in the rehabilitation effort, and keeping Pope Francis from seeing the real situation there. While Manila Auxillary Bishop Broderick Pabillo clarifed he is not against any move that will give survivors permanent shelters and the means of earning their living, he is uncompromising in his opposition to a whitewash campaign to be initiated al- legedly by the Palo LGU that will make the post-Yolanda condition in the area look better than what it really is. Of course, Yolanda sur- vivors are not supposed to live in bunkhouses forever. They must have something they can permanently call their own. If their leaders motive in resettling them somewhere else is to give them all these things, so much the better. But if it is to their own self-interest, it will be wrong for politicians to hide survivors just so the Pope cant see them still making do with bunkhouses a year after Yolanda, the prelate said. Pabillo, who also chairs the CBCP Committee on Public Affairs, stresses the Holy Fathers upcoming visit is mainly about inspiring the people affected by the super typhoon, raising their morale, strengthening their faith, and not adding to their misery. Its disappointing there are people who can even think of exploiting Pope Francis for their own beneft. The Holy Father is coming here to help the poor, not to make them poorer, he added. The prelate reiterated that the Catholic Church, as the Church of the Poor, has always stood up and fought for the rights of the under- privileged. Meanwhile, Pabillo has called on the Archdiocese of Palo to look into this mat- ter further, and to dialogue with Palo leaders on behalf of Yolanda survivors. (With reports from Raymond Se- bastian) Time / A1 ofconfict in Mindanao. The bishops particularly insist on the participation in the exchange and debates on the law of the indigenous communities. It would violate the tenets of social justice to ignore them under the pretext of going by the desires of the majority, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP president, said in a statement. Citing lessons from the Middle East, he said the law will only succeed if its discussion will be inclusive, and called on all sectors to be allowed to take part in the process. Let those who have reservations to the proposal, or even those who oppose it, speak their minds freely, coherently and without reserve, and let those who advocate it argue as strenuously in its defense, for only in the context of intel- ligent but charitable discourse can we hope for a reasonable outcome and resolution, Villegas said. The bishops also pledged support for all initiatives and efforts to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao, saying that peace in the region has been a com- mon national aspiration for a very long time now. Villegas also said that the emergence of Bangsamoro should not mean the exclusion of any Filipino from any part of the country by reason of religious belief, ethnicity or language. Our Muslim brothers and sisters have found their way through vari- ous parts of the archipelago, settling in many provinces heretofore almost exclusively peopled by Christians, he said. He added: As far as we know, they have been welcomed, received and respected. It is our hope that Chris- tians too may receive hospitality in those parts of the one Republic that, by legislation, may be marked out as Bangsamoro. The House Representatives recently started committee hearings on the proposed BBL, as a series of public hearings are also set in different parts of Mindanao on the BBL that once ap- proved, will create a Bangsamoro core territory that will replace the Autono- mous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (CBCPNews) Bangsamoro / A1 being denied for sectors like farmers, indigenous people, fsherfolks, labor and even the victims of calamities. So with this celebration we are called to renew this commit- ment, Fr. Edwin Gariguez, CBCP-NASSA executive secretary, said in a statement. Year of the Poor Backed by its sister commis- sions, as well as the countrys 85 dioceses, NASSA, CBCPs development arm, has been tasked to spearhead the one- year celebration of the Year of the Poor, which will offcially open on Nov. 23, 2014, ending the Year of the Laity. Inspired by Luke 22:61, which reads Look at Jesus And the Lord turned and looked at Peter, this upcom- ing Year of the Poor is the third of the nine-year era of New Evangelization set to prepare the Filipino faith- ful for the ffth centenary of Christianity in the Philip- pines in 2021. According to Gariguez, it seeks to respond to the challenge posed by the Sec- ond Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) for the Church in the country to be a Church of the Poor, which CBCP noted, has become even more valid as before. The event also paid tribute to 40 years of Alay Kapwa, the Lenten evangelization program for the poor started in 1974, fosters love for ones neighbors and Gods creation through evangelization and resource mobilization of the local church while supporting NASSAs disaster emergency and advocacies toward social transformation and resiliency. Microfnance Forty years as a signifcant number in Bible is a com- mitment to share love and justice and to help the poor and the needy. Some of the activities of the program is the Friend Raising for the Poor. This project intends to raise P4 million in forty weeks to support the Self Help Group (SHEG) microfnance project to empower poor communi- ties, Gariguez shared. Themed Social Action Network: Fulflling its mis- sion of becoming Church of the Poor, the launch coincided with the National Social Action General As- sembly (NASAGA) hosted by the Diocese of Butuan, and which gathered together all Diocesan Social Action Centers (DSAC) to discuss every two years the various social issues confronted by their respective dioceses. Besides NASAGAs over 200 participants, Cceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona, who chairs CBCPs Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace (ECSA-JP); Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios M. Pueblos; and the local clergy also graced the occasion. (Raymond A. Sebastin) AK / A1 place for me. Not because of my travels and the dangers, but to see and hear, especially mothers talking to their children at the airport, bidding them goodbye. And you could see how their hearts are broken, he said. Tagle, who is one of the three Delegate Presidents of the ongo- ing Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, was at a loss to describe the plight of these Filipino migrant workers and their families, express- ing hope that these realities could be brought to the attention of his fellow Synod Fathers. [Then] you wonder what type of strength they need. Then you pray Lord, give them strength, he said. Tagle counts povertyextreme pov- ertyamong the many challenges to families in the Philippines. The prelate stressed, In one of our meetings at the Council of the Synod of Bishops, I sort of reminded them that poverty is not just an external context for many of us in the Philippines. It goes right at the heart of the family. It affects the relationship of the members of the immediate family, and even the future. Poverty, migration According to him, one dramatic effect of poverty is migration, which causes a temporary, but often prolonged separation in the Filipino family due to economic constraints. De facto there is a separation of cou- ples, of parents from their children. But not because they couldnt stand each other. Not because theres a breakdown in communication. Not because of con- ficts. They get separated because they love each other. And the best way for some of them to show concern, and love, and support is to leave, he explained. To leave the family and fnd employ- ment elsewhere. Its a separation that defnitely creates a wound and leaves a wound, especially on the children. I asked, for example, countries that receive Filipino migrants what pastoral program do we have for these individuals so that they could remain faithful to their spouses and remain faithful to their families back home, the cardinal added. Holding back his tears, Tagle asked, What type of emotional frst aidif you want to put it that waywould we offer to incoming migrants, most of them confused, lost, lonely? (Raymond A. Sebastin) Taglet / A1 for the public to see what climate change means and why there is a need to start making changes. According to him, economic powers are not solely responsible for this but everyone is called to care for the earth, especially in this time of grave danger for her and for all of us. In parishes, he said that church-based groups and civic organizations are called to explore ways to protect the environment as well as to propagate this environmental awareness. When necessary, he said Filipinos should lobby for legislation and advo- cate causes that will curb environmental degradation caused by the excesses of industry. Even as we do our best as in- dividuals and communities to curb climate change, we must realize it is already upon us, said Villegas, adding that the task of addressing the problem is an urgent one. Integral to this would be knowing the hazards that we face, knowing our environment, knowing our community, and working with our government and civil society organizations to prepare for the future, he said. (CBCPNews) CBCP / A1 A7 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Diocesan News Church wont change anti-nuke plant stand BALANGA, BataanDismissing lobbying from business groups, a Catholic bishop stresses his diocese will not change its stance against the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). Amid a looming energy crisis, Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said the diocese will counter plans to use nuclear power to generate electricity in the country. In a recent pastoral letter, he said the Churchs position on the issue was researched and discussed before a decision was taken. The Diocese of Balangas has de- cided. And the Diocese of Balanga makes a stand yet again, Santos said in the vernacular. The Diocese of Balangan is against this [move]. And this stand will not change. The BNPP damages life, liveli- hood and nature. The BNPP is not the answer to the present needs of the people. No one is safe from the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, he added. The bishop maintains that the mothballed nuclear power plant would endanger the lives of the Fili- pino people. Instead of reviving it, the diocese urged the government to focus on other alternatives for power genera- tion that are safe and sustainable. Because life is so much more valu- able to us than proft or money to be gained from cheap electricity or for the selfsh needs of the bodyWe believe that energy can be generated from wind or from water (hydro) or from the sun (solar) that can be studied, tested or harnessed. (CBCP News) Basilan bishop: governance is Bangsamoros problem ISABELA, BasilanDespite the official backing of the national government, the Prelature of Isabela de Basi- lan is convinced the real problem with the proposed Bangsamoro Entity is not the funding, but the people who will be chosen to govern it. Governance is the main issue with Bangsamoro, Basilan Bishop Martin Ju- moad noted in an interview over Church-run Radyo Veri- tas on October 9. Transparency While he is not against Malacaang rolling out P35- billion to Bangsamoro as ini- tial fund, the prelate pushes for the accountability of its leaders and transparency in fscal matters, citing the al- leged history of graft and cor- ruption in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as reason why this should be the case. The national government is very supportive of the Bangsamoro as it has been of ARMM. Unfortunately, the people running ARMM have a history of too much graft and corruption which make Christians apprehensive of becoming part of it, he said. For Malaybalay Bishop Jos Cabantan, all transactions in- volving the multibillion-peso fund must be made public so that Filipinos, particularly those in Mindanao, will know whether their money is being spent properly. The prelate added that a massive consultation should be conducted, especially among Mindanaos various Lumad tribes before approv- ing Bangsamoro. Cabantan hopes the Aqui- no administration is not just using the Bangsamoro issue to win popular support in the region. (Raymond A. Sebastian) Hundreds of supporters, including womens groups, converge at the Pikit Municipal Plaza in Cotabato in March 2014 to show their support for the CAB signing in Malacaang. OPAPP PH families to benet from Synodbishop S O R S O G O N CityA Catholic bishop believes the ongoing Third Ext r aor di nar y General Assem- bly of the Synod of Bi shops on the Family is a big step towards shedding light on various issues af- fecting the lives of todays Catholic families like mar- riage, contracep- tion, poverty, and others, especially in the Philippines. Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes agreed with Manila Archbishop Lus Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, one of the Synods three Delegate Presidents that poor Filipino families will benefit greatly from this meeting. Like Tagle, the prelate, who chairs the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)s Episcopal Com- mission on Mission (ECM), pointed to forced separation due to economic constraints as a leading cause of broken homes in the country. Bastes lamented that children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are more likely to engage in premarital sex, and teenage pregnancies are more com- mon among daughters of OFW parents. While the Church is doing everything she can to help, the bishop stressed all the more must the government find ways to improve the lot of economically disadvantaged Filipinos by ensuring them of jobs available at home, eliminat- ing the need to fnd work abroad. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of registered OFWs in 2013 is estimated at 2.2 million. Themed The pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evan- gelization, the Synod which opened on Oct. 5 at the Vatican, will end on Oct.19 . Its Preparatory Document mentions that the Synod aims to defne the status quaestionis (current situation) and to col- lect the bishops experiences and propos- als in proclaiming and living the Gospel of the Family in a credible manner. The docuent Instrumentum Laboris adds the it will thoroughly examine and analyze the information, testimo- nies and recommendations received from the particular Churches in order to respond to the new challenges of the family. (Raymond A. Sebastin) nem, and the fact that often a value has been attributed to the document that does not correspond to its nature. The relatios publication was hailed in the secular media with such headlines as Synod signals Catholic shift on gays and Vaticans New Views On Gays, Divorced. The Holy See press offce also noted that the relatio is now being offered for discussion by the members of the Synod gathered in the Small Groups, in accordance with the Regulations of the Synod.\ Among the synod fathers who re- ceived the relatio less than warmly was Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, O.F.M., of Durban, South Africas largest port on the Indian Ocean. Cardinal Napier, a moderator of one of the small circles at the synod, openly dismissed the relatio during an Oct. 14 briefing with journalists, saying, thats Cardinal Erdos text, not the synod text. The cardinal questioned whether some expectations of the synod are unrealistic, and underscored that the synod is not called to discuss contra- ception, abortion, same-sex marriages. It was convoked to speak about the family. How it is written, the relatio conveys that there is an agreement on issues, on which there is not in fact an agreement the Archbishop of Durban underscored. And he concluded: I hope the line of the synod, not that of some group, prevails. Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and moderator of an Italian small group, recounted to journalists that synod fathers were surprised by the frst reactions published in the media, as if the Pope has declared, as if the synod has decided it is not true! The relatio is a working document, and every group will relate its points of view and proposals, which will be voted on by the synod fathers. Notwithstanding the Holy See press offces statement, the discussions in small circles has been called lively by many of the participants. The press office also released an unoffcial summary of the discussion that followed the issuance of the relatio. According to this summary, the synod fathers raised many points of concern. The synod fathers stressed that the relatio should have spoken more widely of families faithful to the Gospel, in or- der to encourage their testimony; they also asked that the synod shed light with clarity on the beautiful and merci- ful indissolubility of marriagewhich is often lived out and is indeed possible in our societyrather than focusing on failed family situations. Other synod fathers desired to stress more the importance of women in transmitting life and faith; suggested to at least mention the importance of grandparents; asked for a more spe- cifc mention to the family as domestic Church, to the parish as family of families, and to the Holy Family. The Holy See press office also re- ported that synod fathers asked that the issue of graduality be clarifed, since it can lead to some confusion. For instance, regarding admission to the sacraments for the divorced and remarried, it was said that it is diffcult to welcome exceptions without excep- tions becoming a common rule, the Holy See press offce recounted. For what concern homosexuals, synod fathers have highlighted that welcoming them is needed, but this must be done prudently, in order not to give the impression that the Church is positively evaluating homosexual acts. Part of this discussion was also re- vealed during the Oct. 13 press confer- ence. Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom- Budapest and general rapporteur of the synod, said the relatio may not be completely attributed to him. When asked about legislation re- garding homosexual couples, Cardinal Erdo did not respond and instead gave the foor to Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto, saying who has written the paragraph must respond. However, after Archbishop Fortes re- sponse, Cardinal Erdo wanted to point out that the relatio lacks a mention of the disorder of some behavior, even though synod fathers had stressed it. Likewise, some synod fathersthe Holy See press offce saidcomplained that the word sin is almost not present in the relatio, and reminded that Christ asked that his followers not conform to the mentality of the contemporary world. In an Oct. 13 interview, Cardinal Ray- mond Burke, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, told CNA the relatio is sim- ply riven with very serious diffculties, and Im deeply, deeply concerned and Im not alone. And Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Poznan, on behalf of the Polish bish- ops conference, told Vatican Radio that we also need to present the truth, ac- cording to a translation by Rorate Caeli. It is general opinion that the relatio post disceptationem may be overturned in the final document, the relatio synodi (synods report). The latter will be a comprehensive document which will contain all the in- puts of the two-week synod of bishops. It will be the first time the synod issues a fnal report. Usually, synods made a list of proposals and sugges- tions coming from the discussions of the small groups, and the Pope himself was entrusted with summarizing all the concerns and suggestions in a post- synodal apostolic exhortation. According to the new methodology of the synod, the proposals will be sum- marized by the General Secretary of the Synod, the General Rapporteur, the Spe- cial Secretary, and a group of six prelates called to assist in drafting the document. The group includes: president and deputy of the Commission for the message, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifcal Council for Culture; Archbishop Victor Fernandez, rector of the Catholic University of Argentina; the General Superior of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Adolfo Nicolas; Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla; Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington; and Peter Kang U-il, Bishop of Cheju. The appointment of six people to help in drafting the fnal report was normal. Before, there were proposals, and there was no need of help to draft a comprehensive text. This kind of sum- mary is a hard amount of work for the only General Rapporteur and General Secretary, said Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Offce. The Pope will decide whether or not to make public the synods report. Its conclusions will be the basis for the working document of the 2015 synod of bishops. (CNA/EWTN News) Synod / A1 Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes. CBCP NEWS Closer to God From feeling it was the end of the world, the earthquake made them closer to God, that God is with them, accompa- nying them, the prelate said. He added local residents have begun building homes, churches and lives are starting to go back to normal in communities. Medroso added, while tourism has gone down with the destruction of heritage and age-old churches, the community is back on its feet. From hopelessness, local residents have come to understand life and why tragedies happen. They have accepted that little by little, slowly opening their eyes to the realities, he further said. Medroso said Boholanons longed for a decent place for worship and with their churches destroyed someway, somehow people saw the need for putting up alternate churches, not necessarily build the centuries-old structures, but places for them to wor- ship on Sundays. While the government plans to re- build old churches, it may take years and some may just be declared ruins while others may be converted into auditoriums or schoolhouses, the bishop added. It is the peoples initiative to rebuild alternate churches through the efforts of generous donors. Network of friends, benefactors They already inaugurated the al- ternate church in Loboc last Sunday, Medroso said. He said the government also re- sponded to the needs of the earth- quake victims though they have their own pace with fund releases requi ri ng some ti me as offi ci al s would deliberate and discuss how projects would be implemented. The prelate said for Bohol to fully recover, investments in tourism should be made because it is tourism that drives the island provinces economy aside from agriculture. We have to bring the tourists back as we rebuild churches, not for the tourists alone, [but also because] Bo- holanons would like to express their faith, he further explained. As Medroso thanked generous benefactors, he said he prays more donors will continue to support in building churches which may take five to ten years. The Bohol earthquake also strength- ened the network of overseas Filipinos who extended the much-needed help. (Melo M. Acuna) Bohol / A1 love they know (and the act that accompanies it) is one for and with another person of the same gender, they argue that they have a right to find happiness in love. Kasalanan ko bang ipinan- ganak akong isang sirena? (Is it my fault that I was born a mermaid?), a lot of gay men I know have jokingly asked. Like any other person they look for someone to love, be loved by, and when they do, they have sex without babies (to put it bluntly). Its sex to please oneself and the beloved. Pleasure blinds the indulgent, and this is where their problem worsens. They drop out of Church, or in any case stop listening to God talkinstead they choose listen to the other side, and from there its a slippery slope to perdition. Somebody has to remind them of their divine rights, to convince them that they arelike everybody else, inside or outside the Catholic Churchchildren of a kind and loving God. As such we have a right to ask for strength from our Father in times of temptation. As His children we all are bound by love to listen to Gods voice, to seek His will in everything we doand certainly, wast- ing sexual energy is not one of them. Who says you have to have sex with your boy- friend to express your love? I tell this to my gay friends who seem to fit from one fling to another in search of happiness in love. (They keep getting brokenhearted anyway). Happiness in love is not found in human love aloneperhaps, in making you a sirena God wants to be your siyukoy (merman)! But if you keep complaining and marching in the streets for your gay rights, how can you hear the Father telling you He loves you? It is said that hope springs eternal in the human breast. And so my gay friends still hope that with such a dy- namic pope as Francis at the helm, the ongoing synod of bishops will maybe allow same-sex marriage. You see, I tell them, youre just listening to the noise! The Church will continue to love you dearly but it will never bless your same-sex union and call it marriage. And thats the truth. And Thats The Truth / A4 IPs are Gods children too priest JARO, Iloilo, Oct. 13, 2014 As the Phil- ippine Church celebrates Indigenous Peoples Sunday, a diocesan priest echoes the truth that all are children of God, including indigenous people. Let us always remember that indig- enous people are no different from us, we are all children of God! We have the same Father in heaven; we are all brothers and sisters, Fr. Ricky B. So- riano, director of the Jaro Archdiocesan Commission on Indigenous People said in his message on Indigenous Peoples Sunday, Observing the current situation of the IPs, Soriano lamented, They are at many times neglected, despised and rejected. Yet still they continue to live, survive and face the future with hope and courage. Their prayer is that, one day, they will be treated with dignity like every human person should be. According to him, IPs are no dif- ferent from other people in that they also dream of justice; of affording their children the freedom to express them- selves without fear of being ridiculed; of living in a home free from the fear of demolition jobs. They pray that people will under- stand their custom and tradition and hope that everyone will see and appre- ciate the beauty of their lives and their goodness, Soriano added. Following the CBCPs call to Fili- pino Catholics to be a people of mercy and compassion, the priest said On this day, we are called to remember the Indigenous People in our prayers and through our concrete acts of char- ity. Indigenous People need us. They need our love, our concern and our respect. They need us to appreciate their goodness and acknowledge and understand them for who and what they are. They need our sensitivity to their feelings and struggles. They need us to be their friend to lean on, to be their brothers and sisters who can listen and not judge them, and as their own family who can protect them. In his call to action, Soriano chal- lenged the people of his archdiocese to Act now, not tomorrow, to have the heart and the courage to express our love and support to the IPs. On Oct. 21, 2014, the Archdiocese of Jaro will hold a celebration with Indigenous Peoples with the theme Hugpong Katutubo: Magbalik Tan- aw, Ugatsang Ginsuguran Padulong sa Kauswagan. On that day the Ati community of Leong will act as the host community for this years Indigenous Peoples cel- ebration. Different IP communities in Iloilo will gather at the Ati Community, Barangay Leong, Cabatuan, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Jaro Archdiocesan Commission on Indigenous People is appealing to people for their generosity by sending donations for the on-going programs for IPs. Interested parties may con- tact their offce at telephone number (033)329-4442. This occasion will be an opportunity for all of us to re-visit and re-appreciate once again indigenous cultures and practices and to strengthen their broth- erhood as one family of God, Soriano added. (Fr. Mickey Cardenas) Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP heads interfaith forum THE Catholic Bishops Con- ference of the Philippines (CBCP), through its Episco- pal Commission on Inter- religious Dialogue (ECID), was at the frontline of an interfaith forum on Oct. 11, Saturday, at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. According to CBCP-ECID Executive Secretary Fr. Car- los Reyes, the interfaith forum gathered around 150 leaders of the countrys vari- ous religious denominations to discuss the positive role of religion on culture and society. Reyes detailed that the meet i ng zoomed i n on important issues affect- ing the country like cli- mate change, the peace and order situation, good governance, and disaster response. According to the priest, society and culture are in- debted to religion. Reyes stressed that reli- gion serves an indispensable function in helping resolve problems confronting the Philippines. Religion, he explained, provides people with moral precepts that guide them in their actions. Reyes also pointed out that each person has a right to choose his or her religion. (Raymond A. Sebastin) Some 150 religious leaders from various denominations took part in an interfaith forum on Oct. 11, 2014 at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple on Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City. MASOL SANTIAGO Cotabatos March of Saints to replace Halloween THE Archdiocese of Cotabato has decided to recapture the essence of Undas by encouraging its parishes to organize wholesome activities that will highlight the lives and virtues of Catholic saints, replacing the popular Halloween practices. Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Col- lin Bagaforo told Church-run Radyo Veritas in a recent interview that they will be coming out with a March of the Saints shortly before November 1 and 2, All Saints Day and All Souls Day, respectively, when Catholics honor the souls in heaven (Church triumphant), and pray for the souls in purgatory (Church penitent). It is a values-oriented program which, the prelate explained, aims to do away with the Western-infuenced tradition of scary pranks and bizarre costumes many Filipinos are used to seeing during Halloween with its focus on the para- normal and reemphasize the message of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Bagaforo expresses hope that his archdioceses lead will be taken up by other episcopal sees. The bishop shared it will inspire the lay faithful, especially the youth, to learn from and emulate the examples of the Churchs super heroes whose sanctity has earned them the privilege of beatifc vision. According to Bagaforo, this March of the Saints is one way the Cotabato Archdiocese takes part in the celebra- tion of the Year of the Laity before it draws to a close. This Year of the Laity, with its con- stant reminder that Christians are Called to be Saints and Send Forth As Heroes, is due to end in November. It will be followed by the Year of the Poor. (Raymond A. Sebastin) Several parishes are promoting the March of Saints practicehaving children dressed up as saints and martyrs during Halloweeninstead of the usual scary costumes. CARLOS ODA KC, KCFAPI host skills training for out-of- school youth THE Knights of Columbus Luzon Jurisdiction together with its insur- ance arm, the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philip- pines, Inc (KCFAPI) launched a hotel and restaurant services skills training program on Oct. 7 at the KC Fr. George J. Willmann, SJ Center in Intramuros, Manila. The training, which is organized in coordination with the DSW-Manila Manpower Development Center of the city of Manila, aims to teach the out- of-school youth basic skills for food and beverage services as a livelihood opportunity. Samuel O. Ambayer from DSW-MLA will be the resource speaker of the said skills training program that will culmi- nate on Nov. 7. Among the topics to be discussed are basics of table setting that includes napkin-folding and table-skirting; cocktail-mixing; hotel housekeeping; bartending; and fower arrangement, among others. To be eligible for the program, partici- pants must be physically and mentally ft; 18-35 years of age and residing in Metro Manila. After the course, the attendees of the training program will be given a TESDA accreditation certifcate. DSW-MLA is a TESDA accredited training center that as- sists in the implementation of livelihood programs in the city of Manila. (YO) Luzon Deputy and KCFAPI President, Arsenio Isidro G. Yap leads the opening of the Hotel and Restaurant Services Training Program launch, together with KCFAPI Executive Vice President, Ma. Theresa G. Curia, Luzon State ofcials and representatives of DSW-MLA. YEN OCAMPO Baclaran kids star in month-long celebration OCTOBER being the month especially dedicated to children, the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Baclaran Church), is set to come out with a host of activities which aims to pay tribute to whom Rizal once called as the hope of the fatherland. Queenamor Monserrat, an engineer who donates her free hours catechiz- ing poor children, many of whom are neglected and abandoned by their parents, shared the annual event, which is organized in coordination with its Redemptorist Catechetical Commission, is one that the Baclaran Shrine regularly observes. This is to emphasize the importance of children in our society, especially the children in the Redemptorist [commu- nity], she said. Monserrat explained this celebration is also in keeping with the Presidential Proclamation No. 267 [which] declared the month of October of every year as National Childrens Month. Themed Batang Layko, Si Kristo Like (A)ko, Baclaran Churchs Childrens Month event schedule is as follows: October 19 (Sunday) 1:30 p.m. Catechesis 2:30 p.m. Childrens Mass 3:30 p.m. Shrine Clean-Up Project October 26 (Sunday) 1:30 p.m. Catechesis 2:30 p.m. Childrens Mass 3:30 p.m. Final Round The Voice of RedempKids & Culmination Program According to the Council of the Welfare (CWC) website, the National Childrens Month seeks to emphasize the importance of the role of the child within the Filipino family and in nation building. Section 13, Article II of the Philippine Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in the nation building and shall promote and protect their physi- cal, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth, patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. (Raymond A. Sebastin) Baclaran children, mostly from depressed areas nearby, perform a doxology as part of the shrines Flores de Mara celebration while the famous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help watches them from behind. RAYMOND A. SEBASTIN Fatima parishes to hold fundraising devotional concert IN what is expected to be the grandest devotional-concert of the season, parishes under the Archdiocese of Ma- nila (RCAM) dedicated to Our Lady of Ftima, are set to bring to the faithful a fund-raising musical extravaganza on on Oct. 23, Thursday, 8 p.m. at the El Shaddai International House of Prayer, Amvel, San Dionisio, Paraaque City. Dubbed Ave Maria: One Lady, One Voice, One Concert, the event, which aims to raise funds for the Churchs various programs and projects, is slated to feature some of the biggest names in the Filipino entertainment scene with the special participation of RCAMs Arch- bishop Lus Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, who is all out in support of the concert. These top performers i ncl ude FORTEnors, a quartet of young tenor vocalists composed of David Ezra Cruz, Christian Nagao, Jenmai De Asis, and Johann Enriquez; Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 winner, Laarni Lo- zada; Bayanihan, the National Dance Company of the Philippines, Asias Diva, Dulce; and music legend Jos Mari Chan. Chan, the genius behind classic Fili- pino love ballads, shared,I always say that music is its own reward and con- necting with people through my music is the most satisfying of all. Seats are priced at Php 1000 for VIP, Php 500 for Patron, and Php 300 for Premium. For other inquiries, contact the Our Lady of Fatima Parish (OLFP) offces: OLFP Mandaluyong, (02) 532-84-00; OLFP Manila, (02) 713-57-76; OLFP Makati, (02) 751-57-21; or OLFP, Pasay (02) 854-74-50. (Raymond A. Sebastin) IN keeping with its mission of promoting and directing the liturgical life of the faith- ful, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)s Episcopal Com- mission on Liturgy (ECL) is set to hold the Venerable Pope Paul VI Pastoral Con- ference I on Oct. 17, Friday, 3:00 p.m. at the San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe, Edsa, Makati City. Pastoral liturgy The event, which is orga- nized in coordination with the Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM)s Archdiocesan Li- turgical Commission, the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy, and the San Beda College Graduate School of Liturgy, is dedicated to Pope Paul VI, whose beatifcation is set on the same day. CBCP-ECL Chair Bishop Julius S. Tonel of the Diocese of Ipil in Zamboanga is slated for the opening remarks, while Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio B. Cardi- nal Rosales will look back to Pope Paul VIs Pastoral Visit to the Philippines in 1970. Fr. James H. Kroeger of the Loyola School of Theol- ogy will give an overview of Pope Paul VIs Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nun- tiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World), which the present pontiff, Francis, described as The greatest pastoral document written to this day. In it, the Pope affrms the role of every Christian, clergy and laity alike, in proclaiming and spreading the Gospel. Msgr. Ricardo Jess T. Ser- rano, former president of the University of the Assumption in San Fernando, Pampanga will discuss Pope Paul VIs Legacy of Pastoral Liturgy. Vespers will be said after the talks. Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) Paul VI was born Giovanni Bat- tista Enrico Anto- nio Maria Montini on September 26, 1897 in Concesio, Italy. He was the 263rd successor to the See of Peter from 1963 until his death in 1978. Paul VI contin- ued the Second Vatican Council which John XXIII started in 1962. In July 1968, he issued the contro- versial encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) in which he reaffrms the orthodox teach- ing of the Catholic Church on married love, responsible par- enthood, and contraception. Dubbed the pilgrim pope, he was the frst pontiff to fy in an airplane. He died in 1978 from a heart attack. He was 80. (Raymond A. Sebastin) Liturgical confab set on Paul VIs beatication B1 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Pastoral Concerns S a lt
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T V YOUR Eminences, Your Beatitudes, Your Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters, I give you my warm welcome to this meeting and I thank you from my heart for your caring and qualifed presence and assistance. On your behalf, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the people who have worked with dedication, with patience and with competence, for many months, reading, evaluating, and elaborating the themes, texts and studies for this Extraordinary General Assembly. Allow me to address a special and warm thank you to Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod, to Bishop Fabio Fabene, Undersecretary, and with them to all the Relators, writers, consultants, translators and to the entire staff of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. They have worked tirelessly, and continue to work, for the successful outcome of this Synod: Thank you so very much and may the Lord repay you! I likewise thank the Post-Synodal Council, the Relator and the Special Secretary; the Bishops Conferences, which have worked very hard and with them, I thank the three President Delegates. I thank also you, dear Cardinals, Patriarchs, Bishops, priests, men and women religious and lay men and women for your presence and for your participation which enriches this work and to collegiality and synodality spirit for the good of the Church and of the family! I also wanted this spirit of synodality in the election of the Relator, the Special Secretary and the President Delegates. The frst two were elected directly by the Post-Synodal Council, by participants who attended the last Synod. However, given that the President Delegates must be chosen by the Pope, I asked that Post-Synodal Council to propose a few names, and I have appointed those proposed to me. You bring the voice of the Particular Churches, assembled at the level of local Churches through the Bishops Conferences. The Universal Church and the Particular Churches are divine institutions; the local Churches are thus understood as human institutions. You will give voice in synodality . It is a great responsibility: to bring the realities and problems of the Churches, in order to help them to walk on that path that is the Gospel of the family. One general and basic condition is this: speaking honestly. Let no one say: I cannot say this, they will think this or this of me... It is necessary to say with parrhesia all that one feels. After the last Consistory (February 2014), in which the family was discussed, a Speaking with parrhesia, listening with humility (Greeting of Pope Francis to the Synod Fathers during the First General Congregation of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 6 October 2014) Speak honestly. Let no one say: I cannot say this, they will think this or this of me... It is necessary to say with parrhesia all that one feels. Called to work for the Lords vineyard (Homily of Pope Francis at the opening of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, Vatican Basilica, 5 October 2014)
TODAY the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel employ the image of the Lords vineyard. The Lords vineyard is his dream, the plan which he nurtures with all his love, like a farmer who cares for his vineyard. Vines are plants which need much care! Gods dream is his people. He planted it and nurtured it with patient and faithful love, so that it can become a holy people, a people which brings forth abundant fruits of justice. But in both the ancient prophecy and in Jesus parable, Gods dream is thwarted. Isaiah says that the vine which he so loved and nurtured has yielded wild grapes (5:2,4); God expected justice but saw bloodshed, righteousness, but only a cry of distress (v. 7). In the Gospel, it is the farmers themselves who ruin the Lords plan: they fail to do their job but think only of their own interests. In Jesus parable, he is addressing the chief priests and the elders of the people, in other words the experts, the managers. To them in a particular way God entrusted his dream, his people, for them to nurture, tend and protect from the animals of the feld. This is the job of leaders: to nurture the vineyard with freedom, creativity and hard work. But Jesus tells us that those farmers took over the vineyard. Out of greed and pride they want to do with it as they will, and so they prevent God from realizing his dream for the people he has chosen. The temptation to greed is ever present. We encounter it also in the great prophecy of Ezekiel on the shepherds (cf. ch. 34), which Saint Augustine commented upon in one his celebrated sermons which we have just reread in the Liturgy of the Hours. Greed for money and power. And to satisfy this greed, evil pastors lay intolerable burdens on the shoulders of others, which they themselves do not lift a fnger to move (cf. Mt 23:4) We too, in the Synod of Bishops, are called to work for the Lords vineyard. Synod Assemblies are not meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent They are meant to better nurture and tend the Lords vineyard, to help realize his dream, his loving plan for his people. In this case the Lord is asking us to care for the family, which has been from the beginning an integral part of his loving plan for humanity. We are all sinners and can also be tempted to take over the vineyard, because of that greed which is always present in us human beings. Gods dream always clashes with the hypocrisy of some of his servants. We can thwart Gods dream if we fail to let ourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us that wisdom which surpasses knowledge, and enables us to work generously with authentic freedom and humble creativity. My Synod brothers, to do a good job of nurturing and tending the vineyard, our hearts and our minds must be kept in Jesus Christ by the peace of God which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7). In this way our thoughts and plans will correspond to Gods dream: to form a holy people who are his own and produce the fruits of the kingdom of God (cf. Mt 21:43). We too, in the Synod of Bishops, are called to work for the Lords vineyard. Synod Assemblies are not meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent... Cardinal wrote to me, saying: what a shame that several Cardinals did not have the courage to say certain things out of respect for the Pope, perhaps believing that the Pope might think something else. This is not good, this is not synodality, because it is necessary to say all that, in the Lord, one feels the need to say: without polite deference, without hesitation. And, at the same time, one must listen with humility and welcome, with an open heart, what your brothers say. Synodality is exercised with these two approaches. For this reason I ask of you, please, to employ these approaches as brothers in the Lord: speaking with parrhesia and listening with humility. And do so with great tranquility and peace, so that the Synod may always unfold cum Petro et sub Petro, and the presence of the Pope is a guarantee for all and a safeguard of the faith. Dear brothers, let us all collaborate so that the dynamic of synodality shine forth. Thank you. B2 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor became their proper vestment. For a time, especially during the ninth to 14th centuries, bishops and even priests would sometimes wear the dalmatic under the chasuble. This use persists today, but only for bishops, who may vest a light dalmatic underneath the chasuble in solemn celebrations, especially ordinations. According to current practice, priests Updates By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D. THE Holy Father, Pope Francis, has called upon the Synod of Bishops to reflect upon the situation of the family, decisive and valuable, in its Extraordinary General Assembly of October 2014, a reflection which will then be pursued in greater depth in the Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to take place in October 2015, as well as during the full intervening year between the two synodal events. In the face of this great ecclesial event, perhaps it would be good to consider once more the notion of the synod of bishops. Al t hough t he synodal principle is an ancient one in the Churcha refection of the reality of communion as a fundamental principleit has been applied analogously in different settings. The present Synod of Bishops is considered as one of the most important innovations to the canonical order from Vatican Council II, instituted by Paul VI in the M.P. Sollicitudo comnium Ecclesiarum (24.VI.1969). Its nature has only been clarifed of late, after an initial period of doctrinal controversy, or what some author would call a terminological impasse. The Synod of Bishops The convenire in unum around the Bishop of Rome is already an event of grace, in which episcopal collegiality is made manifest in a path of spiritual and pastoral discernment: thus Pope Francis described the synodal experience, indicating its tasks in the dual process of listening to the signs of God and the history of mankind and in the resulting dual and unique fidelity. Nevertheless, in the strict sense of canonical doctrine, such a statement needs some clarifcation, as it could lead to a misconception of the canonical nature of the synod of bishops. a. Canonical Nature of the Synod of Bishops
Can.342The synod of bishops is that group of bishops who have been chosen from different regions of the world and who meet at stated times to foster a closer unity between the Roman Pontiff and the bishops, to assist the Roman Pontiff with their counsels in safeguarding and increasing faith and morals and in preserving and strengthening ecclesiastical discipline, and to consider questions concerning the Churchs activity in the world. Certain quarters have pointed out that the CIC had avoided the debate on the canonical nature of the Synod of Bishops by not providing a legal defnition of the synod that might have resolved the question, and instead limited itself to a description. Nevertheless, to my mind the chapter on The Synod of Bishops (cc.342-348) does give us enough elementswhile conspicuously omitting certain othersto come up with a good notion of this institution. 1) It is a coetus episcoporum i.e., an assembly or group of bishops. The terminological choice is important, because it shows the prevalence of the personal and functional aspect rather than the organic-institutional. This point becomes more obvious when we consider that in the M.P. Apostolica Sollicitudo, the Synod had been defned as a central ecclesiastical institution highlighting its structural aspects and its hierarchical position in the ecclesiastical organization. In fact, during the deliberations on text of c.343which we shal l deal wi t h bel ow it had been suggested that the synod be considered as an organ of government of the universal Church, to which the Commission responded that it is rather a peculiar council of the sacred Bishops, a stable council of bishops, which did not enjoy any legislative or decision-making power, not even vicarious. 1 Thus, the canonical legislator appears to have wanted to diffuse the institutional aspects of the Synod, preferring to emphasize its functional dynamics rather than its structural form. 2) It is not a representative body of the College of BishopsAnother noteworthy omissionwith respect to earlier documents is that of the adverbial clause taking the part of the whole Catholic Episcopate, which underscored the representative character of the Synod with respect to the College of Bishops. The Pontifcal Commission for the Revision of the CIC explained this omission by pointing out the equivocal nature of the expression, given that one cannot attribute to the Synod such a representative characterin strict juridical sensewith respect to the Episcopal College. 2 3) It is a special consultative body in aid of the Primacy At the positive level, we can affrm that perhaps the best way to understand the nature of the synod is to consider it as a special consultative body which the Pope convenesat his discretion and for specifc questionsin order to help him in the exercise of his power of primacy over the universal Church. This idea is articulated in cc.343-344. In this regard, we need to steer off two extreme positions, and make two clarifcations: a) It is not just any consultative body Rather, the authority of the synodal conclusions are of the highest levelamong consultative bodiesnot so much by the formal force of the pronouncement, but by reason of the representative and sacramental qualities of the members of the synod. No less than John Paul II himself had affirmed that the unanimous opinion of the Bishops gathered in a Synod constitutes a pondus Ecclesiae peculiaris generis, quod alicuius voti consultivi rationem simpliciter formalem excedit. 3 b) But neither is it a deliberative bodyand should not be confused with the only episcopal collegial organ with deliberative power, which is the Ecumenical Council. Paul VI had clarified this point, affrming that the Synod can in no way be considered like an Ecumenical Council, since it lacks the composition, the authority and the fnality of such a Council. 4
More recently, John Paul II had reaffrmed this point. 5 The synod of bishops Just as a priest would not use the chasuble for a Communion service, the deacon would not use a dalmatic. When to Wear a Dalmatic (Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:) Q: I never assist in Mass wearing just the alb and the stole. I insist in wearing the ordinary vestment for a deacon, my dalmatic. In case of Communion services, should I or shouldnt I wear a dalmatic? Is this a vestment reserved only in case of a sacrament, such as the Eucharist? Also, may a deacon wear a dalmatic when celebrating a baptism or presiding the sacrament of holy matrimony? -- J.M., Tampa, Florida A: The proper vestment for a deacon at Mass is an alb (with an amice if required), cincture, stole worn in the diaconal manner, and dalmatic. The stole and dalmatic should be of the corresponding liturgical color. This vestment is a knee-length, sleeved garment. It was originally developed in Dalmatia, modern-day Croatia, and was imported into Rome during the second century. At first the dalmatic, which was originally longer, reaching the heels, and more ample than today, was not well received, being seen as somewhat effeminate. Later, however, it became popular among Roman senators and imperial officials as a substitute for the toga and was even used as the proper garb for the consecration of the emperor. From this it became a habit proper to the pope and to bishops. Finally it was introduced as a vestment for the deacons of Rome by Pope Sylvester I in the fourth century and gradually celebrating according to the ordinary form never use the dalmatic. In the extraordinary form there are certain solemn celebrations in which a priest substitutes for a deacon and is vested accordingly. Likewise on exceptional occasions cardinal deacons serve the pope dressed in dalmatic. With respect to its habitual use, we may say that the dalmatic is to the deacon what the chasuble is to the priest. Therefore, in most cases the deacon may use the dalmatic only when the priest would use the chasuble. An exception to this rule is when a deacon accompanies a bishop or priest who wears a cope in a solemn celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours or for Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. As far as I have been able to ascertain, there are no ritual situations in which a deacon would use the dalmatic on his own. It would seem that it is only used when carrying out his functions accompanying a bishop or priest. Therefore, just as a priest would not use the chasuble for a Communion service, the deacon would not use a dalmatic. The same can be said of other celebrations of sacraments and sacramentals, such as funeral services, outside of Mass. The proper vest ment f or celebrations such as baptisms, weddings, funerals and the like outside of Mass is alb (or surplice over a cassock), stole, and cope of the appropriate liturgical color. In most cases the appropriate color will be white, although violet may be used for funerals. These vestments may be used by both priests and deacons with the only difference being the manner of wearing the stole. c) Although hypothetically it can become a deliberative body with a power delegated by the Roman Pontiff for specifc cases, in which case he has to ratify its decisions. Some authors have pointed out that this hypothesis has not been verifed in fact up to the present, and I agree that even from the point of view of canonical technique, it would be quite clumsy. c. Types of Synods In the practical level, the CIC provides for three types of synods, based on purpose and membership. These are regulated in cc.345-346. 1) General SessionA synod of bishops can meet in a general session, which deals with matters which directly concern the good of the entire Church; such a session is either ordinary or extraordinary (c.345, in principio). These are convoked with a periodicity of three years. a) Ordinary General Session The membership of a synod of bishops gathered in ordinary general session consists of the following: for the most part, bishops elected to represent their individual groups by the conference of bishops in accord with the special law of the synod; other bishops designated in virtue of this law itself; other bishops directly named by the Roman Pontiff. To this membership are added some members of clerical religious institutes elected in accord with the norm of the same special law (c.346, 1). The topics are selected in advance by the Pope and discussed by the conferences of bishops prior to the meeting of the Synod. b) Extraordinary General SessionA synod of bishops is gathered in extraordinary general session to deal with matters which require a speedy solution; its membership consists of the following: most of them them are bishops designated by the special law of the synod in virtue of the offce which they hold; others are bishops directly named by the Roman Pontiff. To this membership are added some members of clerical religious institutes elected in accord with the same law (c.346, 2). In the absence of a clear criterion in the CIC regarding the difference between the two forms of the general session of the Synod, the special law, to which c.346 remits itself, situates the distinctive criterion in the note of urgency in the matters to be tackled in extraordinary session. 6 Nevertheless, the fact remains that ultimately it is up to the Roman Pontiff to evaluate the note of urgency in the matter to be tackled. 2) Speci al Sessi onThe membership of a synod of bishops gathered in special session consists of those who have been especially selected from the regions of which the synod has been convoked, in accord with the norm of the special law which governs such synod (c.349, 3). Special sessions are designed for issues affecting one or more particular regions. The members are elected by their respective episcopal conferencesfrom one to four members according to the size of the conference (one delegate for every 25 members of the episcopal conference or fractions thereof). 3) Particular AssemblyThis is a fourth type, neither foreseen in the Code nor in the special law on synods, created by John Paul II and convoked twice in 1980: with the Bishops of the Netherlands and the Ukraine respectively. It is very similar to the special session, but is differentiated from it in two points: a) Membershipsince it includes all the members of the episcopal conference, while the special session only includes a number of delegates from the same. b) Para-deliberative Power manifested in the particular assembly, at least in the two occasions when it has been convoked. In any case, this only shows the great fexibility of the synodal institution, while at the same time exhalting the collegial methodology in the exercise of episcopal power in the context of a lived collegiality. Footnotes: 1 Cf. Communicationes, 14 (1982), 180. 2 Cf. Communicationes, 14 (1981), 93. 3 John Paul II, Discurso (20.IV.1983), in Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, 1 (1983), 1101. 4 Paul VI, Allocuzione (30.IX.1967), in AAS, 59 (1967), 560. 5 John Paul II, Discurso (30.IV.1983), in AAS, 75 (1983), 650. 6 Cf. Ordo Synodi Episcoporum celebran- dae promulgatur a Summo Pontifce appro- batus, 8.XII.1966, in AAS, 59 (1967) 91-103. S a lt
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T V C N S B3 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Year of the Laity Relatio Post Disceptationem The Midterm Report of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops DURING the prayer vigil held in St Peters Square on 4 October 2014 in preparation for the Synod on the family, Pope Francis evoked the centrality of the experience of family in all lives, in a simple and concrete manner: Evening falls on our assembly. It is the hour at which one willingly returns home to meet at the same table, in the depth of affection, of the good that has been done and received, of the encounters which warm the heart and make it grow, good wine which hastens the unending feast in the days of man. It is also the weightiest hour for one who fnds himself face to face with his own loneliness, in the bitter twilight of shattered dreams and broken plans; how many people trudge through the day in the blind alley of resignation, of abandonment, even resentment: in how many homes the wine of joy has been less plentiful, and therefore, also the zestthe very wisdomfor life []. Let us make our prayer heard for one another this evening, a prayer for all. The source of joys and trials, of deep affections and relationsat times woundedthe family is truly a school of humanity (Familia schola quaedam uberioris humanitatis est, Vatican Council II, Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 52), of which we are in great need. Despite the many signs of crisis in the institution of the family in various contexts of the global village, the desire for family remains alive, especially among the young, and is at the root of the Churchs need to proclaim tirelessly and with profound conviction the Gospel of the family entrusted to her with the revelation of Gods love in Jesus Christ. The Bishop of Rome called upon the Synod of Bishops to refect upon the situation of the family, decisive and valuable, in its Extraordinary General Assembly of October 2014, a refection which will then be pursued in greater depth in the Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to take place in October 2015, as well as during the full intervening year between the two synodal events. The convenire in unum around the Bishop of Rome is already an event of grace, in which episcopal collegiality is made manifest in a path of spiritual and pastoral discernment: thus Pope Francis described the synodal experience, indicating its tasks in the dual process of listening to the signs of God and the history of mankind and in the resulting dual and unique fdelity. In the light of the same discourse we have gathered together the results of our refections and our dialogues in the following three parts: listening, to look at the situation of the family today, in the complexity of its light and shade; looking, our gaze fxed on Christ, to re-evaluate with renewed freshness and enthusiasm what the revelation transmitted in the faith of the Church tells us about the beauty and dignity of the family; and discussion in the light of the Lord Jesus to discern the ways in which the Church and society can renew their commitment to the family. THE Synod dialog has allowed an agreement on some of the more urgent pastoral needs to be entrusted to being made concrete in the individual local Churches, in communion cum Petro et sub Petro. The announcement of the Gospel of the family is an urgent issue for the new evangelization. The Church has to carry this out with the tenderness of a mother and the clarity of a teacher (cf. Eph 4, 15), in fdelity to the merciful kenosi of Christ. The truth is incarnated in human fragility not to condemn it, but to cure it. Evangelizing is the shared responsibility of all Gods people, each according to his or her own ministry and charism. Without the joyous testimony of spouses and families, the announcement, even if correct, risks being misunderstood or submerged by the ocean of words that is a characteristic of our society (cf. Novo Millennio Ineunte, 50). On various occasions the Synodal Fathers underlined that Catholic families are called upon themselves to be the active subjects of all the pastoral of the family. It will be decisive to highlight the primacy of grace, and therefore of the possibilities that the Spirit gives in the sacrament. This is about letting it be known that the Gospel of the family is a joy that flls the hearts and lives, because in Christ we are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness (Evangelii Gaudium, 1). In the light of the parable of the sower (cf. Mt 13,3), our task is to cooperate in the sowing: the rest is Gods work. We must not forget that the Church that preaches about the family is a sign of contradiction. For this reason, what is required is a missionary conversion: it is necessary not to stop at an announcement that is merely theoretical and has nothing to do with peoples real problems. It must not be forgotten that the crisis of faith has led to a crisis in matrimony and the family and, as a result, the transmission of faith from parents to children has often been interrupted. Confronted by a strong faith, the imposition of certain cultural perspectives that weaken the family is of no importance. Conversion has, above all, to be that of language so that this might prove to be effectively meaningful. The announcement is about letting it be experienced that the Gospel of the family is the response to the deepest expectations of a person: to his or her dignity and its full realization in reciprocity and communion. This is not merely about presenting a set of regulations but about putting forward values, responding to the need of those who fnd themselves today even in the most secularized countries. The indispensable biblical-theological study is to be accompanied by dialog, at all levels. Many insisted on a more positive approach to the riches contained in diverse religious experiences, while not being blind to the diffculties. In the diverse cultural realities the possibilities should frst be grasped and in the light of them the limits and radicalizations should be rejected. Christian marriage cannot only be considered as a cultural tradition or social obligation, but has to be a vocational decision taken with the proper preparation in an itinerary of faith, with mature discernment. This is not about creating diffculties and complicating the cycles of formation, but of going deeply into the issue and not being content with theoretical meetings or general orientations. The need was jointly referred to for a conversion of all pastoral practices from the perspective of the family, overcoming the individualistic points of view that still characterize it. This is why there was a repeated insistence on renewing in this light the training of presbyters and other pastoral operators, through a greater involvement of the families themselves. In the same way, the necessity was underlined for an evangelization that denounces clearly the cultural, social and economic factors, for example, the excessive room given to market logic, that prevents an authentic family life, leading to discrimination, poverty, exclusion, and violence. For this reason a dialog and cooperation has to be developed with the social structures, and lay people who are involved in cultural and socio-political felds should be encouraged. Guiding couples on the path in preparation for marriage Introduction IN order to walk among contemporary challenges, the decisive condition is to maintain a fxed gaze on Jesus Christ, to pause in contemplation and in adoration of His Face. ... Indeed, every time we return to the source of the Christian experience, new paths and undreamed of possibilities open up (Pope Francis, Address of 4 October 2014). Jesus looked upon the women and the men he met with love and tenderness, accompanying their steps with patience and mercy, in proclaiming the demands of the Kingdom of God. From the moment that the order of creation is determined by orientation towards Christ, it becomes necessary to distinguish without separating the various levels through which God communicates the grace of the covenant to humanity. Through the law of gradualness (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 34), typical of divine pedagogy, this means interpreting the nuptial covenant in terms of continuity and novelty, in the order of creation and in that of redemption. Jesus Himself, referring to the primordial plan for the human couple, reaffirms the indissoluble union between man and woman, while understanding that Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning (Mt 19,8). In this way, He shows how divine condescension always accompanies the path of humanity, directing it towards its new beginning, not without passing through the cross. The family in Gods salvifc plan Since, by their commitment to mutual acceptance and with the grace of Christ couples promise fdelity to one another and openness to life, they acknowledge as constitutive elements of marriage the gifts God offers them, taking their mutual responsibility seriously, in His name and before the Church. Now, in faith it is possible to assume the goods of marriage as commitments best maintained with the help of the grace of the sacrament. God consecrates love between spouses and confrms its indissolubility, offering them help in living in fdelity and openness to life. Therefore, the gaze of the Church turns not only to the couple, but to the family. We are able to distinguish three fundamental phases in the divine plan for the family: the family of origins, when God the creator instituted the primordial marriage between Adam and Eve, as a solid foundation for the family: he created them male and female (cg. Gn 1,24-31; 2,4b); the historic family, wounded by sin (cf. Gn 3) and the family redeemed by Christ (cf. Eph 5,21-32), in the image of the Holy Trinity, the mystery from which every true love springs. The sponsal covenant, inaugurated in creation and revealed in the history of God and Israel, reaches its fullest expression with Christ in the Church. The discernment of values present in wounded families and in irregular situations In considering the principle of gradualness in the divine salvifc plan, one asks what possibilities are given to married couples who experience the failure of their marriage, or rather how it is possible to offer them Christs help through the ministry of the Church. In this respect, a significant hermeneutic key comes from the teaching of Vatican Council II, which, while it affrms that although many elements of sanctifcation and of truth are found outside of its visible structure ... these elements, as gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, are forces impelling toward Catholic unity (Lumen Gentium, 8). In this light, the value and consistency of natural marriage must frst be emphasized. Some ask whether the sacramental fullness of marriage does not exclude the possibility of recognizing positive elements even the imperfect forms that may be found outside this nuptial situation, which are in any case ordered in relation to it. The doctrine of levels of communion, formulated by Vatican Council II, confrms the vision of a structured way of participating in the Mysterium Ecclesiae by baptized persons. In the same, perspective, that we may consider inclusive, the Council opens up the horizon for appreciating the positive elements present in other religions (cf. Nostra Aetate, 2) and cultures, despite their limits and their insufficiencies (cf. Redemptoris Missio, 55). Indeed, looking at PART I Listening: the context and challenges to the family The socio-cultural context ANTHROPOLOGICAL and cultural change today infuences all aspects of life and requires an analytic and diversifed approach, able to discern the positive forms of individual freedom. It is necessary to be aware of the growing danger represented by an exasperated individualism that distorts family bonds and ends up considering each component of the family as an isolated unit, leading in some cases to the prevalence of an idea of the subject formed according to his or her own wishes, which are assumed as absolute. The most diffcult test for families in our time is often solitude, which destroys and gives rise to a general sensation of impotence in relation to the socio-economic situation that often ends up crushing them. This is due to growing precariousness in the workplace that is often experienced as a nightmare, or due to heavy taxation that certainly does not encourage young people to marriage. Some cultural and religious contexts pose particular challenges. In African societies the practice of polygamy remains, along with, in some traditional contexts, the custom of marriage in stages. In other contexts the practice of arranged marriages persists. In countries in which Catholicism is a minority religion, there are many mixed marriages with all the diffculties that these may lead to in terms of legal form, the education of children and mutual respect from the point of view of religious freedom, but also with the great potential that derives from the encounter between the differences in faith that these stories of family life present. In many contexts, and not only in the West, the practice of cohabitation before marriage, or indeed cohabitation not orientated towards assuming the form of an institutional bond, is increasingly widespread. Many children are born outside marriage, especially in certain countries, and there are many who subsequently grow up with just one of their parents or in an enlarged or reconstituted family context. The number of divorces is growing and it is not rare to encounter cases in which decisions are taken solely on the basis of economic factors. The condition of women still needs to be defended and promoted, as situations of violence within the family are not rare. Children are frequently the object of contention between parents, and are the true victims of family breakdown. Societies riven by violence due to war, terrorism or the presence of organized crime experience deteriorating family situations. Furthermore, migration is another sign of the times, to be faced and understood in terms of the burden of consequences for family life. The relevance of emotional life Faced with the social framework outlined above, a greater need is encountered among individuals to take care of themselves, to know their inner being, and to live in greater harmony with their emotions and sentiments, seeking a relational quality in emotional life. In the same way, it is possible to encounter a widespread desire for family accompanied by the search for oneself. But how can this attention to the care for oneself be cultivated and maintained, alongside this desire for family? This is a great challenge for the Church too. The danger of individualism and the risk of living selfshly are SYNOD UPDATE PART II The gaze upon Christ: the Gospel of the Family The gaze upon Jesus and gradualness in the history of salvation Part III The discussion: pastoral perspectives Proclaiming the Gospel of the family today, in various contexts The condition of women still needs to be defended and promoted, as situations of violence within the family are not rare. Children are frequently the object of contention between parents, and are the true victims of family breakdown. Part III / B7 Part II / B7 Part I / B7 (The General Rapporteur, Cardinal Peter Erdo, presented the midterm report outlining the main questions highlighted at the General Congregations from October 6 to 10, 2014 that in the following days will be examined by the bishops, fraternal delegates, auditors and experts in the minor circles or small working groups.) S a lt
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T V B4 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Features C B C P
N e w s C B C P
N e w s Prison / B7 End Peoples Indifference! A FEW months ago, at the Popes Angelus at St. Peters Square, inspired by the days Gospel, our Holy Father Pope Francis deplored the poor conditions people around the world have to live with. Jesus calls to them and says: Come to me, and he promises them relief and rest. This invitation from Jesus extends to the present day, reaching the many brothers and sisters weighed down by poor living conditions, by diffcult life situations and sometimes by a lack of valid points of reference. Pope Francis reminded pilgrims that in the poorest countries, there are people who are suffering and even to the point of exhaustion due to the unbearable weight they bear of abandonment and indifference. Indifference The Pope talked about the damage that indifference makes. Indifference. Human indifference hurts those in most need! And worse even, is that from Christians. On the margins of society, there are many men and women worn down by poverty, but also by dissatisfaction and frustration in life. So many are forced to emigrate from their homeland, risking their own lives. Many others, every day bear the burden of an economic system that exploits man, imposes an unbearable yoke, which the privileged few prefer not to carry. In Philippine society, we see so much indifference from the rich and powerful against the poor workers, informal settlers, vendors, farmers and fsherfolk. In Cebu, one factory worker shared that while working, his hand got eaten up by the machine. His hand was amputated. After which, he was terminated from work. Vendors stalls in a market got burned by a huge fre; then city and barangay offcials did not allow the more than 300 vendors to rebuild their stalls, depriving them of livelihood. Farmers in hinterland barangays are being driven away from the land they are tilling, to pave way for reforestation projects. Fisherfolks are being displaced from their livelihood due to reclamation projects which damage the marine environment.
Pork barrel in the budget More Filipinos are getting poorer and hungry. Why cant there be programs for the upliftment of the poor from poverty? Trillions of pesos in the National Government Budget in the past and until today have not been used for the genuine development of the Philippine economy, for the lifting of the poor out of poverty. We also know that there are billions of pesos proposed in the 2015 National Budget to become part of the discretionary funds of the Executive. The proposed 2015 National Budget contains discretionary lump sum funds such as follows: Off-Budget Accounts 179,745,522,000 Special Purpose Funds 214,621,846,000 Unprogrammed Funds 123,056,081,000 Automatic Appropriations 103,507,999,000 Regular Departmental Budget 254,613,000 ,000 Total 875,544,448,000 Despite Supreme Court decisions declaring congressional pork barrel and the practices in the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional, pork barrel funds are still being used and proposed. Pork barrel funds are evil since these have been sources of corruption and are used for patronage politics. Peoples initiative It is time to break the INDIFFERENCE in most of our people! One step is knowing, understanding and participating actively in the Peoples Initiative to Abolish the Pork Barrel (PIAP). Last 23 August 2014, the PIAP held its NATIONAL PEOPLES CONGRESS in Cebu City. It was attended by representatives from different sectors of civil society, and different religions. The labor sector was also represented. The Peoples Congress approved the proposed legislation against all kinds of pork barrel. The said legislation also includes appropriate sanctions/ punishments against violators. The Peoples Congress ended with the initial salvo of SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN at the Plaza Independencia, just nearby. The signature campaign strives to gather at least 10% of the registered voters per congressional district. Then, a referendum would be called in order to pass the proposed legislation into law. No branch of government may veto or revise THE NEW LAW AGAINST PORK; only another Peoples Initiative can do it. So, the CALL for us in the Church people-Workers Solidarity (CWS) is the following: 1. Get a copy of the NATIONAL UNITY STATEMENT, PROPOSED LEGISLATION and the PETITION. 2. Get a copy from the NATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE of the PIAP of all the materials needed to run a signature campaign. 3. Mobilize all our CWS members to work hard for the gathering of signatures. May St. Joseph the Worker, His Son the Carpenter and Mama Mary be with us. +GERARDO A. ALMINAZA, D.D. Diocese of San Carlos Chairperson Church people Workers Solidarity (CWS) One factory worker shared that while working, his hand got eaten up by the machine. His hand was amputated. After which, he was terminated from work. The prison ministry today By Rodolfo D. Diamante
INSTITUTIONAL imprisonment is not meant only to punish the offender. It is also supposed to correct him/her, that is, to prepare him/ her to rejoin society after serving sentence. It is likewise meant to temporarily detain an accused pending the resolution of his/her case, if his/her alleged crime is non-bailable, or if he/she cannot afford the bail. Correction as part of the criminal justice system is both complex and crucial. It is essential to the maintenance of peace and order in society and of the human dignity of its straying members. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , correction is least seen and known by the public. Society is eager to recognize the duty of the state to punish the offender, but reluctant to see its equally important role to correct the offender, little realizing t hat i nj ust i ce and other societal factors contribute to the making of an offender. The objective of transforming the correctional process into an educating and humanizing experience for offenders has been dampened by the insuffcient provision of the inmates basic needs. The overcrowded conditions and the grossly defcient facilities in national prisons and various jails give rise to sub-human living and health conditions of prisoners. This is aggravated by insuffcient budget for the basic needs of the prisoners. There are also reports of incidents where the exercise of authority is abused to the extent of degrading the dignity of prisoners and detainees to include maltreatment, sexual harassment, extortion, and other inhumane treatment. Moreover, the struggle for supremacy, in prison/detention cells often results in inmates exploiting or abusing other inmates and detainees for personal gains, further creating problems and issues particularly in the use of prison labor. Furthermore, the appropriate provisions for youth offenders, women offenders, the elderly and the mentally-challenged in prisons and political prisoners are inadequate for their protection. As of March 2014, the population in jails and prisons, under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Correction reached 114, 368. Only 35% of this number were actually found guilty of crimes and are serving their sentences. The remaining 65% are only charged but not yet proven guilty. They are detained because their alleged crimes are not bailable or they cant afford to pay the bail. In the Philippines, there are three levels in our institutional approach to correction. The frst consists of the national penitentiaries under the Bureau of Correction (BUCOR) of the Department of Justice, for offenders sentenced to more than three years of imprisonment. The second level is composed of the provincial jails under the offce of the governor and city and district jails under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of the Department of Interior and Local Government for offenders whose sentences are from seven months to three years. Finally, at the third level are the municipal jails under the BJMP, for offenders sentenced to not more than six months of imprisonment. There are seven p e n i t e n t i a r i e s strategically located all over the Philippines and these are under the administrative control and supervision of the Bureau of Corrections ( BUCOR) of t he Department of Justice. Two of them are in Metro Manila, two in Luzon, one is in the Visayas, and two are in Mindanao. As of April 2014, these penitentiaries had a total of 39, 127 inmates. More than half of them (or 22, 826) are at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. They are distributed in three different compounds - Maximum Security Compound (14, 541); Camp Sampaguita, inclusive of Medium Security Compound, Reception and Diagnostic Center, Metro Jail and Youth Rehabilitation Center (7,926); and the Minimum Security Compound (359). The other penal institution Society is eager to recognize the duty of the state to punish the offender, but reluctant to see its equally important role to correct the offender, little realizing that injustice and other societal factors contribute to the making of an offender. A plea to His Excellency Benigno Aquino III to be merciful and compassionate to VISO prisoners on the occasion of the 27th Prison Awareness Week THE CBCP- Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care wishes to bring before His Excellency, the case of the VISO visitor-less, indigent, sick and oldprisoners in our seven (7) national prisons under the Bureau of Corrections. The VISO prisoners have spent several years in our jails and prisons. They and their families have been enduring the effect of incarceration for several years, especially those who have been sick and are presently confned at the hospital. Their families have exhausted all the resources available to them to fnance their medical bills. The CBCP-ECPPC and its volunteers in prison group with its limited resources have provided support for their needs. More than this problem, the VISO prisoners are longing to be free. They have sought our help on this matter. We understand that the Board of Pardons and Parole had forwarded to Your Excellency the records of these prisoners and that after careful study they have recommended the granting of Executive clemency to these prisoners In this regard, we would like to appeal to His Excellency to grant their plea for EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY. Their release will be a humanitarian act on the part of the offce of the President especially during the celebration of the 27th Prison Awareness Week which coincides with the observance of National Correctional Consciousness Week from October 20-26, 2014. B5 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Statements C B C P
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N e w s Death Penalty / B7 Creation / B7 All creation bless the Lord! (Daniel 3:57) A CHALLENGE from the Past. In 1988 our predecessors in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued the landmark letter What is Happening to Our Beautiful Land? The statement lamented the destruction of our forests, the ravaging of our soil and the pollution of our seas. It also decried the manner in which this environmental degradation has been justifed in the name of industrial progress. Now, more than a quarter century after that forceful exhortation, we are prompted to ask the same question in more global, universal terms. What is happening to our beautiful world? We ask the question, calling to mind the same, largely unaddressed concerns raised by our bishops in 1988. But now we are forced to view all these concerns through the prism of global warming and climate change. Drawing from the lessons of Scripture and the teachings of the Church, we discern anew how we as Catholics and as Filipinos are called to address the challenges posed by global warming and climate change for our country and the whole world. A Warmer, Wetter World. For some time now, climate change and global warming have been contentious ideas. Certain quarters argue that they are simply part of the natural cycles of nature. Others maintain that these are global realities being aggravated by human irresponsibility. In recent years, however, there has been a growing consensus within the scientifc community and even among industrialized nations (most notably the United States) that climate change and global warming are man-made realities that have to be addressed urgently. Thi s consensus can be summarized in several important points. First, there has been a defnite pattern of rising global temperatures since the dawn of the industrial age. Next, these rising temperatures are being caused, or at least accelerated, by carbon emissions and other pollutants--collectively known as greenhouse gases-- from industry. Third, these rising global temperatures have an adverse effect on nature, on sea water levels, and possibly on weather patterns. It has been pointed out, for instance, that a two degree centigrade rise of global temperatures from pre-industrial levels will submerge many island countries and coastal cities. The four degree centigrade rise in global temperatures predicted by the year 2100 will simply be disastrous for all. Blame for the inexorable warming of our world and the rising of our seas falls squarely on the industrialized powers and their fossil fuel driven economies, a number of whom are not complying with international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol. The unabated burning of oil and coal has resulted in record amounts of carbon dumped into the atmosphere, leading to the destruction of the ozone layer and the rise in global temperatures. Methane emissions from factory farms further exacerbate this problem. However, the economi c powers are not solely responsible for this. All of us as Catholic Christians are called to care for our earth, especially in this time of grave danger for her and for all of us. Called to Care for Creation. From the very beginning God ordained that all creation be at the service of humanity. At the conclusion of His creative work, God enjoined humanity to have dominion over creation. This is not to be construed, however, as blanket permission for the wanton destruction of the environment. In the same creation account we are told that God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good (Genesis 1: 26-31). The intrinsic goodness of the earth represents a sacred trust for us to care for and use wisely the goodness God has gifted to us. Israel recognized this sacred trust and praised God with the immortal words Send forth your spirit, they are created and you renew the face of the earth (Psalm 104: 30). By caring and using the gifts of creation, we participate in the renewal of the earth. We as Christians are called to this renewal in a privileged manner, cognizant that Jesus Christ himself is the frst born of all creation in whom were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible . (Colossians 1: 15-6). St. Paul tells us that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now (Romans 8: 22-3) as it awaits, together with us, the salvation won for us by Christ our Savior. Thus we are called to utilize creation as a means towards this salvation, to which all the universe is moving forward. Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin describes this idea beautifully as t he Omega Poi nt , where creation and human consciousness evolve towards perfection, in unity with Christ. The crucial role of created nature not only for human flourishing but for our own salvation has been emphasized by our Holy Pontiffs. Pope John Paul II has emphasized that It is the Creators will that man should treat nature not as a ruthless exploiter but as an intelligent and responsible administrator. Pope Benedict XVI links this responsibility to the environment with our larger obligations to the human community: The environment is Gods gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole. Most forcefully, Pope Francis Statement on the Death Penalty on the Occasion of the 27th Prison Awareness Week on October 20-26 THE CBCP-ECPPC strongly opposed the call of some legislators and some sectors in our society to revive the death penalty. The CBCP-ECPPC considers this effort to be an unenlightened, counter-productive, and counter-progressive move. Some two thousand years ago, a man was sentenced to death and crucifed on the cross. Two millennium years later, states and societies have not learned their lesson. They still impose the ultimate punishment on those whom they deem have violated their laws, despite the fact that some of those that they have sent to death are innocent, like Christ, the man who died on the Cross. Others, like Dismas and Hestas and those who followed after them were guilty, but their fatewhether on the cross, at the gallows, in the gas chamber, on the electric chair, or through any contraption of societys extreme cruelty to its erring membersfailed to deter others from committing even the most heinous of crimes. Indeed, then as now, the imposition of capital punishment is deemed by some as the quickest, most effcient solution to its biggest penal-administration problemdisposing of a subject who has transgressed its laws. . The stance against the death penalty is in no way a posture to let criminal offenders go scot-free. The CBCP-ECPPC believes in Justice and it is ranked high in its hierarchy of values. Those who have transgressed the laws of the land should be held answerable and accountable after a fair trial; otherwise, they become effective endorsers of crime and criminal actions, and strong parody for the ethical adage that crime does not pay. But taking away the life of someone, whom we have condemned, immobilized and rendered helpless with contraptions of death is a horrible lesson to teach our children, that human life is as disposable as any contraptions and trimmings of postmodern life. The CBCP-ECPPC frmly believes in the capacity of the human being to transform and reform its behavior, especially with the help of society which, in the frst place, has much to do in creating an environment for the commission of crime, intended or not. Each A CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on Climate Change Message on the occasion of the 27th Prison Awareness Sunday LOVE of God and love of neighbor is the most important commandment Christ gave us. A commandment he simply did not preach, but a way of life he lived. Because of the love Christ has shown, sinners repented, the lonely jumped with joy, the weak became strong and the hopeless were flled with hope. This is what love can do. Gods longing is that we give each other love. This is also why each of us yearns to be loved. It is love that gives us hope. Today as we celebrate the 27th Prison Awareness Week, the church urges us to look at the prisoners as our neighbors. We are challenge to show them mercy and love them so that they may become whole again. Let us pray that we may say YES to this challenge. Let us come before God and pray that we may always be flled with the grace to respond to His call of love for our brothers and sisters, especially those imprisoned. Today let us make a plea to our compassionate God to teach us to love the least, the last and the lostthe prisoners. We urge the faithful to pray: That the Church through her fdelity to the gospel values continue to give hope to the world embattled with selfshness and the absence of love; That the leaders of our country may learn to follow Christs life of love and service; That through the understanding, love and forgiveness of their families and friends, prisoners may continue to hope for a new and better life; That those who are actively involved in the Prison Ministry may continue to give hope to the prisoners through their life of love and service; That God may continue to renew and transform us into loving persons through our constant and active participation in the celebration of the Eucharist. +LEOPOLDO S. TUMULAK, DD Chairman Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care identifes care for the environment with our Christian vocation when he exhorts, Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation! Refecting on our Response. Clearly then it is incumbent upon us Filipino Catholics to care for the environment, and most urgently, to address the problems of global warming and climate change. This process begins on the personal level, where all of us should examine what we have done to contribute to these problems. Rampant consumerism compels industry to produce more and more goods, which end up polluting the atmosphere. In what ways have we been excessive in our own consumption patterns, buying superfuous items, or patronizing goods that are harmful to the environment? Do we carefully observe regulations that are meant to protect nature, such as waste segregation, reducing harmful emissions from vehicles, and the use of biodegradable products? Global warming and climate change are world- wide problems, but addressing them begins with each person undertaking an environmental examination of conscience to reduce our individual carbon footprint. Having examined ourselves and our relation to the environment, we are then obligated to ensure that our response is not just on the individual, but also on the community level. Unfortunately, we Filipinos are content to say not in my backyard! We keep our home and surroundings clean, even if it means dumping our waste in our neighborhood. In our parishes, basic ecclesial communities, Church based groups, as well as in our work and civic organizations, we are called to explore ways to protect our environment as well as to propagate this environmental awareness. When necessary we should lobby our government for legislation and advocate causes that will help curb environmental degradation caused by the excesses of industry. Finally, even as we do our best as individuals and communities to curb climate change, we must realize it is already upon us. In government and civic circles the prevailing paradigm is one of Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CCA- DRRM). With climate change, our risk to disasters increases as the probability of extreme events increases. As Filipino Catholics, we ask ourselves, how do we help build this inherent awareness of our risk to disasters and to the impacts of climate change? Do we talk about disasters and prepare for them accordingly in our families and communities? Integral to this would be knowing the hazards that we face, knowing our environment, knowing our community, and working with our government and civil society organizations to prepare for the future. Conclusion: a Challenge for the Present and Future. More than twenty fve years ago our elders in the CBCP warned in no uncertain terms that for our environment It is already late in the day and so much damage has been done. Similarly, scientists have dubbed our epoch the Anthropocene, an age where our human interventions are having profound and possibly B6 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Ref lections Bishop Pat Alo Bo Sanchez ENCOUNTERS SOULFOOD C B C P
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N e w s WHEN my son Bene was only three years old, he was already a brilliant philosopher- theologian. Because of this, I sometimes felt he was an alien disguised as a three-year old boy doing espionage work. Let me give you an example of what I mean. When the little guy turned three, my wife placed him on her knee and asked him a simple question, What is Mommy? The cute elf smiled, shocked the daylights out of her when he declared, Mommy is a gift. A gift for Bene. Naturally, my wife hugged him to pieces, wetting the floor with her tears. She called me excitedly and told me what the in-house philosopher-theologian said this time. Builders of a better world 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mt 22:15-21 (A) World Mission Sunday, October 19, 2014 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mt 22:34-40 (A) Prison Awareness Sunday, October 26, 2014 All Souls Day, Jn 14:1-6 (A) November 2, 2014 By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB FOR centuries Christians have concentrated mostly on rendering to God what belongs to God. Religious observances were top priority on their agenda, as well as in their examination of conscience. They offered the criterion to decide whether one was a practicing Catholic or not. Render to Caesar what is due to Caesar was generally understood as paying ones taxes and obeying the laws of the country promulgated by the legitimate authority. Contri buti ve j usti ce and obedience to the legitimate authority are just two aspects of our civil duties. Important and hard as these may be, there are also other ways in which we are expected to make our contribution to the building up of a better, more humane, more just society. The list is long: love of country and its cultural values, honesty, good example, solidarity, contribution of ideas and even constructive criticism, respect for the environment, avoidance of waste, hard work, considering the whole nation as ones greater family...These are just some of the ways through which we give to Caesar what is due to Caesar some aspects of what it means to be a good citizen today. But today it is not enough to focus on our own geographical and historical country. We have to be aware that we are citizens of the world. The entire planet is our homeland. Hence, even the term good citizen must have, for us, a wider meaning now than it had in the past. It must mean to be an active and responsible member of the family of nations that make up mankind one that takes to heart the hopes, aspirations and diffculties of every human being and society. We must learn to leave the ghetto of a short-sighted and selfish nationalism and acquire a global and participative mentality. We must learn to feel responsible for the world in all its aspects because this is our world the world God has entrusted to our stewardship in order that we make it the blueprint of the Kingdom. Vatican II and subsequent pronouncements of the Churchs teaching authority have not only confirmed this new orientation, but have also spelled it out in greater detail. They have also proclaimed clearly that it is the specifc duty of the Catholic laity to get involved and actually to take the lead in the building of a better world. This is their mission. It is in accomplishing such a mission to the world that they will be contributing to the coming of Gods Kingdom here on earth, and thereby bring about their own sanctifcation. Today, one cannot be a good Christian if one does not endeavor to be a good member of the family of nations. We must be fully involved. We owe it to ourselves, to society, to the Church. It is only by giving to Caesar what is due to Caesar that we begin to give to God what is due to God. Gods commandments: the road map to his Kingdom By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB LOVE of God and neighbor was the soul of the Covenant which the Lord had made with His Chosen People. Failure to love in practice was a betrayal of the Covenant and resulted in the creation of victims in the various sectors of society (see the First Reading). All the prophets kept reminding the people about it. The synthesis of the two loves is also the soul of the New Covenant established by Christ and sealed in his blood. It embodies all the essential requirements of the Old Law, but it is much more demanding because it is situated in the new setting of the Kingdom, and is patterned after the example of Jesus. He is the perfect model of how we should love God and men, for he lived the demands of the two commandments with an intensity and a totality that cost him his very life. Love of God and neighbor is really the essence of Christianity. It is the golden rule of life which guides all believers in building up the Kingdom both in themselves and around them. Defending Catholic truths IT is true majority of Filipinos are Catholics. But we ought to realize that what is important is being on the side of truth. After all, thats what Jesus said: If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free (Jn. 8:32). There are so many statements in our world today. What is important is that these be on the side of truth. If so many saints and wise people chose to become Catholics, we ought to have deeper study into its teachings or doctrine. Of course, with so many great saints and people who chose to be Catholics we ought to thank God and all the missionaries and people in our lives who helped to usher into our Land the Catholic truth that has made our Country one singular Catholic nation in the Far East. Simply, of course, for all of us, the paramount value is that, in the spirit of genuine freedom, we are on the side of truth. And we have to respect every persons freedom in the search for the truth. No more of those violent exchanges of the past which were only vestiges or marks of immaturity or ignorance. Lets have the spirit of total freedom in our quest for truth. No one has the monopoly of truth, except God Almighty whose very essence is Truth itself. These two loves are prioritized but also complementary none of the two is perfect without the other. Love of God is number one. It grounds and gives meaning to the love of neighbor. It keeps all the elements of the construction together. But love for God fnds its necessary and most challenging manifestation in the love for neighbor, as Jesus showed us through his life and death. Two loves, one heart, one attitude, then. These two related loves should never be dissociated, never opposed. St. John no doubt echoing his Master spelled out their relatedness and complementariness when he stated, If anyone says, My love is fxed on God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. One who has no love for the brother he sees, cannot love the God he does not see (1 Jn 4:20). Therefore, Whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 Jn 4:21). It is only by keeping these commandments together and living them out, day by day as Jesus did, that the Kingdom grows and becomes ever more an integral part of our life. See each person as a gift I told her, Three-year old boys dont say such things. They should just say Mama and Wiwi and Mamam. See Sweetheart? I told you hes an alien. Probably from planet Krypton. Wanting to find out who I was to him, I grabbed the little bundle and placed him on my knee, and asked, What is Daddy? He smiled, Daddy is a straw. A long straw. Because Daddy is tall. I thought my wife wouldnt stop laughing. I told her, I think hes faking it. He realized we suspected hes an alien so hes talking like a three-year old boy again. I looked at my son and asked, Bene, your Daddy is just a straw? Im not a, you know, something more special? Like a blessing from heaven? A ray of sunlight? A song of the angels? A poem of the universe? His lips were pursed, his face firm. Youre a straw. Perhaps I dont have the IQ to decipher the hidden message behind his esoteric definition for Daddy. Could it be that through his Daddy, my son is able to suck the juices out of lifes wealth and wisdom? Dont push it, my wife said curtly. But both of us agreed with Bene: What if we really saw each other as gifts? Gift- wrapped by God in different shapes and sizes, colors and personalities. Some are as long as straws, some as chubby as basketballs. But all are gifts. No wonder, Beneand all little childrenseem to have so much fun in life. Theyre so busy unwrapping people as gifts of love from above. Look around you now. Have you opened some gifts lately? No wonder, Beneand all little childrenseem to have so much fun in life. Theyre so busy unwrapping people as gifts of love from above. Love for God fnds its necessary and most challenging manifestation in the love for neighbor, as Jesus showed us through his life and death. Such a God-given hope spurs us to perform those works of love like prayer, the offering of personal sacrifces, and especially the holy Sacrifce of the Eucharist, in behalf of the deceased. The hope that flls our lives with light By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB DEATH is an inescapable reality for all creatures. For us human beings, it is a tremendous mystery that confronts us all without exception. Both the rich and the poor; the powerful and the weak; the oppressors and the oppressed; the bad and the good...will inevitably reach that fnish line whose time, place and circumstances are known to God alone. We Christians believe that not everything ends with death. Our spiritual component our immortal soul lives on. While death does conclude the earthly phase of human life, it is also a passage, a transformation of the human situation into something absolutely new, though closely dependent on the way we fared in the days of our earthly life, especially the fnal moments. The new form of existence, which all the souls of those who die enter, is not the same for all. A judgment determines it the conclusion of a very personal encounter between God and the soul of every individual, in an atmosphere of absolute truth and justice. A judgment which will be made known to all only at the fnal judgment. All this is part of the mystery of death. But our present ignorance of the destiny of the departed should not paralyze or frighten us, for we know that God is not only just, but also merciful and does not reject any of those who approach Him with humble trust (see Jn 6:37). But this is not all. Our Catholic faith tells us that a vital link, the Communion of Saints, still bind together those who are living on earth with those who have crossed the border of death. With our prayers, sacrifces, offerings and words of charity we may be of help to those who have preceded us in the after death. The prayers offered today can help save a person who died thousands of years ago, for with God every moment, no matter how remote in time for us, is still now. All this is not a pious invention propagated to console people who feel so much the loss of their dear ones. It is a consoling truth which the Church, instructed by the Spirit, teaches us all in order that our view of death may be flled with hope and love. We should never despair of the eternal salvation of anyone, not even of those who may have died without the sacraments and apparently unrepentant of their sins. In the top-secret encounter behind closed doors between God and each soul, everybody else is shut out, but not the intercessory power of Jesus Christ and all his friends . . . Such a God-given hope spurs us to perform those works of love like prayer, the offering of personal sacrifices, and especially the holy Sacrifce of the Eucharist, in behalf of the deceased. This is all that we can do but it is really a lot! for all our brothers and sisters who have passed away from this life. Our presence in the cemeteries, especially on All Souls Day, our prayers, our lighting candles and bringing fowers, are meant to say just this: We believe that our dead are alive in God, and we intend to show our hope and love for them through these works of piety which became precious through Jesus Christ our Lord. He was who, through his death and resurrection, made death not only bearable, but actually transformed it into a Passover, an entrance into everlasting life. B7 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Year of the Laity Part II / B3 Part III / B3 Part I / B3 Death Penalty / B5 crime committed has a social context and society as a whole, for creating an environment vulnerable to the commission of crime, is as guilty as its erring member. Taking away life is an easy, quick but wrong solution. It merely gives the impression that measures are being taken so as to eradicate crime, or that criminality is fnally solved. But until such time that the root causes of criminality are aborted, criminality will forever rise. Society itself has implanted those roots. Rather than take away precious human life, the Church wants to explore alternatives to mete out justice. For one, it seriously considersand vigorously advocatesa shift in the paradigm of justice: from litigation to mediation; prosecution to healing; punishment to reform and rehabilitation: from the retributive to the restorative. The CBCP-ECPPC is glad to fnd allies in our President and our Secretary of Foreign Affairs who together with other ministers in other countries, see beyond the criminal act and reiterated opposition to capital punishment. We laud His Holiness Pope Francis, who like his two predecessors St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, reaffrms the call to abolish capital punishment arguing that such a stand is a defense to the dignity of human life. The CBCP-ECPPC lauds and supports the declaration of the 5th World Congress Against Death Penalty urging nations in the world to abolish death penalty. EPISCOPAL COMMISSION ON PRISON PASTORAL CARE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines signifcant. Todays world appears to promote limitless affectivity, seeking to explore all its aspects, including the most complex. Indeed, the question of emotional fragility is very current: a narcissistic, unstable or changeable affectivity do not always help greater maturity to be reached. In this context, couples are often uncertain and hesitant, struggling to fnd ways to grow. Many tend to remain in the early stages of emotional and sexual life. The crisis in the couple destabilizes the family and may lead, through separations and divorce, to serious consequences for adults, children and society as a whole, weakening the individual and social bonds. The decline in population not only creates a situation in which the alternation of generations is no longer assured, but over time also risks leading to economic impoverishment and a loss of hope in the future. Pastoral challenges SYNOD UPDATE... CONT the human wisdom present in these, the Church learns how the family is universally considered as the necessary and fruitful form of human cohabitation. In this sense, the order of creation, in which the Christian vision of the family is rooted, unfolds historically, in different cultural and geographical expressions. Realizing the need, therefore, for spiritual discernment with regard to cohabitation, civil marriages and divorced and remarried persons, it is the task of the Church to recognize those seeds of the Word that have spread beyond its visible and sacramental boundaries. Following the expansive gaze of Christ, whose light illuminates every man (cf. Jn 1,9; cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22), the Church turns respectfully to those who participate in her life in an incomplete and imperfect way, appreciating the positive values they contain rather than their limitations and shortcomings. Truth and beauty of the family and mercy The Gospel of the family, while it shines in the witness of many families who live coherently their fdelity to the sacrament, with their mature fruits of authentic daily sanctity must also nurture those seeds that are yet to mature, and must care for those trees that have dried up and wish not to be neglected. In this respect, a new dimension of todays family pastoral consists of accepting the reality of civil marriage and also cohabitation, taking into account the due differences. Indeed, when a union reaches a notable level of stability through a public bond, is characterized by deep affection, responsibility with regard to offspring, and capacity to withstand tests, it may be seen as a germ to be accompanied in development towards the sacrament of marriage. Very often, however, cohabitation is established not with a view to a possible future marriage, but rather without any intention of establishing an institutionally- recognized relationship. Imitating Jesus merciful gaze, the Church must accompany her most fragile sons and daughters, marked by wounded and lost love, with attention and care, restoring trust and hope to them like the light of a beacon in a port, or a torch carried among the people to light the way for those who are lost or fnd themselves in the midst of the storm. In this context the Church is aware of the need to offer a meaningful word of hope. It is necessary to set out from the conviction that man comes from God and that, therefore, a refection able to reframe the great questions on the meaning of human existence, may fnd fertile ground in humanitys most profound expectations. The great values of marriage and the Christian family correspond to the search that distinguishes human existence even in a time marked by individualism and hedonism. It is necessary to accept people in their concrete being, to know how to support their search, to encourage the wish for God and the will to feel fully part of the Church, also on the part of those who have experienced failure or fnd themselves in the most diverse situations. This requires that the doctrine of the faith, the basic content of which should be made increasingly better known, be proposed alongside with mercy. The complex social reality and the changes that the family is called on today to deal with require a greater undertaking from the whole Christian community for the preparation of those who are about to be married. As regards this necessity the Synodal Fathers agreed to underline the need for a greater involvement of the entire community privileging the testimony of the families themselves, as well as a rooting of the preparation for marriage in the path of Christian initiation, underlining the connection between marriage and the other sacraments. In the same way, the necessity was highlighted for specifc programs for preparation for marriage that are a true experience of participation in the ecclesial life and that study closely the diverse aspects of family life. Accompanying the early years of married life The early years of marriage are a vital and delicate period during which couples grow in the awareness of the challenges and meaning of matrimony. Thus the need for a pastoral accompaniment that goes beyond the celebration of the sacrament. Of great importance in this pastoral is the presence of experienced couples. The parish is considered the ideal place for expert couples to place themselves at the disposal of younger ones. Couples need to be encouraged towards a fundamental welcome of the great gift of children. The importance of family spirituality and prayer needs to be underlined, encouraging couples to meet regularly to promote the growth of the spiritual life and solidarity in the concrete demands of life. Meaningful liturgies, devotional practices and the Eucharist celebrated for families, were mentioned as vital in favoring evangelization through the family. Positive aspects of civil unions and cohabitation A new sensitivity in todays pastoral consists in grasping the positive reality of civil weddings and, having pointed out our differences, of cohabitation. It is necessary that in the ecclesial proposal, while clearly presenting the ideal, we also indicate the constructive elements in those situations that do not yet or no longer correspond to that ideal. It was also noted that in many countries an an increasing number live together ad experimentum, in unions which have not been religiously or civilly recognized (Instrumentum Laboris, 81). In Africa this occurs especially in traditional marriages, agreed between families and often celebrated in different stages. Faced by these situations, the Church is called on to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open [] where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems (Evangelii Gaudium, 47) and to move towards those who feel the need to take up again their path of faith, even if it is not possible to celebrate a religious marriage. In the West as well there is an increasingly large number of those who, having lived together for a long period of time, ask to be married in the Church. Simple cohabitation is often a choice inspired by a general attitude, which is opposed to institutions and defnitive undertakings, but also while waiting for a secure existence (a steady job and income). In other countries common-law marriages are very numerous, not because of a rejection of Christian values as regards the family and matrimony, but, above all, because getting married is a luxury, so that material poverty encourages people to live in common-law marriages. Furthermore in such unions it is possible to grasp authentic family values or at least the wish for them. Pastoral accompaniment should always start from these positive aspects. All these situations have to be dealt with in a constructive manner, seeking to transform them into opportunities to walk towards the fullness of marriage and the family in the light of the Gospel. They need to be welcomed and accompanied with patience and delicacy. With a view to this, the attractive testimony of authentic Christian families is important, as subjects for the evangelization of the family. Caring for wounded families (the separated, the divorced who have not remarried, the divorced who have remarried) What rang out clearly in the Synod was the necessity for courageous pastoral choices. Reconfrming forcefully the fdelity to the Gospel of the family, the Synodal Fathers, felt the urgent need for new pastoral paths, that begin with the effective reality of familial fragilities, recognizing that they, more often than not, are more endured than freely chosen. These are situations that are diverse because of personal as well as cultural and socio-economic factors. It is not wise to think of unique solutions or those inspired by a logic of all or nothing. The dialog and meeting that took place in the Synod will have to continue in the local Churches, involving their various components, in such a way that the perspectives that have been drawn up might fnd their full maturation in the work of the next Ordinary General Assembly. The guidance of the Spirit, constantly invoked, will allow all Gods people to live the fdelity to the Gospel of the family as a merciful caring for all situations of fragility. Each damaged family frst of all should be listened to with respect and love, becoming companions on the journey as Christ did with the disciples of the road to Emmaus. In a particular way the words of Pope Francis apply in these situations: The Church will have to initiate everyonepriests, religious and laityinto this art of accompaniment, which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Es 3,5). The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, refecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life. (Evangelii Gaudium, 169). Such discernment is indispensable for the separated and divorced. What needs to be respected above all is the suffering of those who have endured separation and divorce unjustly. The forgiveness for the injustice endured is not easy, but it is a journey that grace makes possible. In the same way it needs to be always underlined that it is indispensable to assume in a faithful and constructive way the consequences of separation or divorce on the children: they must not become an object to be fought over and the most suitable means need to be sought so that they can get over the trauma of the family break-up and grow up in the most serene way possible. Various Fathers underlined the necessity to make the recognition of cases of nullity more accessible and fexible. Among the propositions were the abandonment of the need for the double conforming sentence; the possibility of establishing an administrative means under the responsibility of the diocesan bishop; a summary process to be used in cases of clear nullity. According to authoritative propositions, the possibility should then be considered of giving weight to the faith of those about to be married in terms of the validity of the sacrament of marriage. It needs to be emphasized that in all these cases it is about the ascertaining of the truth over the validity of the obstacle. As regards matrimonial suits, the speeding- up of the procedure, requested by many, as well as the preparation of a suffcient number of operators, clerics and lay people, dedicating themselves to this, requires an increase in the responsibilities of the diocesan bishop, who in his diocese might charge a specially trained priest who would be able to offer the parties advice on the validity of their marriage. Divorced people who have not remarried should be invited to fnd in the Eucharist the nourishment they need to sustain them in their state. The local community and pastors have to accompany these people with solicitude, particularly when there are children involved or they fnd themselves in a serious situation of poverty. In the same way the situation of the divorced who have remarried demands a careful discernment and an accompaniment full of respect, avoiding any language or behavior that might make them feel discriminated against. For the Christian community looking after them is not a weakening of its faith and its testimony to the indissolubility of marriage, but rather it expresses precisely its charity in its caring. As regards the possibility of partaking of the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, some argued in favor of the present regulations because of their theological foundation, others were in favor of a greater opening on very precise conditions when dealing with situations that cannot be resolved without creating new injustices and suffering. For some, partaking of the sacraments might occur were it preceded by a penitential pathunder the responsibility of the diocesan bishopand with a clear undertaking in favor of the children. This would not be a general possibility, but the fruit of a discernment applied on a case-by-case basis, according to a law of gradualness, that takes into consideration the distinction between state of sin, state of grace and the attenuating circumstances. Suggesting limiting themselves to only spiritual communion was questioned by more than a few Synodal Fathers: if spiritual communion is possible, why not allow them to partake in the sacrament? As a result a greater theological study was requested starting with the links between the sacrament of marriage and the Eucharist in relation to the Church-sacrament. In the same way, the moral dimension of the problem requires further consideration, listening to and illuminating the consciences of spouses. The problems relative to mixed marriages were frequently raised in the interventions of the Synodal Fathers. The differences in the matrimonial regulations of the Orthodox Churches creates serious problems in certain contexts to which have to be found suitable responses in communion with the Pope. The same applies to inter-religious marriages. Welcoming homosexual persons Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony? The question of homosexuality leads to a serious refection on how to elaborate realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity integrating the sexual dimension: it appears therefore as an important educative challenge. The Church furthermore affrms that unions between people of the same sex cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman. Nor is it acceptable that pressure be brought to bear on pastors or that international bodies make fnancial aid dependent on the introduction of regulations inspired by gender ideology. Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifce constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners. Furthermore, the Church pays special attention to the children who live with couples of the same sex, emphasizing that the needs and rights of the little ones must always be given priority. The transmission of life and the challenge of the declining birthrate It is not diffcult to notice the spread of a mentality that reduces the generation of life to a variable of an individuals or a couples plans. Economic factors sometimes have enough weight to contribute to the sharp drop in the birthrate which weakens the social fabric, compromising the relationship between generations and rendering the view of the future less certain. Being open to life is an intrinsic requirement of married love. Probably here as well what is required is a realistic language that is able to start from listening to people and acknowledging the beauty and truth of an unconditional opening to life as that which human life requires to be lived to its fullest. It is on this base that we can rest an appropriate teaching regarding natural methods, which allow the living in a harmonious and aware way of the communication between spouses, in all its dimensions, along with generative responsibility. In this light, we should go back to the message of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae of Paul VI, which underlines the need to respect the dignity of the person in the moral evaluation of the methods of birth control. So help is required to live affectivity, in marriage as well, as a path of maturation, in the evermore profound welcoming of the other and in an ever-fuller giving. It has to be emphasized in this sense the need to offer formative paths that nourish married life and the importance of a laity that provides an accompaniment consisting of living testimony. It is undoubtedly of great help the example of a faithful and profound love made up of tenderness, of respect, capable of growing in time and which in its concrete opening to the generation of life allows us to experience a mystery that transcends us. The challenge of education and the role of the family in evangelization The fundamental challenge facing families today is undoubtedly that of education, rendered more diffcult and complex by todays cultural reality. What have to be considered are the needs and expectations of families capable of testifying in daily life, places of growth, of concrete and essential transmission of the virtues that provide form for existence. In this Church can carry out a precious role in supporting families, starting from Christian initiation, through welcoming communities. What is asked of these, today even more than yesterday, in complex as well as mundane situations, is to support parents in their educative undertaking, accompanying children and young people in their growth through personalized paths capable of introducing them to the full meaning of life and encouraging choices and responsibilities, lived in the light of the Gospel. Conclusion The refections put forward, the fruit of the Synodal dialog that took place in great freedom and a spirit of reciprocal listening, are intended to raise questions and indicate perspectives that will have to be matured and made clearer by the refection of the local Churches in the year that separates us from the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of bishops planned for October 2015. These are not decisions that have been made nor simply points of view. All the same the collegial path of the bishops and the involvement of all Gods people under the guidance of the Holy Spirit will lead us to fnd roads of truth and mercy for all. This is the wish that from the beginning of our work Pope Francis has extended to us, inviting us to the courage of the faith and the humble and honest welcome of the truth in charity. Prison / B4 within Metro Manila is the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City and in Tagum, with a population of 2, 235 inmates. The other penitentiaries include the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro (2067 inmates); the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan (2,409); the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte (1,586); the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga (1,547); and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte (6,457). There are 81 provincial jails, 143 city jails and 1, 491 municipal jails in the country, with approximately 75, 241 prisoners. In addition to the traditional levels of criminal and judicial institutions, there are also military stockades under the Armed Forces of the Philippines, detention centers - at the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and Philippine National Police. The CBCP-ECPPC in response to the issues and concerns in jails and prisons has formulated programs to accomplish the following thrust: Advocacy that entails the continuous education and organization of individuals and groups for that will work for a restorative justice paradigm in our criminal justice system. Lobbyi ng t hat consi st s in working for policies and procedures that protect the dignity of the prisoners and advance their human rights. Publication, Documentation and Information Dissemination that will consists in gathering, organization, safekeeping, and dissemination of materials for the advancement of restorative justice. M a i n t a i n i n g a n d Strengthening the Linkages and Partnerships with groups, agencies and organizations involve in jails in prison locally and internationally. Sustained Program for ECPPC Staff and Volunteers towards the deepening of their commitment and relationships and team work. Creation / B5 irreversible effects on our world. The task of addressing global warming and climate change is thus an urgent one. It begins with a deep gratitude for the created gifts God has given us, and a renewed commitment to the sacred trust of caring for these gifts. We are called to respond with care and creativity as individuals and communities, as nations and as one human family. We face these immense challenges trusting in our loving and merciful God, who once proclaimed: If then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7: 14). We pray that we may have the hope and faith of our Blessed Mother, who praised God in all His creation: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior (Luke 1: 46). For the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, October 4, 2014, Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi +SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan CBCP President _________________________ i Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. What is Happening to Our Beautiful Land? 29 Janu- ary 1988 ii Hare, Bill. Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4 C World Must Be Avoided. FABC Papers no. 140. October 2013, pp. 8-10. iii Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre. The Phenomenon of Man. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. iv Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia in Asia: Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation. 6 November 1999 v Pope Benedict XVI. Caritas in Veritate. 29 June 2009. vi Pope Francis. Message to the Diplomatic Corps. 14 January 2014. vii CBCP. What is Happening to Our Beautiful Land? B8 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 B8 CBCP Monitor Entertainment Entertainment Technical Assessment Poor Below average Average Above average Excellent Moral Assessment Abhorrent Disturbing Acceptable Wholesome Exemplary UUWI mul a s a Amer i ka ang mag- asawang El ai ne at Rommel (Bing Loyzaga at Yul Servo), kasama ang dalagang anak na si Rachel ( J a s mi ne Cur t i s - S mi t h) upang alagaan si Mara (Nora Aunor), kapatid ni Elaine na may dement i a, i s ang kal agayan ng mat i ndi ng pagkal i mot at pangl al abo ng i s i p. Sa pa g- a s a ng makatutulong sa paggaling ng demensya ni Mara ang pagbabal i k ni t o sa bahay na kanyang ki nal aki han, magbabakasyon silang lahat sa kanilang ancestral home sa Batanes. Ta t l o n g b a g a y a n g matatawag na mga panalong puhunan ng Dementia: ang Batanes, ang musika, at si Nora Aunor. I s i p i n n y o n a l a n g , k u n g s i y u d a d o i s a n g makabagong probinsya ang pangyayari han ng i st orya, t i yak na mababawasan ang hi waga ni t odi t ul ad ng Bat ane s na pumupukaw s a p a g k a ma l i k h a i n n g c i ne ma t o g r a phe r. Ang mu s i k a : s a s i mu l a p a l ama ng ay i s i ni s i l i d na ni t o a ng da mda mi n ng manonood sa isang mood na mananat i l i sa kahabaan ng pel i kul a. At si Nora Aunor? Tila i pi na ng a na k s i y a pa r a g u ma n a p s a g a n i t o n g mga papel t ul ad ng s a Hi mal akung s aan ang kanyang katauhan ay ti l a isang bugtong, nababalot ng hiwaga, lalo pat kakaunti ang mga l i nyang dapat bi gkasi n ng aktres kaya t babantayan mo na lang ang kanyang mukha, mga mata, at kilos upang matanto mo ang kahal agahan ni t o sa pagbubuo ng salaysay. N a p a k a g a l i n g n g pagkakagami t ng angki ng ganda ng Bat anes uang i s u l o n g a n g d r a ma ; malamang ay inspirasyon na rin ito sa mga artista upang gampanan nang kahanga- hanga ang kani l ang mga papel. Kakatwa lamang na ang i ki nabawas ng l akas ng Dementi a ay ang mga idinagdag ditong sangkap na hindi makatuturan. Malaman ang kuwento ng Dement i a, bagama t may mga sangkap i tong kapag ki nuwenta mo na sa dul o ay kal abi san l ang naman pal a, hi ndi nakakadagdag sa kabul uhan o t akbo ng istorya; sinadya kaya ito para i l i gaw ang pagpapal agay ng manonood, o kaya y upang busugi n ang sabi k ng mga tao sa karani wang katatakutang natatagpuan s a k a r a n i wa n g h o r r o r movi es? Ka h i t n a ma y mg a panggul at na eks ena at multo ang Dementia, hindi DEBUTI NG di rect or Wes Ball opens the movie with 16-year-old Thomas (Dylan O Br i en) st ruggl i ng i n a f rei ght el evat or shoot i ng up underground. It surfaces i n a pl ace i nhabi t ed by t een boys he had never met before. He learns he i s now i n the gl adea wide expanse of meadows and woods surrounded by massive concrete walls. The glade has been home to the boys who have been placed there, one each month, for the past three years, arriving like Thomas in the same conveyor, remembering nothing of their past except their names. This makeshift society is led by the first arrival Alby (Aml Ameen) ; havi ng survi ved in the glade alone for one DIRECTION: Percy Intalan CAST: Nora Aunor, Jasmine Curtis, Bing Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Chynna Ortaleza WRITER: Jun Lana CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mackie Galvez PRODUCTION: Octobertrain Films, The IdeaFirst Company MUSIC: Von de Guzman LOCATION: Batanes GENRE: Drama, mystery thriller DISTRIBUTOR: Regal Films TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:
MORAL ASSESSMENT:
CINEMA rating: V14 DIRECTOR: Wes Ball LEAD CAST: Dylan OBrien, Aml Ameen, Ki Hong Lee, Blake Cooper, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Will Poulter, Dexter Darden, Kaya Scodelario, Chris Sheffeld, Anish Sureped- di, Patricia Clarkson GENRE: science fction, ac- tion thriller CINEMATOGRAPHER: En- rique Chediak DISTRIBUTOR: 20th Century Fox LOCATION: Louisiana, USA RUNNING TIME: 113 Minutes TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:
MORAL ASSESSMENT: CINEMA rating: PG 13 Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias ito isang horror movie o kababalaghan kaya. Itoy i sang pal ai si pan na nag- aanyaya sa manonood na sakyan ang kal agayan ng isang taong may demensya kinakalawang ang alala-ala, pumupurol ang isipan. Naililibing kaya kasama ng i sang yumaong mahal sa buhay ang kasawi ang namagi t an s a dal awang ni l al ang? I t o ang nai s bungkal i n ng Dement i a: sadya kayang nakakalimot ang may sakit, o mayroon l a ma ng s i ya ng gus t ong i ba on s a l i mot ? Kung sadyang nakakalimot na nga siya, bakit may isang higit pang makapangyar i hang al a-al a ang tumatanggi ng sumama sa libingan? Ano ang tunay na bumabagabag kay Mar ade me ns ya, o konsiyensya? month, he has become their natural leader. Newt (Thomas Brodi e Sangst er) , second in command, tells Thomas they are virtual prisoners in the glade, the eye of an enormous maze whose ever- shifting walls are too high to scale. It is the duty of Gally ( Wi l l Poul t er) t o enf orce the rules in the glade, the DEMENTIA THE MAZE RUNNER most i mport ant of whi ch is never to enter the door to the mazea tantalizing portal that closes by itself at night when gigantic bio- mechanical creatures called Grievers patrol the maze. Thomas is warned that no one has ever survived a night in the maze. Ada pt e d f r o m J a me s Name _________________________________________________ (Family Name) (Given Name) (Middle Name) Mailing Address _______________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Phone No.: ________ Fax No.: ________ E-mail: ___________ Mode of Payment Check/PMO enclosed Cash Payment (Payable to: CBCP Communications Development Foundation Inc.) _____________________________ Signature PLEASE SEND TO: CBCP Monitor, P.O. Box 3601, Manila, Philippines 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, Philippines | Tel (632) 404-2182 Telefax (632) 404-1612 Or e-mail this at cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the CBCP Media Offce, with editorial and busi- ness offces at 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila. PO Box 3601, 1076 MCPO Domestic 1 Year Php 500.00 2 Years Php 900.00 Foreign: Asia 1 Year US$ 55.00 All Other US$ 80.00 CBCPMonitor Know St. Teresa of Avila Dashner s bestselling 2009 book of t he s ame t i t l e, po s t - a po c a l y pt i c s c i - f i movie version of The Maze Runner j oins the ranks of The Hunger Games and Divergents as young-adult adventure thriller. Although the story is compelling, it is not without loopholes. The absence of a back story also hi nders charact eri zat i on, although acting is adequate and convincing, given the bit of uneven handling of the cast. The Maze Runner s strongest technical point is the action, which owes its excitement to the sensible balance between CGI and nat ur al human skills. No superhero strength for the characters, no demi- godly powers, no flyingjust running and a great deal of guts. The Maze Runner has for its redemptive elements a st rong mor al wor l dvi ew and the message that man has an innate capacity for good. Despite the loss of past memory, its characters display courage, selflessness, ki ndness, and a sense of sacrifice. Although clueless about their confinement in the glade, the boys prove that teamwork can build a harmonious community where each has a duty to keep their habitat livable. Living off the land, they grow their own food, some are goatherds, some are craftsmen making tools and building dwellings from sticks. Three rules of paramount importance in the glade: Do your part with work, never harm another Glader, and never go into the maze. Teresa & Therese ON March 28, 2015, Carmelites the world over will celebrate the 5th birth centenary of St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman Doctor of the Church. The three-year campaign of the Philippines National Commission for the Celebration of the 5th Birth Centenary of St. Teresa of Avila, launched on March 28, 2012, aims to promote St. Teresa of Avilas teaching on prayer among the Filipinos. There are only eight parishes in the whole country named after St. Teresa of Avila (a. k. a. St. Teresa of Jesus), and although a number of Catholic schools for girls are named after St. Teresa, Filipinos are more familiar with her daughter, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the third woman doctor of the Church, and whose relics have visited the Philippines three times (2000, 2008, and 2013). It would therefore be appropriate to begin this series with something to establish the identity of the two Carmelite Doctors of the Church. In the succeeding issues we will feature highlights from the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila, Reformer of Carmel and Founder of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. ST. TERESA OF AVILA Birth: March 28, 1515, in Spain Death: October 4, 1582 Name in Carmel: Teresa of Jesus Popular iconography: Book, quill, dove Canonization: March 12, 1662 by Pope Gregory XV Proclaimed Doctor of the Church: September 27, 1970 ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX Birth: January 2, 1873, in France Death: September 30 1897 Name in Carmel: Therese of the Child Jesus Popular iconography: Crucifix, roses Canonization: 17 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI Proclaimed Doctor of the Church: October 19, 1997 Hail Mary! Queen of Families CFCs Continuing Journey with Mary Catchfre Rally 2014: Set the World Ablaze! Kids save up for the Global Day of Service IN PREPARATION for the Com- munity Consecration to Jesus thru Mary of the Global Family of Couples for Christ on Decem- ber 7, 2014, the CFC Mission Core of Metro Manila held a recollection on Marian consecra- tion last October 5, 2014. Rev. Fr. Melvin Castro, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Com- mission on Family and Life, was Recollection Master. In the recollection, Fr. Castro recounted the meaning of con- secration to Jesus through Mary, and why all should do it. To consecrate (from the Latin words con and sacrare) means to make holy, to set apart for the Lord, Fr. Castro said, to begin the recollection. The first consecration hap- pened at the foot of the cross, when Jesus said, Woman, be- hold your son... Behold, your Mother. (John 19: 26-27) Jesus wanted us to be taken care of by a mother, Fr. Castro added. But He didn't want it to be just any mother, but His own Mother. This is what consecration is about: entrusting that the Blessed Mother knows what the faithful needs, even without telling her. To be possessed, to be cov- ered with the mantle of her protection, to be owned by Our Lady... means we submit ourselves to the Lord himself. When we consecrate ourselves to Mary, we consecrate ourselves to Christ, Fr. Castro said. He added, Any devotion to be true, it should lead us to Christ. CFC Leaders Personally Encounter Pope Francis at the Synod of Bishops CFC was blessed to be have a personal encounter with Pope Francis and to participate in the III Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, with George and Cynthia Campos as official representatives of Couples for Christ in the Synod. The theme for this years Synod is Pas- toral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization. According to the Vatican website, the Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution of the Catholic Church established by Pope Paul VI in 1965, shortly after the close of the Second Vatican Council. It was instituted to continue the spirit of collegiality and communion that was present at the Council. The Synod is an assembly of bishops from around the world who assist the Holy Father by providing counsel on important questions facing the Church in a manner that preserves By CFC Global Comm the Churchs teaching and strengthens her internal discipline. The ongoing Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is the third; previous Extraordinary General Assemblies were held in 1969 and 1985. The Preparatory Document described the purpose of the III Ex- traordinary General Assembly as to define the status quaestionis (current situation) and to collect the bishops experiences and proposals in pro- claiming and living the Gospel of the Family in a credible manner. The III Extraordinary General As- sembly will then thoroughly examine and analyze the information, testimo- nies and recommendations received from the particular Churches in order to respond to the new challenges of the family. The Synod opened last October 5, 2014. Together with Cardinals and Bishops, 13 lay individuals also partic- ipated in the Synod. George Campos CFC LEADERS/ C2 GDS/ C2 And so on November 5, 2014 (Wednesday), the global CFC family shall begin the do-it- yourself retreat prior to the community consecration using the book 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC. On December 7, 2014, the global community of CFC will be consecrated to Jesus thru the Blessed Mother. The Marian consecration shall be done simultaneously in all CFC areas in the Philippines and foreign countries on December 7. On December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, will mark the personal consecration of every CFC member. Fr . Ca s t r o c onc l ude s , Through this consecration, let us, like John the beloved disci- ple, bring Mary into our own homes. ARE YOU a Christian in active service of a Church community or parish? Are YOU a Christian seeking to be in- volved in Church ministry or service? Are YOU a Christian who seem to have lost the zeal in Church minis- try or service? Are YOU a Christian simply longing to take your faith more seriously? If you are any of the above, then Catchfire is for YOU! Catchfire is a major inspirational event that aims to re-ignite the fre among Catholics and other Christians by allowing them to receive the fre of Gods love and spread it to others. After all, Catchfre means to ignite, to burn, to excite, to set on fre. Catchfre provides an exciting oppor- tunity for Christians from all walks of lifefrom those who are already actively serving in the Church parishes and its communities to those who are still in search of more meaning in their faithto become inspired, renewed and refreshed. Amidst a very cold and modern world, Catchfre aims to give hope, in- spiration and courage. Through Catch- fre, our hope is for people to receive the fre and spread it to others. What is the FIRE to be spread and for people to catch? The FIRE of Gods Love! By coming together as Gods people, Catchfire hopes to enable people to stand frm in their faith and engage in the mission of evangelization amidst the moral relativism that they face in this modern world. On November 23, 2014 (Sunday), Christ the King Sunday, about 18,000 people from various Catholic Com- munities, as spearheaded by Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon, Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Profession- als (BCBP), Couples for Christ (CFC), and Familia, are expected to troop to the SMART Araneta Coliseum as they set the world ablaze. Catchfire will start with the Rally Proper, which promises an exciting after- noon of praise and worship with inspi- rational talks and personal testimonies that are meant to set ablaze the fre in the hearts of Catholics and other Christians so that they become more ready and willing to step out into the world and proclaim their faith. It will conclude with a Eucharistic Celebration on the occasion of Christ the King Sunday. Through Catchfre, people would be overwhelmed by Gods love that they would come out of it ready to do anything for Him. For inquiries and tickets, please call (02) 709-4868 local 25, or email cfc- globalcommunications@gmail.com. An offcial Memo will be sent to all lead- ers in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces soon. and wife Cynthia shared about their personal family life in the synod last October 7, 2014. Below is the testimony of the Cam- pos couple, following the presentation of Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle of the Archdiocese of Manila: Your Holiness, Your Eminences, Your Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Our Call to Vocation: Cynthia and I were married in 1987, blessed with four children. In 1990, we became members of Couples for Christ, a Private Lay Association of the Faithful of Pontifical Right. We have committed ourselves to be a liv- ing catechesis of our vision to live as Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earthand our mission: Building the Church of the Home and of the Poor in the 107 countries that we are present in. AS EARLY as Summer of 2014, members of CFC Kds for Christ have been saving up in their decorated coin bottles, all ea- gerly looking forward to the day when they will crack their coin banks open and share the contents with those in need. And true enough, come Sep- tember 27, 2014, during the Global Day of Service 5, CFC KFC opened their bottles of blessing in order to bless others. All over the world, children of all ages trooped to various locations together with their families in order to share love in any way they can. This years GDS is Kids Love To My Beloved, and kids all over the world were encouraged to express their love for the poor. Through GDS 5, children were made to understand how blessed they are, and how they could become blessings to those in need. The GDS became an instrument which empowered KFC to put their faith into ac- tion by doing something con- crete, like saving up, pooling their resources and sharing everything they saved so they can help. The beauty of this years GDS is that the children did not just stop at saving money them- selves. They were likewise encouraged to tell their friends, classmates, cousins, etc. to do their own saving and sharing. Among the activities dur- ing the GDS 5 were cleaning up of schools and surround- ing areas, gift-giving to Cornerstone tutees, helping SFC Ates and Kuyas in the feeding program, visiting the abandoned elderly, visit- ing other children in institu- tions, and tree planting. In Leyte, which was se- verely hit by typhoon Yola- By CFC Global Comm By Alma M. Alvarez C1 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor The News Supplement of Couples for Christ C2 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Vocation Discernment: I applied to be a nun with the Rosas Hermanas (Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit), a contemplative congregation. I was accepted, however, I was asked to undergo a one-on-one directed retreat with a priest. At the end of the retreat the priest said, You are not meant for the religious life. God will give you a husband who will help you rear the children who will serve Him in the future. Your work is outside. After this seeming rejection from the Lord, I went back to school to finish my course. By the way, George was an altar server in the same convent I was apply- ing to. I attained a high stature in a company I was working with for 25 years. At age 46, I opted to resign. I told the owner that I have spent the first half of the prime of my life serving this company and now I want to spend the 2nd half serving the Lord.Cynthia at 47, resigned too, so we can serve together as a couple. We have grown deeper in faith and love for the Lord through our teaching forma- tions and weekly household prayer meetings with other couples. This blessed encounter with Jesus led us to become full time missionary disciples. Our children are following suit. They have joined the CFC Family Ministries beginning with Kids, Youth and Singles for Christ. We have been in missions together in Vietnam, Thailand and Australia.
Cynthias dangerous preg- nancy: On my 4th pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. We were told that my life would be at risk if I continued the pregnancy and my child had a high probability of being born abnormal. We were advised to choose between terminating the pregnancy or taking the risk. It was truly a test of faith and surrender. We decided to have the baby and to abide by the will of God. By Gods grace, we both survi ved and my daughter Christen is now very healthy and full of life.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis In 1998: I was diagnosed with breast cancer with 3 to 6 months to live. Instead of letting go of our service, we continued, support ed by t he prayers of my family and our CFC community. My prayer was, Lord with just a flick of your finger you could change my illness. You just have to will it. God heard our prayers for now I am standing before you, cured with a simple medical intervention and a dose of antibiotics. The pastoral formation and support CFC gives strengthens and sustains us and our family in the daily challenges we face. But how about those who do not have the privilege of hav- ing a support group? And so our mission continues with greater passion. CFC has min- istries for mature men (Serv- ants of the Lord) and women (Handmaids of the Lord) who are single, with spouses work- ing abroad, who lost their spouses either through death, legal separation/ divorce or a diverging view of associative Church groupings. For couples in irregular situ- ations, the JACOBs WELL ministry was established. This was inspired from the conver- sation of Jesus with the Samari- tan woman in the Gospel of John (4:1-42). It didnt fare well due to mutually felt uneasiness and lack of interactive prepar- edness with regularly married couples and a Church advisory that our organization is meant only for couples married in Church. An enlightened pastoral charity inaugurating innova- tive forms of accompani- ment, of conjugal spirituality formation and of inclusionary participation in church life leading to full communion needs promotion and enact- ment by our ordained minis- ters. Caritas Christi urget nos. Grazie! na last year, KFC and their families went to the CFC ANCOP Communities and helped in the activities involving the building of houses in the area for the typhoon survivors. Of course, what is Kids for Christ without Kids Praise and prayer? In all the GDS activities, the children opened and closed the day with the recitation of the Rosary, kids praise, and the offering of special prayers. The kids also enjoyed creating love cards for their parents, siblings and new-found friends. These photos are a testimony that the innocent hearts of children are capable of expressing love at its purest. Through the Global Day of Service, CFC Kids for Christ hopes to truly pursue its vi- sion of Bringing Kids to the Lord and Building a Bright New World. (To see more photos of Global Day of Service 5, please go to http://bit.ly/GDSfve and http:// bit.ly/GDSgroup) Ugnayan COURTNEY Barich, an 18-year- old senior from Holy Cross Regional High School in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada decid- ed to forego a $700 prom dress for graduation. Instead, she has done the unthinkable by wear- ing a dress made of potato sack. Courtney felt guilty about buy- ing a $700 dress, and so after her mother told her that she would look good even in a potato sack, she let go of the expensive dress, bought a $3 burlap fabric and sought the help of Vancouver Art Institute student designer Suman Faulkner to design a dress for her. All this was all part of an effort to raise $10,000 for San Martin De Porres Childrens Center in Tondo, Manila. Courtney started a website in December explain- ing: I will give up the glitz and glam of a beautiful grad dress and I will wear a burlap dress to grad instead, if I can get $10,000 in much needed donations to help this orphanage. Flashback Six months ago, thirty-two students from Grades 11 and 12 of Holy Cross Regional High School came to the Philippines to participate in what they call the Holy Cross Mission Trip 2014. The students, together with 7 teachers and a priest spent two weeks in immersion, building houses and making friends with residents in ANCOP Communi- ties, namely ANCOP Kapatid Community, AVANAI and Our Lady of Banneux. Then, the group visited San Martin de Porres Childrens Center in Tondo, Manila. Courtney Barich, prior to her trip to Manila, had pledged to raise money for the said center. It was definitely an eye-opener to see all the poverty, from the houses they Canadian teen wears burlap dress to graduation and raises $10K for Philippine orphanage live in to the food they eat. All the kids were walking around with no shoes. It was very sad. I came back grateful, she told Today.com. Labor of love Courtney Barich teamed up with designer Suman Faulkner of Lata Design, who donated her time and skills to create a white fitted one-strap gown, made from burlap, with a winding trail of small pink and yellow fowers. For a teenager, the prom is almost like a wedding, said Faulkner. So for her to want to do this, it just touched my heart. The stunning gown took two weeks to make, but for the de- signer it was no easy task as she was quite allergic to burlap. But despite this, the outcome was purely magical. Courtney went to her graduation ball in a glam- orous and stunning burlap dress, all in the name of charity. On August 24, 2014, during the Ancop Walk Canada, Court- ney Barich, presented a $15,000 cheque representing the money she raised through social media for the San Martin de Porres Childrens Center. The said amount will sponsor 40 children of Tondo, Manila in their one year education. Coming back to Manila On September 25, 2014, as promised, Courtney arrived in the Philippines, together with her sister Kelsey and friend Joseph. They dropped by ANCOP offce where they were met by the staff and ANCOP President Jimmy Ilagan. The next day, September 26, was very special for Courtney as she met her 40 sponsored children in San Martin de Porres Childrens Center. The children were very happy and excited to see Courtney in person. One by one, the students, all in elemen- tary, introduced themselves and thanked her, at the same time promising that they will work hard in school. All the children knew Courtneys burlap dress story. Courtney expressed her hap- piness in seeing the joy in the childrens eyes. She said, I am also thankful that I was given the chance to help. Courtney al so asked for prayers as she embarks a new chapter in her life as she enters college. Courtney, Kelsey and Joseph distributed some goddie bags, including volleyballs and basketballs for the children. Courtneys Story Immortalized Courtney was in for a surprise when Eunice Chua Cheng, Ex- cecutive Director of San Martin Children Center and Ruel Canda, Livelihood Trainor brought her to the livelihood area and showed her assorted bags made from potato sacks. The bags were designed and made by Ruel Canda. Each bag has a tag show- ing Courtneys picture holding a potato sack and her beautiful story. The bags were labeled Courtney Inspired. Courtney was asked to pick one for herself. She also signed her name in one of the bags for memorabilia purposes. Cheng said they are planning to sell the bags and use the proceeds for the childrens center needs. Kelsey and Joseph bought Courtney In- spired bags for themselves too. Courtney ended her Manila visit with an interview with a morning television program, Good Morning Boss at PTV 4 on September 29. Together with Kelsey and Vida Cuares, ANCOP Canada Coordinator for the Phil- ippines, they told the story of the burlap dress, the burlap bags and their experiences with ANCOP and the children of San Martin de Porres. CFC ANCOP Elects New Board of Directors CFC LEADERS/ C1 GDS / C1 By Romy Medina CFC ANCOP recently elected the new set of members of the Board of Directos during the recent membership meeting. The new BOD are Joe Yamamoto, Jimmy Ilagan, George Campos, Mannix Occampo,James Solano, Eric delos Reyes, Manny Garcia, Steve Maningat, and Arnel Santos. A new set of offcers were likewise chosen, with Yamamoto as Chairman; Ilagan as President; Garcia as VP; and Maningat as Treasurer. Rene Punsalan remains Corporate Secretary. Princess Necy and Andrew --Pursuers of Dreams PRINCESS Necy Gonzales was born blind while Andrew Onas is nearly blind and an amputee. They are considered persons with disabilities (PWDs), but they prefer to be called as differently-abled. Due to lack of education, many blind people end up begging for alms in front of churches, along the sidewalks and other places where there are plenty of people. Under Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, the government is mandated to provide the differently- abled citizens access to quality education. However, education especially among poor disabled persons remain a luxury. Princess Necy and Andrew have big dreams and ambitions, despite their physi- cal conditions. They completed elementary and high school amidst plenty of sacrifices and unending challenges. In one weeks time, Princess Necy has proven to her doubting teachers and classmates that she could be in mainstream high school. Andrew has mobility problems and needs assistance in going to and from the school. But he persisted, finished high school and even learned how to swim. However, Princess Necy dropped out of school after one (1) year in college while Andrew was out of school for five years after completing high school. Their families could no longer support their college educa- tion, which means no more dreams to fulfill. But God really has a way of connecting people in need to the right people. Andrew Onas was referred to CFC ANCOP by a part- ner organization, the Breaking Barriers of Child and Youth with Disabilities (BBCYD), to pursue tertiary education under the Child Sponsorship Program (CSP). Andrew started 1st year college at age 21 and after four (4) years of continuous financial support from ANCOP USA, he graduated from the Western Visayas State University last April 2014, with a degree in Special Education. Princess Necy, on the other hand, was endorsed by the Camarines Norte CSP team for the ANCOP scholarship. She was an ANCOP USA scholar since 2010 until May 2014, when she finally completed BS in Special Education at the Mabini Colleges. Princess Necy was cited by the provincial government for her outstanding achieve- ment as the first visually impaired person that earned a degree in Special Education from an education institution in Camarines Norte. Andrew and Pri ncess Necy took the board exams for Teachers last August 17, 2014. Both are hopeful they will pass and become licensed Teachers so they can do their share in educating differently abled young people. (Efren Tompong) C3 C3 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Ugnayan Mens Conference Abba Father THIS is going to be historical, exclaimed one of the organizers during the planning stage of the Mens Conference. He was referring to the recent Abba Fathers Weekend, the first- ever mens conference held in St. Johns Church, Kuala Belait, Brunei, with 76 registered participants. Being the first conference conducted and attended by fathers and fathers-to-be, the preparations involved even the cooperation and participation of the families of the participants. Through God s grace and guidance, help and motivation, all things went well. The first talk titled Gods Plan for Fathers delivered by Charly Laiz gave the fathers the chance to refect on how they are doing as a father and as a husband. They were asked to ponder on their relationships in the family, asking questions like, Are they giving enough love to their families? Or they are just the typical breadwinner and provider? The second sessi on, A Fathers Response to a Fast- Changing World, by Willy Padida, gave the participants an overview of the fathers role. Towards the end of the talk, they were enlightened on how they can balance their time with their jobs, with their families, including their time to do their service in the church or in the community they belong to. They were also asked to set their priorities in life. Sharers Eiel, daughter of an OFW, and Jeremiah Naweh, son of participant Johnny Naweh moved the fathers to tears, as the two honored their respective fathers on their great sacrifces for their children and families. Sessi on t hree was a bi t emotional, as the title suggests, Redeeming Love. It was all about loving and forgiving. Videos featuring father-and- son relationships made some tough men cry as they recalled their own fathers, remembering their own relationships with their fathers and their present relationships with their own sons. Sharers, Bien, Rene and Rodman gave moving accounts on their respective fathers, honoring them for what they are now and for what they become as fathers. The video about forgiveness gave substance to the talk, and the personal testimonies led to the prayer for healing and forgiveness. The importance on how men father their children and the famous line, Let Go and Let God was emphasized. Overall, the conference was summarized as forgiveness doesnt change the fact, cant erase the past but enlarges the heart and enables one the capacity to love people who have caused hurt. The final session, Never Too Late to Start gave each participant time to reflect on how the Lord can lead them as a father and as a husband. I n d e e d , i t w a s a n empowering weekend, giving the fathers an opportunity to be recharged, and be refreshed about their roles as fathers and husbands. By Ammie Quizon-Alano By Bads & Agnes Ellica Meeting God on the road to Botswana Priests from CFC families Sons of Couples for Christ in Pangasinan, former members of YFC, now members of the clergy, all four of them, concelebrating the Mass at the Pangasinan anniversary. CFC truly praises and thanks the Lord for Fr. Allan Abuan, Fr. Greg Francisco, Fr. George Bacani, and Fr. Jonathan Dulay. THE PASTORAL Formation Offce, thru its Direc- tor Arnel Santos, received three volumes of the frst issues of the UGNAYAN from Caloy Yturzaeta this morning at the the CFC Global Mission Center in Cubao, Quezon City. The UGNAYAN is the offcial publication of Couples for Christ. Yturzaeta was one First Issues of UGNAYAN Turned Over to CFC GMC Couples for Christ Serves Episcopal Commission on Missions COUPLES for Christ is now actively serving the Episcopal Commission on Missions (ECM). According to ECM Chairman Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD of the Diocese of Sorsogon, CFC is now involved because at least 2 of them, George Campos and Jun Famatigan, are in the Philippine Catholic Mission Commission or PCMC. The PCMC is an arm of the ECM, which helps make poli- cies and programs in view of the numerous activities, especially for the culmination of the 5th centennial of the evangelization of the Philippines in 2021. Bishop Bastes added, CFC, among the lay organizations, is the most organized in terms of international and local missions. And because of this vast experi- ence, the community is very ready to help us. Today, the ECM Execom com- posed of Fr. William Larousse, MM, Secretary of the PCMC; Fr. Andrew Recepcion, Mission Director of the Archdioceses of Caceres and Consultant for the ECM; Fr. Soc Mesiona, MSP, Na- tional Director of the Philippine Missions Society and Executive Secretary of the ECM; Bishop Arturo Bastes; George Campos, Executive Director of CFC; and Jun Famatigan, convened to formulate the national mission plan. One of the concrete activi- ties that the ECM has decided to do is the creation of a newsletter. They are also looking at doing a survey on the mission situation of the Philippines. A major event that the group is excited about is the planning for a big national mission conference set tentatively for May 18-21, 2015. In the conference, we will be inviting mission directors, bish- ops and lay people, in commemo- ration of the 50th anniversary of the Vatican II document on the missions, Missio Ad Gentes. This will also give us Filipino mission- aries to have a good formation on missions, Bishop Bastes said. The meeting was held at the newly-refurbished offce of the ECM, which Bishop Bastes bless- ed this morning. A luncheon fol- lowed to celebrate the occasion. (A. Alvarez) ON THE 19th of September 2014, the team for Botswana was formed from among the avail- able South African-based fulltime missionary workers. The team went in a private car owned and driven by a local South African FTW, Dil- lon Naicker, who was part of the team along with Bads and Agnes Ellica and Zee Deiparine. The road looked better than many roads back home and driving was at a steady speed of 120 kilometers per hour but it was a seemingly endless journey. The destination was Francistown where CFC community is already established. However, after 6 hours of travel, it only brought us to Gaborone, the capital city, which is another 6- hour drive away and driving at night is too dangerous due to the presence of wild animals. We were forced to rest overnight at Gaborone. It was a blessing as it gave us the opportunity to visit the Filipino parish priest, Fr. Ariel in his Church and meet some of his fellow Filipino parishioners. The following day, the team proceeded with the journey to Francistown. It was another 6-hour drive where the car experienced some alarming mechanical sound that made every- body uneasy. As not one among us has techni- cal know-how, we went on with our journey trusting fully in the Lords faithfulness that He will bring us to our destination safely. And by Gods grace and mercy, we reached Fran- cistown safely despite the disturbing sounds that became sharper and stronger in the last 30 minutes of our travel. We were received by the CFC Country Head, Felix Onya who escorted us directly to our host, Aris and Angela Urio, where we were briefed on the plan for the following day. The program was simple. We attended Mass at 8 a.m. and conducted the conference after. The talks were given for one hour by each speaker. The 21 participants were vibrant and particularly drawn by the moving and touching testimony of Dillon Naicker on the challenges of the family in the frst talk. The four talks were aptly delivered, reminding everyone of our basic Christian calling to pursue and continue the mission of Christ, to give glad tidings to the poor, and to fully engage in the evangelization and mission work as the true demonstration of internalizing the message of the Gospel. In the concluding talk, all were concretely led to under- stand the signifcance of being called the Beloved Sons and Daughters of God, which prompts each Christian and CFC member even more, to accept the call to be another Christ to others. The culminating kiss of peace truly expressed the unity of the community as the participants glad- dened faces could hardly contain their overwhelm- ing joy in having experienced Gods presence. Once again, the Holy Spirit graciously mani- fested His divine power in rekindling the hearts of this CFC community who remained true to their covenant despite the challenges of not having received continuous nourishment from our Global Mission Centre for a period of time. After the hearty parting of the Beloved Con- ference participants, the fulltime missionaries were accompanied by Angela Urio in paying our respects to His Excellency Bishop Frank Nubuasah, SVD. The good Bishop was a true father in nature with his warm accommodating words of welcome. We felt so at home with him even if we only met him for the frst time. He was aware of the painful split that created some problems among the members but exhorted us, with his support and encouragement to continue the work. After the conference was a teaching night at the house of Dominic Mwansa. The teaching was a re-visit of the life and mission of CFC underscor- ing the essentials of the community such as the regular conduct of household prayer meetings, daily personal prayers and reading of the Holy Scripture. It was also accentuated that the trans- formation of each one is a continuous living out, of the Gospel message as well as sharing and proclaiming the Good News. It was therefore reiterated that the tangible sign of this conversion is for each one to bring at least one member to the community and conduct regular yearly CLP. of the earliest editors-in-chief of the UGNAYAN. The hardbound copies of the newsletter were entrusted to the CFC Global Mission Center and will become part of the CFC heritage library. Katy Abao is lending her expertise in the design of the CFC heritage library. (A. Alvarez) facebook.com/CFC.Global.Mission @CFChrist The Ugnayan News Supplement is published by the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc., with editorial offces at 156 20th Avenue, 1109 Cubao, Quezon City. Editorial trunk line: (+63 2) 709-4868 local 23 Direct line : (+63 2) 709-4856 www.couplesforchristglobal.org cfcglobalcommunications@gmail.com The News Supplement of Couples for Christ George B. Campos IC Oversight Bernadette Cuevas Editor-in-Chief Alma M. Alvarez Associate Editor Evangeline C. Mecedilla Circulation Staff Deomar P. Oliveria Layout Artist Ablaze Communications launched its early Christmas campaign last October 13, 2014. Dubbed the 12 Days of Christmas, the campaign aims to encourage everyone to go beyond gift-giving. More than celebrating the season, Ablaze challenges all to celebrate the Reason for the season. Visit the Ablaze store every Monday, until Christmas at the CFC Global Mission Center, 156 20th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City. Mission Story C4 Vol. 18 No. 21 October 13 - 26, 2014 CBCP Monitor Gods Beloved: A Victorious UAE HOLD 2014 NatCon call on the Holy Spirit to help each one accomplish the work set before every member and leader. The third Speaker, Jessy Corpus of Doha, Qatar talked about In Your Presence, Lord. The opening song, I Just Wanna Be Where You Are, implied that all must strive to be where Jesus is. UAE NC Wife Jingle Valencia, the fourth Speaker spoke on At the Foot of the Cross. It was about Jesus Christs sufferings as Christians walked with Mother Mary through her sorrows from the Cross and to the Tomb. The last Speaker was Bernie Cuevas from the Philippines on Gods Beloved. This powerful session talked about what a Handmaids true identity should beas Gods Beloved. Each HOLD was told to wear the attire of Compassion, Kind- ness, Humility, Gentleness, Patience and Forbearance, Forgiveness and Love. The sessions were interspersed with personal testimonies which enhanced the message of each talk. THIS YEARS HOLD International Con- ference in the Philippines was a 3-day affair and a 1-day condensed version of the event was echoed on September 19, 2014 at the Abu Dhabi Country Club needed a great deal of creativity and prayers. A total of 576 participants from all over the UAE were present. An inspiring opening prayer paved the way for the sessions for the HOLD ICON echo. Marilu Moreto, who gave the talk titled Quiet My Soul, Oh Lord, taught the Handmaids that it is only in silence that one can listen to and Hear Jesus speak. The second speaker, UAE AGT Wife, Amie Valarao talked on Lord, That I May See. The session talked about being transformed, being evangelizers and having hearts committed to work with the poor. Like Mama Mary, HOLD needs to give that heartfelt Yes and THE CFC-UAE s Nati onal Council, the Area Governance Teams of the three Areas (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Northern Emirates) and the ME and Africa Regional Center Coordinator, were granted an audience by His Lordship Bishop Paul Hinder last September 6 at the Bishops House in St. Josephs Cathe- dral in Abu Dhabi. Despite His Lordships very hectic schedule in pastoring Gods fock in his vicariate, Bishop Paul attentively listened and interacted with the top leaders of CFC-UAE. Ramuel Garcia, CFC-UAE Na- tional Director, presented the highlights of the communitys national and global events and activities, including missionary activities in CFC UAE supported mission countries. Among these were, the mission trip to Leba- non in January, Team Building training and workshop of top leaders in February, Behold and Ponder Conferences in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Seychelles, and KSA, Mission Pairing Workshop for the UAEs Mission Countries, and various Pastoral Teachings conducted by CFC International Council Members from Manila together with the Regional Coordinator of ME and Country Coordinator of UAE, Romy Alfaro. In the second quarter of the ART and Elle Los Baos, leaders of Jebel Ali cluster under Dubai area, conducted a four-day mission at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Maadi, Cairo, from August 28 to 31. It was the frst overseas mission of the couple who pastors two CFC chapters as well as a SOLD and HOLD chapter. They frst gave Talks 8 and 9 of the Household Leaders Training in the evening of August 28 before an SFC and an HOLD household leader, together with three singles and three handmaids. Elle talked about Brotherly and Sisterly Love while Art discussed the importance of Evangelistic Headship. The next day, the couple presented Talks 3 and 4 of the Christian Life Program before two CFC participants and four HOLD participants in the afternoon. Aside from the service team members, several brothers and sisters listened to the talks, too. It was supposedly their rest day being a Friday but they chose to come and were very supportive of the new missionaries. The Covenant Orientation (CO) was the 3rd teaching module assigned to the two. On August 30, Art discussed the purpose and sacredness of a covenant and Elle encouraged the participants to enhance their prayer life and reminded them to By Connie Balda By Baltazar Quiambao CFC UAE Leaders Meet with HE Bishop Paul Hinder Jebel Ali cluster leaders conduct four-day mission in Egypt SFC UAE Finishes Mission Exchange Program 2014 year, missions in Nagaland-India, Burundi, Namibia, Egypt and Pakistan were among those vic- toriously conducted. But Gods miracle was not completed yet: a mission trip in Iraq has re-estab- lished the CFC community there with the help of a former Abu Dhabi SFC member and some Filipino church workers. Thus, when the humanitarian crises in Iraq worsened, the CFC commu- nity was one of the frsts who was sought for help by the affected areas Archbishop and Clergies. Immediately, relief operations were launched in coordination with the top leadership of the UAE and the National Council. Financial assistance was imme- diately sent to the area under the care of the Archbishop. Garcia reported to Bishop Hinder the communitys in- volvement, not only in terms of evangelization efforts, but even in the more practical initiatives of bringing glad tidings to the poorest of the poor through its BCOP-ANCOP initiatives. Early this year, CFC UAE donated over Php3.0 M to victims of the typhoon Yolanda through ANCOPs shelter and commu- nity development programs. The community also pledged to fund 3 surgical missions, with the frst one was already completed, while the second and third are scheduled in the 4th quarter. CFC UAE ANCOP current- ly sponsors 100 college level scholars and is funding 18 Cor- nerstone projects. While the community is involved in all of these, it continues to focus on strengthening couples and family ministry members by implementing spiritual and family life formation teachings and cross-over programs for its young adults. His Excellency was also briefed with the com- ing events and activities and the pastoral visits of Bishop Joseph Nacua, Msgr. Allen Aganon, the Spiritual Director of the CFC Global community, and Bishop Pablo David in November. For his part, His Lordship praised God for continuing to use the community and its mem- bers mightily in Gods vineyard. He also reminded the top leaders that as the community experi- ences unprecedented growth in membership and achievements, CFC must maintain its fdelity to the Church and continue to nurture spiritual maturity of its members by immersing them with the teachings of Christ and coordinating and cooperating with the spiritual advisers of the community in the three areas. In parting, His Lordship an- nounced the completion of the multi-room parish hall which will be made available to all communities in the parish, and blessed the top leaders and the CFC UAE community. read the scriptures every day. On the fourth day, they continued the CO with Elle emphasizing on strengthening family life in order to defend Gods creation and to renew the face of the earth. Art reiterated to the participants comprising Filipinos, Nigerians, Kenyans and Cameroonians the Christian culture of CFC and assured them that wherever they go they will always feel at home when they attend a CFC gathering as the practices are the same. As a gesture of solidarity with the CFC community in Maadi, the couple turned over several new Bibles and a cash donation collected from the MER 2 and Mega CLP service teams of Jebel Ali cluster. The cash donation was used to purchase a window type air-conditioning unit for the new CFC Maadi mission house. Art and Elle promised the leaders that they will continue supporting their evangelization work and are looking forward to their next mission trip. Recollecting on their first overseas mission Elle said: Brethren in CFC Maadi made us feel welcome, special, and valuable. They validated us and our roles as missionaries. God was talking to us through our brethren. (A. Los Baos) EGYPT is known as the land of phar- aohs, pyramids and mummies. It is also popular as the setting for the stories of Moses, Aaron and the 10 Commandments in the Old Testa- ment, of the hiding place of the Holy Family from King Herod in the New Testament. It is also the place where you will fnd Virgin Marys tree, the Hanging Church, the foating Bible, to name a few things of signifcance to the Coptic Catholic faith. Blessed be Egypt my people. (Isaiah 19:25)this passage was read open when the foating Bible was found on 12th March 1976 along the suburb area of Maadi, Cairo along the Nile River. Indeed, the power of Divine Intervention led another Mission Exchange 2014 Program team of seven 7 Singles for Christ (SFC) members from UAE and Qatar, to Cairo, Egypt. The team arrived on 4th September 2014 and completed the 9-day Mission Exchange Program on 13 September 2014. The frst full day and leg of the Mis- sion Exchange Program on 5 September 2014 included the promotion of the frst ever CFC Egypt National Conference (NATCON), The Beloved Weekend, in the morning and the Christian Life Program Talks 5 and 6 in the evening. With the Holy Spirits inspiration, and the direction, support and inputs of Joel Jojo Sarmiento, CFC Country Head for Egypt, and his wife, Tita Lany Sarm- iento, the CLP Talks were conducted to 12 participants for CFC (4), HOLD (6) and SFC (2). The following 6 days were daily re- minders for the Beloved Weekend after every morning Mass followed by con- ducting the Christian Character Week- nights (CCW), an Intercessory Prayer night and fellowship with SFC Kenyan sisters, and a Household Meeting with one SFC brothers household group. The first night of the CCW, the Prologue and Talk 1: The Character of Humility, was attended by 9 SFC Mem- bers, and a couple. The following CCW night of Talk Nos. 2: The Character of Courage and 3: Our Emotions and Our Character highlighted by colorful Emo- tions Letter Activity, was contemplated on and enjoyed by 4 CFC, 6 HOLD and 12 SFC members. The third CCW night of Talk 4: Righteous and Unrighteous Anger, coupled with refection writing and Confession, was attended by a total of 23 participants. Talk 5: The Charac- ter of Surrender together with healing activity, on the fourth CCW night, was another insightful night for 3 CFCs, 6 HOLDs and 10 SFC members. The last CCW night (Talk 6: A Heart Attuned to Christ) that ended with The Lords Day Celebration and praise fest of songs and dances, had 19 CFC, HOLD & SFC-Egypt members and the Mission Exchange Team. With much excitement and zeal, the SFC Mission Exchange Team-Egypt was blessed with the opportunity of being the Service Team during the frst ever CFC-Egypt NATCON The Beloved Weekend on the 12th of Sep- tember 2014. A crowd of 62 brothers and sisters listened eagerly to the talks, with everyone blessed through the Spirit and wisdom-flled prologue and talks by Ramuel Ram Garcia, UAE National Director, BCOP Head, and Regional Coordinator for North Africa; and Ronald Ronnie Rasco, Country Coordinator for Egypt, with his wife Malou. The personal testimonies added life to the Conference. Edmond Durst, a convert from non-practicing Orthodox Catholic to convicted Roman Catholic, proclaimed Jesus Christ is 100% hu- man, and 100% God!. Mhob Rose, a single woman coping with lifes dif- fculties and trials affrmed that serv- ing the Lord is my source of strength and wisdom, and Jocelyn Cacho, an SFC Mission Exchange Volunteer and member for 13 years, exclaimed and testifed forgiveness is very diffcult, but possible by the grace of God. The First CFC-Egypt NATCON was even made inspiring with the visit of Fr. Joseph Amin, the Parish Priest of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Cairo, Egypt. The Beloved Weekend was concluded with the powerful praise fest led by Joel Jojo Sarmiento. The last day of the Mission Ex- change Program was highlighted with The Masters Stroke, a teach- ing by Garcia, and was attended by 2 CFC, 5 SFC, 5 HOLD-Egypt leaders & members, 3 incoming YFC members, plus the Mission Exchange Team. All of above mentioned CLP, frst CFC-Egypt Nat-Con The Beloved Weekend, CCW and Masters Stroke teachings, conducted at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Maadi, Egypt were attended by members and non-members of CFC alike. Indeed the harvest is plenty in this part of the world. The mission was also a thanks- giving by four of the Team Egypt members, two of whom celebrat- ed their birthdays just before leav- ing for mission, and another two celebrated their birthdays while on mission. Indeed, the mission was also a celebration of Gods gifts of life. (By The SFC-Mission Exchange Team-Egypt 2014: Gilbert Mariano, Annie Gervacio, Maria Victoria Gervacio, Maricel Ternate, Jocely Cacho, Sis Leorosa Vercede, Verna Moralita)
The Vatican II Sect Promotes Idolatry by Its General Worship of Man, by Its Particular Worship of Man in The New Mass, and by Its Acceptance of Idolatrous Religions