WITNESS
The Varsitarian SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
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PH LIKENED TO ‘VALLEY OF DEATH’:
Archbishops condemn drug killings, corruption, and Duterte ‘totalitarianism’ THE PHILIPPINES has become a “valley of death” due to the government’s murderous policies and anomalous pandemic response, leaders of archdioceses in Northern Luzon said in a joint pastoral message on Sept. 12. Thomasian Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and Nueva Segovia Archbishop Marlo Peralta decried how the “killers” behind the murders of “more than thirty thousand poor Filipinos” and dissenting journalists, political opponents, court judges and priests remained at large. “It is like living in the valley of death—killing of drug users and opponents; helpless death in the pandemic, death by governance without vision, death by shameless corruption that seems to break all records…The killers are at large and the blind supporters of these murderers applaud the killers,” the Church leaders said. They said that aside from these killings, Filipinos’ lives were being lost due to the government’s “incompetence” and “ineptitude.”
Thomasian Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao (left), Nueva Segovia Archbishop Marlo Peralta (middle) and LingayenDagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas (right) denounce killings perpetrated by the government of President Duterte (FILE PHOTOS)
“The poor are slowly dying from joblessness due to ridiculous confusing quarantine classifications. Incompetence kills people. Ineptitude kills nations and economies. Hunger kills
slowly,” they said. “Bullets kill. Viruses kill. Governance without direction kills. Corruption kills. Trolls kill with fake news. Hunger kills. When will the killings
stop? The poor pay for the corruption of the powerful. The nation is sinking in debt,” they added. The only necessary death, they said, was Jesus’s.
Msgr. Brown, papal nuncio, urges Catholics to pray the rosary to end Covid-19 pandemic APOSTOLIC Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown called on Catholics to dedicate time to praying the Holy Rosary for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic, during the enthronement Mass for the image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on Sept. 23. “He [Pope Francis] is always asking us to pray the rosary more, especially in this time of Covid-19 pandemic so that this scourge will speedily depart from us and we can return to normal life in society and Church,” he said in his homily at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church. “Let me make an appeal to those of you who are not yet praying the rosary. Pray the rosary every day. Make that a proposition for yourselves. If you do that, I know that Our Lady will reveal things to you that otherwise you would not be able to receive and comprehend,” Brown added. The faithful were also called to emPray rosary ► PAGE 9
Apostolic nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown leads the enthronement rites of the image of the Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario (SCREENSHOTS FROM UST PAGE)
Fr. Quirao remains prior of Santo Domingo Convent UST ALUMNUS Fr. Roger Quirao, O.P. was officially reinstalled as prior of the Santo Domingo Convent in Quezon City on Sept. 28. In his acceptance speech, Quirao urged the faithful to build a helping community. “Karagdagang tatlong taon na naman na tayo ay magsasama at bibigyang buhay ang misyong sinimulan ni Santo Domingo, at ang bawat misyon natin ay nakaugat sa kalooban ng Diyos at pagtutulungan. Ang tiwala sa bawat isa sa komunidad ay maganda ang magiging resulta,” he said. “Mag-ingat at magtulungan tayo. Lahat ng bagay ay susunod na kung tayo ay buhay, malusog at ginagabayan ng ating Panginoong Diyos,” he added. From 2011 to 2017, Quirao was prior of St. Albert the Great Convent and vice rector for finance of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna. He served s parish priest of San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs Parish in Dagat-dagatan, Navotas from 2017 to 2018. MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO WITH REPORTS FROM CHRISTINE JOYCE A. PARAS AND JOENNER
FR. ROGER QUIRAO, O.P.
PAULO L. ENRIQUEZ, O.P.
“His death is the only death we need. There is no other death needed anymore to improve our situation or to merit God’s mercy. The death of Jesus was the death once and for all.” They also urged the faithful to “resist” inhumane governance. “We citizens must be law abiding but we are not pacifists. We must resist a murderous and corrupt public order,” the statement read. “[Engage in] peaceful assemblies of dissent or sober discussions of social issues guided by the Gospel or rallies for honesty and heroism … This is the only morally acceptable resistance,” they added. They called on the youth to vote in the 2022 elections. “We plead with our youth and firsttime voters to register themselves. We appeal to the sense of patriotism of the reluctant candidates to bring back ethics in our political life and run according to your conscience not according to the surveys,” the prelates said. MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA WITH REPORTS FROM MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO
SecGen urges Thomasians:
Pause for Angelus, 3 o’clock prayers UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. urged Thomasians to pause online classes for the praying of the 3 o’clock prayer and the Angelus prayers at 12 nn. and 6 p.m. daily. “Classes or meetings are enjoined to pause at 12 nn. (Angelus), 3 p.m. (3 o’clock Prayer to the Divine Mercy) and 6 p.m. (Angelus) for these prayers,” he wrote in an Aug. 26 memorandum. The said prayers should be followed by the Thomasian Prayer in Time of Pandemic, Coronel said. UST will also hold several religious services and prayer initiatives to help the Thomasian community cope with the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Coronel said he hoped the activities would gather Thomasians and make them pray as one community. A “Holy Mass in Time of Pandemic” was held on Aug. 27, led by Coronel. During his homily, Coronel called on the faithful to
continue “believing, hoping and loving” amid the challenges brought about by the pandemic. “We are on a journey. The teachers, support staff, academic staff, administrators… we are one. We are one Thomasian team—Team UST! We are moving to the academic front in spite of the difficulties,” he said. “We are like soldiers fighting everyday. Please hold on to that faith, hope and love. The Lord is telling us to be strong,” he added. The UST secretary general told Thomasians to “not be ashamed of the wounds” caused by the pandemic. “We are not supposed to be afraid of the wounds, even the wounds caused by the pandemic…Ang mga sundalo daw kapag nakikipaglaban [at] nasusugatan lalo daw tumatapang. Pero tayong mga tagasunod ni Kristo, mga Tomasino, habang nasusugatan [at] kahit nasasaktan lalong nagmamahal,” Coronel said. MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO
THOMASIAN
PRAYER SHEDULE Angelus
12nn and 6 p.m
3 o’clock prayer 3:00 p.m.
