Monitor

CBCP

FEBRUARY 6 - 19, 2017 VOL 21, NO. 3 CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

Bishops urge public

Bishops stand Govt told: Target
firm against syndicates,
death penalty not children

vigilance on Charter
VIOLENCE against THE Catholic hierarchy
violence? It wont solve is opposing a proposed
anything, the countrys measure lowering the
Catholic bishops have minimum age of criminal
warned. responsibility, saying the

change, martial law

In a statement released
after their plenary
assembly in Manila on
Jan. 30, the prelates said
that the death penalty
is no different from the
crime it punishes. (See
full text of Statement
in B1)
Thats why it is
regrettable, CBCP
President Archbishop
Socrates Villegas said,
that there are strident
efforts to restore the
capital punishment in
the country.
When we condemn
violence, we cannot
ourselves be its
perpetrators, and when
we decry murder, we
cannot ourselves
participate in murder,
no matter that it may
be accompanied by the
trappings of judicial and
legal process, he said.
Throughout the
world, the trend against
the death penalty
is unmistakable, and
international covenants,
one of which the
Philippines is party to,
obligate us not to impose
the death penalty, said
Villegas.
The release of the
statement also coincided
a day before the House of
Representatives begins
its plenary debates on
the death penalty bill on
January 31.
The measure allows
Penalty / A7
government should crack
down on syndicates and
not minors.
The bishops said
reducing the minimum
age of criminal liability
will not curb the use of
By Roy Lagarde The bishops did not categorically supposedly protect the nation. children 15 years or below
endorse or disapprove the moves to Only recently, Duterte said he is eyeing in criminal activities.
revise the 1987 Charter but urged the to change the martial law provisions in CBCP president
CATHOLIC bishops wrapped people to particularly keep an eye on the the Constitution to allow its declaration Archbishop Socrates
up their plenary assembly on Constitutional safeguards against any even without the approval of Congress Villegas said the
Jan. 30 exhorting for pub- moves leading to martial law. and the Supreme Court. government should
lic vigilance over moves to Let us continue to maintain the Duterte also said that he is keen instead go after the
amend the countrys Consti- safeguards against dictatorial martial on reviving the infamous Philippine syndicates who exploit
rule that our present Constitution Constabulary (PC) for his war on drugs. vulnerable children.
tution and the threat of contains, said Archbishop Socrates The PC led the implementation of the
The fact that criminal
martial law. Villegas, CBCP president, in a pastoral martial law during the Marcos regime elements make use of
statement. but it had a reputation for the abuse of youngsters up to fifteen
President Rodrigo power. years old to commit
Duterte has repeatedly The bishops collegial body stressed crimes is no argument
said he wont hesitate to that rewriting the the single most against the present
declare martial law if important document of our benevolent provisions
necessary to country should of the law, but about the
concern all Filipinos. resoluteness of criminals
in using even the young
Common good for their purposes,
An overriding Villegas said.
concern for the The sins and failings
Vigilance / A6 of the young and
immature should not
mar the possibilities of
ones future or stand
forever in the name of
an honorable and noble
reputation that can, in
later years, be very well
built, he said.
President Rodrigo
Duterte is considering
reducing the age a person
could be prosecuted as
an adult from 15 to nine
years old due to the
perceived escalation in
youth crime.
Bishops exiting the Sta. Maria Goretti Parish Church during the 114th CBCP Plenary Assembly at the Pius XII Catholic Center in Paco, Manila, January 29, 2017. ROY LAGARDE Syndicates / A7

CBCP exec lauds closure

of 23 mining operations
Bishops warn against being silent
THE social
action arm of
the Catholic
accomplice to summary killings
B i s h o p s CATHOLIC bishops called
Conference of on the faithful to speak out
the Philippines against summary killings,
welcomed to saying that silence makes
the highest them an accomplice in the
level the closure rising death toll of the war
of 23 mining on drugs.
operations in The Church leaders found
the country. disturbing the lack of strong
Fr. Edwin rejection by many Filipinos
Gariguez, of the daily killings in the
executive country.
secretary of To consent and to keep
the National silent in front of evil is to
Secretariat for be an accomplice to it, the
Social Action bishops said in a pastoral
Justice and letter read in all Masses on
Peace, said Sunday, Feb. 5. Let us not
this shows the allow fear to reign and keep
g o v e r n m e n t Fr. Edwin Gariguez, NASSA Executive Secretary us silent. (See full text in
commitment page B1)
t o f i g h t e n v i r o n m e n t a l one cannot run a business Its the same thing, they Children of victims of extrajudicial killings join a procession held a before a Mass at the Our Lady of Victory Chapel in Malabon
Silent / A7 City, February 2, 2017. ROY LAGARDE
degradation by the industry. to the detriment of the
T r u l y , m i n i n g i n environment and the local
watershed and fragile island communities.
ecosystems should not Gariguez added that Lopez
have been permitted, said deserves to be confirmed Pastoral letter on drug war grounded in truth bishop
Gariguez, who is known for b y t h e C o m m i s s i o n o n
championing the cause of the Appointments (CA). ITS s not a lie that innocent people release of a pastoral letter raising Weather Stations (SWS) survey
environment and indigenous Gina Lopez should be were killed and many fear of becoming their concerns on President Rodrigo reported that majority of Filipinos are
peoples. confirmed by the CA for victims of extrajudicial killings, a Dutertes deadly war on drugs for worried of getting killed in the drug
The government is serious standing to what is right Catholic bishop said. creating a reign of terror. war that claimed more 7,000 lives in
in repairing its gross mistake and in defending peoples Disputing Malacaangs claim that Presidential spokesman Ernesto six months.
in the past where all that well being, over and above bishops have lost touch with reality, Abella claimed that the crackdown on The poll found that 78 percent
matters is the corporate corporate greed. Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga narcotics has instead turn the country of Filipinos were afraid that they
interests at the cost of the Earlier, former Lipa said their pastoral letter on drug war into a safer place. would also fall victim to summary
environment, he said. Archbishop Ramon only relays the sentiments of many Instead of being defensive, the executions.
T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Arguelles also wrote a letter people, especially those in poor bishop said it would help if the Santos added that this is even the
Environment and Natural asking President Rodrigo communities. government would address the reason why the Church had to always
Resources (DENR) on Feb. Duterte to keep Lopez sa They are not only afraid, they unexplained killings and other come out and try to allay their fears.
2 ordered the closure of DENR chief. become restless and disturbed that concerns they raised by the Church. We, priests and bishops, are with
23 mines, mainly nickel At a prayer march in theres no peace. And thats the We all want to be safe and be the people. We feel them. We want to
producers and mostly located Quezon City on Thursday, he reason why its now terror that they peaceful so let us get rid of these assure them. We want to pacify them
in functional watersheds. also called on the Filipinos experience, he said. senseless killings. Let us get rid of the that we are with them and we want
Saying that its time to support Lopez in her Malacaang said the bishops are extrajudicial killings, Santos said. them to be peaceful, he said. (R.
for social justice, DENR campaign to protect the not grounded in reality after the In December last year, a Social Lagarde/CBCPNews)
Secretary Gina Lopez said environment. (CBCPNews)
A2 NEWS February 6 - 19, 2017 Vol 21, No. 3 CBCP Monitor

A Swiss bishop publishes 9

t

points on Amoris laetitia
CHUR, Switzerland, Feb 3,
2017Referring extensively
to Pope Francis writing
inAmoris laetitia, a Swiss
bishop on Thursday
gave direction on how to
implement the exhortation,
emphasizing respect for
the sanctity of the marriage
bond.
The task of pastoral care
is to convey to the people
an awareness of the sanctity
of the marriage bond, or
to convey it again, Bishop
Vitus Huonder of Chur wrote
in his Feb. 2 letterThe
Holiness of the Marriage
Bond.
After an extensive
introduction which quoted at
length fromAmoris laetitia,
Bishop Huonder asked the
priests of the Chur diocese to
observe nine points, the first
of which is that the starting
point for accompaniment,
discernment, and integration
must be the sanctity of the
marriage bond.
He emphasized the
holiness of marriage, present
in the natural order and
strengthened in sacramental
one. The formation of
conscience regarding this
truth is an urgent task in our
time, he noted.
The marriage bond
itself is a gift of the love,
wisdom, and mercy of God,
which grants to the spouses
grace and help. Therefore,
reference to the marriage
bond must be the first step in
accompanying, discerning,
and integrating, Bishop
Huonder wrote.
The bishop directed that
if, during a confession,
a priest sees that there
are questions about the
penitents state of life that
need to be clarified, he
should ask the penitent to
begin a longer process of
penitence and integration.
In the pastoral care and
accompaniment of divorced-
and-civilly-remarried
persons it is first necessary
to examine whether the
marriage contract (the
first marriage) was valid,
Bishop Huonder said. This
examination cannot be made
by the individual priest,
and especially not in the
confessional, and he alluded
to the necessary role of the
tribunal in investigating
validity.
Whatever is found out
about the validity of the
marriage, a failed marriage
must in any case be dealt with
humanely and faithfully, he
emphasized. This means
that a longer pastoral path,
demanding patience, must
be pursued.
Bishop Huonder noted
that the reception of
Holy Communion by the
divorced-and-civilly-
remarried may not be left
up to a subjective decision,
and it is thus necessary to
be able to rely on objective
conditions.
In the case of divorced-
and-civilly-remarried
persons, respect for the
existing marriage bond is
crucial.
If a divorced-and-
remarried penitent requests
absolution, the confessor
must establish that if they
cannot separate from their
partner, they are willing
to take on the duty to live
as brother and sister, as
directed by St. John
Paul IIs 1981 apostolic
exhortationFamiliaris
consortio.
This remains the case
because the new apostolic
exhortation Amoris Laetitia
expressly does not provide a
a new set of canonical rules
(cf. AL 300). The penitent
will first have to manifest
a firm intention to live in
respect of the marriage bond
of their first marriage.
Bishop Huonder
concluded by exhorting
priests to always keep in
mind the words of St. Paul
that this is a great mystery.
I speak of Christ and the
Church. (CNA)
Vatican Briefing
Holy See signs agreement with Democratic
Republic of Congo
The Holy See and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo on Friday signed a framework agreement to
govern relations between the Catholic Church and the
state. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy Sees Secretary
of State, signed the agreement with the Congolese
Prime Minister Clement Mouamba. The framework
agreement guarantees the Catholic Churchs right to
carry out her mission in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo. It recognizes the legal personality of the
Church and of Catholic institutions. It affirms that both
the Church and the State aim to work for the moral,
spiritual and material wellbeing of individuals and to
promote the common good. (CNA)
Pope: Be more than a mannequin when it
comes to helping refugees
In his newest prayer video Pope Francis focused
on the poor and refugees, saying we shouldnt be like
immobile mannequins when faced with their needs,
but must instead reach out and help. We live in cities
that throw up skyscrapers and shopping centers and
strike big real estate deals, but they abandon part of
themselves to marginal settlements on the periphery,
the Pope said in his prayer video, released Feb. 4.
Francis speaks as the video opens to a scene of people
doing a Mannequin Challenge -- a viral internet trend
where people freeze in their positions as music plays in
the background -- on a crowded city street. The result
of this situation is that great sections of the population
are excluded and marginalized: without a job, without
options, without a way out. (Elise Harris/CNA)
Pope names Archbishop Becciu personal

Pope Francis creates the new archdiocese delegate to Order of Malta

Pope Francis has named Archbishop Giovanni
Becciu, substitute of the Secretariat of State, as his

of Chittagong in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Feb. 3, 2017Bangladesh has
a new ecclesiastical province. Yesterday
Pope Francis erected the Archdiocese
of Chittagong, on the east coast of the
country, raising the bishopric of the
same name to Metropolitan See.
At the same time, Msgr. Moses
Costa, now Bishop of the diocese,
was appointed first Metropolitan
Archbishop of Chittagong. Upon
hearing the news, he said with emotion:
I thank God for this blessing. His
grace gladdens me. I will continue to
preach the Gospel with enthusiasm
and help our people to be witnesses
of God among the people.
According to the Archbishop, there
are different challenges facing the new
ecclesiastical province: First of all
encouragement to religious vocations,
which here are not numerous. We need
more priests, nuns and religious and we
hope that more and more young people
will choose consecrated life.
Another field of action, is the fight
against poverty. Most of the Catholics
are of tribal origin and live in conditions
of extreme need . In addition, our
territory extends in hilly and inaccessible
areas, difficult to reach and where it is
not easy to create places of prayer. But
preaching the Gospel among the tribal
is really a great opportunity.
Card. Patrick DRozario, present at
Mass during which he announced the
creation of the archdiocese, addressed
a prayer to God: Oh Lord, take care of
your shepherd and guide him according
to your desire. God will help us faith in more appropriate way.
he added - we are very happy for
Nigerian bishop: Evangelize through family, social media
this blessing given to the Catholics of
Bangladesh.
Hundreds of faithful, nuns and priests
were present in the cathedral. The
news of the papal appointment was
announced by Msgr. George Kocherry,
Apostolic Nuncio to Bangladesh, who
also read a letter sent by the Pope. The
newly elected province will have as the
diocese of Khulna and Barisal suffragan
Churches.
The elevation of the bishopric
has spread joy among the Catholic
community. One of the faithful, Liton
Tripura, says: We are grateful to God
and to Pope Francis. The creation of the
archdiocese will urge us to practice our
Now your responsibilities will increase.
The Catholic religion arrived here in
1537, when Portuguese missionaries
created settlements in the area. The
first church was built in 1600 in Diang,
where the present town later arose.
Today the population is more than 19
million, mostly Muslims. Catholics
48,917, are spread across 11 parishes.
The Archdiocese has 8 diocesan priests,
10 religious priests and 71 nuns.
As for the Archbishop Costa, he was
born on November 17 November 1950,
in the village of Tumilia near Gazipur.
He was ordained a priest on February 5,
1981. He served the diocese of Dinajpur
as bishop from 1996 to 2001. Addressing
the faithful present at the time in the
diocesan Cathedral, Msgr. Costa said:
Mass in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta. Six people were
Please pray for me. (AsiaNews)
personal delegate to oversee the spiritual and moral
reform of the Order of Malta, with particular attention
to the professed members. In a letter to Becciu dated
Feb. 2, the Pope named him as my special delegate to
the distinguished Order of Malta, and emphasized that
he will work in strict collaboration with the Orders
interim leader, Fra Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein.
The two of them, he said, must work for greater good
of the Order and for the reconciliation among all its
components, religious and lay. Additionally, they will
be responsible for developing together a study in view
of the appropriate spiritual renovation of the Orders
Constitution. (Elise Harris/CNA)
Pope: Jesus was concerned with people, not
popularity
Jesus wasnt worried about his polling results, Pope
Francis said Jan. 31 instead, he was concerned
with each and every person, seeing everything about
them, even those things which were seemingly small
or inconsequential. Statisticians might have been
inclined to publish: Rabbi Jesus popularity is falling.
But he sought something else: he sought people, the
Pope said Jan. 31 during Mass at Casa Santa Marta.
And the people sought him. The people had their gaze
fixed on him, and he had his fixed on them. People
might be tempted to say, yes, Jesus looks on the people,
on the multitude, Francis said, but no, he looks on
each individual person. This is the peculiarity of Jesus
gaze, he explained. He does not standardize people;
He looks at each person. (Hannah Brockhaus/
CNA)
Pope Francis condemns shooting at Quebec
mosque
Pope Francis met Jan. 30 with Cardinal Grald
Lacroix of Quebec, conveying his sorrow for the victims
of a shooting the night before in a mosque in Quebec
City. He condemned the attack, saying Christians
and Muslims should unite in prayer over the tragedy.
According to a Vatican communique, Pope Francis met
with Cardinal Lacroix Jan. 30 following his morning
killed and 17 injured after gunmen opened fire inside
the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec during evening
prayers Jan. 29. (Hannah Brockhaus/CNA)

For Pope Francis, martyrs are the strength of

ABUJA, Nigeria, Feb 1,
2017For one Catholic
bishop in Nigeria, social
media and family life are
two keys for evangelization
and sharing the values of the
Catholic Church.
We need to invent new
means of forming peoples
consciences. We need to form
new means of confronting
the agents of non-values
that are among us. We
need to form new means of
colonizing the media so that
people can hear the voice
of the Church, said Bishop
Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo
of Oyo.
The interview, conducted
by Catholic News Agency
for Africa, was released after
the bishops conference in
Nigeria last week.
Bishop Badejo is the chair
of the Pan-African Episcopal
Committee of Social
Communications and is
director of communications
for the Catholic Secretariat
of Nigeria. This year he is
celebrating his 30th year
as a priest and 9th year as
a bishop.
The bishop warned of
sometimes inappropriate
use and malicious intent
behind main stream
media. Social media can
divide communities,
exploit, and promote
evil, he continued to say,
explaining the role of the
individual to create and
distribute news.
It depends on the man
who is behind the camera,
nor can the pen decide
what to write, it depends
on the one who is holding
the pen.
This does not mean that
the Church is anti-media,
he clarified. For decades,
the Church has been
stressing the importance
of communication, he said,
adding that social media is a
positive gift with the ability
to advance a mutual benefit
for all humanity.
Bishop Badejo also said
that teaching and making
the voice of the Church
heardis one of the highest
responsibilities that the
conference can undertake
because it is one of the
highest sources of witnessing
Christ.
The family will remain
the first environment
where the child learns to
appreciate humanity. The
family is the first humanizing
organization. The Church
has the privilege of being the
interpreter of revelation but
the family is the cradle where
all that has to be prepared.
Because the family is the
first source of education,
it is dangerous to leave
learning solely in the hands
of media and education
system. Appreciation of
humanity comes with the
family, he said, but secular
media strongly opposes and
weakens the family.
And while the family is
natural ally to the Church,
he warned, it has been
weakened.
He spoke out against
efforts to lead parishioners
away from the truth, and
said that hypocrisy and anti-
values are sometimes even
preached to the people from
homilies. To fix this, he said,
we must realize the pulpit
has moved to anywhere
the Church
human beings gather, or
Pope Francis said Monday the strength of the Church
can listen to anything.
does not reside primarily in grand gestures, but in
In earlier times, the Church
the quiet faith of Christians in minority areas, who
was the leading voice in
continue to practice even in the face of persecution
answers regarding morality,
and martyrdom. We are pleased when we see a great
Bishop Badejo said, but now
ecclesial act, which has been a great success, the
people seek answers in music
Christians revealing themselves, he said in his homily
and videos instead, ignoring
during Mass at the chapel of the Vaticans Casa Santa
the Churchs wisdom and
Marta Jan. 30. And this is beautiful! Is this strength?
contribution.
Yes, it is strength. But the greatest strength of the
People tend to completely
Church today is in the small Churches, tiny, with few
ignore the effort the Church
people, persecuted, with their bishops in prison, he
has consistently made to
continued. This is our glory now, this is our glory and
affect the Nigerian society
our strength today. (Hannah Brockhaus/CNA)
in her mission of education,
he said. The setting up
Knights of Malta appoint interim leader,
of schools, educational
reinstate Grand Chancellor
institutes, formation
After Pope Francis asked Knights of Malta Grand
centers, even seminaries
Master Matthew Festing to resign earlier this week, the
and formation houses are
Order has accepted the resignation, named an interim
activities of the Church
leader and reinstated their former Grand Chancellor,
that have transformed the
Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager. According to a
society.
Jan. 28 press release from the Order of Malta, their
The good work of the
Sovereign Council - in an extraordinary meeting held
Church needs to be shown to
Saturday to vote on Festings request to step down
the world, as does the reality
from office - accepted his resignation and informed
of those in poverty, the
Pope Francis of the decision. They also announced
bishop said. He highlighted
the appointment of Grand Commander Fra Ludwig
the need to show the plight of
Hoffmann von Rumerstein as the new Lieutenant ad
those without a voice and to
interim until a new Grand Master is elected. (Elise
take a strong stance in favor
Harris/CNA)
of truth and human dignity.
(CNA)
CBCP Monitor February 6 - 19, 2017 Vol 21, No. 3 NEWS A3

When Church, academe, and drug users become friends

DAVAO City Theirs was
an offer of friendship, an
invitation to get to know each
other better, and to help one
another in their shared desire
to curb the drug menace.
Instead of condemning
them for being drug users,
the local church of Davao and
a state university here have
offered hands of friendship
to those many consider to be
problems of society.
Through the Sagop
Kinabuhi Program 2 Fun Day,
drug users have experienced
new hope, that they too can
become productive citizens of
the country. The Archdiocese
of Davao, the University of
the Philippines Mindanao,
and different partners joined
in the fun to foster friendship.
Different sports activities,
parlor games, team-building
activities, moments of
reflection were organized
to strengthen the bond of
camaraderie among the
partner agencies and the
drug users who voluntarily
submitted themselves for
reformation and participated
in the two-day event from
Jan. 27 to 28 at Eden Nature
Resort in Toril, Davao City,
headed by the University of
the Southeastern Philippines
(USeP) and the Archdiocesan
Social Action Center of Davao.
Every life is sacred
ASAC director Fr. Leonardo
Drug users in Davao City now have another chance to reform their lives thanks to the intervention of the Archdiocese of Davao and University of Southeastern Philippines
in Davao City through the Sagop Kinabuhi (Save Lives) Program 2, a program for the reformation of drug users who want to become productive citizens of the country. JOHN
FRANCES FUENTES
Dublan, Jr. said every life is
a gift of God and is sacred.
According to the priest, like
the mustard seed that falls
to the ground, every life is
bound to undergo a process
before it can bear fruit, and
the same is true for everyone,
regardless if one is a drug
user, a priest or a religious.
No one is bound for waste.
Walang pa-tapon, Dublan
said in his homily during the
opening Mass, adding that
every endeavor can succeed,
but it becomes more fruitful
with the help of God.
This same reason also
prompted USeP to finance
the SKP 2, knowing that drug
abuse has become a major
problem in the country. Sagop
Kinabuhi is a Cebuano term
which means save lives.
Dr. Danilo Pacoy, vice
president of the Research
Division Extension of USeP,
said the academe wants to
volunteer its expertise to help
address the drug crisis.
Helping them are heads
and representatives from
the Davao City Police
Office, Philippine National
Police Talomo, City Social
Services Development Office,
Department of Labor and
Employment, Department
of Education, barangays
and their officials who
accompanied the drug users,
as well as other partners who
also believe that drug users
deserve a chance to reform
themselves through different
activities.
Change starts within
Perry (not his real name),
one of the participants during
the SKP 2 Fun Day, said
though society wants them
to change for the better, it is
only they who can decide for
their future and whether or not
they will get killed in one of the
polices anti-drug operations.
I did not promise to others
that I will change. I promised
to myself, only to myself, that
I will have to change for my
own good, Perry said.
ASAC coordinator Sr. Ma.
Marissa Arado, TDM said
the activities lined up for the
drug users have just begun as
they are expecting to run SKP
2 in the parishes and in their
respective barangays.
Mervin Gascon, SKP 2
project director said the
program can only push
through with the cooperation
of the reformists and the help
of the different partners.
He said he also looks
forward to the fruits of SKP
2, which will run for three
years, and how it could
help former drug users
recover and become more
productive. (John Frances
C. Fuentes/CBCP News)

Faithful told: Better not to believe in dancing sun How young migrants fall
BAGAC, Bataan the most recent into the hands of traffickers
Following reports of phenomena associated
a supposed dancing with the Divine
Jimmy Lopez, 24, was trafficked after he
sun during the closing Mercy celebrations left his family in Honduras to go to the
Mass of the 4th World are considered stand United States. His story reminds us of the
Apostolic Congress alone phenomena, i.e.,
vulnerability of child migrants to human
on Mercy, on Jan. 20, they are just observed
priests caution the independent from trafficking, and the need to protect them
faithful about believing any claim of private and their rights.
such paranormal revelations received
occurrences, saying it is by seers, we have all
still better to put greater the more reasons to
faith in the Sacraments. be careful in labelling
Due to the possibility these as miracles.
of mass deception as well Discernment is essential
as diabolical influence for those who claim they
in these paranormal have just witnessed a
happenings, the Church miracle, cautioned
had never paid attention Legaspi.
to these phenomena in According to him,
The faithful look at what some believed was a dancing sun during the closing Mass of the 4th World Apostolic
considering the veracity moral conversion Congress on Mercy, Jan. 20, 2017. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
and genuineness of should actually be the
any alleged private basis of judging the of the participants. Can director of the Divine accompanying ones
revelations, said authenticity of a religious witnessing a whirling Mercy Apostolate in prayer life, because
Diocese of Novaliches phenomenon. He urged sun accomplish these the Novaliches Diocese, they are not essential In Mexico, at the House of Charity in San Luis Potosi, Caritas provides a
resting place for thousands of migrants, some of them arrived on foot.
exorcist Fr. Ambrosio witnesses to instead conversions? added was concelebrating the to our call to holiness. WORMS/CARITAS
Nonato Legaspi told focus on the content Legaspi. closing Holy Mass of A close examination
CBCP News on Jan. 31, of the conferences and WACOM4 when the of the extraordinary MY parents used to food and water and we
noting however that the Eucharistic celebrations Distracted from the alleged phenomenon experiences of some work hard to put me in ended up drinking cow
said miracle did not of the recently concluded Mass? was observed by many. pseudo-mystics (false school back in Honduras. urine. One of my friends
happen in connection to international event. For another priest, the To stress the fact that mystics) who were I figured out my parents died on the journey but
any seer or visionary. These conveyed the timing of the so-called the phenomenon could misled by diabolical didnt have enough to me and my other friend
The priest cited as entirety of the message miracle of the dancing not have come from influences will prove send me to school or had no choice but to
an example of such of mercy, he stressed. sun made it already God, De Leon further the validity of these college and offer me the continue on our journey.
deception the case This message is suspect. observed that, Peoples warnings, he added. opportunities I wanted We rode on the roof
of Judiel Nieva of supposedly the true Why would attention have been WACOM4s closing to have. of trains to get through
Agoo, La Union fame. reason, he said, for Jesus make the sun diverted to the dancing Mass ceremonies, Also, there were gangs Mexico. Once we got to
Despite extraordinary experiencing a grace- dance during Holy sun instead of [focusing officiated by Nueva in Honduras who would the border I stayed there
phenomena surrounding filled event that could Communionlike the on] Jesus, Whom they Segovia Archbishop kill you if you didnt want for two and a half years
the alleged apparitions, actually bring about the one I experienced in [just] received during Marlo Peralta, D.D., with to join them. I saw two of living in a migrant house
the local Church spiritual conversion of Judiels case back when Holy Communion; that Balanga Bishop Ruperto my friends killed. I hid and having to ask for
authorities declared the faithful. I was still a seminarian? was His Real Presence Santos was an occasion because the gangs were food as I had no money.
the case as having no The talks, the Fr. Aristeo De Leon, there! to commission the looking for me too. I managed to cross
supernatural source Sacraments, and the director of Catechetical According to Legaspi, more than 5,000-strong We walked through the border by myself.
whatsoever after Real Presence of Jesus, Ministry of the Diocese the mystic saints have delegation to go to the mountains to pass Someone in a car came
thorough investigation. Lord of Divine Mercy, of Novaliches, wondered always warned the the ends of the world the border. Then we up to me after I passed
really present in the aloud during a phone faithful about paying as missionaries and hitched rides to the and said Im here to
Stand alone Most Holy Eucharist, interview on Jan. 24. undue attention messengers of mercy. border of Mexico. We help you. He took me
phenomena are the genuine sources The priest, who also to extraordinary (Minnie Agdeppa/ walked for a week, day to his house and there
But given that of moral conversions serves as spiritual p h e n o m e n a CBCPNews) and night. We had no Migrants / A6

An Indian woman became a nun because of elephants?

ORISSA, India Nine years ago,
Christians in the Kandhamal
district of Odisha, India suffered
the worst attacks against Christians
in modern times in the country.
Around 100 people lost their lives
and more than 56,000 lost their
homes and places of worship in a series
of violent riots by Hindu militants that
lasted for several months.
But since the devastation, the local
area has seen an unprecedented
increase in religious vocations,
including Sr. Alanza Nayak, who
became the first woman from her
area to join the order of the Sisters
of the Destitute.
Sr. Nayak told Matters India
that she decided to dedicate her
life to God through the poor and
needy after she heard how a herd
of elephants meted out justice to
the victims of Kandhamal anti-
Christian violence.
A tenth-grader at the time of
the attacks, Sr. Nayak said she
remembers escaping to the nearby
forest so she wouldnt be killed.
A year after the attacks, a herd of
elephants came back to the village
and destroyed the farms and houses
of those who had persecuted the
Christians.
I was convinced it was the
powerful hand of God toward
helpless Christians, Sister Nayak
told Matters India. The animals
were later referred to as Christian
elephants, she added.
After completing her candidacy,
postulancy and novitiate with the
order, Sr. Nayak took her first
profession on October 5, 2016, at
Jagadhri, a village in Haryana. She
is now a member in the Provincial
House, Delhi.
On January 26, more than 3,000
people from Sr. Nayaks village of
Mandubadi, honored her with a
special Mass and festivities.
Her mother told Matters India
that she was extremely fortunate
that God has called her daughter for
His purpose.
Sister Janet, who accompanied
Sister Alanza at the thanksgiving
Mass, said that while materially
poor, the people of the area are rich
in faith, brotherhood and unity.
The congregation of Sisters of
Destitute was founded on March 19,
1927, by Fr. Varghese Payyapilly, a
priest of Ernakulum archdiocese.
It has 1,700 members who live in
200 communities spread over six
provinces.
The violence against Christians
in the Kandhamal district has been
religiously motivated. It started
after the August 2008 killing of
a highly revered Hindu monk
and World Hindu Council leader,
Laxshmanananda Saraswati, and
four of his aides.
Despite evidence that Maoists,
not Christians, were responsible
for Saraswatis murder, Hindu
militants seeking revenge used
swords, firearms, kerosene, and
even acid against the Christians
in the area in a series of riots that
continued for several months.
While the intensity of the violence
has subsided since the 2008 attacks,
violence against Christians in
Kandhamal has continued.
In July 2015, Crux reported on
two unconfirmed reports of two
Christians who were shot to death
by local police in the district while
they were on a hilltop, seeking out
a better mobile phone signal to call
their children, just one example of
the ongoing hatred of Christians in
the district.
Fr. Ajaya Kumar Singh, a Catholic
priest who heads the Odisha Forum
for Social Action, told Crux that
such violence is common in a place
where the social elites are upper-
caste Hindus and the Christians are
largely lower-class untouchables
and members of indigenous tribes.
Theres a double hatred,
Singh said. Because Christians
are from the lowest caste, theyre
untouchable, and because theyre
Christians theyre seen as anti-
national theyre treated worse
than dogs. (CNA/EWTN News)
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