Jan 8, 2007 - CBCPMonitor

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Vol. 11 No. 1

Recoletos Mission January 8, 2007

Congress: ‘Serving Dishes from God’s Kitchen’

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Separation of Church and State: Its Impact on the Arena of Politics

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Papal Homilies on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the Epiphany

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Court Dismisses Bishop’s Libel Case THE court has dismissed a libel action brought by a Canadian mining company against Dipolog bishop Jose Manguiran over a report which appeared in a Church-backed primer that accused mining officials of anomalies.

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All–NFP Program in Ipil Prelature and Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese

CBCP Calls for “Self-renewal”

Protagonist of Truth, Promoter of Peace January 8, 2007

Vol. 11 No. 1

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THE head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has used his Christmas message to urge the people for “self-renewal”, an apparent reference to the county’s political crisis.

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CBCP Head Calls for Peace, Development

Benedict XVI Names 2 New Bishops POPE Benedict XVI has appointed two new bishops for the Dioceses of Calbayog, Samar and Bangued, Abra.

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez, 50, currently the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Palo since 2003 and the parish priest of Santo Niño Parish in Tacloban City, was named as the new bishop of Calbayog.

Born in Panlaan, Dumanjug, Cebu on July 8, 1956, he was ordained priest at the age of 31.

Bishop-designate Abarquez is succeeding Archbishop Jose Palma, who was the bishop of Calbayog from 1999 to March 2006, when he was appointed archbishop of Palo.

Palma has been the diocesan administrator of Calbayog until the appointment of Abarquez.

At the same time, the Holy Father also named Fr. Leopoldo Jaucian as the bishop of Bangued.

At the time of his appointment, he was the Provincial Superior of the Central province of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).

The Diocese of Bangued comprises the entire province of Abra. The bishop-elect will take over from current diocesan administrator, Reverend Pablo Nilo Peig.

The announcement was made January 5. The dates of installation of both bishops will be announced later. (CBCP News)

“It will be a better year when more and more of the marginalized and exploited are offered opportunities to work for and acquire their permanent shelter, genuine health benefits, liberating education, dignified employment and above all sufficient food,” he said.

But peace, he added, does not only mean the mere absence of hostility, hatred and war, in the climate of violence and counter-violence.

Peace, as a moral imperative, “is brought about by justice, requiring respect for human dignity and human rights, the promotion of the common good by one and all, and the constant practice in solidarity,” the prelate explained.

“Unless there is work of justice and love in our situation, our peace will be in a precarious state. It is difficult. But together we can do it,” he added.

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CALM AFTER THE STORM. A quite disturbing tranquility is rather displayed by these four children frolicking atop a half-buried house devastated by Typhoon Reming in Cagsawa, Legaspi City. With donations coming in trickles and sluggish government aid, the children’s innocent faces are seemingly all that’s needed to conquer the destruction wrought by the killer typhoon.

Int’l Aid Pours in for Typhoon Victims DONATIONS continue to pour in for relief as Church aid group works to reach victims of the recent typhoon and mudflows that have devastated many communities.

London-based Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has committed £50,000 (roughly P4.7 million) to the National Secretariat for Social Action—Justice and Peace (NASSA) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

A partner of CAFOD, NASSA has already been working in the affected area providing food and other basic goods to some one million people affected by the killer typhoon.

The initial relief will end this month but NASSA will continue working in the many areas to pursue rehabilitation programs.

“NASSA will continue to assess the situation to ensure aid is targeted to those most in need,” Clodagh Byme, CAFOD’s program support

ECPPC Holds Reg’l Prison Service Assembly

officer for the Philippines and Cambodia, said in statement.

US-based Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus (KC), meanwhile, also donated $50,000 or 2.4 million pesos to help victims of Typhoon Reming which hit the Philippines late of November last year.

The KC has more than 200,000 members in the Philippines, many of whom have been working to help those affected by the storm.

“This contribution expresses our

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CATHOLIC Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Angel Lagdameo rang the New Year with a renewed call for peace and development based on respect on the dignity of man and equality among Filipinos.

“The promotion of development demands collective intervention and responsibility of government, churches peace keepers and the entire society,” he said.

“This is best proven not only in time of calamities brought about by typhoons, fires and tsunamis but also in the normal times.”

For Lagdameo, underdevelopment breeds conflict, not peace.

He stressed that development means giving food on the table of the poor, secured employment, less expensive medicine, scholarships for the poorest children and decent home for squatters and slum-dwellers.

Photo credit: Roy Lagarde

By Miami Ebilane

THE CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Prison on Pastoral Care (ECPPC) held its first Regional Assembly of Chaplains and Volunteers in Prison Service in Visayas and Mindanao at the Holy Family Retreat House, Cebu City, last Dec. 4 to 7, 2006.

With the theme, “Healing and Restoring Hope and Dignity to the Community”, the assembly aimed at providing a forum where the Chaplains and Volunteers can address the issues and concerns in the prison ministry.

There were around 100 volunteers and chaplains who attended the gathering that came from the regions of Visayas and Mindanao.

In order to make a diocesan plan for Volunteers in Prison (VIP) Units, Mr. Gerald Bernabe spoke on the Integrated Pastoral Program for the Prison Ministry of the Church and the Vision to complete human development of the prison society.

THE University of Santo Tomas Graduate School (UST-GS) will hold a two-day national conference on St. Thomas Aquinas and Contemporary Philosophy at the Tanghalang Teresita Quirino, inside UST Campus, on January 18 and 19, 2007.

A fruitful discussion and exchange of ideas from eminent personalities showing the relevance of St. Thomas to contemporary scene is the aim of the conference. The Thomistic philosophy vis-à-vis new philosophical issues will also be discussed on the conference.

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Conference on St. Thomas Aquinas, Contemporary Philosophy Slated

solidarity with them in their hour of need, and I am confident that Knights around the world will add their own contributions to this effort,” Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said.

With the help of funding from CAFOD, KC and other aid agencies, the NASSA will continue to distribute food as well as medicines, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping bags, materials to temporary shelters, and kitchen utensils for survivors. (Roy Lagarde)

Catholic Missionary in Mindanao Missing, Feared Kidnapped

by Santosh Digal CAGAYAN De Oro, January 5, 2007—It is feared that a Catholic missionary priest who went missing in the southern Philippines five days ago has been kidnapped. Fr Lucio Bola, 46 years, works at the Scalabrinian Seminary in a village called Pardo in Talisay, Cebu. He went home to Mindanao for the Christmas holidays on 30 December, near Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental province. There has been no news of him since 31 December.

A niece of his said that on that day, Fr Bola had said he was going to bless a house in Lagonglong. He went out at 3pm and never returned.

“We are now looking into groups that could have possibly been stalking him,” said Misamis Oriental police chief, Superintendent Lyndel Desquitado. He would not identify the groups and said there was currently no proof that the priest had been kidnapped.

In the past, Christian priests in

the southern Philippines have been kidnapped and even killed by Muslim extremists such as the Abu Sayyaf, an armed band with links to the Al-Qaeda terror network.

Meanwhile, the priest’s family has asked the mayor of Cagayan de Oro, Vicente Emano, for help. They visited the mayor on 3 January and told him how the priest’s brothers and sisters were murdered in separate incidents in 1982 and 1983.

The archdiocese of Cagayan De Oro is also searching for the missionary. A diocesan spokesman, Msgr. Abacahin, said: “We are doing everything possible to find him”. He appealed to the people to collaborate.

He has also offered to negotiate with those who may have captured the priest: “I am pleading to the group that I am willing to go to whichever place they ask, no matter how far that is, just to get him back.” (AsiaNews)

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World News

Warsaw’s Archbishop Collaborated With Communists VATICAN CITY, January 6, 2007—The new pastor of the Warsaw Archdiocese, Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus, admitted that he collaborated with the secret services of the Communist regime in Poland.

The prelate made this admission, reported on Vatican Radio, after Friday’s publication of a statement by Poland’s Ecclesiastical Historical Commission, headed

by Wojciech Laczkowski, which confirms that the prelate collaborated with the Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Poland’s Ecclesiastical Historical Commission clarified that, in virtue of the analysis of the documents of the National Memory Institute, “it cannot be affirmed that this collaboration had consequences for persons or institutions.”

This type of collaboration was prohibited by the episcopate.

Archbishop Wielgus took canonical possession of the archdiocese on Jan. 5 and this Sunday, he is due to take possession of Warsaw’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

In a note broadcast on Vatican Radio’s Polish program, Archbishop Wielgus stated: “Driven by the desire to undertake important studies for my scientific specialization, I allowed myself to be involved by those contacts without the necessary prudence, and without the courage and determination to break them. I confess this error.

“I do not know if the documents that the Historical Commission has presented to me are the only ones or if others will appear, but today I confirm with full conviction that I did not denounce any one and that I tried not to harm any one.”

Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus

Archbishop Wielgus added: “I again acted wrongly when, in recent days, given the feverish media campaign, I denied the facts of this collaboration.

“This has endangered the credibility of the affirmations of persons of the Church, among whom are those bishops who have sympathized with me.

“I know that for many of you this withdrawal from the truth is as painful a fact as my involvement of so many years ago.”

Archbishop Wielgus ends his statement asking with a repentant heart to be received in the archdiocese as a “brother who wants to unite and not divide, to pray and unite the people of the Church, in the Church of saints and sinners, which we all are.”

Finally, the prelate submits with humility to any decision made by Benedict XVI. The Holy See and the bishops of Poland addressed the issue with communiqués published on Dec. 21.

On that occasion, the Vatican press office explained in a statement: “The Holy See, in choosing to appoint the new metropolitan archbishop of Warsaw, took into consideration all the circumstances of his life, including those regarding his past.” (Zenit)

Dignity of the Person is Founded on Human Rights VATICAN CITY, January 1, 2007—Following today’s Eucharistic celebration marking the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God and before praying the Angelus from the window of his private study overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the Pope said: “Today we contemplate Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, in His attribute of true ‘Prince of Peace.’ He ‘is our peace,’ Who came to break down the wall that divides men and peoples, in other words ‘hostility’.”

Benedict VI recalled how it was Paul VI who wished “that the year should begin under the protection of Most Holy Mary, venerated as the Mother of God,” and that January 1 “should mark the World Day of Peace, so that each year may start in the light of Christ, the great pacifier of humanity.

“Today,” he added, “I renew my hope for peace to the governors and leaders of nations and of international organizations, and to all men and women of good will. I do so particularly with the special Message that I prepared together with my collaborators in

CBCP Monitor

the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace and that has as its theme this year: ‘The Human Person, the Heart of Peace’.”

That Message, said the Holy Father, “touches upon an essential point: the value of the human person, who is the column that supports the entire grand edifice of peace. Today there is much talk of human rights, but it is often forgotten that they need a foundation that is firm, not relative or subjective. This foundation can only be the dignity of the person. And respect for this dignity begins with the recognition and protection of people’s right to live and profess their own religion freely.”

The Pope concluded: “To the Holy Mother of God we trustingly address our prayer that sacred respect for all human beings and the firm refusal of war and violence may develop in people’s consciences.

Help us, Mary, you who brought Jesus into the world, to welcome from Him the gift of peace and to be sincere and courageous builders of peace.”

(VIS)

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Benedict XVI Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Wielgus VATICAN CITY, January 7, 2007—In a note released at midday today, the apostolic nunciature to Poland stated that: “Metropolitan Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus of Warsaw, Poland, on the day in which he was scheduled to enter the Cathedral Basilica to begin his pastoral ministry in the Church of Warsaw, has presented His Holiness Benedict XVI with his resignation from canonical office, in accordance with canon 401 par.

2 of the Code of Canon Law. “The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus and has appointed Cardinal Jozef Glemp, primate of Poland, as diocesan administrator of Warsaw, until further notice.” The note bears the signature of Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk, apostolic nuncio to Poland.

For his part, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. released the following declaration to journalists today:

“Archbishop Wielgus’ conduct in the past years of the communist regime in Poland has seriously compromised his authority, even with the faithful. Therefore, despite his humble and touching request for forgiveness, his resignation from the see of Warsaw and its prompt acceptance on the part of the Holy Father seemed an appropriate way to address the disorientation that has been created in that country.

“It is a time of great suffering for a Church to which we all owe so much and which we love. A Church that has given us pastors of the stature of Cardinal Stefan Wyszybnski and, above all, of Pope John Paul II. The universal Church must feel spiritually united to the Church in Poland and support her with prayer and encouragement, so she may soon recover her serenity.

“At the same time, it must be remarked that the case of Archbishop Wielgus is not the

first and will probably not be the last time that personalities of the Church are attacked on the basis of documentation from the security services of the former regime. There is an enormous amount of material and, in attempting to assess its value and draw reliable conclusions, it must not be forgotten that it was produced by officials of an oppressive and blackmailing regime.

“So many years after the end of the communist regime, with the loss of the great and unassailable figure of Pope John Paul II, the current wave of attacks against the Catholic Church in Poland, rather than a sincere search for transparency and truth, has many hallmarks of being a strange alliance between the persecutors of the past and their adversaries, a vendetta by those who used to persecute the Church and were defeated by the faith and the thirst for freedom of the Polish people. “‘The truth will make you

free,’ says Christ. The Church is not afraid of the truth and her members, to be faithful to their Lord, must be able to acknowledge their own faults.

We hope that the Church in Poland will be able to live and surmount this difficult period courageously and clearly, so that she will be able to continue to offer her precious and extraordinary contribution of faith and evangelical energy to the Church in Europe and the world.” (VIS)

Holy See Reaffirms Death Penalty Stance Kids Can Be Missionaries Too, Pope Says VATICAN CITY, January 1, 2007—In the wake of the execution of former Iraqi dictator Sadaam Hussein, the Vatican reaffirmed its condemnation of the death penalty.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, made that comment Saturday, the day Hussein was executed by hanging at a former military intelligence headquarters in Baghdad’s Shiite neighborhood of Kazimiyah.

“A capital execution is always tragic news,” he said, “rea-

sons for sadness, even if it is about a person who has been guilty of grave crimes.”

Father Lombardi added: “To kill the guilty one is not the way to rebuild justice and to reconcile society. The risk also exists that, on the contrary, the spirit of vengeance will be fueled and new violence be sown.

“In this dark time of the life of the Iraqi people one cannot but hope that all those responsible will make every effort so that in a dramatic situation channels of reconciliation and peace will finally be opened.” (Zenit)

24 Missionaries Died Violently in 2006 VATICAN CITY, January 6, 2007—Twenty-four priests, religious and laypeople were killed in 2006 while carrying out their missionary work— just one person less than 2005’s figure.

The Vatican missionary agency Fides published the report on deaths, not only of missionaries but also of all the ecclesiastical personnel who died violently or sacrificed their lives, aware of the risk they faced, rather than abandon their commitment to give witness and engage in the apostolate.

The list of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples avoids explicitly the term “martyrs,” so as not to intervene in the judgment that the Church might eventually give on them.

Nevertheless, the Church proposes them for remembrance

and prayer for their eternal rest.

Africa is the continent that registered the greatest number of victims last year: nine priests, a nun and a lay volunteer died violently. In Kenya three priests were murdered, and in Nigeria, two priests disappeared.

The second continent marked by violent deaths in 2006 is America, where six priests, a nun and a layman lost their lives. The Church lost two of its members in Brazil.

Two priests, a nun and a layman lost their lives in Asia.

One religious died violently in Oceania.

Fides explained that the list is provisional, as the names must be added of those on whom there will never be any information, those who “suffer in all corners of the planet and pay with their lives for their faith in Christ.” (Zenit)

Birth Rate Rises After Six Years TOKYO, Japan, January 2, 2007—With the birth of more than one million babies in 2006, Japan has recorded the first increase in its birth rate in six years, according to government data released yesterday.

The falling population of the land of the rising sun has raised concerns about the country’s chances of maintaining its economic growth and about the government’s ability to finance growing pension requirements.

The estimates, based on preliminary figures of births

and deaths registered at municipal offices, showed the number of babies born in 2006 was 1,086,000, 23,000 more than a year earlier.

In 2005, the fertility rate of Japanese women, or the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime, dropped to 1.26. Health Ministry data showed this trend has reversed and the fertility rate is rising. In 2006, the rate rose to 1.29. All the same, the ministry said the rate was expected to start dropping again this year. (AsiaNews)

VATICAN CITY, January 6, 2007—Children can also be missionaries and “witnesses of God’s tenderness,” Benedict XVI said while celebrating Missionary Childhood Day. The Holy Father explained today after praying the Angelus that this day is observed worldwide on the solemnity of the Epiphany, as it “is the feast of Christian children who live joyfully the gift of faith and pray that the light of Jesus will reach all the children of the world.”

“I thank the children of ‘Holy Childhood,’ present in 110 countries, as they are precious cooperators of the Gospel and apostles of Christian solidarity in favor of the needi-

est,” he said, addressing the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

The Bishop of Rome encouraged “educators to cultivate in little ones the missionary spirit, so that impassioned missionaries will arise among them, witnesses of God’s tenderness and proclaimers of his love.”

The Pontifical Society for Missionary Childhood, part of the Pontifical Missionary Societies, aims to foster in children the desire to be missionaries and to help other children with prayer and financial support.

This society, founded in 1843, also helps educators— parents, catechists and teachers—to foster the universal missionary dimension in the education of children.

Above all, children give of their savings, which Missionary Childhood allocates yearly to support some 4,000 projects for the world’s neediest children. (Zenit)

Pro-family Leader Praises Pope’s Statement on Demographic Decline ILLINOIS, USA, January 5, 2007—The president of the World Congress of Families, Allan Carlson, has praised Pope Benedict XVI for his comments on European population decline, saying that the Pontiff’s remarks are “farsighted and courageous.”

Speaking to the Roman Curia in December, during a traditional meeting before Christmas, Pope Benedict XVI said that low birthrates in Europe reflect the fact that many couples no longer seem to want children—a tragedy which, the Pope said, has “penetrated my soul.” The Pope added: “If we do not relearn the basic foundation of faith—if we do not recover the certainty of faith—it will be ever more difficult for us to give others the gift of life and the challenges of an unknown

future.”

“Secularism is a societal death-wish,” Carlson observed. “Those who believe that life has no higher purpose than self-gratification won’t make the sacrifices necessary to raise a family. Empty churches lead to empty nurseries.”

European countries, which have the lowest rates of religious observance in the world, also have the lowest birthrates. Of the ten lowest birthrates, 9 are in Europe – the tenth is in Japan, where a similar process is underway.

Carlson noted: “Italy’s birthrate is 1.2 children per woman. Spain’s is 1.15. A nation needs a birthrate of about 2.1 just to replace current population. For Europe, demographic winter is fast becoming a reality.” (CWNews)

CBCP Monitor Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

“EVERY missionary, every Christian must feel like a waiter in a banquet, who serves the dishes from the kitchen of God: in the first place, the dish of renewal in communion with the Church and complete adherence to Christ; and, in the second place, the dish of gratitude, which is the matter of the mission,” noted Fr. Lauro Larlar, OAR, prior provincial of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects (OAR) Province of Saint Ezekiel Moreno in the Philippines.

He said this at the closing rites of the recently concluded 3rd OAR international mission congress held at the San Sebastian CollegeRecoletos, C.M. Recto Avenue, Manila last December 4-6, 2006.

Highlighted with the theme “The Recollect Missionary Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, the three-day mission congress was held “for the purpose of studying the missionary vocation as integral part of the Augustinian Recollect identity” and in commemoration of the Fourth Centenary (1606-2006) of the arrival of the Augustinian Recollect missionaries in the Philippines.

The big event was successfully participated by a close to 1,000 delegates, guests, and members of the Augustinian Recollect family worldwide—Recollect bishops, priests, deacons and brothers, Augustinian Recollect sisters, Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity members, and college seminarians, novices and theology students of the Province of Saint Ezekiel Moreno.

The OAR Mission Congress kicked off with a solemn Mass, held December 4 at the San Sebastian

News Feature Recoletos Mission Congress:

‘Serving Dishes from God’s Kitchen’

By Bob R. Acebedo Basilica (Manila), with the papal nuncio Archbishop Fernando Filoni as presider and concelebrated by five Recollect bishops from other countries—Olavio Lopez Duque (Bogota, Colombia); Jose Luis Azcona (Marajo, Brazil); Emiliano Antonio Cisneros (Chachapoyas, Peru); Hector Javier Pizarro (Trinidad, Colombia); Mario Molina (Quiche, Guatemala)—and over 80 Recollect priests.

In his homily, the papal nuncio stressed the principal characteristics that make a true missionary: “fidelity to Christ, communion with the Church, and zealously imbued with Marian spirit”.

A euphoric sense of nostalgia even more filled the solemn Eucharistic celebration with the singing during the communion of the all-too familiar Spanish classic Venid, venid Jesus a consolarme, composed 70 years ago by the Augustinian Recollect missionary Fr. Domingo Carceller, OAR.

Combining aspects of “theology, history, anthropology and practical living of the mission as part of the charism of the Augustinian Recollect Order”, lecture topics and speakers of the three-day mission congress included the following: “Global Presentation of the Missions of the Order”, by Fr. Javier Desiderio Ayala Guerra, OAR Prior General; “The Iter of our Missions in the Past”, Fr. Angel Martinez Cuesta, OAR; “St. Ezekiel Moreno as Augustinian Recollect Missionary”, Prof. Emmanuel Luis Romanillos; “Theology of the Missions after the Second Vatican Council”, Fr. James Kroger; “The Mission Today: Challenges, Practices, Methodology, with special attention to the mission activities in Brazil”, by Most Rev. Jose Luis Azcona Hermoso, OAR, DD, bishop of Marajo, Pa. Brazil; “The Recollect Missionary Works in China and Taiwan”, Fr. Jose Javier Pipaon Monreal, OAR; “The Identity of the Augustinian Recol-

Bukidnon Family and Life Apostolate: Making A Difference

By Sr. Lucy Lucine, RVM

THE Family and Life Apostolate (FLA) of the Diocese of Malaybalay in the province of Bukidnon is making a difference to many families of varied religious background and culture. It is currently intensifying its effort to conduct family and pro-life seminars in schools, parishes and other communities to address family issues and concerns.

The seminars, which include Personality Integration, Pre-marriage course, Human Sexuality, Recollection and Reflection sessions, are conducted to high school students and out of school youth. The seminars are given to help young people understand their sexuality and become deeply aware of the realities of who they are—a special person, a gift, sons and daughters of God. The following specific topics were helpful: Dignity of the Human Person, Sexuality, Love, Boy-Girl Relationship, Choices and Integration, Life of Teen-agers and Chastity Covenant.

Helping parents become aware of the situation of the family in modern society and their responsibility in promoting Christian values is another major concern of the FLA program. This is done through various values seminars and spiritual activities, such as: “Parenting in a new millennium”, family retreats, recollections, mid-life workshops, and mar-

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sterilization is also given priority. The training of NFP motivators is regularly done to increase the number of acceptors. At the same time a seminar on Natural Family Planning (NFP) is conducted in the hope that people will have a deeper understanding of the function of the human body according to God’s plan. NFP is “a way of life”, and not a method which requires a learning process. As acceptors of NFP, they need to learn to SACRIFICE as they practice periodic abstinence, cooperation, understanding and generosity between husband and wife. This will result in LOVE MAKING and GIVING LOVE. The FLA workers and promoters are also made to participate in seminar-workshops to equip them with more knowledge and skills on Family and Life issues, and concerns. In addition, there is the continuous updating of the workers through parishes and deanery meetings, quarterly diocesan assembly, and participation to regional and national congress on family life.

The family life workers are sustained in their commitment by spiritual sessions like Core Group reflections, recollections and retreats given by the Diocesan FLA coordinator.

The spiritual formation inspires and strengthens the workers to persevere in the tasks entrusted to them.

riage encounter. Participants of these activities are able to rediscover their responsibility to each other as couples and their role as first teachers of their children.

Likewise, the apostolate is committed to defend the sacredness of life and sanctity of the family which is subtly assaulted by certain government programs being promoted under the guise of welfare and development. For instance, a prayer march-rally was held at Valencia City last summer to address the issue. The diocesan clergy and religious sisters of Bukidnon actively participated in the rally which was attended by more or less 10,000 people representing the different parishes. Moreover, resolutions on anti-life bills were drafted and sent to concerned authorities.

The Family and Life apostolate also responded to issues on contraception and sterilization. Hence, the campaign on natural Family Planning (NFP) is intensified. Information Prayer March-Rally held at Valencia City last May 22, 2005 which drive on the effects A was actively participated in by the diocesan clergy and Religious and the evils of Sisters of Bukidnon. The rally was attended by more or less contraception and 10,000 people representing the different parishes in the diocese.

lect Missionary”, by Most Rev. Emiliano Cisneros, OAR, DD, bishop of Chachapoyas, Peru; “The Missionary before the Present Realities of the Society”, by Most Rev. Mario Molina, OAR, DD, bishop of Quiche, Guatemala; “Inculturation and Interreligious Dialogue”, by Most Rev. Hector Javier Pizarro, OAR, DD, bishop of Trinidad, Colombia; “Response of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters to the Call of Mission”, by Rev. Mo. Maxima Pelaez, AR, Mother General of the Congregation of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters; and “The Future of the Recollect Missions in Africa”, by Fr. Don Besana, OAR. The closing ceremonies of the mission congress were capped with a solemn Mass held December 6 at

the San Sebastian College quadrangle, presided by Bishop Mario Molina, OAR of Quiche, Guatemala, and concelebrated by other 12 bishops—which included Cagayan de Oro archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Ozamiz archbishop Jesus Dosado, Balanga bishop Socrates Villegas, San Carlos bishop Jose Advincula, Kabankalan bishop Patricio Buzon and Surigao bishop Antonieto Cabajog—and some 95 priests.

The international mission congress was the third organized by the Order. The first congress took place in Madrid, Spain, at the crypt of St. Nicholas of Tolentino in St. Rita parish in 1990; and the second was held in Alcobendas, near Madrid, Spain, in 1995.

A Summary Account of Four Voyages – And a Year’s Pontificate

by Sandro Magister ROMA, December 27, 2006—In the address that he gave to the Roman curia just before Christmas, Benedict XVI identified the unifying element of the four trips he took outside of Italy in 2006: to Poland, Spain, Germany, and Turkey.

The unifying and decisive element, he said, was “the correlation of the topic of ‘God’ and the topic of ‘peace’.”

This is because, if this correlation is lacking, and “if reason remains closed before the question of God, this will end up leading to the clash of cultures” and religions: a clash “that looms threateningly” over the entire planet.

Benedict XVI demonstrated that the response to the fundamental question of God affects a series of related questions.

In Poland, he said that man’s desire to “banish God from history” has its most striking memorial in Auschwitz and Birkenau. But even amid His apparent absence, God “does not cease to remain with us,” like the rainbow after the flood.

In Spain, there arose the great question about why Europe “practically doesn’t want to have any more children.” The pope’s reply is that the man of today has become “unsure about man himself.” And this explains the disintegration of the family, the tendency toward de facto couples, the removal of the differences between the sexes: it is a “denigration of corporeality” that leads to man’s self-destruction. The Church has a duty to raise its voice in defense of this endangered man.

In Germany, the pope continued, preaching that God is all the more necessary today because in some

regions most people have not even been baptized, and the faith is seen as belonging to the past. Benedict XVI linked to this issue the priest’s role as a “man of God,” who is celibate not for pragmatic reasons, but precisely because he is “seized by a passion for God.” He also linked to the question of God the dialogue between faith and reason, which he explored in the lecture at the University of Regensburg.

In Turkey, Benedict XVI wanted to show his solidarity with those faithful of Allah who “precisely on the basis of their Muslim religious convictions struggle against violence and in favor of synergy between faith and reason, between religion and freedom.” Because this is exactly Islam’s task today: to elaborate the proper synthesis between the faith and “the real achievements of Enlightenment thinking” that Christians have reached over centuries of “laborious and never-finalized research.”

The latter is an approach to dialogue that is much more effective than a thousand ceremonial embraces, as is proved by the “open letter” addressed to the pope last October by 38 Muslim intellectuals and leaders from various nations, including the grand mufti of Istanbul.

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Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Papal Prayer Intention: That Pastors Lead to Peace VATICAN CITY, January 6, 2007—During the month of January, Benedict XVI will pray that pastors lead their followers along the path of peace.

The Holy Father will ask that: “In our time, unfortunately marked by many episodes of violence, the pastors of the Church may continue to indicate the way of peace and understanding among peoples.”

The Apostleship of Prayer announced the intention se-

lected by the Pope. Thousands of the faithful worldwide join the Holy Father in offering their prayers and sacrifices for the intention.

The Pope also prays every month for an apostolic intention.

This month the intention is: “That the Church in Africa may become a constantly more authentic witness of the Good News of Christ and be committed, in every nation, to the promotion of reconciliation and peace.” (Zenit)

Bangued Diocese Holds DYD ‘06 THE diocese of Bangued held their sixth Diocesan Youth Day, which was attended by a good number of youths from different vicariates and parishes last Dec.16, 2006.

Held biannually, the gathering traces its beginnings when the diocese celebrated the Taize Pilgrimage of Trust in Abra some years back.

For this year the goal was to develop social awareness among the youth; to discover the social

situation of the young people in their own parishes and most especially to respond to their social needs.

The Youth Day was hosted by St. Narcissus Parish in Bucay who brought not only social awareness to the youth but also of their role in the Church’s renewal and as builders of faith, hope and love through community immersions.

(Miami Ebilane)

CBCP Head / from p1 Will 2007 be a better year? The CBCP leader asks and quickly provides the answer: “It will be, if we do not insist on doing the things that produced our problems.”

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, meanwhile, directed his thoughts to continuing political and social crisis saying people cannot have a genuine “happy new year” because of the country’s current situation.

“But it is truly hard to expect that the year 2007 would be really happy. This is not pessimism but reality, not surrender but the truth—

considering that the nation’s present is difficult and the country’s future is rather bleak,” said Cruz.

He also cautioned Arroyo not to underrate the country’s political situation because people still do not forget the failings of her administration and were left behind last 2006.

“This fact alone already assures a good amount of social unrests in the country. It is not hard to foresee more angry people staging more protest rallies and marches this year,” Cruz added. (with reports from Roy Lagarde)

THE whole nation celebrates the National Bible Week on January 2228, 2007.

This annual event, which culminates with the National Bible Sunday on January 28, is observed by Bible believers all over the country as a time to affirm the importance of God’s Word in their individual lives.

Instituted by Presidential Proclamation Nos. 22 and 1067, it reminds Filipinos to regularly seek the Lord’s guidance and will by reading, studying and living the Scriptures.

This year’s theme is “God’s Word: Standard of Justice and Right Living.”

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate chairman Bishop Arturo Bastes said the people need to turn to God’s Word, where we find guidance for our life and faith as individuals, family and nation.

“As Christians we believe that God’s Word should be the standard of justice and right living. It must become the norm, the ideal, the benchmark, the banner, the measure, the pattern and the yardstick of our life as a Christian nation,” he said.

Among all the books only the Bible is God-inspired, said Bastes.

‘Nature Church’ Gutted by Fire NEW Year’s Eve fire destroyed Las Piñas’ Mary Immaculate Parish Church known as the “Nature Church,” located in Moonwalk Village.

The fire broke out around 12 midnight and quickly spread because the structure was made mostly of wood and anahaw leaves.

Initial investigation revealed the fire might have started from a “kwitis” (a firecracker) that landed on the church at the height of the New Year celebration.

Built in 1985, Nature Church has become a favorite tourist destination and considered one of the most popular churches in Metro Manila because of its serene and “nature” ambience.

Thomas Aquinas’ Teaching on Justice Today”.

Then on the last day, Prof.

Manuel B. Dy, Ph.D. from Ateneo de Manila University will discuss “St. Thomas Aquinas and Gabriele Marcel on Justice”; Prof. John F.X. Knasas, Ph.D. from Center for Thomistic Studies University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Houston, Texas will have a topic on “Being and the 21st Century Thomist” and Rev. Fr. Dr. J. Antonio E. Aureada, O.P. from University of Santo Tomas on “Sanctifying Grace: A Vindication of Participative Existentialism in St. Thomas Aquinas” The UST-GS is a Center of Excellence for Philosophy recognized by the government’s Commission on Higher Education. (CBCP News)

ECPPC Holds / from p1 Other goals of the gathering were to get deeper understanding, appreciation of the direction and programs of the prison ministry and to commit oneself to work in restoring dignity and healing hurts.

It also aimed at building a community and sharing among each

other the best practices being adapted by the volunteers.

This is the second time that the ECPPC had their Regional Assembly. The first was on July 2006 with the chaplains and VIPs (Volunteers in Prison) from the southeast, southwest and south Luzon. (Miami Ebilane)

Aside from the anahaw roof, and capis lights, the pews are also made of the trunks of mango trees.

Fire fighters were able to prevent the conflagration from totally destroying the Church.

There were no reports of injuries.

“It’s very frustrating,” said a 45-year old churchgoer. “We almost lost a great structure.”

According to estimates, P1 million will be needed to reconstruct the church.

Parishioners, meantime, are

having their daily mass at a chapel near the main church, and every Sunday at the town’s multi-purpose hall to accommodate more churchgoers. (Miami Ebilane)

posed to be for legitimate ancestral domain owners.

Ladera cleared Manguiran and eight others including a priest stating that because nothing in the primer tends to dishonor or discredit the complainants, it was unlikely to be considered defamatory.

“The issue that the royalty payment did not go to the legal beneficiaries but with the dealers does not constitute malversation,” the court said.

“It simply states that the royalty payment is with them. Whatever happened or what was done to the money was not brought up.”

Bernardo and Tumangkis de-

nied allegations and accused Manguiran and his group for character assassination and noted that the imputation of being just an “IP dealer” is too harsh.

The complainants legal team argued that it was libelous because they were made with malice in order to embarrass, humiliate, discredit and cause dishonor their clients.

“Worse, they are direct and conclusive imputations of the devious crimes of ‘large scale’ or ‘mass swindling,’ malversation, and of ‘selling my people’ without having even laid the basis of their conclusion,” Bernardo said.

(CBCP News)

Cardinal Rosales, meanwhile, has renewed call for peace, including an end to poor perception and undervaluing its meaning.

Peace is not gained through the cessation of a battle, he said. Conflict continues even in the time of peace.

“People desiring peace must wage war against greed and ambition.

Where there remains still a single proud and greedy man, there can be no peace in his world,” said Rosales.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said Christmas is time for hope, especially for those who pursue justice and peace.

He said that Christmas should bring light to “big socio-moral darkness basically due to odious and

ominous politics.”

“Sad but true, we have to admit that in our country during these trying times, there is too much lying, stealing and cheating, too much graft and corruption, too much greed for power and wealth, too much abuse of human rights and killing of human lives. In short, there is too much darkness in our midst—even during this Christmas season,” he said.

Cruz said that with Christ as the light, the big “social darkness” brought about by corrupt and corrupting individuals could be overcome.

He urged the faithful to remain vigilant to defeat the darkness. (Roy Lagarde)

Court Dismisses / from p1

Conference / from p1 Prominent philosophy professors and scholars from the Philippines and abroad have been invited as speakers for the conference.

On the first day of the conference, Prof. Herwi Rikhof, Ph.D from the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands will discuss the “Adoptive Sonship: Developmental Thinking of St. Thomas Aquinas”; Prof.

Florentino T. Timbreza, Ph.D. from De La Salle University will discuss “St. Thomas Aquinas in the Age of Cybernetics”; Prof. Rainier A. Ibana, Ph.D. from Ateneo de Manila University has the topic “The Contemporary Relevance of St. Thomas’ Philosophy of Education” and Rev. Fr. Dr. Fausto B. Gomez, O.P. from University of Santo Tomas on “The Relevance of St.

“For this reason, the Sacred Scriptures if used in teaching, are valuable for reproof, useful for correction and are an excellent guide for right living for persons both as individuals and as a nation.”

PBS General Secretary Nora Lucero, meanwhile, affirms the PBS’ burden to help change the country.

“We believe that the Bible is a potent catalyst for change—in ourselves, our families, our communities, our nation. For this reason, we partner with kindred spirits in promoting the integration of these values into the Filipino standard and way of

life,” said Lucero.

The PBS leads the yearly celebration of the National Bible Week and National Bible Sunday as part of its advocacy to make the Scriptures relevant to the lives of Filipinos everywhere.

Churches nationwide will rally behind and actively participate in the various activities slated for the weeklong celebration.

In Manila, the celebration will culminate with a Bible Fiesta at the Folk Arts Theatre on Jan.27.

Highlights of this event include a Bible exhibit, seminars, youth forums, art workshops, storytelling sessions, and a concert featuring some of the country’s top bands and artists.

There will also be a fun run, where proceeds would be used to purchase Bibles for victims of calamities.

Different local government units will also have their own commemorations during their respective flag-raising ceremonies on January 22. During the week, they will also hold motorcades, host Bible quizzes, talent shows, and other creative activities to highlight the importance of the Bible. (CBCP News)

© Ronna Reyes

© Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis

Church Celebrates National Bible Week

Bp. Jose Manguiran

Dipolog City Prosecutor Rodrigo Ladera found no basis for t h e company’s claim that the primer report, published last year, was

defamatory.

The primer, published by the Dipolog Committee on Mining Issues led by Bishop Jose Manguiran, alleged “IP dealers” Pablo Bernardo and Juanito Tumangkis of irregularity over 3 million “royalty payment” sup-

CBCP Calls / from p1 In a statement, the prelate said Advent-Christmas is a call to repentance and reform of conduct.

“Under the guidance of Jesus the Savior, may leaders and followers pursue the way to moral integrity, political sincerity, honesty and transparency in relationship,” he said.

“May everyone correct his/her mistakes or sins with sincere humility and sense of humor. May everyone outdo each other in generosity and understanding,” said Lagdameo who is also the archbishop of Jaro.

He asked God to bless leaders who serve the government, military, churches and various groups.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio

CBCP Monitor

Feature

Vol. 11 No. 1

© http://www.flickr.com/photos/giltron/33457146

January 8, 2007

Separation of Church and State: Its Impact on the Arena of Politics

By Bp. Leonardo Y. Medroso, DD THE convergence of various cultures, legal systems and religions has through the years produced peculiar effects in the relationship between the State and the Church in the Philippines. The various powers that colonized the country have left an indelible imprint in the country’s laws and life and consequently worked together in shaping up the relationship between the Church and the State. That there is a separation of Church and State is a fact. This is amply evidenced in the various constitutions of the country. The problem is the nature and style of separation. What does separation of Church and State mean?

The Philippine Constitution describes this relationship in this manner: “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination and preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”

Simply put, the separation of Church and State doctrine as expressed in the present Constitution implies two things, namely, 1) that no religion may be established as the official religion of the State nor prohibits the free exercise thereof; 2) that the State shall not favor one religion over the others. It logically follows from the aforementioned that the State shall allow the free exercise and enjoyment of any religious creed or conviction one may choose to adhere to.

The present code of canon law, on its part, maintains and rightfully claims the moral personality of the Catholic Church and the Apostolic See by divine ordination which serves the basis for the autonomy of its jurisdictional authority and character and independence in the human community. It further lays claim, among others, the freedom to preach the gospel and to render moral judgment on any matter of human affairs; to establish and direct schools; to promote formation and education in the Catholic religion at all levels of education; to train its own ministers; to appoint and send papal legates; to establish the matrimonial regimen for its faithful; to acquire, retain or sell temporal goods for the attainments for its own goals; to punish with penal sanctions those of the faithful who commit delicts;

and to judge its own cases.

It goes without saying that each of these stipulations presupposes the fundamental purpose of affirming the Church’s autonomy vis-à-vis temporal powers, and, its “inherent,” “exclusive,” “native,” “original” freedoms and rights “independent of civil power.” They are not actual presentation of the relations between Church and State, nor are they practical guidelines on how separation of Church and State should be carried out in day-to-day transactions and political interactions. But they do provide the ready foundation for the establishment of such relation together with the Church’s conviction that it has supreme authority over its juridical code. By virtue of her mission to spread the gospel message and to unify the spirit of all, the Church stands forth as sign of that unity which allows honest dialogue. It requires mutual esteem, reverence and harmony through the recognition of lawful diversity.

The Church and the State, has for numerous times, shown a great level of collaboration in a number of issues as evidenced by the various concordats the Church has established with different states. While the authority of the State is limited to the temporal affairs of man and the Church on the spiritual matters, recent events have shown that the Church has been more and more concerned with the development of man for, as members of society, the members of the Church has the same duty to promote the common good as does the State. It is in the arena of politics that the separation of Church and State is being most often invoked.

Church-State Relations According to Vatican II The most fundamental principle governing Church-State relationships is that the Church has a very specific purpose in the world and it is not constituted as an entity opposed to the State. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind the Conciliar statement of Gaudium et spes, no. 76, which puts this issue in its proper perspective.

Several important points must be highlighted in this statement.

First, the Church affirms the natural and supernatural dimensions of each and every human being. Even though the direct and primary concern of the Church is the transcen-

dental dimension, it has inherent right to use temporal or earthly realities to accomplish its mission.

Second, in accomplishing its mission, the Church does not look for any privileges or special concessions from civil authority, which would compromise its intrinsic and essential goal, that is, the salvation of each human being. In other words, the Church is not going to enter into any deals, which would taint the sincerity of its witness.

Third, in view of its mission, the Church should have true freedom to preach its message. The message concerns the faith, society, moral judgments in matters relating to politics, but especially the fundamental rights of human beings and salvation of souls. The Church merely claims its inherent right to witness to and stand up for human rights and salvation of souls and do so with courage and authority.

Fourth, the Church does not exercise political or temporal power.

Therefore, the means it has the right to use are those which correspond to the Gospel message. The Church can in fact become a leaven in the political arena by preparing and encouraging suitable persons who would work for the welfare of all people according to the Gospel message.

The Church and Its Involvement in Political Life If politics is to be understood in a broad sense, that is, the community’s pursuit of the common good, then the Church cannot but be involved in it. The common good embraces the sum total of conditions of social life by which individual, families, and groups can achieve their own fulfillment in a relatively thorough and ready way.

Christian involvement in political life is actually based on the commitment of Christians in the world.

For more than 2000 years people of the faith has actively engaged themselves in the life of the world, submitting themselves to duly constituted authority, willingly cooperating with it, in accordance to the dictates of their conscience and the light of the Gospel, in the work for the pursuit of the common good. For these people “man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality.”

As one early Christian writer Separation / P9

5 7 QUESTIONS for Bp. Honesto F. Ongtioco For the ecclesiastical see of Cubao, even as a fledgling city-diocese created only over three years ago, there’s seemingly no lacking in the number of priests— and seminarians too—with the guest priests doubly outnumbering the regular or incardinated ones. For what reasons, this and other issues were some of the startling revelations made by Cubao Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco when he recently talked in an interview with CBCP Monitor.

As first bishop of Cubao, how many priests do you have at present vis-à-vis the number of parishes in the diocese?

Well, good enough. We have 42 parishes in the diocese, 34 of which are administered by the diocese and 8 are administered by some religious congregations. With regards to the number of priests in our diocese, let me classify them into 2 kinds—the regular priests or those incardinated to the diocese of Cubao and the guest priests who are in staying in Manila on temporary basis for purposes of study, sabbatical leave, or for further exposure.

We have 37 regular priests and 55 guest priests in the diocese.

At present, however, we have temporarily stopped processing applications for incardination of guest priests.

Right now, we have some 40 pending applications. Aside from diocesan priests, there are also a good number of priests from religious orders who are intending to transfer to the diocese.

that would not be enough as a motivation. And if we just have to accept priests and seminarians from other dioceses, it wouldn’t be good either for the other dioceses. That’s why, we have come to a point where we have to temporarily stop the processing of applications for incardination which, in itself, is also not an easy process. The applicant will have to undergo a probationary period by serving at least 3 parishes. Also, applying does not necessarily imply or guarantee that the person will be incardinated after 5 years or so. There is yet an evaluation process. You see, this is one thing that is beautiful about a new diocese. We are still developing some policies and there are yet not fixed traditions that would tie us up to something. It’s still open for growth, for a wider space, for creativity.

What about the problem of wayward, so to speak, priests? Do you have such in your area?

Well, I would say, in general we have a good clergy. When I came, God has blessed me with good clergy. I always tell people that our clergy are the best in the world, not just in the Philippines. Now, with regards to the question on what we do with socalled wayward or problematic priests, I usually refer them to experts. That’s the advantage of being in the metropolitan Manila, we have a lot of professional resources. If one has one to solve, transferring him to another parish may just not be the solution. But referring him to a competent professional or an institution can help because their expertise is to help priests, sisters or even lay people.

7

What do you think are the reasons for the influx of priests and seminarians in your diocese?

You see, as much as possible we would like to have our own stable pool of priests.

And also, as a policy in the diocese of Cubao, only those incardinated to the diocese can be appointed as parish priests.

With regards to the number of our seminarians, at present we have 32 minor and major seminarians undergoing their formation and 4 deacons who are about to be ordained. For me, this is quite a good number already. In some cities, not only in the Philippines but even in other countries, it seems there is a downward trend in terms of priestly vocations. But why the increase in priestly vocations in a city like Cubao? I think one reason—according to some of our seminarians and priest-applicants desiring to serve in Cubao—is the camaraderie of our priests. This has greatly attracted them, they say. Another factor also is migration. Among our 4 deacons, 2 of them came from the South—one is from Cotabato and the other is from Aklan— and they have transferred to Cubao because their families have moved to Quezon City.

QUESTIONS

Isn’t your fatherly stance or treatment to your priests and seminarians one of those reasons?

Not necessarily. If a seminarian or priest transfers to Cubao simply because of the prelate’s personality, I think

Moving on to another subject, what about the Church’s agenda on social concern? How is this being realized in your diocese?

As far as being exposed to social concerns, I believe it is very strong in our diocese. We have what we call an integral approach, not just spiritual, but as Pope Benedict XVI said “you have to address not just the spirit but also the basic human needs”. These two—spiritual and basic human needs—are the important components of real evangelization. We have a strong involvement of people in social service. For instance, whenever we are in need of volunteers for some of our social concern programs and activities, lay people easily sign up.

Even if there are no natural ca7 Questions / P8

CBCP Monitor

Opinion

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Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Editorial

“The Human Person, the Heart of Peace”

Mary, the Icon of a New Year BRUSHING the foreseers and the superstitious aside, there is nothing better than the contemplation of Mary, the Mother of God, at the onset of a new year. This, of course, may not sound very comfortable with those who are in the work of ecumenism and those sensitive, if afraid, of anything that smacks of a further divide among Christians.

Fertility is the anthropological sense of a woman in gestation. Which was why, in natural religions, this image always finds prominence in agricultural communities longing for a bountiful harvest. In Christianity, the icon of Mary gestating the Son God goes far beyond the anthropological significance.

It typifies a Pauline groaning (Cf. Rom 8) for the birth of the Son who will restore all things that have been squandered by a sinful nature.

But Christians of today would be satisfied and settle for an icon of a pig, a rat or even a monkey.

And that’s all it takes for a happy New Year. Or so it seems.

In Search of New Leaders THERE are marked indications that the 2007 midterm elections are key to the future of this country. Unquestioningly, as it were, the present administration cannot remain blameless of an ongoing long litany of big socio-moral reversals and scandals, likewise with their consequent painful and shameless political and economic disasters.

Deep discontent among the people with their repeated public expressions of resentment and dissent, loud clamors for economic relief and better social services, pitiful cries for enough food and needed medicine—all these are but some of the indicators of the intense pain and profound fear of people all over land.

It can be said that the forthcoming elections— in the event that these were held at all—can make or break this nation. The past six years can be said as one long big bad dream. The allegations of the infamous triad of lying, cheating and stealing continue to stand out. The reported wanton raiding of the national resources through graft and corruption has become a matter of course, if of worse. The extrajudicial killings, political murders and criminal assassinations have become part of the day-to-day life in the country.

The May 2007 elections can be a blessing or a curse to this country, can give or dissipate its hopeful future—which is all that the silent majority of Filipinos are yet trying to hold on to.

If the electorate really wants to have some kind of a general guide in the choice of the candidates who need and deserve their precious votes, then we have to seriously look for reformist, nationalist, populist public officials. Otherwise, this country will continue to have the usual “trapos” who are experts in keeping the repugnant status quo in the national political community now infamous for self-worship and pursuant self-service.

Reform the rotting political system. Enact nationalist legislations. Have populist politicians.

This may be the fresh call of the New Year.

Abp. Angel N. Lagdameo, DD

In and Out of Season THE greeting of everyone on the First Day of 2007 is “Happy New Year.” May 2007 continue to be under the shadow of Christmas. According to one popular song: “The real meaning of Christmas is the giving of love everyday.” According to the Servant of God, Pope John Paul II “It is always Christmas in the hearts of Christians.” We can do it! We can make it happen!

The first day of every New Year since 38 years ago is a World Day of Peace. Peace does not mean only the absence of hostility, hatred and war, in the climate of violence and counter-violence. Peace, as a moral imperative, “is brought about by justice, requiring respect for human dignity and human rights, the promotion of the common good by one and all, and the constant practice in solidarity.” (PCP-II 307).

“Peace is the fruit of love which goes

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beyond what justice can provide” (Gaudium et Spes 78). Unless there is work of justice and love in our situation, our peace will be in a precarious state. It is difficult. But together we can do it!

“The new name for peace is development” (Populorum Progressio). The promotion of development demands collective intervention and responsibility of government, churches, peace keepers and the entire society. This is best proven not only in time of calamities brought about by typhoons, fires and tsunamis but also in the normal times.

Development must be seen in terms of food on the table of the poor, secure employment for the millions here in the country, low cost medicine for the families of workers, scholarships for the poorest, decent homes for squatters and slum-dwellers. Each one must ask what

Character Change vs. Charter Change?

THERE were super typhoons that hit the Philippines towards the end of 2006. I speak of Super typhoon Milenyo and Super typhoon Reming. But there was another kind of super typhoon that almost turned our history upside down. I speak of the tempest called Charter Change via Con-Ass or Constituent Assembly pushed sans the least inhibitions

by Administration lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

The uproar it caused in the citizenry, led especially by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, El Shaddai, the Jesus Is Lord Movement and even the Iglesia Ni Cristo, compelled a turnaround in the president’s strong pro-ChaCha stance.

I woke up one morning to find the landscape eerily different. The Speaker of the House declared he and the other pro-administration lawmakers were withdrawing their move to change the Charter through Con-Ass and were instead now espousing the same through ConCon (constitutional convention), something the CBCP had been advocating all along. It wasn’t so obvious; but the shift was nothing short of dramatic. Now the effort to change the Philippine constitu-

A Better Year? We can make it happen! he/she can do to promote peace and development. We can do it!

Will 2007 be a better year—seven being “biblically” a perfect number?

Hopefully and prayerfully it will be if we do not insist on doing the things that have produced our problems. Jesus of Christmas will be telling us “The time of fulfillment/perfection has come… Repent (that is, change your mind and behavior), and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1/ 15). “Clothe yourself with new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness” (Eph 4/23).

High hopes! Great hopes! It will be a better year when more and more of the marginalized and exploited are offered opportunities to work for and acquire their permanent shelter, genuine health benefits, liberating education, dignified employment and above all sufficient food. It will be for them a New Year.

Rev. Euly B. Belizar, SThD

tion wouldn’t have to be done by the lawmakers themselves (which raised not so unfounded suspicions that they were out to advance their own political interests) but by delegates to be directly elected by the people specifically for the purpose of reviewing our constitution in view of a more deliberate charter change.

But what caught everyone’s attention as well as collective enthusiasm or bafflement was the CBCP’s call for ‘character change’. This is, as others would say, the other kind of “Cha-Cha”. Instead of calling into question the systems and structures now in place through the present constitution, the CBCP urges everyone to call into question the deepest root of all the diverse manifestations of the malaise that has plunged the country into the pit of near despair — the Filipino character.

Almost instantaneously reactions were strong and varied. The one from a lady senator caught my attention. She demurred in her usual feisty manner that the Church, particularly the hierarchy “should beat their breasts” for much of the sorry state of the ‘Filipino character’ that could be behind the great Filipino debacle. I submit that the Church, par-

By the R oadside Roadside ticularly the hierarchy, would do well to heed the counter call. After all, there is no denying the fact that our evangelizing efforts which, for more than three centuries, have been on-going, have not clearly transformed Filipinos into a more country-oriented cluster of communities ready and willing to sacrifice the self and selfish interests for the country or the greater community to attain the common good.

The late Pope John Paul II is a model worth emulating when he unhesitatingly begged the world’s forgiveness for the sins and shortcomings of the Church down the centuries. Clerics and responsible lay faithful could easily spot the arrogance of the pro-Cha-Cha lawmakers. We should not turn blind to our own even as we speak most legitimately about the need for character change before any charter change.

To my mind there really is very little opposition between the two Cha-chas. We have another name for “Character change”. Don’t we call it “conversion”?

The very first summons that issued from the mouth of the Savior-Emmanuel in the very first gospel of Mark is the soul of Roadside / P8

CBCP Monitor

Opinion

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Melo M. Acuna

Issues and Concerns DURING the last week of 2006, I had the chance to be with my closest friends and relatives in Bicol, particularly in Legazpi City and the nearby towns of Daraga, Camalig and Guinobatan. I saw people trying their best to get back on their feet and begin all over again. It was common to hear of stories about the struggles faced by those who lost their loved ones and their meager properties.

The only home listed under my name in Tagas, Daraga may have to be moved somewhere as the threat of lahar flows from the 2,462 meters Mayon Volcano may come rushing again with unexpected rainfall over the next few years.

Shortly before Christmas, I saw a front page newspaper item which said American Peace Corps volunteers brought cheer to a number of children in Albay. My first impression was to be thankful for the gesture. However, I learned that they indeed brought cheer to nearly a hundred children. That was all and it got front page play up in one of the most prominent dailies. The figure was too small compared to those served by the Philippine National Red Cross, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Catholic Church-run Caritas Manila and Caritas Philippines.

It occurred to me that the token assistance may simply be to neutralize the

controversies brought about by Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, earlier sentenced to a maximum of 40 years for the rape of one lady named “Nicole.”

It was not a surprise for media practitioners to be bombarded with press releases from the Embassy of the United States of America in Manila. Their public relations strategy may be described as remarkably active and aggressive.

Even simple meetings and visits to the countryside by Ambassador Kristie Kenny got good coverage. It is to be expected as they simply try to do some “damage control.” One thing is certain: the American government will do everything to protect their citizen anywhere in the world. It is a manifestation of their strong political will to serve and protect their constituents. Sadly we could not expect the same treatment from our foreign affairs and labor department personnel. Reports have it that a number of Filipinos are languishing in jails abroad while several others have been executed for various crimes. Did they get the attention due them from our diplomats?

The Visiting Forces Agreement signed in Manila last February 10, 1998 by the American Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas C. Hubbard and Foreign Secretary Domingo L. Siazon, Jr., was ratified by the Senate of the Philippines but

Rachel Mourns For Her Children LAST December 28, over a hundred women and a few men gathered at South Cemetery, Makati for the annual Mass for Aborted Babies.

Most of the women, and the few men, have been involved in abortion—as aborted women, partners of aborted women, relatives and friends who led them to abortionists. Some came to grieve over the fact that they took contraceptive pills, injectables, or IUD. They now realize that they are abortifacients.

Even those ligated admitted that the act led them to an anti-natal mentality and were there to express their regret.

The Mass was held at the Haven for Angels, a building at the entrance of the cemetery built by Mayor Lito Atienza, since south Cemetery actually belongs to the City of Manila. A nicely decorated tiny coffin was displayed in front of the altar.

The women came forward one by

…and tha uth! thatt ’s the tr truth!

was considered an “executive agreement” by the Americans and no longer required the American senate’s imprimatur.

It is indeed timely for the country’s well-meaning lawmakers to take a long, hard look at the very controversial provisions of the Visiting Forces Agreement after the Daniel Smith caper.

While the Court of Appeals concurred with the decision of Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Pozon, the custody issue was considered moot as Daniel Smith was already in the hands of the American embassy officials. It was indeed surprising that the Court of Appeals did not say anything, not a word, on the executive decision to transfer Smith’s custody to the Americans sans any court order. It would have been remarkable decision had the Court of Appeals said anything about the “turn-over” a couple of days before New Year.

While we have already welcomed 2007 with our prayer for peace, I came across an article from the Canadian Messenger dated January 2007 with an appropriate title “Seeking truth is the Key to peace!” It also had a striking question for everyone: “Can we live in a world of lies and not be affected adversely? The answer is in your hands. Happy New Year!!!

Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS

Love Life

one to drop into the coffin the names of their dead babies (by abortion, miscarriage or still birth). Some wrote letters or prayers for the babies. They were all encouraged to name their baby. Some wrote down three or four names that they admitted they had aborted.) Naming their baby is “humanizing the baby” and helps them to the truth that he or she was not just a mass of blood and tissue. It also helps them release their grieving, an important step in the healing of the postaborted traumatic syndrome.

After the Mass, a couple of women bravely though tearfully related the incident of their abortions and how they were led back to God. Now they are active pro-life counselors and volunteers. I was invited to share how Pro-life began the ministry to post-aborted women and not just to pregnant women. I apologized to the women, saying that I and the Church were not there when they needed us, thus

Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

TWO things last Christmas made me reflect on the future: First, Boom tarat-tarat and second, child beggars.

Where I heard Christmas Eve Mass, the priest during his homily asked two young boys to “sing” Boom, tarat-tarat.

You know the tune of the moment? A couple of years back, it was Ispageti Pataas-Pababa, followed by Otso-Otso.

Now it’s Boom tarat-tarat. The priest’s point, it seemed, was that such a nonsensical tune is so popular that everybody knows it, and to prove his point, he randomly picked a child—and then another—to chant it, one after the other.

Both cooperated with gusto, then the priest solicited the crowd’s applause, “Palakpakan natin sila!”

The Mass was held in the open air, and due to the traffic noise nearby, punctuated by bursts of firecrackers, one had to strain to catch every word of the homily. So it seemed the priest was admonishing the faithful to teach worthwhile songs to children, but we doubted if the message got across. In that part where we stood, many young people were talking, texting, or in a tête-à-tête. Bunches

Happy New Year!!!

all of them made poor and regrettable decisions. Abortion is not only a dead baby. A woman could go on for years with her guilt, anger, depression, compulsive behavior, substance abuse, promiscuity or sexual dysfunctions. Now, more and more men admit similar dysfunctions. Much of those could have been avoided if there were more people speaking out to prevent the abortions.

The event was organized by the Manila Health Department, the Kababaihan ng Maynila Rachels Support Group, and Pro-life Philippines.

We encourage parishes to organize Mass for the Unborn, set up Memorial Monuments for the Unborn, Mass for Aborted Babies, Counseling and Resource Centers, seminars and youth forum on pro-life topics.

Contact our office at tel. 911-2911, tel/fax 421-7147, life@prolife.org.ph. Or contact me personally at 0919-2030-637.

Boom, tarat-tarat and child beggars

of trendy teenagers were simply promenading, while kindergarteners chased one another and tumbled in the grass to their hearts’ content, some landing on the flowering hedges and crushing them beyond revival. By the sheer grace of God I managed to stay focused in spite of this park-like atmosphere. Only at noche buena did I realize how the Mass impacted the people with us then, as they— family friends—had an animated discussion of the Boom tarat-tarat thing.

The general impression was, they’d rather not see gimmicks in the homily but they can tolerate such if these could drive the message home. But this was not the case here, they agreed, when the priest’s attempt at audience participation and his soliciting applause for it not only overwhelmed and obscured his point, but worse, robbed the Eucharistic celebration of the solemnity it deserved.

Another thing that got their goat (and which we had all endured in silence during the Eucharist) was the “announcement” before the blessing. The blessing was given only after all the winners of the parol-making contest were called and

their creations acknowledged amidst much adlibbing and cheering. All that hooting and clapping stirred the crowd so much that it made the blessing sound like a second thought, and the Mass, a noontime TV show. A lady guest who’s a far cry from the “manang” type even said, “Yung iba nga doon pasko lang kung magsimba eh, tapos bibigyan mo pa ng showbiz na misa!” (Some in that crowd would go to church only on Christmas day, so why give them a Mass that smacks of show business?) Then another said, “What concerns me are the kids. I’m sure the priest meant well, but he sent mixed signals. The children there will not hear an explanation from their parents but they will remember that kids like them were asked to sing gibberish during Mass and got public approval for it.”

That discussion made me wonder about the future of our Church—which is in the hands of the children. How are we raising our young on the Word of God today?

The second thing that spurred me the truth / P8

7 Jose B. Lugay

Laik o Lampstand Laiko

Extrapolations for Year 2007 YEAR 2007 came in leaving behind a political tumult that has involved the Church and left the laity wondering what is their future role in the scheme of things.

While the attempts to rush cha-cha ended up initially as a victory for the Church with its “character change” as a substitute definition for cha-cha, the Administration looked at it as a temporary respite for the perceived threat of a people power revolution.

The prayer rally at the Luneta controlled whatever opposition anger there was to steamroll a revolution.

The call for character change by Archbishop Lagdameo strategically needed at this time, requires a critical mass to effect real change—a sane, sober, patriotic laity to deliberate on constitutional change.

The Administration, knowing there is no longer any danger of a people power uprising, once again positioned to bankroll another Peoples’ Initiative to change the constitution. Truly, the motive is clear— constitutional change before 2010, GMA’s end of tenure, a positioning advantage for the ruling class of the country, selfish ends of the same politicians compromising the foreseen bright future of the Philippines among its ASEAN neighbors.

In spite of this dim prognostication, let us do an exercise in extrapolation for year 2007—considering whatever positive things we see today and projecting its benefits in the near future, thus harnessing the optimism and hope for the future by our Filipino masa.

Increasing migration of Filipino workers. The obvious benefit and a continuing one for the next few years is the remittance of dollars—improving the stability of the peso vs. the dollar and the eradication of our foreign debt. This generates business for consumer goods in the Philippines. On the export side, Filipino processed food and condiments, will have more demand—encouraging the setting up of Jollibee stores as well as other Filipino restaurants where our people congregate abroad. Practical and affordable real estate promos for housing will boom considering the increasing applications for Fil-Am double citizenship.

The Catholic churches abroad long wanting for more Sunday goers will find a new niche of patrons from migrant Filipino families. Religious beliefs shown by inculturated Filipino celebrations of fiestas will soon be familiar happenings in hitherto sedate and agnostic surroundings. Closeness of family life and the care for the elderly will still be a stand-out characterization of the Filipinos here and abroad. With all these in mind, surveys will surely rate us Filipinos again as among the happiest people in the world.

Increased improvement of the economy through tourism and infrastructure spending. Since the world is now a global village and Filipinos are adaptable to change, in this techocentric and I. T. environment, the proliferation of call centers and business outsource providers will spread to other cities in the Philippines creating more consumer-spending, fun loving young graduates seeking for more facilities for malling computer centers and places of relaxation. The push for medical tourism and high-end retirement subdivisions will increase real estate development including the building of hospitals or modern clinics and drugstores.

This type of development will proliferate in all areas readily accessible to the big cities like Manila, Cebu and Davao. The building of highways and monorail systems in the planned super regions will promote local tourism and generate more jobs in the hitherto farming areas of the country.

The empowerment of the villagers in the countryside. While the Basic Ecclesial Communities are being promoted by the parishes, those beyond their reach are being helped by other non-government organizations in all types of advocacy. The poverty problem is directly addressed by the construction of houses and community building by Gawad Kalinga and other organizations like Jubilee Homes. The graduates of the livelihood training programs of many NGOs can now access funds through the Grameen bank type of lending program of Micro-lending institutions.

NGOs also help villagers and indigenous people who are affected by mining of their virgin forests. The poor communities, if left alone, could be fodder to the machinations of salaried public relations officers of mining firms. Hence without their knowing it these local leaders have sold their patrimony for a pittance.

We see more advocacy groups led by bishops and environmentalists who will keep on this advocacy work in the years ahead. This will generate more comLaiko / P8

CBCP Monitor

Commissions

8

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

WHILE there is an existing CBCP Commission on Health Care, a separate office on Bioethics was also created to deal with problems and issues that do not necessarily fall within the competence of the Commission on Health Care. As described in the Constitution and ByLaws of the CBCP, the functions of the Commission on Health Care are restricted to dealing with medicomoral problems related only to health care which includes such issues as the physician-patient relationship, patient’s rights and the physicians’ obligations, right to health care delivery systems, preventive health care, and euthanasia. The Office on Bioethics deals with issues other than health care issues. In fact, the sphere of competence of the Office on Bioethics is much broader than that of the Commission on Health Care as it encompasses other issues that have to do with the practice of medicine and a host of other life-issues.

These include abortion and fetal research, contraception, sterilization, organ transplant, human experimentation, genetic engineering and reproductive technologies, etc.

Objectives The office acts as an advisory body to the CBCP regarding decisions and opinion to be taken in matters related to bioethics, disseminates and defends whenever necessary the teachings of the Church on bio-ethical issues, especially in the Philippine context.

Specific Objectives It assists CBCP in making moral judgment regarding certain moral dilemmas of bio-ethical concern.

It helps CBCP to shape public and government policy on bio-ethical concerns.

It promotes discussion of medico-moral issues, as these touch the lives of the Filipino populace.

The Head of the Office may organize its unit, carry out its pro-

© Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia

Rationale

Office on Bioethics

By Fr. Elmer R. Ignacio grams and whatever may be needed to accomplish the objectives of the office.

Activities

groups working along the line of bio-ethics (UST Department for Bio-ethics, Southeast Asian Center for Bio-ethics, CPG Nurses’ Guild, Catholic Lawyers’ Guild of the Philippines) are also established through: • Exchange of bio-ethical materials, newsletters and other resources.

• Collaboration with different bioethical groups for on-going programs like seminars, etc.

The office tries to create more awareness among the Bishops of the existence of the Office of Bioethics and the basics of bio-ethics through: • Seminar-Workshop on Bioethics in the local Church.

• Participation in the decisions regarding proposed bills of bioethical concerns which shall be passed to the law-making body.

• Acquisition of library materials (e.g., newsletters, reprints of books on bio-ethics, subscription of international journals.

• Dissemination of materials on bioethics to the Bishops.

• Linkages and collaboration with

The International Congress on Bioethics held last December 5-7, 2005 was sponsored and organized by the Pontifical Commission on Life, the CBCP Office on Bioethics and the UST Department of Bioethics to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the publication of John Paul II’s

have: looking pathetic. Theirs is a high risk job—darting in and out of traffic, exposing themselves to the elements—but they don’t have SSS benefits, accident insurance, etc. It’s simply a hand to mouth existence from day to day, depending on strangers’ generosity or qualms of conscience.

I ache to help those “child workers” but not in the way they want to be helped. I do the doable: I befriend them while waiting for the green light.

I let them know I care though my caring is not expressed in alms. I ask them about their parents, school, “Ano gusto mong maging paglaki

mo?” (What do you want to be when you grow up?) and then I tell them to go home. “Tell your parents somebody told you they should work harder for you. You were not born to beg. You are whole and smart and you’ll become even better when you grow up, so stop begging now.” Their responses range from a blank stare to a submissive “Opo”. Then I drive on wishing I could just kidnap all of them and give them a new life starting with a good bath, a bowl of lugaw, and an appetite for self-respect.

In some countries in conflict, many children are abducted to be brainwashed into becoming “free-

Latest Project of the Office on Bioethics

The CBCP Office on Bioethics together with the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, and the Episcopal Commission on the Laity are sponsoring an international conference on Bioethics and the Family on January 9-10, 2006 at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel. The conference has the theme: “The Challenge of Biotechnology to Human Life and the Family”.

Chairman

Cooperators

Bishop Jose F. Oliveros

Vice-Chairman Bishop Ernesto A. Salgado

Members Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, O.P. Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan

Z.

Fr. Fausto Gomez, OP Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD Mayumi S. Bismark, MD Edna Monzon, MD Angeles Tan Alora, MD Esperanza Rivera, MD

A.

Executive Secretary Fr. Elmer R. Ignacio Tel. (044) 641-1466 e-mail: elmerignacio41465@yahoo.com

7 Questions / from p5

Roadside / from p6 character change: “The time has come. The Kingdom of God is at hand!

Repent and believe in the good news” (Mk 1:14). This was echoed in Vatican II’s characterization of the Church as “Ecclesia semper reformanda”.

We are indeed the Church always in need of reformation because we are fundamentally a Church of sinners, a truth perhaps nowhere more graphically illustrated for Filipinos than by the Filipinos who call themselves Christians but who, at the same time, have collectively failed to transform our archipelago into an image of the kingdom. As a cleric charged with proclaiming the gospel to our people, I plead guilty. I beg forgiveness for my failures.

But conversion which informs character change is scarcely enough; that is, if it ends only in the ‘radical change of the mind or heart’ but leaves structures of sin unchallenged or untouched. I’ve

Upcoming Conference on Biotechnology

The Officers

the truth / from p7 to think about the future was a line in the gospel for the Feast of the Holy Family: “…The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom…”

(Lk. 2:40) It evoked in me images of child beggars who swooped down on motorists at intersections in Metro Manila last Christmas day.

They grew in number by the tenfold around that time, suddenly sprouting where there used to be none—like mushrooms after the rain or vultures flocking at the smell of rotting flesh. These child beggars are in a sense workers, in that they go out there and try to make money using the only working skill they

encyclical, Evangelium Vitae. It was held at St. Thomas Aquinas Research Complex (TARC) of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

The congress focused on the basic issues in Bioethics, that is, the value of human life at its beginning, its end and some special questions such as “stem cell research,” “organ donation” and “social justice and the quality of life.”

The event generated 320 participants, more than what the organizers expected. The speakers and reactors from different countries addressed the various concrete issues and present concerns regarding human life.

dom fighters”—gun toting murderers at age 12.

There are also countries where children of the urban poor are taught to pick pockets even before they learn how to read or write. I recall the gospel verse and wonder how a culture of begging such as ours can nurture street-smart children to “grow and become strong, filled with wisdom.” What does the future hold for a country that has very little love for the least of its citizens?

If you want to have a glimpse into a nation’s future, see how it is treating the least of its children today. And that’s the truth.

Laiko / from p7 had plenty of time to research on the late Pope John Paul II’s thought on societal transformation. It struck me how, letter after letter, exhortation after exhortation, address after address, he spoke not only of conversion as essential in our search for a transformed society bearing the image of God’s kingdom but also of the need to transform structures and systems that further selfishness and greed instead of compassion and generous sharing among human beings and nations. The question is: Are there such structures and systems embodied in the Philippine constitution? Or are selfishness and greed propelling moves to change it?

The answer to selfishness and greed in human hearts and in human systems of laws or structures of social living? Proclaim and fulfill the gospel of justice and love both in our national character and, if need be, in our charter as well.

munity consciousness for environment care and sustainable development.

The frequencies of disasters— typhoons, earthquakes, landslides, have created well-trained disaster and relief entities. More civic-conscious Filipinos here and abroad become the sources of help through fund raising and medical missions.

Technical people are now alerted to research on predictive and preventive systems including geohazard mapping, rain gauges and monitoring systems for tsunamis. Advance planning for relief and rehabilitation in disaster prone areas are now provided with resources—funds and people.

While the schools are still inadequate during normal times, the devastation caused by disastrous typhoons has created need for more and better constructed school-

houses and evacuation areas. Innovation in this area is now being done—the building of earth-cement structures. This is a challenge to the schools of architecture and engineering—to add in their curriculum design for Philippine conditions and materials engineering using locally available sources The opportunities to do good for this country is endless. Let us not spend more time in the political bickering of our highly charged society. Let us sit calmly and learn more from the Compendium of the Social Doctrines of the Church. I am addressing this to the Laity who should be reminded all the time that we compose 99 % of the Church.

Without the Laity’s concern and participation in the transformation of society, the Philippines will stay stagnant in its present political quagmire.

lamities, we have our monthly medical mission-outreach in the diocese. Then there is also our Hapag-asa project, feeding not only the mal-nourished but more so the undernourished children.

What about the Church’s engagement in politics? Do you think it is also part of the social concern agenda?

Yes, again we also have a strong group on public affairs, actively working, for instance, on voter’s education before and during political elections. This time, we will also extend our work even after elections—that means, monitoring the performance of those who will win in the elections. So it’s not just educating people prior to the elections to come up with honest, peaceful and clean elections, but even after that, they have to know the performance of those candidates who were voted.

What is your perception of mainstream, or secular, media?

You know, we should not see them as another party or enemy.

Rather, we should be working with them in the same direction, working for the truth, and this is possible when there is a strong rapport between church people and the media. Particularly, for instance, we in the Church should always make ourselves available to the media as source of information.

Otherwise, if we shun them, they go to the wrong source, and that becomes a problem for us.

CBCP Monitor

Diocese

January 8, 2007

A few decades after Christianity was first introduced into Philippine soil

by Ferdinand Magellan, another Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, together with a group of Jesuit missionaries set foot on the shores of Bohol. In the seaside village of Bool, three kilometers from the center of today’s Tagbilaran City, Legaspi made a blood compact with a local chieftain, Datu Sikatuna, thus sealing the first international treaty of friendship in Philippine territory immortalized in the diocese’s coat of arms and the province’s official seal.

Spreading from the first mission centers Baclayon and Loboc, the Christian faith eventually spread throughout the island as more parishes were established. Beautiful stone churches and conventos were built through forced labor. On the 8th of November 1941, Pope Pius XII recognizing the maturity of the local Church officially erected the Diocese of Tagbilaran. At first, left to the care of the Apostolic Administrator, Archbishop Gabriel Reyes of Cebu due to the outbreak of World War II, the diocese finally saw its first bishop in the person of Bishop Julio Rosales, who assumed his post on September 25, 1945 with his motto “Te Amari Faciam.”

A gifted organizer, Bishop Rosales is credited with initiating the process of setting spiritual and material foundations of the diocese through intensification of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, the Apostleship of prayer, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, the Legion of Mary, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League, and the establishment of diocesan high schools in parishes with big conventos.

In 1949, he organized the first diocesan mission team composed of the latest ordained priests, Fr. Pelagio Dompor, Fr. Mariano Gaviola, Fr. Pedro Namoc, Fr, Matias Morgia, Fr. Gaudioso Sucre, Fr. Simeon Daquipa, Fr. Saturnino Felicitas, and Fr. Placido Cajoy, sending them in two-pronged parish-to-parish mission that culminated with the arrival of the image of our Lady of Fatima. Most noteworthy of the legacies of Bishop Rosales was the founding of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in 1950. That same year, he was appointed Arch-

bishop of Cebu but remained overseer of Tagbilaran until the second bishop arrived in 1952.

Bishop Manuel Mascariñas, a son of Antequera, Bohol and erstwhile Bishop of Palo, Leyte ascended as second bishop of Tagbilaran on January 29, 1952 with his motto “Confido in Domino”. Paternally continuing the pastoral process begun by Bishop Rosales, he erected two more buildings for the rapidly expanding seminary, introduced the 40 Hours Devotion, established the For More Priests Club (now St. Joseph Vocation Society), founded more diocesan high schools in the parishes, and initiated the retreat movement. He represented the diocese in the Second Vatican Council and started the Aggiornamento in the diocese. Later in his term, he was assisted by an auxiliary bishop.

Bishop Juan Nilmar, initiated the proper administration of the temporal goods in the diocese and introduced the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Pension Plan for the clergy.

Bishop Onesimo Gordoncillo, a Negrense, bearing the motto “Veritatem Tuam Annunciabo,” took over in 1976, as the third bishop of the diocese. Aside from effectively pursuing the programs of his predecessors, he is credited with introducing the Parish Pastoral Council set up, elevating eight priests to the rank of Honorary Prelate, while completing the auditorium and chapel of the Taloto seminary. During his administration, the “Diocesan Thrust,” initiated by the Bohol Clergy, ushered the diocesan focus towards the establishment of the Basic Christian Communities.

Another son of Bohol, Bishop Felix S. Zafra from Clarin and erstwhile bishop of Dipolog, came to serve the diocese as fourth bishop of Tagbilaran on December 2, 1986.

“Ut Vitam Abundantius Habeant” (That they may have life more abundantly) has been his guiding motto.

Early in his term the Diocese of Tagbilaran gave birth to the Diocese of Talibon. It was also during his term that the diocese experienced vigorous growth brought about by ecclesiastical landmarks like the National Eucharistic Year, the Ruby Jubilee of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Semi-

Important Facts Name: Dioecesis Tagbilarana Suffragan of Cebu

Institutes of Consecrated Life/Societies of Apostolic Life

Area: Population: Catholics:

Men Society of the Divine Word (SVD)

1,734 sq. kms.

541,545 515,629 (95%)

Bishop: Priests: Diocesan Religious Sisters: Seminaries: Pre-College College Diocesan Divisions: Vicariates Parishes Chaplaincies Chapels

1 159 12 146 1 1 7 50 4 737

Educational Centers Universities/College/Graduate School: Directed by religious 1 Enrolment 6,578 Associate diocesan member 1 Enrolment 1,023 High Schools: Diocesan (with auxiliary members) Enrolment

18 8,343

Directed by religious Enrolment

4 3,083

Elementary Schools: Directed by religious Enrolment

4 2,801

Women Association of Women Religious in Tagbilaran (AWRET) Handmaids of Christ the King (ACR) Daughters of Mary of Leuca (DML) Dominican Daughters of the Immaculate Mother (OP) Daughters of St. Therese (DST) Minores Ancillae Sanctissimae Trinitatis (MAST) Missionary Sisters of Mary (MSM) Mercedarian Sisters of Berriz (MMB) Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) Sisters for Christian Community (SFCC) Missionary Institute of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (MIST) Ursuline Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (UMSH) Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate (FI) Handmaids of the Holy Trinity Sisters (HHT) Little Sisters of Saint Francis (LSF) Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration (OSF) Canoness Nuns of Saint Augustine (CRL) Contemplative Sisters of Saint Augustine (OSA) Sisters of the Presentation of Mary (PM) Birhen de la Paz (HBP) Missionary Workers of Jesus the Worker (WCW) Philippian Sisters (SSPN)

9

Diocese of Tagbilaran

‘Ambula Coram Me’

by Fr. Harold Parilla nary, and the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. The term of Bishop Zafra saw the proliferation of the Perpetual Adoration chapels in the parishes. It was also through the favorable climate created by the bishop that religious sisters who now outnumber the priests, came to establish houses, schools, and ministries in the diocese. More parishes, too, were erected.

In 1993, Bishop Leopoldo S. Tumulak took over as the fifth Bishop of Tagbilaran. Ever mindful of his motto, “Unitas in Caritate” (Unity in Love), he steered the Diocese toward convening the first ever Diocesan Synod in 1997. The Synod articulated among other things its vision of a renewed local Church, a

community of disciples journeying in faith, living out in earnest the vocation of prophet, priest and king, with Mary as model. Following the inspiration of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, the vehicle for this vision of renewal was aptly identified as the Gagmay’ng Simbahanong Katilingban (Basic Ecclesial Communities). The formation and enrichment of the Basic Ecclesial Communities became thereon the basic diocesan pastoral thrust. Manifesting an important component of the vision, the Synod also decreed the implementation of the New Financial System (NFS).

Under the NFS, motivated by the experience solidarity and fraternity, the standardization of the allowance

of the clergy and centralization of funds were instituted.

In 2005 the See of Tagbilaran was rendered vacant following the appointment and subsequent installation of Bishop Tumulak as Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines. As Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Tumulak continued at the helm of governance until the canonical possession of the Diocese in December of 2006 by Bishop Leonardo Medroso, the sixth Bishop of Tagbilaran. With the recently installed bishop’s episcopal motto, “Ambula Coram Me”, the Tagbilaran diocese can indeed but remain hopeful as ever in faithfully “walking or journeying with the Lord”.

Separation / from p5 puts it: (Christians) reside in their own nations, but as residential aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners… They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses laws… So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that they are not allowed to desert it.”

With history sweeping men to live in democratic forms of government, the call of the Catholics to actively participate in the affairs of the State becomes more urgent. For in these societies the citizens are suddenly pushed to the forefront of governance, making them active participant in directing the body politic.

Christians are no exception to this demand. After all, the life of a democracy cannot be productive and fruitful without the active and responsible involvement of everyone.

Here the Christians are expected to contribute their share to the development of political solutions and legislative choices which could benefit the common good. In concrete the right of suffrage and other civil rights have made this active participation possible. The result to such active participation of all citizens, including the Christians, is observed by the Holy See as indeed encouraging, making life more in tune with the dignity of human person. As Cardinal Ratzinger noted: “The great strides made in our time give evidence of humanity’s progress in at-

taining conditions of life which are more in keeping with human dignity.”

There is another urgent reason why the Christian citizens of today are asked to be more involved in political matters. With an eye adept for right moral judgment the same Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith observed that the evolution of civil society into a more democratic and more participative society has spawn a mentality and a position that is alarming. It is called a pluralistic mentality, a conceptualization that eventually leads to cultural relativism.

In the name of freedom the promoters of this tendency envision a system that governs the acts and behavior of man.

This system oftentimes runs counter to the standard of natural ethics and sound morality. Called ethical pluralism, it sanctions the decadence of the principles of natural moral law. It teaches citizens to claim complete autonomy with regards to moral choices that they make. It also facilitates the lawmakers to enact laws that are oftentimes unethical and even immoral in the pretext that they are just respecting the freedom of choices of the citizens. It is precisely because of the emergence of these ambiguities or questionable positions that the Church comes out with a docu-

© Denz Dayao / CBCPMedia

Vol. 11 No. 1

ment to clarify some important elements of Church teaching in this area.

At the same breath it is calling all Christian citizens, in the face of these dangerous modern tendencies, to be more actively involved in the political affairs of the State. The “Doctrinal Note” of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith put the imperative this way: “If Christians must recognize the legitimacy of differing points of view about the organization of worldly affairs, Separation / P10

CBCP Monitor

Papal Homilies

10

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 40th World Day of Peace © BALLESTEROS/epa/Corbis

As in a mosaic, today’s liturgy contemplates different events and messianic situations, but attention is especially focused on Mary, Mother of God. Eight days after Jesus’ birth, we commemorate the Mother, the Theotokos, the one who gave birth to the Child who is King of Heaven and earth for ever (cf. Entrance Antiphon; Sedulius).

The liturgy today meditates on the Word made man and repeats that he is born of the Virgin. It reflects on the circumcision of Jesus as a rite of admission to the community and contemplates God who, by means of Mary, gave his Only-Begotten Son to lead the “new people”. It recalls the name given to the Messiah and listens to it spoken with tender sweetness by his Mother. It invokes peace for the world, Christ’s peace, and does so through Mary, Mediatrix and Cooperator of Christ (cf. Lumen Gentium, nn. 60-61).

We are beginning a new solar year which is a further period of time offered to us by divine Providence in the context of the salvation inaugurated by Christ. But did not the eternal Word enter time precisely through Mary? In the Second Reading we have just listened to, the Apostle Paul recalls this by saying that Jesus was born “of woman” (Gal 4: 4).

In today’s liturgy the figure of Mary, true Mother of Jesus, God-man, stands out.

Thus, today’s Solemnity is not celebrating an abstract idea but a mystery and an historic event: Jesus Christ, a divine Person, is born of the Virgin Mary who is his Mother in the truest sense.

Today too, Mary’s virginity is highlighted, in addition

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI St Peter’s Basilica - Monday, 1 January 2007 to her motherhood. These are two prerogatives that are always proclaimed together, inseparably, because they complement and qualify each other. Mary is Mother, but a Virgin Mother; Mary is a virgin, but a Mother Virgin. If either of these aspects is ignored, the mystery of Mary as the Gospels present her to us, cannot be properly understood.

As Mother of Christ, Mary is also Mother of the Church, which my venerable Predecessor, the Servant of God Paul VI chose to proclaim on 21 November 1964 at the Second Vatican Council.

Lastly, Mary is the Spiritual Mother of all humanity, because Jesus on the Cross shed his blood for all of us and from the Cross he entrusted us all to her maternal care.

Let us begin this New Year, therefore, by looking at Mary whom we received from God’s hands as a precious “talent” to be made fruitful, a providential opportunity to contribute to bringing about the Kingdom of God. In this atmosphere of prayer and gratitude to the Lord for the gift of a new year,

I am pleased to address my respectful thoughts to the distinguished Ambassadors of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See who have desired to take part in today’s solemn Celebration.

I cordially greet Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, my Secretary of State. I greet Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino and the members of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and express to them my deep gratitude for the commitment with which they daily promote these values, so fundamental to social life.

For this World Day of Peace, I addressed the customary Message to the Governors and Leaders of Nations, as well as to all men and women of good will. Its theme this year is: The human person, the heart of peace.

I am deeply convinced that “respect for the person promotes peace and that, in building peace, the foundations are laid for an authentic integral humanism” (Message for World Peace Day, 1 January 2007, n. 1).

This commitment is especially incumbent on every Christian who is called “to be

committed to tireless peacemaking and strenuous defense of the dignity of the human person and his inalienable rights” (Message, n. 16).

Precisely because he is created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gn 1: 27), every human individual without distinction of race, culture or religion, as a person is clothed in God’s same dignity. For this reason he should be respected, nor can any reason ever justify an arbitrary use of him, as if he were an object.

In the face of the threats to peace that are unfortunately ever present, the situations of injustice and violence that persist in various areas of the earth and the continuing armed conflicts often overlooked by the majority of public opinion, as well as the danger of terrorism that clouds the serenity of peoples, it is becoming more necessary than ever to work for peace together. This, as I recalled in my Message, is “both gift and task” (n. 3): a gift to implore with prayer and a task to be carried out with courage, never tiring.

The Gospel narrative we have heard portrays the scene

of the shepherds of Bethlehem, who after hearing the Angel’s announcement go to the grotto to worship the Child (cf. Lk 2: 16). Should we not look again at the dramatic situation marking the very Land in which Jesus was born? How can we not entreat God with insistent prayers for the day of peace to arrive as soon as possible in that region too, the day on which the current conflict that has lasted far too long will be resolved?

If a peace agreement is to endure, it must be based on respect for the dignity and rights of every person. I express to the representatives of the nations present here my hope that the International Community will muster its forces so that a world may be built in God’s Name in which the essential human rights are respected by all. For this to happen, people must recognize that these rights are not only based on human agreements but “on man’s very nature and his inalienable dignity as a person created by God” (Message, n. 13).

Indeed, were the constitutive elements of human dignity entrusted to changeable

human opinions, even solemnly proclaimed human rights would end by being weakened and variously interpreted. “Consequently, it is important for international agencies not to lose sight of the natural foundation of human rights. This would enable them to avoid the risk, unfortunately ever-present, of sliding towards a merely positivistic interpretation of those rights” (ibid.).

“The Lord bless you and keep you... lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Nm 6: 24, 26). This is the formula of the Blessing we heard in the First Reading, taken from the Book of Numbers. The Lord’s Name is repeated in it three times. This gives one an idea of the intensity and power of the Blessing, whose last word is “peace”.

The biblical term shalom, which we translate as “peace”, implies that accumulation of good things in which consists the “salvation” brought by Christ, the Messiah announced by the Prophets. We Christians therefore recognize him as the Prince of Peace. He became a man and was born in a grotto in Bethlehem to bring peace to people of good will, to all who welcome him with faith and love.

Thus, peace is truly the gift and commitment of Christmas: the gift that must be accepted with humble docility and constantly invoked with prayerful trust, the task that makes every person of good will a “channel of peace”.

Let us ask Mary, Mother of God, to help us to welcome her Son and, in him, true peace. Let us ask her to sharpen our perception so that we may recognize in the face of every human person, the Face of Christ, the heart of peace!

Separation / from p9 of our history. Here, we will find out that involvement of the Church in temporal affairs and therefore in politics, has undergone an interesting evolution. Msgr. Lope Robredillo, a priest of the Diocese of Borongan, was once commissioned by the CBCP Permanent Council to undertake a brief historical survey of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1945-1995. In that study, he made this interesting conclusion: “In describing the 50 years of its existence, it is important to take into account the ecclesiological framework within which the conference operated and moved, as well as the changing and diverse historical experiences of the Filipino people which shaped it. As is true of particular churches in other nations, the major shift in ecclesiological paradigm in the Philippine Church, which entailed changes in values and orientations, transpired in the Second Vatican Council. Accordingly, the history of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines may be conveniently divided into two major parts: a) Before the Second Vatican Council and b) After the Second Vatican Council. During these two periods, it can be observed that when the CBCP responded to the various challenges which the particular situation of the Country presented, it did so within the possibilities of its perception and ecclesiological framework” Before Vatican II, the Church in the Philippines has been shaped by the theology of the Council of Trent with an ecclesiology that concerns

with a Church as a social institution.

In this concept the Church is a society and the Hierarchy possesses the power of jurisdiction and governance. The rest (the faithful) is considered as mere passive subjects of this power. Its mission is the salvation of souls while the means to achieve it is grace that can be had through the preaching of the Word of God and the administration of the sacraments. Of course, within this parameter involvement in politics and in socio-economic affairs of the Nation is narrow and limited. Its concern was mostly religious. In the area of temporal affairs, the Church engages itself in works of mercy and charity, a kind of social welfare.

When Vatican II, however, came out with its ecclesiology that declares that the Church is People of God, it opened a novel way of understanding participation in the temporal spheres. A shift was created and a dramatic shift at that. It may not be that immediate, but certain and gradual. Church in the Philippines slowly assimilated in its system the social action which is directly derived from this concept of the Church as People of God. Justice and peace has become the focus of its activity.

At the time also dramatic events in the country hastened its growth and development. The declaration of Martial Law certainly created a situation whereby the leaders of the Church could dig deep into the ecclesiology offered by Second Vatican Council and could thereby respond with determination and confidence to the challenges at hand.

People of God concept has been the

ready source of inspiration and empowerment by the Church in the Philippines in its bitter struggle against the dictatorial rule. EDSA 1 may perhaps be the culminating point of the Church involvement in the political affairs of the country.

In all we can say that the Church in the Philippines, after the Second Vatican Council, has never wavered in her commitment to participate in the political affairs of the civil society. For it is sure in its stand. Its main reason is: integral evangelization.

“The task of the Church,” PCP II declared, “in announcing a message of liberation, of saturating every strata of humanity with the values of the Good News will necessarily have political repercussions, for the values of the Kingdom of God often serve as countersigns to prevailing political systems and practices.” After all politics is not over and above the natural law and the moral law. Politics has moral and religious dimensions that the Church has to look into and be involved with.

However, the more urgent reason why the Church in the Philippines actively participates in the political affairs of the state in recent times is the existing graft and corruption of our society. It is not just the fact that the Philippines is listed as among the first ten of the most corrupt nations in

the world that the Church is pushed to go on in its involvement in politics. But it is rather the tragic effects that graft and corruption has done to our citizenry, our system of governance, our values, our morality, the plight of the poor and the needy. As the Bishops Conference eloquently expressed it: “Why has the Church been usually pro-active in addressing the subject of politics since the end of World War II and especially since the Martial Law years and the restoration of our democracy in 1986? There is one main reason: Philippine politics – the way it is practiced – has been most hurtful of us as a people. It is possibly the bigSeparation / P12

© Denz Dayao / CBCPMedia

they are also called to reject, as injurious to democratic life, a conception of pluralism that reflects moral relativism. Democracy must be based on the true and solid foundation of non-negotiable ethical principles, which are the underpinning of life in society” With that in view, we can safely conclude that active participation in the politic life of the nation is all the more imperative to all Christian citizens.

Here in the Philippines participation of the Church in politics is active, vocal, visible. To put it bluntly, the Church is actively involved in the political as well as in the socio-economic affairs of the nation. In fact, it is because of this that oftentimes it has been accused, mistakenly perhaps, of too much interfering in purely temporal affairs, of transgressing the constitutive principle of separation of Church and State. But, when we come to reflect on it, has our participation in the political life of the State been sufficient? Or, has the Church been effective in its participation in view of her mission to evangelize society in general and politics in particular?

Has the common good been sufficiently met through this participation? With the presence of the massive graft and corruption in the country can we rightly conclude that the Church has failed in her mission?

To properly answer these queries, let us go first into the history of the Church in the Philippines in the area of its participation in politics and in other socio-economic activities of the nation. Let us take a brief review

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Papal Homilies

11

We celebrate with joy the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the “manifestation” of Christ to the peoples who are represented by the Magi, mysterious figures who came from the East. We celebrate Christ, the destination of the pilgrimage of peoples in search of salvation.

In the First Reading we listened to the Prophet, inspired by God, to contemplate Jerusalem as a beacon of light which guides all the peoples on their journey through the darkness and fog of the earth.

The glory of the Lord shines on the holy City and attracts first of all his own children, displaced and dispersed, but also, at the same time, the pagan nations who come to Zion from all sides as to a common homeland, enriching it with their goods (cf. Is 60: 1-6).

The Second Reading presents what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, that is, through God’s loving designs the convergence of Jews and Gentiles in the one Church of Christ was “the mystery” made manifest in the fullness of time, the “grace” of which God had made him steward (cf. Eph 3: 2-3, 5-6).

In a little while we will say in the Preface: “Today, you revealed in Christ your eternal plan of salvation and showed him as the light of all peoples”.

Twenty centuries have passed since that mystery was revealed and brought about in Christ, but it has not yet reached fulfillment. My beloved Predecessor, John Paul II, began his Encyclical on the Church’s mission by writing: “As the second Millennium after Christ’s Coming draws to an end, an overall view of the human race shows that this mission is still only beginning” (Redemptoris Missio, n. 1).

Several spontaneous questions arise: in what sense is Christ still the lumen gentium, the Light of the peoples, today? What point - if one can so describe it - has the universal journey of the peoples toward God reached? Is it in a phase of progress or of regression? And further: who are the Magi today? How, thinking of today’s world, should we interpret these mysterious figures of the Gospel? To answer these questions, I would like to return to what the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council said in this regard. And I am pleased to add that immediately after the Council, the Servant of God, Paul VI, exactly 40 years ago on precisely 26 March 1967, dedicated to the development of the peoples his Encyclical Populorum Progressio.

The whole of the Second Vatican Council was truly stirred by the longing to proclaim Christ, the Light of the world, to contemporary humanity. In the heart of the Church, from the summit of her hierarchy, emerged the impelling desire, awakened by the Spirit, for a new epiphany of Christ in the world, a world that the modern epoch had profoundly transformed and that, for the first time in history, found itself facing the challenge of a global civilization in which the centre could no longer be Europe or even what we call the West and the North of the world.

The need to work out a new world political and economic order was emerging but, at the same time and above all, one that would be both spiritual and cultural, that is, a renewed humanism.

This observation became more and more obvious: a new world economic and political order cannot work unless there is a spiritual renewal, unless we can once again draw close to God and find God in our midst.

Before the Second Vatican Council, the enlightened minds of Christian thinkers had already intuited and faced this epochal challenge.

© Pool/L'Osservatore Romano/Osservatore Romano/POOL/Corbis

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Solemnity of the Epiphany

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Vatican Basilica - Saturday, 6 January 2007 Well, at the beginning of the third millennium, we find ourselves in the midst of this phase of human history that now focuses on the word “globalization”.

Moreover, we realize today how easy it is to lose sight of the terms of this same challenge, precisely because we are involved in it: this risk is heavily reinforced by the vast expansion of the mass media. Although, on the one hand, the media increase information indefinitely, on the other, they seem to weaken our capacity for critical synthesis.

Today’s Solemnity can offer us this perspective, based on the manifestation of a God who revealed himself in history as the Light of the world to guide humanity and lead it at last into the Promised Land where freedom, justice and peace reign.

And we see more and more clearly that on our own we cannot foster justice and peace unless the light of a God who shows us his Face is revealed to us, a God who appears to us in the manger of Bethlehem, who appears to us on the Cross.

Who then are the “Magi” of today, and what point has their “journey” and our “journey” reached?

Dear brothers and sisters, let us return to that special moment of grace, the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council on 8 December 1965, when the Council Fathers addressed certain “Messages” to all humanity.

The first was addressed “To Rulers” and the second, “To Men of Thought and Science”. These are two categories of people who, in a certain way, we can see portrayed in the evangelical figures of the Magi.

I would then like to add a third category, to which the Council did not address a message but which was very present in its attention in the conciliar Decree Nostra Aetate. I am referring to the spiritual leaders of the great non-Christian religions.

Two thousand years later, we can thus recognize in the figures of the Magi a sort of prefiguration of these three constitutive dimensions of modern humanism: the political, scientific and religious dimensions.

The Epiphany shows them to us in a state of “pilgrimage”, that is, in a movement of seeking, often somewhat confused, whose point of arrival, in short, is Christ, even if the star is sometimes hidden.

At the same time, the Epiphany shows to us God who in turn is on pilgrimage, a pilgrimage to man.

There is not only the pilgrimage of man towards God; God himself has set out towards us: who is Jesus, in fact, if not God who has, so to speak, come out of himself to meet humanity? It was out of love that he made himself history in our history; out of love that he came to bring us the seed of new life (cf. Jn 3: 3-6) and sow it in the furrows of our earth so that it might sprout, flower and bear fruit.

Today, I would like to make my own those Messages of the Council which have lost nothing of their timeliness. For instance, one reads in the Message addressed to Rulers: “Your task is to be in the world the promoters of order and peace among men.

But never forget this: It is God, the living and true God, who is the Father of men. And it is Christ, his eternal Son, who came to make this known to us and to teach us that we are all brothers. He it is who is the great artisan of order and peace on earth, for he it is who guides human history and who alone can incline hearts to renounce those evil passions which beget war and misfortune”.

How can we fail to recognize in these words of the Council Fathers the luminous trail of a journey which alone can transform the history of the nations and the world?

And further, in the “Message to Men of Thought and Science” we read: “Continue your search without tiring and without ever despairing of the truth”, and this, in fact, is the great danger: losing interest in the truth and seeking only action, efficiency and pragmatism! “Recall the words of one of your great friends, St Augustine: “Let us seek with the desire to find, and find with the desire to seek still more’. Happy are those who, while possessing the truth, search more earnestly for it in order to renew it, deepen it and transmit it to others. Happy also are those who, not having found it, are working toward it with a sincere heart.

May they seek the light of tomorrow with the light of today until they reach the fullness of light”.

This was said in these two Council Messages. Today, it is more necessary than ever to flank the leaders of nations and researchers and scientists with the leaders of the great non-Christian religious traditions, inviting them to face one another with the light of Christ, who came not to abolish but to bring to fulfillment what God’s hand has written in the religious history of civilization, especially in the “great souls” who helped to build up humanity with their wisdom and example of virtue.

Christ is light, and light cannot darken but can only illuminate, brighten, reveal. No one, therefore, should be afraid of Christ and his message! And if, down through history, Christians as limited people and sinners have sometimes betrayed him by their behavior, this makes it even clearer that the light is Christ and that the Church reflects it only by remaining united to him.

“We have seen his star in the East, and have come to adore the Lord” (Gospel acclamation, cf. Mt 2: 2).

What amazes us each time when we listen to these words of the Magi is that they prostrated themselves before a simple baby in his mother’s arms, not in the setting of a royal palace but, on the contrary, in the poverty of a stable in Bethlehem (cf.

Mt 2: 11).

How was this possible? What convinced the Magi that the Child was “the King of the Jews” and the King of the peoples? There is no doubt that they were persuaded by the sign of the star that they had seen “in its rising” and which had come to rest precisely over the place where the Child was found (cf. Mt 2: 9). But even the star would not have sufficed had the Magi not been people inwardly open to the truth.

In comparison with King Herod, beset with his interests of power and riches, the Magi were directed toward the goal of their quest and when they found it, although they were cultured men, they behaved like the shepherds of Bethlehem: they recognized the sign and adored the Child, offering him the precious and symbolic gifts that they had brought with them.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us too pause in spirit to contemplate the image of the adoration of the Magi.

It contains a demanding and ever timely message. It is demanding and ever timely, first of all for the Church, which, reflected in Mary, is called to show to mankind Jesus, nothing but Jesus.

Indeed, he is the All and the Church exists solely to remain united to him and to make him known to the world. May the Mother of the Incarnate Word help us to be docile disciples of her Son, the Light of the nations!

The example of the Magi of that time is also an invitation to the Magi of today to open their minds and hearts to Christ and to offer him the gifts of their research. I would like to repeat to them, and to all the people of our time: do not be afraid of Christ’s light! His light is the splendor of the truth. Let yourselves be enlightened by him, all peoples of the earth; let yourselves be enveloped by his love and you will find the way of peace. So may it be.

© Maurizio Brambatti/epa/Corbis

CBCP Monitor

CBCP Monitor

Feature

12 On the Standard Days Method

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

All–NFP Program in Ipil Prelature and Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese

(Lifted from the Letter of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ to Mindanao Bishops and FLA Coordinators, 29 December 2006)

© Images.com/Corbis

(Sixteen PPastoral astoral Statements)

IN July 2003, at the plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, all the bishops present, with Archbishop O. Quevedo presiding, had a lengthy discussion on SDM. We passed an affirmative consensus vote, with no objection, recognizing SDM as a method that “could be used by a diocese in its program of Natural Family Planning,” provided it was not combined with contraceptives and it was not seen as part of the government’s “cafeteria” approach of promoting contraceptives. This guideline takes into consideration the words of caution expressed in Cardinal Trujillo’s communication of May 2003. This then is the standing guideline adopted by CBCP, which should be respected by our FLA workers in Mindanao.

It was with this guideline in mind that the Prelature of Ipil continued and expanded its program for natural family planning which included not only SDM but all modern, scientific NFP methods.

We can summarize this program with the numbers 1-6.

We have one comprehensive All-NFP program to promote Responsible Parenthood through Natural Family Planning. This includes all recognized scientifically-based NFP methods today, and not only SDM. Indeed not all women are qualified to adopt SDM. In this sense, SDM is offered only as an added option.

There are two general approaches of family planning that we differentiate – the natural vis-à-vis the

artificial. We also point out that it is not a question between “modern contraceptives” and “traditional NFP methods,” but rather that there are modern, scientifically-based NFP methods as well which are equally if not even more effective than contraceptives.

We address the three felt needs of many young couples today—namely, (1) they want to plan their families; (2) they prefer natural family planning; and (3) they want to choose among available NFP methods. In the process we have articulated four pastoral guidelines—namely, (1) we are pro-life as our first principle; (2) we are for responsible parenthood as our goal; (3) we are for natural family planning as our means; and (4) we are for enabling couples to make an informed and responsible choice, based on the formation of a right conscience.

We are following a five-step approach in order to systematize and decentralize the program to reach every kapilya community or barangay. The first step is a parish-level orientation for all leaders. This is followed in step two by a providers’ training. Step three is a kapilya-level orientation followed by individual counseling at the household level (step four). The fifth step is quarterly monitoring at the parish and prelature levels. Finally, we provide information on six modern NFP methods, which include SDM and the Two-Day Method (TDM), another simplified method based on cervical mucus observation.

1. We are for responsible parenthood, not for population control.

Responsible parenthood is exercised through natural family planning.

2. Since the Church is only for natural family planning, we consider it a pastoral imperative to promote all scientifically-based NFP methods in our All-NFP program.

These methods include BBT, BOM, STM, LAM, SDM, and TDM. 3. Values formation is integral to our NFP promotion. Our four pastoral guidelines represent these values: (1) We are pro-life. (2) We are for responsible parenthood as our goal. (3) We are for natural family planning as our means. (4) We are for enabling couples to make an informed and responsible choice, based on the formation of a right conscience.

4. The main pastoral challenge of the local church is not so much to confront the government or an international conspiracy but rather to address the three felt needs of many couples today: (1) They want to plan their families. (2) They prefer natural family planning. (3) They want to choose among NFP methods.

5. We do not condone mixing contraceptives with SDM or any other NFP method. We present abstinence as an option in itself, and integral to the meaning of NFP. 6. SDM has become the most widelyacceptable NFP method in our records because of its simplicity.

However, there are preconditions that have to be carefully explained

by NFP providers to interested couples. SDM cannot be the exclusive NFP method to promote; but neither should it be the excluded method.

7. We acknowledge the scientific

bases for SDM which was developed through computer simulation of actual cycles, pilot studies and clinical trials. This study is recognized by the World Health Organization. Our own experience in the field with more than 1,000 SDM-users over four years corroborates this.

8. Presenting SDM with other NFP methods is a win-win solution.

Couples first learn about fertility awareness. They then learn to compare, combine, or shift to other NFP methods. The “competition” is not between NFP methods, but rather between NFP and artificial methods or no method at all.

9. In order to reach out to all kapilya communities, even in the remotest areas, we are implementing a five-step program: (1) parish-level orientation; (2) providers’ training; (3) kapilya orientation; (4) household counseling; and (5) monitoring.

10. Our All-NFP program is carried out mostly by resident couples and housewives in numerous communities. As NFP providers, they voluntarily share their time and knowledge about NFP methods with interested neighbors in the barangay, regardless of religion or culture.

11. Church groups are open to entering into principled collaboration with national government insofar as its present policy direction is to promote only NFP. We are aware of the risks, but we are also aware of the positive opportunities in reaching out to many more couples who are looking for reliable NFP methods.

12. We believe that a proactive and comprehensive NFP program (by not excluding simplified NFP methods or simply criticizing others) is the best answer of the local church

to the evils of abortion and contraceptive use.

13. The evidence-based test for any NFP program is to see how it actually addresses the felt needs of many couples “on the ground.” In this light, we extend an open invitation to any diocese or FLA worker to first visit the All-NFP program sites in Ipil Prelature or pilot parishes in Cagayan de Oro before making any a priori judgments.

14. We welcome working in unity with other FLA workers and dioceses, while respecting differences in perceptions and approaches. It is by trying out new NFP methods and sharing pastoral innovations under the guidance of their bishops that the local churches can mutually grow in wisdom and grace.

15. We are ready to work with other organizations promoting AllNFP—e.g., hospitals, schools, government agencies, NGO’s, mass media. NFP is a women’s issue. It is central to family life. Creating a culture of natural family planning is everyone’s concern.

16. From our pastoral experience, we can attest that NFP, including SDM, is a valid, viable, and vital option for a growing number of couples today.

is no provision in the present Constitution, which bars the clergy and the religious from partisan politics.

It is by virtue of the Church’s own laws and tradition that prohibits the clergy and religious from any involvement in partisan politics.

Canon 287, § 2 contains a negatively formulated juridical norm for the clerics and therefore precise and strong in its prohibition. It states: “They are not to have active part to political parties and in governing labor unions unless, in the judgment of competent ecclesiastical authority, the protection of the rights of the Church or the promotion of the common good requires it.” Like canon 285, § 3, which prohibits the clergy from holding public office, this restriction on political activity is based on the distinctive role of the clergy and the laity. Needless to say, political activity ordinarily belongs to lay persons.

It is the responsibility of the clergy to promote unity in the community. They are ordained and configured to take care of all the faithful, not just segments of the community as members of political party. The Church therefore prohibits the clergy from involvement in partisan politics since they are considered symbols of

unity in the Church and in the community and certainly partisan politics is, by its very nature, divisive. For them to take an active part in partisan politics, with its wheeling and dealing, compromises, confrontational and adversarial positions, would be to weaken their teaching authority and destroy the unity the represent and protect .Consequently, the clergy, “witness of future things, should keep a certain distance from any political position or effort.”

The bishops and the clergy, like all citizens, have the right to make their own choices . Together with the faithful they are in fact, obliged to take a clear action when the human person requires help, when human rights are to be defended, and to work for peace and justice .

In expressing the choices they are to avoid giving the impression that their opinions are the sole legitimate ones. They are, however, to refrain from intervening in partisan politics unless there is an issue of just social order. In this regard, the late John Paul II made a strong position: “Presbyters who, in generosity of their service to the evangelical ideal feel the tendency towards immersing themselves in political activity,

in order to contribute more effectively to healing political life, by eliminating injustices, exploitation and oppressions of all kinds, are reminded by the Church that, along that road, it is easy to see oneself involved in party struggles, running risk of collaborating, not in the birth of a just world, to which we all aspire, but rather, to new and worse forms of exploitation of poor people.

They should know, in any case, that they do not have the mission or charism from on high for that endeavor in political action and participation.”

This prohibition is, however, not absolute. Whenever the defense of the rights of the Church or the promotion of the common good requires, the prohibition could be removed on exceptional cases. With the condition that the evaluation of the circumstances which justifies cleric’s participation in politics falls upon the legitimate ecclesiastical authority and is never left to the personal judgment of the clergy. Specifically, it would require the consent of the bishop, after having consulted the presbyteral council and also, if the case requires it, the bishops’ conference.

+ Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., D.D. Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro (January 2007) Abbreviations: NFP (Natural Family Planning) SDM (Standard Days Method) BBT (Basal Body Temperature) TDM (TwoDay Method) BOM (Billings Ovulation Method) FLA (Family Life Apostolate) STM (Sympto -Thermal Method) NGO (Non-Government Organization) LAM (Lactational Amenorrhea Method)

Separation / from p10 gest bane in our life as a nation and the most pernicious obstacle to our achieving of full human development” In this regard, the Church in the Philippines had summoned support from all levels of society. In particular, it addressed the laity to be more active in politics as this is precisely the sphere wherein they are called to transform the world in the spirit of the Gospel and according to Christian values and conscience. PCP II put it loudly: “In the Philippines today given the general perception that politics has become an obstacle to integral development, the urgent necessity is for the lay faithful to participate more actively, with singular competence and integrity, in political affairs. It is through the laity that the Church is directly involved. .. Our Plenary Council stands on record to urge the lay faithful to participate actively and lead in the renewing of politics in accordance with values of the Good News of Jesus” Hence, the Church has to involve itself in political life, understood in the broad sense, of the State. The Church has the right to preach the gospel without hindrance,

to teach its social doctrines and to discharge its duty among the people of God. It has, likewise, the right to express moral judgments, even on matters touching the political order, whenever basic personal rights or the salvation of soul makes such judgment necessary . It is precisely because of this that the Church and the State, while respecting there respective autonomy, have to collaborate with each other for the protection and realization of the common good. Recently the relationship of the Church with the State has been described by the Philippine Bishops as one of ‘critical solidarity’.

While collaborating with the State, the Church retains its native and inherent right to speak out in prophetic wisdom against any form of injustice or violation of the moral, social, political and economic order.

The Role of the Bishops and the Clergy in Politics As pointed out earlier, the Church may teach moral doctrines covering politics but cannot actively take part in partisan politics. It is in the latter that the clergy are prohibited from getting involved. Yet, there

CBCP Monitor

Statements

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

13

New Year’s Messages

Happy New Year! Really?

Hopes for 2007

GOOD spirit, best wishes and high hopes cannot but accompany the greetings of “Happy New Year!” said and heard the world over. However, during these particular times in the life of our country, the truth has to be said that the greetings carry a good amount of reservation.

In other words, with the doubts and ears that accompany the day to day living of millions of Filipinos, it is rather easy to say “Happy New Year!” But truly hard to expect that the year 2007 would be really happy, this is not pessimism but reality, not surrender but the truth—considering that the national present is difficult and the country’s future is rather bleak.

It is said that all economic indicators are up, investments are pouring in, the peso is never that strong.

Yet, millions do not have enough to eat. People die for lack of medicine.

The peso has never been buying so much less. Filipinos leave the country to find work abroad. They not only finance their families but also fund the government.

So many extrajudicial and political killings still go on, with most of the killers remaining free to kill again—and again. No less than two billion pesos were allegedly set aside not really to stop but simply to lessen graft and corruption in government. But the Philippines continues to top the horror roll in cheating and stealing of public funds.

There is also the still pending charter change that makes the present administration copiously salivate for reasons really known only to the national leadership and its allies incorporated. This fact alone already assures a good amount of social unrest in the country. It is not hard to foresee more angry people

staging more protest rallies and marches this year.

And there is the May 2007 midterm election—so far still scheduled to this writing. The exercise brings both good and very bad news. It is a promising event as people will be given opportunity to once again choose their political leaders according to the constitution—with or without the ever interesting and intriguing “Garci factor” in one form or another.

But there are also the standard guns, gold and goons that usually accompany elections in this country. Therewith go killing, violence and cheating—as a matter of course. If fact, these usual accompaniments of the election process have already begun towards the end of last year.

Happy New Year! Really? +Oscar V. Cruz, DD Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan

Human Life is Worth Living THE approach of the New Year 2007 again augurs fresh hope for new beginning. It evokes anticipation, better tomorrow, bright days ahead, no matter the dark ominous shadow at the heel of the old year that is fast fading to the irretrievable past. For lodged deeply in man’s being is that stubborn hope that springs eternal.

Hope, however, does not work on a vacuum. It feeds on perceived reality. And as different people have different ways of perceiving realities, it is no wonder that man’s hope to survive or succeed differs. One places his hope on the market and therefore gauges his better tomorrow with the economic growth or, at least, stability. With the growing strength of the peso vis-a-vis the U.S. dollar, some Filipinos hope that we are at last in a break through towards quality life, development, and progress. At least this is what the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey told us as bannered by the Philippine Star December 29, 2006 issue: “Despite a spate of natural calamities and political upheavals in the year just past, most Filipinos still look to the New Year with hope.” Others hope that globalization will somehow catch up with us and sweep the Philippines to finally reach the economic tiger status in the region offering to the Filipinos life that approximates first world citizens. Others place hope in the discovery of science, the growing wonders of the chips in the cyberspace world and the virtual images they create, the advance of technology, human endeavors and unheard of inventions. All help to fuel man’s hope for the New Year, notwithstanding the challenges on its train.

No matter the boast of modern man, however, he is still disturbed with fears and apprehensions lurking deep in his being. Can he survive the ever growing challenges of life, the precarious peace based on a bilateral agreement of contending parties, the deepseated hatred of one class against the other, the insatiable hunger for more power and wealth among the

rich and powerful in the face of poor people stretching out their gaunt hands to reach out for a piece of dry bread or a bowl of rice to stave off the gnawing pain of hunger, the graft and corruption in public office, the bombings, summary killings, robbery and petty thefts?

It is no wonder that one great scientist in the midst of all these staggering discoveries made by man, the power they have unleashed, the riches they have helped to amass, pensively made this wry statement: “I just hope that after all these discoveries man will wake up to find the universe friendly.”

The Church perceives reality from the perspective of faith. Its hope for man and for the society in which he lives is based on the belief that God is not a distant God, but a God who hears the cry of the poor, a God who cares, a God who takes on human flesh and blood and dwells among His own, a God who dies that the whole creation might live. It is this God who is the hope of man. As St. Paul spiritedly put it: “Indeed, the whole created world eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God… because the world itself will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8: 20 & 21). It is this kind of hope that the Church offers to a humanity that is caught up in shivers due to the spate of so much violence and wanton killings. It is based on the perception that Christ conquered sin, death and all that are connected with it.

In Him and with Him we too can conquer sin, death and all the ugly things and occurrences that ever rear up to destroy human life and values. “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Rom 8: 31)?

And so, when the believer greets you “Happy New Year”, he is expressing his deep conviction that human life is not only friendly—it is worth living.

Happy New Year to one and all. +Leonardo Y. Medroso, DD Bishop of Tagbilaran

GREETINGS of peace and joy in the Lord our God! May I especially greet our Muslim brothers and sisters as they celebrate a very special day in their religious life. May God’s spiritual blessings through Eid’l Adha abound for their benefit and for our whole region!

I have three hopes for the New Year. The first hope is this: that all the families in the Archdiocese of Cotabato may witness in 2007 the coming of definitive peace in our region. There are still many obstacles to the signing of a long-desired peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

But with mutual sacrifices and the prevailing good intentions of both parties including the efforts and encouragement of all other stakeholders in Mindanao, we pray that a peace agreement will be a gift from the Lord to the people of Mindanao in 2007.

My second hope for the New

Year is this: that all major political divisions and conflicts at the national level will end in 2007. These conflicts have been a major cause of a lack of rapid progress and development in our country. We know that the economy has grown but the benefits are still to reach the ordinary people. Unity and stability in 2007 would make it more possible for economic benefits to reach the grassroots.

My final hope is this: that political governance in 2007 from top to bottom will be significantly less burdened with graft and corruption. In this way the delivery of social and economic services to the people would substantially improve. The quality of life among our average citizens and especially the poor would also be greatly uplifted.

May I urge you to pray with me for these hopes to come true.

Once again a blessed and prosperous New Year for you and your families! +Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I. Archbishop of Cotabato

Time as a Challenge ANOTHER way of looking at New Year is to take time as a challenge and not as a comparison with the past as a score of events, mostly sad and bad. If we look back at the calamities of the past year—both natural and manmade—questions like, “did we deserve all these?” or “are we that hopeless?” keep bothering us.

But the New Year is made up of newly created opportunities wherein we can start anew; wherein we can come together in a common desire, shared by both the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the learned and the less educated, in order to arrive at a better and united community of citizens and believers in any faith.

Communal desiring has basically nothing to do with wealth.

Because any concern with wealth immediately divides people. It also has little concern with power, position and parties; these are equally divisive and, sometimes, violently discordant.

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has called the attention of believers in his Message on the World Day of Peace (2007) to People and their Leaders, reminding all that the Heart of Peace is the Human Person.

Looking for what we should hold in common in our search for Unity and Peace, let us start with what is common to all, because whatever belief, tradition, system or status people hold on to, we Filipinos have the same nature as

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Beloved People of the Archdiocese:

humans (we are made into God’s image and likeness (Gen 1:27), having the same values as believers and owning the same aspirations for the good of every one and tied together with the same needs to become fully Filipino and a true believer.

Without doubt the only way to proceed to a common goal (or, better still, a vision) is for absolutely everyone to make a sacrifice of one’s individual or group ambition.

National progress is not a matter of debate, competition or fame seeking. Nations that had broken the barriers of impoverishment and disunity showed us that the price for unity and progress is discipline and sacrifice. New laws may not shape us into what we want. But what we desire and aspire for we can put into life, better than the law. In people and nation building to say “let us be one is the same as let us a make a sacrifice.”

May I end this Message with the Prayer of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI: “May Mary (Mother of Jesus) show us, in her Son, the Way of Peace, and enlighten our vision so that we can recognize Christ’s face in the face of every human person, the heart of peace.”

Manigong Bagong Taon po sa inyong lahat! +Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales Archbishop of Manila

CBCP Monitor

Reflections

14

Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

By Bp. Jose Manguiran

© Dave Reede/Corbis

Thank You, Lord

THANK you Lord that each person is different; in color and shape, in talents and interest, by its differences, you make each one beautiful.

Thank you for the uniqueness of others: Thank you that others know what I do not know, thank you that others pick up jobs which I do not like, thank you for what I can do, which others cannot. By uniqueness, you make each one a donor.

Thank you for my failures; without them I cannot appreciate success. Thank you for the sufferings and inconveniences I meet in daily living; without them I cannot understand happiness. Thank you for the realization of my sinfulness for I see the need of your forgiveness and the need to forgive others. Thank you that I cannot answer many questions by logic; I must answer them by faith. Thank you for the people around me; for how can I fulfill your law of “love your neighbor” if there’s no one to love.

Thank you Lord for joining us in humanity; You showed us personally how to join with you in divinity.

The Business of Renewal

By Fr. Roy Cimagala THE New Year certainly evokes the idea of a new beginning. However else we may think of the first day of the year, it is undeniable that with it we think we are beginning again.

But this business of having to begin and begin again, highlighted by the New Year’s Day, should make us more aware of the deeper importance of this task. It should remind us of our duty to renew ourselves.

Truth is we need to renew ourselves deeply and thoroughly, not only superficially and partially! This should not just be an idea, a slogan or a routine. It has to be an all-embracing program of life and a functional life-long strategy.

To begin again is not just a matter of course.

That is to say, remove the hype that accompanies it, there is really nothing in it.

To begin again is a grave human necessity that springs not only from our nature but also from our belief that we are meant for a supernatural destination.

Yes, dearie and sweetie, that’s just how the cookie crumbles in our life and world. Physically and externally, we may not be able to avoid the effects of time and the onslaught of oldage. But deep within us, there is something that’s supposed not to age and die.

That is the reason for this business of ours to begin and begin again. We are supposed to prepare ourselves in this life for that leap to eternal life. With every new beginning, it’s like we’re making another winding of our earthly spiral to catapult us to eternity.

For this, we have to understand that what is involved is not just purely human and natural things. What is involved is the renewal of our soul, that, it conforms more and more to its spiritual nature and supernatural end. That is to say, our renewal should not just be cosmetic, skin-deep, pegged, nailed and tacked to external appearances and earthly things only. It has to plumb the depths of our heart.

Our heart should not be dominated only by the material and temporal. It has to be liberated from these confinements, and made to freely beat its proper lifeblood.

And that’s none other than God. Its proper language is love, it is self-giving, the one Christ lived and commanded us to do. It is not self-centeredness or greed. It is giving of oneself.

Its food is the truth, ultimately found in doing the will of God, again as Christ said and fulfilled especially with his death on the Cross. “My food is to do will of him who sent me.” (Jn 4, 34) In short, to achieve our goal of loving God truly, we have to understand that his means that our freedom is fully expressed only when lived in obedience to God’s will, when our freedom is so tied to our obedience to God that both mean the same thing to us.

This is the purpose of our continuing renewal in this life.

For Christian believers, to pursue this renewal outside of this context would be foolishness and a pure waste of time.

Many New Years will come our way, bringing in things big and small, new and old. Whatever combination of things each New Year may bring, we should not forget the real purpose of this cycle. It is to bring about another renewal, a winding of that spiral that launches us to eternal supernatural life with God. And this renewal cannot be stopped even by our own sins, failures and mistakes, which can be expected to come. Our Father God is endlessly merciful, and as long as we play the prodigal son always, we can expect God’s mercy to be given to us. It is his joy to do this.

On our part, we should realize then that our own failures and mistakes, our weaknesses and difficulties need not separate us from God. They precisely can be the occasion to bring us closer to him, in a way that is even more intimate since we would be asking for his help and his forgiveness.

Patroness of the Philippines Last Sunday’s issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer has a (I suppose) paid advertisement calling the attention of the Filipino Catholics regarding Our Lady of Guadalupe as the Principal Patroness of the Philippines and that the ORDO has an error in printing the Immaculate Conception as the principal patroness.

May you clarify this?

Marlo of Cavite

Why not support Cha-Cha? I hope CBCP will support Charter Change through Constitutional Convention or Constituent Assembly as these are all provided in the Constitution. It’s high time to shift to FEDERAL-PARLIAMENTARY so that we Mindanaoans can move forward. Metro Manila is not Philippines. Big businesses paying taxes in Makati exploited the resources and people of Mindanao.

Metro Manila has all the bad news that painted our country so badly and bloody just like what ABS-CBN is broadcasting. If you watch and listen to ABS-CBN news, it seems that nothing good happened within 24 hours around the country. Our country is ruled by few families from Luzon and Metro Manila.

It is easier to change the system than changing the attitude and characters of our leaders both at the local and national levels.

Create a system that would produce our desired leaders. In fact, Jesus Christ’s teachings have been with us for more than 2,000 years already and the Church including the priests and bishops have difficulty changing the attitude and characters of the people. Even the Church introduced changes in its system after Vatican II. Our crop of politicians who are corrupt and greedy were voted by Catholics. Most of our politicians are Catholics too.

Increase the wages of Church workers working in the different parishes around the country in order to be the model to the private companies.

M. Jamonir

Not time to Cha-Cha Am one of those who believe that it’s not time yet to change the constitution. While our bishops are for con-con as a way of changing the constitution, I would like to request them to help the Filipinos reflect whether

FROM THE INBOX it’s time to change the constitution or not.

Will changing the constitution solve what make our nation and our people sick? A few of the problems that beset our country and our people are: graft and corruption, poverty, lawlessness, and lack of credibility of some of our government and church leaders. Will these problems be eradicated by changing the constitution? Archbishop Angel Lagdameo is absolutely right. The constitution does not commit graft and corruption.

People like us and the ones who are in Malacanang and in Congress are the ones who commit graft and corruption. Why change the constitution then? Let’s change the people who are in power!!!!

I pray that our church leaders will help us reflect on what’s the right thing to do. As for me, NO to Cha-cha! NO to Con-Ass! NO to Con-con.NO to election of con-con delegates in May 2007. Instead, people should be consulted in May 2007 whether they want cha-cha or not.

Thank you very much. God bless the Philippines!

Edwin

What Little Faith I would just like to share some thoughts about the current stand and situation of our country. I really felt sad that the Church in our country is acting like the activist during my college days ...after the Edsa revolution it has been a medium of abuse that is why from then on comes the religious organizations being active in politics in terms of endorsements etc. The picture of a peaceful Church, prayerful Church, unified Church, non political Church was gone ...it became a power hungry Church ...power by influencing politics ...I just hoped that faith and prayer will be used again as the cornerstone of our church in order to seek political stability in our country ...bishops to priest ...all I can say for those who resort and use other people for rallies and such political movement as a hidden motive ...WHAT LITTLE FAITH THEY HAVE IN THE LORD ...or perhaps they are resorting to faith without action is useless....but again even without action if one has faith as big as a mustard seed ...bottom line would still be little faith.

Anna M.

Bo Sanchez

You can Choose to be Happy I recall a few years back, I felt depressed.

I had a million problems! I had conflicts to deal with, a few storms in my Catholic community, plus a number of personal trials as well. To top it all, my dandruff was getting worse and my pimples are erupting again. I prayed, “Lord, are you sure you want me to continue preaching and writing? I know I’m goodlooking (depression has a way of making me hallucinate), but shouldn’t You have picked someone much holier and wiser and more loving?

As I poured out my grief before God, and as I felt His tender comfort, a crazy question popped in my mind: “Bo, give me five reasons why you should be happy today.”

“Happy? Lord, how can I be happy at a time like this?”

But the question remained lodged in my brain, and I couldn’t give it up.

“Well,” I mumbled,

“my five reasons for being happy are lovely Lily, sexy Sylvia, pretty Pamella, terrific Tanya, and gorgeous Grace.”

(I was still single at that time, so I could make jokes like these.) Fearing that lightning may strike me anytime, I decided to become serious.

“First reason, Lord: You. We have a great relationship.

You love me so much, and uh, I love You sometimes. What a God! Second, I have a beautiful family. Dad’s old and Mom’s (bleep!), yet we’re still together… Third, despite of it all, I have a great Catholic group. Fourth, I’ve got a fantastic job as preacher, writer, helping the poor… Can it be better than this? And fifth, I’m in love with this one girl. (Not five!) Pretty, sweet, loving, honest, and insane enough to go out on dates with me.”

And before I realized it, my “lousy feelings” left me and I felt happy!

You know, it worked so well, even to this day, I’ve decided to do this daily. Before I go to bed, I recall five things that happened during that day

which I want to be thankful for. It could be small stuff like, “Today, I watched the sunset,”; or “A little kid put her arms around me today and that felt so good”; or “My wife and I ate at Macdonald’s ‘cuz that was all I could afford but felt t’was a candlelight dinner in Shangri-la.”

Because of this practice, the way I see life has changed. Because from the moment I wake up, my antennas are up—looking for the five things I’m going to be thankful for. I’m no longer focused on the bad things that happen, but on God’s great blessings each day.

Happiness is a choice.

You and I have everything that we need for happiness. Happiness isn’t “out there” but something that’s deep within us. We choose to be happy. We choose to make our lives great.

What will you choose?

CBCP Monitor Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

A native African father searching for his family, a white African searching for a way out and an American journalist searching to expose the truth… three characters brought together by an invaluable pink diamond amidst the Civil War in Sierra Leone in 1999. Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCarpio) is a mercenary who convinces Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) to team up with him to sell the blood diamond the latter found when he was enslaved by the rebel forces.

In return, Danny promises to find Solomon’s captive family through his connections. They recruit Maddy’s (Jennifer Connely) help in exchange for names and information on the diamond trade for the expose she is hoping to feature. Unfortunately, to Solomon’s heartbreak, his son, Dia (Kagiso Kuypers) has been indoctrinated by rebel soldiers and is transformed into

CINEMA Reviews as cold-blooded child soldier.

Edward Zwick transforms a socio-political issue into a highly riveting and powerful film. He maximizes the potentials of the intelligent scripting of Leavitt with a perfect balance of pushing the horror of a situation before going to the next sequence. The plot moves flawlessly with unforgettable lines and impressionable characters.

DiCarpio and Hounsou give brilliant performances and so does the young Kuypers. The cinematography reveals the stunning beauty of Africa and the appalling violence of war with excellent editing piercing it tightly. The scoring is chillingly romantic. The film is perhaps one of the best of its genre.

This is the type of movie that makes one thankful he is merely an onlooker of actual events and situations through the celluloid’s drama.

Blood Diamond is an insightful movie exposing atrocities of consumerism, exploitation and corrup-

Title: GRIFFIN AND PHOENIX Cast: Amanda Peet, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Paulson, Blair Brown Director: Ed Stone Producer: Amy Israel Screenwriter: John Hill Music: Roger Neil Editor: Plummy Tucker Genre: Romance/Drama Cinematography: David Dunlop Location: USA Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: ½ CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

GRIFFIN (Dermot Mulroney) a life insurance salesman has just been diagnosed as terminally ill with inoperable cancer and has less than two years to live. He attends a lecture on the process of coping with death. There he meets Phoenix (Amanda Peet) and is attracted to her. They fall in love and their relationship deepens when they discover they are soulmates. Both eventually learn that both are cancer cases. Instead of staying at the hospital for treatment, they decide to spend their remaining days having “fun”, which to them means doing things they haven’t done or wouldn’t do under ordinary circumstances. These pranks often include risks or

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some kind of small infractions of the law like breaking into a theater or throwing graffiti over a water tank high up in a tower.

Griffin and Phoenix is a remake of a 1976 TV-movie which featured Peter Falk and Jill Clayburgh as the ill-starred lovers. In the present film, Amanda Peet and Dermot Mulroney look good together and their onscreen chemistry is enhanced by their good performances. But though this love story is sad and poignant and there are tearjerker elements, strangely, it fails to emotionally involve the viewer.

The over sentimental and melodramatic screenplay as well as the plot development somehow do not project authenticity. This plodding story lacks vitality or that spark which could have put

tion and gives a well backhand wakeup for the indifference and hypocrisy not only of world leaders and those in power but also of the common people living thousand of miles away from the conflict and violence. The horrors of war is excruciating affecting families and children and its scars are irreversible. But what is worse is how societies take advantage of poverty and conflict to further their personal interests. A haunting question is not what one is willing to risk to get what he wants but to know in the depths of his person what really will make him happy. As a native poetically says every person at the core is good. So does Danny Archer realize this that despite his fiery desire to get out of war torn continent and after all the risks he put has been through, he makes a most noble sacrifice for Solomon’s family. Recommended for older audience because of the violence and gore.

it in the same league as say The Notebook and A Walk to Remember.

Since Griffin and Phoenix is a love story, most would expect it to be innocuous or harmless. But this is not the case. Here are two people staring death in the face and they decide to live it up, to “seize the moment”, since their time is short. There is nothing wrong with living life to the “fullest” but shouldn’t one be a l w a y s j u d i c i o u s i n o n e ’s choice of action? In this movie, the couple does things in the spirit of “fun” but often their pranks are not only risky or harmful to themselves but are also destructive. Vandalism or breaking the law or sexual indulgence without marriage cannot be justified whether one is dying or not.

Suicide has a romantic aura and is floated as a way out of their predicament, something a Christian should not consider.

The lead characters also vent their frustration and perhaps anger on others like Phoenix quarreling with a stranger over the latter’s son and Griffin destroying his and other peoples’ cars with no provocation. We understand their state of mind but we do not condone their acts. Parental guidance is needed not only for the above but also for providing the proper perspective regarding terminal illness and dying.

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Title: BLOOD DIAMOND Running Time: 135 min.

Cast: Leonardo di Carpio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Kagiso Kuypers, Arnold Vosloo, Anthony Coleman Director: Edward Zwick Producer: Gillian Gorfil Screenwriter: Charles Leavitt Music: James Newton Howard Editor: Steven Rosenblum Genre: Action/Drama Cinematography: Eduardo Serra Distributor: Warner Bros.

Location: Sierra Leone, Africa Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: CINEMA Rating: For viewers 18 and above

Title: ROB-B-HOOD Running Time: 125 min.

Cast: Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Michael Hui, Gao Yuan Yuan, Chen Bao Guo, Matthew Medvedev (the baby) Director: Benny Chan Producer: Jackie Chan, Benny Chan, Albert Yeung, Way Zhong Jun Screenwriters: Jackie Chan, Benny Chan, Alan Yuen Music: Chan-Fai-Young Editor: Yan-Ch-Wai Genre: Comedy Cinematography: Anthony Pun Distributor: International Sales Emperor Motion Pictures/Viva Location: Taiwan Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment: ll½ CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

UNABLE to control his irresistible gambling habit and heavily in debt, Slipper/Fong (Jackie Chan) and his buddy-partner Octopus (Louis Koo) quickly accept an offer for them to do a robbery. Offered three million dollars to do the job, they do not bother to find out what it is that they have to look for and take out. They find themselves driven to a hospital. Thinking it must be the expensive medicines they are to target, they begin to select and take them down from the shelves. But quickly, to their surprise and shock, they are directed to pick up a newborn baby, of a Mrs. Lee, and take it out. Bedlam breaks out. The lawmen, hospital security, the men hired to make sure the kidnapping succeeds, run after the two men with the baby. Everyone and everything get mixed up.

Inspite of the hectic chase, the two guys, by hook and by crook, manage to escape with the newborn, for now. What happens next? What is this unusual occurrence about?

It turns out that a wealthy shady boss wants that particular baby to be his grandson, his own son having died without giving him an heir. So desperate is he that he ups the reward to thirty million dollars for the child to be handed to him. Although little Matthew (Medvedev) appears to be the central character, it is Jackie Chan, with his buddy Louis Koo, who draws in the viewers to enjoy watching him and his comic antics. Martial arts, more intricate and strenuous, span the movie where dangerous stunts are needed to escape the pursuers or to save the baby from close-calls, life-threatening situations and from being taken from them or falling into the

wrong hands. The mix-up and jumbled plot used a lot of rehashed situations from past movies depicting babies in the care of adults. Fong and Octopus as total baby care givers is interesting to watch. They go from being leery to doting and then caring tenders. As buddies in the film they displayed a believable camaraderie. Fans of Jackie Chan and his kind of martial arts, would be entertained

by Rob-B-Hood From protagonist to antagonist, Jackie Chan has taken the role of the bad guy instead of the good. But viewers are given a character to feel sympathy for because of his weakness. Jackie as Fong made a mess of his growing up, went into gambling and thievery and getting into the kidnapping mess. Koo as Octopus his buddy is a womanizer and hates babies, wants his wife to abort their expected child. Both get arrested, serve their time, with a reduced sentence for their behavior and cooperation. Matthew is returned to his real parents and grandmother. The shady boss discovers that the baby is not the one that he thinks it is. Although there is no blood and gore, or cruelty, younger viewers should be able to see that Jackie has taken a bad-guy role, and showing his apathy and neglect of his family, until his father calls his attention. He is sorry and forgiven. Also that the martial arts feats and the situations the child is put into should never be let to happen. In filming no such sequence are made to take place. In the film, it is the computer generated images that imitate what is supposedly real-life but are not. Thus, the need of guidance for young viewers.

16

People, Facts & Places

Cor Jesu Seminary Celebrates 25th Anniversary COR Jesu Seminary (CJS) of the Diocese of Dipolog had for years, been forming men to dedicate their lives to the service of the Church and society. Just more than a month ago, the institution celebrated its silver jubilee, twentyfive years of enduring service to the Church of Dipolog with the theme “CJS 25 NA BALIK UG KITA KITZ”.

Cor Jesu Seminary (CJS) was founded in 1980 by the first bishop of Dipolog, Msgr. Felix S. Zafra, D.D. The bishop appointed Fr. Gregorio B. Canonigo, Jr. as rector during the first three years of its existence. Canonigo reassumed the post in 1999 until 2004. Other members of the clergy who served as rectors of the seminary after Canonigo were Fr. Arnold Caboverde, Fr. Luis Lapinid, Fr. Genaro Daguplo, Fr. Philip Alicayos, Fr. Severo Caermare and Fr. Manuel Recera, who currently holds the post.

Thirty priests and one deacon have been ordained since the seminary was founded 25 years ago.

The silver jubilee also served as a grand homecoming for all the seminary alumni, both lay and priests. The gathering was a conglomeration of various sectors in society—priests,

teachers, lawyers, businessmen, policemen, politicians and farmers.

“This event has been the reality of the dream of all the alumni of Cor Jesu Seminary,” says Fr. Melvin Rey Ogoc. Ogoc serves as Spiritual Director of the Seminary, at the same time, the secretary of the Committee on the CJS Alumni.

The event, which started on November 28, 2006, lasted for three days. Fifty-seven alumni attended the affair. The 3-day gathering gave the participants opportunities to look back on their seminary days, grateful for what they had received in formation and the friendships they had nurtured during their seminary training.

The bishop of Dipolog, Most Rev. Jose Manguiran, D.D. celebrated the Eucharist during the homecoming. Using the metaphor of a hat as an image to represent the task a person is called to render, the bishop stressed that like Christ who endured His life for mankind, each participant is called to wear their hat as a symbol of responsibility and to carry their load with love and hope in Jesus.

The celebration was capped with a Jubilee banquet and awarding of prizes for selected alumni. (Fr. Manuel Recera)

ECMI and Yahoo One on Pinoy Connect Project PINOY Connect, a project dedicated to OFWs and their families, was launched by Yahoo Philippines in collaboration with the Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant Peoples (CBCP-ECMI) last December 5, 2006 at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The venture was initiated to help OFWs maintain good relationship with their loved ones in the Philippines. Pinoy Connect offers varied services to the Filipinos who have access to the internet with the intention of maintaining and fostering close family ties among OFWs and their families left behind in the country.

Aside from the email that Yahoo could offer, Yahoo! Messenger allows users to send and receive instant messages or to chat with relatives and friend without having to pay.

Yahoo! Photos is another service that Yahoo encourages OFWs to utilize when they need to share pictures without having to download them through a regular email.

There is also the Yahoo! Groups that would keep friends connected for certain interest or concern.

Yahoo! Mobile also allows internet users to send SMS again without having to pay extra unlike in the usual use of mobile phone.

ECMI Chairman, Bishop Precioso Cantillas, SDB, DD delivered his statement of support during Yahoo’s launching of Pinoy Connect.

(Fr. Edwin Corros, SC)

Palo Seminary Needs Help PARTICULARLY for the seminarians at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, Leyte, seminary life isn’t all that easy and tranquil. Aside from the rigors of academic and spiritual formation, seminarians have to bear the inconvenience of sleeping in dormitories with dilapidated ceilings and floors, tilting beams, and some of which with its windows completely gone.

This was disclosed by Fr. Gil Manaog, Rector of Sacred Heart Seminary, Palo, Leyte, as he appealed for more help in the major repair of the almost rickety seminary infrastructures—the main building which houses the minor seminary dormitory, auditorium, chapel, and the father’s residence building.

The diocesan seminary, which was built some fifty years ago, is home to both minor (high school) and college (Philosophy) seminarians.

For its part, the Palo Leyte Alumni of the Seminary (PLEASE) Foundation, an association of alumni seminarians and priests of Sacred Heart Seminary headed by its president Atty. Ricardo Ribo, has come up with a fund raising project in response to Fr.

Manaog’s appeal for help. Dubbed as Handog Ko Sa Seminaryo, the project aims to distribute raffle tickets in exchange for major prizes like laptop computers and cellphones, and the proceeds of which will be used for the major repairs of Sacred Heart Seminary infrastructures. The raffle draw is slated this January 28, 2007 at the Sto. Nino de Leyte Shrine, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

For those still interested to help or respond to Fr. Manaog’s appeal, they may contact the following: Fr. Gil Manaog, Rector, Sacred Heart Seminary, Palo, Leyte, Tel. Nos. (053) 323-2214, 323-2476; or Atty. Ricardo Ribo, PLEASE Foundation President, Tel. No. (02) 411-9306, (CP) 0919-3274512. (B. Acebedo)

CBCP Monitor Vol. 11 No. 1 January 8, 2007

Markings APPOINTED. Bp. Isabelo C. Abarquez, 50, as Bishop of Calbayog (Samar); by Pope Benedict XVI; January 5, 2007. Prior to his current appointment, Abarquez was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Palo (Leyte). He succeeds Archbishop Jose Palma, erstwhile bishop of Calbayog since 1999 and who was appointed archbishop of Palo in March of 2006. A native of Cebu, Bp. Abarquez was born on July 8, 1956. He took up his Philosophy and Theologate degrees (A.B. Philosophy and Bachelor in Sacred Theology) at Seminario Mayor de San Carlos in Cebu City. Ordained priest on June 23, 1987, he was then ordained auxiliary bishop of Cebu on February 18, 2003.

Among his pastoral assignments prior to his Episcopal ordination were: as Formator, Professor and Spiritual Director of Pope John XXIII Seminary, Cebu City in 19881991; and in 1990-1991 as Procurator of the same Seminary; Pastoral Director in 19921994, and in 1998-2002 as Rector of San Carlos Seminary College, Cebu City; as Spiritual Director for 12 years at the Padre Pio Contemplative Community in Cebu City.

He is also a former member of Cebu Archdiocesan Board of Consultors and likewise as Rector of Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

APPOINTED. Fr. Leopoldo Jaucian, SVD, 46; as Bishop of Bangued (Abra); by Pope Benedict XVI; January 5, 2007. Fr. Jaucian is the Provincial Superior of the Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word (Societas Verbi Divini or SVD). Born on July 27, 1960 in Santa, Ilocos Sur, Jaucian took his Philosophy studies (A.B. Philosophy) and Postulancy formation at Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City in 1977-1979; and his Novitiate from Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay in 1979-1981. Thereafter, he went to Taiwan for Overseas Training Program (OTP) in 1982-1984 as well as for his Theological studies at the Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan in 1984 – 1987. He was ordained priest to the Society of the Divine Word on March 12, 1988 at the Divine Word Academy Chapel in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. His former assignments include: as Assistant Pastor of St. Joseph the

Worker Parish in Chiayi, Taiwan in 1988– 1989; as Campus Minister at Fu Jen Catholic High School, Chiayi, Taiwan in 1989– 1992; Assistant Principal, Campus Minister and Assistant Director of St. Jude Catholic School, Mendiola, Manila in July 1995 to July 2000; and Parish Priest, SVD Manila District Superior and Vicar Forane-Vicariate of San Jose de Trozo of St. Jude Archdiocesan Shrine, Manila in August 2000 until March 2005. On March 1, 2005, he was elected Provincial Superior of the SVD Central Province in the Philippines, a position he has held up to his current episcopal appointment.

CELEBRATED. Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR), 4th Centenary (400th year) in the Philippines; 1606-2006. In May of 1606, with the prior royal license granted by King Philip III of Spain, the Augustinian Recollects arrived in Cebu, and shortly thereafter proceeded to Manila. Upon their arrival in Intramuros, the thirteen Augustinian Recollect pioneers were temporarily sheltered in a small house until they found better accommodations at the Santo Domingo Convent (Dominicans) and likewise in San Agustin Convent of the Augustinians (OSA). Later, the Augustinian Recollect friars were able to buy a bigger house in Bagumbayan (the present Luneta Park) with the money they obtained through begging. Their small church served the spiritual needs of the people living in Bagumbayan and other nearby places. This was their preparation for their first mission assignment in Mariveles, Bataan in September 1606.

CELEBRATED. Msgr. Roberto Guiuan, 75, retired military (AFP) chaplain; 50th sacerdotal ordination anniversary; November 30, 2006. Born on January 19, 1931 in Pampanga, Guiuan was ordained priest on November 30, 1956. In May 14, 1978, Pope Paul VI made him a Papal Chamberlaine, earning the honorary title of Monsignor. He became a Parochial Vicar in Northern Samar from 19571959, in Eastern Samar from 1959-1960, a parish priest in Western Samar from 19601964, and subsequently as Vicar Forane of Catarman (Northern Samar) from 1962-1971.

He entered the military service thereafter and served as military chaplain in different military units in the country until his retirement in 1991. He is currently serving as retired guest priest of Diocese of Parañaque.

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