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CBCP

VOLUME 19
NUMBER 17

August 17 - 30, 2015

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

CBCPMONITOR.COM

Still a mystery:

Vatican
Radio official
to speak
at Catholic
Social Media
Summit
A VATICAN Radio official will deliver the keynote
speech at the annual Catholic
Social Media Summit version
4.0 (CSMS) on Oct. 10 at
the Santa Rosa Building
Hall, Laguna.
It will be the second time
for Sean Patrick Lovett, head
of Vatican Radio English section, to visit the Philippines
and speak about Gospel values using social media.
It comes around a year
after he held a workshop
on media management and
social media for the bishops
in January 2014.
Lovett is a professor of
Communications at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
In 2013, he was the recipient
of the prestigious Daniel J.
Kane Religious Award from
the University of Daytons
Institute for Pastoral Initiatives.
Organizers said it is open
to social media enthusiasts,
the youth, clergy, missionaries, and communicators.
The CSMS is a project of
YouthPinoy, an alliance of
young online missionaries
who bear witness to their
Catholic faith through the
internet.
For more information,
interested parties may visit
www.catholicsocialmediasummit.com. (Luke Godoy/
CBCPNews)

CBCPMONITOR@CBCPWORLD.NET

Where did
Yolanda
funds go?
By Nirvaana Ella Delacruz

built enough to alleviate the plight

of the typhoon survivors despite
billions in donations it received
from other countries.
Its just painful that with the
huge budget, the survivors are not
benefiting from it in times when
its most needed, he said.

SIX hundred fifty days

after typhoon Yolanda,
the burning question
remains: Where did all
the billions in foreign aid
and government-allocat- Billions more in loans
ed funds go?
Gariguez revealed the govern-

Tugboats accompanying the historic Sto. Nio de Cebu image traverse the Pasig River in Makati City during the icons first-ever
fluvial procession in Metro Manila on Aug. 16. The procession is part of the 450th anniversary of the finding of the image, the
countrys oldest symbol of Christianity, by Augustinian friars in Cebu in 1565. ROY LAGARDE

After close to two years, the

public has seemingly tired of
asking the question and yet several groups insist on holding the
Aquino administration accountable for what they call a lack of
transparency in rehabilitation
efforts.
According to Caritas Philippines head Archbishop Rolando
Tirona, the governments rebuilding work not only moved at a
snails pace but has failed to ensure
transparency in the disbursement
of the multi-billion funds for the
project.
Its now up to them to explain,
Tirona said. Its just sad that the
help from those who are supposed
to lead the program is so slow.
Fr. Edu Gariguez, Caritas executive secretary, called it shameful
that the government has not re-

ment even loaned an additional

Php 126 billion from international financial institutions to
augment the rebuilding efforts,
bringing the total assistance to
Php 199 billion as of November
last year.
He called on the Aquino administration to specify the allocation
for every program and project to
help guarantee transparency.
Many people want to see more
accountability in government,
especially [in] the use of funds,
Gariguez said.
Our point is that whatever
is the problem, the government
should find the cause and address
it, the priest added.
Tirona also pointed to how
p o l i t i cs co nt i nu e t o ha mper the speed of the governFunds, A7

Lack of anti-dynasty law CBCP blasts misleading report

regrettable CBCP chief on marijuana stand

Anti-dynasty law, A6

CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas

CBCPNEWS

Social media workshops

big hit at summit

Camera rolling: Manila Archbishop Lus Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle gives a message over
TV Maria during the official launching of its live broadcast direct from its headquarters
in Pandacan, Manila. RAYMOND A. SEBASTIN

TV Mara, the countrys first

Catholic television network, made
Philippine Church media history
on Friday, Aug. 14, as it officially
launched its live broadcast direct
from its headquarters in Pandacan

Milestone
Another milestone has been
reached in our efforts at further
improving the TV channel:
TV Mara is ready for direct
Broadcast, A6

IN an obvious and conscious

choice to be in step with the
times, majority of the attendees of the recent CBCP
Episcopal Commission on
Social Communications 1st
National Media Convention
flocked to the social media
workshop track, which was

faciliated by Areopagus Communications.

The summit, which ran
from Aug. 11 to 13 at the
Pope Pius XII Catholic Center, featured the following
social media tracks primarily
facilitated by the same media
Social Media, A6

Let me make the point clear:

IN RESPECT TO WHATEVER MEASURES ARE NOW
PENDING BEFORE THE
LEGISLATURE, CBCP NEITHER ENDORSES NOR
OBJECTS, realizing that the
regulatory schemes and administrative strategies they attempt to
establish are beyond the competence of the CBCP to comment
on, stressed Villegas.
Misleading headline
He said the misleading headline, CBCP Backs Marijuana
Bill, would have been far more
helpful had it been published
in full instead of creating the
wrong impression in the minds
of the public.

The prelate went on to explain

that the pastoral letter which he
lamented had been taken out of
context in fact presented nothing
new, but only repeated what the
Catholic Church teaches.
According to Villegas, this
teaching can be summed up as
follows:
Addiction is wrong, and those
who facilitate addiction by placing habituating drugs within
easy reach commit a very serious
wrong.
The constant teaching of
Church is that palliative care
using narcotics is ethically permissible when there is no other
convenient and available means
Marijuana, A6

Climate crisis also spiritual

religious, eco-groups

CBCPNEWS

TV Mara all set for

live broadcast

THE head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday
blasted a report that had the
Church backing moves to legalize marijuana in the country,
saying it was misleading.
CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop
Socrates B. Villegas clarified over
Facebook that in his Pastoral
Guidance on the COMPASSIONATE USE OF CANNABIS, the Churchs policymaking body neither endorses
nor objects to such proposals
given the operative complexities the bill entails to which he
admitted CBCP is not qualified
to speak about.

BROTHERS MATIAS

ECHOING call of many Filipinos,

the president of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
expresses regret that the lawmaking body
has failed to pass a law that will end a
system of political dynasties.
Congressional failure
It is regrettable that Congress has,
despite prompting by the Filipino
people themselves, failed to pass a law
that gives life to the Constitutional
rejection of political dynasties, notes
CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas in an
Aug. 11 statement.
The prelate observes there is nothing
much that could be done about a culture
that allows members of the same clan to

CLIMATE justice groups from

various sectors and faith traditions have recognized that the
global crisis of climate change is
spiritual as it is environmental.
Ecological conversion
Led by the Association of
Major Religious Superiors
(AMRSP) and the Catholic
Bishops Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP)s National

Secretariat for Social Action,

Justice, and Peace (NASSA),
delegates of the recent national
climate conference in Manila
have come to realize that an authentic ecological conversion
is needed if the planet, their
common home, is to survive
the effects of the degradation
humans have caused.
Climate, A7

A2 WORLD NEWS

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Knights celebrate life of founder

125 years after his death
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 15, 2015
On Friday, hundreds of faithful gathered in
New Haven, Conn. to celebrate the 125th
anniversary of the death of Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the
Knights of Columbus.
Although he lived just 38 years, Fr.
McGivney left a remarkable legacy the
order he founded has become the worlds
largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Just last year, the Knights raised
more than $173.5 million for charity and
performed more than 71.5 million hours
of volunteer work.
The memorial Mass on Friday was held at
St. Marys Catholic Church in New Haven,
where Fr. McGivney founded the Knights
of Columbus in 1882.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore,
the organizations supreme chaplain, recalled
in his homily how Fr. McGivneys priesthood
modeled the teaching of recent popes.
St. John Paul II said that the priests
personality must be a bridge to Christ, and
indeed Father McGivneys unassuming,
lighthearted-yet-determined character attracted many to the Catholic faith and to
St. Marys Church, said Archbishop Lori.
When Pope Francis tells priests to acquire
the smell of the sheep and to bring the
Gospel to the margins of society, I think of
Father McGivney. He loved the priesthood
deeply.
At the end of the Mass, John Walshe, a
great grandnephew of Father McGivney,
joined Archbishop Lori and Supreme
Knight Carl Anderson in the incensing of
the sarcophagus near the entrance of the
church, where Fr. McGivneys remains are
interred. The Archbishop then led those
present in prayers for the canonization of
the priest.
Father McGivney passed away Aug. 14,
1890, two days after his 38th birthday, in
the rectory of St. Thomas parish in Thomaston, Conn., where he served as pastor for
six years. He was also pastor at the time of
Immaculate Conception parish in nearby
Terryville. Previously, he was assistant par-

Vatican Briefing
Achieving peace means overcoming indifference pope
The Vatican announced that the theme for 2016s World Day of
Peace will focus on a topic Pope Francis has spoken out against
relentlessly since the beginning of his pontificate: indifference.
Indifference in regard to the scourges of our time is one of the
fundamental causes of the lack of peace, an Aug. 11 statement
from the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace read. The
statement coincided with the announcement of Overcome
Indifference and win Peace as the theme for the next World
Day of Peace, to be celebrated Jan. 1, 2016. (CNA)
Pope pushes for nuclear disarmament on atomic bomb anniv
On Aug. 9, Pope Francis said the horrific atomic bombings
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the icon of mans destructive
misuse of scientific progress, and called for an end to all
nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction. The tremendous atomic bombing of the two Japanese cities, which
took place Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, 1945, still arouses horror and
repulsion, the Pope said in his Aug. 9 Sunday Angelus address. He told pilgrims gathered in St. Peters Square that the
event has become the symbol of mans enormous destructive
power when he makes a wrong use of scientific and technical
progress. These bombings ought to serve as a permanent
warning to humanity in order to repudiate her forever from
war and to banish nuclear arms and every weapon of mass
destruction, he said. (CNA)

The statue of Father McGivney is carried in procession at the conclusion of Mass at St. Marys in New Haven. PHOTO
COURTESY OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

ish priest for seven years at St. Marys, where

he gathered a handful of parish men in the
churchs basement to found the Knights of
Columbus.
These first Knights saw in Fr. McGivney
an example worth following, Archbishop
Lori said.
These men would not have committed to
the principle of charity had they not seen in
Father McGivney a man of tireless pastoral
charity, who reflected Gods love through
acts of personal generosity and compassion.
These men would not have committed to the
principle of unity had they not seen how Father McGivney brought together the people
of St. Marys parish and how he served as a
source of unity in the wider community of
New Haven. Nor would they have committed to the principle of fraternity had they
not witnessed how Father McGivney was
not only the father but also the brother to his

parishioners and indeed to anyone in need.

Archbishop Lori added that not only
does Fr. McGivney continue to guide and
influence the nearly 1.9 million Knights
worldwide, he is a very personal source of
grace in his own life.
The archbishop said he considers Fr. McGivney to be my parish priest, the parish
priest of my soul. Every morning I pray to
him and I pray that he be canonized, as I
know you do. Every day I load his plate with
all kinds of intentions.
The cause of sainthood for Father McGivney was opened in 1997, and he was
declared a Venerable Servant of God by Pope
Benedict XVI in March 2008 in recognition
of his life of heroic virtue. One Vaticanapproved miracle through his intercession is
needed for beatification, and another miracle
is needed for canonization. (CNA)

Card Parolin signs historic agreement with East Timor

DILI, Aug. 14, 2015--The
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Cardinal Parolin signed this
morning an historic agreement
between the Holy See and the
Democratic Republic of East
Timor. The Concordat establishes the legal framework governing
the activities of the Church in
the Southeast Asian nation. An
ad hoc group had been working
on the deal since 2006.
Leading up to this visit Prime
Minister Rui Maria de Arajo
noted The Catholic Church,
over 500 years, has provided a
great spiritual, human and material support to the Timorese
People, and also contributed decisively to the liberation process
of Timor-Leste.
The preamble of the Constitution of Timor-Leste recognises
that In its cultural and humane
perspective, the Catholic Church

in East Timor has always been able

to take on the suffering of all the
People with dignity, placing itself
on their side in the defence of their
most fundamental rights.
In fact, during the struggle
for independence, the Church
encouraged the people of Timor
Leste to resist and legitimised the
international goal of the Resistance.
The Vatican Secretary of State
arrived in Dili Wednesday evening, after visiting Indonesia.
Yesterday at 5.30 pm, he went
to see the statue of John Paul II
erected in Tasi Tolu.* At 6:30
pm, he travelled to the major
seminary of Fatumeta in Dili,
where he celebrated Mass.
I cannot express the depth
of the joy that is my heart to
be with you this evening, to
celebrate Mass for the first time
in this beloved country, TimorLeste, said the prelate

Speaking directly to the seminarians present, he said that

Discipleship is not merely a
private relation with God. On
the contrary, the deeper our relation with Christ is, the more we
are compelled to go forth, to be
missionaries, to bring what we
have received, namely Gods love
and mercy, to others especially to
those who live on the periphery
of society, those who are marginalized, those who are forgotten.
The cardinal is scheduled to
celebrate Mass at Tasi Tolu tomorrow, feast day of the Assumption of Mary. The service will
commemorate the landing on the
island of Portuguese missionaries
who started East Timors evangelisation 500 years ago.
Speaking about the Church,
Prime Minister de Arajo, said
that, given the commitment it
continues to show in the area

of development in the nation,

especially in education, the
Catholic Church remains a
fundamental reference for the
population.
Originally, East Timor gained
its independence from Portugal
on 28 November 1975; however,
after civil war broke out, the
United Nations allowed Indonesia to occupy territory. This was
followed by 25 years of violence
and war against Indonesian rule.
During that period, the Vatican
refused to place the local Church
under the jurisdiction of the Indonesian Bishops Conference.
Catholics are 96 per cent out of a
population of 1.2 million.
Finally, the tiny country,
which occupies the eastern half
of the island of Timor, became
independent in 2002 as the
Democratic Republic of Timor
Leste. (AsiaNews)

CNA

A street party for Don Bosco 15,000 turn up to celebrate saint in Lima
LIMA, Peru, Aug. 13, 2015More than
15,000 members of the Salesian Family
turned out August 9 on the streets of Lima,
Peru, as part of the celebration of Bicentennial of the Birth of Don Bosco.
Speaking to CNA, Father Santo Dal Ben,
the provincial for the Salesians in Peru, said
that this event can be read as a sign of the
sensibility there is today towards the family,
especially in a society that sometimes shakes
up the family. Theres a lot of different ways
of thinking, but not the attention due the
family, and its obvious that this brings with
it consequences that are not positive.
The idea behind this march wasnt to
come out against anything or anybody,
instead it was to reaffirm a value that we
consider very importantWe feel we are in
profound communion with the thinking of
the pope in this regard, he added.
Don Bosco is an Italian saint born in
the 1800s who spent his life educating and
helping improve the lives of disadvantaged
children in the city of Turin. The Salesian
superior recalled how Don Bosco responded
to the anxieties of these young people who
had lost their family ties when they were
abandoned or because they had to leave
home in search of work.
Back then to provide an education they
had to recreate the family environment and
thats what Don Bosco did. So there in the
oratory at Turin, Italy, Don Bosco developed
this family experience; in some way recreating the family bonds of relationship and
fatherhood that are experienced in every
family, the Salesian priest pointed out.
The event, entitled A Walk with Don
Bosco as a Family, attracted various mem-

CBCP Monitor

bers of the Salesian Family--young people,

parents, children, grandparents and religious,
singing and cheering, carrying signs about
Don Bosco and the value of the family.
They all walked down several blocks on
Brasil Avenue, from the Magdalena district
to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians,
in the Brea district, where Fr. Santo Dal
Ben reminded the participants of the three
words that Pope Francis always recommends
to families: please, thank you, and Im sorry.
Finally, the Salesian provincial in Peru
encouraged everyone to participate in the
various activities that will take place in every
Salesian home in the world for the bicentennial of Don Boscos birth. He also invited
the faithful to get to know better the saint.

There are people who go through this

world leaving their mark and they leave their
mark in society where it can be felt the most
and thats education. Don Bosco was one of
themI think knowing Don Bosco is enriching because hes not the private property
of the Salesian Congregation or the Salesian
Family, hes a gift from God to the Church
and a gift from God to humanity.
When we experience these gifts and learn
to love them, they are enriching for everyone,
both for those who have experienced the
Salesian charism from childhood as well as
those who are experiencing it nowI invite
you to draw close to the person of Don Bosco
and you will be always be enriched by it, Fr.
Santo Dal Ben concluded. (CNA)

Pope: Divorce and remarriage contradict the sacrament, but Church

always reaches out
Echoing his predecessors on the need to care for divorced and
remarried persons, Pope Francis said Christians should help
these persons integrate into the community rather than treating them as though they are excommunicated. The Church
well knows that such a situation contradicts the Christian
Sacrament, the Pope said in his Aug. 5 General Audience at
St. Peters Square. Nonetheless, he added, the Church should
always approach such situations with a mothers heart; a heart
which, animated by the Holy Spirit, seeks always the good
and the salvation of the person. It is important that they
experience the Church as a mother attentive to all, always
disposed to listen in encounters. (CNA)
The Popes new doctor is an expert in liver disease, surgical medicine
The Vatican announced Aug. 9 that Pope Francis has selected
Professor Fabrizio Soccorsi an expert in liver diseases and
surgical medicine as his new personal doctor, who will accompany Francis on his upcoming trip to the United States
and Cuba. The Popes choice comes after he decided at the
end of May not to renew the term of his former doctor
Patrizio Polisca as papal doctor and head of the Vaticans
healthcare services, leaving his position open as of Aug. 1.
Soccorsi, 73, is the Emeritus Chief of Hepatology at the San
Camillo Hospital in Rome and is an adviser of Health and
Hygiene for the Governorate of Vatican City. He is also an
expert on the Medical Committee for the Congregation of
the Causes of Saints. (CNA)
Pope Francis establishes World Day of Prayer for Creation
Pope Francis has instituted a new day of prayer and celebration for the Church entitled the World Day of Prayer for
the Care of Creation, to be celebrated on September 1 each
year. The day of prayer is in keeping with the theme of the
Holy Fathers newest environmental encyclical Laudato Si.
It is also seen as a sign of unity with the Orthodox Church,
which established September 1 as a day to celebrate creation
in 1989. The celebration of this Day, on the same date as
the Orthodox Church, will be a valuable opportunity to
bear witness to our growing communion with our Orthodox
brothers and sisters, Pope Francis said. He expressed hope
that the day could highlight the need for all Christians to
work together toward common goals. (CNA)
Vatican accepting applications from potential missionaries of mercy
Pope Francis is looking for a few good missionaries of mercy,
priests who are known for their preaching and their dedication
to hearing confessions and granting absolution. If they have
their bishops or superiors support, priests interested in being
one of the special communicators of Gods mercy are invited
to apply online. The Pontifical Council for Promoting New
Evangelization, the office Pope Francis charged with coordinating the Holy Year of Mercy, which begins Dec. 8, posted a
list of desired qualities and the application form on the Year of
Mercy website: http://www.im.va/content/gdm/en/partecipa/
missionari.html. The missionaries will be commissioned formally by the pope and sent out Feb. 10, Ash Wednesday. (CNS)
Pope urges expansion of priests on-call emergency service
The Year of Mercy is a perfect time to increase the number of
priests who take turns being on call all night for emergency spiritual care of the sick and dying, Pope Francis wrote. The pope, as
Jesuit Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, belonged to a special service,
which is supported by the Federation of Priestly Emergency
Services, an organization of laypeople in Argentina and Ecuador who drive and accompany priests on their nighttime calls.
In a letter July 27 to the federations president, Manuel Martin
Sjoberg, Pope Francis wrote, The coming extraordinary Jubilee
of Mercy is a good occasion for intensifying the collaboration
between pastors and laypeople in the mission of supporting with
affection and tenderly assisting the sick and dying. The pope
also quoted from his document announcing the Year of Mercy,
which begins Dec. 8, calling people to reach out and support
those who are suffering so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship and our fraternity. (CNS)
Vatican UN representative reports high interest in papal visit
Requests for copies of Pope Francis environmental encyclical
and the demand for tickets to see him at the United Nations
indicate enthusiasm and expectations for Pope Francis visit
are running high, said the Vatican representative. Archbishop
Bernardito Auza, head of the Holy Sees permanent observer
mission at the United Nations, told Vatican Radio: There is
so much interest. Everybody wants to see the pope, even from
a distance. The dream of so many is to have a selfie with the
pope. Pope Francis is scheduled to address the U.N. General
Assembly Sept. 25. The UN delegations of developing countries
in particular, he said, see the pope as a kind of flag bearer, somebody who expresses their aspirations and positions. (CNS)

CBCP Monitor

NEWS FEATURES A3

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Pope: Celebrations, including Mass,

are essential for family life
VATICAN City, Aug. 12,
2015--Families need moments
of rest and celebration, time
for standing back and recognizing the gifts of God and how
well they have developed, Pope
Francis said.
Celebrations are times to
enjoy that which cannot be
produced or consumed, that
cannot be bought or sold, the
pope said Aug. 12 at his weekly
general audience.
Continuing his series of talks
about the family in anticipation
of the September celebration of
the World Meeting of Families
in Philadelphia and the world
Synod of Bishops on the family
in October, Pope Francis said he
would be looking at the rhythm
of family life, focusing first on
celebrations, then on work and
on prayer.
Celebrations are Gods invention, he said, pointing to
the description in the Book of
Genesis of how, after creating the
world, God took a day of rest and
contemplated all he had created.
Life becomes truly human
when people take the time to
do the same, the pope said. A
celebration is above all a loving
and grateful gaze at work done
well, whether its a wedding
celebration of a relationship that
has matured or birthdays and
graduations when people look

Vatican City - June 24, 2015. The Morfin Rodriguez family in St. Peters Square waiting for the arrival of Pope Francis at the Wednesday general audience on June 24, 2015. CNA

at their children or grandchildren who are growing and think,

How beautiful.
The best parties are always
those that gather families together, Pope Francis said. Family
life, seen with the eyes of faith,
shows itself to be worth more

than the effort it requires. It is a

masterpiece of simplicity and is
beautiful precisely because it is
not artificial, not fake.
While not ignoring ones obligations at work, he said, it also is
important to allow celebrations
of birthdays, marriages, new

births, welcomes or farewells to

infiltrate the workplace. They
are moments of familiarity that
throw a cog in the production
line. It does us good.
Days of rest, especially Sunday
celebrations of Mass and time
with the family, are important

reminders that every human

being is made in the image and
likeness of God and is not a
slave to work.
Unfortunately, he said, even
in the modern world there are
women and children who have
been reduced to slave-like condi-

tions. This is against God and

against the dignity of the human
person!
In other cases, the pope said,
people have made themselves
slaves to work, thinking the point
of life is to earn a lot of money.
Even when they celebrate, he
said, they allow consumerism to
swallow the party by thinking
the more money they spend, the
better the celebration will be.
But is that why we work? he
asked. Greed for consuming,
which leads to waste, is a horrible
virus that, among other things,
leaves us more tired than we were
before. It poisons real work and
consumes our lives.
Celebrations are a precious
gift God has given the human
family. Lets not ruin them,
he said.
The most important celebration for a family, the pope said,
is Sunday Mass, which brings
people the grace of Jesus Christ,
his presence, his love, his sacrifice, his making us a community,
his being with us.
When people bring their lives
to Jesus in the Eucharist, the real
meaning of life is revealed, Pope
Francis said. Work, family, our
daily joys and efforts, even suffering and death -- all are transfigured by the grace of Christ.
(Cindy Wooden/ Catholic News
Service)

Vatican City - April 4, 2015. Pope Francis baptizes a catechumen at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peters
Basilica on April 4, 2015. CNA

VATICAN, August 13, 2015--In a

whirlwind trip, Lucas Schaerer and his
family friends of Pope Francis from his
time in Buenos Aires traveled to the
Vatican, where the Pope baptized their
daughters, Simona and Charo.
The ceremony was beautiful and
simpleFrancis celebrated Mass and
then we went to a sitting room, where
we spoke for a long time, Argentinian
journalist Mercedes Ninci, a close friend
of the couple, recalled in comments
posted to the Vatican blog Il Sismografo
Aug. 12.
Ninci, who works for Radio Mitres
El Diario de Mariana, is the godmother to newborn Simona, and was present
in the chapel of the Vaticans Saint
Martha guesthouse for the baptisms.
According to the journalist, Lucas and
his wife Ana have known the Pope for
some time, and are both active members in The Alameda Foundation.
Dedicated to fighting against human
and drug trafficking, the organization
is well-known in Latin America, and
has always had Francis strong support.
In an interview with Ciudad.com
published Aug. 10, Ninci recalled how
Lucas and Ana sent the Pope a sonogram image of their baby when they
found out they were pregnant. Once
the Pope received it, she said, he offered
to baptize the baby when she was born.
When the time came, everything
happened suddenly, she said, and
recounted that just a few days before
they left Lucas called me asking if I
wanted to be the godmother of the baby,
Simona, and told me (the baptism) was
in the Vatican.
Everything happened quickly and
with almost no money, Ninci said, explaining that since they didnt have time
to find a place to stay when they got to
Rome, Pope Francis arranged for them

to stay in a convent that hosts pilgrims.

After arriving to the Eternal City Aug.
5, the couple returned to Buenos Aires
on the 10th.
In addition to baptizing the newborn
Simona, Francis also baptized Anas
older daughter, Charo, who is 9.
Also a member of The Alameda
foundation, Ninci said that she had met
the Pope while he was still in Buenos
Aires, but that they never developed a
close friendship.
Now, after being present for the Mass
and speaking with the Pope after, it
was amazing to meet a simple and profoundly human shepherd, she said in
the comments posted to Il Sismografo.
One thing that Ninci said immediately caught her attention was that when
the Pope walked in to greet them he
was alone, appearing without the usual
entourage that normally comes with
people in a position like his.
In her responses to Ciudad.com, the
journalist said she was excited to be with
someone so simple and dedicated to
the people, so detached from power.
She recalled how the Pope spoke a lot
about his own family and childhood,
specifically his mother, father and four
siblings.
Francis also said a lot of things that
made me think, Ninci explained, such
as to win war you must not to start it.
I, the warrior that I am, live battling
for things I shouldnt, she said. Now
that Ive come back I havent fought
with anyone, at least not yet.
However, Ninci said the most important and exciting thing the Pope told her
was when he said, The fact that you are
a poor journalist speaks well of you.
On seeing the Pope so down to earth
and detached from his office, spiritually
and attitudinally it did me well, she
said. (Elise Harris/CNA/EWTN News)

VATICAN City, Aug. 13, 2015--Along

with having a winning smile and a warm
embrace, Pope Francis is known for
challenging people.
He does it regularly at morning Mass
-- particularly calling out hypocrisy and
gossip -- and does not spare even his
closest aides in the Roman Curia, so
it is unlikely his speeches to the U.S.
Congress and the U.N. General Assembly will let his audiences leave without
a suggested examination of conscience.
His speeches to Congress and to the
United Nations in late September will
be less pastoral than his homilies, obviously, and more about policy. They will
be crafted carefully with the assistance of
the Vatican Secretariat of State.
The themes will reflect the priorities
of Pope Francis, not as an individual,
but as head of the universal Catholic
Church. With the exception of a few
classic, colorful Pope Francis analogies -an infusion of Pope Francis personality
-- the speeches are expected to be similar
in style and tone to those his predecessors delivered at the United Nations.
Like his predecessors, Pope Francis
will praise the founding ideals of both
the United States and the United Nations; the challenges will come when he
urges the leaders of both to live up to
those ideals and to do so consistently.
At the center of both speeches will be a
call to work for the common good -- not
just the interests of their campaign supporters or even of all their constituents
-- with a vision that recognizes, as the pope
repeatedly says, that there is only one human family and that people have a shared
responsibility for others and the world.
A global problem, one he addressed
last November at the European Parliament and Council of Europe, is
an approach to human rights that is
disconnected from responsibilities and
from an individuals connection to the
wider community.
Unless the rights of each individual
are harmoniously ordered to the greater
good, he said, those rights will end up
being considered limitless and consequently will become a source of conflicts
and violence.
The pope recognizes how tough a
politicians job is. In his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, he wrote
that politics, though often denigrated,
remains a lofty vocation and one of the
highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it
seeks the common good.
In the exhortation, Pope Francis
strongly defended the right of believers
to bring their faith to bear on the social,
economic and political issues of the day.
No one can demand that religion
should be relegated to the inner sanctum of personal life, without influence
on societal and national life, without
concern for the soundness of civil institutions, without a right to offer an
opinion on events affecting society, he
wrote. Who would claim to lock up

OTTO JULA

Pope Francis baptizes children Ideals worth sacrificing for: Pope to challenge
of an old friend at the Vatican U.S. Congress, U.N.

in a church and silence the message of

St. Francis of Assisi or Blessed Teresa of
Calcutta?
Authentic faith, the pope wrote, always involves a deep desire to change
the world, to transmit values, to leave
this earth somehow better than we
found it.
For Pope Francis, making the world
a better place is not a catchy line from
a pop song. It is about rolling up ones
sleeves and feeding the hungry, welcoming the immigrant, rescuing the
victims of human trafficking, reducing
the carbon emissions that contribute to
global warming and ensuring jobs for
young adults.
Making the world a better place, he
often says, means putting the needs
of real people above the desire for
maximum profits. A healthy economy
and lively businesses are essential, but
they must grow along with the entire
population.
In his encyclical, Laudato Si, the
pope recognized the dilemma facing politicians who know that short-term sacrifices -- and re-election risks -- are needed
for long-term gains in safeguarding the
environment. But if they are courageous, they will attest to their God-given
dignity and leave behind a testimony of
selfless responsibility, he wrote.
Courage also is needed to overcome
what the pope has described as the
globalization of indifference, the
economy of exclusion and the throwaway culture, which are the main forces
he sees at play behind hunger, poverty,
abortion, discrimination, immigration,
war, environmental devastation and a
host of other global problems.
While every person of good will should
join the fight, Pope Francis sees the
United Nations as a global institution
whose very purpose is to pay attention to
and assist those most in need, most under
threat and most often excluded from the
benefits of economic development.
His visit coincides with a scheduled
vote on the sustainable development
goals, a list of 17 major commitments
that the worlds nations and U.N. agen-

cies will be asked to pursue until 2030,

beginning with concrete steps to end
extreme poverty everywhere.
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican representative to U.N. agencies in
Geneva, noted that the Catholic Church
shares and concretely works around the
globe to end poverty and inequality and
promote solidarity, but it cannot support the inclusion in the development
goals of reproductive health when it
means access to abortion.
The text of the goals seems to present abortion as a right that should be
guaranteed to all, he told the Italian
Catholic newspaper Avvenire Aug. 11.
Its as if by eliminating people there
would be fewer problems.
Pope Francis may repeat what he told
members of the European Parliament
about promoting -- even unconsciously
-- the human rights only of those who
are useful producers and consumers.
As is so tragically apparent, he said,
whenever a human life no longer
proves useful for that machine, it is
discarded with few qualms, as in the
case of the sick, of the terminally ill, the
elderly who are abandoned and uncared
for, and children who are killed in the
womb.
Even on the question of climate
change and preparations for the U.N.
Climate Change Conference in Paris at
the end of the year, the popes challenge
to the United Nations will come back
to his conviction that too many people
and nations have made money their god
and self-interest their only criterion for
judgment.
International negotiations (on climate change) cannot make significant
progress due to positions taken by
countries which place their national
interests above the global common
good, the pope wrote in his environmental encyclical. We believers
cannot fail to ask God for a positive
outcome to the present discussions, so
that future generations will not have
to suffer the effects of our ill-advised
delays. (Cindy Wooden/Catholic
News Service)

A4 OPINION

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

AS any copywriter knows, headlines are crafted to grab attention

and, ultimately, sell. They are more important than the copy in
the sense that they provoke the reader to either continue to read
the news story or simply ignore it. In the morning, all dailies
vie for attention and readership. In some cases, some reputable
newspapers even go down to the level of the tabloid if only to
win in the battle of readership.
In the morning of Aug. 17, the Philippine Daily Inquirer
brandished this headline: CBCP Backs Marijuana Bill. That
was smart and sensational. It got good readership and attention.
It garnered hundreds of threads of comments in its online version
and in social media. The only rub was, it was not true. The CBCP
does not back the Marijuana Bill. Even the copy of the news story,
which was written by PDIs church beat reporter who was privy
to the CBCPs Pastoral Guidance on the Compassionate Use of
Cannabis, did not say so.
Immediately, Archbishop Socrates Villegas posted his reaction:
As President of the CBCP, I take strong exception to the MISLEADING headline of your paper CBCP Backs Marijuana Bill.
It would have been far more helpful to the public had you published
our statement in full than to create the wrong impression in the
minds of the public.
Let me make the point clear: IN RESPECT TO WHATEVER
MEASURES ARE NOW PENDING BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE, CBCP NEITHER ENDORSES NOR OBJECTS, realizing
that the regulatory schemes and administrative strategies they attempt
to establish are beyond the competence of the CBCP to comment on.
What our letter did was to reiterate the teaching of the Church
which I will summarize:
1. Addiction is wrong, and those who facilitate addiction by placing
habituating drugs within easy reach commit a very serious wrong.
2. The constant teaching of Church is that palliative care using
narcotics is ethically permissible when there is no other convenient
and available means with which to alleviate the suffering of the
terminally ill.
3. In other cases, the principle of proportionality is to be applied
which makes means licit when there is PROPORTION between
the risks and disadvantages and the benefits expected or anticipated.
I hope you will give this clarification and disavowal as much
publicity as you gave your misleading article.
But this is the age of digital media. Unlike some years back when
readers were left to swallow in toto what gatekeepers of news tell
them, this is the age of fast and multiple media platforms. People
always find the truth faster than the malicious spread of lies. Nothing, of course, is smarter than the truth, even in headlines.

Ecology of daily life

AUTHENTIC development includes efforts to bring about an
integral improvement in the quality of human life, and this entails
considering the setting in which people live their lives. These settings influence the way we think, feel and act. In our rooms, our
homes, our workplaces and neighborhoods, we use our environment as a way of expressing our identity. We make every effort
to adapt to our environment, but when it is disorderly, chaotic
or saturated with noise and ugliness, such overstimulation makes
it difficult to find ourselves integrated and happy.
An admirable creativity and generosity is shown by persons and
groups who respond to environmental limitations by alleviating the
adverse effects of their surroundings and learning to orient their lives
amid disorder and uncertainty. For example, in some places, where
the faades of buildings are derelict, people show great care for the
interior of their homes, or find contentment in the kindness and
friendliness of others. A wholesome social life can light up a seemingly
undesirable environment. At times a commendable human ecology
is practiced by the poor despite numerous hardships. The feeling of
asphyxiation brought on by densely populated residential areas is
countered if close and warm relationships develop, if communities
are created, if the limitations of the environment are compensated
for in the interior of each person who feels held within a network of
solidarity and belonging. In this way, any place can turn from being
a hell on earth into the setting for a dignified life.
The extreme poverty experienced in areas lacking harmony,
open spaces or potential for integration, can lead to incidents
of brutality and to exploitation by criminal organizations. In
the unstable neighborhoods of mega-cities, the daily experience of overcrowding and social anonymity can create a sense
of uprootedness which spawns antisocial behavior and violence.
Nonetheless, I wish to insist that love always proves more powerful. Many people in these conditions are able to weave bonds of
belonging and togetherness which convert overcrowding into an
experience of community in which the walls of the ego are torn
down and the barriers of selfishness overcome. This experience
of a communitarian salvation often generates creative ideas for
the improvement of a building or a neighborhood.
Given the interrelationship between living space and human
behavior, those who design buildings, neighborhoods, public
spaces and cities, ought to draw on the various disciplines which
help us to understand peoples thought processes, symbolic language and ways of acting. It is not enough to seek the beauty of
design. More precious still is the service we offer to another kind
of beauty: peoples quality of life, their adaptation to the environment, encounter and mutual assistance. Here too, we see how
important it is that urban planning always take into consideration
the views of those who will live in these areas.
-- Laudato Si, 147-150

Monitor
CBCP

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The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the Areopagus Social

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On Headlines

Living Mission
Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM

The Poor: Gospel

Perspectives and Challenges

Year of the Poor Reflections

WHEN Pope Francis visited the
Philippines in January 2015,
he straightforwardly stated:
The poor are at the center of
the Gospel. How accurate the
Popes words are! For example,
Jesus warns his disciples against
the real dangers of riches (Mt
6:19-21; Lk 8:14); he also invites
those who wish to follow him
more closely to embrace a simple
life-style (Mt 19:21; Lk 12:33).
Jesus words are often very
direct: Sell your possessions
and give alms. Get yourselves
purses that do not wear out,
treasure that will not fail you, in
heaven where no thief can reach
it and no moth can destroy it.
For where your treasure is, there
will your heart also be (Lk
12:33-34).
In Marks Gospel (12:41-44)
we find the story of the poor
widow who contributed her
two small coins to the temple
treasury. Jesus pointed out to
his disciples that her widows
mite had great value because it
was a sincere contribution, coming from her heart, while others
only made contributions from

their surplus wealth.

Jesus requires that both justice
and mercy be practiced; the rich
have an urgent duty to assist the
poor. In fact, ones eternal happiness is conditioned on how
one concretely treats ones poor
neighbors: When you have a
meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that
they cannot repay you means
that you are fortunate, because
payment will be made to you
when the virtuous rise again (Lk
14:13-14).
Furthermore, our service of
the poor is a concrete expression
of our love for Jesus, since He
is truly the one we are helping
when we serve the needy. This
is explicitly expressed in the
narrative of the Last Judgment
(Mt 25:31-46); Jesus says that
whenever we serve the hungry,
thirsty, naked or the stranger
and prisoner, we are assisting
the Lord himself. I tell you
solemnly, in so far as you did
this to one of the least of these
brethren of mine, you did it to
me (Mt 25:40).
In Jesus perspective, one is

Torre de Babel, Part 2

blessed if, even in the face of personal need, one still looks to the
needs to others. Poverty is not
limited to only material needs;
there is the poverty of being
lonely, abandoned, unwanted,
rejected by society. Even an
ordinary poor person can show
neighborly love, compassion,
and human tenderness. Jesus
declares those blessed in Gods
kingdom whose lot is actual
poverty caused by circumstances
or persecutionif they remain
generous even in their need.
Saint Paul in his beautiful
Christological Hymn of Philippians 2:5-11 speaks about the
kenosis, the self-emptying of
Jesus divinity through the Incarnation. While maintaining
the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus, Paul says that Jesus
voluntarily condescended and
emptied himself to assume the
condition of a slave (v. 7); he
did this in profound humility
and accepted death on a cross.
The Father has exulted Jesus
through the resurrection: Jesus
is Lord and Savior of the world.
In voluntarily serving the

poor in our midst, we need to

adopt the same self-emptying
attitude of Jesus; we need to
take on the mind of Christ.
Paul writes: Remember how
generous the Lord Jesus was: he
was rich, but he became poor for
your sake, to make you rich out
of his poverty (2 Cor 8:9).
Aloysius Pieris, a Sri Lankan
Jesuit, asserts that for the Christian voluntary poverty is a truly
credible response to forced poverty. In other words, whoever
legitimately has material goods
in this life must freely and willingly (voluntarily) share them
with those poor who live in
forced poverty, caused by socialeconomic inequality, injustice,
or even by natural calamities.
Voluntary poverty is a clear sign
of todays Christian.
God will not force us to do
good and live modestly; we
must willingly surrender to Jesus
Gospel challenges. For Jesus
disciples, voluntary poverty is a
pivotal attitude in our possession
and use of this worlds goods.
Undoubtedly, the poor are a central focus of Jesus in the Gospel!

And Thats The Truth

Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

THE longer the Torre de Manila controversy

drags on, the more ridiculous the debate
becomes. Because louder and louder the
protesters battle cry appears to be only the
buildings being a photo bomber. Really? How shallow can we be? As some
TV hosts might say, How babaw naman
we are, promise! Why do we insist that a
photo bombmer in our eyes is tantamount
to disrespect in our hearts for a great hero?
How babaw talaga!
Meanwhile, the enterprising photographers at the park have boosted their income
with a new raket: instant photos of yourselves and the monument but no Torre de
Manila anywhere! Incredible? Not with
Photoshop, the park photogs quip.
Ongoing hearings reveal that no law has

been violated, so why the fuss? Surely we

will not change the law to please a noisy
few? If protesters blast the Torre because
they are running out of relevant causes to
fight, why dont we all calm down and use
our coconut in the name of damage control?
To begin with we can urge the Noynoy administration to proclaimfinallyDr. Jose
Rizal as the National Hero of the Philippines.
We have been taught from grade school that
Gat. Jose P. Rizal is our national hero. The
presence in many Philippine towns and cities
of a street, plaza, school, hospital, factory,
karinderia, and even a funeraria reflects a
nationwide acceptance of him as a national
hero indeed. But would you believe that
there is no official record of Rizals proclamation as the Philippines national hero?

Candidly Speaking

We have an officially proclaimed national

tree (narra), national flower (sampaguita),
national bird (Philippine eagle), national
gem (south sea pearl), and national sport
(arnis)but no national hero. In fact, the
National Heroes Committee recommended
in 1995 Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio
Aguinaldo, Marcelo del Pilar, Juan Luna,
Apolinario Mabini, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Melchora Aquino and Gabriela Silang
for recognition as national heroes, but nothing has come of that move to this day. Why?
We may not have a properly proclaimed
national hero, but we do have a national
habit of not questioning things, and so all
these years we have accepted what we have
been toldthat we do have a national dance
And Thats The Truth / A5

Priestly spirit of poverty

Fr. Roy Cimagala

ITS nice to know that many

dioceses in the country are
adopting the so-called Standard
Living Allowance (SLA) plan for
their priests and, of course, their
bishops. Its an effort to take care
of the basic needs and sustenance
of the clergy whatever their pastoral assignments and personal
conditions may be. We indeed
have to take care of them who
are selfless in bringing Christ to
the faithful.
The appropriate structures and
systems of the plan are being put
up. Some period of experimentation is now underway. The
learning process has started with
obvious cases of some kinks and

snags being ironed out.

All these are good. But lets
remember that the structures
and systems, no matter how effective and efficient they are in
theory, would come to nothing
if they are not animated by the
proper spirit of poverty that we,
clerics, are supposed to live. As
St. Paul puts it: The written
code kills, but the Spirit gives
life. (2 Cor 3,6)
We should then understand
that this whole business of establishing the SLA is not just
about money and sustenance
and of how Church finances can
be allocated with greater equity.
It is, first and last, a matter of

reinforcing the priestly spirit of

poverty that is very crucial in
the priests identity, dignity and
ministry.
We have to understand that
without this proper priestly
spirit of poverty, the priesthood
is compromised or at least distorted, no matter how showy a
priest struts his stuff. He will end
up simply being a performer, a
user, a bureaucrat, instead of the
sacramental representation of
Christ as head of the Church, a
dispenser of the divine mysteries
In the Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, issued
in 1994, some description of
this priestly spirit of poverty is

made (n. 67). Priestly poverty is

pictured as an image of the poverty of Christ that has a salvific
scope. It is the way to make one
totally available to the things of
God, of Christ, and the needs of
the people.
A priest could hardly be a
true servant and minister of his
brothers if he were excessively
worried with his comfort and
well-being, it says. With respect
to the created and earthly goods,
the priest can use them but with
a sense of responsibility, moderation, upright intention and
detachment, precisely because
he has his treasure in heaven and
Candidly Speaking / A7

CBCP Monitor

OPINION A5

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Along the Way

Celibacy and Ministry

Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Fr. Amado L. Picardal, CSsR, STD

THERE is a clamor among some priests

to abolish mandatory celibacy and make it
optional. For them it is burden that is very
difficult to live out. They contend that if
made optional it could attract more men
to the priesthood, especially at a time when
there is a shortage of priests. After all, celibacy is not really essential to the ordained
ministry. During the first millennium, majority of the priests and even bishops were
married. It was only in the 12th century
that obligatory celibacy was legislated for
the Roman Catholic Church. After Vatican
II, many expected that the Church would
make it optional sooner or later. So far the
Church continues to maintain that mandatory celibacy is appropriate and required
for the priesthood. The only exception is
for those belonging to the Oriental rite and
married Anglican and Episcopalian priests
who convert to Catholicism.
What is the basis for holding on to the
discipline of celibacy? The Church looks up
to Jesus as the basis and model for celibacy.
His celibacy was unusual since a Jew was
normally expected to marry and raise a
family. This was demanded by the prevailing culture and by Jewish religion. Even
the priests of his time who offered sacrifices
in the temple were married. It was indeed
counter-cultural and not in accordance
with Judaism. So how did Jesus justify his
celibacy? It was for the sake of the Kingdom.
When Jesus spoke about those who became
eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God,
he was implicitly referring to himself and to
those who would come after him. The proclamation and inauguration of the kingdom
was so central to Jesus mission that all his
attention, time and energy were focused on
this. His celibacy was a radical expression

of his total dedication to the work for the

kingdom. Instead of marrying and raising a
family, his entire life was dedicated to raising up and engendering a community and
a people who will make up Gods family - a
spiritual family, who are adopted children
of God whom they recognize as their loving
Father and related to each other as brothers
and sisters, not by blood but by one faith,
one baptism, one Spirit. Jesus made himself
a eunuch for the sake of the kingdom and
recommended it to some of his followers who
freely decide to dedicate themselves totally
to the work of the kingdom.
Jesus made it clear that celibacy is not for
everyone. He did not make it a requirement
for discipleship. The apostles were presumably married including Peter who had a
mother-in-law. But according to the Gospels
they left everything to follow him - perhaps
including their families, their wife and
children to fulfill their mission all over the
Roman Empire. Paul, the great missionary
to the Gentiles was himself a celibate and he
recommended it to those who totally dedicated themselves to the Lord and in carrying
out their mission.
Jesus celibacy was not due to a negative
attitude towards sex, marriage or family. It
was a radical expression of the priority of his
mission - for the sake of Kingdom of God.
His love was not focused exclusively on one
woman and some children, but rather an
inclusive and universal form of love. Thus,
Jesus celibacy would later be used as the basis
and model for the ordained ministers of the
Church. It took over a millennium for the
Church to universally adopt it.
Following Jesus as the model, the priests
celibacy is a radical expression of the priests
total dedication to God and to Gods king-

Pungkopungko Kid

dom. It is for the sake of the kingdom.

Through a celibate lifestyle the priest can
dedicate all his attention, time and energy
in carrying out his ministry and mission of
evangelization of proclaiming the Good
News of Gods kingdom and prophetically
denouncing evil in society, in forming and
leading the Christian community (including
the Basic Ecclesial Communities within the
parish), in presiding over the liturgical and
sacramental celebrations of the community,
in working for the kingdom through action
for justice, peace, development and the integrity of creation, and in caring for the poor
and the needy. When he does this, celibacy
becomes meaningful and easier to live out.
Instead of being a yoke or burden, celibacy
provides more freedom to carry out his mission for the kingdom.
A priests celibacy is empty and meaningless when he spends most of his time and
energy solely in beautifying the church or
rectory, watching TV, drinking and playing
mahjong, shopping, surfing the internet,
going out with his friends to bars and night
spots, managing his business ventures.
When he is not available to the people,
to his parishioners, to the poor, when he
does not have time for encounter with God
in prayer, a priests celibacy becomes empty
and meaningless. His life is characterized by
perpetual boredom and loneliness making
him more vulnerable to the temptations of
the flesh. When celibacy is not intimately
connected to ministry and mission, when
it does not further the realization of the
kingdom of God, it turns the priest into an
irresponsible bachelor. Instead of being an
authentic sign of selfless dedication to the
kingdom it becomes a sign of selfishness and
self-indulgence.

Spaces of Hope
Fr. Carmelo O. Diola

THE image has since become viral in the internet. It is a candid,

cellphone-generated picture of a
nine-year old boy named Daniel Cabrera intently doing his
homework. He is seated on a low
wooden stool (pungko-pungko
in Cebuano) and his makeshift
wooden table receives light from
a street lamppost. He is studying
by the side of the road. Not a
typical student.
The picture is strikingly inspiring. It shows the determination
of a street child who does not
want to remain in the streets.
Consciences are pricked since
there are those who have the
conveniences but do not have
the desire to study. I wondered
where the child is now.
A day after, I received a text
message informing me that
Rappler, a social news network,
wanted to get in touch with
a diocesan priest who has an
outreach with street children. I
had been endorsed since I head
a committee of the International
Eucharistic Congress (IEC)
2016 tasked with making sure
that the poor have a voice and a

face in the IEC.

Daniels picture was actually
taken in the Mandaue reclamation area not far from my parish
assignment. He had borrowed
the wooden stool and table from
a sidewalk eatery that Daniels
family of four - his mother,
Christina, and two other siblings; his father is already dead
- calls their home while keeping
guard over it for the night.
He is one determined kid.
***
About three months ago,
the third grader had actually
become part of a group of 32
street children that meets every
Sunday morning at the Barangay
Subangdako center in Mandaue
City. There they take a bath,
exchange their soiled clothes
for newly-washed ones, receive
a haircut, share lunch, take up
Alternative Learning System,
and undergo catechism. The latter is given by a volunteer from
the Legion of Mary. Most of the
children have since gone back
to school at the Subangdako
Elementary School, including
Daniel.

Collection Box
Fr. Jerome Secillano, MPA

FINALLY, the anointed one has already

been named last July 31 at the historic
Club Filipino. The announcement is hardly
surprising as it is widely expected by pundits
and supporters alike that Sec. Mar Roxas will
indeed be the Liberal Partys standard bearer
in the 2016 election.
I am not a fan of Sec. Roxas, but I find
it disturbing to hear political experts and
ordinary people say that the former isnt winnable and that he will be trounced by either
Vice President Binay or Sen. Grace Poe in a
three-cornered fight in 2016.
VP Binay is reeling from charges of corruption which to this day he has not satisfactorily answered or faced. To his critics, he
is the epitome of what patronage politics is
about, one who makes poor people depend
on him and present him as the only viable
solution to their predicaments. He gives
dole-outs and rewards those supportive of
his scheming ways while considering his
critics his enemies.
Sen. Grace Poe, though possessing integrity as alleged by many, is a political neophyte
who hasnt been critically tested yet in the
arena of governance and administration.
Some say she is too soft and still nave in the
art of political wheeling and dealing. Proof of
this is on how Sen. Chiz Escudero seems to
be manipulating her political decisions while
appearing to be her supporter. Although she
has not announced her presidential bid yet,
her erstwhile political adviser, friend and

Duc In Altum

This initiative was undertaken

by Chairman Ernie Manatad
of Barangay Subangdako. Kap
Ernie is a member of UBAS
(or Ugnayan ng Barangay at
Simbahan) of Mandaue City.
This is a DILG program that
brings together servant-leaders
at the grassroots level - barangay
officials, police, and priests - for
good governance and effective
delivery of services, especially to
the very poor.
In a video interview excerpted
in an IEC AVP, Kap Ernie says
that whereas before he considered the kids to be a nuisance
nowm they are like his own
children. He has mobilized volunteers for this effort and is even
inviting his constituents to consider being guardians to them.
What if more barangay officials did this in collaboration
with other servant leaders at the
barangay level? It would be sweet
wine of the Spirit.
***
A friend of mine recently had a
snorkeling experience in the idyllic island of Siquijor. The water
was only chest deep. Yet as she

peered down through her swimming goggles, she found herself

gasping for breath, barely able
to keep her balance and began
thrashing wildly. The dazzling
world underneath her was just
too much for her to bear.
Daniel has since been offered
all kinds of help. He and his
mother have even been guested in
a nationally-televised program and
been interviewed by the media.
When Kap Ernie visited him
a few days after his instant fame,
he noticed the child toying with
a video game inside a cellphone.
He was oblivious to the world
and the pages of his school
notebook were not moving.
When asked during a television
interview what he wanted, Daniel, like any typical millennial,
blurted out: A cellphone.
It is a dazzling world our heroic child faces. It is filled with
opportunities and risks. How
best to help him - and others like
him - for the long haul requires
compassion, clear thinking, and
organized charity.
And a good dose of pastoral
accompaniment.

Whos the least evil

of them all?

presumptive running mate, already made

known that he is seeking the Vice Presidential post. This strategy is to tie her hands to
the presidency and limit her options while
presumably giving Chiz more chances at
clinching the VP race for lack of compelling
opponents.
Many believe that a Roxas-Poe tandem is
formidable and is touted as an effective foil
to the political posturing of ambitious and
greedy politicians and of those seeking their
political relevance beyond 2016.
Roxas, of course, has his own flaws. By
rebuking Mayor Alfred Romualdez in the
aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, he is being
shallow and petty by letting politics stand in
the way of immediately helping the hapless
typhoon victims in Tacloban. His stint as
Secretary of DOTC is unremarkable to say
the least. As DILG chief, he lost grip of the
PNP and was seemingly out of the loop for
many of the PNPs operations and transactions. He is perceived as an elitist and power
tripper who threw his weight around with
Wack-Wack employees for being made to pay
the fees for a round of golf. Not to mention,
he has Korina Sanchez for a wife. All told,
Roxas can either be a strong leader for the
wrong reasons, and a weak one for not doing
what is right at the right moment.
But Roxas has not been implicated in corrupt activities. Except for some imprudent
decisions and actions, he is a veteran politician but not in the image of a trapo. His al-

liances with groups like Kaya Natin serves

him in good stead as he is perceived to offer
a new brand of politics that will eventually
trample the old and corrupt system that has
beset our country.
Choosing our leaders should also depend
on our current needs and circumstances. At
present, corruption in government is still
rampant. We also have a president, who
after five years in office, seems to still be in
an On the Job Training (OJT). With him
at the helm, blunders are being committed
left and right. Hence, it would be the height
of stupidity if Filipinos will elect leaders who
will merely exacerbate what we have at the
moment.
This leaves us to consider Roxas. The
problem is the man appears to be an extension of this highly idealized but not realized
Daang Matuwid. Electing him would
mean extending the mess that our present
leadership has created.
As intelligent as he is, Roxas knows for
sure the failures of Pnoy Aquinos administration and it would be foolish of him to
repeat the same. Hence, it is only a matter
of time before he casts his own imprint as
to what his own administration will be like.
The same cannot be said about an alleged
corrupt leader and a political neophyte. The
corrupt will remain to be such because it is
just simply impossible to moderate ones
greed. A novice will need the guidance of
Collection Box / A6

Care for our

Mother Earth
POPE Francis Encyclical Laudato Si is about the care for our common home. He likened the Mother Earth to a sister who sustains and
governs us, and who produces various fruits with coloured flowers
and herbs. He stated that our sister now cries out to us because
of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and
abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her.
Some forms of pollution are part of peoples daily experience.
Exposure to pollutants produces health hazards, especially for the
poor, and causes premature deaths. The earth, our home, is beginning to look like a pile of filth. Climate change is a global problem
with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political,
and on the distribution of goods.
Pope Francis asked how do we respond as human persons, and
as sons and daughters of God? If we are to blame to a large extent
for ruining that delicate balance of our ecology, then how do we
make up for it? Pope Francis appeal is to protect our common
home (which) includes a concern to bring the whole human family
together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know
that things can change.
However, the Popes appeal will remain fruitless and just a small
voice in the wilderness if we would not do our role as children of
God. How do we care for our Mother Earth? We must start doing
our share from our respective home, from our family, from our community. We do not need sophisticated technology and knowledge to
do so. As a matter of fact, we learn all of these in elementary schools.
We must start having clean air. Do not burn garbage, especially
plastic and rubber; better bury your garbage under the ground. Put
candy wrappers in your bag and throw them in your garbage can
when you reach home. Maintain your vehicles to avoid emission
of carbon monoxide which easily pollutes the air. Save water: The
earth does not have continuous supply of water. Even rivers dry up.
Use a glass when brushing your teeth. When washing clothes, turn
off the faucet when the basin is already full of water. When taking
a bath, turn off the shower while shampooing and washing your
body with soap.
***
Last June, Pope Francis addressed the delegates from the International Catholic Conference of Girl Guiding on the 50th anniversary
of its founding to reflect the theme Living as a guide for the joy of
the Gospel. The Holy Father commented on the girl scout leaders
crucial role in educating women for their vocation and responsibilities in a world of ideologies that work against God and treat women
as inferior. He said, It is therefore necessary to educate girls not
only to the beauty and grandeur of their vocation as women, in a fair
and differentiated relationship between man and woman, but also
to take on important responsibilities in the Church and in society.
***
Almost three months had passed since the tragic May 13 fire at
the footwear factory in Valenzuela City that killed 72 people that
roused the nation to the reality of modern-day slavery.
Re-elected CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the
Valenzuela tragedy has indicated that there are many more sites of
exploitation where Filipinos are worked to death under the most
appalling circumstances. It is the duty and function of the Department of Labor and Employment to monitor and implement labor
standards in the working places where our labor force spend more
than 8 hours of their everyday lives; foremost in their function is to
ensure the safety of the employed. It is therefore incumbent upon
the local government units, especially the Bureau of Fire, to be on
the watch regarding the strict implementation of the Building Code
and Fire Code. All buildings, schools and work places must be safe
and secured.
***
The Concert Dakila ka San Roque held at the Skydome, SM
City North EDSA, Quezon City was a huge success. The concert
aimed to raise funds for the renovation of the San Roque Cathedrals
Altar on the occasion of its 200th Anniversary as a parish. In behalf
of the Dioceses officials and laity, we thank the sponsors of the
concert, the clergy, choirs, celebrities who performed at the concert;
those who sold and bought concert tickets, those who helped in
the success of the concert. Many thanks to Most Rev. Francisco de
Leon, D.D., Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese and Auxiliary
Bishop of Antipolo, for his full support; also to Fr. Romy Tuazon,
the main organizer and performer of the concert. May our Lord
Almighty bless us for contributing our time, talent, and treasures
for the success of the concert.
***
Happy Feast of San Roque, patron saint of the Diocese of Kalookan. Bishop Francisco de Leon was the Mass celebrant at 6 a.m.
while Most Rev. Ramon Arguelles, D.D., Archbishop of Lipa, was
the main celebrant at 6 p.m. together with the Kalookan Clergy as
concelebrants. The lay faithful who heard Mass at the Cathedral
during its 200th anniversary (from April 8, 2015 to April 8, 2016)
will earn plenary indulgences according to the Pope Francis Decree
dated March 06, 2015 under the usual required conditions (Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and Prayer for the
intentions of the Holy Father).
***
Congratulations to the Archdiocese of Manila on its 420th anniversary of its elevation as an Archdiocese. Congratulations also
to its new Rector Rev. Fr. Reginald Malicdem. The Holy Mass was
held at the Manila Cathedral last Aug, 14 at 6 p.m.
***
We greet Most Rev. Deogracias Iiguez, Jr.,D.D., Bishop Emeritus, Msgr. Alex V. Amandy, Vicar General and Fr. Salvador Curuchet,
IVE of the Diocese of Kalookan on their Sacerdotal Anniversary.
And Thats The Truth / A4

(tinikling), national animal

(carabao), national fish (bangus), national leaf (anahaw),
national fruit (mango), national
costume (barong Tagalog and
barot saya), national footwear
(bakya), national game (sipa)
national house (nipa hut), and
even a national dish, the deadly
lechon. (Doesnt that last one
make you wonder why its not
the more affordable daing na
galunggong, or the more soughtafter sinigang, crispy pata, karekare, or the tourists favorite,
adobo? We might as well have
a national snack, tookwekkwek. Hmmm...) No matter
how much we identify with
those icons, the truth is, they

have no official national status.

So, our beloved heroes in effect
are in the same category as our
bakya, kalabaw and sipa. And
while were at it, we might as well
ask, too, Why is Lapu-Lapu not
enlisted as a heroafter all he
killed someone who trampled
our sacred shores, thus his magnificent monument in Mactan,
Cebu. Or is it enough that he
is honored in the Pinoys menu
as Prito, Escabeche, or Steamed
with Soy Sauce?)
So lets go back to our beloved
Rizal. If this protracted investigation of the Torre de Manila
case proves that there indeed has
been corruption in the construc-

And Thats The Truth / A6

A6 LOCAL NEWS

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Shun competitive parenting,

Tagle tells parents

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle FILE PHOTO

THE head of Manilas Roman Catholic

Church has called on parents to stay
away from competitive parenting, and
instead instill in their children the virtue
of humility.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio
Cardinal Tagle said competitive childrearing is among the many common
parenting failures of today.
He said many parents care too much
about what brands their kids use and
want them to be always better than
others.
Comparing kids
He said some parents take this to the
extreme by comparing the achievements
of their child to those of other peoples
offspring as well.
Parents, lets teach our children true
greatness. If we teach them the wrong
things, we will be the ones to suffer
as well as the country, Tagle said in
Filipino.
If we ever have competition among
ourselves, let it be about who is the
humblest and most ready to serve society, he added.

The cardinal made the statement in

his homily during a Mass to welcome
the arrival of the historic Sto. Nio de
Cebu image at the San Agustin Church
in Intramuros, Manila last Friday.
First symbol of Christianity
Tagle then called on the public,
especially the youth, to imitate Jesus
humility and service wherever they find
themselves: at school, at work, or on
social media.
He also called particular attention to
the finding of the Sto. Nio image in
Cebu 450 years ago which is the first
symbol of Christianity in the country.
With our worldly thinking, greatness is measured by riches and accomplishments. For Jesus, that is not true
greatness. If you wish to be great, be
lowly, humble like a child, Tagle added
in Filipino.
According to the prelate, Filipinos
are reminded that being great is not
brought by being proud or arrogant,
or by insulting your fellowmen but by
being humble servants. (Roy Lagarde/
CBCPNews)

And Thats The Truth / A5

tions approval, then by all means, punish the guilty. Tongue-in-cheek we can
recommend some penalties. Compel
DMCI to:
--rebuild/restore the many Rizal
monuments in the provinces that have
been neglected by the local governments. They are usually made of concrete, surrounded by scraggly shrubs in
chipped concrete plant pots, and some
of them have become moldy. They look
pathetic in the daytime, and without a
single lamp post, forlorn at night.
--improve the lighting of the Rizal
Park and focus the limelight, so to
speak, on the monument itself, so that
the contentious structure would be so
brilliant as to overshadow anything
burning below 1,000 watts. Meralco
bill to be shared by the guilty parties.

--give Torre de Manila the competition it deserves: allow the construction

of two dozen other 49-storey condos on
the same road.
--chop down the Torre to a reasonable
height (which means acceptable to the
noisy protesters), refund the buyers, and
split the loss between DMCI and the
corrupt officials.
--partner with the government in
building mass-housing projects and
developing satellite towns for the homeless informal settlers of Metromanila.
Everybody deserves decent dwelling
not just the condo buyers. Who knows,
this might work so well that finally we
will have no more need to cover up the
shanties whenever kings or ambassadors
or popes come to visit.
(To be concluded)

Collection Box / A5

veteran politicians and public servants

but at this early she cant even seem to
recognize her being exploited by those
whom she trusts.
A candidates winnability must be
based not on patronage or popularity.
We should elect a leader on the basis
of his track record or accomplishments. The nobility of his character
matters and his ability to unite and
inspire people to rally behind him is
a must. The Church does not endorse

candidates for election. Priests do not

do that either. This piece is written to
enlighten the electorate so they dont
simply succumb to paid analyses and
popular claims that aim to favor the
most charismatic and the most generous of them all.
We should not actually settle for
the least evil but for lack of the best
alternative, who among the presumed
candidates for the presidency in 2016
you think is the least evil of them all?

Anti-dynasty law, A1

run for office if the legislative branch

itself refuses to define exactly what
political dynasties are.
Until Congress defines what dynasties are in a manner that fulfills the
policy embodied in the fundamental
law, we have nothing more but an
inert provision of the Constitution
that accusingly points at the refusal of
Congress to act! he adds.
Economic inclusiveness
Meanwhile, while he concedes there
are figures proving that investments
indeed have risen, Villegas was alarmed
at what he saw as the inclusiveness of
economic gain, dismissing government
and corporate figures as items of cold
statistics that are no good until they are
translated into better lives for the poor
and disadvantaged.
On the other hand, the prelate lauds
the earnestness of lawmakers in addressing the problems besetting Mindanao,
stressing the need for a peaceful and
just settlement that will be acceptable
to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
The ongoing disagreement between
supporters of different versions of the
organic law for the region are not worrisome. If anything, they are proof of
the earnestness with which our Legislature addresses nettlesome issues. There
would be nothing more prejudicial to
the peace process than a resurgence of
violence and lawlessness. We urge all to
allow the institutions of our democracy

to craft a solution, in dialogue with all,

to this challenge, he explains.
Evangelization of political order
Months ahead of the approaching
presidential elections, Villegas underlines the importance of lay participation
in the apostolate of evangelizing the
political order, and recognizes the initiative of people who take time screening candidates, listening to them, and
endorsing those the movement deems
worthy of support.
While the CBCP and the Catholic
Church in the Philippines will never
endorse a particular candidate or a particular party, leaving the consciences of
voters sovereign in this respect, in keeping with long-accepted moral teachings
of the Church, we commend efforts
such as these to arrive at a collective
discernment on the basis of Catholic
standards and principles, that are not
necessarily sectarian! he says.
Public debates
Moreover, Villegas encourages debate
among the candidates, and hopes that
the various dioceses will organize public
fora that will allow voters to familiarize
themselves with the positions, platforms, plans, beliefs, and convictions
of the candidates.
All of these meetings, however, must
be permeated by a genuine sense of
fairness, consecration to the truth and,
above all, charity, he adds. (Raymond
A. Sebastin/CBCP News)

CBCP Monitor

IEC venue nears

completion
WITH only five months left before the
momentous International Eucharistic
Congress in January 2016, the Pavilion being constructed specially for this
event is now 82.5 percent complete.
According to recently ordained Cebu
Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, secretary general of the IEC, this humble
building is fully air-conditioned and can
accommodate up to 12,000 delegates.
So far, 51 countries have already registered their delegates for the event, with
the biggest number coming from Canada
and the U.S.. Yet, the number may still
increase and reach even a hundred participating countries, said Villarojo.

The funding for the Pavilions construction was sponsored by the Duros
Development Corporation, and not
even a single centavo from the Piso
Para sa Misa ng Mundo campaign is
being spent on this project.
The fund raising for the IEC is not
being used for the Pavilion but for the
operating expenses of the Congress,
explained Villarojo.
After the Congress, the Pavilion shall
be converted into a minor seminary and
a pastoral center, the plot of land where
it stands being owned by the archdiocesan seminaries.
One of the first communicants

during the 1937 IEC held in Manila,

Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo
Cardinal Vidal expressed elation over
the first communion that will take
place during this Eucharistic gathering.
In his experience, they were made to
transfer from one building to another,
and that with the construction of this
IECPavilion, this year is the luckiest
year because delegates will comfortably
gather for activities under a single roof.
On Sept. 30, 2015, the Pavilion will
be turned over to the Archdiocese of
Cebu. The IEC Pavilion is expected to
be completed by October 2015. (Luke
Godoy/CBCPNews)

PH Franciscan in Israel slams rabbis church burning remarks

A FILIPINO Franciscan
has cried foul over the call
of a Jewish leader to set fire
to Palestines churches and
mosques, comparing such
destructive intolerance to
the ban by some Muslim
states on religions other than
Islam.
The [extremist] Muslims
in Indonesia burn Catholic
churches. Apparently, these
extremist Jews have same
idea against both Muslims
and Christians, lamented
Fr. Andres Raoa, OFM, the
Commissary to the Custody
(Custos) of the Holy Land, in
reaction to the suggestion of
Lehavas Rabbi Bentzi Gopstein to vandalize Christian
and Muslim properties in
the country.
The Franciscan pointed
out the fear of the Assembly
of Catholic Ordinaries in
Holy Land (AOCHL) is
justified in view of the religious and political tensions
prevailing in the region.
Delicate situation
As the Commissary to the
Custody of the Holy Land, I
understand the delicate situation Christians there have to
face. In Israel, religious and
priests alike find it difficult
to acquire longer residence,

among other concerns. The

decreasing number of Christians is also alarming. That is
why Popes have been visiting
the Holy Land in an effort
to gain favorable laws for
its Christian community,
Raoa explained.
Part of AOCHLs complaint reads: A few days ago,
Rabbi Gopstein, leader of
an anti-Jewish assimilation
extremist movement, Lehava,
made the remarks at a panel
discussion for Jewish yeshiva
students where he did not
hesitate to assert that Jewish
law advocated destroying
the land of idolatry Israel,
and therefore churches and
mosques could be burned.
It continues: These remarks, which came after a
troublesome act of vandalism
against the Holy Place of
Tabgha in Israel, are unacceptable to the Assembly
of Catholic Ordinaries of
the Holy Land. They incite
hatred and pose a real threat
to the Christian religious
buildings in the country.
Doing their part
For centuries, the Custody
of the Holy Land has committed to conserving and
reviving the places in the
Holy Land and other Middle

Eastern countries associated

with Christ.
The friar went on to list
down the achievements of his
congregation in Palestine despite cases of anti-Christian
prejudice.
The Good Friday collections for the Holy Land
partly help finance the various ministries and projects
for the maintenance of the
various shrines and assistance
to pilgrims. The financial
report last year of the Custos
was preceded by a summary
of the Franciscans present
endeavors, he said.
Franciscan mission
Among the various objectives of the Franciscan mission, Raoa mentions the
support and progress of the
Christian minority.
These include the upkeep
of archaeological sites, interventions during emergencies,
the liturgies in worship centers, its network of elementary and secondary schools,
and assistance to pilgrims.
Besides these, Raoa
boasted the Custody was able
to generate as many as 1,500
jobs, grant scholarships to
some 150 students, and put
up 500 apartments.
the Custody also sup-

ports and helps grow the

dwindling Christian minority in Israel. Many Arab
Christians have left Israel
due to laws prejudicial to
them. One of them is the
restriction to own lands.
The Custody, therefore, has
decided to build them affordable houses, he added.
Sad news
For Fr. Dexter Toledo,
executive secretary of the Association of Major Religious
Superiors in the Philippines
(AMRSP) and also a Franciscan, the proposed arson
attacks on Christian property
is nothing but unfortunate.
This is a sad news. It is true
that the Franciscans are taking
care of the Holy Land since
the time of the Crusades. In
this modern age, fundamentalism must be replaced with
dialogue and mutual understanding, he said.
The Order of Friars Minor
(OFM), popularly known as
Franciscans, has an ongoing
presence in the Holy Land
dating back to 1217.
In 1342, Pope Clement
VI named them official custodians of the Holy Places
in the name of the Catholic
Church. (Raymond A. Sebastin/CBCP News)

Marijuana, A1

with which to alleviate the suffering of

the terminally ill.
No endorsement
In other cases, the principle of proportionality is to be applied which
makes means licit when there is PROPORTION between the risks and
disadvantages and the benefits expected
or anticipated.
Meanwhile, in a July 9, 2014 circular,
Villegas had already made it clear that

CBCP is not endorsing the legalization

of cannabis, better known as marijuana.
THE CBCP is NOT endorsing the
legalization of marijuana. It has merely
noted that under the existing provisions
of R.A. 9165, particularly Section 81,
r, the Dangerous Drugs Board may
permit the importation, distribution
and prescription of dangerous drugs
for medical and research purposes,
he said.
Citing the Charter for Catholic

Health Care Workers, the Pangasinan

prelate, however, pointed out the use
of narcotic substances in analgesia and
pain management is morally permissible especially for the terminally ill.
That is quite a different matter from
the claim that CBCP endorses the legalization of marijuana. We did no more
than underscore existing provisions of
law and Catholic moral doctrine, Villegas added. (Raymond A. Sebastin/
CBCP News)

Broadcast, A1

broadcasting via internet,

announced Fr. Joselito L.
Jopson, TV Mara director
in a statement.
In his historic speech at
the inauguration, Manila
Archbishop Lus Antonio
G. Cardinal Tagle addressed
TV Mara viewers live for
the first time from its studio
inside the Caritas compound
in Pandacan, Manila.
The prelate went on to
expound on the beauty of
social communications, and
on how this noble undertak-

ing ultimately originates in a

God who continues to speak
and reach out to mankind.
Evangelization mission
This is our mission.
Through us, His Church,
God talks to us God is
a God of communication.
God is not self-absorbed.
He revealed Himself to
us And we as Church
continues what God has
started, said Tagle in Filipino.
This is not about ratings,

publicity, or image-building
This is an apostolate
With faith, hope, and love,
TV Mara strives to do its
share in making Gods work
known, and in inviting its
audience to respond to His
call, he added.
According to Tagle, the
Philippine Catholic channel
is taking its cue from the
first generation of Christian
evangelizers, exploiting the
means at its disposal.
PH Catholic TV
The ancient Christians

created paintings and murals

depicting scenes from the
Bible. They did this in order
to educate others on the faith
Using todays technology,
TV Mara is doing the same,
he explained
TV Mara is Channel 1 on
Dream Satellite, Channel 96
on Destiny, and Channel 160
on Sky Cable.
Those who have no access
to TV Mara are advised
to contact their cable TV
providers. (Raymond A. Sebastin/ CBCP News)

Social Media, A1

organization behind one of the most

extensive news coverages of the recent
papal visit:
Aug. 11 Building a Diocesan Social
Media Organization, Part I (Msgr. Pepe
Quitorio, Areopagus Communications)
- The Amazing World of Social Media
(Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler)
Aug. 12 Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all things beautiful (Sky
Ortigas and Lin Regino, Areopagus
Communications)
- Strategies and tactics in propagating social media content (Raymond
Bandril, Areopagus Communications)
- Creating content for social media by way of news stories, images and
audiovisuals (Nirva Delacruz and Sky
Ortigas, Areopagus Communications)
- Building a Diocesan Social Media
Organization, Part II (Msgr. Pepe Quitorio, Areopagus Communications)

Digital continent
Of the more than a hundred participants, majority of the participants
participated in the social media track,
including Fr. Jerico Habunal, social
communications director of Paraaque
who admits the Church needs to be
ready for the digital continent of the
internet.
Talks were very interesting and very
helpful in making me see the reality and
vast potential of this medium in evangelization today, he said in an exclusive
CBCP News interview.
According to the priest, while the convention also presented how social communicators can work with other forms of
media like radio, TV and print, he sees
how dynamic social media has become.
Reaching out to netizens
We need to intensify social media
presence now. The different social media
platforms are readily available for the

Church to be relevant in the task of

evangelization. he explained.
For Sr. Teresita Espina, FSP, Cagayan
de Oro social communications ministry
coordinator and manager of Bag-ong
Lamdag (New Light), the official publication of the Archdiocese of Cagayan
de Oro, the workshops showed her the
potential of using various social media
platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram.
We can translate the Gospel in various forms and languages and reach out
to more netizens, Espina said.
For a self-confessed social media
newbie, the track was surprisingly easy
to understand.
The facilitators are intelligible and
they go down to our level. I am a neophyte and the topics met my expectations. In fact, I will attend the next
summit. I learned so many things, she
added. (CBCP News)

CBCP Monitor

A7

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Pope Francis Village adopts participatory approach

Groundbreaking ceremony of the Pope Francis Village in Barangay Diit in Tacloban City. CARITAS PHILIPPINES

TACLOBAN City Some 550 units

of permanent housing for typhoon
Yolanda will soon rise in Brgy. Diit
in this city, a project by the churchbacked consortium FRANCESCO,
which employs a more participatory,
pro-beneficiary, bottom-up approach
for rehabilitation work.
It is not enough that they will be
provided houses, said Fr. Ed Gariguez,
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat for Social
Action (CBCP-NASSA) executive director.
According to him, this model community demonstrates how the beneficiaries collectively decide and participate
in decision-making not just about the
construction of their houses but about
the creation of a holistic environment
survivors need, including livelihood.
The priest also explained that having
all other basic needs of the community
within the beneficiaries reach makes the
resettlement project a model community.

Bottom-up approach
Fr. Alcris Badana, director of CaritasPalo, identified the Pope Francis Village
as a prototype of the participatory,
bottom-up approach for building entire
villages for people displaced by the super
typhoon in 2013.
According to Badana, the locals were
consulted even on the design of the Pope
Francis Village houses to be built as well
as on site development.
Badana said the model community is
only one of those where the local Caritas
is currently extending help to Yolanda
survivors.
While reaching out to those needing
help, Caritas Palo is enhancing the capabilities of its manpower and also of the
beneficiaries to ensure sustainability,
Badana disclosed.
FRANCESCO consortium
For now, talks are underway with
companies that will supply the neces-

Missionaries urge release of

illegally arrested brothers
GINGOOG City, Misamis OrientalThe Rural Missionaries of
the Philippines (RMP) along with
its Northern Mindanao subregion
(NMR) demands the unconditional release of its former volunteer teacher, Daniel Lampusay,
and his brother Ejun, who they
assert were illegally arrested and
detained by the military.
Gross violation
We denounce the gross violation of the basic rights of Lampusay brothers by the elements
of the 58th Infantry Battalion.
This is another desperate measure of the military to threaten
the Lumad community in the
area, said Sr. Francis Aover,
RMP National Coordinator in
a statement.
RMPNMR reported that
the Lampusay brothers, 22 and
18 years old, respectively, were
first held on Aug. 3 at the local daycare center of Barangay
Hindangan in Gingoog City,
which the military forces used
as a detachment.
The group said they were
transferred first to the police

station in Medina, but are now

detained at the Misamis Oriental
Provincial Jail.
Red-tagged
According to the group, the
spate of human rights abuses is
part of the ongoing attacks on
the local Lumad communities as
well as on the alternative learning
schools in Northern Mindanao,
Southern Mindanao , Socsargen,
and Caraga regions they have
initiated.
RMP lamented that the said
educational centers have been
tagged by the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP) as
Communist-led schools whose
teachers and students complain
about experiencing harassment
due to continuing military operations in the area.
It is lamentable that the military accuses them as members
of the New Peoples Army when
they are deeply impoverished as
farm workers in a coconut grove
in the same sitio. We, as missionaries know the plight of the rural
poor and their aspiration only is
the upliftment of their family

Daniel Lampusay NMR

from poverty and starvation,

Aover explained.
Unconditional release
We demand their immediate
and unconditional release, as our
Holy Father Pope Francis opposed inequality as stated in his
apostolic exhortation Evangelii
Gaudium Joy of the Gospel).
We hope the military heed the
Holy Fathers call to touch their

hearts and empathize [with] the

rural poor indigenous peoples
plight , Aover added.
A teacher, the elder Lampusay
used to volunteer for RMPNMRs Literacy -Numeracy
program.
The siblings are Higaonon
residents of Sitio Minalwang
in Barangay Bal-ason, Gingoog
City. (Raymond A. Sebastin/
CBCP News)

Funds, A1

ments rehabilitation program and how some

politicians use the survivors to advance their
personal interests.
You (politicians) dont have to advertise
your names for government projects, he
said.
For Gariguez, the survivors may have even
become pawns in a game of political foresight
with the May 2016 polls in view.
When will they release these funds? Are
they waiting for 2016? he said, noting that
the considerable delay in the delivery of
much-needed services is serious.
He added the delay is unacceptable since
tens of thousands of families displaced by
Yolanda in 2013 continue to wait for help.
2016 funds?
They might be waiting for 2016 until
this large sum of money be released. And
this must not happen, Gariguez stressed.
A recent study by Caritas and other
humanitarian organizations showed that
only Php 73.15 billion of the total Php 170
funding requirements has been released as

of March 2015.
The study further said only Php 2.4 billion
of the targeted Php 26B for social services
were actually used in 2014.
Caritas noted that the said amount is
aside from the Php 13.6 billion released
for resettlement of the required Php 75B,
Php 2.4B of the Php 26B for target social
services, Php 9.8B of the Php 33B funds for
livelihood, and Php 21.5B of the Php 35B
budget for infrastructure.
The priest continued to lament the lack of
transparency on how the funds for Yolanda
were used.
These are the issues that we [wanted]
President Aquino to clarify during his last
State of the Nation Address. Unfortunately,
this did not happen, he said.
Rechanneling of funds
A report from the Department of Budget
and Management revealed that a part of
the Yolanda rehabilitation funds were given
for other calamity efforts such as the Bohol
earthquake.

This is another cause for concern. Why

do they have to mix up the funds for the
rehabilitation efforts of different calamities?
said Gariguez.
This is a clear disregard of basic accounting principles. Again, this clearly shows the
governments super inefficiency, he added.
As of 2014, the government had only
completed 2,100 houses for Yolanda survivors, which according to Gariguez is very
way below the much needed and targeted
205,128 shelters.
Caritas is at the forefront of the Churchs
three-year rehabilitation program for typhoon victims which amounts to Php 816
million in the first year alone of the program
implementation.
In 2014, it was able to construct 3,117
houses for typhoon survivors of the nine
worst-hit provinces.
For the second year, Caritas proposed
about Php 432 million for them to continue
building more houses and other interventions. (With reports from R. Lagarde and
Luke Godoy)

Climate, A1

we reiterate our conviction that the global crisis that

we are now facing is also a
spiritual crisis. Thus, we beat
our breast and humbly recognize our errors, sins, faults and
failures that we have committed
against the environment. We
hope that this leads us to an
authentic ecological conversion,
and a heartfelt repentance and
desire to change, the participants declare in their collective
statement.
Less = more
Mirroring Pope Francis Laudato Si, the eco-warriors go on
to express conviction that less
is more (LS 222), highlighting
the integrity of human life, and
the promotion of values.
They explain, We believe
in our vision of a global community that lives in peace and
harmony with all of creation in
praise of the heavenly Father
who created them all.

According to them, the gravity and urgency of climate

change, especially in islandnations like the Philippines, is
part of a larger ecological crisis
given that it worsens the sufferings of people already burdened
by such injustices as hunger,
dispossession, and of human
rights violations.
New dialogue
Confronted with the complexity and the enormity of the
challenge to act on it, we join
hands in bringing the resources
of our faith traditions to bear
on the twin imperatives of
combating excessive greenhouse
gas emissions and promoting
climate justice. We altogether
heed Pope Francis invitation
in Laudato Si to create avenues
for a new dialogue about how
we are shaping the future of
our planet, our common home,
since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and

its human roots, concern and

affect us all (LS 14), they stress.
Faith with science
The participants are also push
for science-based discourses on
climate change which they hope
will give concretize their faithmotivated responses.
The ecological and climate
crisis has a spiritual as well
as scientific dimensions, and
our responses should have the
same, they note.
Our faith traditions are
at the heart of our common
identity, providing much of
the impetus and inspiration for
our continuing engagements,
they add.
Eco-warriors
Besides AMRSP and CBCPNASSA, the other convenors of
the climate conference held at
the Asilo de San Vicente de Pal
from July 29 to 31, 2015 were:
Philippine chapter of the
Global Catholic Climate Move-

ment (GCCM)
Fellowship of the Care of
Creation Association Incorporated (FCCAI), Task Force
Detainees of the Philippines
(TFDP)
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA)

Philippine Misereor
Partnership (PMPI)
Philippine Movement
for Climate Justice (PMCJ),
Freedom from Debt Coalition
(FDC)
Medical Action Group
(MAG)
FIND
Bulig Visayas
Asian Peoples Movement on
Debt and Development
They were joined by social
workers, Church volunteers,
educators, representatives of
different dioceses, religious
congregations, and climate
justice advocates. (Raymond A.
Sebastin/CBCP News)

sary utilities. The whole project might

take more than one year due to become
fully functional.
The consortium of organizations
called FRANCESCO is composed
of the Urban Poor Associates (UPA),
Canadian Catholic for Development
and Peace (CCDP), CBCP-NASSA,
the Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer, and the Archdiocese of Palo
through Caritas-Palo (RCAP Relief and
Rehabilitation Unit).
It aims to establish a permanent incity relocation site acceptable to the
affected communities where they could
build better, more resilient houses,
restore their sources of livelihood, and
continue to strengthen their organizations so that they can fully participate
in community governance as well as to
effectively engage with the local government, according to a FRANCESCO
source. (Eileen Nazareno-Ballesteros
/ CBCP News)

Lay Franciscans told: Like St.

Clare, see Christ in the poor
QUEZON City With the
Year of the Poor in mind, the
new head of the Franciscans
in the Philippines has enjoined the laity, particularly
devotees of Clare of Assisi,
whose feast was celebrated
yesterday, to embrace the
virtues of the saint by pursuing simpler lifestyles, by doing acts of mercy, and most
especially by seeing Christ in
the poor.
Mercy, simplicity
Let us have mercy on
the poor, by simplifying our
lifestyle, by cutting down our
spending habits as well as our
producing and consuming
habits. The pope is emphatic
on this. Unless we undergo
this ecological conversion,
we will not be able to reduce
disasters. We will not be
helping the poor. Instead, we
will be producing more poor,
new poor, notes Fray Cielito
Almazan, minister provincial
of the Order of Friars Minor
(OFM)-San Pedro Province,
in a recent statement.
We can help the poor and
the earth by imitating the
simple lifestyle of St. Clare
and her mentor, St. Francis
of Assisi, he adds.
Victimizing the poor
According to Almazan,
everyone is guilty one way
or another of victimizing
the poor.
A g r e e i n g w i t h Po p e
Francis, he explains that
stronger disasters predicted
to hit the country sooner or
later due to global warming can be blamed on the
wasteful lifestyle of the
many, by producing and
consuming more than what
they need.

Quoting a contemporary
theologian, Almazan shares
how everyone is encouraged
to contemplate the face of
Christ in order to see in it
the faces of people who suffer.
Seeing Jesus
We can see Christ face
to face when we are face to
face with the poor of flesh
and blood, with those whose
houses are demolished, the
children crying because they
are abandoned or abused by
their parents, he explains.
Moreover, Almazan points
out the Lord is also present
among the countless youth
roaming the streets for food,
in the faces of worried parents, laborers who get less
than they should, as well as
those lining up for medical
treatment, those who sleep
hungry, victims of scammers,
injustice, neglect, discrimination, and violence.
Poor Christ
Aware of the countless
poor around, the Filipino
Franciscans have chosen for
the fiesta the theme St. Clare
Mirroring the Poor Christ.
For St. Clare, the poor
are not just the literally poor.
First of all, the poor is Christ.
it is Christ who is poor, the
friar stresses.
For us now, we, Franciscan religious and lay who are
active in the world, do not
stop gazing at the image of
the Crucified Christ of San
Damiano Cross, or any other
image of Christ, like image
of Christ of the Cursillistas
or the Divine Mercy image,
Nazareno, etc. We still retain
these symbols in our churches, he adds. (Raymond A.
Sebastin/CBCP News)

Candidly Speaking / A4

knows that all should be used for

building the Kingdom of God.
The directory encourages the
priest to lead a simple life and
avoid anything which could have
an air of vanity, voluntarily embracing poverty to follow Christ
more closely. In all aspects (living
quarters, means of transportation, vacations, etc.), the priest
must eliminate any kind of affectation and luxury.
Its sad to note that many
people have been turned off by
the way some priests comport
themselves in public. Rightly or
wrongly, they have claimed that
some priests have luxury cars,
ostentatious manners and are
always thinking of money to the
extent that people brand them
as mukhang pera, converting
their priesthood into some kind
of business.
This does not mean that
priests should look and smell
like beggars. Far from it. They, in
fact, should be elegant, decently
attired and easily distinguishable as priests who can readily
be approached by anyone. As
much as possible, they should
not be mistaken as habal-habal
or jeepney drivers or some misplaced celebrities, etc.
I suppose it would be good
if regular lifestyle checks can
be made by the proper church

authority so that the appropriate

suggestions, corrections, solutions, and remedies can be made
promptly, avoiding scandals that
can really be harmful to the life
of the Church, not to mention
the priests concerned themselves.
What can be helpful is when
priests themselves have regular
spiritual directions to which
they should have recourse
with all freedom. We should
not forget that the greater
the responsibility one has,
the greater also is his need
for guidance and discipline.
The moment this principle is
forgotten or taken for granted,
the incidence of all kinds of
anomalies would just be a
matter of time.
The directory also says that
a priest should be a friend of
those most in need, reserving
his most refined pastoral charity for these, with a preferential
option for all poverty, old and
new, tragically present in our
world, always remembering that
the first misery from which man
must be liberated is that of sin,
the root of all evil.
All of these indications about
priestly spirit of poverty have to
be lived with naturalness and
discretion, knowing how to pass
unnoticed, without ever screaming to the world, I am poor.

A8

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CBCP Monitor

Mindanao-wide climate campaign held

INSPIRED by Pope Francis Laudato
Si, the Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM) has jumpstarted its
grassroots campaign in the various episcopal sees of Mindanao from Aug. 4 to
7 in a bid to raise awareness among the
faithful on the need for climate action
in the light of Catholic social teachings.
People first
Mindanao suffered much from
the abuse of the environment, Many
Church people, priests, religious, and
lay leaders offered their lives in defense
of the forests and the islands rich resources. But until today, profit is still
valued over people. Rather, it should
be people over profit, emphasized
Fray Tagoy Jakosalem, OAR, who facilitated the Laudato Si workshop for
the participants from the Archdiocese of
Davao and Cotabato, and the Dioceses
of Tagum, Kidapawan and Digos
Focusing on the grassroots, the Recollect
brother explained that in order to mobilize
the climate petition, the group aims to
collect as many as ten million signatures
ahead of the COP21 climate conference to

be held Paris this December, by empowering the local church through community
conversations on the care for creation.
10-M signatures
We aim to reach the ten million
signatures along with grassroots environmental education, and with the
mandate of CBCP [Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines] for
ecological transformation said Lou
Arsenio, GCCCM organizer and cofounder from the Archdiocese of Manila
(RCAM)s Ministry on Ecology.
Social action directors, staffers, ecology desk campaigners, IP community
organizers, and religious representatives
from different congregations were all
out in support for the campaign, vowing to help GCCM generate the target
number of signatures, and to relay the
message of Laudato Si to as many
church communities as possible.

The Global Catholic Climate Movement during a Climate March in Rome, Italy to thank Pope Francis for Laudato Si, June 2015. GCCM

Reaching hearts
We intend to reach the hearts of
our people to care for our future, said
Rodne Galicha, country manager of The

Climate Reality Project (TCRP), which

teams up with GCCM in delivering the
campaign to communities.
At the end of the workshops, the

participants came out with grassroots

reflections on the encyclical of Pope
Francis on the questions: What have
we done that contributed to the destruc-

tion of creation? What have we committed wrong? What have we done right?
What do we need to do? (Raymond A.
Sebastin/CBCP News)

Pasig River procession features German human

rights award goes
Sto. Nio de Cebu
to Filipina nun

KENNETH GUDA

THE miraculous image of Sto.

Nio de Cebu was brought out
in fluvial procession on Aug. 16
along Pasig River the first time
since the icon was discovered
in the Philippine island 450
years ago.
The oldest religious icon and
a recognized symbol of Catholicism in the country was taken
on a ferry ride on Sunday from
Intramuros in Manila to Guadalupe Viejo in Makati City.
This is the first the Sto. Nio
will go on a fluvial procession in
the Pasig River because, in the past,
it was only in Cebu, particularly
Mactan Channel, said Augustinian Father Harold Rentoria.
In celebration of Pope Francis
second encyclical Laudato Si,
he said the procession also seeks
to highlight the faithfuls responsibility for caring for creation.
This will be a chance for us to
reflect when the Sto. Nio passes
through the Pasig River, which was
once a very beautiful river but has
now become polluted, he said.
The 27-kilometer long Pasig
River passes through the urban
areas of the metropolis and forms
the most important natural
water system in Metro Manila.
The uncontrolled industrialization of Manila and its suburbs
after World War II, however, had
polluted the river which flows from
Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay.
This will be a stern reminder
on the importance of the care
for the environment and [to]
address climate change, espe-

A ferry boat carrying the historic image of Sto. Nio de Cebu crosses along the Makati area of Pasig River during the first fluvial
procession of the icon in Metro Manila on Sunday, August 16. The 2-hour procession from Intramuros, Manila to Guadalupe, Makati
City is part of the 450th anniversary of the finding of the image by Augustinian friars in Cebu in 1565 and also aims to highlight
initiatives on the care for the environment. R. LAGARDE/CBCPNEWS

cially after Pope Francis issued

the Laudato Si, Rentoria added.
The encyclical is the Popes
landmark document on protecting the environment and
battling climate change.
The fluvial procession kicked
off with a Mass at the Manila
Cathedral before the image was
brought to the nearby Intramuros Ferry Terminal.
In an earlier interview, Rentoria said only the ferry of the
Metro Manila Development
Authority, which has a capacity of 200 passengers, will be

allowed in the procession up to

the Malacaang area.
After passing the Malacaang, we will already allow other
private individuals to join the
procession, he said.
Upon arrival in Guadalupe, the
image was brought on foot to the
Nuestra Seora de Gracia parish
church in Makati City for another
Mass to conclude the activity.
The event in Metro Manila is
part of the 450th anniversary of
Kaplag, a year-long celebration
of the finding of the image of the
child Jesus by Augustinian friars

Pauline sisters foundation

exhibit opening soon

Batches of FSP sisters, from 1948 to the most recent, look forward to hundreds of years more as they
mark a milestone in their congregations history with a mini parade in celebration of their 100th foundation
anniversary today, June 15, at their provincial house in Pasay City. RAYMOND SEBASTIAN

THE Daughters of St. Paul (FSP)

from the Philippines-Malaysia-Papua
New Guinea-Thailand Province invites the public to the opening of its
foundation exhibit Journey of Faith:
100 years of bringing the Gospel to
the world on Aug. 21, Friday, 4:00
p.m. at the anteroom of the Alberione
Auditorium, 2650 F.B. Harrison St.
Pasay City.
The exhibit will feature photos and
memorabilia detailing the life and mis-

sion of the FSP on the occasion of the

congregations 100 years of foundation.
Current FSP provincial superiorSr.
Noemi Vinoya, FSP will give a welcome
address.
Fr. Alex Bautista, Chairman of the
Commission for the Cultural Heritage
of the Church Diocese of Tarlac,
will also give a message as the exhibits
curator.
Cocktails will follow the ribbon-cutting and exhibit-viewing. (CBCP News)

in Cebu in April 28, 1565.

It also commemorates the 450
years of Augustinian presence
in the Philippines and the 50th
anniversary of Sto. Nio church
as a basilica minore.
The image, which is kept at the
Basilica Minore del Sto. Nio in
Cebu City, arrived in Manila on
Friday. It will also be brought to
the Sto. Nio de Cebu parish in
Bian City, Laguna.
It will stay in Metro Manila
until Tuesday where it will be
brought back to Cebu. (R. Lagarde/CBCPNews)

A FILIPINA Benedictine nun

was awarded the German city
of Weimars Human Rights Prize
this year for her work helping the
poor in Mindanao.
Sister Stella Matutina is
known for her campaigns to
protect farmers, fisher folk,
and indigenous peoples against
mining.
The 47-year old nun is currently the secretary-general of
Panalipdan Mindanao, a Davaobased environmental campaign
and education center dealing
with threats to the environment
and the people in the region.
In a statement, the city council
of Weimar said human rights
violations against IPs in Mind-

anao, caused by military forces,

has increased dramatically over
the past two years with over a
hundred people killed.
The Catholic nun engages
herself extraordinarily for the
rights of the native population, despite being exposed
to permanent threats to her
safety due to her engagement,
it said.
Matutina will receive the
award, which is supported by
aid organization Missio, during
a ceremony in Weimar on Dec.
10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day.
She will also receive 2,500
euros, or roughly, Php 125,000.
(R. Lagarde/CBCPNews)

Ateneo alumni share Laudato Si insights in forum

ATENEO alumni on July 25 held
a series of talks on Pope Francis
encyclical, Laudato Si: On Care for
our Common Home, at the Alberto
Hurtado Hall, Social Development
Complex of Ateneo de Manila University.
Organized by the Companions in
the Ignatian Journey and the JVP
Network of Leaders, the talks featured
five speakers who stressed different
points in the encyclical.
The first speaker, Dr. Tony La
Via described his visit to San Damiano Church in Assisi, Italy. Like
St. Francis before him, La Via also
heard a voice from the cross, but this
time telling him to pray the Laudato
Si. For 35 years, this prayer of St.
Francis on creation has given him
courage, as he fought for controlling
mining, the banning of coal-fired
power plants, the preservation of our
fishing resources, and the forging of
international agreements on climate
justice.
Clashing views
Ateneo Chemistry professor Dr.
Fabian Dayrit discussed how the
Catholic Church, with its long track
record for scientific research as represented by its prominent scientists and
Jesuit observatories, must continue
to invest in science in order to make
sense of clashing scientific paradigms.
Dayrit cited the opposing views
supported by different camps within
the scientific community on nature

vs. nurture: the individuals unchanging DNA vs. the environmental

effects on the individuals genes
(epigenetics).
According to him, the emergence
of theories like the Big Bang and
Darwinian Evolution gave way to
new conflicts like the one between
thinkers like Kuhn and Popper, raising the question on whether climate
changes claims need to be falsifiable through experiment in order
to be called a science or whether
evidences cited by its proponents
are sufficient to establish the truth
of the theory.
Green Research founding president
Patria Gwen Borcena discussed how
the encyclical describes humanitys
interconnectedness not only as a
human society, but as part of the
environment.
The environmental sociologist also
critiqued the rapid growth mindset
of the government without an environmental agenda for the common
good. As a member of the Green
Convergence Movement, Borcena
shared how they fought against the
Philippines importation of hazardous
wastes from Japan under JPEPA and
even now with Canadas waste.
She agreed with the pope regarding
the need for environmental impact assessment, interdisciplinary approach,
and cost-benefit analysis.
Poetry of Laudato Si
Anthropologist Fr. Albert Alejo,

SJ described the encyclical as one

big stroke of genius, saying the
document not only included the environment in its social teaching but
also quoted non-Catholic thinkers
Orthodox, Islamic, and Protestant.
The Filipino Jesuit, who earned a
doctorate degree in anthropology at
the School of Oriental and African
Studies, University of London, said
the poetry of the encyclical went
beyond St. Francis poetic romanticism in Brother Sun and Sister Moon
into the vision of the Jesuit Gerard
Manley Hopkins: a world charged
the grandeur of God.
Meanwhile, Dr. Donna Paz Reyes,
Executive Director of Miriam Colleges Environmental Studies Institute, shared about how Pope Francis,
through his encyclical, provides a
voice for pressing environmental issues of our time like environmental
preservation, inter-generational equity, sustainable development, environmental education, climate change,
disaster management, ecological balance, and biodiversity.
Reyes stressed the need for a cultural revolution to change paradigms
on caring for the environment and
the poor.
Dennis de la Torre moderated the
talks, with Ateneo Alumni Association president Joey Pengson giving
the opening remarks, and Fr. Bill
Kreutz. SJ delivering a closing inspirational message. (Quirino Sugon Jr./
CBCPNews)

PASTORAL CONCERNS B1

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Roy Lagarde

CBCP Monitor

Bringing Christ to politics

PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino
III recently delivered his final
State of the Nation Address. The
count-down has begun to the next
national elections in 2016. We
thank God whose mighty hand is
at work in our history for the gains
we have made. We implore his
pardon for our faults and failings.
We call on his unending mercy for
the tremendous work that must yet
be done.

As the political engine is revved for the presidential

elections, we urge our lay persons to be actively engaged in
the apostolate of evangelizing the political order.

nothing more prejudicial to the

peace process than a resurgence
of violence and lawlessness. We
urge all to allow the institutions
of our democracy to craft a solution, in dialogue with all, to this
challenge.
Peoples Primary
As the political engine is revved
for the presidential elections, we
urge our lay persons to be actively
engaged in the apostolate of evangelizing the political order. The
CBCP was recently apprised of a
lay initiative to screen candidates,
to listen to them and to endorse
those the movement deems worthy of support. While the CBCP
and the Catholic Church in the
Philippines will NEVER endorse a
particular candidate or a particular
party, leaving the consciences of
voters sovereign in this respect, in
keeping with long-accepted moral
teachings of the Church, we commend efforts such as these to arrive
at a collective discernment on the
basis of Catholic standards and
principles, that are not necessarily
sectarian!

Do not forget the poor

While there are figures to prove
that investments have risen and
that economic fundamentals are
strong, as pastors, we are deeply
concerned with the inclusiveness
of economic gain. Government and
corporate figures remain items of
cold statistics until they are translated into better lives by those now
most disadvantaged.

Peace for Mindanao and for all

We take heart from the earnestness with which our lawmakers
address the problems of Muslim
Mindanao, in fact, of all Mindanao for we have always insisted
that a peaceful and just settlement
must be acceptable to all: Muslims
and non-Muslims alike, for Mindanao is bountiful, rich and promising enough for all to share. The
on-going disagreement between
supporters of different versions of
the organic law for the region are
not worrisome. If anything, they
are proof of the earnestness with
which our Legislature addresses
nettlesome issues. There would be

Bangsamoro Transition Commission

End political dynasties

It is regrettable that Congress
h a s , d e s p i t e p ro m p t i n g by t h e
Filipino people themselves, failed
to pass a law that gives life to the
Constitutional rejection of political dynasties. Until Congress
defines what dynasties are in a
manner that fulfills the policy
embodied in the fundamental law,
we have nothing more but an inert
provision of the Constitution that
accusingly points at the refusal of
Congress to act!

We take heart from the earnestness with which our

lawmakers address the problems of Muslim Mindanao, in
fact, of all Mindanao for we have always insisted that a
peaceful and just settlement must be acceptable to all.

Political Education
We encourage debate among the
candidates, and we hope that our
dioceses will organize public fora
and debates that allow the public
to familiarize themselves with the
positions, platforms, plans, beliefs
and convictions of our candidates.
All of these meetings, however,
must be permeated by a genuine
sense of fairness, consecration to
the truth and, above all, charity.
May we all heed the voice of the
Good Shepherd who, without fail,
leads us to verdant pastures to give
us rest!
From the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Intramuros, Manila, August 11, 2015,
Memorial of Santa Clara de Assisi.
+ SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
President, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines

B2 PASTORAL CONCERNS

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.

argued--follows the example of

Christs own will to be buried.3

THERE has been a rash of death

among my friends and acquaintances lately, including a young
actress, an elderly ex-priest and a
much younger priest. The first two
were cremated and not only did
I celebrate the funeral Mass but
also prayed at the columbarium.
While I was brought up to believe
that the only proper way to treat
the mortal remains of deceased

The Present Legislation Earnestly Recommends Burial

Can. 1176, 3 of the actual
Code of Canon Law is quite clear:
The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of
burying the bodies of the dead
be observed; it does not, however,
forbid cremation unless it has
been chosen for reasons which
are contrary to Christian teaching.
As can be seen from the first

thereby coming into line with the

praxis that is legally authorized and
progressively more frequent. Such
practice, on the other hand, may
be motivated by varied reasons--of
both public and private nature, of
hygiene, of economics, etc.--that
have nothing to do with religion.
For such reasons, as early as
1963 the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith had already
introduced the new criterion of
accepting cremation as an option,
considering that it was neither
bad in itself, nor contradictory

choosing it does not stem from a

denial of Christian dogmas, the
animosity of a secret society, or
hatred of the Catholic religion
and the Church. In this case,
Canon Law expressly prohibits
ecclesiasitical funeral, as stated
in c.1184, 1: Unless they have
given some sign of repentance
before their death, the following
are to be deprived of ecclesiastical
funeral rites: 2 persons who had
chosen the cremation of their own
bodies for reasons opposed to the
Christian faith.

are encouraged to gather in prayer.

A liturgy of the Word may be celebrated or devotional prayers like
the holy rosary may be said. After
cremation, the ashes are placed in a
worthy urn and carried reverently
to the place of burial.
3. When cremation precedes the
funeral Mass, the rite of final commendation and committal may
be performed in the crematorium
chapel before cremation. After
cremation the funeral Mass may
be celebrated in the presence of the
cremated remains. If funeral Mass is

CBCP Monitor

delay in the proper disposal of the

ashes, these may be kept temporarily in an appropriate place.
5. For the sake of reverence
for the remains of the dead, it is
recommended that in churches
or chapels, a worthy container
be provided in which the urn is
placed during the liturgical celebration.
6. Columbaria should not be
constructed in the main body of
the church, but in a separate chapel
adjacent to the church or in a crypt.
Finally, as regards the remains

Is cremation alright?

The Previous Legislation was

against Cremation
The old Code of Canon Law
of 1917 (also called the PioBenedictine Code, in honor of
the two Popes directly involved
in its redaction and promulgation)
expressly prohibited the practice
of cremation of cadavers, denying
ecclesiastical funeral to those who
have been cremated or who had
willed themselves to be cremated.
Other documents of the Holy
See of the epoch provided the
same thing.1 This was based on a
long-standing tradition from the
early days of Christianity whereby
the cremation of cadavers was
considered anti-Christian (in fact
it was really a pagan practice),
while inhumation (or burial in the
earth) was deemed as the normal
Christian practice.
The reason for this Christian
tradition in favor of burial stems
from the latters strong religious
symbolism. The paschal meaning
of Christian death--faith in the resurrection of the body: that one day
all the saints will rise from the dead
for eternal glory, as Jesus Christ
has risen from the dead--is better
expressed with the burial of the
cadaver.2 On the other hand, there
are very numerous Old Testament
texts showing the practice of burial
of the dead (cf. Gen 23,9-20; Jos
24,32-33; Tob 1,18), and the same
is true in the New Testament (cf.
Lk 7,12; Jn 19,40-42; Acts 8,12).
Finally, burying the dead--it was

Natalie Quimlat

Catholics was to consign them

to the earth from whence they
came, I also observe an increasing
tendency towards cremation, for
whatever reason of practicality
or economics there might be. To
top it all, I have noticed that more
and more churches seem even to
be encouraging the practice by
the construction of crypts and
columbaria and the pre-selling
of the niches there, especially as
a means of raising much-needed
funds for the parish. I have been
asked whether the Church teaching on this matter has changed.
Even more specifically, I have been
asked whether there are special
norms as regards the cremation
of the remains of sacred ministers?

clause of c.1176, 3, the practice of burial (or inhumation) is

earnestly recommended, for the
reasons previously mentioned-i.e., its religious symbolism, its
concordance with Sacred Scripture
and its long practice in the Christian community.
but Allows Cremation without any Reticence.
As the aforementioned canon
states: [The Church] does not,
however, forbid cremation
Thus, the previous contrary discipline has been derogated. Whats
more, the present Code of Canon
Law does not require any special
reason for the choice of cremation,

(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology

at the Regina Apostolorum university,
answers the following query:)
Q. At a recent priests meeting someone asked if concelebrating priests
should genuflect before taking
the chalice, especially if they have
already consumed the sacred host.
-- J.F., Boston, Massachusetts
A. The logistics of priests communion during concelebration is
governed by some basic rules, but
at times some adaptations have to
be made in virtue of particular local circumstances such as the space
available and the number of priests.
First of all, we can examine the
basic rules as found in the General
Instruction of the Roman Missal.
240. While the Agnus Dei is sung
or said, the deacons or some of the
concelebrants may help the principal
celebrant break the hosts for Communion, both of the concelebrants
and of the people.
241. After the commixtion, the
principal celebrant alone, with hands
joined, privately says the prayer Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi (Lord
Jesus Christ, Son of the living God)
or Perceptio Corporis et Sanguinis
(Lord Jesus Christ, with faith in your
love and mercy).
242. When this prayer before
Communion is finished, the principal celebrant genuflects and steps
back a little. Then one after another the concelebrants come to
the middle of the altar, genuflect,

to Christian doctrine, nor against

religionas previously seen.4 In
the same vein, those who chose
cremation for themselves were no
longer denied the sacraments and-in its time--a Christian funeral.
The only limitation to this
acceptance of cremation is that
which is stated at the end of
c.1176, 3: unless [cremation]
has been chosen for reasons which
are contrary to Christian teaching.
The full breadth of this limitation
can be gleaned from the 1963
Instruction of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith alluded to in the previous
paragraph, which first allowed
cremation, provided the reason for

Liturgical Guidelines on Cremation

To complete this discussion, it is
good to know that the Episcopal
Commission on Liturgy of the
Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines has issued Liturgical
Guidelines on Cremation, the dispositive part of which can be summarized in the following norms:
1. Cremation may take place
after or before the funeral Mass.
2. When cremation is held after
the funeral Mass, the rite of final
commendation and committal
concludes the Mass. While cremation is taking place (a process
that may take several hours), the
family and friends of the deceased

not celebrated, the funeral liturgy is

held in the presence of the remains.
The rite of final commendation
and committal concludes the Mass
or the funeral liturgy. If the rite has
not taken place before cremation.
Adaptations such as remains in
place of body are made in the
liturgical formularies.
4. The cremated remains should
be buried in a grave, mausoleum
or columbarium. The practice of
scattering the ashes in the sea or
from the air is not in keeping with
the Churchs norm regarding the
proper disposal of the remains of
the dead. Likewise the urn should
not be kept permanently at home
or family altar. If there is to be a

Genuflections by Concelebrants

and reverently take the Body of Christ

from the altar. Then holding it in their
right hand, with the left hand placed
below, they return to their places. The
concelebrants may, however, remain in
their places and take the Body of Christ
from the paten presented to them by the
principal celebrant or by one or more
of the concelebrants, or by passing the
paten one to another.
243. Then the principal celebrant
takes a host consecrated in the same
Mass, holds it slightly raised above the
paten or the chalice, and, facing the
people, says the Ecce Agnus Dei (This
is the Lamb of God). With the concelebrants and the people he continues,
saying the Domine, non sum dignus
(Lord, I am not worthy).
244. Then the principal celebrant,
facing the altar, says quietly, Corpus
Christi custodiat me ad vitam aeternam
(May the body of Christ bring me to
everlasting life), and reverently receives
the Body of Christ. The concelebrants
do likewise, communicating themselves.
After them the deacon receives the Body
and Blood of the Lord from the principal
celebrant.
245. The Blood of the Lord may be
received either by drinking from the
chalice directly, or by intinction, or by
means of a tube or a spoon.
246. If Communion is received by
drinking directly from the chalice, one
or other of two procedures may be followed:
a.The principal celebrant, standing
at the middle of the altar, takes the
chalice and says quietly, Sanguis Christi
custodiat me in vitam aeternam (May
the Blood of Christ bring me to ever-

lasting life). He consumes a little of the

Blood of Christ and hands the chalice to
the deacon or a concelebrant. He then
distributes Communion to the faithful
(cf. above, nos. 160-162).
b. The concelebrants approach the altar one after another or, if two chalices are
used, two by two. They genuflect, partake
of the Blood of Christ, wipe the rim of
the chalice, and return to their seats.
c. The principal celebrant normally
consumes the Blood of the Lord standing
at the middle of the altar.
d. The concelebrants may, however,
partake of the Blood of the Lord while
remaining in their places and drinking
from the chalice presented to them by the
deacon or by one of the concelebrants,
or else passed from one to the other. The
chalice is always wiped either by the one
who drinks from it or by the one who
presents it. After communicating, each
returns to his seat.
247. The deacon reverently drinks at
the altar all of the Blood of Christ that
remains, assisted, if necessary, by some
of the concelebrants. He then carries
the chalice over to the credence table
and there he or a duly instituted acolyte
purifies, wipes, and arranges it in the
usual way (cf. above, no. 183).
248. The Communion of the concelebrants may also be arranged so that each
concelebrant communicates the Body of
the Lord at the altar and, immediately
afterwards, the Blood of the Lord. In
this case the principal celebrant receives
Communion under both kinds in the
usual way (cf. above, no. 158), observing, however, the rite chosen in each
particular instance for Communion from
the chalice; and the other concelebrants

should follow suit.

After the principal celebrants Communion, the chalice is placed on another
corporal at the side of the altar. The
concelebrants approach the middle of
the altar one after another, genuflect, and
receive the Body of the Lord; then they
go to the side of the altar and consume
the Blood of the Lord, following the
rite chosen for Communion from the
chalice, as has just been said.
The Communion of the deacon and
the purification of the chalice take place
as already described.
249. If the concelebrants Communion is by intinction, the principal
celebrant receives the Body and Blood
of the Lord in the usual way, but making sure that enough of the precious
Blood remains in the chalice for the
Communion of the concelebrants. Then
the deacon, or one of the concelebrants,
arranges the chalice as appropriate in
the center of the altar or at the side on
another corporal together with the paten
containing particles of the host.
The concelebrants approach the altar
one after another, genuflect, and take a
particle, dip it partly into the chalice,
and, holding a purificator under their
chin, consume the intincted particle.
They then return to their places as at the
beginning of Mass.
The deacon also receives Communion
by intinction and to the concelebrants
words Corpus et Sanguis Christi (The
Body and Blood of Christ) makes the
response Amen. The deacon, however,
consumes at the altar all that remains of
the Precious Blood, assisted, if necessary,
by some of the concelebrants. He carries
the chalice to the credence table and

of sacred ministers, the foregoing

discussion shows that there is no
special legislations for them. Nevertheless, the Particular Law governing
sacred ministers belonging to certain
circumscriptions or institutes of
consecrated life may contain norms
applicable to theme.g., prohibiting the cremation of their remains.
---1
Cf. Sacred Congregation of the Holy
Office (formerly called the Inquisition and
now called Congregation of the Doctrine of
the Faith), Decree, 15.XII.1886; Decree,
27.VII.1892; Decree, 19.VI.1926, in AAS
18 (1926), p.282.
2
Cf. I Cor 15:37, 42-44; Catechism of the
Catholic Church, nn.2300, 999 & 1006).
3
Congregation for Divine Worship, Rite of
Funerals: Introduction, 15.VIII.1969, n.15.
4
Cf. Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, Instr. Piam et constantem,
8.V.1963, in AAS 56 (1964), pp.822-823.

there he or a duly instituted acolyte

purifies, wipes and arranges it in the
usual way.
Thus, according to No. 246, the
concelebrants do genuflect before
partaking of the chalice even though
they have already consumed the sacred
host.
This would mean that, in those
cases where the concelebrants take the
host at the altar before the principal
celebrant says: Behold the Lamb of
God (No. 242) and also consume
the chalice at the altar, they make two
genuflections.
It is not specified whether priests
make a genuflection if the hosts and/
or the chalice are brought to them at
their places. In most cases it is probable that the very need that demands
that the hosts be brought to the priests
in their places would also preclude
each one making a genuflection before
taking the host.
The rubrics do not explain the reason for the genuflections before both
host and chalice -- which are not made
by the principal concelebrant. I would
hazard a guess that, since it is probable
that priests who received the host at
their places omit the genuflection,
then establishing a genuflection before
taking the chalice at the altar assured
that they could make this visible act of
reverence and adoration at least once.
Although it is always preferable
that the concelebrants approach the
chalice at the altar, there might be
circumstances where the number of
concelebrants or the lack of space
could make this very impractical or
Genuflections / B7

CBCP Monitor

FEATURES B3

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Christ in you, our hope of glory

The Eucharist: Source and Goal of the Churchs Mission

Theological and pastoral reflections in preparation for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress
IX. Mary and the Eucharist
in the Churchs Mission
As we approach the end of
our reflection on the Eucharist
and the Churchs mission, we
turn to the Blessed Virgin
Mary who at the same time
embodies the Eucharistic Mystery and stands as the perfect
exemplar of the Church-onmission.
A. Mary, exemplar and mother of the Church-on-mission
Asian Christians have a
great love and affection for
Mary revering her as their
own Mother and the Mother
of Christ. (EA, 51) Thus did
Saint John Paul II recall a
statement made by the Synod
Fathers at their Special Assembly for Asia in 1998. The
hymn for the International
Eucharistic Congress held in
Manila in 1937 contains a
phrase that speaks of Filipinos
as a people that bears a special
love for Mary: pueblo amante
de Maria. Such tributes affirm the special love and affection that the people in this
continent have for the Mother
of the Savior whom they
fondly call their own Mother.
The same tributes also attest to
how she has figured in the missionary journey of the Church
in Asia. She is the model of
the Church in its mission of
evangelization because of how
she closely cooperated in the
saving work of her Son (SC,
103) and because she exemplifies the missionary journey
that the Church has taken and
continues to take.
As Mary was first recipient of the Good News at
the Annunciation before she
brought the same Good News
to Elizabeth at her Visitation
and to the rest of the world
at the Nativity of her Son, so
is the Church also called first
to be an evangelized and an
evangelizing community. (EN,
15) At the foot of the Cross,
Christ entrusted the Church
and its mission to the care of
his Mother: Woman, here
is your son (Jn 19:26-27).
Mary is the Mother of the
Church which evangelizes, and
without her we could never
truly understand the spirit
of the new evangelization.
(EG, 284)
Mary, the first to be evangelized. Mary heard the word
of God in the first Gospel
proclaimed by the angel Gabriel. Her Fiat, her definitive
yes to Gods call, was a total
opening up of her whole self
and being to Gods will. It was
an act of total obedience and
trust; she entrusted her life to
Gods designs. By the power of
the Spirit, she conceived the
Son of God made man; God
took on flesh in her womb.
She gave God his humanity.
And in faith, she joined herself
wholly to the
saving mission of the
Son in history.
What followed in her
lifethe
visitation to
Elizabeth,
the revelation given to
Joseph about
the child in
her womb,
the birth
o f Je s u s i n
Bethlehem, the presentation
of her Child in the Temple
and Simeons prophecy, the
coming of the Wise Men and
the Holy Familys subsequent
flight to Egypt, the loss and
finding of the child Jesus in
Jerusalem, her not being able
to understand so much of
what was happening, and her
pondering of the events and
words in her heartwas her
evangelization. In this way, her
faith, discipleship and, above
all, her spiritual motherhood
that was to be her destiny, were

shaped.
Mary, the Evangelizer. Visiting Elizabeth, she brought the
child in her womb to the hill
country of Judah. Face-toface with Mary, the pregnant
Elizabeth was filled with the
Holy Spirit and her unborn
child was moved by the Spirit
(Lk 1:41, 44). And Elizabeth

of fire on that day when the

Church, empowered by the
Spirit, first proclaimed the
Good News to all the world.
Thus Mary was the first to
be evangelized, and the first
of the disciples, as well as
the first Apostle. In every age
from the time of the Apostles
until the end of time, she is

tellectual argument. (EA, 42;

John Paul II, Encyclical Letter
Redemptoris Missio (RM) on
the permanent validity of the
Churchs missionary mandate,
7 December 1990, 42). It
is a witness that flows from
an intimate and indissoluble
communion with God which
spurs on a person to run in

B. Mary in the Churchs missionary dialogue...

With the diverse cultures

haste to help a neighbor in

need. (Cf. EN, 41). The stories of her visit to her cousin
to assist her at the most difficult stage of pregnancy and
of her intercession to save
the young bride and groom

the witness of poverty and

detachment, of freedom in
the face of the powers of this
world, the witness of sanctitythat she will evangelize
the world. (Cf. EN, 41; RM,
42). The Church sees in Mary
that life witnessing by which
Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of
those who see how they live.
(Cf. EN, 21).
With other religious traditions. In the multi-religious
context of Asia, the person
and role of Mary is a point of
convergence among adherents
of other faiths because in her
shines forth the universal value
of motherhood that transcends
cultures and religions. It is
not surprising therefore that
throughout Asia there are
hundreds of Marian sanctuaries and shrines where not only
the Catholic faithful gather,
but believers of other religions
t o o . ( E A ,
51). Before
she is Mother of the
Sa v i o r a n d
Mother of
the Church,
Mary was
first daughter of Adam
(Cf. Paul VI,
Exploring the
Myster y of
the Church.
Address of
Pope Paul VI
at the Close
of the Third
Session of
the Second
Vatican
Ecumenical
Council, November 21,
1964) and
hence shares
a common
nature and
dignity with
t h e re s t o f
the human family including
followers of other religions.
Adherents of other faiths have
no difficulty seeing in her
person the model of faith. The
person of Mary is one of the
areas in which the Church can
enter into a fruitful dialogue
with Islam, one of the great
religions with the biggest following in Asia, for Moslems
also honor her and, at times,
call on her with devotion. (Cf.
NA, 3)
Witness, which is the first
and primary component of
the Churchs dialogue with
adherents of other faiths,
finds a model and inspiration
in Marys life and mission.
Her life of quiet service and
faithful cooperation with the
divine will in uplifting the
human lot, driven by faith

of Asia. In the Churchs mission amidst the diverse cultures of Asia, Mary is model
of that genuine Christian witness which, in the multi-cultural ambit of Asia, is a more
appealing and persuasive way
of preaching the Gospel and
the Kingdom of God than in-

from embarrassment at their

wedding in Cana beautifully
illustrate this missionary zeal
that the Church should have.
From the Blessed Mother the
Church learns that it is primarily by her conduct and by
her life concern for people,
charity towards the poor,

and nourished by contemplation and attentiveness to the

Word of God, is also the way
for the Church-in-mission in
the midst of other religious
traditions.
With the Poor. Mary embodies Gods and the Churchs
preferential love for the poor.

She is the woman of effective

service that uplifts the poor
and the needy, manifested in
her visit to Elizabeth and in
her intervention in behalf of
the young couple in the wedding at Cana. Marys example
tells us to run in haste, be
present where our brother or
sister needs us, proclaim the
Good news of the God who
frees from oppression and
consoles in times of affliction.
(Cf. 1971 Synod of Bishops,
Justice in the World, Introduction) In Mary, the Church-inmission finds a mother who
bids her to engage in concrete
works of service and compassion that truly uplift the condition of the poor, in causes
that uphold justice for those
who have no means to pursue
it, in helping build a society
where everyone, even those
who have least in life, can
enjoy the full measure of their
human life
and dignity.
The poor
find in Mary
the heart of a
mother who
goes out to
everyone but
especially
to the least
among her
children for
they are the
ones who
need her
most.
Such preferential love
for the poor
is wonderfully inscribed
i n M a r y s
Magnificat.
(Cf. John
Paul II, Encyclical letter
Redemptoris
Mater on the
Blessed Virgin Mary in
the life of the Pilgrim Church,
25 March 1987, 37). She
praises the God who in her
lowliness favored her among
all women and generations.
But she also exalts the God
who has been taking up the
cause of the poor and the
underprivileged through all
ages dispersing the proud
of heart, throwing down rulers
from their thrones, lifting up
the lowly, filling the hungry
with good things, and sending
away the rich empty-handed
(cf. Luke 1:51-53).
With the Young. To the
Blessed Mother, the Church
entrusts the many young people and children in this continent as Christ entrusted the
young disciple to his Mother at the foot of the Cross:
Woman, behold your son
(Jn 19:26). At a time in their
lives when, like the young
Jesus, the youth and children
of today are being formed to
grow in wisdom, age and
grace before God and people
(Lk 2:52), are discovering
themselves and discerning
their particular calling in the
Church and in the world, the
Church directs them to Mary
echoing the words of Jesus
on the Cross: Behold, your
mother (Jn 19:27). Seeing the
many young people of today as
source of hope for the society
and for the Church while at
the same time recognizing that
many of them are troubled by
anxiety, deceptions, anguishes
and fears of the world as well
as by the temptations that
come with their state (Cf. CL,
47) the Church holds out to
them the image of Mary who
accompanied her Son from the
beginning of his mission until
its culmination on the Cross.
In her, they will find surely
find a mother who cares, nurtures, and guides as she did the
Son of God incarnate. With
her, the Church directs the
many young people of today
to Christ who alone is the
Way, the Truth, and the Life:
Do whatever He tells you (Jn
2:5). (To be continued)

To the Blessed
Mother, the
Church entrusts
the many young
people and
children in
this continent
as Christ
entrusted the
young disciple
to his Mother at
the foot of the
Cross...

Natalie Quimlat

(Sixth of a series)

told her, Blessed are you

who believed (v. 45) to
which Mary replied: My soul
proclaims the greatness of the
Lord (v. 46). Mary drew from
the treasury of words that she
pondered in her heart with
the Spirit, proclaiming it as
Good News, as Gospel for
humankind.
At the appointed time, Mary
brought forth the Fathers Son
made flesh
from her
own womb.
She gave us
Jesus. She
held him up
before shepherds and
wise men.
Sh e p l a c e d
him in old
S i m e o ns
arms, and he
knew in joy
the promise
of God fulf i l l e d . He r
bidding brought about the
first of her Sons signs at the
wedding feast in Cana. Her
last words there were directed
to the servants, Do whatever
he tells you. And she continues to address these words to
all ages thereafter.
As her Son preached to the
crowds, she took in his words,
and pondered them in her
heart, to share them later with
the nascent Church. Mother of
the apostles, she was in their
midst when the Spirit came to
them in the likeness of tongues

to be present to the evangelizing Churchthe Church-inmission.

Raymond A. Sebastin

Mary was
the first to be
evangelized,
and the first of
the disciples, as
well as the first
Apostle.

B4 PASTORAL CONCERNS

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CBCP Monitor

Continued from previous issue

(Fifth of a series)
II. DIALOGUE FOR NEW NATIONAL AND LOCAL POLICIES
176. There are not just winners and
losers among countries, but within
poorer countries themselves. Hence
different responsibilities need to be
identified. Questions related to the environment and economic development can
no longer be approached only from the

economy of waste disposal and recycling,

protecting certain species and planning a
diversified agriculture and the rotation of
crops. Agriculture in poorer regions can
be improved through investment in rural
infrastructures, a better organization of
local or national markets, systems of
irrigation, and the development of techniques of sustainable agriculture. New
forms of cooperation and community
organization can be encouraged in order
to defend the interests of small producers and preserve local ecosystems from

sensus should always be reached between

the different stakeholders, who can offer
a variety of approaches, solutions and
alternatives. The local population should
have a special place at the table; they are
concerned about their own future and
that of their children, and can consider
goals transcending immediate economic
interest. We need to stop thinking in
terms of interventions to save the environment in favour of policies developed
and debated by all interested parties. The
participation of the latter also entails be-

to function well, and enables small and

medium businesses to develop and create
employment.
190. Here too, it should always be kept
in mind that environmental protection
cannot be assured solely on the basis of financial calculations of costs and benefits.
The environment is one of those goods
that cannot be adequately safeguarded
or promoted by market forces.[134]
Once more, we need to reject a magical
conception of the market, which would
suggest that problems can be solved

gests that serious and irreversible damage

may result, a project should be halted or
modified, even in the absence of indisputable proof. Here the burden of proof
is effectively reversed, since in such cases
objective and conclusive demonstrations
will have to be brought forward to demonstrate that the proposed activity will
not cause serious harm to the environment or to those who inhabit it.
187. This does not mean being opposed to any technological innovations
which can bring about an improvement

Laudato Si

Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father Francis on the Care of our Common Home
destruction. Truly, much can be done!
181. Here, continuity is essential,
because policies related to climate
change and environmental protection
cannot be altered with every change
of government. Results take time and
demand immediate outlays which may
not produce tangible effects within any
one governments term. That is why, in
the absence of pressure from the public
and from civic institutions, political
authorities will always be reluctant to
intervene, all the more when urgent
needs must be met. To take up these
responsibilities and the costs they entail,
politicians will inevitably clash with the
mindset of short-term gain and results
which dominates present-day economics
and politics. But if they are courageous,
they will attest to their God-given dignity
and leave behind a testimony of selfless
responsibility. A healthy politics is sorely
needed, capable of reforming and coordinating institutions, promoting best
practices and overcoming undue pressure
and bureaucratic inertia. It should be
added, though, that even the best mechanisms can break down when there are no

ing fully informed about such projects

and their different risks and possibilities;
this includes not just preliminary decisions but also various follow-up activities
and continued monitoring. Honesty and
truth are needed in scientific and political
discussions; these should not be limited
to the issue of whether or not a particular
project is permitted by law.
184. In the face of possible risks to
the environment which may affect the
common good now and in the future,
decisions must be made based on a
comparison of the risks and benefits
foreseen for the various possible alternatives.[131] This is especially the case
when a project may lead to a greater use
of natural resources, higher levels of emission or discharge, an increase of refuse,
or significant changes to the landscape,
the habitats of protected species or public
spaces. Some projects, if insufficiently
studied, can profoundly affect the quality of life of an area due to very different
factors such as unforeseen noise pollution, the shrinking of visual horizons,
the loss of cultural values, or the effects
of nuclear energy use. The culture of

in the quality of life. But it does mean

that profit cannot be the sole criterion to
be taken into account, and that, when
significant new information comes to
light, a reassessment should be made,
with the involvement of all interested
parties. The outcome may be a decision
not to proceed with a given project,
to modify it or to consider alternative
proposals.
188. There are certain environmental
issues where it is not easy to achieve a
broad consensus. Here I would state once
more that the Church does not presume
to settle scientific questions or to replace
politics. But I am concerned to encourage an honest and open debate so that
particular interests or ideologies will not
prejudice the common good.

worthy goals and values, or a genuine and

profound humanism to serve as the basis
of a noble and generous society.

consumerism, which prioritizes shortterm gain and private interest, can make
it easy to rubber-stamp authorizations or
to conceal information.
185. In any discussion about a proposed venture, a number of questions
need to be asked in order to discern
whether or not it will contribute to
genuine integral development. What
will it accomplish? Why? Where? When?
How? For whom? What are the risks?
What are the costs? Who will pay those
costs and how? In this discernment,
some questions must have higher priority. For example, we know that water is
a scarce and indispensable resource and
a fundamental right which conditions
the exercise of other human rights. This
indisputable fact overrides any other
assessment of environmental impact on
a region.
186. The Rio Declaration of 1992
states that where there are threats of
serious or irreversible damage, lack of
full scientific certainty shall not be used
as a pretext for postponing cost-effective
measures[132] which prevent environmental degradation. This precautionary
principle makes it possible to protect
those who are most vulnerable and whose
ability to defend their interests and to
assemble incontrovertible evidence is
limited. If objective information sug-

urgent need for politics and economics to enter into a frank dialogue in the
service of life, especially human life.
Saving banks at any cost, making the
public pay the price, foregoing a firm
commitment to reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the
absolute power of a financial system,
a power which has no future and will
only give rise to new crises after a slow,
costly and only apparent recovery. The
financial crisis of 2007-08 provided an
opportunity to develop a new economy,
more attentive to ethical principles,
and new ways of regulating speculative
financial practices and virtual wealth. But
the response to the crisis did not include
rethinking the outdated criteria which
continue to rule the world. Production
is not always rational, and is usually tied
to economic variables which assign to
products a value that does not necessarily correspond to their real worth. This
frequently leads to an overproduction
of some commodities, with unnecessary
impact on the environment and with
negative results on regional economies.
[133] The financial bubble also tends to
be a productive bubble. The problem of
the real economy is not confronted with
vigour, yet it is the real economy which
makes diversification and improvement
in production possible, helps companies

IV. POLITICS AND ECONOMY IN

DIALOGUE FOR HUMAN FULFILMENT
189. Politics must not be subject to
the economy, nor should the economy
be subject to the dictates of an efficiencydriven paradigm of technocracy. Today,
in view of the common good, there is

CBCP News

standpoint of differences between countries; they also call for greater attention to
policies on the national and local levels.
177. Given the real potential for a misuse of human abilities, individual states
can no longer ignore their responsibility
for planning, coordination, oversight
and enforcement within their respective borders. How can a society plan
and protect its future amid constantly
developing technological innovations?
One authoritative source of oversight and
coordination is the law, which lays down
rules for admissible conduct in the light
of the common good. The limits which
a healthy, mature and sovereign society
must impose are those related to foresight
and security, regulatory norms, timely
enforcement, the elimination of corruption, effective responses to undesired
side-effects of production processes, and
appropriate intervention where potential
or uncertain risks are involved. There is
a growing jurisprudence dealing with
the reduction of pollution by business
activities. But political and institutional
frameworks do not exist simply to avoid
bad practice, but also to promote best
practice, to stimulate creativity in seeking new solutions and to encourage
individual or group initiatives.
178. A politics concerned with immediate results, supported by consumerist
sectors of the population, is driven to
produce short-term growth. In response
to electoral interests, governments
are reluctant to upset the public with
measures which could affect the level of
consumption or create risks for foreign
investment. The myopia of power politics delays the inclusion of a far-sighted
environmental agenda within the overall
agenda of governments. Thus we forget
that time is greater than space,[130]
that we are always more effective when
we generate processes rather than holding
on to positions of power. True statecraft
is manifest when, in difficult times, we
uphold high principles and think of the
long-term common good. Political powers do not find it easy to assume this duty
in the work of nation-building.
179. In some places, cooperatives are
being developed to exploit renewable
sources of energy which ensure local selfsufficiency and even the sale of surplus
energy. This simple example shows that,
while the existing world order proves
powerless to assume its responsibilities,
local individuals and groups can make
a real difference. They are able to instil a greater sense of responsibility, a
strong sense of community, a readiness
to protect others, a spirit of creativity
and a deep love for the land. They are
also concerned about what they will
eventually leave to their children and
grandchildren. These values are deeply
rooted in indigenous peoples. Because
the enforcement of laws is at times inadequate due to corruption, public pressure
has to be exerted in order to bring about
decisive political action. Society, through
non-governmental organizations and
intermediate groups, must put pressure
on governments to develop more rigorous regulations, procedures and controls.
Unless citizens control political power
national, regional and municipal it
will not be possible to control damage to
the environment. Local legislation can be
more effective, too, if agreements exist
between neighboring communities to
support the same environmental policies.
180. There are no uniform recipes,
because each country or region has its
own problems and limitations. It is also
true that political realism may call for
transitional measures and technologies,
so long as these are accompanied by
the gradual framing and acceptance of
binding commitments. At the same
time, on the national and local levels,
much still needs to be done, such as
promoting ways of conserving energy.
These would include favoring forms of
industrial production with maximum
energy efficiency and diminished use of
raw materials, removing from the market
products which are less energy efficient
or more polluting, improving transport
systems, and encouraging the construction and repair of buildings aimed at
reducing their energy consumption and
levels of pollution. Political activity on
the local level could also be directed to
modifying consumption, developing an

III. DIALOGUE AND TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION-MAKING

182. An assessment of the environmental impact of business ventures and
projects demands transparent political
processes involving a free exchange of
views. On the other hand, the forms
of corruption which conceal the actual
environmental impact of a given project,
in exchange for favours, usually produce
specious agreements which fail to inform
adequately and to allow for full debate.
183. Environmental impact assessment should not come after the drawing up of a business proposition or the
proposal of a particular policy, plan or
programme. It should be part of the process from the beginning, and be carried
out in a way which is interdisciplinary,
transparent and free of all economic or
political pressure. It should be linked
to a study of working conditions and
possible effects on peoples physical and
mental health, on the local economy and
on public safety. Economic returns can
thus be forecast more realistically, taking
into account potential scenarios and the
eventual need for further investment to
correct possible undesired effects. A con-

simply by an increase in the profits of

companies or individuals. Is it realistic
to hope that those who are obsessed with
maximizing profits will stop to reflect on
the environmental damage which they
will leave behind for future generations?
Where profits alone count, there can be
no thinking about the rhythms of nature,
its phases of decay and regeneration, or
the complexity of ecosystems which may
be gravely upset by human intervention.
Moreover, biodiversity is considered at
most a deposit of economic resources
available for exploitation, with no serious
thought for the real value of things, their
significance for persons and cultures, or
the concerns and needs of the poor.
191. Whenever these questions are
raised, some react by accusing others
of irrationally attempting to stand in
the way of progress and human development. But we need to grow in the
conviction that a decrease in the pace
of production and consumption can at
times give rise to another form of progress and development. Efforts to promote
a sustainable use of natural resources
are not a waste of money, but rather an
investment capable of providing other
economic benefits in the medium term.
If we look at the larger picture, we can
see that more diversified and innovative
forms of production which impact less
on the environment can prove very profitable. It is a matter of openness to different possibilities which do not involve
stifling human creativity and its ideals of
progress, but rather directing that energy
along new channels.
192. For example, a path of productive
development, which is more creative and
better directed, could correct the present
disparity between excessive technological
investment in consumption and insufficient investment in resolving urgent
problems facing the human family. It
could generate intelligent and profitable ways of reusing, revamping and
recycling, and it could also improve the
energy efficiency of cities. Productive
diversification offers the fullest possibilities to human ingenuity to create
and innovate, while at the same time
protecting the environment and creating more sources of employment. Such
creativity would be a worthy expression
of our most noble human qualities, for
we would be striving intelligently, boldly
and responsibly to promote a sustainable
and equitable development within the
context of a broader concept of quality
of life. On the other hand, to find ever
new ways of despoiling nature, purely
for the sake of new consumer items
and quick profit, would be, in human
terms, less worthy and creative, and more
superficial.
193. In any event, if in some cases
sustainable development were to involve
new forms of growth, then in other cases,
given the insatiable and irresponsible
growth produced over many decades, we
need also to think of containing growth
by setting some reasonable limits and
even retracing our steps before it is too
late. We know how unsustainable is the
behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy, while others are not
yet able to live in a way worthy of their
human dignity. That is why the time has
come to accept decreased growth in some
parts of the world, in order to provide
resources for other places to experience
healthy growth. Benedict XVI has said
that technologically advanced societies
must be prepared to encourage more
sober lifestyles, while reducing their
energy consumption and improving its
efficiency.[135]
194. For new models of progress to
arise, there is a need to change models
of global development;[136] this will
entail a responsible reflection on the
meaning of the economy and its goals
with an eye to correcting its malfunctions and misapplications.[137] It is not
enough to balance, in the medium term,
the protection of nature with financial
gain, or the preservation of the environment with progress. Halfway measures
simply delay the inevitable disaster. Put
simply, it is a matter of redefining our
notion of progress. A technological and
economic development which does not
leave in its wake a better world and an
integrally higher quality of life cannot be
Laudato Si / B7

CBCP Monitor

STATEMENTS B5

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Pastoral Guidance on the compassionate use

of Cannabis
CBCP Pastoral Letter on Drug Trafficking and Drug Addiction
SOME of our Catholic faithful have come to us their bishops to seek moral guidance on
the so called compassionate
use of cannabis or marijuana.
In the spirit of pastoral concern, we respond gladly to
the expressed need for moral
guidance.
Our Competence
What lies within the competence of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philip-

when these agencies and their

operations become instruments
of injustice or perpetrators of
wrong. The details of governance,
the methods and strategies, as
well as the machinery of regulation are fully within the competence of the State in respect of
which the CBCP must maintain
a respectful reticence.
Moral Ethical Guidelines
Earlier, in behalf of the CBCP,
I already made a statement on

abuse, and to a less intensive

degree, smoking. Medical studies
have proven the serious injury in
terms of physical harm and addiction, and psychological and social
difficulties and dependence,
which these vices can cause. The
quality of life and sometimes
life itself of both the users and
their family and close friends suffers greatly. More culpable still are
drug dealers and pushers who, for
the sake of money, care nothing
about drawing others, especially

of the Church passes upon the

moral evil of substance abuse and
the promotion and facilitation of
addiction.
Sharing in the culpability of
pushers and peddlers, are law enforcers who, by unconscionably
corrupt practices, allow seized
substances to be re-introduced
surreptitiously into the stream of
this immoral commerce!
2. The roots of addiction and
substance abuse cannot be addressed by law-enforcement

no longer feel they belong. Who

can be blamed if many young
people have no desire to grow
up and become adults? Have
these young people been given
sufficient reason to hope in tomorrow, to invest in the present
so as to gain in the future, to be
stable, feeling solidly grounded
in a past which they feel belongs
to them? Nonetheless, hidden
behind shocking attitudes often
deviant and unacceptable, one
can perceive a spark of idealism
and hope in these people.
Government, no doubt must
be vigilant, and measures that
facilitate access to abused sub-

the licitness of using various

types of painkillers and sedatives for relieving the patients
pain when this involves the
risk of shortening lifePius
XII affirmed that it is licit to
relieve pain by narcotics even
when the result is decreased
consciousness and a shortening of life, if no other means
exist, and if, in the given
circumstances, this does not
prevent the carrying out of
other religious and moral duties. (n. 65)
4. In other cases, the applicable ethical principle is
the principle of proportional-

When the use of cannabis

or any other narcotic or
psychotropic substance is
not medically indicated... it
is morally irresponsible to
make use of cannabis and
other narcotic or psychotropic
substances, and it is gravely
wrong to make use of them
for recreational
or leisure purposes.

pines to make statements on,

and what lies beyond must be
made clear. When a question
of right and wrong, an issue of
the ethical as against the unethical is raised, the Church,
as prophetic, must exercise its
teaching office and must offer the faithful guidance and
instruction.
Beyond our Competence
However, in matters pertaining to the establishment,
operation and mechanisms of
the regulatory agencies of the
State, the CBCP has nothing
to say authoritatively, except

the permissibility of the palliative

and medical uses of cannabis. I
shall therefore highlight ethical
principles as enunciated in the
magisterial documents of the
Church.
1. Substance abuse and drug
dependence are wrong, and any
measure that makes abused or habituating substances within easy
reach of potential abusers and
dependents is morally wrong. The
Catechism for Filipino Catholics
cannot be clearer:
Perhaps the most widespread
abuse in our country against
physical well-being are the common vices of alcohol and drug

innocent youth, into addictive

dependency that ruins their very
lives. (n. 1036)
No less clearer is the Catechism
of the Catholic Church that
teaches:
The use of drugs inflicts very
grave damage on human health
and life. Their use, except on
strictly therapeutic grounds,
is a grave offense. Clandestine
production of and trafficking in
drugs are scandalous practices.
They constitute direct cooperation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely
contrary to moral law. (n. 2291)
And here, the magisterium

and penology alone. There are

community and social causes,
and these have to be attended to.
In a document of the Pontifical
Council for the Family, From
Despair to Hope: Family and
Drug Addiction, we are led to a
salutary insight:
The endless adolescence, characteristic of the drug user, is
frequently manifested in a fear of
the future or in the refusal of new
responsibilities. The behavior of
these young people often reveals
the manifestation of a painful
helplessness due to a lack of trust
and expectation with regard to
social structures to which they

stances cannot be countenanced.

But the family must do its part
and so must the community. The
nurturing that allows youngsters
to grow from their immaturity
into the responsibilities of adulthood will not happen without
the loving environment that
allows our youth to hope. The
local and particular churches, no
doubt, have a tremendous part
in keeping alive in the hearts
of the young the spark of hope
that can be so easily imperiled
by adversity!
3. The highest teaching authority of the Church allows for
the palliative and compassionate
use of narcotics particularly in
the case of the terminally ill. In
Evangelium Vitae, St. John Paul
II taught:
Among the questions which
arise in this context is that of

ity that is explained by the

Charter for Catholic Health
Care Workers by the Pontifical
Council for Pastoral Assistance
to Health Care Workers.
The health care worker
who cannot effect a cure must
never cease to treat. He is
bound to apply all proportionate remedies. But there
is not obligation to apply
disproportionate ones.
In relation to the conditions
of a patient, those remedies
must be considered ordinary
where there is due proportion
between the means used and
the end intended. Where this
proportion does not exist, the
remedies are to be considered
extraordinary.
To verify and establish
whether there is due propor-

Cannabis / B7

Joint statement on the Semirara coal mine tragedy

Issued by the Antique Diocesan Social Action Center and NASSA/Caritas Philippines
27 July 2015, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique
AT the dawn of 17 July 2015, the north
wall of the Panian open pit of the coal
mine in Semirara, Caluya, Antique collapsed. Nine miners died. Twenty-nine
months ago on 13 February 2013, the
same mine pit claimed ten lives.
St. Anthonys College, the Antique
Diocesan Social Action Center, DYKA
and Spirit FM condole with the families
of the victims of this disaster. Indeed, it
is difficult to fathom what pain grows in
the hearts of those orphaned. We offer
our prayers for those departed and the
ones they left, hoping that it is God
Himself that will comfort them in their
great sorrow.
We strongly reiterate our call for the
complete closure of the Semirara coal
mines and for the prohibition of mining anywhere else in Antique. We make
this call fully cognizant of the fact that
many power plants in the Philippines
are dependent on Semirara for its fuel
and that the mining operator is likewise
an employer of thousands. We are also
fully cognizant of the fact that industrialization depends much on resources
we excavate from the belly of the Earth.
There is an urgent crisis we have to
avert global warming. Global warming is a real environmental phenomenon that is melting our globes polar ice
caps, raising our sea levels, drastically
changing our weather conditions, and
reducing our freshwater resources. The
Philippines is no. 8 among countries
that are most affected by raising sea
levels due to global warming. Within
the next 50 100 years, 6,205,000 Filipinos will lose their habitable lands to

water if global warming is not reduced.

The Philippines is no. 1 among those
adversely affected by drastic weather
and climate changes. We have witnessed
Frank and Yolanda very recently.
Global warming is largely caused
by carbon dioxide and methane emissions. At one end, the use of fossil fuel
(coal, oil, gas) and cement production
increases the concentration of CO2
in the air. On the other end, rapid
deforestation is diminishing the Earths
capacity to absorb carbon. While CO2
is the breathable air of plants, we have
deforested the Earth faster than we
could replenish it, making deforesta-

From 2009 to 2014 alone, coal

mining in Semirara has destroyed over
83.92 hectares of 31-species mangrove
areas and more than two kilometers
to sea of coral reefs. It has introduced
toxicity to the surrounding waters and
destroyed a rich fishing ground shared
by Antique, Romblon, Mindoro and
Palawan. It demolished a thriving
organic and sustainable aquaculture
that benefits at least 30% of the adult
population and brings in at least P400
million to the municipal economy.
Unong pit, a Semirara mining area
abandoned after its resources were
depleted is now underwater. The

moral leadership.
A number of provinces hosting coal
powered plants in the Philippines have
stood firm in rejecting the use of coal
to supply power to areas in the Philippines. They have realized that despite
the claimed benefits of these plants,
the disaster these plants create will be
of far greater consequence to a greater
number of persons and families. We
stand in solidarity with these provinces
and unite our voices with theirs as we
call for the halt of closure of coal mines
and coal powered plants in the country.
We demand that the government recognizes the direct contribution of coal

From 2009 to 2014 alone, coal mining in Semirara has

destroyed over 83.92 hectares of 31-species mangrove areas
and more than two kilometers of coral reefs.
tion the second leading cause of global
warming.
Of the fossil fuels, coal is the most
dangerous insofar as global warming
is concerned. In 2013 alone, Semirara
mines, or Antique for that matter accounts for 7.5 of the 7.8 million metric
tons of coal produced locally. Ironically,
in 2008, the Department of Energy
expanded the mines coal operating
contract by another 15 years up to
2027. In 2009 it expanded the coverage of the coal operating contract from
the original 5,500 hectares in Semirara
to 12,700 hectares including 3,000 in
Caluya, and 4,200 on Sibay Island.

400-hectare Panian Pit is walking towards this watery death as well. Even
as Panian is being dug to Hades, a new
pit is also being dug at Himalian, and
is expected to destroy 620 hectares of
ecosystem.
Creating safer conditions for miners
as is called for by others is no longer a
moral option when mining itself has become an act of social injustice and environmental destruction. Such measures
only serve to mask socio-environmental
ills festering in communities where the
common population has been emasculated by corruption, partisan politics,
poverty, lack of education and lack of

mining and coal powered operations to

global warming. It is the entire country
that stands at a loss for every environmental disaster that hits it. Typhoon
Yolanda alone, which killed at least
6,340 is a clear and strong testimony to
the fact that the government can barely
cope with the disasters brought about
by global warming. Yolanda, is not
going to be the last of these disasters.
The effects of global warming to the
Philippines cannot be underestimated
and taken for granted. Millions will
be affected as the sea reclaims land,
as salt water seeps into our freshwater
resources, as drought and megastorms

alternately batter the country, as food

sources are drastically reduced, as
earthquakes and land erosion change
the topography of our country. It is a
crime against humanity for the government not to take immediate measures
to avert climate change.
The government has to immediately
shift to less evil sources of power even
as it finds better, more environmentally
sound, socially just, and sustainable
sources of energy. Models for water,
air, and sun-derived power are present.
The government only has to rid itself
of personal vested interest to enable the
country to shift to more environmentally sound sources of power. We make
this call as we echo the State policy to
protect and advance the right of the
people to a balanced and healthful
ecology in accord with the rhythm and
harmony of nature, and the national
motto, maka-Diyos, maka-tao, makakalikasan.
Pope Francis has recently issued an
encyclical, Laudato Si, where he underscored the moral duty of every person
to care for the earth. Pope Francis cites
that climate change is a global problem
with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for
the distribution of goods. It represents
one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day. The Pope is
certainly right when he said that its
worst impact will probably be felt
by developing countries in coming
decades. Our country, together with
neighboring Bangladesh and Vietnam
Semirara / B7

B6 REFLECTIONS

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CBCP Monitor

The courage to stand up for Jesus

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, John 6:60-69 (B) August 23, 2015
T H E R e s u r re c t i o n i s , f i r s t o f
all, an event that concerns Jesus
Christ. He experienced it in all
its transforming vitality, just as
he had experienced the destructive power of sin in his agony
and death. The resurrection can
be seen as Gods greatest comeback in Jesus.
But this is not all. Whatever
happened to Christ has also
a c o s m i c re s o n a n c e . I t i n f l u ences and affects positively the
whole universe, but especially
m a n k i n d . A t t h e In c a r n a t i o n ,
the Son of God united himself
in a permanent way to ever y human being with a solidarity that
makes him share in all the miseries of every individual (including
the deadly consequences of sin),
and makes ever y human being a
sharer in Christs dignity, holiness and glor y.
This is why Jesus coming out
of the tomb alive, transfor med,
immortal . . . concerns us, too.
It concer ns all human beings.
His Resurrection is also mankinds resurrection, because
it marks mankinds liberation
from the oppression of sin.
C hrists shatteri ng t h e sh a c kles of death (manifested through
th e brea king o f the s e a ls of h i s
grave) is like the cracking of the
s h ell of a s eed which a llows t h e
sprout to burst forth with all
th e freshnes s o f the ne w li f e i t
c a r r ies. Tha t sprout i s C h r i s t ,
b ut is al so a ll m a nk i n d. It i s

Lambert Lombard

By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB

Whatever happened to Christ has also a cosmic resonance.

It influences and affects positively the whole universe, but
especially mankind.

What matters in our life

Bishop Pat Alo

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (B)

August 30, 2015
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
TRADITIONS and social
conventions are part and parcel of our life. They are signs
of our links with the past and
our dependence on it. Such
traditions and conventions
can be a precious treasure
enriching us in many ways.
They embody the customs
a n d w a y s o f l i f e t h a t a re
fruit of the wisdom of past
centuries, and are handed
over from one generation to
another as a sort of cultural
gift. As such, they may contain genuine values which
deserve to be preserved and
assimilated by all.
But certain conventions
and traditions (not sacred
Tradition, with capital T),
may contain also elements
of decay and death. In other
cases, traditions may become
a hindrance to creativity and
to the desire to find new ways
of viewing and doing things.
Attachment to traditions may
prevent progress. This is so
because they are always in danger of becoming either lifeless
relics of the past, or enslaving
chains.

They become lifeless relics when they are reduced to

empty formalities because they
have lost the original values
which used to make them rich
and meaningful.
Certain religious traditions
may also become heavy chains
that fetter us to the past,

bath (Mk 2:27). Worse still,

some traditions may become
idols when we put them at par
with, or even above, the positive manifestation of Gods
will.
An opposite defect is the
forsaking of time-honored
traditions in order to start

Certain religious traditions may

also become heavy chains that
fetter us to the past, dampening
or preventing altogether the vital
thrust toward new and genuine
ways of relating to God and
among ourselves.
dampening or preventing
altogether the vital thrust
toward new and genuine ways
of relating to God and among
ourselves. Under their negative influence, we may come
to forget, as it happened to
the Jews at the time of Jesus,
that the Sabbath was made
for man, not man for the Sab-

following new ways of life

that look more appealing or
fashionable. We are constantly in danger of dropping
value-laden traditions in order to follow the latest fads
and innovations propagated
by the surrounding environment. The Israelites had
committed such a mistake

also each o ne o f us. On E a s t er

mo rni ng, a ne w w o rl d da w ned,
a ne w hu ma ni t y ro s e f ro m t he
slavery of sin and death, in
Jesus, through him and with
him. (See Col 2:12-13.) This
i s w h a t t h e Pa s c h a l My s t e r y
i s a l l a b o u t . T h e Re s u r re c t i o n
reveals this with a glorious
clarity perceived through the
eyes o f f a i t h. Hence, Easter is
also Gods reclaiming what had
b een lo st o r d estroyed thro ugh
o ur sin fuln ess.
No human expression can exhaust the transforming greatness
of this myster y. The Church has
been proclaiming it during her
20 centuries of existence through
her liturgy, her creeds, and her
life. She will continue to do so
until the liberating power of the
Resurrection will have reached
its full manifestation in the
Kingdom of heaven.
There are a billion and one reasons for celebrating, then, as we
remember, re-live and rejoice in
the Resurrection of Jesus because
it is our resurrection, too. But we
have also to do our share. The
resurrection of Jesus challenges
us to live a new life. We have to
get rid of the old yeast of corruption and wickedness, and live
a life characterized by sincerity
and truth. (See 1 Cor 5:7-8.) We
have to set our hearts on what
pertains to higher realms (Col
3:1). Then will our actions ring
t h e j oyo u s n o t e s o f t h e E a s t e r
alleluia, and we shall become a
living proof of the truth of
Christs Resurrection.

more than once and long

before the time of Christ,
w h e n t h e y f o r g o t t h e i r
L o rd - Sa v i o r a n d a d o p t e d
ways of life typical of the
neighboring peoples who
knew nothing of the Lord.
Thus, they abandoned the
Source of living water and
dug for themselves broken
cisterns that hold no water.
(See Jer 2:13.)
Against such danger there is
only one remedy: to cling to
the freshness of Gods Word
and the living Tradition of
the Church, kept alive by the
perennial vitality of the Holy
Spirit. Our lives should be
molded only by the sound
instruction coming from
Gods commandments, and
the teaching and example of
Christ coming to us through
the Church. Sound discernment is always needed. Mere
human traditions and conventions can be followed only if
and to the extent that they are
in keeping with the positive
revelation of the divine will,
and remain open to the continuous call of God to be ever
new, ever greater, ever closer to
Him who is both the root and
the future of man.

ENCOUNTERS

Whereto activism?

THE term activism or activist has acquired some kind of

pejorative meaning just because activists nowadays are moving in haphazard directions and we dont know whether they
could be right or wrong. Hence, the first thing we need is to
evaluate the movements. Are they going in accord with the
liberation of Jesus Christ? A man can sometimes become like
a bull, bumping into anything out of anger.
If a person fights for justice there must be some balance and
some know-how. First, he/she ought to know what justice and
human rights mean
or connote. Justice means we give
everyone what is
due (Rom. 13:7).
Human rights mean
the same thing
which Jesus meant
when He said: Do
to others what you
want others to do
unto you. Here is
the very substance
of the law and the
message of all the
prophets (Mt. 7:3; Mt. 22:40).
There has to be a balance in our love of God, oneself and
the neighbor (cf. Mt. 22:40). Those who keep boasting they
love the people without loving God and themselves are going
out of balance. Jesus had said: Love God with your whole
heart and soul and strength. Love your neighbor as you love
yourself. This is the basis of all the law and all the message
of the prophets (Mt. 22:40). St. Teresa says: Our nature
being so evil, I do not believe we could even attain perfect love
for our neighbor unless it had its roots in the love of God.

Those who keep

boasting they love
the people without
loving God and
themselves are
going out
of balance.

Bo Sanchez

SOULFOOD

MY little boy wanted a pet

dog. But my wife doesnt like
dogs.
So we gave him a potted
plant instead.
I know. We sound cruel,
but thats not true. We even
disinfect the torture chambers
in our basement regularly with
Lysol.
You need to learn responsibility, my wife told my son.
If you take care of your potted
plant, well know if you can
take care of a pet dog.
The logic was superb. But
for some reason, my son wasnt
too happy. My wife pinched
me, indicating that it was
now my turn to tell my son
something. Anything. (Im
very adept in the language of
pinchywoo. Its an ancient
dialect where people spoke to

Water Your Relationships with Love

each other by pinching.) In
pinchywoo language, my wife
wanted me to tell my son that
he had to accept the fact that
hell be the only boy in the entire galaxy thatll have a potted
plant for a pet. Isnt that cool?
I had to think of something,
fast. And eureka, my brilliant
mind remembered a profound
philosophical insight from an
ancient source.
I quoted Barney, the purple
dinosaur. Just imagine, just
imagine! I pointed to the
plant and said, Imagine this
is a dog. Lets call him a name.
I suggest Ruff.
My sons jaw dropped.
Ruff is very unique, I went
on, He doesnt bark. He
doesnt eat. He doesnt poop.
He doesnt walk. He doesnt
lick your face with saliva

Uhmaybe because its

not a dog? my son interrupted
my creativity.
Shhh. Dont say that, I
whispered, The plant may
hear you

Sure, Dad, my son intoned with the great excitement and enthusiasm and zest
of apotted plant.
Soon, he forgot about watering his pet plant. He found it

Do you want to have happy

relationships? Your relationships
are just like plants. You need to
water them daily or they die.
I dont get it, my son said.
The plant has to think its
a dog too.
His eyes rolled up to the
ceiling.
Son, you only have to do
one thing. You have to water
it, everyday.

boring. Hmm, I wonder why.

And in a few weeks, Ruff the
potted plant died.
We didnt bury him. After
all, it wasnt really a dog.
Key Word: Deliberate
Do you want to have happy

relationships?
Your relationships are just
like plants.
You need to water them
daily or they die.
For relationships, their water is love.
If you dont give your relationships enough time, or
attention, or respect, or kindnessall of which are expressions of lovethey too will
die.
Happy relationships dont
just happen. You make them
happen.
How do you create happy
relationships?
Here is the secret: Deliberately nurture them.
The key word is deliberate.
I know of husbands and
wives who live under one
roof but whose hearts are so

far apart, youd think one

lives in Venus and the other
in Mars. (Hmm, why does
that sound so familiar?) I
know of parents and kids
who no longer connect at a
deep levelbecause theyre
not deliberate in nurturing
their relationship.
All the happy people I know
in this world are fantastic
experts in building happy
relationships. No exceptions.
In the next 4 weeks, I want
to share with you 4 powerful
steps of creating happy relationships in your life:
Step 1: Create patterns of
connection
Step 2: Be kind
Step 3: Prioritize people over
money
Step 4: Make others successful

CBCP Monitor
Laudato Si / B4

considered progress. Frequently,

in fact, peoples quality of life
actually diminishes--by the deterioration of the environment, the
low quality of food or the depletion of resources--in the midst of
economic growth. In this context,
talk of sustainable growth usually
becomes a way of distracting attention and offering excuses. It

SOCIAL CONCERNS B7

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

197. What is needed is a politics which is far-sighted and capable of a new, integral and interdisciplinary approach to handling
the different aspects of the crisis.
Often, politics itself is responsible
for the disrepute in which it is
held, on account of corruption
and the failure to enact sound
public policies. If in a given region the state does not carry out
its responsibilities, some business

while failing to question the logic

which underlies present-day culture. A healthy politics needs to
be able to take up this challenge.
198. Politics and the economy
tend to blame each other when
it comes to poverty and environmental degradation. It is to be
hoped that they can acknowledge
their own mistakes and find
forms of interaction directed
to the common good. While

whole of reality. This would be to

breach the limits imposed by its
own methodology. If we reason
only within the confines of the
latter, little room would be left
for aesthetic sensibility, poetry,
or even reasons ability to grasp
the ultimate meaning and purpose of things.[141] I would add
that religious classics can prove
meaningful in every age; they
have an enduring power to open

Laudato Si

which science claims to offer

will be powerless to solve the
serious problems of our world
if humanity loses its compass, if
we lose sight of the great motivations which make it possible for
us to live in harmony, to make
sacrifices and to treat others well.
Believers themselves must constantly feel challenged to live in
a way consonant with their faith
and not to contradict it by their

to their sources, religions will be

better equipped to respond to
todays needs.
201. The majority of people
living on our planet profess to
be believers. This should spur
religions to dialogue among
themselves for the sake of protecting nature, defending the
poor, and building networks of
respect and fraternity. Dialogue
among the various sciences is

Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father Francis on the Care of our Common Home
likewise needed, since each can
tend to become enclosed in its
own language, while specialization leads to a certain isolation
and the absolutization of its own
field of knowledge. This prevents
us from confronting environmental problems effectively. An
open and respectful dialogue is
also needed between the various
ecological movements, among
which ideological conflicts are
not infrequently encountered.
The gravity of the ecological crisis
demands that we all look to the
common good, embarking on a
path of dialogue which demands
patience, self-discipline and generosity, always keeping in mind
that realities are greater than
ideas.[143] (To be continued)
____________________
[130] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
Gaudium (24 November 2013), 222: AAS
105 (2013), 1111.
[131] PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the Church, 469.
[132] Rio Declaration on the Environment and Development (14 June 1992),
Principle 15.
[133] Cf. MEXICAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE, EPISCOPAL COMMISSION FOR
PASTORAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS,
Jesucristo, vida y esperanza de los indgenas e campesinos (14 January 2008).
[134] PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the Church, 470.
[135] Message for the 2010 World Day of
Peace, 9: AAS 102 (2010), 46.
[136] Ibid.
[137] Ibid., 5: p. 43.
[138] BENEDICT XVI, Encyclical Letter
Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009), 50:
AAS 101 (2009), 686.
[139] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
Gaudium (24 November 2013), 209: AAS
105 (2013), 1107.
CBCP News

absorbs the language and values

of ecology into the categories of
finance and technocracy, and the
social and environmental responsibility of businesses often gets
reduced to a series of marketing
and image-enhancing measures.
195. The principle of the maximization of profits, frequently
isolated from other considerations, reflects a misunderstanding of the very concept of the
economy. As long as production
is increased, little concern is
given to whether it is at the cost
of future resources or the health
of the environment; as long as
the clearing of a forest increases
production, no one calculates the
losses entailed in the desertification of the land, the harm done
to biodiversity or the increased
pollution. In a word, businesses
profit by calculating and paying only a fraction of the costs
involved. Yet only when the economic and social costs of using up
shared environmental resources
are recognized with transparency
and fully borne by those who
incur them, not by other peoples
or future generations,[138]
can those actions be considered
ethical. An instrumental way
of reasoning, which provides a
purely static analysis of realities
in the service of present needs,
is at work whether resources are
allocated by the market or by state
central planning.
196. What happens with politics? Let us keep in mind the
principle of subsidiarity, which
grants freedom to develop the
capabilities present at every level
of society, while also demanding
a greater sense of responsibility
for the common good from those
who wield greater power. Today,
it is the case that some economic
sectors exercise more power than
states themselves. But economics without politics cannot be
justified, since this would make
it impossible to favor other ways
of handling the various aspects
of the present crisis. The mindset
which leaves no room for sincere
concern for the environment is
the same mindset which lacks
concern for the inclusion of the
most vulnerable members of
society. For the current model,
with its emphasis on success and
self-reliance, does not appear to
favor an investment in efforts to
help the slow, the weak or the less
talented to find opportunities in
life.[139]

groups can come forward in the

guise of benefactors, wield real
power, and consider themselves
exempt from certain rules, to the
point of tolerating different forms
of organized crime, human trafficking, the drug trade and violence, all of which become very
difficult to eradicate. If politics
shows itself incapable of breaking
such a perverse logic, and remains
caught up in inconsequential
discussions, we will continue to
avoid facing the major problems
of humanity. A strategy for real
change calls for rethinking processes in their entirety, for it is
not enough to include a few superficial ecological considerations

some are concerned only with

financial gain, and others with
holding on to or increasing their
power, what we are left with are
conflicts or spurious agreements
where the last thing either party
is concerned about is caring for
the environment and protecting
those who are most vulnerable.
Here too, we see how true it is
that unity is greater than conflict.[140]
V. RELIGIONS IN DIALOGUE WITH SCIENCE
199. It cannot be maintained
that empirical science provides a
complete explanation of life, the
interplay of all creatures and the

Cremation / B2

Cannabis / B5

take an inordinate amount of time. For

example, even great Roman basilicas such
as St. Pauls and St. John Laterans have
relatively small altars which are difficult
to approach from more than one side.
There are, therefore, other possible
procedures for the communion of large
numbers of concelebrants. Deacons or
concelebrants go in pairs to the other
concelebrants. One brings the paten with
the hosts, the other the chalice and purificator. The concelebrants either consume
first the host and then take the chalice
or, as would be more common in this
situation, they dip the host in the chalice.
Before he consumes the Eucharist, each
concelebrant says quietly, May the body
and blood .
A rarer situation is when the space between rows of priests makes it impossible
to move between them, for example, if
priests are in choir stalls or a stadiumlike
arrangement. Thus, although it is not
specified in the liturgical books, I think
it would be allowable for the pairs of deacons or concelebrants to take up a fixed
spot toward which the concelebrants
approach, genuflect if possible, and take
the host and dip it in the chalice. I have
observed this method used with reverence at some major events.
In these cases, those presenting the
hosts and the chalice never say anything.
Concelebrants take the host from the
paten themselves and do not receive it
from another minister.

tion in a particular case, the means

should be well evaluated by comparing
the type of therapy, the degree of difficulty and risk involved, the necessary
expenses and the possibility of application, with the result that can be expected,
taking into account the conditions of
the patient and his physical and moral
powers. (n. 64)
We have been apprised of various
medical situations other than terminal
illness where it seems that palliative care
and relief involving the use of narcotics
including cannabis may be indicated.
The obligation to treat subsists, even
when it may not be possible to cure!
We appeal therefore to the prudent and
Spirit-filled discernment of our health
care workers, particularly physicians,
to apply the principle of proportionality and to determine carefully whether
there is due proportion between the
risks involved in the use of narcotic and
psychotropic substances and the benefits
anticipated. In this regard, it is useful
to be guided by yet another principle
enunciated by the Charter:
It is lawful to interrupt the application of such means when the results
disappoint the hopes placed in them because there is no longer due proportion
between the investment of instruments
and personnel and the foreseeable results,
or because the techniques used subject
the patient to suffering and discomfort
great than the benefits to be had. (n.65)

new horizons Is it reasonable

and enlightened to dismiss certain writings simply because they
arose in the context of religious
belief?[142] It would be quite
simplistic to think that ethical
principles present themselves
purely in the abstract, detached
from any context. Nor does the
fact that they may be couched in
religious language detract from
their value in public debate. The
ethical principles capable of being apprehended by reason can
always reappear in different guise
and find expression in a variety
of languages, including religious
language.
200. Any technical solution

actions. They need to be encouraged to be ever open to Gods

grace and to draw constantly
from their deepest convictions
about love, justice and peace. If
a mistaken understanding of our
own principles has at times led us
to justify mistreating nature, to
exercise tyranny over creation, to
engage in war, injustice and acts
of violence, we believers should
acknowledge that by so doing we
were not faithful to the treasures
of wisdom which we have been
called to protect and preserve.
Cultural limitations in different
eras often affected the perception
of these ethical and spiritual treasures, yet by constantly returning

[140] Ibid., 228: AAS 105 (2013), 1113.

[141] Cf. Encyclical Letter Lumen Fidei
(29 June 2013), 34: AAS 105 (2013),
577: Nor is the light of faith, joined
to the truth of love, extraneous to the
material world, for love is always lived
out in body and spirit; the light of faith
is an incarnate light radiating from the
luminous life of Jesus. It also illumines
the material world, trusts its inherent
order, and knows that it calls us to an
ever widening path of harmony and
understanding. The gaze of science thus
benefits from faith: faith encourages the
scientist to remain constantly open to
reality in all its inexhaustible richness.
Faith awakens the critical sense by preventing research from being satisfied
with its own formulae and helps it to
realize that nature is always greater. By
stimulating wonder before the profound
mystery of creation, faith broadens the
horizons of reason to shed greater light
on the world which discloses itself to
scientific investigation.
[142] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
Gaudium (24 November 2013), 256: AAS
105 (2013), 1123.
[143] Ibid., 231: p. 1114.

Semirara / B5

Moral Limitations
There must be no doubt as to a fundamental principle: When the use of
cannabis or any other narcotic or psychotropic substance is not medically indicated and where there are other forms
of intervention and treatment possible
that do not pose the same risks as does
the use of these substances, it is morally
irresponsible to make use of cannabis
and other narcotic or psychotropic
substances, and it is gravely wrong to
make use of them for recreational or
leisure purposes.
We offer these guidelines for the
consideration of the members of the
Legislature as well as those within the
regulatory agencies of government. We
also offer them to our health care workers, both Catholic and non-Catholic,
for ethical principles like these, after all,
address our common humanity. We offer
them finally to our Catholic faithful who,
we pray, with informed consciences, will
make decisions about the health care they
and their loved ones receive as disciples
of the Lord.
From the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines, Intramuros, Manila,
August 17, 2015
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
President Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines

must brace for disasters because we will

continue to suffer the first symptoms of
an impending global disaster if we fail
to act against climate change.
This is the reason why the Semirara
disaster could not be taken out of the
context of a global plundering of the
earths resources. These coal plants are
environmental crimes done in broad
daylight. It is our province, Antique,
through the Semirara coal mines that
provide coal to power plants that in
turn saturate the atmosphere with gases
that raise global temperatures, destroying the environment for profit without
regard for the future generations.
St. Anthonys College, The Antique
Diocesan Social Action Center, DYKA
and Spirit FM continue to stand hand
in hand with the over 250 seaweed
farmers, the Isalba ang Caluya, the
Imba Fisheries and Seaweed Planters
Association, and the Sabang-Poocan
Fisher and Farmers Association who
made their stand during the Caluya
Declaration in 2012 for the end of all
coal mining and to develop sustainable
livelihood options. We stand by those
who oppose the operations of mines
anywhere in Antique.
We call on all Antiqueos to make
a stand against coal mining and all
forms of mining in Antique. Oppose
legislative measures that will authorize
otherwise. Withdraw support for politicians and leaders who will scheme to

perpetuate mining operations in the

province. Reject gifts or assistance
funded by mining operators just as
Jesus rejected the worldly temptations
of Satan. We have a job much greater
than ourselves, and that is to save our
country and the future generation.
We will not be quiet about this even
as we grieve for the families of those
lost to mining and other man-induced
disasters. We grieve because these
disasters are already by themselves
a reminder that we as a Christian
community have been remiss in our
duties. It is our obligation to act and
advocate for the protection of our
environment and to promote social
justice. To quote Laudato Si, For to
commit a crime against the natural
world is a sin against ourselves and a
sin against God.
As always, we seek the help and wisdom of our Heavenly Father in these
trying times.
REV. FR. EDIONE R. FEBRERO,
JCL

President of St. Anthonys College
Director of the Antique Diocesan Social
Action Center
Manager of DYKA and Spirit FM
FR. EDWIN GARIGUEZ
Executive Secretary
NASSA/Caritas Philippines

B8 ENTERTAINMENT
Buhay San Miguel

August 17 - 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

Brothers Matias

CBCP Monitor
Moral Assessment

Abhorrent

Disturbing
Acceptable
Wholesome

Exemplary
Technical Assessment

Lolo Kiko

Buhay Parokya

Bladimer Usi

Look for the images of Saint Paul,

Saint James, and Saint Andrew.
(Illustration by Bladimer Usi)

Poor
Below average

Average

Above average
E
xcellent

SCOTT Lang (Paul Rudd) is

an ex-convict who has just been
released from prison where he
served time for committing a
crimeurglary. He has vowed to
change his ways after his release
so the first thing he does is find
a job. But consequently, he has
trouble finding one because of
his record. This leads to further
complications of not being able
to see his daughter Cassie until
he is able to pay child support.
Until some ironic events lead
him to Dr. Hank Pym (Michael
Douglas) who offers him another
chancehe is tasked to use a suit
that will make him shrink. He is
hesitant at first, but he will come
to a point wherein hell have no
other choice but to take the offer
or hell remain in jail. Dr. Pym
wants Scott to use the said suit
to plot a strategy to stop the evil
plans of his former trainee, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) who is
bent on unlocking the secrets of
shrinking technology and selling
this to the highest bidder, putting
in danger the entire humanity.
Ant-Man is a fine little film
with a big heart in human beings both human and superhumanness. The story is solid,
focusing on one flawed man and
in the background are a web of
relations and interrelations that
make the film very personal. AntMan alternates with its comedic
and dramatic appeal. This is not
the usual superhero movies audiences see with protagonist trying
to stop a villain that is about to
destroy the world. Rather, this is
a film that talks widely about second chances and healing broken
relationships. Given the meat of
the story, the film in its entirety
has worked well in choosing the
cast. The actors fit their characters
well. Paul Rudd is truly likeable
in this film and the supporting
cast headed by Michael Douglas
gives added force to the film with
their simplicity, sincerity and
natural depth. Technically, AntMan is excellently done. More
than a spectacle, the CGI works
in intensifying the films appeal
and storytelling. The special effects do not overpower the very
essence of the film that audiences
hardly notice that there is CGI
at work; they just suspend their
disbelief and are convinced that
yes Ant-Man is for real. That in

itself makes the entire film a real

success.
Ant-Man centers on flawed
characters and their equally
flawed relationships and how
all power, fame and money shrink
in the background when heart
and character and meaningful
relationships take center stage. It
may seem that Ant-Man is just
another super-hero story but
overall, it is a story about family
and friends, about fathers and
daughters, mentors and protgs.
The film demonstrates a fathers
great love for his daughter: both
Lang and Dr. Pym sacrificed a lot
for the sake of their daughters.
Meaningful relationships really
give breath to ones life and reasons for humans to live. Unconditional love is the fuel that keeps

ANT MAN

DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed

LEAD CAST: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline
Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby
Cannavale, Michael Pea,
Tip T.I. Harris, Anthony
Mackie, Wood Harris, Judy
Greer, David Dastmalchian
GENRE: Action & Adventure,
Mystery and Suspense,
Science Fiction & Fantasy,
comedy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russel
Carpenter
DISTRIBUTOR: Walt Disney
Studios, Motion Pictures
LOCATION: United States
RUNNING TIME: 117 minutes
TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:

MORAL ASSESSMENT:
CINEMA Rating: PG 13

relationships burning. More than

a story about the triumph of good
over evil, the film has also given
premium on giving sinners and
convicts or ex-convicts a second
chance. For as long as there is a
tiny desire for a man to change
his ways, there is always hope
and that is only possible if one
concerned soul would be willing
to extend a helping hand. The
film is calling its audiences as the
Church calls on his people to be
disciples in their own little ways.
Dr. Pym has done just that with
Lang. But given the films sci-fi
action and violence, heavy theme
and some crude language, CINEMA deems the film as suitable
for audiences 13 and below with
Parental Guidance.

NERDY Quentin (Wolff) has been obsessed with his next door mysterious childhood friend Margo (Delevigne) but they have slowly drifted
apart because of their opposite personalities. One night, Margo appears
at Qs Margos pet name for Quentin bedroom window and convinces him to help her take revenge on her cheating boyfriend and her
bestfriend. Since Q still has feelings for her, he agrees and discovers the
rush and thrills of breaking the rules and spending time with his long
time crush. However, Margo disappears the following day. Q and his
friends, believing Margo left for them clues to find her, follow a series of
leads until New York. On the road trip, Q and friends discover certain
aspects of Margos personality. After a while, Qs friends head back to
Florida to make it in time for their high school prom, while Q remains
to search for Margo and when he finally bumps into her, he discovers
that the image he had of her was as unreal as the paper towns in maps.
Paper Towns is an adaptation of John Greens bestselling
novel intended as a coming of
age romance but ended on the big DIRECTION: Jake Schreier
screen as story about friendship, CAST: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevigne, Halstone Sage,
thanks to the enigmatic chemistry
Austine Abrams
of the supporting actors playing STORY: based on Paper Towns
Qs friends who deliver their lines
by John Green
with power and hilarity to create GENRE: Mystery- Teen Romance
several quotable quotes. The pacLOCATION: Florida New
ing is a little slow for comfort and
York, USA
music is used to fill the emotional DISTRIBUTOR: 20th Century
gaps which the movie does not
Fox
deliver. Performances are believ- RUNNING TIME: 109 minutes
able but not engaging enough. TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:

John Schreiers interpretation

is acceptable but nowhere near MORAL ASSESSMENT:
MTRCB Rating: PG13
memorable.
CINEMA Rating: V14
There is one clear cut message in
the film: dont be deceived by looks
or packaging. Q is in love with his idea of Margo and fails to read
who she really is. Margos character is a glorified perception of teenage
angst and emotional fashion while all she is is a confused broken girl.
Especially for teenagers who are easily swayed by the glittering lights
of fame and promise of popularity, the film serves as a good reminder
for them to be discerning and honest. That being said, there are a lot
of disvalues presented: revenge, permissiveness and apathy, teenage sex
and substance abuse. In fact, CINEMAs main question in the entire
film: where are all the parents while high schoolers do all the things
they do in the film. Parents are cautioned to make sure a responsible
adult accompanies their young children when watching the film.

PAPER TOWNS

CBCP Monitor

C1

August 17 - August 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

The News Supplement of

Couples for Christ

WALKING FOR ANCOP SCHOLARS

Aerial shot of the Liwasang Aurora at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City where CFC Metro Manila
held the AGW (photo courtesy of signalFire)

UNLIKE the previous ANCOP Global Walks (AGW),

the sun was high up in the
sky during this years AGW,
not only in Metro Manila,
but in the other parts of the
globe where walks were also
held. CFC Florida reported a
downpour before gun start,
but the rains brought out
not only a rainbow shooting
from the ground, but a cool
climate definitely conducive
for a 5-kilometer walk.

Such was the scenario all over the world

last Sunday, August 15, which made it possible for thousands of walkers to converge
at the various walk points, even in the
wee hours of the morning, and to walk
for the 1,500 scholars of the ANCOP
Global Walk.
In Metro Manila, the twelve sectors
gathered at the Quezon Memorial Circle
in Quezon City as early as 4:00 AM. In
the Philippine provinces, walkers from
Batangas, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga
Del Sur, Sorsogon, Quirino, Isabela, Rizal,
Pampanga, Tarlac, Palawan, Cebu, Laguna,
Oriental Mindoro, Bulacan, Camarines
Norte, La Union, Bacolod City, Masbate,
Lanao del Norte, Dumaguete, Samar,

Bataan, Albay, Quezon, Agusan del Norte,

Compostela Valley, Iloilo, Zambales,
Davao, Negros Occidental, to name a
few, were likewise raring to walk for their
respective AGW scholars. Some provinces,
particularly Masbate and Apayao, opted to
walk earlier.
Some of the countries that walked with
the Philippines were Israel, Italy, Lebanon,
the Federated States of Micronesia, USA,
Canada, Singapore, UK, and Switzerland.
Now on its fifth year, the ANCOP
Global Walk aims to create awareness
about CFC ANCOPs initiatives on education and to raise funds in order to help send
children from under-privileged families to
school. To date, the AGW has 804 scholars
in college/ vocational-technical school, 375
in high school and 335 through elementary
school. This years walk will not only sustain the needs of these scholars; hopefully,
through the new partners and supporters,
more will be added to the number of children the AGW will send to school next
school year.
The ANCOP Global Walk is one of the
initiatives of CFC ANCOP in order to
encourage more individuals to participate
in the Child Sponsorship Program. The
Child Sponsorship Program is a one-to-one
sponsorship that provides for education
assistance, health and medical care, values
formation and spiritual enhancement, as
well as parent involvement and partnership
to support the childs education.

Photo credits: Joey Tomas, John Paolo Bautista, Romeo Medina; photos from Provincial and Global AGWs taken from Facebook.

Celebrating the Joys of Mary through

the Franciscan Crown Rosary

EVERY member of the Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD)

looks forward to the annual Marian Conference. The
conference, over the years, has been a rich source of inspiration for the members, particularly because each year, the
conference provides a fresh look at Mary, the Mother of
the Lord, at her attributes and how women can fully love
God by imitating her.
Last August 15, 2015, HOLD leaders and members
from Metro Manila and the nearby provinces trooped to the
Ynares Sports Center in Kapitolyo, Pasig for the 2015 Marian Conference. Titled The Joys of Mary, this years Marian
Conference focused on Mary who, despite her sorrows as a

mother, was truly a joyful woman. The conference also

focused on the devotion called the Franciscan Crown
Rosary and how, through the efforts of a young novice,
these joys of Mary spread through this devotion.
HOLD Coordinator for Indonesia and Metro
Manila Central C Ching Santiago provided a brief
introduction on Marys seven joys, and the history of
the devotion to the Franciscan Rosary.
Marys joy in the midst of pain and suffering, in
spite of her sorrows, came from Gods presence in her,
MARIAN CONFERENCE, C2

New CFC Leaders Appointed

EFFECTIVE September 1st, 2015, the following leaders shall be holding new assignments
in the international mission:
1. Rudy Gaspillo, concurrent Sector Head of
Metro Manila South A, as the Country Coordinator of the United Arab Emirates, vice Romy
Alfaro;
2. Boyet Rafael, concurrent Provincial Area Head
of Davao, as the Country Coordinator of Bahrain,
vice Jerry Tanigue;
3. Romy Alfaro, concurrent as Middle East
Regional Coordinator, as Country Coordinator
of Saudia Arabia vice Ramuel Garcia.
Meanwhile, the CFC International Council
also announced the establishment of the Indian
Ocean Islands group as a separate region in Africa.
The Indian Ocean Islands include the following
countries: Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar,
Comoros and Reunion.
This will bring the regional groupings of Africa
to sixNorthern Africa, Western Africa, Central
Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the
Indian Ocean Islands.
Some countries have also been realigned to
their appropriate regions; thus Kenya, Ethiopia
and Eritrea will be part of East Africa; Sudan,
South Sudan and Rwanda part of Central Africa;
and Angola and Zambia part of Southern Africa.
New Regional and Country Coordinators for

the African region have also been appointed:

1. Ricky Cuenca as Regional Coordinator for
Western Africa;
2. Lay Laya, formerly Regional Coordinator
for Eastern Africa, as Regional Coordinator for
the Indian Ocean Islands Region;
3. Jun Clarito as Regional Coordinator for
East Africa; and
4. Harold Oraa as Regional Coordinator for
Central Africa.
5. Boy Guinto as Country Coordinator for
Nigeria, in place of Cesar Rodas; and
6. Francis Yap as Country Coordinator for
Ghana and Sierra Leone, vice Vouleen Ben and
Raul Aclan, respectively.
In a memo released recently announcing such
assignments, CFC Chairman and International
Missions Director Joe Tale thanked the former
Regional Coordinators and Country Coordinators, who are now stepping aside for the new
leaders, for their dedication and zeal in moving
the mission forward in these mission areas.
On behalf of the International Council,
Tale also thanked all the brothers and the CFC
countries that continue to support the growing
mission in Africa. He encouraged the global CFC
community to include in their prayers the new
appointees who need the Lord's guidance and
providence in their new assignments.

C2

August 17 - August 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CBCP Monitor

YCFC to Hold 4th Assembly

MARIAN CONFERENCE, C1

Couples for Christ Young Couples experienced their first Young Couples Assembly recently. More assemblies
for young CFCs are also happening in other provinces and some parts of Asia.

THE YOUNG Couples for Christ

(YCFC) Program is creating a huge
impact in the young CFC generation. The Young CFC Program goes
further in its mission by reaching
out to young couples, not just in Metro
Manila but in other areas and not just
in community but to those outside
CFC as well.
As part of their program of reaching
out to the young couples, the program
core team headed by Rommel Ancheta

and his wife Layle, is inviting young

couples (married for 15 years or less), to
the 4th CFC Young Couples Assembly
on August 30, 2015 (Sunday), 1:00 PM
5:00 PM, at the UNILAB Bayanihan
Hall, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.
The Family Mass, to be presided
by Fr. Joel Jason, will start at 1:00
PM, followed immediately by the
talk proper at 2:00 PM. The talk will be
about Overcoming Difficulties And
Crises In Marriage.

Snapshots of AGW 2015

Living out the Joys of Mary: 1. Connie Saturay, HOLD Coordinator for Metro Manila West C leading the opening worship; 2. CFC Church Relations Office
Director Rouquel Ponte and wife Nina worshipping with HOLD leaders; 3. Ching Santiago, HOLD Coordinator for Indonesia and Metro Manila Central
C with the Introduction to the Franciscan Crown Rosary; 4. A dramatization of one of Marys joys, the birth of her son, Jesus; 5. Aileen Serrano led
the Handmaids of the Lord in praying the Franciscan Crown Rosary and meditating on the Joys of Mary; 6. The finding of Jesus in the temple; 7. The
coronation of Mary as Queen of heaven and earth; 8. Tess Amon sharing about the first joyThe Annunciation; 9. Leli Roque sharing on Marys second
joy, Marys visitation to her cousin Elizabeth; 10. Myrna Vega testifying on Marys third joy; 11. Carla Ofilada, sharing on her joy in relation to the Magis
adoration of the infant Jesus; 12. Cecile de Joya relating her experience similar to Marys finding Jesus in the temple; 13. Maries Patricio tell about her
own meeting with the resurrected Christ; 14. Tessie Arguelles on Marys seventh joyMarys coronation and assumption. 15. Vicky Lomibao leading
the delegates into the lively praisefest; 16. Family Ministries Director Jimmy Ilagan and wife Lorna.

from her union with Him, Santiago explained. She added, Our Mother wants
us to experience the joy that was always
in her heart, the joy that flowed from her
love. She teaches us through her life that
as we shine with all the colors of love, we
will also be radiant with joy, just like her.
The Franciscan Crown Rosary

A story that dates back to the 15th

century tells of a pious lad, James,
who found joy in picking wild flowers and weaving them into a crown,
which he devotedly offered to the
Blessed Virgin.
James entered the Franciscan Order as a
young man. In the seminary, he lamented
that he was not able to do his daily habit
of weaving a crown of flowers for the
Virgin Mary, and even considered leaving

his vocation. In a vision, the Blessed Mother

came to James, saying, Do not be sad and
cast down, my son, because you are no longer
permitted to place wreaths of flowers on my
statue. I will teach you to change this pious
practice into one that will be far more pleasing
to me and far more meritorious to your soul.
In place of the flowers that soon wither, you
can weave for me a crown from the flowers
of your prayers that will always remain fresh.
Mary then requested the young friar to say
one Our Father and ten Hail Marys in
honor of seven joyous occasions in her life:
1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Birth of Christ
4. The Adoration of the Magi
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
6. The Resurrection of Our Lord, and

7. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

into Heaven
And so throughout the entire conference, the HOLD leaders learned how to
recite the Franciscan Crown Rosary, with
Aileen Serrano of Metro Manila Central A
leading the prayers and meditation. After
each decade, a sharer testified about her
own personal joy in relation to the Blessed
Mothers joy.
Indeed, this years Marian Conference
message is clearthat Mary wants her
children to share in her joys, not only her
sorrows. By meditating on her seven joys,
Catholics can also take a look at their own
lives and see how the Lord has granted
each one his or her own joyful experiences
in their relationship with her son, Jesus
Christ. (Alma Alvarez)

The News Supplement

of Couples for Christ

George B. Campos
IC Oversight

Alma M. Alvarez
Associate Editor

Deomar P. Oliveria
Layout Artist

Zenaida A. Gimenez
Editor-in-Chief

Evangeline C. Mecedilla
Circulation Staff

The Ugnayan News Supplement is published by the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc., with editorial
offices 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

facebook.com/CFC.Global.Mission

@CFChrist

CBCP Monitor

C3

August 17 - August 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CFC ANCOP Albay awards 2nd batch of 15 units

to homepartners

COUPLES for Christ Albay, in its continuing work for the poor, awarded 15 new
homes to new home partners. The new
homes are in addition to the first batch of
15 units that were awarded last February
28, 2015.
The house blessing and awarding ceremonies were held at Taysan Resettlement
Site, Sitio Tognao, Taysan, Legazpi City. In
attendance were Rev. Fr. Rex Paul Arjona,
Social Action Director of the Diocese of

Legazpi. Claudio Merisio and Lot OrtizLuis, International Projects Director and
Philippines Projects Coordinator, respectively of Cross Catholic Outreach, Florida,
USA, Jimmy Ilagan, President of CFC
Ancop Global Foundation, Inc., with wife
Lorna, Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City,
Barangay Chairman Renato Valladolid and
the CFC Albay Area Governance Team.
Home lots allocated by the City Government
of Legazpi for ANCOP has totaled 125. CFC

ANCOP Albay, in partnership with Cross

Catholic Outreach, aims to build and award
another 30 units before the end of the year.
In another development, another site
at San Vicente Resettlement Site at San
Vicente, Tabaco City is now on its final
documentation stage. The signing of the
Memorandum of Agreement and the
ground breaking are expected to happen
during the fourth quarter of 2015. (Kian
Carla Mallorca Pielago)

ANCOP Calls for General

Membership Meeting

ANCOP Champions Donate

$25K Anew
CANADIAN philanthropists Larry and
Tova Vickar of Winnipeg, Manitoba have
established themselves as ANCOP Canadas
leading single donor. The couple has consistently supported ANCOP year after year.
Having been taught at an early age that
sharing ones time and resources is the right
thing to do, Larry has led a life that has been
that of giving and service to people. He and
his wife Tova have always been involved in
various initiatives, big and small, aimed at
helping people in need.
A highly successful businessman in the
automotive dealership industry employing
over 300 Winnipeggers, Larry still finds
time to serve the community. Currently
he is at the helm of the Jewish Foundation
of Manitoba, the Jewish National Fund, St.
Boniface Foundation, and the Manitoba
Hydro Electric board among others. He
and Tova have been involved in a water
project in Israel. They have also conceived
and sustained LArche Tova Caf, a place
showcasing the talents of people with disabilities in Transcona, Winnipeg.
Larry and Tovas involvement with ANCOP started as early as 2006 when they
contributed to the building of houses in
Sunshine Village in the Philippines. When
Larry organized a tour of Israel on behalf
of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg that
same year, a group of Canadian Filipinos
joined. While in Israel, the Filipinos
invited the couple to also visit the Philippines. It was not until 2008 however that
this materialized.
In the Philippines, Larry and Tova visited Sunshine Village and saw first-hand the
joy of the residents at having new homes.
Larry remembers that We also saw the
extreme contrast to the other homes that
were nothing more than shelters from the
elements, with dirt floors, metal slabs for
roofs, no sanitary facilities. A family of six
or more dwells in this room, an area smaller
than most of our bedrooms.
What left an imprint on the couple
while talking to the residents was that
inspite of their miserable conditions, they
remained hopeful. They had complete faith
that they, too would have a new home a
decent dwelling to be proud of like that of
other ANCOP villagers. This moving experience plus the thankfulness of the family
beneficiaries left Larry and Tova wanting to
do more for the poor. We made a pledge
to each other that we would do more to
partner with ANCOP and to perhaps build
a village of our own, Larry shared.

2010 marked the beginning of the

partnership between the Vickar couple
and ANCOP Winnipeg. Together with
Transcona Rotary, Larry and Tova donated
$15 thousand for the building of the first
ever ANCOP Winnipeg Village in the
Philippines. The village named Vickar
Transcona Rotary Portview Village is located in Camiguin, an island in Mindanao.
In 2012, Larry spearheaded a fundraising event called ANCOP Vickar Evening
in the Philippines and raised about $50
thousand. The amount was directed towards the construction of the Larry Tova
Vickar multi-purpose hall and chapel in
the Vickar Rotary Portview village. The
village consists of 40 houses and is home
to around 200 people.
In 2013 ANCOP Winnipeg received
from the couple another $25 thousand
through the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba during the ANCOP Walk. The
fund was channeled to the community
development programs of ANCOP. In
2014, Larry and Tova, through the Vickar
Automotive Group, donated $25 thousand
to sponsor the education of the children in
their village and personally witnessed a few
interviews of prospective scholars.
The hopeful faces of children and their
parents moved us and inspired us to help
the children go to school. We recognized
that educating the children would have a
great impact on their families economic
and social future, Larry said.
During the July 9th ANCOP summit
at the North Centennial Centre in Winnipeg, Larry reiterated his commitment to
support ANCOP.
On July 12th,the Vickars were guests at
the CFC Canada national conference hosted
by CFC Winnipeg at the RBC Convention
Centre. Larry addressed over 500 delegates
and professed his and Tovas continuing
desire to help the poor through ANCOP.
Larry encouraged those present to
share this advocacy with their neighbors,
co-workers, relatives and others within
their sphere of influence. By expanding
your horizon of scope as to potential new
sources of financial and moral support, you
will find more willing partners to help in
your important missions, he urged the
assembly.
Larry and Tova presented to Eli Minglana of ANCOP Winnipeg a $25 thousand
check for ANCOPs Child Sponsorship
Program. (Edna Garrucho, ANCOP
Canada)

ANCOP Champion in Canada. Top photo: Larry (fourth from left) handing over the check for $25T to Eli
Minglana of ANCOP Winnipeg. Present were Arnel Simbulan, Ador Cabrera, and Vic Lopez also of CFC
ANCOP Winnipeg; bottom photo: the Vickars at the CFC Canada National Conference, Winnipeg.

ANCOP General Membership convened: 1. ANCOP Chairman Joe Yamamoto; 2. the general membership comprised of CFC elders; 3. Rene Punsalan addressing
the assembly; 4. ANCOP President Jimmy Ilagan reports on the program updates; 5. The newly-elected Board of Trustees; 6. First meeting of the Board after
the general membership meeting.

The CFC ANCOP Global Foundation Inc. convened its members for a General Assembly last August 12, 2015 at the Ugnayan
Hall of the CFC Global Mission Center. ANCOP President
Jimmy Ilagan reported updates on the various programs, as well
as a financial overview of the Foundation. Afterwards, the general
membership elected the new members of the Board of Trustees.

Joe Yamamoto was elected Chairman, while Jimmy Ilagan remains President of ANCOP. Manny Garcia is the Vice President,
while Steve Maningat will serve as Treasurer. Other members of
the Board of Trustees are Michael Ariola, George Campos, Lito
Tayag, Arnel Santos, and Eric delos Reyes. Atty. Rene Punsalan
was chosen as the Foundations Corporate Secretary.

DSWD Grants Certification to

CFC ANCOP

CFC ANCOP Global Foundation, Inc. received its Registration Certificate and License to Operate from the
Department of Social Welfare and Development on August 17, 2015 in a simple ceremony right after
the departments flag ceremony inside its office compound. International Council member and ANCOP
President Jimmy Ilagan received the certificate on behalf of CFC ANCOP.
CFC ANCOP Global Foundation has satisfactorily complied with all the requirements to operate as a
social welfare and development agency implementing Community-Based Programs and Services for
Children, Youth, Women, Persons with Disability, Indigenous Persons, Victims of Disasters, Families and
Communities. This certification entitles CFC ANCOP Global to be included in the Registry of Social Welfare
and Development Agencies of this Department.
This simply means that the programs and services that CFC ANCOP Global is providing follow the standards
of DSWD and the delivery of its social protection services to its beneficiaries are sustainable.
The certification given is valid for three (3) years covering the period 2015-2018.

C4

August 17 - August 30, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 17

CFC CARIBBEAN: CALLED TO LOVE MORE

CFC Trinidad and Tobago plays host to the 16th CFC Caribbean Conference, clockwise from top left: Joe and Monina Duran with author; a colorful display of
colors; renewal of marriage vows; YFC Love Revolution; beautiful music at the conference; 100% Pure workshop for YFC.

THIS YEARS theme was a call to Love

More, and this was the same theme and
spirit that permeated the 16th CFC-Caribbean Conference held recently at Trinidad
and Tobago. A total of 468 delegates from
the entire spectrum of the CFC family
from couples to singles to the very young
- attended the conference.
As early as two days before, the conference started for the young people with an
opening reggae party, taking on the Love
Revolution theme. The YFC Cross Culture Team from the United States served
during the entire event, headed by the
former Caribbean fulltime pastoral workers Jonathan and Erika Lumamba. It was
a week of rallying the young people to such
the love revolution and reunion through
the sessions, workshops, confession, team
building and worship.
The other Family Ministries such as
Handmaids of the Lord had their own
festive event the whole day the next day,
celebrating the Colours of Love. On
Friday night, the CFC Conference was
formally opened with a parade of the different colorful flags from each island. Dr.
Neil Peters, National Director of Trinidad
and Tobago, gave the welcome remarks,
followed by the Holy Mass celebrated by

the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Nicolas

Girasoli. The night was filled with Gods
abundance as the delegates enjoyed the
bountiful meal and fellowship.
It was a jam-packed Saturday for everyone, especially the Singles for Christ and
Kids for Christ who had their whole-day
conference. The Youth for Christ, on the
other hand, had their sportsfest, while the
Couples for Christ gathered together for
three Love More Conference sessions. The
evening of Saturday was a wrap up for a
very spirit-filled day, as the entire community gathered and celebrated the Lords
Day. Everyone was filled to the brim, not
only with spiritual nourishment, but with
entertainment too.
On the last day, the remaining sessions
about LOVE and LOVE MORE were
given by Joe and Monina Duran, Regional
Coordinators of CFC Caribbean. It was
not just a sunny Sunday morning, but
an On Fire Sunday, because everyone
was in their red shirts, symbolizing their
readiness to love more. The entire conference concluded with the Mass celebrated
by the Chief Celebrant Auxiliary Bishop
Robert Llanos.
In his homily, His Excellency emphasized that the families and its entire

structure are under attack from many

sectors of society. He said that Everyone
is going farther and further away from
the truth, many are being disillusioned
and brainwashed away from building and
proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.
Citing the Gospel of John 6:1-15, Bishop Llanos stated that man is very hungry
and thirsty and tired in mind and heart.
He said that The Lord is calling us to sit
with Him and be sustained at the table of
the Word through His body and blood. He
is calling us to love more but with more
faith, everyone has to share, everyone has
to partake, everyone will have more than
enough, he added. Bishop Lllanos also said
that CFC is strong as a community and should
have no fear of such attacks against the family.
To reaffirm the participants love for
their spouses, CFC spiritual director
Bishop Emeritus Malcolm Galt officiated
at a very heart-warming renewal of their
marriage vows.
It was truly a week of renewal with the
Lord, with everyone all excited to Love
More, returning to their respective islands
with that conviction, and looking forward
to next years CFC Conference to be held
in the Diocese of Montego Bay, Jamaica.
(Mabelle Dimayuga, CFC Missionary)

SOLD and CFC Mens Conference

Thunders in UAE

CBCP Monitor

CFC Tanzania: Love More On Its

20th Year
COUPLES for Christ Tanzanias Love
More National Conference coincided
with its 20th anniversary celebration. This
was a fortuitous event, especially since
the speakers delivered the message of love
so well that both English-speaking and
Swahili-speaking participants were inspired
and moved.
The opening Mass on Day 1 was celebrated by the National Spiritual Guardian,
Bishop Titus Mdoe, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam. He reminded all
the participants that the salvation of the
family is the duty of everyone in the community. He also emphasized that Couples
for Christ will help families strengthen their
faith and make everyone witnesses of Gods
love to one another, resulting in a family
founded on love, respect and unity.
The following day, during the anniversary celebration, some of the participants
shared their thoughts on the previous days
Love More talks. This was followed by
greetings from delegates and representatives from Mwanza, Moshi Dioceses, Keith
Sampson, Country Head of South Africa
and Salvador Ellica, Middle East Regional
Missions Coordinator.
Country Coordinator Noli Paquiz
presented the National Governance Team
(GT) of Tanzania who will serve for the
next two years and the entire assembly
prayer over them. The GT is composed of
Jacob and Lucy Sangia (Family Ministries),
James and Jennet Msigalla (PFO), Kapist-

ran and Maria Haule (Evangelization and

Mission), Constantine and Elina Kaniki
(Mission Support), Theophil and Yusta
Mfala (BCOP), Sylvester and Lucy Mahiri
(National Director). New Unit heads and
Family Ministries coordinators where also
prayed over.
CFCs mission in Africa began in Tanzania when it was introduced in 1995 at
St. Peters Oyster Bay Parish, Archdiocese
of Dar Es Salaam by Ponet & Kit Ladrido
and Lito & Cely Pangan. The two couples
conducted the first CLP with two CFC,
two Handmaids of the Lord and one
Servants of the Lord as the first batch of
graduates. CFC is now present in nine
Dioceses with a total active membership
of more than 800 (150 Couples, 400
Handmaids, and a few SOLD, Singles for
Christ and Youth for Christ.
One of the highlights of the anniversary
celebration was the sharing of one of the
first couples from the first CLP batch,
Maurice Otienon, now 86 years old. His
testimony inspired all those present with
his message of loyalty and faithfulness
during his spiritual journey.
Rev. Fr. Vitalis Kassembo, Director of
Lay Apostolate, Archdiocese of Dar Es
Salaam, celebrated the closing Mass. He
encouraged CFC to spread to all the parishes in the diocese, stressing that CFC is
an important instrument for evangelizing
the family and society. (Sylvestre Mahiri
Country Head)

Couples for Christ leaders on mission to bring the love of God to brethren in Tanzania

HOLD Spreads the

Colors of Love in Macau, China

Band of Brothers in UAE, clockwise from top: almost a thousand men in one conference; resounding worship at its best; True Men of God; speakers Ricky Rico
(center) and Joemar Salumbides (right) being honored by SOLD UAE.

THE RECENTLY concluded SOLD (Servants of the Lord) and

CFC Mens Conference in St. Anthony of Padua's Parish Church
in Ras Al Khaima, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was a wondrous
story of faith and victory. Indeed, the words of Jeremiah 33:3
held true for the event: If we put our faith in God and follow
His commandments, He will perform great and mighty things
and give us the victory.
The theme of the event, Love Conquers All, echoing the
Couples for Christ theme for 2015 Love More was fully
manifested in the prayers and worship, the talks given by Joemar
Salumbides and Ricky Rico of the SOLD International Core
Group, and the personal testimonies of SOLD brothers on how
God showed them His love and molded them to be True Men
of God.
This was a different SOLD conference from the conferences
of the past. This year, the concept of staging a national conference (meaning per country), instead of the previous region-wide
annual Middle East Conference became a reality and provided
huge surprises. One of the surprises was the attendance of 935
brothers, record-breaking and unprecedented not only in the
Middle East, but global as well. This could be the beginning
of a full-packed gathering of CFC men and SOLD brothers
not only in UAE, but also in the neighboring countries in the

Middle East region.

The idea of holding a national, rather than a regional, conference was broached in the summer of 2010 during the Abba
Father Weekend in Sharjah and The Band of Brothers conference
held in Jebel Ali. It was also argued that during the early years
of holding the event in the different Emirates, the conference's
attendees came purely from SOLD and did not include the men/
leaders from Couples for Christ.
Thus, CFC SOLD encouraged CFC men to be part of this
Catholic Mens Conference. The effort paid off this year with the
record attendance. Gods glory was manifested as 935 men boldly
praised God in unity during the morning worship, afternoon
prayer and evening praise fest. The sound of men singing and
worshipping together resounded like a mighty thunder roaring,
just as it did when Jerichos walls came crumbling down because
Gods army shouted in praise to God.
Everyone came away from the conference energized, reinvigorated and filled with zeal for the mission. The full support
of the National Council, Area Directors and Area Governance
Teams, and the dedication of the SOLD leaders in the UAE
helped the 21-man service team of SOLD Al Ain pull off a big
victory in Christ in hosting this event. (Demy Pascual and
Charles Armario)

MER 1 held in Odisha

Couples for Christ conducted a very powerful
and victorious Marriage Enrichment Retreat
1 (MER 1) in Bhubaneshwar, capital of the
Indian state of Odisha. Eighteen couples
attended the MER 1, including eight couples
from the far-flung Kandamal region.
The participants gave positive feedback on
the talks and were animated during the brief
question and answer segment after the talks.
Plans are now afoot to conduct a separate
MER 1 in the Kandamal regions to enable
more couples to complete the retreat.
(H. Poppen)

Not even language barriers can prevent the Handmaids of the Lord from spreading the Colors of Love to
the sisters in China and Macau!

FOR THREE consecutive weekends in July,

between July 11 and July 26, the Handmaids of
the Lord led by Bernie Cuevas, HOLD Country
Coordinator for China, together with mission
volunteers ( MVs) Grace Buntag and Baby Vale
and Christina Hwang from HOLD Australia,
conducted the Colors of Love Echo Conferences
in China and Macau.
The conference in Macau was attended by
CFC and HOLD leaders from Guangzhou and
Hongkong. What made the Macau Conference
different and successful was the full participation
of CFC and the other Family Ministries who
acted as the service team as well as performers.
The SFCs managed the program direction, the
Servants of the Lord provided the band music,
and the Youth for Christ were the emcees for
the opening night dubbed as Hats Off to Love.
In keeping with the opening night theme, the
Handmaids all wore beautiful hats. The CFC
brothers who were there as support were not
exempted from the hat requirement. HOLD
leaders Helen Remotigue and Jho Ciar, who attended the ICON in Laguna, gave Talks 2 and
3, while Baby Vale, Grace Buntag and Bernie
Cuevas delivered Talks 1, 4 and 5, respectively.

AGW 2015 Around the Globe

The main conference was well received, and

very joyful. Still, tears flowed during the healing
session in Talk 5. Everyone went home feeling
refreshed and grateful for the love of the Lord,
and responded with enthusiasm to love more
with all the colors of love.
Colors of Love was the first ever HOLD
Conference in North China, given in the
Chinese language. Worthy of special mention
was the presence of the mission volunteer from
Australia, Christina Hwang, a Chinese Burmese
who also served as the teams interpreter during
the entire mission.
Since all the HOLD sisters there were local
Chinese, and only the interpreter could speak
Chinese, the team learned to communicate by
body language and to use the most effective
communication of all, the language of love. The
mission team likewise learned that differences in
language is no barrier in communicating when it
is done in love, full attentiveness, and sensitivity.
The mission team expressed its gratitude
to CFC China leaders and the CFC heads
of Macau, Danny and Senen Ngo, for their
wholehearted support for the Handmaids
of the Lord.