July 3, 2006 - CBCPMonitor

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CBCP 93 rd Plenum to Tackle Hot Issues of July 3, 2006 ‘Shepherding’

Bishop Dismayed by DENR’s Decision on Lafayette Case SORSOGON Bishop Arturo Bastes voiced dismay over government’s decision allowing Lafayette Philippines Inc., to do a test-run of its zinc and copper mining operations.

Bishop Dismayed / P 4

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The Sacred Heart, the Church and Social Concerns

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Manifesto of the Former Members of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission

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CBCP Monitor Protagonist of Truth, Promoter of Peace

July 3, 2006

Vol. 10 No. 6

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The Holy Father on the Role of Church and State

Php 16.00

Inter-faith Leaders Unite Against Gambling SAYING that gambling is a "creeping evil" that should be suppressed, different religious groups led by some leaders from the Catholic Church have joined forces in condemning gambling and those who are promoting it.

Inter-faith Leaders / P 4

Church Lauds Abolition of Death Penalty But says roots of crimes must be addressed too

by Roy Lagarde THE battle is not over yet.

After they have scored victory in the recent abolition of the capital punishment, church and anti-death penalty advocates are calling for justice and prison system reform.

Rodolfo Diamante, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC), said they’ve just finished one chapter— the abolition— but the crusade for restorative justice, “a justice that heals,” must continue.

“A program of rehabilitation through values formation and income generating projects must be pursued for the prisoners in order to generate the sense of humanity and usefulness among them,” said Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president.

The bishops have been advocating for the government to address the root causes of criminality such as poverty, immorality and corruption, that in the experience of other countries, lower the incidence of criminality.

The other side of the abolition of death penalty and the curving of criminality is the improvement of the quality of life, Lagdameo pointed out.

Church Lauds / P 4

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC), together with other anti-death penalty advocate groups, lead the symbolic releasing of balloons and doves that followed the “Mass for Life” presided by Pasig Bishop Francisco San Diego at the Our Lady of Remedies Church, Malate, June 28.

Archbishop Justifies Church’s Stand vs. Sex Ed ARCHBISHOP Paciano Aniceto, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) has defended the church’s opposition to sex education in schools.

“To allow sex education in the classroom is risking the student’s moral and spiritual well being,” he said.

Aniceto was reacting to the recent attempts of the Department of Education (DepEd) to quietly smuggle into various high school subjects the latest module cloaking public sex indoctrination with the term Adolescent Reproduc-

tive Health and Reproductive Rights.

“What is information for one may be a corruption of the others,” he said.

He pointed out that while the information may be helpful to some, it is an outright “child abuse” against the others in a class.

“Although the students may be of similar ages, their exposure to sex and related matters are “never the same,” he said.

The archbishop claimed that no parent would like to see his or her children Archbishop Justifies / P 4

RP Youth to Join 4th Asian Youth Day in Hong Kong

Most Rev. Paciano Aniceto, Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga, is the chair of the CBCP Commission on Family and Life.

AT least 70 Filipino youth will be joining 4th Asian Youth Day (AYD) to represent the Philippines in Hong Kong on July 28 to August 5, 2006.

The delegation will be headed by CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) chair-

man Bp. Joel Baylon, his co-chair Bp. Patrick Buzon and Fr. Conegundo Garganta, Executive Secretary.

With the theme, “Youth, Hope of Asian Families,” some 1000 young Asians are expected to join the event.

The Asian Youth

Day aims to bring the youth participants to a deeper understanding of the multi-cultural and multi-religious realities of Asia.

The event will also help the youth to reflect on these realities in the light of faith and inspire RP Youth / P4

CBCP Names Delegates to the 5th World Meeting of Families

Migrants’ Forum Tackles Partnership with Media

by Pinky Barrientos, FSP BIZARRE and shocking stories like the case of Gwen Aguilar, a domestic helper working in Singapore, who was accused of killing a fellow Filipina, always get a prominent and detailed reportage in the news.

But very seldom, if there is any, of positive news about overseas Filipino workers (OFW’s) that are given prominence in news reports.

Migrant’s Forum / P 3

THE CBCP Commission on Family and Life is sending an official delegation to the 5 th World Meeting of Families (WMF) with Pope Benedict XVI in Valencia, Spain. WMF takes place from July 1 to 9.

Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, head of the Family Life Commission, appointed Most Rev. Jose Oliveros, Bishop of Malolos, as chair of the delegation; and Ma. Fenny C. Tatad as Lead Lay Delegate.

Bishop Ramon Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong and Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong of the CBCP Legal Office will

also join as CBCP delegates. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Frank and Geraldine Padilla of the Couples for Christ will join the WMF as part of the Holy See delegation.

The Family and Life Commission has also invited Senator and Mrs Aquilino Pimentel, Former Senator Francisco S. Tatad, Congressman and Mrs. Edmund O. Reyes, and Congressman Abraham Mitra to join the delegation.

According to Mrs. Tatad the following represent the various groups in the Church: CFM President Couple, Rogelio and Leonora CBCP Names / P 4

Dr. Zenaida V. Rotea (extreme right) with participants from India, Africa, South Africa, USA, and United Kingdom during the WUCWO World Conference at Arlington, VA on June 5-7, 2006.

Dr. Rotea Elected WUCWO Board Member DR. Zenaida Rotea, executive secr e t a r y o f t h e C B C P O ff i c e o n Women was elected Board Member for the Philippines of the World Union of Catholic Women Organization (WUCWO).

Rotea’s election took place

during the WUCWO general assembly at Arlington, VA last May 31 to June 7, 2006.

Wi t h t h e t h e m e : “ Wo m e n Peacemakers: United in Faith and Action,” the conference, which disDr. Rotea/ P 4

World News

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CBCP Monitor July 3, 2006

Plenary Indulgence for World Meeting of Families

© MAX ROSSI /POOL/epa/Corbis

President of the Philippines Received by Benedict XVI VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2006 - This morning, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration concerning the audience granted today by Benedict XVI to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, president of the Republic of the Philippines, in the company of her family and an entourage: “In the course of the cordial meeting,” the text reads, “the president explained to the Holy Father the new law banning the death penalty, which was signed last Saturday, Feast of St. John the Baptist.

“Mrs. Macapagal Arroyo also showed the Pope a plan for reforming the Constitution, which aims at a more harmonious development of the country, reserving greater attention to the poorer sectors of the population.

“During the meeting, reference was also made to the favorable prospects for dialogue with the Muslim inhabitants of the country and to the hope for national pacification.

“Finally the president noted how Christian values, in which the majority of Filipinos identify themselves, also find expression and support in the legislation of the State.” (VIS)

Oita Diocese Issues Booklet to Help Filipinos Participate in Japanese Mass JAPAN, June 30, 2006 -- The Oita diocese has issued a booklet to help the 1,700 Filipinos who are members of the diocese participate in the Mass in Japanese.

The pamphlet, Mass Guide, includes the prayers of the Mass in Japanese characters and Roman script, English and Tagalog in parallel columns on facing pages. This layout allows participants to follow the Mass prayers in any of the languages while being able to give responses in whichever language is being used to celebrate the Mass. The 34-page booklet is designed to be easily carried.

Filipino Catholics are about one third the number of Japanese Catholics in the diocese and until recently they had their own special communities for worship and pastoral care. However, the diocese is making efforts to become more open to the diversity of its members and so the special communities are being

phased out in favor of having Filipinos become members of their local parishes.

Bishop Ryoji Miyahara of Oita, commenting on the publication of the pamphlet, said, “We prepared this booklet because (as Scripture teaches) there is neither Jew nor Greek nor Roman, but all should be able to participate together in the Mass regardless of nationality.” ”There are churches where Filipinos are among the core members, but there are other places where they and Japanese Catholics don’t come together,” he added. “I hope this booklet will be useful in providing pastoral care.”

The diocese intends to continue providing Masses in Tagalog as a way of showing respect for the culture and language of each person while emphasizing as well the building of “a Church without nationalities” in local parishes.

(CBCJ News)

Hindu Religious Leader Lauds Christian Service INDIA, June 30, 2006 -“The sisters of St. Joseph of Lyons have made significant contribution in the uplift of the weaker sections of the society” said Kundrakudi Ponnambalam Adigalar, a Hindu religious leader attached to Kundrakudi Murugan Temple. He was speaking at the function celebrating the centenary year of the presence of the sisters in India, on June 28. ”The sisters are the symbol of sacrifice. They have not deviated from their path of service and have fulfilled their responsibilities to the humanity with all devotion” he added.

The chief guest of the function was Superior General

Janet Gagnon and Most Rev.M.Arokiasamy, former archbishop of the Madurai Arch diocese adorned the guest of honour. A book, ‘The History of the Communities in India’ was released by the Superior General and the first copy was handed over to Sr.Cecile Roux, the First Provincial, Indian Province.

The function was also attended by prominent personalities including religious leaders, educationists and social activists. The congregation that was established in France in 1650 arrived in India and formed their first mission in the form of orphanage and dispensary in the city hundred years ago. (SAR News)

VATICAN City, June 28, 2006 -- For the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families, due to be held in Valencia, Spain from July 1 to 9, Benedict XVI will concede Plenary Indulgence to those faithful who participate in any of the associated celebrations and in the closing ceremony, according to a decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary made public yesterday afternoon.

The Holy Father will attend the closing ceremony of the meeting and hopes, the decree states, “that the many people from all over the world who come together in Valencia may participate enthusiastically and dutifully in the various initiatives and liturgical celebrations taking place there in favor of the family, and that, having returned to their own homes fortified by the grace of God, they may

dedicate themselves generously to moulding their own families and those of their neighbors to the holy rules of the Gospel.”

Moreover, the decree continues, the Pope asks the Most Holy Trinity “that great benefit may be forthcoming to the Church; especially through profound reflection on the theme of the family, seat of life and of love, domestic church in which parents transmit to children the priceless gift of faith.”

“The Supreme Pontiff,” the decree adds, “grants Plenary Indulgence to the faithful under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin), if they participate in any of the solemn functions held in Valencia during the Fifth

World Meeting of Families, and in the solemn closing ceremony.

“All other faithful who are unable to participate in that event, may obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence, under the same conditions, over the days the meeting is held and on its closing day if, united in spirit and thought with the faithful present in Valencia, they recite in the family the ‘Our Father,’ the ‘Creed,’ and other devout prayers calling on Divine Mercy to concede the above-mentioned aims.” (VIS)

Catholics Mark National Family Day Looking to Valencia HO Chi Minh City, June 28, 2006—The archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, is celebrating national Family Day and looking ahead to Valencia and the Pope. Today, the Catholic community is launching a series of shared prayers, meetings and others activities focused on the family, to prepare to follow the fifth World Meeting of Families, set to be held in Valencia from 1 to 9 July. Benedict XVI will close this event in Spain.

The initiatives promoted by the Pastoral Committee of the Family and encouraged by the Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, will include times of reflection about shared experiences apart from prayer.

Today’s celebrations are being held in the Catholic Centre of Culture of the archdiocese. Around 400 people took part in a workshop to reflect on two themes: the greatest challenges facing modern families and how in Vietnam, these give a crucial framework within which to practice and spread the Word of God. The most touching experiences of the workshop will be communicated around this evening’s mass, which around 5,000 believers are expected to attend.

In the parish of Tan Son Nhi district, 150 couples attended a marriage and family course in June. The parish priest, Fr Chu Quang Minh, said he had already organized “another 338 courses

like this”. The initiative, continued the priest, has helped parents to understand modern day problems. Throughout the pastoral ministry and social activities, all the families fasted and at the end, they shared their experience with Cardinal Pham Minh Man. One of the participants told AsiaNews that during the course, “I learned how to build a happy family.

All the activities on the course were useful for me and my loved ones. It was an opportunity to fully understand the crucial role played by the family today. Now, I will do my best: if families are united, society will be at peace and the Church will grow.”

(AsiaNews)

Fr. Antonio M. Pernia Re-elected Superior General of the SVD NEW Dehli, India, June 26, 2006— Fr. Antonio M. Pernia was reelected Superior General of the Divine Word Missionaries for a second term of six years. Fr. Pernia, was born on JanuFr. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD ary 2, 1949, in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. The eighth of the nine children of Dr. Juan C. Pernia and Petra del Mar, he had his elementary schooling at the Holy Spirit School run by the SSpS Sisters in Tagbilaran. In 1961, he joined the SVD minor seminary in Cebu City, and eventually moved on to Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City, Manila.

He entered the novitiate at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City in 1967 and professed first vows in 1969.

He obtained his Master’s degree in Philosophy in 1971, professed perpetual vows in 1975, and was ordained priest on September 5, 1975.

After ordination, he taught philosophy at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay. In 1978 he was sent for further studies in Rome and obtained his licentiate in Fundamental Theology from the Gregorian University in 1980. Thereafter, he was assigned to the Regional Major Seminary in Davao City where he was the Dean of Studies, Vice-Rector and eventually Rector in 1984-85.

In 1985, he returned to Rome and obtained his doctorate in Theology from the Gregorian University in 1987. His dissertation was a study on the theme of the Kingdom of God in the Liberation Theology of G. Gutierrez, L. Boff and J.L. Segundo. Returning to the Philippines after his studies, he taught for a year at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay (1988-89), and later assumed

once more the rectorship of the Regional Major Seminary in Davao City (198993).

Fr. Pernia was member of the Provincial Council of the Southern Province (PHS) from 1982-85, and served as the vice-provincial from 1990-93. He was a delegate of the Province to the XII General Chapter (1982), was a member of the preparatory commission for the XIII General Chapter (1988), and was chosen the Zonal Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Zone in February 1992. In January 1993, he was elected Provincial Superior of PHS. In the General Chapter of 1994, he was elected Vice-Superior General of the Society.

During the XV General Chapter (2000), he was elected the Xth Superior General for a term of six years and the XVI General Chapter has re-elected him for a second six-year term. (Fr. Anbu/CBCI News)

Church Teaching on AIDS has to Reach People NAIROBI, June 26, 2006— “There is still much hesitation in the church to offer pastoral care to those living and dying with HIV/Aids,” said Fr Robert Vitillo, special advisor on HIV/Aids to the Catholic charity, Caritas Internationalis. He was reviewing the church’s response to the killer disease at the start of four-day workshop organised by the Symposium of Bishops’ Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) in Nairobi 21-24 June. Delegates from Bishops’ conferences across the continent, experts and representatives of international organisations attended the conference.

Although the Catholic Church in Africa has been in the forefront of the war against the pandemic since it broke out twenty-five years ago, much of church teaching on the disease - some 80 bishops’ pastoral letters and statements - has not reached the parishes. “People in our

parishes do not know what our teachers are telling us,” Fr Vitillo said, adding, “Church representatives need to speak openly about HIV/Aids from the pulpit and in other preaching.”

The workshop—being held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa— was convened to discuss and adopt a panAfrican plan of action on HIV/Aids drawn up by SECAM in 2003 During a mass to open the function, the papal nuncio to Kenya archbishop Alain Paul Lebeaupin said the suffering caused by HIV/Aids should lead people to “consider the necessity of moral conduct in the use of sexuality”, and reiterated the church’s rejection of condom use in the fight against the scourge. “Our world is questioning our position and that is where we must be strong in belief, following the teaching of the church. Facing the difficult reality, the temptation will be, of course, to take the easy way.”

The nuncio concelebrated the mass with the president of SECAM, Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, vice-president Bishop Francisco Silota of Mozambique, the chairman of Kenya Bishop’s Conference, Archbishop John Njue, and the Archbishop of Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Mwana ‘a Nzeki. Archbishop Onaiyekan said the workshop would obtain concrete information on the church’s response to the disease so far and determine how SECAM would implement its plan of action. “To a large extent HIV/Aids has been very much an African tragedy: we only need to look at the global statistics.

If that is so, there must be some form of African response, a SECAM response, from the point of view of the church”.

According to the United Nations, 24.5 million people—equivalent to twothirds of all people living with HIV—are in sub-Saharan Africa. (Agenzia Fides)

CBCP Monitor

News Feature

July 3, 2006 THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines remains as ever a strong force to reckon with—no doubt about it.

With all eyes set on its next biannual plenary gathering on July 89, everybody watches with bated breath if the strong 129-member episcopal body will issue a document confronting some searing political issues of the day similar to the pastoral statement it issued last January. The document, titled “Renewing our Public Life through Moral Values,” urged for a “relentless pursuit” of truth about allegations that Ms. Arroyo manipulated the 2004 elections.

As of late, the filing of impeachment complaint against President Macapagal-Arroyo by Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez already hugged the headlines as critics quickly snapped back that the Bishop was engaging in partisan politics and allegedly violated the Constitutional principle of the separation of Church and State. CBCP Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, in a recent media interview, however dismissed such criticism saying that Bishop Iniguez’s action did not violate any law, neither ecclesiastical nor any civil or State edict.

Then so, with the coming July 8-9 CBCP gathering, speculations are rife if the 129-member Bishops body will throw its weight behind Bishop Iniguez’ impeachment bid.

According to CBCP Secretary General Fr. Juanito Figura, the 93rd Plenary Assembly of the CBCP kicks off with the Bishops’ annual retreat on July 4-8, with its theme “Towards s Spirituality of Shepherding.” The theme draws inspiration, Figura said, from the Church’s contemporary documents—Pope John Paul II’s “Pastores Gregis” (A post-synodal apostolic exhortation on Bishops), Pope Benedict XVI’s “Deus Caritas Est” (encyclical letter on Christian Love), and the “Compendium of the

Social Doctrine of the Church.”

But does “spirituality of shepherding” include tackling the burning political issues of the day as that of Charter Change and the impeachment complaints filed against Ms. Arroyo?

The meat or principal focus of the CBCP Plenary assembly, according to Fr. Figura, are the reports of its various episcopal commissions, committees, and offices which are the implementing agencies of the CBCP’s pastoral thrusts and programs.

This does not exclude however, CBCP spokesperson Msgr. Quitorio said, taking cognizance of some secular issues, even so in the realm of politics, where the Church’s principal role as vanguard of morality is deemed needed or imperative.

The Church cannot simply remain deaf or dumb, some Church prelates also maintained, to such glaring profligate practices as graft and corruption or election fraud which obviously trample on moral principles, lest it (the church) would have long relinquished its prime duty of safeguarding morality.

CBCP President Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo, in a press statement issued June 30, (See page 13) thus maintained that the so called “Separation of Church and State” should not be used as an argument against the participation and involvement of the Church in shaping the politics of the country. “Concretely this means that the Bishops, Clergy and Laity must be involved in the area of politics when moral and gospel values are at stake,” stated Lagdameo.

Lagdameo also said that the CBCP respects Bishop Iniguez’s personal option (of filing impeachment complaints against Ms. Arroyo) and will not go with the suggestion of Malacanang to sanction him because he also agrees (or conforms) with CBCP statements on Politics and Moral Values.

CBCP 93rd Plenum to Tackle Hot Issues of ‘Shepherding’

by Bob Acebedo

Expectedly then, informed observers believe that, like the January CBCP plenary gathering, the coming 93rd bishops’ assembly will be as hotly charged with some searing agenda like, reading from the Church’s recent engagements in some vital issues—the sex education modules, the Rapu-rapu Mining Fact Finding Commission Report, the social concerns year of 2006, and most likely as well the touted People’s Initiative for Charter Change.

The July 8-9 Plenary Assembly, to be held at the Pius XII Catholic Center, Paco, Manila, will also be an occasion for the new papal nuncio to the Philippines, Most Rev.

Migrant’s Forum / from p1 The recent forum at Bayview Plaza in Manila tackled this seeming imbalance in news reporting on migration issues, with representatives from the media, civil society and migrants groups gathered to find out how media view migration issues in terms of news reports.

Fr. Edwin Corros, CS, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant Peoples (ECMI) explained in an earlier interview that the forum was like an exploratory meeting to find out what media think of migration.

Discussing why migration has taken a back seat in news reportage and why the media are detached from the issues of migration, Cito Beltran of Philippine Star bluntly pointed out that money is the moving factor on the decision of media when doing news coverage.

He said that media cater to the sensational, political, and emotional, “because at the end of the day it will give us viewers, and viewers give us money.”

“We do not want to talk about migrants in media, even in our society, why, because it’s like talking about our poor relatives,” said Beltran.

Noting the propensity of media to dwell on the sensational aspect in its reportage of news, Beltran challenged Church-based organizations present in the forum to develop personal relationship with the media that would benefit both sectors.

“It should be a partnership,” according to Beltran.

He acknowledged that there are good stories involving OFW’s. However, it would need persistence and creativity on the part of Church-based groups to get the attention of media so that sooner or later somebody from the media will listen.

“OFW’s and their advocates, as well as other sectors, need to contribute to the media by compelling them to do a bal-

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anced reportage about OFW phenomenon,” said Jeramaiah Opiniano, president of OFW Journalism Consortium.

Opiniano gave an overview of migration issues and noted how reportage of OFW phenomenon has evolved through the years. He claimed that all aspects of newspaper reportage, whether politics, education, business, or entertainment now have an OFW face.

As the number of Filipino migrants increase, so are the various media that cater to this particular group. Now, both national and provincial newspapers have sections for OFW’s. Radio and television stations also produced programs for OFW’s and their families. In fact, the Internet, with its accessibility, has become the cheapest means for Filipinos abroad to get in touch with their families back home.

Meanwhile, three other speakers, Susan Andes of Bantay OCW with Susan K, Veronica Uy of INQ7 and Leo Santiago of Buhay Marino tackled how their respective media outlets and programs have viewed and taken migration into focus.

Since media have the power to make the smallest voices be heard, it can communicate the realities of migration effectively.

ECMI and its member organizations believed that the media can do a lot in making the issue of migration be understood as more than just an opportunity to improve the quality of life as to be educated about it more.

ECMI’s statistics shows there are about 8 million Filipinos overseas in the world today, 3.6 million of whom are OFW’s. Hailed as modern-day heroes, OFW’s send $10 billion in remittances, thus contributing a great deal in priming up the country’s ailing economy.

With little opportunities left at home, more Filipinos look at migration as the only option left to improve their quality of life.

Fernando Filoni, to deliver his first message to the influential Bishops’ body, Fr. Figura disclosed.

Fr. Figura also said that the speakers and facilitators for the preassembly bishops’ annual retreat are the Philippine hierachy’s recent bishop-elects and newly installed archbishops, among them, namely—Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Alaminos Coadjutor Bishop Marlo Peralta, San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Roberto Mallari, San Jose Bishop Mylo Vergara, Davao Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando, Urdaneta Bishop Jacinto Jose, Boac Bishop Renaldo Evangelista, LingayenDagupan Auxiliary Bishop Renato

Mayugba, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Colin Bagaforo, BontocLagawe bishop Rodolfo Beltran, Iba Bishop Florentino Lavarias, and Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar.

Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo, Auxiliary Bishop-elect of Manila, and Most Rev. Pablo David, Auxiliary Bishop-elect of San Fernando (Pampanga), will be the presider and homilist respectively during the July 8-9 Plenary Assembly Eucharistic celebrations, Fr. Figura added.

Some 129 bishop-members— 102 active members and 27 honorary or retired members—are expected to attend the CBCP 93rd Plenary Assembly, Fr. Figura said. #

Women Religious Call for Vigilance Pinky Barrientos, FSP

IN a carefully worded statement the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines (AMRSWP) called on government leaders to ease the sufferings of Filipinos through immediate and effective action.

The group also urged their religious sisters and lay partners to live their prophetic calling by exposing and denouncing all kinds of abuses.

They should be uncompromising in their search for truth and in conducting peace-building missions, the Statement stressed.

While quoting the prophet Jeremiah on his lamentations over the devastation of Jerusalem, the women religious also expressed their outrage and grief concerning human rights violations and ongoing political crisis that are crippling the country today.

Reflecting on the theme A Renewed Call to Prophetic Spirituality, 115 superiors from different congregations throughout the Philippines gathered from June 27 to June 29 for their annual assembly in Capuchin Retreat Center, Lipa City.

The convention’s organizers did not invite a speaker to give inputs for discussion.

Instead they used open space method, a workshop design tool that is very effective in large meetings like conventions. With open space technology people tend to become more creative, synergistic and self-motivated.

Sr. Emelina Villegas, an ICM Sister, fa-

cilitated the meeting and provided content and guidance for the workshop.

The discussions covered major areas of responsibility such as women empowerment, leadership, formation of sisters, biblical foundations of prophetic spirituality, family catechesis, education on Philippine politics, ecology, youth-families-women issues, and human dignity especially for the poor.

Bishop Sofronio Bancud, DD, Chairman of Episcopal Commission on Mixed Relations presided the concluding Eucharistic celebration. A short dialogue ensued between the Bishop and superiors of local congregations after the mass.

Aside from the official statement released to the media (See page 13) the assembly also drafted a letter addressed to all the Sisters of participating congregations. In it they shared what transpired in the convention, the questions and insights that they have articulated and struggled with especially in terms of being “prophets” in today’s world.

AMRSWP is an organization of active religious congregations of women in the Philippines. Its vision-mission commits itself “…to walk with our people, especially the poor: the peasants, the fisher folks, the displaced communities, the workers including migrants, women and children, and all the victims of injustice, in their struggles for liberation…” #

News

4 Church Marks World Day of Prayer for Priests THE Catholic Church celebrated last June 23 the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.

During the said celebration, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, the Vatican’s Prefect for the Congregation of the Clergy, asked all of the world’s bishops to promote the day of prayer for priests, which adopted the theme, “I have called you friends”.

Earlier on, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Most Rev. Fernando Filoni, in a letter sent to the CBCP President, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, conveyed the appeal of the Congregation for the Clergy to urge the faithful and all Church groups and in-

strumentalities to reflect, in the observance of said day of prayer, on Pope Benedict XVI’s homily delivered last Holy Thursday, April 13, at the Chrism Mass intended for all priests throughout the world.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his April 13 homily, stressed the pre-eminence of the priesthood, its core being founded on the “personal friendship” with Christ. “I no longer call you servants, but friends. The core of the priesthood is being friends of Jesus Christ. Only in this way can we truly speak in persona Christi, even if our inner remoteness from Christ cannot jeopardize the validity of the Sacrament,” the Pope said. (CBCP News)

Bishop Dismayed / from p1 In a rare rebuke, Bastes reminded Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Angel Reyes, responsible for the protection of the country’s environment, to heed its real mandate.

Bastes expressed revulsion to President Gloria Arroyo claiming she is the one who ordered to allow mining in Rapu-rapu.

“I’m really disappointed and worried with what happened,” he said.

He claimed the decision brushed off results of their investigation and the “cry of the people” for the closure of the mine.

“There’s a bleak future of our environment in Albay that such spills will happen again,” he said.

Bastes, who chairs the Rapu-rapu Fact-finding Commission (RRFFC), stressed their report “is guaranteed by the truth.”

The commission has called on the government to revoke the environmental compliance certificate issued to Lafayette, cease mining operations in Rapu-rapu and review the mining act.

“People will be up against them and the environment department will answer about that,” the prelate said.

In Legazpi City, a huge and church-led rally was held

June 15 and at Miriam College in Quezon City the following day.

Unlikely Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez earlier said it’s unlikely that such calls for closure of mining in Rapu-rapu be followed by the government.

“It’s a very difficult decision because money has been going on and this is true worldwide,” he said. ‘Life in the world is controlled by transnational corporations.

“And they would like to have money at whatever cost and they will use people, abuse them, exploit them, and discard them if they are no longer useful,” he added.

‘Partner in crime’ The commission earlier hit the authorities saying the mine spill could have been avoided had the DENR made close watch over the Lafayette operations.

It said the government’s “inability or unwillingness” to monitor mining operations was the factor of the disaster.

Bastes chided the DENR’s decision, which he called the “partner in crime” of Lafayette.

The prelate also disputed claims that mining is acceptable to the people of Albay and its adjacent provinces.

He said only some government officials with “questionable intentions” agreed to allow the operations. (CBCPNews)

Archbishop Justifies / from p1 scandalized by the language such as the terms in the module.

Totally groundless “The Catholic Church teaches that sex education is the sole right and responsibility of parents and no excuse or alibi can justify the public teaching of sex education by strangers,” he said.

Saying that sex is sacred, Aniceto also reiterated that sex education should be taught by parents and in the context of marriage and “not an extra-curricular activity” of the young.

He asserted that the standard excuse that parents do not know or are uncomfortable to teach children about sex is totally groundless.

“What we need to teach our children is their sexuality, as part and parcel of their internalization of family values,” he said.

He explained that “sexuality must be taught in the context of the marital union, not as a mere subject in a classroom which is devoid of values and total absence of the context of

CBCP Monitor

marriage, but as part of their maturation in the Family.”

Not just about sex Aniceto underscored that “human sexuality is not only about sex and reproduction for even without several years of classroom education or the benefit of modules from DepEd, even animals and plants are able to reproduce themselves.”

If parents do not know how to teach their children, the ECFL urged the government to develop modules suitable to prepare them to undertake the responsibility “because even our constitution guarantees parents this right.”

“It cannot be superseded by any artificially concocted rights like reproductive rights,” he stressed.

“We cannot condone the mindless shortcuts to indoctrinate our children about sex,” Aniceto added.

He further pointed out that it was an inter-faith group that found the new module “very offensive.” (CBCPNews)

July 3, 2006

Church Lauds / from p1 Diamante said: “For only in addressing the roots of poverty, injustice and inequality shall we be able to minimize and perhaps stop the commission of crime.”

Slow wheel On his part, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that with the abolition of death penalty, crime will continue to happen not because of the repeal of the law “but rather on account of evil human tendencies, due to weak police work and slow wheel of justice if not triumph of injustice.”

“Human justice is not always just,” he said. “This is especially true in this country where the ignorant, the poor and the helpless do not only have less in life but also less in law.”

“Those condemned to death by the courts of the land by and large come from practically those living in poverty and want.”

Vigilance But advocates are openly urging their supporters to be vigilant that a movement might float next year making noise for the restoration of the death penalty.

The principle in legislation is that congress does not pass irrepealable laws and congress can always change its mind.

Rep. Edcel Lagman, the principal sponsor of the HB 4826, an act prohibiting the imposition of the death penalty, said it’s not quite impossible that death penalty restoration will be raised again.

Now we have at least one year

without death penalty but we also know that it could be pushed again, says Ma. Socorro Chocno, secretary general of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).

Mass for life In what they’ve called a “victory of life,” church advocates, FLAG and the Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CADP) held a “mass for life” at the Our Lady of Remedies Parish in Malate, Manila on June 28.

“Killing is against the work of God,” said ECPPC vice-chairman Bishop Francisco San Diego who also led the celebration.

The bishop argued nobody has a right to kill other people because life is a gift that God gave us “and no one knows when He will take it.”

Along with San Diego during the mass were priests who have been, in one way of another, actively involved in the campaign to uphold life and scrap the capital punishment.

He stressed that prisoners are the poorest of the poor that are left with no choice but to commit crime to earn a living for their family.

And some of them, he lamented, are innocent. “Our justice is not fair and also defective.”

“Have you seen rich people executed?” the prelate asked.

He emphasized that there can be no justice when only marginalized and disadvantaged are meted out death sentences.

Lagdameo claimed “our justice system is so partial” that those who deserve to be in jail continue to be out of jail, and those who deserve to be out of jail

RP Youth / from p1 them to integrate their life and faith experiences.

But, the ultimate Most Rev. Joel Z. goal is that Baylon, Bishop of they are Masbate, chairs the Episcopal Commission able to live on Youth. their faith.

A source from ECY said the country’s delegation have been assigned to the AYD Drafting Committee.

One of their works is to gather insights, testimonies and experiences of the participants in order to create an official AYD statement.

A Filipino delegate has also been chosen to be in the Pool of Emcees, and will provide animation for the Holy Mass on August 2.

Then on August 3, the delegation will facilitate two workshops on Family Spirituality and Sexuality.

According to the AYD website (www.ayd2006.org), participants will jointly ex-

Justice that heals The country has now rejoined the other nations that abhor the ultimate punishment. The ranks of death penalty-free countries continue to grow.

“We must be thankful because our wounds are now healed with the abolition of the death penalty,” San Diego said.

To date, there are about 124 countries out 194 that had abolished the death penalty.

San Diego asked for more support in their crusade of lending a hand to the inmates and prayed that they’ll be as united as they were in calling for the abolition.

Advocates are hoping that the scrapping of the death penalty in the country will now be a permanent one.

Restorative justice, according to ECPPC, is a response to crime that focuses on restoring the losses suffered by victims holding offenders accountable for the harm they have caused, and building peace within communities.

Diamante said the country is now moving from justice that kills to justice that heals and hailed legislators and the people who have tirelessly advocated and lobbied for its abolition.

This is the second time in the country’s history that the death penalty was abolished.

Dr. Rotea / from p1 plore and project images of the existing and ideal families through workshops, exposures, exhibitions, religious dialogue and cultural performances.

“It is hoped that the AYD will bring hopes and changes to participants as they are faced with different situations in their life through a better understanding of the social factors affecting the family and the nourishment, strength and direction acquired from religious services and spiritual formation.”

Asian Youth Day is an Inter-religious Asian Youth Conference of a week-long experience of the life of the youth from Asia, characterized by the moments of fellowship, formation, and leading to constructive action.

Past Asian Youth Days were celebrated in Hua Hin, Thailand in 1999, Taipei, Taiwan in 2001, and Bangalore, India in 2003. (Ma. Lourdes Ebilane)

Inter-faith Leaders / from p1 In a statement signed by Pastors of Christian Fellowship Churches, priests of the Aglipayan Church and the Roman Catholic Church led

by Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas, they said that gambling destroys society.

"Gambling is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It endangers all of us," it said.

They claimed that people behind gambling are just taking opportunity of the gambler's weakness hoping to become rich.

"Desiring to become wealthy through gambling is

continue to be in jail.

“The system is perceived to be biased against the poor and powerless.

There is a great need to guarantee truly equal justice for all in our justice system,” he said.

sign of indolence," according to the statement.

They called on the people not to gamble, not to solicit money from politicians, and not to be afraid to report the gambling operators to Church leaders and government authorities.

"No one should ask money from politicians," the statement said. "Let us help them to be dignified and upright. To ask money from the politicians is to tempt them to commit sin."

The statement, written in Filipino, was read in all Churches in Bataan last June 11. (CBCP News)

cussed social justice and world peace, was attended by more than 700 participants from 44 countries.

Catholic women leaders shared each other’s experiences in seeking justice and peace on their respective countries. One of them is Amelita Dayrit-Go of the Philippines, the WUCWO vice-president who represents the Asia Pacific region.

She discussed about the poverty in the country a n d h o w i t a ff e c t s t h e women and children more than men.

“Women are hindered by unstable political and economic policies and are often limited in their access to education,” says Go who was quoted by the Catholic News Service as saying.

But even in their poverty there are success stories, especially with projects that teach women to turn life skills into businesses, she added.

The WUCWO also declared that peace is never attained once and for all, but must be built up ceaselessly.

Motivated by Christ’s teaching about the value of peace, they also identified that one of the major challenges of these times is the establishment of a “culture of peace” at every level of human endeavor.

The gathering was hosted by the National Council of Catholic Wo m e n , w h i c h h a s i t s headquarters in Arlington Rotea, 77, used to be the national president and first national vice-president of the Catholic Women’s League of the Philippines.

In 1994, she also became vice-chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council f o r R e s p o n s i b l e Vo t i n g (PPCRV) Rotea has been serving a t t h e C B C P O ff i c e o n Women since year 2000.

(CBCPNews)

CBCP Names / from p1 Panlasigui; Sr. Pilar Verzosa of Pro-Life Philippines; Msgr.

Mariano Melecia and Fr. Renato Pareja of the Lucena Diocese; Fr. Joseph Schwegmann of the Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese; Sebastian and Betty RoxasChua of Rosary for Life; Margarita Magdoza, Sr. Pilar Go, Danilo and Jemia Operiano for the Diocese of Tagbilaran; Jocelyn Misanes and Maria Elma Lopez of the Davao Marian Movements; and Marilou Galza of the CBCP-ECFL Secretariat.

The World Meeting of Families is an initiative of

John Paul II, who since 1994 has convoked and presided over the four Meetings which took place in Rome, Rio de Janeiro, and Manila.

With Pope Benedict XVI presiding, the WMF brings together hundreds of thousands of families from the five continents to pray, talk, learn, share and go into the depth of understanding the role of the Christian family as a domestic Church and basic unit of society.

The WMF is organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family of the Holy See. (CBCPNews)

CBCP Monitor

Feature

July 3, 2006

5

The Media Challenge to the Church

by Fr. Roy Cimagala

IN a pontifical university in Rome, a new course is offered to help the Church to more effectively tackle the many challenges of our days and thus to meaningfully flow with the times.

It’s a course on communication, aimed at training both priests and lay people, especially those working in Church communication offices, to ably engage the world of media in the pursuit of Church objectives.

The late Pope John Paul II has described the media as the new Areopagus, referring to the Greek market place of ideas of olden times where men freely discussed issues and argued their points among themselves.

As such the media cannot and should not be ignored. In fact, they have to be dealt with seriously, knowing their nature and their ways, and entering into a healthy relationship for the mutual benefit of both Church and the media.

We all know that the media figure prominently in informing people and in clarifying issues and problems as they arise. The media, in fact, are now an indispensable tool in the formation and nourishment of a people’s culture.

That’s why the Church cannot be left in the sidelines as important world developments are also at least being reflected in the media.

It has to give its due contribution, a very crucial one at that, since it works on the ethos of the people.

The Church is often described as the soul of the world, and its work may be compared to that of a leaven. It is supposed to be the salt and light of the world.

And it cannot do these roles from time to time only, but always and in all situations.

The Church’s contribution is always significant and relevant.

Rich in history, including its dark episodes, and in doctrine and culture, and pulsating in its daily life of liturgy, spirituality and pastoral work, the Church always has something to say to the media.

Yes, there is a need for discretion and prudence, but there is also a need for the Church to talk always. We just have to learn how to combine both needs properly.

That’s precisely why there is need for some professional training in this regard.

The Church, more than anybody else, has greater reason to have access if not to actively participate in the media world. The media cannot be left only to things ephemeral and mundane. They need the contribution of the Church.

This course on Church communication will certainly improve the Church’s participation in the media from being a mere provider of press releases, making announcements about Church events, to being an active agent of public opinion.

It hopefully will make Church communicators to be pro-active rather than passive, defensive and laid-back. It will help them to go beyond the amateur level, always expecting privileges and other special treatment, and to work in a very professional way, quite aware of the complexities of the job.

Fact is we are now living in a pluralistic and complex world. The Church cannot afford to just dish out simplistic press releases. Antiquated formulas also have to be revised and updated if not rejected to give way to more appropriate modern ones.

It has to learn to give prompt commentaries to events and issues properly, that is, with prudence and correctness. Thus its personnel should attain a certain level of competence, always underpinned by an indispensable spirituality.

Their training should include not only the knowledge of techniques but also a good grounding in Church doctrine and a keen sense of timing. They should be clear in the distinction between doctrine and opinion, between what is the Church’s and what is simply theirs. #

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The Sacred Heart, the Church and Social Concerns

by Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. THIS year was declared by the CBCP as a Year of Social Concerns under the auspices of the Sacred Heart. The Sacred Heart part of the declaration was occasioned by the celebration this year of the 150th anniversary of the liturgical institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart and the fiftieth anniversary of Haurietis Aquas, Pius XII’s great encyclical on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

It is, however, truly fitting, even apart from the commemoration of these two noteworthy religious events, to celebrate the Year of Social Concerns under the auspices or patronage of the Sacred Heart. For the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the symbol of the agape, the caritas, the love with which God has loved us, and the love of Christ through whom God supremely manifested and communicated his love to all humanity.

We believe in God’s love for us. And we believe that it was manifested and communicated to us all through Jesus’ love manifested by his very person, his words, deeds, and especially by his passion, death and resurrection and most aptly symbolized by his pierced heart. When John in his first letter declares that “God is love,� he. Immediately adds: “�And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.

This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven� (1Jn. 4: 9-10).

These passages from 1John, which Pope Benedict XVI also quotes in his first encyclical letter, “Deus Caritas Est� also indicate for us, how to celebrate this Year of Social Concerns. Paradoxically enough, we celebrate this year best not primarily by holding celebrations but by actually addressing and responding to social concerns.

Social concerns can be distinguished into two: concerns of charity and concerns of justice. Concerns

of charity abound around us, and we must address them, as the Pope tells us, individually and in an organized manner, but always keeping the personal touch. With about 40% of our people living below the poverty line, there is ample opportunity for this individual and organized charitable response. Individuals give material help and services to other individuals. But parishes also organize weekly medical and dental missions, and dioceses have social action centers like Caritas Manila with projects like Pondo ng Pinoy to alleviate the poverty of so many. One organized work of charity that has become prominent and has rightly won acclaim and support is the Gawad Kalinga project of the Couples for Christ which seeks to help the poor have decent housing.

But, as we well know, “social concerns� is not only charitable works. “Social concerns� includes justice. Indeed, without justice there cannot even be true charity, for as Pope Paul VI observed, “Justice is the minimum of charity.� To truly love a person, we must be also just to him/her, and indeed, be just to him/her first of all.

Justice in turn is divided into commutative or individual justice and social justice. The members of the hierarchy and the CBCP as a body used to be very vocal advocates of social justice, specifically against violation of human rights and against governmental abuses and corruption.

But many people have observed and lamented that this is not the case now.

It seems that the pendulum has swung from “the Cardinal Sin era� when the leaders of the Church were vigilant defenders of people’s human rights and opponents of graft and corruption to the other extreme where silence, or only muted and divided response is all we get from the members of the hierarchy. We, the bishops, were certainly not in the forefront of those denouncing the massive cheating, now confirmed by the

Senate findings, in the 2004 elections.

Neither were we, with a few exceptions, vocal opponents of Proclamation 1017, EO 464, and the CPR (calibrated pre-emptive response), which were all instruments of oppression.

Certainly, too, the voices of the bishops have not risen in united and angry protest against the continued abduction and killing of journalists and members of militant groups.

Some bishops may have taken refuge in the words of Pope Benedict XVI in “Deus Caritas Est,� when he writes, “The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. . . . A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church.�

But the Pope also adds these counterpoints: “Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.

She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. . .� And again: “Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply.� (no. 27).

One may again reply, “Yes, but the Church’s part in bringing about justice in society belongs to the lay people specifically. But again, the reply to that is—and we used to say this loudly before—�But can we bishops, clergy and religious not voice our concerns as citizens of this country?� Let me add to that, “Should not the shepherds protest when the sheep are being attacked?�

There may have been reasons to criticize us when we got too involved in the specifics of politics and economics before. But will there not be reason now to criticize us for our silence or lack of forceful and united protest in the face of blatant injustices? #

CBCP Monitor

Opinion

6

July 3, 2006

Editorial

A Meddling Church WITH the socio-political horizon in the country getting too bad and too hurting, the Church is again dipping its fingers into politics, as she always did in times of political crises. But almost instantaneously, she would be accused of meddling in politics by those who think that the Church should rather exclusively confine herself to the affairs of the sacristy.

For Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to say that the Church should “not sink too much into politicking because we respect them and we hope that they understand that we need the separation of Church and State,” is, of course, a political spin in much the same breath as when administration congressmen routinely admonish that the Church should concentrate on spiritual matters and leave the political to politicians. Such maneuverings should be dismissed as fast as one would a political propaganda. Besides, why leave a serious matter as the future of our children to the exclusive domain of politicians?

But how would you make out of simple people, parishioners or BEC members maybe, mouthing the same accusations over the radio or at letters to the editors and emails? To mention some of the comments: “please attend to your erring priests instead of politics,” “stop politicking!” “the church should concentrate on spiritual matters, not on the political,” “instead of preaching the Gospel, you choose to preach politics,” “many are leaving the Catholic church because priests are now politicians,” “wala nang ginawa ang simbahan maliban sa pamumulitika,”—and many more.

It looks like lay people are not really familiar with the social teachings of the church— presuming, of course, that the aforementioned comments did not come from people listed in the payroll of political benefactors. While it is a catechetical challenge, it is also a ready barometer of the present ecclesiological framework that the Church projects to people, knowingly or unknowingly.

The Church has great social encyclicals to back up the validity of its involvement in the sociological sphere. And there is Gaudium et Spes and the universal catechism to boot, without even mentioning the PCP II and the CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on Politics. And now, there is the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church that continues to expound and update the rich patrimony of Catholic social doctrine.

There may be no mistaking that this prevalent ecclesiological perception came out of people’s observation that the regular job of their priests are saying masses and doing other stipend-generating religious preoccupations. Priests who would devote most of their time to social reforms and other advocacies as the environment are very few and are sadly marked as activists.

But don’t you think Christ would be doing the same if he were here today? Or would he join the mainstream pastoral of merely presiding sacramental celebrations, building rectories and organizing elaborate santacruzan? #

Abp. Angel N. Lagdameo, DD

Ref lections eflections ANGELO Cardinal Roncalli was week shy of age 77 when he became Pope John XXIII. He was the choice from 53 cardinals who were divided into five groups: Curial Conservatives, Progressive Frenchmen, Minority members of the Curia, Northern–Italian Liberals, and a few non-Italian Cardinals. Roncalli was considered “center-left” on the spectrum.

Becoming Pope in October 1958, he showed himself to be a pastor at heart, a historian by scholarly preference, an organizer and diplomat by experience. His papacy lasted for only 1600 days (4 years and 5 months). Everything happened very fast.

Within a moth he pointed out Msgr.

Domencio Tardini, full-pledged secretary of the State, the first since 1944, because Pope Pius XII acted as his own Secretary of the State. He also announced 23 new cardinals, added to 53 old ones, breaking the traditional limit of 70.

Within the first 100 days, in January 1959, he discussed with his Secretary of State that he would convoke an Ecumeni-

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cal Council as a “direct inspiration of the Most High”, “the flower of an unforeseen spring.” Cardinal Tardini almost fell off his chair. According to a Roman saying: “The Pope reigns, but the Secretary of the State governs.” Tardini was exultant. Let John XXIII call a council.

Tardini will run it and all will be well.

Even before Roncalli became Pope, the conservative Cardinal Ottaviani of the Holy Office [Sacred Doctrine] had suggested a council, but only to put to rest “errors” circulating in the Church. Roman Cardinals welcomed the plan of an ecumenical council; they felt in part John was their creature, because they elected him. But very soon John XXIII unfolded his own fresh ideas and reaction and opposition developed. The debate was not about “whether” a Council, but “whither” the Council.

John XXIII’s first Encyclical letter Ad Petri Cathedram issued in three words the program of his pontificate and of the forthcoming ecumenical Council: truth, peace, unity. In the Encyclical John

The Laity’s Call to Social Transformation WHILE the Church time and again calls for national renewal through social transformation, the ills of society that portrays its total failure are still ever present. The poverty of our people has appallingly turned to worse considering that the latest survey showed that about 16% of our poor people take only 2 meals a day and that hungry schoolchildren have to be coaxed to attend school in order to accept a dole-out of one ganta of rice each day for the family meal.

Much has still to be said about the state of social justice in the Philippines. To quote the latest pastoral insight of Archbishop Angel Lagdameo during the launching of Social Concerns Year of 2006, “”Dishonesty in the market place, graft and corruption in private and public life and unjust wages for employees violate social justice and love” How should this be addressed by the laity, admittedly the implementing arm of this call of CBCP, a call that addresses the concerns of the secular world?

LAIKO’s being called to social transformation is by no means new. Participation in social transformation was one of the four aspects of the laity’s role and life postulated by

Bl. Pope John XXIII and Vatican II argued that knowledge of truth is the basis of a united and peaceful society. It reflected the struggle of two viewpoints within the Church, within the Roma Curia: “one defensive and negative, the other affirmative and positive, a struggle between John’s ‘fresh air’ mentality and the integralist mentality of the Curia.” He made it clear what the Second Vatican Council will try to achieve: “The Councils’ special concerns will be the growth of the Catholic Church, the renewal of the spirit of the Gospel in the hearts of people everywhere and the adjustment of Christian discipline to the exigencies of modern day living.”

This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. Unless we were there 40 years ago, with the likes of Archbishop Pedro Santos, Archbishop Cesar Ma. Guererro, Archbishop Teofilo Camomot, Bishop (now Servant of God) Alfredo Ma. Obviar, to name a few, we would not be able to completely Reflections / P8

Jose B. Lugay

LAIK OL AMPST AND AIKO LAMPST AMPSTAND

PCP II. It decreed that the laity are called: 1) to a Community of Disciples, 2) to Christian Presence, 3) to Service and Evangelization and 4) to Social Transformation. PCP II was held in 1991, 15 years ago. If there was transformation at all, it was for the worse as the present gridlock in our legislature shows and the continuing people’s distrust in the President’s moral authority to rule. This of course is affecting society as a whole, and in particular, the poor who bear the greater burden.

A review of the progress of the drive for renewal of the Philippine Church as promulgated by the Acts and Decrees of PCP II was done after 10 years had passed. This was during the incumbency of Archbishop Orlando Quevedo as President of CBCP in 2001. Perhaps it was the many orientational and operational decrees of PCP II that confused the lay faithful. The dilemma was, which of the decrees were priority for action to effect social transformation? The National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal came out with the selection of the 9 Pastoral Priorities. One of them is “Empowerment of the Laity Towards Social Transformation.”

Realizing the extensive gap between

pronouncements and action, it was incumbent upon the Council of the Laity of the Philippines to lend its secular orientation to answer these calls. It requires a thorough analysis of past and current situations, prioritization of the areas for change, setting the standards to follow, establishing procedures before an action plan can be implemented. Success can only be assured if the necessary resources are available and ready when these are needed. These are: manpower, funds, and management expertise. Yes, prayers and spiritual formation should precede all these steps in order to have morally and ethically-formed individuals—persons of integrity with commitment and resolve to get results for the much awaited social transformation. This is the basic requirement for a lay person to be part of an advocacy work in social transformation. Subsequently, more training of the lay volunteer is needed in the specific fields of activity where social change is to be accomplished.

In November 2003, the LAIKO National Consultation on Social Transformation was held at the Philippine International ConLaiko Lampstand / P8

CBCP Monitor

Opinion

July 3, 2006 Leonardo Y. Medroso, JCD, DD

TIDBITS THEY came in droves, some 300,000 thousand committed laymen and women, all representatives of over 100 new ecclesial movements and faith communities around the world. They were invited to meet Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square on the vigil of Pentecost on 2 June 2006. Actually, it was not the first time that they converged in Rome. It was the second time.

On this occasion, to prepare them for the eventual meeting of the Successor of Peter, they were huddled together for 3 days, from 31 May to 2 June 2006 in Rocca di Papa. They reflected on the topic: “The beauty of being a Christian and the joy of communicating this”, a theme that was inspired by the homily preached by Benedict XVI at the Mass inaugurating his pontificate.

On the vigil of Pentecost, they came to St. Peter’s Square. The Holy Father shared with them the joy of Pentecost with these introductory words: “You belong to different peoples and cultures and represent here all the members of the ecclesial movements and new communities, spiritually gathered round the Successor of Peter to proclaim the joy of believing in Jesus Christ and renew the commitment to be faithful disciples in our time” (Benedict XVI, Homily on Pentecost).

This event points out to all the continued existence as well as the proliferation and intensification of lay associations, small faith communities, and

New Ecclesial Movements and the Diocesan Bishops

new ecclesial movements. They are existing not in abstract places in the world, but in dioceses and parishes, permanent basic structures of the Church’s life. Hence, for these institutions to ignore the existence of these realities is, to say the least, not wise.

And yet, the phenomenon, refreshing and enlivening though it may be, has been looked with askance and caution by some authorities, for it has through these years remained an unknown factor, if not a mystery, to the local Churches, ever presenting untoward juridical problems.

The local authorities and their trusted counselors, many of them experts in the law of the Church, cannot place these new realities within legal dimensions. The issuance of the Code of Canon Law in 1983 with its definitions and classifications of a thousand and one possible configurations of lay groupings somehow ease that tension, giving the bishops the needed locus to identify and define them. But the difficulty is still there, for the legal norms have not spelled out specific references to the juridical space of these new ecclesial realities.

All the while the Magisterium of the Church has gone out to ease the tensions. The event that occurred in 2 June 2006 was in fact a mere follow-up of a series of events and papal pronouncements, oral as well as written that has articulately expressed the profound

concern of the Popes regarding the status of these communities in relation to the local Church where they exist. Immediately prior to this event was the first world congress of ecclesial communities and lay movements convened by the late Pope John Paul II in June 1998.

The following year a meeting of bishops around the world was convened in Rome to shrug off some apprehensions, suspicions, and tensions created by the existence of such communities. It was expected to come out with some concrete resolutions as purported in its theme: “The ecclesial movements in the pastoral solicitude of the Bishops”.

These acts of the Magisterium are meant to send signal to the bishops and the priests to welcome these new movements. The Holy Father has accepted them as part of the apostolate of the Church, recognized their charisms as providential gifts of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the local churches, and reminded them of their duties towards the local authorities.

This was particularly expressed by Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Ratzinger of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, in his address to the bishops in the 1999 meeting when he said: “Here, suddenly, something no one had planned. Here, so to speak, the Holy Spirit had taken the floor once Tidbits / P12

Melo M. Acuña

Technology and Media A fresh graduate from the University of the Philippines or any college offering a degree in Mass Communications would frown at facts and figures about the profession some decades ago, when we pounded portable typewriter keys late into the night. Pictures were sent by courier and stories were transmitted to the publishing houses by phone, “collect” long distance calls which lasted from five to 15 minutes at most or relied on the telex in key cities.

Today, one can’t simply leave home without a mobile phone complete with 3G functions or one can’t imagine life without personal computers, palmtops and ipods and other high tech gadgets.

It seems most Filipinos wouldn’t feel alright without a cable television connection.

During the early years of Martial Law, the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP) mimeographed reports with vivid descriptions of human rights violations committed by men in uniform on hap-

less, helpless and hopeless Filipinos. The paper was called Ichtys—a password of the early Christians before their secret meetings. The term was symbolized by a fish, easily recognized by Christians of the early Roman Empire, prior to the Edict of Milan.

Then came a white four-paged paper published by Fr. James Reuter, S.J. entitled “The Communicator.” I do recall the days when rumors of impending raids on Social Action Centers would send us rushing to hide Ichtys and “The Communicator,” then considered “subversive materials.” It was during the late 1970s when college editors along with Jose G. Burgos, Jr. begun publishing a fortnightly called “We Forum.” Later on, then came Malaya—which proved to be an alternative newspaper.

Of course, Martial Law was “lifted” in 1981. Opposition icon Ninoy Aquino was murdered and EDSA People Power I occurred and brought strongman Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and his family to exile. Almost everyone rejoiced with

Oscar V. Cruz, DD

VIEWS and POINTS THE constitutional provision on impeachment has one composite inherent finality: to right a wrong, to find the truth, to administer justice. Such fundamental objective of the impeachment process is clearly over and above political considerations, beyond the system of profits and rewards. To do what is right is not an option. Truth knows no party. Justice is for all.

It is both sad and dangerous that the impeachment process in the country has become but a matter of who is in tenure of power and influence, who can give and promise more favors, who has more partisan political allies. What could be wrong is of no consequence. What could be deceitful does not matter. What could be unjust is irrelevant.

Issues and Concerns the return of democracy to the country.

Technology has improved. We now have electronic mails, scanners, satellite and camera phones and a lot more. You may not have noticed the problems then have remained practically unsolved: farmers still don’t have their own lands to till, school dropouts have remained common, workers still get meager pay, local businessmen lose millions to smuggled commodities and political killings have remained unabated and unsolved.

It has been said that we really live in interesting times when almost everyone is exposed to media. One must remember an item written in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2494 citing the Vatican Council II Decree Inter Mirifica: “The information provided by the media is at the service of the common good.

Society has a right to information based on truth, freedom, justice and solidarity.”

Need I say more?

For your comments and suggestions, please send them through acunamelo@yahoo.com. #

Who is Afraid of Impeachment?

Such distorted view is a big disservice to the common welfare and a huge impediment to socio-economic progress.

With such a political malaise, it becomes a moral impossibility for the country to move on, for the people to be united. It is the government itself that finds it difficult to govern.

One is afraid of an impeachment process not really because it causes social disturbance. There is already much disturbance and unrest in the country. One who wants to avoid impeachment no matter the cost is moved by many other considerations—none of which has anything to do with what is right, true and just.

Precisely, an impeachment process should be much welcomed by someone suspect of lying, stealing and cheating.

It is specifically impeachment that provides the forum for the suspect to be heard, for the same to be cleared of such detestable suspicion.

Not to allow at least an impeachment process to take place in the presence of those who testified to wrong doings, persistent, loud and repeated pursuant accusations can be anything but the way of the prudent and wise. In effect, placing all obstacles for an impeachment to proceed can be readily interpreted as an indirect admission of guilt.

The CBCP has no less than thrice officially called for the search for truth about the 2004 elections. It also explicitly mentioned that an impeachment process is one way of letting the truth out.

Why be afraid of impeachment? #

7 Henrietta T. de Villa

FAITH and FIRE

Pondo ng Pinoy OUR youngest grand daughter, Betita, celebrated her first birthday with a garden party on Sunday 25 June.

Sixty children and some 70 dads, moms, relatives and friends (with or without children) and yayas (of course) have been invited. Such pretty and colorful loot bags with lots of goodies have been lovingly prepared by Betita’s daddy and mommy. A fun-filled program of mascots, magic and music, as well as a table full of food will highlight the celebration. Why all the shindig for a one-year old little girl who may not even realize all the fuss and the effort being poured out for her birthday party? Because Betita is grace—an unbelievable grace for her parents who lost their first baby before her, and who only clung to the love of God and their love for each other to sustain their hope that Betita would be born—alive and healthy.

Pondo ng Pinoy (PnP) recently turned 2 years old.

And what a huge and happy celebration marked this event last 17 June at the La Salle-Greenhills Dome Gymnasium. The turnout was fantastic—some 2,500 singing, clapping, praying, listening people came. From Antipolo, Cubao, Daet, Imus, Kalookan, Malolos, Manila, Novaliches, Parañaque, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, San Pablo, Taytay, and the Military Ordinariate—they were all there, families with their children, parishioners, members of communities and lay organizations, priests and nuns, NGOs—as if they were celebrants themselves.

Indeed they were all celebrants. Because they have been touched by grace. Because Pondo ng Pinoy is grace.

And Pondo ng Pinoy has touched their hearts and touched their faith. PnP is grace, not simply because of the mountain-high 25 centavo-coins now counting 82 million pesos. Not even because the growth rate of the collection (from 18 million last year to 82 million this year) is something close to 300% growth rate.

Pondo ng Pinoy is grace because it is now changing lives. The poor are starting to be lifted up from material poverty, while spiritual poverty is starting to lift up people from the conceit of their hearts.

The highlight of the program were the stories of mothers, catechists, scholars, married couples, out of school youth on whom the dawn of a new day is coming within their glimpse because of Pondo ng Pinoy.

Hapag-Asa, a Pondo ng Pinoy flagship project which aims to reverse the negative effects of severe malnutrition, now has some 6000 malnourished children in its 6 months vitameal-enriched feeding program. A mother spoke of how their Hapag-Asa son never starts a meal now without first saying a prayer. “Napahiya po ako, mas marunong pang magturo ng mabuti ang anak ko kaysa sa akin.” It turned out she is an Iglesia ni Kristo member, but this did not stop the priest in their neighborhood to put her son in the feeding program. She said later, “Ang ganda po ng Pondo ng Pinoy, walang sinasantabi, ang grasya niya para sa lahat.”

There was this youth from a very poor family in Imus. “Hindi na sana ako makakapag-enroll kasi kulang ang pera namin. Ngunit bigla na lang may nagbayad ng tuition ko, hindi ko alam kung sino. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na Pondo ng Pinoy pala ang nagpapaaral sa akin.”

There was the married couple living in “Dasma,” the Beverly Hills of Makati. When they learned about Pondo ng Pinoy, they were captivated by its teaching— love of God and love of neighbor urging you to save just 25 centavos (literally crumbs to them) but done on a daily basis. The habit of saving and the virtue of sharing expressed in the lowly crumbs quietly urged them to forego with a grand celebration for their 50th wedding anniversary. Instead they gave what they would have spent to Pondo ng Pinoy.

At the end of the day His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, the visionary of Pondo ng Pinoy, had an extra bounce to his step, and an added twinkle to his smile as he said, “Grasya ka talaga, Pondo ng Pinoy.”

And 2,500 hearts in that dome gratefully agreed.

It is true what we are now learning in the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting) Public Forum on Understanding Charter Change that we are organizing in selected dioceses around the country. It is not the form of government that will preserve our democracy and the freedoms it guarantees. It is not even the Constitution that will bring about love, justice and peace in our land. It is PEOPLE. People who will make it a personal and a human act to help re-build our nation. People who will not allow themselves to be used as instruments of greed, nor become themselves greed in person.

Finally, it is GOD who will give us the grace to break out of our own sinful selves by touching our lives with his love. From the experience of being loved, we can go from strength to strength in loving others, especially the poor. #

8

CBCP Commisions

Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI)

THE beginnings of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) may be traced back to 15 February 1945, when the Episcopal Commission Committee (CWO) on Emigration reported to the Catholic Welfare Organization (CWO) the situation of the Filipinos in USA, Hawaii and Guam and the corresponding actions taken by the Church.

In the early 60’s the Body of Bishops established the Apostleship of the Sea to meet to the needs of the seafarers in the country.

In January 1967, two Episcopal Commissions were created under the Article XXV of the CBCP Constitutions, namely, the Commission on Immigration and Tourism and Commission on the Apostolates of the Sea and Air. In 1972, the Bishops merged two commissions into one body called the Episcopal Commission on Migration and Tourism (ECMT), in order to answer the growing spiritual, pastoral and social needs of migrants and their families.

In 1984 the actual office was opened and blessed by Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes D.D., then Chairman. Since then ECMI has been

headed by a Scalabrinian missionary with the task of coordinating and promoting ECMI’s apostolate, programs and services to people on the move.

On February 21, 1988, CBCP issued the first ever: “Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on the occasion of National Migration Day.” The year 1995 turned out to be the most significant year. During the 70th Bishops’ Plenary Assembly, CBCP approved the change of ECMT to ECMI and on the 71st Bishops Plenary Assembly, CBCP issued its second pastoral letter called “Comfort My People, Comfort Them,” dedicated to the Over-

Reflection / from p6 say what these bishops not only understood, but also felt with the terms often used at the time of the preparation for the council: “progress,” “renewal,” “renovation,” “rejuvenation” (renovare, instaurare, iuvenescere). The Councils that they knew among others were the Council of Trent and Vatican I. They had to grapple and struggle with the new terms as they re-learned “being church.”

The one traditional term which is practically absent from the Council’s document is the word “reform” or “reformation.” In contrast with the other terms, “reform” connotes a process whereby something is corrected which was wrong. Understandably, the Council made great effort to avoid admission of mistake; but it did make real “reversals” in some teaching in the name of “renewal.”

Aggiornamento is the word used at the preparation and at the Council. It remained the clarion call of John and the Council.

Aggiornamento is the desire and the effort to bring the Church up to date and to make it effective in the contemporary world.

For John the spirit of aggiornamento would bring “together all the bishops of the Church in communion with the Holy See as a sort of new Pentecost… which is destined to move both heaven and earth” (May 7, 1959). John paced the Council by Pentecost, the feast of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. In 1959 he established the Ante-preparatory Commission (Phase I) on Pentecost. In 1960, he set up the preparatory commissions and secretariats (Phase II) on Pentecost. In 1961 he set up the Central Preparatory Commission (Phase III) on Pentecost. Then in October 11, 1962, the opening of the Council, John focused his attention again on the “new Pentecost” that was to happen in the Church and in the world.

All along Pope John XXIII proved himself a master in balancing act between conservative and progressive cardinals. Chairmanship of the ten Preparatory Commissions he gave to the Cardinals in the Curia; But the Presidency of the Council sessions he gave mostly to cardinals “in the care of souls” from all over the world. He made it clear that Vatican II would be “practical rather than

seas Filipino Workers.

In that same year, ECMI opened three Regional Migration Desks (RMD) namely, RMD Luzon, RMD Visayas and RMD Mindanao, to better cater to the needs of people on the move.

In its vision-mission statements, ECMI “envisions a society in which the right to migrate is guaranteed, and a society in which no one will be forced to migrate for whatever reason…” And for its mission ECMI intends to reach out, provide pastoral and social services to people-onthe-move and their families in the Philippines, regardless of religion, race or ethnic background.

Among the ECMI current goals are studies and researches on the phenomena of migration, formation programs of overseas contract workers to make them move and aware of their missionary role abroad, assurance of an adequate number of priests and religious involved in the ministry of people on the move and the protection of the fundamental rights and dignity of Itinerant people, in answer to the mandates of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Education and Formation Education and formation programs are delivered to varied audiences or clienteles such as the clergy, religious, to teachers of Catholic schools, to high school and college students, to church leaders or church based organizations, to departing land-based or sea-based workers to missionaries who are going to minister to the Filipino overseas and the members of the families left behind

by Filipino migrants.

CBCP Monitor July 3, 2006

Linkages and networking ECMI is one of the founding and active members of the Philippine Migrant Rights Watch (PMRW). It continues to build network and linkages with other government and non-government organizations both in the country and overseas.

It produces a newsletter (The Itinerant) and other publications dedicated to the issues of migrants and formation materials for pastoral ministers for Overseas Foreign Workers (OWF) and their families. ECMI has a website under the auspices of the Media office’s www.cbcponline.net.

Pastoral and Social Programs ECMI commits to support community building; encourages income generating projects among migrants’ families at the parish level; provide religious and sacramental care or services; supports Filipino chaplain activities overseas; offer counseling or legal advices and orientation; renders lobbying and advocacy works.

A full time Para-legal and Advocacy Desk Coordinator from the Daughters of Charity serves the various counseling needs of OFWs and their families.

Structure Building ECMI had established regional migration desks in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It aims to assist dioceses in the Philippines to create diocesan migration desk and parish-based migrants’ ministry. #

Laiko Lampstand / from p6 dogmatic, pastoral rather than theological, concerned with norms rather than with definitions… an internal affair for the good of the Church.” While they agreed, nevertheless John XXIII was counting on the 2594 bishops, Cardinal Tardini was counting on the Curia.

Where the Preparatory Theological Commission under Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani had a clear conservative majority, the conciliar commission elected by the bishops, had clear, but not lopsided, progressive majority. Balance between curial and non-curial membership in appointments was ably balanced by the General Secretary of the Council, Archbishop Felici, appointed by the Pope. “Obedientia et Pax” was the Pope’s motto, and in this process he saw the bishops as his superiors. His job was to call the bishops together, urging them to take a fresh look at things.

During the Council, at the age of 81, Pope John was active on three fronts: work with the conciliar bodies, interventions in the Council itself, meetings with various individuals and groups of bishops. He left the General Secretariat and the Council of 10 Presidents to manage their affairs, responding only as needed to decision and support. John did make 25 public interventions, and many more unofficial interventions. It reflected that he was a Pope in a hurry. He told the Council that debate was necessary and that he felt like Jacob watching in silence while his sons argued with each other. He intervened to keep the process moving and to preserve the freedom of the bishops, not to force a direction.

At the end of November 1962 Pope John became seriously sick. He was reported to be dying. John knew he was dying of cancerous internal bleeding. This Pope in a hurry still managed in March 1963 to institute a commission that would reform the Code of Canon Law. He reminded the bishops to continue the work of the Council “unflaggingly” and to keep it as the “apple of their eye” because it was of interest to all of humanity and they are responsible for the salvation of the whole world. Pope John XXIII died in June 3, 1963, a day after Pentecost. Pope, now Blessed, John XXIII pentecostal pontificate was accomplished.

vention Center. It was participated by at least 2 officers of the 43-member lay organizations and 46member Diocesan Councils of the Laity. The theme was “The Laity Taking on the Challenge in Transforming Society.” All the resolutions, despite its relevance and urgency remained as ideas which did not trigger action for social change. However, the participants were convinced that the selected topics defined the priority areas for action and lay intervention. These are: a) Communities, b) Business, c) Education, d) Local Governance.

These 4 selected focus areas for social transformation are just waiting for a critical mass of evangelized laity. The Council of the Laity had not been remiss in the development of the lay faithful along the doctrines of Vatican II and PCP II. Evangelization had been the focus of the Council of the Laity in previous years. During the incumbency of past LAIKO President Antonio de los Reyes from 1991 to 2001 the programs were based on PCP II’s vision and mission. The convention themes and subsequent activities were in the areas of concern of: a) the Church of the Home, i.e., the family; b) the Church of the Poor; and c) the Church of the Future, i.e., the youth.

It was during the tenure of past LAIKO President Sonia Ronda, when the training direction was changed by the National Director of ECLA, Bishop Gabriel Reyes. The move was to help in the formation of Diocesan lay leaders. Since each diocese had their own programs on the family, the poor and the youth similar to that of LAIKO’s, what was needed then was the training of diocesan leaders to be able to train trainers focusing on the role of the laity as servant leader. This has been going on for the last 6 years up to the present. Participation however could be much improved. *** A more action-oriented challenge was posed to LAIKO no less than CBCP itself in its Pastoral Letter, Let Integrity Flow Like a Stream,” (July 7, 2003).

“We recognize the important steps that government has been taking in recent months. We challenge new groups to organize themselves and address this problem in their respective sectors and localities. In particular we urge all our Catholic institutions, schools, parishes, religious organizations and movements and Basic Ecclesial Communities to emphasize value formation especially in the family, and to throw themselves vigorously in this campaign.”

“As we Bishops commit ourselves to this

cause, we assign NASSA, our social action arm, and the Council of the Laity of the Philippines, to lead in implementing Church initiatives against graft and corruption.”

The specific invitation of Malacanang through the Bishop Businessmen’s Conference was for LAIKO members to participate as Observers of the Bids and Awards Committees of government institutions as required by the new procurement law, R.A.9184. Bishop Gabriel Reyes, did not lose time in harnessing the laity for this undertaking. Starting November 2004, up to the present, June 2006, participation in the Bids and Awards Committees by LAIKO members have borne fruit—principally the prevention of corruption by timely intervention in the detailed processes of government bidding by 9 trained Observers who had been trained to detect anomalies particularly in violating the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184.

One distinction between a volunteer from other civic and professional organizations and that of a LAIKO volunteer is the degree of commitment shown by his/her 100 % attendance in the training program conducted by Procurement Watch, Inc. and eventual participation as Observer in the institutions where he/she had been deployed and continuous participation in the Bids and Awards Committee meetings.

Due to the demands of the job, that includes at least 3 meetings a month for one Observer, writing of reports, special meetings, occasionally facing threats, apart from spending time and transportation money without any direct “pat on the back” for good work done, many observers from civic organizations quit the job after some time. The patience and consistency of our LAIKO Observers in doing their assigned tasks attracted other government institutions to tie up with LAIKO permanently. Up to this time, this is still in the planning stage between LAIKO and the BishopBusinessmen’s Conference group.

Our main drive at present is to attract more LAIKO volunteers especially in Metro Manila. We need at least 30 more volunteers. All those interested and who believe that there is hope for this country to overcome its social ills particularly graft and corruption in government procurement, may contact Mr. Joseph Jesalva, Executive Secretary of the Advocacy for Responsible Governance, LAIKO, contact no. 527-5388 or Telfax 527-3124, LAIKO Building, 327 Cabildo St., Intramuros, Manila.

CBCP Monitor

Diocese

July 3, 2006 MORE than the chronic typhoons and tropical depressions that have become the hallmark of Catanduanes province, the islandDiocese of Virac yet proves as strong and sturdy in its pastoral mandate best articulated by John 10:10, “that they may have life, life in all its fullness.”

The Diocese of Virac covers the entire island-civil province of Catanduanes. The Diocese is composed of seventeen (17) parishes and two (2) Mission Churches, of which eleven (11) are town-parishes.

The island-Diocese lies in the Southeastern part of the Philippine Archipelago. It is situated within what is known as the “typhoon belt” that stretches from the eastern coast of Mindanao all the way up to the Babuyan Channel in the north of the country. Hence, Catanduanes is frequented by typhoons or tropical depressions on an average of six to ten times a year from the months of August through December. Typhoons vary in strength and, consequently, in their damage to crops, property and life.

Several islands compose the province, but majority of these are physically small to be of relative significance. Its aggregate land area totals approximately 1,511.5 square kilometers and the coastlines which stretch to almost 400 kilometers are mostly embayed and cliffed.

9 Important Facts

Synod. It institutionalized the New Evangelization Pastorale (NEP), which is geared towards the formation of small Basic Faith Communities (BFCs) in the parishes.

Name: Diocesis Viracensis (Diocese of Virac) Territorial: Diocese Creation Date: May 27, 1974 Canonical Erection: August 27, 1974 Civil Province: Province of Catanduanes Titular: Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Secondary Patron: St. Joseph Metropolitan See: Archdiocese of Caceres Population of Jurisdiction: 234,386 (projected as of January, 2006) No. of Catholics: 227,354 (97%) Area: 151,148 hectares

Vision-Mission The island-Diocese of Virac’s vision is aptly stated thus: “Banwaan na katipan nin Kagurangnan sa pagkamuot, sa islang-Diocesis nin Virac, natingrawan kan liwanang kan bagong buhay, na inako sa pagtubod, nagrurukyaw kaining Marhay na Bareta, nganing mabago an lawog nin kinaban, mantang naglalakaw pasring sa Ama sa dalan dan Espiritu Santo sa pangataman ni Birhen Maria.”

Faithful to its foregoing vision, the island-Diocese aims to pursue its prime mission, thus: “Committing ourselves to the covenant love of the Lord, under the maternal care of Blessed Virgin Mary, we shall work together in the island diocese of Virac to become a home and sacrament of divine forgiveness and communion through the new evangelization that will fan our faith into a flame through all generations and make us builders of a civilization of life and love.”

Seminaries • Immaculate Conception Seminary (High School /Pre-College) • St. John the Baptist Religious Seminary

Father Joseph Rey Villamartin with the Diocesan Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.

Retreat Houses • St. John the Baptist House of Spirituality • Galilee Retreat House Orphanage • Alfonso Maria Home for Children (For malnourished children) • St. John the Baptist Sisters Formation Centers • Fiat Home • Risen Christ Chapel Formation Center • Tingog Center • Our Lady of the Assumption Formation • St. Lawrence Evangelization Center • St. Isidore the Farmer Formation Center

Diocesan Pastoral Thrust: ‘New Evnagelization Pastorale’ (NEP)

History The Diocese of Virac, formerly part of the Diocese of Legazpi, was canonically erected as a separate diocese on 27 August 1974 by virtue of the decree “Divino Christi Mandato” issued by His Holiness, Pope Paul VI on 28 May 1974.

Religion is a dominant aspect in the life of the people which can be attested to by the rich number of priestly and religious vocations in the diocese. Catanduanes has already given to the Church a Cardinal, an Archbishop, and four Bishops.

Bishop Jose C. Sorra who served as Bishop of Virac from 1974 until his assignment as fourth Bishop of Legazpi in 1993 pioneered the shepherding of the diocese. The incumbent residential Bishop, Manolo A. de los Santos, took over the administration of the diocese in 1994.

A “Decade of Evangelization” was launched in 1990 in preparation for Evangelization 2000.

In 1999, on the occasion of the silver foundation anniversary of the diocese, Bishop Manolo A. de los Santos convoked the First Diocesan

NEP is a pastoral approach of the local church in the island-diocese of Virac, which aims at making available to the people a post-baptismal process of becoming Christian. It focuses of leading them to a personal, conscious and free decision of faith, deepening and nourishing that faith, and fructifying it.

A faith-journey in stages NEP is lifelong itinerary of faith and conversion, which proceeds in stages: Pre-Evangelization, Kerygmatic Evangelization Stage, Catechesis Stage, and Pastoral Care Stage. The first stage aims at preparing the soil for the sowing of the seed of faith; it aims at creating the attitude of faith. The second stage aims at arousing initial faith and conversion through an ardent proclamation of the Gospel.

The third stage deepens the initial faith and conversion through s catechesis that is both informational and formational—and decidedly formational, which is initiatory in character. The last stage is Pastoral Care, in its technical meaning.

A post-baptismal Christian initiation

His Excellency, MOST REV. MANOLO A. DE LOS SANTOS, D.D. 2nd Bishop of Virac

In effect, the New Evangelization Pastorale of the Diocese of Virac provides for a post-baptismal Christian initiation. Ideally, before a person is baptized, he or she should go through a Christian initiation process. But due to the normalization of infant baptism, the majority of Catholics have been baptized without going through the process.

Still there is a need to go through the experience of Christian initiation on the part of those baptized as infants. This experience will ensure a personalized and not a merely cultural faith.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception where the First Diocesan Synod of Virac was convoked by His Excellency, Most Rev. Manolo A. de los Santos, D.D., in 1999.

Diocese of Virac ‘Na Magkaigua Sinda nin Buhay, Buhay na Nagsusupay’

by Rev. Eduardo Z. Zafe Filling the great gap NEP aims at filling the great gap or lacuna in most Christian formation programs. That great gap is socalled Kerygma, the direct, explicit and complete proclamation of the Good News intentionally aimed at evoking a response of personal faith and conversion people need to have the Kerygma proclaimed to them if they are to come to a personal commitment to Christ. The Kerygma stands at the start of everything. This basic proclamation must be presented at least once, clearly and tersely, not only to catechumens (those preparing to be baptized) but to all Christians, given that the majority of today’s faithful have never passed through the catechuminate.

Forming Basic Faith Communities Those who have finished the Kerygmatic Evangelization Phase of the NEP faith itinerary are formed into communities, called Basic Faith Communities (BFCs). It is in the setting of these communities that they continue their journey of faith and conversion through subsequent stages.

The BFC responds to the call of Vatican II and PCP II to form Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). PCP II states that BEC is the way of being Church in the Philippines as BEC envisions a community of disciples nourished by the Word and the Eucharist.

In the Diocese of Virac, we have formed the BECs through the NEP_BFCs, focusing on the call to faith and conversion as the

overarching element of the post-baptismal formation.

Not a program, not a movement NEP is not a program or a movement. A parish may or may not adopt a particular pastoral program or movement. NEP is basically Christian initiation and Christian initiation is not optional; it is a normal activity of the parish, as normal as the administration of the sacraments. As Mother, the Church must ever conceive, gestate and give birth to new Christians. And that is precisely what Christian initiation is all about.

Through its Christian initiation component, NEP will enable a particular Church in the Diocese of Virac to be a mother that conceives, gestates and gives birth to and fructifies (pastoral care) the new life of the faithful.

Implementation NEP was first introduced in the barangays (barrios). The NEP formation activities are done in the barangay chapel. The invitation is for all. And those who respond to the invitation are the prospect-members of the BFC-to-be. In the poblacion (town proper), the NEP activities are done in the parish church, if not possible in the barangay chapel.

NEP is a new direction If Christian life is to be vibrant and faithful in this millennium, it will require a ministry that stresses

personal, conscious and explicit faith and conversion as its foundation. At present, there are not many pastoral programs, at least in the Philippines that move along this line in spite of insistent calls for new evangelization or re-evangelization.

These terms are mostly taken to mean fresh vigor, new methods and new expressions, but rarely a new direction. The New Evangelization Pastorale of the Diocese of Virac is move in this direction and hopefully will turn the present pastoral crisis into a new Pentecost.

Contributions to the Universal Church Now, already on its 32nd year as a Diocese, and having faithfully remained as indomitable and strong amid its chronic typhoons and tropical depressions, the island-Diocese of Virac can boast of its remarkable strides and contributions to the Universal Church by producing among its sons a coveted number of prominent personalities in the Church’s hierarchy, notable among them are: Jose Cardinal Sanchez, DD, Prefect Emeritus of Vatican’s Sacred Congregation for the Clergy; Archbishop Teopisto Alberto, DD (deceased), Archbishop emeritus of Caceres; Vishop Epifanio B. Surban, DD (deceased), Bishop Emeritus of Dumaguete; Bishop Arnulfo S. Arcilla, DD (deceased), Bishop Emeritus of Sorsogon; Bishop Jose C. Sorra, DD, Bishop Emeritus of Legazpi, and: Bishop Jose R. Rojas, DD, the current Auxiliary Bishop of Caceres. #

CBCP Monitor

Feature

Notes on the Human Formation of Priests (This keynote address was delivered during the Consultation on the Human Formation of the Clergy organized by the Office of the Clergy of FABC, Hua Hin, Thailand, May 15, 2006)

Introduction

A. Lights and Shadows of Priestly Life and Ministry in Asia.

On May 25, 1992, Pope John Paul II issued his post-synodal exhortation on the formation of priests in our present circumstances, Pastores Dabo Vobis. He began with the words of Yahweh to the Prophet Jeremiah: “I shall give you shepherds after my own heart.” How would we see the fulfillment of these prophetic words today?

With lights and shadows, I am quite certain.

First of all, it would be safe to say that generally in Asia, God has blessed us with an embarrassment of riches with regard to vocations to the priestly and religious life. Seminaries and religious houses of formation usually do not lack candidates. Our problem is usually not the lack of vocations but the lack of material support for vocations. For instance, in the past five years I have seriously thought—twice—of temporarily closing our philosophy seminary until I could find enough financial support for it. I begin every school year with an act of faith, bordering on presumption, that “Deus providebit.”

There are many more lights in the situation regarding shepherds after the heart of God. Generally our priests are well educated, above the average population. Although most would come from obscure provincial or regional seminaries, priests do have solid academic training and a reasonably adequate spiritual formation. They might not always be the best and the brightest, but we can certainly be proud of them when they are ordained. They are deemed “worthy” in so far as human judgment can declare.

They have successfully undergone many years of training and formation.

In the priestly ministry the lifestyle of our priests is simple, many times even austere to the point of being poor. They do reach out to the margins of society, even to remote villages. They exhibit a particular closeness—solidarity—with

the poor, an ability to talk with them and be with them, based on sincere Christlike compassion. Asian priests usually do not come from the Asian social elite. But after many years of seminary formation they generally do not forget or abandon their humble roots. In their ministry among the poor, they demonstrate an authentic seeking for the freedom and love, justice and peace of the Kingdom of God. They would be great promoters of a Church of the Poor.

Generally they get along well with most of their fellow priests and exhibit, at least with their ordination group, a deep human and spiritual bonding, befitting the sacramental bonding of all priests. They do strive together toward an ever deeper spirituality through prayer and ongoing formation by way of occasional seminars, regular retreats and recollections. There is no doubt that each one wishes and strives to follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd, his pastoral charity, his life and message.

But in the Asian priestly landscape are certain shadows that darken and disfigure the image of the priest. The number of priestly failure is surely insignificant among the tens of thousands of Asian priests. But the notoriety that this small number creates is sadly disproportionate.

People are scandalized and shocked by the extreme cases of egregious infidelity to priestly commitments, particularly to celibacy. They talk among themselves about the playboy image of this or that priest or suspect the sexual orientation of some others. It is tragic to note that in this matter a few priests may have become predatory. People are deeply pained by the lack of congruence between priestly commitment and priestly behavior. But the faithful are often a captive audience and they just have no choice but to bear with and pray for their priests, although they might send letters of complaint, even a delegation of parishioners, to their bishop.

So they also bear with the aloofness and patronizing attitude of some priests, their superior and domineering attitude, their lack of consultative and enabling leadership, the absence of collaboration with the laity and religious in pastoral decision making.

But they are even more saddened by what they see as pastoral mediocrity among some priests, their apparent disinterest in seeking more effective ways of ministry, their proclivity for the “easy way” of merely “sacramental” ministry, their wanting to remain in the status quo of ministry.

We can also see that quite a number have succumbed to the temptation of

FROM THE INBOX Cultural Heritage Your Eminences and Excellencies:

by Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I.

MAY I thank Fr. Lawrence Pinto for inviting me to give you this “keynote” address. My task, I take it, is to set the tone of the consultation and provide some preliminary points of reflection. Two questions are in my mind as I develop this reflection, namely: a. What kind of priests are to be formed in and for Asia? b. What kind of formation should they undergo?

It is not my intention to respond to these questions but only to describe the pastoral situation from which these questions arise. I hope that at the end of this consultation, the concrete shape of the answers might begin to emerge from your own reflection and discussion.

This reflection is from the perspective of a former seminary formator and of a pastor. My pastoral experience has been generally in rural areas and, for 20 years years, in a situation where the population is almost equally divided into Muslim and Christian.

Although my perspective so described may apply to many parts of Asia, I do not intend to generalize for Asia. I really wish to apply my observations to a much more restricted area, i.e., Southern Mindanao, Philippines. I shall develop my topic in three steps: A. Lights and Shadows of the Life and Ministry of Priests in Asia; B. Some Observations on the Formation Of Priests; C. A Vision of Priests in Asia.

July 3, 2006

comfort and security. Sometimes it is also obvious that some priests have abandoned their priestly idealism and spirit of self-sacrifice for the more practical outlook of considering their priestly vocation as a step-up in the social and economic scale. For them the priesthood has become a means of livelihood, a career, rather than as a God-given vocation to serve. People make snide remarks about the “Church of the Poor” when they see some priests with the latest expensive electronic gadgets or even vehicles.

Moreover, in the eyes of people, a good number of priests are good priests simply because they are good organizers or planners, excellent managers or administrators.

Most of all, the fall of many a priest from their identity and place before the Lord and among the people has been significantly due to the lack of prayer life, a loss of awareness of the more fundamental elements of the gift of priesthood as a configuration to Christ, Head and Shepherd. This is the loss of an intimate relationship with Christ. The mutual causeeffect relationship between prayer and virtue, or between spiritual dryness, vice and errant personal relationships can be explored by scholars. But sooner or later, the loss of intimacy with the Lord leads to complete disaster—the breakdown of priestly identity and the collapse of priestly ministry.

What is particularly tragic in all these various situations is the inability of a troubled priest to seek advice and solution from his bishop or from his fellow priests or to find any strength and healing as well as a compassionate support from his fraternity of priests. Most of the time, his undoing is his own sole responsibility. Sometimes his problem might be the bishop himself. Or it could also mean that the presbyterium does not live up to what it should be—a prayerful, caring, loving, personally and vocationally nurturing community of priests.

Or the problem is all of the above.

Whatever the problem may be, priestly failure has far ranging ripple effect that does great damage to the priestly image and to the credibility of the Church. We need only cite the example of the Church in the United States.

B. Some Observations on Priestly Formation.

Many observers naturally inquire about the reasons for these lights and shadows in priestly life and ministry.

Some will attribute responsibility to the kind of seminary formation that candidates to the priesthood go through.

Notes on / P12

Almost every town in the Philippines has at least one church built during the Spanish colonial period, all of which are inherent parts of the architectural heritage of Filipinos and stand as testaments to the excellence and creativity of Filipino artisans and craftsmen of yesteryears who labored to create these works of art.

These properties of the Filipino people are under the custodianship of the Roman Catholic Church and their representatives in the Republic of the Philippines.

It must have come to your knowledge that several parish priests have taken it upon themselves to modernize and renovate heritage churches under their care without proper consultation with conservationists or representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage. In their desire to “leave their mark” on the churches, parish priests have caused irreversible damage to our old churches during their short stints in their parishes.

Sadly, there have been instances where parish priests sold off priceless antiques and other church property to unscrupulous antique dealers and collectors to fund these renovations, with the treasures of the Church ending up in homes and other private collections.

In many occasions, the renovations are costly and unnecessary, and at times ostentatious. Priests and parish pastoral councils have undertaken and continue to undertake large-scale fundraising campaigns for these renovations when such funds could be put to better use, especially in a Third-world country such as the Philippines.

The funds could instead be directed toward the threefold pastoral program of action of the CBCP, to build character, capability and community. Instead of spending on renovations, the various parishes could use the funds “to empower those who are needy to construct a better future” by supporting “social action programs, training programs and institutions, research centers, schools, charitable agencies and organizations, religious orders and congregations, lay organizations and movements, Basic Ecclesial Communities,” that would “help people grow in capacities, such as the capacity to govern themselves, the capacity to develop their abilities, the capacity to find meaningful and fruitful employment and work, the capacity to care for our environment, the capacity to make leadership accountable.”

We, the undersigned petitioners, thus urge the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to protect the cultural heritage of the Philippine Catholic Church from further damage by ordering the immediate stop to all ongoing and proposed renovations to heritage churches that have not been approved by the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church or reviewed by representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage.

We also urge the CBCP to declare all Catholic churches in the Philippines fifty years or older as part of the cultural heritage of the Church and create a comprehensive list of all these churches for the information of the Filipino people and to aid the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church in monitoring the said churches.

It should also empower the CBCP Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church by giving it the sole authority to approve any restoration, construction or further improvements of heritage churches, with the aid of representatives of agencies mandated to protect cultural and historical heritage, and the power to order the halt any restoration, construction or further improvement that it deems damaging to a heritage church.

Finally, we urge the CBCP to adopt a policy of frugality with the renovation of churches. It would be best to channel the funds for unnecessary renovations to the pastoral program of action of the CBCP. Sincerely, Ivan Anthony S. Henares and petitioners at: http://www.petitiononline.com/cbcp June 25, 2006

ADVERTORIAL

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‘ONE VOICE’ Calls for Real Change Last June 22, 2006, a new political movement threw its hat into the public arena. Calling itself One Voice, it is a ‘nonpartisan movement of citizens’ who are driven by a common concern for the “growing alienation, even distrust, of our democratic institutions and of our national leaders in and out of government”, and who agree that most of the solutions that have so far been offered to address the political situation—including the current ‘people’s initiative’ that calls for a shift from a presidential system with a bicameral legislature to a parliamentary system with a unicameral legislature — “appear to serve personal or group interests and even endanger rather than strengthen our democratic institutions.”

Its banner: We don’t need the proposed charter change. We need real change. One Voice’s position paper and other relevant information can be viewed and downloaded at www.onevoice.org.ph.

CBCP Monitor

Social Concern

July 3, 2006 AS we begin a year dedicated to social concerns, the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga through its social action arm, the Social Action Center of Pampanga (SACOP), wishes to share what our endeavors are in this area. Social Concerns is a broad and all encompassing field and there is always the temptation to try and address each and every concern. The Archdiocese has taken as its starting point the phrase from the Gospel of John ‘fullness of life’. This is our vision for the people of Pampanga and this is what we work towards daily. Our search for the fullness of life has led us to concentrate on a developmental approach that motivates the participation and empowerment of people.

This is reflected in a range of projects and programs which are all focused on working at the grassroots, enabling people to reach their full potential and in the process to help themselves, their families and communities. By God’s grace, we have thus far accomplished the following social concern initiatives and efforts.

Housing and Resettlement Projects • Three housing project communities have been built—the Promised Land in Calibutbut, Bacolor; Maryland in Sapang Biabas, Mabalacat; and the Wenceslao Village in San Roque Dau I, Lubao—for the 865 families who survived the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. Their skills and capacities have been enhanced for greater opportunities in livelihood and socio-economic endeavors.

• On May 6, 2006, the Benedict XVI Homes in San Pablo, Magalang was inaugurated—a community for 145 families of low income wage earners who do not have the capacity to build their own houses.

Tribal Community • The archdiocese has been assisting a community of Aetas in Sapang Uwak, Porac secure the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title on the land they live in and till.

The indigenous locals were likewise provided a training program to develop their skills in watershed management.

Parish Leaders’ Training • Conducted trainings to parish leaders and workers to 60 parishes in the archdiocese geared towards enhancing their competencies and skills in responding to the needs of their poor parishioners.

Various social development programs were also established in several parishes.

• Worked with parishes to increase the basic services for poor people by establishing “Bigasan sa Parokya” and community health care services in coordination with PhilHealth and the Rural Health Units.

• Formed and organized some 64 people’s organizations and facilitated putting up a cooperative for their federation that offers assistance to different sectors and farmers in the production of crops and rehabilitation of farm lands.

Livelihood Development • Assisted 257 new borrowers and 439 repeat clients in 2005 with a loan portfolio of P20,870,400.00 through loan windows on small and micro-enterprises, motor and tricycle units, domestic service, coop’s farm production and socialized credit.

• Opened information outlets in key municipalities in order toreach small entrepreneurs in remote parts of the province; amortization payment were made easier and accessible through tie-up with rural banks and the Philippine National Bank.

• Equipped clients with the necessary business skills and management capabilities to minimize risk and business fall-out.

This is done through a series of ongoing trainings and monitoring activities.

Alay Kapwa • Gained the participation of 67 parishes, 71 public, parochial and private schools in our campaign encouraging people to share their blessings in order to help the poor and marginalized in the province.

Alay Kapwa CAnS (Charity, Alms and Sharing) was launched to encourage families and friends.

Archdiocese of San Fernando:

Towards a ‘Fullness of Life’

by Social Action Center of Pampanga (SACOP) Health Care • By far, 2,226 patients have been served in our 5-day a week medical clinic, while 1,140 patients were served by 8 medical missions.

Education • Scholarship grants and educational privileges are given to 35 college, 14 vocational, 12 high school and 6 elementary students each school year.

The recipients receive ongoing support through attendance at supplementary educational sessions and monthly meetings. Visits are made to their schools and homes and a quarterly meeting is held for their parents.

Social Development Trainings • Conducted 6 training engagements to various schools, lay groups and private

Bishop Claver’s Views on Mining A Rejoinder to the CBCP’s “Statement on Mining Issues and Concern” issued in January 2006

Most Rev. Francisco Claver, SJ, Bishop-Emeritus Bontoc-Lagawe, was the former chairman of the Commission of Social Action, Justice and Peace.

1. Are the bishops against all forms of mining absolutely? How about coal mining? Quarrying of gravel and sand?

What the bishops are against is not “all forms of mining” but all forms of irresponsible mining. Absolutely? Yes, because irresponsible mining by definition means the kind that does not have any real care for the people and the environment but exploits them to their harm for sheer personal profit. And coal mining and quarrying of gravel and sand—are these to be condemned too? Not if they are done with due care for the people and the environment.

2. Are the bishops simply following an ideological line? What is the

difference between their statement and the stand of the Left?

Does “following an ideological line” means the bishops take their stand against irresponsible mining because they have a political agenda?

No. Their stand is for responsible mining, something that all people of political colors—Right, Left, Center or whatever—should support. It is a stand from sheer human morality. It flows from their role as teachers of morality and they believe strongly that irresponsible mining, any industry for that matter that causes harm unnecessarily, is immoral.

3. How does the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) views the effects of small-

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scale mining? Does the CBCP statements also reject small-scale mining? Is it not that small-scale mining more destructive of the environment and more difficult to control?

Mining, big-scale or smallscale, if done irresponsibly, is to be rejected. Both kinds of mining are destructive and harmful. It is arguable which of the two is worse in its consequences, but regardless of the question, on the matter of control, it is the government’s duty to oversee all mining operations and to see to it that they do not cause harm to the environment and people’s lives. That duty, the bishops are afraid, has not always been attended to sufficiently and rigorously.

companies on social development and formation.

• Two Social Development training modules and 33 case studies highlighting social development experiences have been prepared for ready reference.

The year of social concerns indeed motivates us to learn more about what others are doing in different ways and in different places. Admittedly, the social concerns agenda sometimes seem overwhelming as concerns needs are just equally overwhelming and the resources of time, finances, energy or expertise appear to be insufficient.

We need to take time occasionally to stand back, reflect on what we are doing and be inspired by what our counterparts in other areas are undertaking. It is our modest hope then that this year of social concerns will bestow everyone the ‘fullness of life’ we all crave. #

4. Are not the bishops blocking the government’s anti-poverty program? Minerals are natural resources that can bring billions of dollars for the country according to the government.

with all other communities, not just indigenous ones.

No. On the contrary the bishops are helping the anti-poverty program of the government, such as it is. Uncontrolled mining leads to the destruction of the environment and this destruction in turn leads to further impoverishment of our people.

Granting that minerals are natural resources that could bring wealth, the question has to be asked: To whom does that wealth go? It is a sad commentary on our mining history that the places where mines have operated longest are among the poorest in the country. Why is that so? Why is it that local people do not profit much, if at all, from the billions of money that mines are supposed to bring to our economy? This is just one more reason for questioning the government’s prioritization of mines in its economic program.

The consent that IPRA requires must be given freely, knowingly, not bought or forced or, worse, obtained by bribery and false promises. All the other provisions of IPRA that look to the community’s good must as well be stringently observed.

5. Do the bishops have any alternative for indigenous people communities or any community involved in mining operations?

The question seems to imply that mining is an “alternative” that is profitable to indigenous communities.

The only alternative that seems best for indigenous people is to see the preservation of their ancestral lands and their special way of life based on their use of land. And if mines have to be introduced into their areas, let it be done according to the Indigenous People’s Right Act (IPRA)—with their full consent and with economic benefit accruing to them from the wealth produced by the mines. The same procedure should be followed

6. What is the bishops’ stand if the local community itself consents to mining operations?

7.

Presupposing that mining operations will go on, can the bishops not take advantage of provisions of the 1995 Mining Law to ensure the welfare of local communities – e.g. setting up credible, multi-sectoral monitoring teams?

Not just the bishops but all right thinking citizens should welcome ensuring the welfare of the communities. Whether the 1995 Mining Law ensures that welfare in the face of its too liberal concessions to mining firms is something that is being forcefully questioned. Whether the Law is corrected or not, credible multi-sectoral monitoring bodies are needed. Unfortunately, as some groups report, such monitoring is not always, if ever, welcomed by mining companies.

8. Should the bishops not rather localize the struggle—i.e. judge the merits and demerits of each local mining area, instead of generalized statements?

The struggle has always been localized, the merits and demerits of particular mining operations judged at the local level. The problem has all too often been that when comBishops Claver’s / p13

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Statements

Tidbits / from p7 again. And in young men and women, the faith was re-embraced, without ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, without escape hatches or loopholes, lived in its totality as a gift, as a precious life-giving gift” (J. Ratzinger, The Theological Locus of Ecclesial Movements in Church Movement, p. 24).

It was on the same occasion that he tried to establish the proper theological place of these movements. These “should be identified in apostolicity, which is the dimension from which a particular bond emerges to the ministry of the Successor of Peter… The papacy did not create movements but it was their essential support in the structure of the Church, their ecclesial pillar. The Pope needs these services and they need him, and in the reciprocity of these two types of mission, the symphony of ecclesial life is fulfilled” (ibid, p. 39 and 46).

If these movements are one with the Pope, extending to him the services needed by him in his apostolicity, then they too should be one in communion with the diocesan bishops and the priests in the parishes. Filled with missionary dynamism, these movements could become part of the life of the local churches. If they are welcomed by the bishops and priests within the diocesan and parish structures, they could generate renewed vigor to the faithful.

As Cardinal Ratzinger put it: ‘I therefore recommend that they be spread and that they be used to give fresh energy, especially among young people, to the Christian life and to evangelization, within a pluralistic view of the ways in which Christians can associate and express themselves” (ibid.).

And yet, when one comes to it, the conflict between these movements and local communities is a reality. It is perhaps caused by human frailty vis-à-vis the freshness of the Word of God and the radicality of the life offered by the movements. It can happen that the awakening spurred on by the Holy Spirit works in human beings

whose immaturity or youthful enthusiasm made them, at least for a while, snobbish or exclusive. To insert themselves into the life of the parish is for them to be again dragged into a Christian life that is drab and traditional. Or, perhaps, it is caused by the suspicion of the faithful in the local Church, who perceive the new ecclesial communities not only as a threat to their religiosity, but as unknown realities and yet undeniably powerful in its promotion of Christian life.

Or, perhaps, it is triggered by some apprehensions among the local authorities of the Church thinking that such radical movements of the Holy Spirit may disturb the on-going diocesan pastoral programs and activities. Whatever the cause, frictions have come to the fore.

It is within this context that the late John Paul II had in several occasions expressed his desire to put together these two realities in a harmonious relationship. It was his dream to see the movements humbly becoming an integral part of the local Church; to see bishops and priests within the diocesan and parish structures welcome these groups as gift from the Holy Spirit.

For him there is no opposition between charism and institution.

There is dynamic complementarity between them. He expressed this doctrine very clearly in his 2 March 1987 address: “In the Church, both the institutional and the charismatic aspects, both the hierarchy and associations and movements of the faithful, are coessential and share in fostering life, renewal and sanctification, though in different ways”. He reiterated this same thought in 1998 when he said: “Both are co-essential to the divine constitution of the Church, founded by Jesus, because they both help to make the mystery of Christ and his saving grace present in the world” (John Paul II, Message, 27 May 1998, n.5).

Within this line of thought Cardinal Ratzinger also gave this wise admonition: “Both sides must open themselves here to an education by the Holy Spirit and also by the leadership of the Church. Both

sides must learn from each other, allow themselves to be purified by each other, put up with each other, and discover how to attain those attitudes of which Paul speaks in his great hymn to love. Thus, it is necessary to remind the movements that they are a gift to and in the whole of the Church and must submit themselves to the demands of this totality in order to be true to their own essence. But the local churches, too, even the bishops, must be reminded to avoid making an ideal of uniformity in pastoral organization and planning. They must not make their own pastoral plans the criterion of what the Holy Spirit is allowed to do…”

It then falls on the bishops the task to take another serious look at all these new ecclesial movements and communities. They are the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the local church. With the charism that they have as ordained servant leaders of the community, with the authoritative pronouncements, acts and testimonies of the Magisterium, and, above all, with the sacramental grace that they received in their ordination as shepherds of the Church, the bishops should have that confidence and poise to appreciate and respect the autonomy of the various charisms of these ecclesial communities and movements existing in their jurisdictions, carefully discerning with the founders and the members the genuineness of the charisms that have been let loose.

As a matter of pastoral concern, the bishops may in fact help these groups in drafting the statutes that would faithfully enshrine the nature and objectives of their communities, and gradually invite them to insert themselves, as far as their rightful autonomy permits, into the structures and organizational set-up of the diocese and parishes. This episcopal act, simple though it may seem, will go a long way not only in guaranteeing the continuity and unity of faith in the local Churches, but also in bringing this experienced faith beyond territorial boundaries. #

ing, until the final months before diaconate ordination.

3. The absence in seminary formation of a definitive orientation toward the priesthood or of a socalled mature decision to be a priest seems to make it possible for seminarians to have dangerous relationships up to the eve of definitive decision-making, i.e., up to the last year of theology.

4. In many cases, too, human maturity is not presumed until the beginning of theology, while their peers outside the seminary are considered mature enough to marry and have children of their own. This point of view is also carried over to the first few years of priestly ministry, during which the “baby”, meaning young, priests are not given heavy responsibilities. Surely the need for special care of priests in their first few years of ministry does not include the idea of being “babied” with regard to pastoral ministry and decision-making.

5. In the growth toward human maturity, perhaps not enough attention is given to the various stages of human development, as in Erickson’s theory regarding identity, intimacy and generativity, especially when the absence or delay of a definitive orientation to the priesthood makes “identity” problem-

atic. Is it not rather late for already ordained priests to have seminars on psycho-sexual maturity? Would it not be better for such formation to be given to seminarians, especially in the latter part of their formation?

6. In many formation staff the services of a professional guidance counselor / psychologist are lacking. Where these are present, the need for consultation and coordination with professionally trained Spiritual Directors is strongly felt, with absolute respect for the “internal forum” and professional confidentiality. However, much care has to be taken to ensure that professional guidance counselors and psychologists at the service of seminary formation have the Christian vision of the human person and demonstrate great fidelity to the teachings of the Church on human behavior.

7. The idea and the reasons for “regency” or “leave of absence” to enable seminarians with special difficulties to continue their formation outside the seminary setting have to be better understood, both by the seminary staff and the diocesan pastoral staff to whom such seminarians might be asked to report. A lack of understanding, consultation and coordination has very unfortunate results on the vocation

CBCP Monitor July 3, 2006

Manifesto of the Former Members of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission Bp. Arturo Bastes, chairman of the Rapu-Rapu Fact Finding Commission (RRFFC)

WE, the former members of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission, in our individual capacities, express our collective dismay over the decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue a temporary lifting order (TLO) for the resumption of operations of the Lafayette mining group in RapuRapu Island, Albay.

There is no rhyme or reason for the TLO when the Commission’s findings on the serious violations of environmental and legal safety standards for responsible mining have not been negated. Additionally, as affirmed by the DENR review, the dubious financial and corporate arrangements of the Lafayette group that have shortchanged the national and local governments and ultimately, the Filipino people, have not been addressed. These will continue to imperil the safety of the populace and frustrate any attempt at a more equitable sharing of the country’s mineral wealth or holding the proper parties accountable for past and future disasters.

The justifications mentioned in the order convey only one clear message—that the country is now held hostage by potential environmental catastrophes not of our own making. The unprecedented 30-day test-run, even with more conditions on top of existing ones, will not cure the inherent contradictions expressed in the review. If at all, it only puts a final feather to the regulatory capture of the DENR. We find no reality in the DENR’s excuse that revoking LPI’s (Lafayette’s) ECC (Environment Compliance Certificate) will mean the entry of “small-scale miners who are likely to use mercury in their extraction of gold.” Small-scale miners enter a mining area if proven pure gold nuggets or dust can be found in the area. No small-scale miner is interested in copper or zinc – the ores of which are now exposed in RapuRapu by LPI’s activity.

Neither do we agree that the 30-day test run will determine if LPI has sound environmental structures and processes. Only a good environmental impact statement (EIS) and a certified environmental management system (EMS) can give a higher degree of assurance for the environmental performance of LPI. We reiterate our recommendation: Revoke LPI’s ECC and impose a moratorium on mining operations in all Rapu-Rapu until best available technology is applied to address the big problems of acid mine drainage (AMD) and dam integrity. Allow LPI to re-apply, if they are still willing to undergo the rigorous requirements that will at last be imposed by a reformed DENR and a vigilant people. The state encouraged LPI to set up shop in Rapu-Rapu. It should not now compound its moral liability before the Filipino people with the continuing crime of capitulationism before the shameless threats of a foreign firm that has already shown so many times that it cannot be relied on to care a bit for the welfare of our people..

Finally, we also reiterate that our report can speak for itself and neither the DENR review nor personal attacks against Commission members can diminish the veracity of our findings and conclusions.

Without any equivocation, we continue to vouch for its merit and the moral integrity that motivated our actions. We do express a profound sadness that the DENR made the attracting of foreign investments its new mandate. We wanted to believe that DENR stood firstly for the promotion of a balanced and healthful ecology for the Filipino people – that it was an agency that regarded the welfare of our people and not the wishes of foreign firms as the supreme norm and purpose of governance. The ancients put it succinctly: Salus populi est suprema lex – the people’s welfare is the highest law. It still is – or should be. #

Notes on / from p10 There is some validity to that observation. Still I can sincerely state that despite the failures of a small minority of priests that I have spoken about, seminary formation— in terms of both personnel and process—is doing quite well.

However, may I mention a few areas where substantial improvement would be greatly desired.

1. It is axiomatic that seminary formation has to be a holistic continuum. It builds up from stage to stage. Yet in many cases there seems to be a lack of continuity between a special stage—a year—of spirituality formation and the other stages of formation. For instance, since the year of spirituality formation has been undergone, spiritual formation seems to be gradually taken for granted. There seems to be no real systematic follow-up of spiritual formation in the succeeding years.

2. In many cases there does not seem to be a definite orientation for the priesthood from day one of seminary formation. The idea seems to be that the seminarian should be given an opportunity to get a good education and in the process he would somehow get the call from God. Or there is the case of candidates, not yet deemed mature in their decision-making, where every year is a year of testing and discern-

of a seminarian.

8. In most seminaries that I know of there is a lack of a practical pastoral theology course that would provide seminarians with the knowledge and skills of inter-religious dialogue, of pastoral planning, organizing and community building, e.g., the building of Basic Ecclesial / Human Communities, etc. Thus they do a sort of “on the job” training after ordination, most of it on their own, or through short term seminars.

of God; 4. A person of the evangelical counsels; 5. A person of the poor; 6. A person of community; 7. A person of dialogue and peace; 8. A person of mission, in-mission, led by pastoral charity; 9. A humble companion, brother, father, mother, friend on the journey to the Kingdom; 10. A compassionate servantleader.

Conclusion

C. A Vision of the Priest in Asia The final point I would like to deal with is the question: What kind of priest should we be forming in and for Asia?

The answer is suggested by the vision of Church in Asia that the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences has articulated in various ways.

Let me highlight certain elements of that vision in terms of priestly identity. These elements address the shadows of priestly failures and build on the lights of priestly life and ministry that I have mentioned.

I believe that Asian seminaries should help form a priest who is: 1. An integrally mature personhumanly, intellectually, spiritually, pastorally; 2. A person of God-experience; 3. A person driven by the Reign

The list above is quite formidable. Seminaries have about 10 years of formation to achieve this vision of the priest. Seminary formators can only do so much. The individual candidate himself is the principal agent. We can be strengthened and comforted by the realization that throughout the entire process of formation, the Holy Spirit is the Primary Formator.

But the teacher, as wise men in the Church have told us, cannot be really effective unless he is also a witness—of the Good Shepherd unto whose image he helps form the seminarian. Beyond teaching is the daunting task of being a role model.

May Mary, the Mother of Priests, intercede for us as we respond to the Lord’s call, Pastores dabo vobis. #

CBCP Monitor

Statements

July 3, 2006

Our Hearts Cry Out!

GATHERED together for the Sixth Biennial Convention of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines (AMRSWP), we, the Servant-Leaders of 114 women religious congregations of the Philippines, together with our Mission Partners, heard A RENEWED CALL TO PROPHETIC SPIRITUALITY amid the long drawn-out crisis in our society.

As we share in the Passion of Christ for wounded humanity, we reflect on our situation and cry out with Jeremiah: Oh, my suffering, my suffering!

How I writhe!

Oh, the walls of my heart!

My heart moans within me, I cannot be silent: For ….

Disaster overtakes disaster, For all the land has been ravaged.

(Jeremiah, 4, 19-20) WE ARE HORRIFIED at the all out war proclamation of the President that will intensify militarization in many parts of the country and will surely give rise to more violations of human rights.

We call for a cessation of violence and urge respect for peoples’ rights.

WE ARE ENRAGED at the unabated extra judicial killings of peasants, workers, Church people, journalists, lawyers, activists, especially the 71 women among them.

We call for a stop to these killings, punishment of the perpetrators, and compensation for the victims’ families.

WE ARE SADDENED by the continuous violence perpetrated against women and children and single out at this moment the rape

of Nicole in Subic.

We express our support to Nicole, her family and lawyers in their uphill struggle to obtain justice for this heinous crime.

WE LAMENT the wanton rape of our land in the 23 mining sites prioritized by the administration’s Mining Revitalization Program and the untold sufferings of thousands of displaced fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous peoples driven away by these projects from their homes and places of livelihood. The next generation will surely curse us for allowing this wiping out of their heritage.

We say no to this destructive large-scale mining projects under the existing policy, call for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995, and urge an enactment of an alternative policy that promotes responsible and patriotic stewardship as well as safeguards human rights.

We protest against all activities that further degrade our environment!

WE ARE INDIGNANT at the deception and manipulation with which the Cha-Cha is being forced on us in defiance of the Constitution and misusing the concept of people’s initiative—all for the perpetuation of those in power.

We are alarmed by the proposals to open our national patrimony to foreign ownership, to remove the current provisions that protect the civil liberties of citizens, to delete the provision that limits the powers of the President to declare Martial Law, to allow the presence of nuclear arms and foreign military bases in the country.

We call for an election of na-

tional officials in 2007. We say no to charter change at this time. We enjoin people to be vigilant in opposing this utter disregard for legal processes and genuine people’s participation.

WE ARE GRIEVED by the mindless and ruthless demolition of the houses of urban poor communities in the name of development and decongestion. We denounce the land conversions, the ineffective land reform and other factors that cause forced migration of the rural poor to the cities.

We plead for a cessation of all demolitions and evictions of people and demand the fulfillment of their basic necessities and their active participation in decision making that affects them.

As one voice, we call on those in authority to put an end to the sufferings of our people by immediate and effective action.

To all our Sisters and Lay Partners, we urge a concrete living out of our prophetic calling: by documenting, exposing and denouncing all forms of abuses and violations of human rights; by relentlessly searching, pursuing and defending truth; and by conducting peace-building missions.

We announce and embody the Good News by our vigilance and perseverance in our solidarity with our people in the struggle for justice as we journey together towards the FULLNESS OF LIFE. DELEGATES TO THE 6th BIENNIAL CONVENTION OF THE AMRSWP, CAPUCHIN RETREAT CENTER, LIPA CITY JUNE 29, 2006

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The Pope on the Role of Church and State THE Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI gave our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a copy of his Encyclical “Deus Caritas Est”—the same which he gave to all Bishops much earlier this year.

The Pope writes in that encyclical “The just ordering of society and the state is a central responsibility of politics.

As St. Augustine once said, a state which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves.” (No. 28a) It is a strong statement worth remembering. This is what Bishop Deogracias Iniguez has quoted in presenting his personal position of siding with the Kapisanan ng Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME). He clearly states that he is not bringing the CBCP in this personal option regarding the issue of impeachment.

Therefore, the CBCP respects Bishop Iñiguez personal option and will not go with the suggestion of Malacañang to sanction him because he also agrees with CBCP statements on Politics and Moral Values.

The pertinent statement of Pope Benedict XVI worth quoting is the following: “The Church’s social teaching argues on the basis of what is in accord with the nature of every human being. It recognizes that it is not the Church’s responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life.

Rather, the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest. Building a just social and civil order, wherein each person receives what is his or her due, is an essential task which every generation must take up anew. As a political task, this cannot be the Church’s immediate responsibility. Yet, since it is also a most important human responsibility, the Church is

duty-bound to offer, through the purification of reason and through ethical formation, her own specific contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving them politically.

The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible.

She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which will always demand sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church.

Yet promotion of justice through the efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply.”

(Deus Caritas Est, No. 28) Too often the “Separation of the Church and the State” is invoked. This separation should not be used as an argument against the participation and involvement of the Church in shaping the politics of our country. Concretely this means that the Bishops, Clergy and Laity must be involved on the area of politics when moral and Gospel values are at stake (cf.

PCP II 344). The Pope says “the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “It is part of the Church’s mission to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it” (#2246).

Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo Archbishop of Jaro CBCP President June 30, 2006

Bishop Claver’s / from p11 plaints are lodged at that level, they have been ignored and have not led to any meaningful change in the behavior of mining companies. Ignoring (the complaints) is among those practices that the bishops are very critical of. The statement of the bishops in January 2006 against mining was generalized from the complaints of the people around. If there are mining operations that are not guilty of such reprehensible practices, they do not fall under the strictures of the statement.

They should be put up and honored as examples of responsible mining.

9. Other countries have stringent protective measures for mining operations.

Should not the bishops also advocate for similar steps to be taken in the Philippines?

Those protective measures are exactly what are being sought. If the 1995 Mining Law is ever to be reviewed, the experience and example of other countries are to be looked at. Comparing the protective measures of the country of origin of foreign firms and such measures as we have in the Philippines should by all means be done.

The suspicion is strong that the deficiencies, even the absence, of such measures in the country are a big come-on for foreign companies to invest here—they don’t have to worry about spending extra money for environmental needs.

Certainly not—just the contrary. Responsible mining is possible, and that is exactly what they are pushing for because it is not being done.

10. With new technology and safety provisions, responsible mining is possible.

Are the bishops against this?

12. Do the bishops accept the President’s offer of a moratorium of new mining permits? How about the present ones?

11. If nationalist provisions are included in the law, would this not benefit the country? Would this soften the CBCP stand against the 1995 Mining Law? The 1995 Mining Law is most liberal to foreigners. If “nationalist provisions” means correcting the excessive foreign bias and resulting in greater benefit to the country, that is part of the responsible mining being spoken here.

Not just a moratorium on the granting of new mining permits but a review as well both of the 1995 Mining Law and the current practices of mining operations, both largescale and small-scale—these are what is being asked. As for mines that are already in operation, they should be monitored more intensely, and serious attempts made to correct whatever violations of present mining laws and regulations, defective as these are, are being committed. Bad practices, even if they are not covered by the law, should be guarded against as well.

13. Are the bishops willing to dialogue and to listen to the “other side” in the mining issue? Did they listen to the “other side” before coming out with their statement?

The “other side”—meaning the mining companies as a body? No, but the bishops did listen to what local people were saying about the futility of their dialogue with the mining companies operating in their areas. Rightly or wrongly, the bishops judged the only way to start a more fruitful dialogue was to voice out the ignored complaints of the people. The January 2006 statement was thus a call for dialogue, not so much with the companies themselves as with the government, since much of the people’s difficulties with mines stemmed from the defects of the 1995 Mining Law. (The law had been criticized as defective and harmful by the CBCP earlier in 1998). That law is within the competence of government and hence the dialogue has first to be with it.

14. What is the bishops’ strategic view on mining and the development needs of the country?

The rather strong interest of government in promoting mining (which benefits a few) to the relative neglect, for one, of agriculture (where great majority of the people are) is hard to understand. If wealth is to be produced and shared as equitably as possible, the mining industry as it is being conducted now is not the way to go. The development sought is one that should benefit most of the people, the poorest segments of our population especially, not the few rich; and certainly not by industrial practices that do untold damage to the environment and contribute to the people’s further impoverishment. #

CBCP Monitor

Feature Article

14

July 3, 2006

by Tess Madulid

Sonny goes home to the FATHER… IT is ironic that my first impression of Sonny de los Reyes was that he was a PROPHET OF DOOM. This was because after all the preparations, he postponed the marriage encounter our class was to sponsor in Baguio. He said that the nation was at the height of a political upheaval and our safety and that of the candidates might be compromised. Of course, he was right! That was Sonny—a man who saw the big picture of things, the man with good foresight. I saw him as one whose vision was 5-10 years ahead of ours—the reason perhaps why some misunderstood him. But this first impression of him changed as I got to know him more in the teachings he gave the community, his reflections and the prayer meetings he and Bai (his wife) led. I learned from his deep insights— was impressed by his eloquence, was moved by his passion to serve Christ.

I was touched by his generosity with his time and resources, more so with the hospitality with which community members were welcomed in his home—where each one would be fed, prayed-over and counseled. I admired his devotion to the Catholic faith and his high regard for the clergy. I never encountered anyone so selfless, so dedicated and as serious in his leadership as Sonny. He was the teacher who walked his talk! To him I accorded much RESPECT! This is why I felt for him deeply when he was so disappointed and frustrated over mediocrity, complacency and inaction among members. I felt for him deeply when he was burdened by erring community members and his efforts to reach out was misunderstood and taken for granted.

My closer encounters with Sonny were when he invited me to be one of the Community Servants of Serviam. That meant having to meet him and the other servant leaders almost every Saturday and keeping in touch during the week for other community activities.

The teacher, the leader, became a FRIEND as I

got to know him up close. I appreciate those times when he covered for me when I came late because of work and was too tired. Amidst all the work and deliberations, he started to call me Madam up to now I do not know why. He loved to drink cold, diet coke and coffee, he loved to eat kutsinta that we made an effort to wrap a few pieces for him to take home after our last meeting. He would be teary eyed each time we sang GOD IS ETERNAL… UNCHANGING and GREAT IS THY FAITHFULLNESS. He would always come early and prepared for meetings. I saw Sonny at work and in actual decision-making. I knew the community was in the able hands of a Godly-man, seasoned with wisdom. I knew that when problems would plague the community, there was Sonny and he would know best!

There were times when we found ourselves on opposite sides of an issue and come actually on a collision course. In our last COS meeting, for example, a very minor issue was tabled for discussion—the dress code. Sonny said, that ‘when he comes to the altar, when he comes in the presence of the Lord he will wear white’! I said, ‘wouldn’t it be so nice to come in lively colors?’ He was adamant with his preference. So was I. The issue was not resolved between us.

We tossed it to Benjie and Sandy. Later, he would text … BATI NA BA TAYO? OO NAMAN! I answered back. That was a new side of him, for he used to text with complete English statements in correct grammar and punctuations. Another point of discussion which came up during our last meeting was about death [triggered by my sharing]. Sonny commented that he wouldn’t want to be cremated and be viewed as ashes. I said, I would like to be as ashes and not viewed as a corpse. He rebutted by saying, ‘do you know of any priest who was cremated?” The argument was rhetorical—no resolution needed.

These last few weeks, particularly in the last council-stewards meeting and the council

meeting with Sonny, he was visibly happy. He expressed his joy over how discipline regarding attendance to the prayer meeting is bearing fruit. Looking at me he said, ‘now let’s work on the discipline regarding attendance to teachings”. He noticed little things, which he never did before,—the tear in the corner of Lumen’s bible cover, the glitters on my blouse and asked me where I was going dancing after the meeting. He made a big deal about being COMPASSIONATE to the disciples he intends to meet on Tuesday regarding their teachings, for I have always chided him about compassion being at the bottom of his spiritual gifts inventory.

Sonny was noticeably different that I openly said, ‘Sonny you’ve changed’! And he said, anybody, everybody can change! He even gladly accepted being OIC for Benjie and Sandy when they go on vacation and surprisingly added that ‘Bai will soon be eligible’.

From where I sat, that comment sounded like an expression of an inner longing.

Sonny, when Serviam was going about a normal day, members going about their regular daily chores, you slipped away—melted, as it were, right out of the picture. I know that you will not come to the prayer meeting again and your favorite spot will be empty; I know you will not come to the meeting of the coun-

cil again and we will thirst for your wisdom; I know I will never hear your reflection again nor receive text messages from you; I know that we will not ever sit for coffee before the prayer meeting again … but these are matters I will face up to another day. For now, let me cry… let me grieve … and let me mourn that I may cling to you a little bit longer.

Go in peace in the Lord’s kingdom, you faithful servant ... for your work is well done and your reward is well deserved. Like the Lord Jesus whose footsteps you followed, you served God’s people to the point of physical weakness, exhaustion, even unto death. It was when your service became so costly that it began to pay!

Serviam is neither rootless nor seedless— you made sure of it. You’ve taught us and prepared us well. You’ve planted us by the living waters of God’s Word. Serviam stands tall because of you. In honor of your memory and in utmost thanksgiving for the love of CHRIST whom you’ve brought to our lives … I will pick up your banner of DISCIPLINE, EXCELLENCE and COMMITMENT and wave these values up high. They shall always be Serviam’s roadmap and battlecry! # Tess Madulid, a community servant of Serviam, is a professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Mapua Institute of Technology.

by Vic B. Gutierrez

Learn How to Live from a Death Row Inmate supervisor’s leadership over our group which he supervises.”

Then my son reflected for a while and said, “He may have said something to cause our supervisor to feel that way. But even if he did, I’m sure it was not meant to put me or anybody in a bad light. Intense pressure can sometimes drive a person to say something potentially harmful to another which © Tony Yu 1993 he never intended in the “THAT’S okay. Don’t worry. I un- first place. It may be due to fear or derstand. Put that behind you now. self-interest. We have to be underOk lang, pare. Don’t think about it standing. But yes, I need to be pruanymore. Enjoy your weekend.” dent, too, in dealing with him.”

I find it very mature for a 23-year That was my son ending his conversation with someone on his cell old man to think that way. I admire him for his ability to articulate his phone.

“That was my officemate,” he thoughts. But most of all, I think his said. “He called to assure me that Christian values are in place.

I had just arrived that late afterhe was not the source of disinformation that peeved our su- noon from an apostolate work, a pervisor about what I allegedly said. whole-day visit to the maximum seI told him not to worry, I have no curity area of the New Bilibid Prissuch suspicions about him. You see, ons at Muntinlupa. I still had linhe’s a new guy on the team and I gering thoughts of my conversations have been helping him a lot. I think with the life-termers and death row he is a little insecure about losing convicts who I met there. This conmy trust and friendship. But the versation with my son quickly retruth is that I have not said anything minded me of a death row inmate that could undermine our who I met and talked with. He is a

well-built man in his mid-40s, with a mustache thicker than mine, thick wavy brown hair long enough to cover part of his ears, and fair skinned. He was then wearing a pair of strong mountain boots which seemed to match his well-conditioned physique. He had a clear and confident look on his face and he looked you in the eye during conversation. His first name is Cesar.

“Anong kaso mo?” I asked Cesar.

“Murder ho,” he answered without blinking.

“Anong sentensiya mo?”

“Bitay ho. Nasa death row ho ako. Sampung taon na.”

Then without any prodding, Cesar told me his story. He was a policeman in Quezon City when he was arrested along with four other men and brought to trial for the murder of an army colonel who was known to have made a lot of enemies in his lifetime. It was one of those highly-publicized cases. Cesar claimed that he was innocent. In fact, he said the ABB (Alex Boncayo Brigade) publicly claimed responsibility for the murder in what they considered an act of NPA justice.

Unfortunately, at the end of the trial, the court found him guilty together with the four other accused and sent to the death row.

He just sat there on a pew in the middle of the chapel as we waited for mass to begin. No pain or anger was evident on his face. He even managed a half-smile from time to time as he told his story. He suspected that political expediency came into the picture and was the reason why he got convicted. Is he really innocent? I have heard people say that nobody in death row admits guilt. At that moment, I had no reason to ponder the issue of his innocence or guilt. I decided to believe him tentatively. He sounded very sincere and articulate.

“Nasaan yung apat na kasama mo?” I asked. “Nandito rin ba sa chapel?”

“Wala ho, di sila nagpupunta rito. Galit na galit pa rin.”

“Ikaw, di ka na ba galit?”

“Kung patuloy ho akong magagalit dahil sa sinapit ko, masisira ang ulo ko. IpinapasaDiyos ko na lang ho. Pinatawad ko na rin ho yung nagsabit sa akin sa kasong ito. Alam naman nilang di ako ang pumatay. Bahala na ang Diyos sa kanila.”

In my view, Harold S. Kushner’s wisdom came to life in the person of Cesar: “If I continued to hate that man, I would be giving him more power over me than he deserves.” (Ref. Living a Life That

Matters) Instinctively, perhaps, Cesar knew that if he continued to nurture hatred against his “false accuser”, he would be unwittingly giving his enemy control over his life; his emotions and disposition would be glued to thoughts of getting even.

He wouldn’t be living his life anymore. Worse, he would lose God. My thought went back to my son. Though he knew the risk and disadvantage of displeasing his superior, he refused to entertain any negative thought or suspicion about his friend. There is the possibility of negative evaluation or being passed over for promotion. But he preferred to maintain positive thoughts about his friend and keep his friendship. He stuck to his view that his friend wouldn’t deliberately go against him.

In Cesar’s case, he was a definite victim. He had lost much—his freedom no less, and opportunities for a better life. Each morning, as he woke up in the last ten years, he faced the certainty of death. That’s what he was sent there for—to die.

But Cesar forgave. Like the man on the cross, he even gave an excuse for his false accuser. “Siguradong na-torture ho yun. Ako man ho, natorture. Mahirap ho yun talaga.”

Then he stretched out his wrists to show me what he claims are scars of torture.

As the mass started, Monsignor Olaguer, the prison chaplain, announced that President Arroyo had signed the law abolishing the death penalty. Loud rejoicing followed. I looked at Cesar. The half-smile was there. I know he still hopes for fullness of justice. Then, a fuller smile will come. He knows that God has not forgotten him. #

CBCP Monitor July 3, 2006

CINEMA Reviews Title: SUPERMAN RETURNS Running Time: 140 min.

Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint, Marlon Brando, Tristan Leabu Director: Bryan Singer Screenwriters: Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris Music: John Ottman, John Williams Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel Distributor: Warner Bros.

Location: USA Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: zzz½ CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

SUPERMAN (Brandon Routh) returns to Earth after a five-year absence. Back from scouring outer space for survivors from his home planet Krypton, he is found by his earth mother (Eva Marie Saint) as his spaceship crashes into their farm. Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego, also returns to the scene after a long holiday. He learns that fellow reporter and apple of his eye Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has since become a mother and in fact has had a protracted engagement with Richard (James Marsden) whom Lois’ son Jason (Tristan Title: THE NUN Running Time: 96 min.

Cast: Anita Briem, Belen Blanco, Paulina Galves, Cristina Piaget, Manu Fullola Alistair Freeland Director: Luis De La Madrid Producer: Julio Fernandez Screenwriters: Manu Diez Music: Vic Suarez Editor: Benet Villaplana Genre: Suspense/Horror Distributor: Filmax Location: Madrid, Spain Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: z½ CINEMA Rating: For viewers 18 and above

IN a Catholic boarding school where six teen-aged girls are lodged, the head nun believes that she has the duty of purifying the world of its sins starting with the students, and the only way to do that is through physical and emotional punishment and torture. One of the girls gets pregnant and the nun scandalized by this incident decides to purify the girl.

However, the girls witnessing their friend’s torture fight back and accidentally kill the nun. Seventeen years after, the girls are now living separate lives with their respective families but still are haunted by the nightmare in that boarding school.

One day, the former boarders mysteriously are murdered supposedly by a black-hooded creature. Eva (Anita Brien) daughter of one of the boarders, witnesses her own mother’s murder and decides to meet with the surviving boarders and her friends and return to the old boarding school. As the body count continues to increase, they discover the story behind the murders in an unexpected twist.

Although quite predictable and weak for its genre, the film perfectly combines Asian horror the use of water born evil – with Spanish religious tradition and manages to give some authentic heart pounding and stopping scenes. The editing is brisk and allows the film to switch easily between flashbacks and real time events; the CGIs are decent and at par with Hollywood productions of the same genre. The story is a bit outrageous and exaggerated but there is an attempt to get original and creative. The acting is quite disappointing as performances are weak and line deliveries are flat and unconvincing. Over-all the film is interesting enough with its unexpected revelations and gives decent scare worth its price.

Although The Nun does not thumb its nose at religion but nonetheless presents some negative themes that might be misconstrued by less discerning viewers. For one, religious persons, most specially nuns of Catholic schools, are often presented and pictured as uptight, prudish and exaggeratedly old-fashioned. While some Catholic school bred students might have had unpleasant experiences with the strict discipline imposed by the nuns running their schools, the fact that the nuns do such for the best interest of the young girls should not be discounted. Second, abuse and torture are not Catholic methods of teaching, disciplining and rectifying mistakes. The Church teaches us to abhor the sin but not the sinner, and we believe in compassion, forgiveness and guidance. Even in occasions where sin and bad elements thrive, Catholics, most especially men and women of the habit, are the first ones to bring the message of love, acceptance and transformation. Also, the film leans heavily towards retribution, especially the revenge of a wronged soul killing people without remorse—something that could mislead younger viewers. Parental guidance is strongly advised.

Date Reviewed: 30 June 2006 @ www.cbcpworld.com/cinema

JON Arbuckle (Breckin Meyer) is about to propose to his fiancée, Liz Wilson (Jeniffer Love Hewitt) but doesn’t have the chance to do so for she has to leave right away for London. He decides to follow her to get a second chance to pop the all-important question. But unknown to him, Garfield and Odie, his pets, manage to tag a long as stowaways (in Liz’s suitcase) to sabotage his marriage proposal. Meanwhile in London, the countess of Carlyle castle has willed her entire estate to her cat, Prince, but Lord Dargis (Billy Connoly) her nephew and next-in-line in succession is outraged that a cat would inherit the vast estate. He abducts Prince and tries to get to London.

Garfield and Prince, exact look-alikes, cross paths; are mistaken for each other and exchange places. Garfield gets to enjoy being a Lord; while, Prince gets to taste the life of a commoner. Soon, however, the two cats are reunited in Carlyle castle and plot to turn the table on Lord Dargis.

Computer Generated

Leabu) calls “daddy.”

Superman’s reentry into the scene is made dramatic by his rescue of an airplane where a press conference is being held. Meanwhile, Superman’s archenemy Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey), fresh from prison, plans his revenge: with a couple of sidekicks and Miss Teschmaker, Luthor goes to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and steals its crystals. Luthor then uses these crystals as missiles to be planted in the Atlantic in order to create his own new continent and destroy some old ones in the process.

They couldn’t have found

15

a better cast: Brandon Routh, coming out of a mold not very different from that of “the other” Superman Christopher Reeve, makes a perfect hero and partner to Bosworth’s Lois Lane. Kevin Spacey as a villain of few words measures up as a worthy opponent to Superman. Their physical appearances project their characters perfectly; their acting enhances their roles and give them an aura of credibility.

With almost nine out of ten movies these days having CGI, it was doubtful if Superman Returns could still capture the attention of the movie-going public. After all, almost every other screen hero, sub-hero, villain and extra can fly nowadays—so what spectacular thing could Superman Returns offer that will make the movie cling to memory as another classic? It’s the story— the love story between Superman and Lois Lane, which Superman Returns has taken to the next level with the revelation of the superhero’s paternity. Hmmm… intriguing?

You bet.

Stop asking about why Superman strains to lift a whole island or an airplane when he’s supposed to have unlimited strength. Don’t fuss over the aeronautics of Superman zooming across oceans to answer an emergency call in other continents. And for goodness’ sake stop giggling over why Superman wears his briefs over his tights/pants. All these are trivia when placed next to the love story—the real charm of the movie. It’s not graphically stated in the dialogue but the message in Superman Returns is the primacy of love for others over love of self. The very human desire to connect with another forever in love is recognized but it takes a backseat to altruism. Despite the attraction between Superman and Lois Lane, both tacitly bow to a greater need—helping the needy, fighting evil, saving the world. It is a message that a world too in love with itself needs to hear and ponder upon.

Date Reviewed: 30 June 2006 @ www.cbcpworld.com/cinema

Title: GARFIELD 2: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES Running Time: 80 min.

Cast: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Billy Connoly, Bill Murray, Tim Curray, Bob Hoskins, Jane Leeves, Jane Horrocks, Rhys Ifans Director: Tim Hill Producer: John Davis Screenwriters: Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, Jim Davis Editor: Peter Elliot Genre: Genre, Comedy Cinematography: Dean Cohen Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Location: London, U.K. Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: zzz CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

(CG) characters juxtaposed with real live actors/actresses and real animals have come a long way, indeed. Garfield and other CG animals are so natural, and their interactions with flesh and blood actors are also smooth, seamless and believable. Garfield the computer cat, also plays a dual role here, as Garfield and as Prince—that makes for interesting viewing. For creativity and effort, this sequel scores higher than the first.

The plot is also more complicated and borrows from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of 2 Cities and Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper.

Some Garfield “loyalists” will insist that the comic strip Garfield cannot be replaced by the filmstrip Garfield, but people who appreciate computers technology—whether young or old—will see the high entertainment value of Garfield A Tail of Two Kitties.

Garfield, the anthropomorphic cat, is lazy, egoistic, sarcastic, a bit of a glutton and has an attitude. He is like most of us humans and that’s why we find it easy to relate to him. The fact that he is only a cat, and a funny one at that, makes him popular. In a way, he eases our guilt for sleep-

ing too much, eating too much and giving importance to ourselves too much. But for all his egocentricity, Garfield is not a bad guy. Why? Because he learns humility and the value of teamwork and in the end, works to achieve the common good. Garfield humbly accepts himself. In contrast, Lord Dargis, supposedly a human being, is a real bad guy. Why? Because he is pompous, duplicitous, villainous and murderous. He is bent on eliminating a cat, the rightful heir of an estate, in order to grab the property.

Date Reviewed: 30 June 2006 @ www.cbcpworld.com/cinema

Bo Sanchez

You Can Make Your Life Beautiful I hold her hand.

And stroke her hair gently.

And getting enough courage, I steal a kiss from her cheek.

And when she finally smiles at me, I think I am one incredibly lucky guy.

Tracy is already a young woman.

But her head is bent downward, and drool flows through one side of her mouth, and her face is bereft of any expression. She can’t speak. Or move by herself. Every once in a while, someone has to shift the position of her head, her arms, her legs—or else they becomes painfully sore. (Doctors regularly give her painkillers.)

And the hand I hold is small for her age and contorted. Her limbs are terribly thin, twisted, and abnormally short, and have to be strapped in a special wheelchair.

She doesn’t eat the way you and I do. She’s fed through a tube attached straight through her abdomen. Some would call her a vegetable. I wouldn’t.

Because her name is Tracy. And there’s one thing she does well, despite all these.

Tracy smiles.

And her smile takes your breath away.

You see, she is able to smile when she likes something.

It’s the only way she communicates.

So I playfully rub the back of her neck, and whisper to her ear, “Tracy, do you like this? Smile if you do…”

She does, and it’s so sweet, you’d fall in love with her right there. I wipe her saliva with her bib, which is now soaking wet, and continue to hold her hand for the rest of the day.

I go home with tears in my eyes.

The next morning, I visit her again.

I can’t get away.

Yes, I know the past days were the most unproductive days of my life: no articles written, no preaching made, no songs composed, no meetings held, no books read, no plans designed...

All I did was hold her hand.

And allowed myself to be loved by a smile.

But the peace I felt!

And I realize why: I was being deeply transformed by the power of this Girl—the one who couldn’t even move a finger.

Tracy was training my soul to love well. She was training me to love one person, one face, one heart at a time. And she was training me to find love in the most unexpected places.

Even her memory speaks to me, asking me to slow down if I want to really love.

I picture her in my mind, and she smiles.

She tells me that I always have a choice.

I can make life beautiful.

16

People, Facts & Places

RP’s 2 New Archbishops Receive Pallium from Pope TWO Filipino Catholic archbishops received an honor from the Holy Father along with 25 other prelates from around the world.

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., and Archbishop Jose S. Palma of Palo received a pallium from Pope Benedict XVI at the annual Pallium Mass June 29 at the Vatican.

The pallium is a liturgical vestment symbolizing the authority of a metropolitan archbishop and unity with the Pope.

It is a circular band of white woolen cloth, with pendants at front and back, worn across the shoulders, outside the chasuable.

At the time of receiving it, archbishops swear an oath of allegiance, as proof of their fidelity to the Pope and the Holy See. During the ceremony, the Pope exhorted the prelates to be “shepherds and sure guides,” and to “work diligently in the vineyards” of God. According to Catholic World News (CWN), Pope Benedict XVI “used the same image that he had invoked on April 19, in his first public appearance after his elevation to the papacy, when he referred to himself as ‘a simple and humble worker in the Lord’s vineyard.’”

Several Catholics traveled to Rome to witness and to be a part of the Holy celebration. (Roy Lagarde)

Lagdameo Graces CFC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration ARCHBISHOP Angel N. Lagdameo, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president, led thousands of couples in a Eucharistic celebration on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Couples for Christ (CFC) amid heavy rains on June 26.

The event, which was held from 10 am to 7 pm at the sprawling Luneta Park, drew more people than expected.

Part of the excitement was seeing their members from other countries, reaching CFC’s goal of being in 153 countries.

While the rain whipped, CFC members still enjoyed the festive atmosphere. “It’s great that so many families came,” a CFC member said.

“The celebration is reason too for gratefully recalling the many stories that make up CFC today,” Lagdameo said in his message.

“We cannot tell nor describe how many and what kind of storms have been encountered by CFC through the years,” he said. “But this much we can say: many storms have passed and you are still around.”

“That you are still around is reason for thanksgiving and rejoicing,” he stressed.

One of the CFC’s ministries that is setting many provinces “on fire” is the project Gawad Kalinga (GK) 777 aiming to build 700,000 homes for the poor, in 7,000 communities, in seven years.

“Because there is ‘that fire’ in you, you are indeed part of that mighty force that is called GK one million heroes,” Lagdameo said.

“But that is only the start… the first one million. Because the movement of the Spirit is unstoppable,” he added.

Started in 1981 in Manila, CFC is a movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. It established families committed to the work of evangelization.

CFC then became a Christian family life program made available to parishes and groups of married couples who wished to live out their Christian life in an active supportive relationship with one another.

Through the years, CFC has blossomed into a worldwide ministry, becoming a major force for the renewal of the Christian family life and also of the church. (CBCP News)

CBCP Monitor July 3, 2006

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RE-ELECTED. Fr. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD, 57, as Superior General of the Divine World Missionaries or SVD (Societas Verbi Divini) Congregation; by the SVD’s 16 th General Chapter.

Pernia, who hails from Tagbilaran City, Bohol will take, for a second term of six years, the top seat of the over 6,000-member SVD Congregation of Catholic missionary priests and brothers worldwide whose prime missionary mandate is to spread the “divine word” or Gospel. During the 15th General Chapter of the Congregation in 2000, Pernia was elected the 10th Superior General of the SVD. Ordained priest in 1975, Pernia earned his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) from the Gregorian University in Rome.

ELECTED. Rev. Mother Ma. Evelyn Aguilar, RVM, 56, as Superior General of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Congregation; April 6, 2006; by the 18th Ordinary General Chapter of the RVM held in Betania Retreat House, Tagaytay City; making her the 22nd Superior General of the RVM. Aguilar, leaving her prior assignment as Directress of St. Mary’s Academy in Pasay City, succeeds Mother Superior General Clarita Balleque, RVM in steering the 322-year old Congregation whose over 700 members are variably assigned to its numerous apostolate and mission houses worldwide which include some 60 schools in the country, 9 dormitories, 8 retreat houses, and some 15 overseas mission houses and formal schools. The RVM Congregation, whose foundress Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo is yet due for beatification, is believed to be the oldest and largest Filipino religious congregation for women in the Philippines.

ELECTED. Rev. Mother Maxima Y. Pelaez, AR, 60, as Superior General of the Congregation of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters (AR); May 6, 2006; by AR’s 13th General Chapter held in Tagaste Retreat House, Tagaytay City; making her the 9th Superior General of the Congregation. Succeeding Mother Superior General Emilia Gaspillo, AR, Pelaez will head the over 300-member religious congregation for women with over 30 AR communities and apostolate centers which include orphanages, dormitories, schools, retirement homes, retreat houses, and

The Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines held its opening ceremonies for its 75th Founding Annivesary Celebration at St. Ezekiel Moreno Spirituality & Development Center, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, June 2-6.

Markings

3 overseas mission houses in Spain, Australia and the United States. Prior to her current election, Pelaez served as the congregation’s Vicar General and simultaneously as Superior Directress of the Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Makati City.

CELEBRATED. Fr. James Ferry, MM, 81, Manila a r c h d i o c e s e ’s Vicar for Religious, 50th sacerdotal ordination anniversary; June 9, 2006; in a Mass held at the Shrine of Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life, Pasay City and presided by Manila Archbishop Geudencio Cardinal Rosales. Ferry, whose full name is James Jay Thomas Timothy Patrick Paul Ferry has been serving the Manila Archdiocese since 1996 as its Episcopal Vicar for Religious Men and Women succeeding the late Bishop Cornelio de Wit, MHM. Born on June 7, 1925 in New York, USA and ordained priest in 1956 to the Maryknoll Congregation, Ferry spent his past fifty years of priesthood in the Philippines mostly taking teaching assignments in the Seminaries—at the Regional Major Seminary (REMASE) in Davao, and later at the San Carlos Theologate and Holy Apostles Senior Seminary in Makati City as well as at the Maryhill School of Theology in Quezon City— and whose former students include, among others, his long-time sacristan Romulo Valles (now Bishop of Kidapawan), Bishop Martin Jumuad of the Prelature of Isabela and the ‘heromartyr’ of the Prelature of Infanta, the late Fr. Charlito Colendres. The Holy Father honored and conferred on Fr. Ferry the Medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice on February 23, 2002.

CELEBRATED. Fr. James Reuter, SJ, 90, Executive Secretary of CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Social Communication and Mass Media, 90 th birth anniversary; May 21, 2006. Reuter, who is American by birth, came to the Philippines in 1938 and has since served the Philippine Church largely in the area of mass media and communications. The Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives in full session unanimously voted to grant him an honorary Filipino citizenship. Or-

dained priest to the Society of Jesus, Fr. Reuter is currently also the Director of the National Office of Mass Media for the Catholic Church in the Philippines and the Executive director of the Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters. Last May 21, on his 90th birthday, Fr. Reuter launched his legacy book entitled, James B. Reuter, SJ Legacy: Selected Works & Writings—and, interestingly, has showed no signs of retiring yet.

CELEBRATED. Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSsR) or Redemptorists; 100th anniversary in the Philippines; June 18, 2006; in a Mass held at St. Clement’s Church, La Paz, Iloilo City.

The CSsR or Redemptorists came to the Philippines in 1906 following the departure of Spanish Friars occasioned by the Revolution of 1896 and upon the request of Bishop Hendricks of Cebu and the Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines Msgr. Amrose Agius, OSB. Irish Redemptorists were the first to arrive in 1906, in Mactan Island, Cebu, and followed by Australian Redemptorists in 1907.

The Redemptorists in the Philippines had been noted as instrumental in promoting the popular devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help which, according to recent historical accounts, started, not in Baclaran, but in Iloilo on May 13, 1946 by some IrishAmerican Catholics from Boston who requested Fr. Patrick Nulty, CSsR to introduce the novena in St. Clement’s Church, La Paz, Iloilo.

CELEBRATED. Congregation of the Hijas de Jesus (FI); 75th anniversary in the Philippines; May 31, 2006; in Pototan, Iloilo. The Hijas de Jesus, with its roots from Spain, arrived the Philippines in 1932 when then Manila Archbishop Michael O’Doherty reiterated his earlier request addressed to the Congregation’s Superior General in Spain, Mother Eloisa Andres, for the Congregation to open up missionary work in the. Popularly called as “Jesuitinas” in Spain and as “Josefinas” in the Philippines, at present the Hijas de Jesus nuns in the Philippines are numbering to almost 400 and running some 11 schools, 3 formation houses, 2 retreat houses as well as 2 more houses for pastoral ministry. #

The 8th National Convention of the Arch/Diocesan Financial Administrators of the Philippines held in Boracay, June 2630; was preceeded by a recollection facilitated by Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Coference of the Philippines.