•A3Pope urges international agreement on climate change •B1 Christian Citizenship in the Philippines Today •C1 Ugnayan The News Supplement of Couples for Christ DENR urged to junk black sand mining apps in Ilocos THE Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) urged the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to reject the 158 black sand (magnetite) mining applications pending on the said office for it would be disastrous to the marine ecology surrounding the area of mining operations. Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, in a statement said, the 158 black sand Fisherfolks / A6 Bishop calls for end to AIDS stigma A CATHOLIC bishop has lashed out those who continue to stigmatize AIDS, as he called for an intensive information campaign to prevent the spread of the disease. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the country needs to solve the AIDS stigma which continue to grip the country and for other people to be able to take care of the victims. “Many of those who discriminate (AIDS 20.00 victims) are afraid they might get it of casual AIDS / A6 December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Php Bishops call for ‘truce’ between Aquino, SC By Roy Lagarde An estimated 2,000 students from different universities and members of various family-based organizations form a giant human AIDS ribbon during the launch of the Catholic AIDS Sunday at the grounds of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, 4 December 2011. Non-existent RH lobby groups getting foreign funding? RH BILL sponsors have apparently been dealing with lobby groups whose government registrations are either non-existent or had been revoked, a senator has disclosed. The revelation tells of groups that have been getting money from foreign organizations known to be waging an international campaign for the legalization of abortion. In yet another expose on the well-oiled machine pushing for the passage of the controversial “reproductive health” (RH) bill, Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III bared that one particular lobby group—the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN)—has a budget for “nurturing Foreign / A6 CATHOLIC bishops called for a truce between President Benigno Aquino III and the Supreme Court, and said the Church is willing to mediate to resolve their differences. At least four bishops issued statements on December 6 to stress the need for Aquino and some SC officials to restrain comments after an unseemly public spat. Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said the public officials should show gestures of peace and reconciliation especially that Christmas is fast approaching. “I am okay for that (reconciliation) especially this time of Christmas. A time for peace, reconcilia- tion, understanding and respect to each other,” said Bastes. Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez even said that the Church is ready to assume the roles of peacemakers and facilitators. They said there is no “political motive and political interest” on their part. “Bishops are capable of doing that specially those bishops who have more ascendancy,” said Gutierrez. The prelate from Mindanao said he was referring to retired Archbishops Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales of Manila, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu and new Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle. The three Church officials are all known to be close to the Chief executive’s mother, the late and former president Corazon Aquino. “They are respectable people and prelates… who are known to Truce / A6 NASSA chief seeks Aquino intervention on coco levy case AN Official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is seeking a resolution of cases related to the cocolevy fund scam, as he called on President Benigno Aquino III to intervene on the issue. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said Aquino should show “political will” to return billions of pesos in coconut levy funds allegedly stolen from coconut farmers decades back. “CBCP-Nassa reiterates its continual appeal to President Aquino to break his silence on social issues and for once come to the defense of the farmers,” said Pabillo, chairman of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action. While the church welcomes Aquino’s respect for the subsidiarity of government agencies, Pabillo said, he is also duty bound to protect the rights of the poor farmers. According to him, the President must also ensure that considerations of the farmers’ well being always precede his decisions and actions. “We further implore that he stay faithful to the promise made by his mother, the late President Cory, to render justice to the coconut farmers, whose suffering was first and foremost perpetuated by their relative,” added Pabillo. The Supreme Court has yet US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas, Jr. (from left) and President Benigno Aquino III awards the plaque to Fr. Eduardo Vasquez, Jr., OMI, this year's recipient of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship for Professional Development for Journalism. Full story on A6. to decide on the ownership of 27 percent of coco levy shares at San Miguel Corp. (SMC) despite findings that it was public fund. The other 20 percent share of SMC, which also came from the same coco levy fund, was already decided in favor of former Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, uncle of the president. But Pabillo said the ruling favoring Cojuangco was based on mere technicalities devoid of social merit. The prelate then appealed to the “sense of justice and compassion” of the magistrates of the High Court. Amiel Mark Cagayan Intervention / A6 Church offers Masses for Filipino on China death row CATHOLIC Churches offered Masses on December 4 for a convicted Filipino drug trafficker facing execution in China. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the Masses would ask for divine intervention for the grant of the Aquino administration’s request to the Chinese government for commutation. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP president, has already instructed all the dioceses to offer the Masses on December 4 for the intention of the Filipino convict scheduled to be executed on December 8. “We are united with our government leaders in the appeal to the Chinese government for a commutation of death penalty to life imprisonment,” Palma said. “I already have given instructions to the bishops to ask their priests to offer prayers during the Masses for our fellow Filipino set to be executed in China,” he said. CBCP secretary general Msgr. Joselito Asis said the move was also in response to Vice President Jejo- Palma assumes CBCP presidency and the incoming members of the CBCP Permanent Council at their headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on November 30. Prior to his election, Palma was CBCP vice president. He replaced Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar whose first term as head of the bishops’ leadership ended November 30. Elected as president only two years ago, Odchimar was entitled to a second term of two more years but decided not to seek reelection to devote more pastoral attention to his diocese in Surigao del Sur. CBCP officials normally hold two terms, each with a two-year tenure. Also assuming post as new CBCP vice president is Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. The new members of the CBCP Permanent Council are: Tuguegarao Archbishop Sergio Utleg, Bishops Pablo Virgilio David of San Fernando, Pampanga, Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, Francisco de Leon of Antipolo, Reynaldo Evangelista of Boac, Leonardo Medroso of Tagbilaran, Patricio Buzon of Kabankalan, Antonieto Cabajog of Surigao and Guillermo Afable of Digos. Elected last July by the plenary assembly of the CBCP, the Council is chaired “ex officio” by Palma. Dumaguete Bishop John Du, on the other hand, assumed the position of treasurer, replacing Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco. Cebuano priest Fr. Marvin Mejia also assumed his post as assistant secretary general of the CBCP to assist Msgr. Joselito Asis, the conference’s new secretary general. (CBCPNews) © Ronalyn Regino / CBCP Media Tagle to get ‘Caracol’ dance send-off THE lay faithful of the Diocese of Imus will bid farewell to Manila Archbishop-elect Luis Antonio Tagle the Caviteño way: by dancing “Caracol.” In a press briefing, leaders of a committee tasked to handle the installation of Tagle at the Manila Cathedral on December 12 detailed the activities of the event. Fr. Reginald Malicdem, private secretary to the Archbishop of Manila, said around 1,500 lay people will join the Caracol dance including around 200 priests from Imus diocese. It will start, he said, at 7 a.m. at the San Agustin Church in Dance / A7 Archbishop Jose Palma China / A7 Illustration by Bladimer Usi ARCHBISHOP of Cebu, Jose Palma officially assumed leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) December 1. Palma, a native of Dingle, Iloilo, becomes the 19th president of the bishops’ collegial body. The official turnover ceremonies were held during the joint meeting of the outgoing © Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media A2 World News CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Pope: Prepare for Christmas with a sober lifestyle and self assessment VATICAN City, Dec. 4, 2011—”Choose a sober lifestyle,” and “make an honest assessment your life:” they are the exhortations of John the Baptist to Christians during Advent, a period of preparation for Christmas. This is the invitation that Benedict XVI addressed today to 20 thousand people present for the Angelus in St Peter’s Square where the Christmas tree, this year from Ukraine has arrived. His appointment for the recitation of the Marian prayer with the faithful was also an opportunity for the Pope to recall the plight of migrants and refugees. Benedict XVI recalled that “in the coming days, in Geneva and other cities, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the World Organization for Migration, the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. I entrust to the Lord all those who, often forcibly, must leave their homeland, or who are stateless. While I encourage solidarity for them, I pray for all those who are doing their utmost to protect and assist these brothers and sisters in emergency situations, even if it means exposing themselves to serious hardships and dangers “ Previously, taking a cue from today’s Gospel, Benedict XVI spoke of John the Baptist: “Beginning with his outward appearance, John is presented as a very ascetic figure dressed in camel skin, he feeds on locusts and wild honey, found in the desert of Judea (cf. Mk 1.6). Jesus himself once held him in contrast to those who “wear fine clothing” in the “royal palaces “ (Mt 11.8). “The style of John the Baptist— he continued was meant to call all Christians to choose a sober lifestyle, especially in preparation for the feast of Christmas, when the Lord—as Saint Paul would say—”became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8.9). With regard to the John’s mission, it was an extraordinary appeal to conversion: his baptism “is tied to a fiery invitation to a new way of thinking and acting, it is above all linked to the announcement of God’s justice” (Jesus of Nazareth I, Milan 2007, p. 34) and the imminent appearance of the Messiah, defined as “he who is mightier than I” and who will “baptize with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1,7.8). “Therefore, John’s appeal— concluded the Pope—goes far beyond and deeper than a call to a sober lifestyle: it is a call for inner change, starting with the recognition and confession of our sins. As we prepare for Christmas, it is important that we find time for self contemplation and carry out an honest assessment of our lives. May we be enlightened by a ray of the light that comes from Bethlehem, the light of He who is “the Greatest” and made himself small, he who is “the Strongest” but became weak”. (AsiaNews) www.portuguese-american-journal.com Vatican officials to pick logo for World Youth Day in Rio RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Dec. 1, 2011—After sifting through almost 200 proposals for World Youth Day Rio 2013's official logo, Church officials in Brazil sent the best submissions to the Vatican where the final selection will be made. The proposals were sent to Rome on Nov. 28 and presented to the Pontifical Council for the Laity by auxiliary Bishop Paulo Cezar Costa of Rio de Janeiro. Bishop Cezar serves as a member of the organizing committee for the global youth event, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, Pope Benedict announced to those gathered in Madrid during World Youth Day this past August. A group of graphic designers in Brazil evaluated the logo submissions together with youth ministry representatives and other World Youth Day organizers. The Pontifical Council for the Laity will announce a date to unveil the winning logo after it has made its selection. (CNA) Court drops seat belt charges against Pope Benedict FREIBURG, Germany, Dec. 3, 2011—In a case that brought amusement to the Vatican, a German court decided to throw out charges against Pope Benedict for not wearing a seat belt during his recent papal visit to the country. “There will be no fine for the Pope,” city spokeswoman Edith Lamersdorf told German news agency Badische Zeitung on Nov. 30. “The charges were quashed.” Lawyer Christian Sundermann had filed a complaint on behalf of an unnamed Dortmund resident who voiced concern over the Pope’s safety. In August, the pontiff visited his native country, making stops in the cities of Berlin, Freiburg and Erfurt, where he greeted locals from his popemobile. Officials ruled on Wednesday that although Germany requires all citizens to wear seat belts—even in slow-moving vehicles— the law didn’t apply to the Pope since he was on public streets that were closed for papal events. Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., said on Nov. 30 that the charges provoked “curiosity and smiles of amusement” at the Holy See, “beginning with the Pope himself.” He explained the need for Pope Benedict to not be restricted by seat belts during his visits, since he “turns continually to the right and to the left to greet and bless the faithful.” “Often he gets up and takes in his arms babies to bless, to the joy of the parents and everyone present,” Fr. Lombardi said. “All these gestures presume a certain freedom of movement.” The spokesman was, nevertheless, “grateful for the affectionate concern for the Pope’s safety.” Pope Benedict could have been fined 30 to 2,500 euros ($40 to $3,300) if he was found guilty of the charges. Attorney Sundermann clarified that her client’s intent was to draw attention to the importance of supporting seat belt law enforcement rather than level an attack on the Church. (CNA) St. John Bosco relics leave Asia COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Dec. 1, 2011—The relics of St. John Bosco ended a year-long tour of Asia yesterday in Sri Lanka before moving on to Africa. Thousands of local Catholics, Buddhists and Hindus lined the roads to catch a glimpse of the near-life size statue as it finished a 13-day tour of the country. According to Father Nihal Liyanage, Provincial superior of Don Bosco Fathers, thousands of people, both Catholics and Hindus, attended the services or queued in the heat to see the statue. “People prayed for permanent peace,” he said. The relics arrived in Asia on November 1, 2010 and visited South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Myanmar and India in in preparation for the bicentenary in 2015 of Don Bosco’s birth. (UCAN) Vatican Briefing Pope invited to visit Lebanon Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, was received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI on Nov. 28. In an interview with Vatican Radio before the meeting the political leader said he would invite the Pope to visit his country as soon as possible. In October 2010 a synod of bishops was held to discuss the situation of the Church in the Middle East. Mikati offered Lebanon as the place where the post-synodal exhortation could be presented. No official date has been set for the exhortation’s publication but a number of press reports say that it could come out next April. According to Vatican Radio, Mikati also said that Christians in Lebanon could provide an example to others on how to move toward democracy. (Zenit) Pontiff lauds efforts to end death penalty Reform ‘work in progress’—archbishop YANGON, Myanmar, Dec. 1, 2011—Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to the country signaled significant change in the country but that President Thein Sein had much left to accomplish to convince the world and the people of Myanmar that democratic reform was real and lasting. The comments came on the eve of a historic meeting between the president and Clinton, who arrived in the administrative capital Naypyidaw yesterday. Archbishop Bo, who also serves as the secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar, said today’s visit to Myanmar by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled that the government had made significant changes but noted that true democratic reform required substantially more effort. “The government needs to release the remaining political prisoners to show that they are serious about democratic reform,” he told ucanews.com, adding that ceasefire agreements between the military and ethnic minority opposition forces were also urgently needed. Years of armed conflict have had a devastating impact on the country’s infrastructure and educational system, Archbishop Bo said. “Through peace alone can the government bring development to the country and improve education. Without proper education to an international standard, we will remain in the dark.” He added that a primary concern for the Church, amid more general issues of democratic reform, was access to conflict areas in Myanmar and communities in need of relief assistance, particularly in Kachin state, where fighting between the Kachin Independence Army and government forces has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of residents. Clinton, the first US secretary of state to visit Myanmar in half a century, arrived after months of discussions among US officials about the significance and extent of reforms in the country, according to a briefing statement issued by the US state department. “[Clinton] comes with a series of very specific steps that we would like to see in terms of the next phase of the process that is under way inside [Myanmar],” the statement said. Clinton is to meet Myanmar’s foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, today ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Thein Sein. “We expect this to be a very thorough review of not only the steps that they have taken, what we expect to see in the future, but the things that the United States is prepared to do in response not only to these preliminary steps, but what might be possible if the process of reform and openness continues,” the statement said. Clinton will also meet members of the upper and lower houses of parliament today before flying to Yangon, where she will meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the National League for Democracy and representatives of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities, before leaving Myanmar tomorrow. (UCAN) Benedict XVI on Nov. 30 addressed a group of people working to the end the death penalty, expressing his hopes that their efforts will succeed. At the end of the general audience, the Pope spoke in English to delegations from a number of countries participating in a meeting being promoted by the Sant’Egidio Community on the theme “No Justice without Life.” He said: “I express my hope that your deliberations will encourage the political and legislative initiatives being promoted in a growing number of countries to eliminate the death penalty and to continue the substantive progress made in conforming penal law both to the human dignity of prisoners and the effective maintenance of public order.” (Zenit) Vatican condemns excommunicated bishop’s role in Chinese ordination Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi has condemned excommunicated Chinese Bishop Paul Lei Shiyin’s role in the Nov. 30 ordination of Vatican-approved Auxiliary Bishop Peter Luo Xuegang. Fr. Lombardi welcomed Bishop Xuegang’s ordination in the Yibin diocese, but said the “participation of the illegitimate bishop, who—as is known—is in the canonical status of an excommunicated person,” causes “disagreement and confusion among the faithful.” He said Dec. 1 that the situation was worsened by the fact that Bishop Shiyin “participated as a consecrating bishop and concelebrated the Eucharist. (CNA) Children in Pope’s prayers this December Pope Benedict XVI will be praying in December for world peace and that children might be able to share the Gospel and be protected from violence. The Pope’s general prayer intention for December is: “That all peoples may grow in harmony and peace through mutual understanding and respect.” His mission intention is: “That children and young people may be messengers of the Gospel and that they may be respected and preserved from all violence and exploitation.” (CNA) New York bishops encouraged and challenged by Rome visit Priests, lay people from Thái Hà parish who asked to speak to the authorities beaten and arrested HANOI, Vietnam, Dec. 2, 2011—Father Joseph Nguyễn Văn Phượng, vicar in the parish of Thái Hà, accompanied by hundreds of parishioners, went to the People’s Committee of Hanoi, to file an official complaint concerning his parish and Redemptoristowned land seized by local authorities. The lay members of the group asked the authorities to stop illegal building on the disputed land. In the past, they had asked local authorities to return the land to the Redemptorist Order so that it could be used for pastoral and social activities to serve the 20,000 or so residents of the area. After presenting their demand and asking to meet the People’s Committee of Hanoi, the group was stopped as it made its way towards Hanoi cathedral. Suddenly, police surrounded the group and arrested Fr Joseph Nguyễn Văn Phượng, Fr Lương Văn Long, religious Vũ văn Bằng and about 30 parishioners. The lay people arrested were taken by bus to the Đông Anh Humanity Rehabilitation Centre. Other lay people walking near Hoàn Kiếm Lake were stopped by police and arrested by uniformed and plainclothes police wielding sticks and other tools to beat the Catholics. “This is a violation of the law by police and Hanoi authorities against people exercising their right to complain against unfair treatment and demand redress, As they prepare to head back to the United States, the bishops of New York are calling their visit to Rome and time with Pope Benedict a positive, encouraging and challenging experience. The bishops wrapped up their trip by celebrating Mass Nov. 30 at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral. “It’s been a very positive experience for us all,” said Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, the main celebrant at today’s Mass. “To be with Pope Benedict at this time has been a special grace, his words to us were uplifting, they were challenging but by the same token they were also confirming.” (CNA) www.ucanews.com both of which are guaranteed under Vietnamese law,” one of the Redemptorist priests told AsiaNews. This was the first time that the City of Hanoi ordered police to arrest priests from the Redemptorist Order. Increasingly, Vietnamese authorities are violating the country’s law and the violations are getting more serious. (AsiaNews) www.asianews.it www.catholicnewsagency.com CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 News Features temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, president of Caritas Internationalis, was leading a 20-person Caritas delegation to the Durban talks to press for an agreement on behalf of poor countries that have been severely impacted by climate change. “Our climate is changing. Caritas organizations are responding to increasing unpredictability and extreme weather conditions experienced around the world. This year we saw floods in Central America, South and Southeast Asia and drought across East Africa,” Cardinal Rodriguez said in a statement released by Caritas. “Urgent action is necessary. Climate negotiators in Durban must not further delay agreeing to international legislation to curb the threat of climate change and set the world on a path to a more just and sustainable future,” he said. In 2011, East Africa suffered the worst drought in half a century. Caritas noted that drought was not new in East Africa, but said changes in weather patterns combined with lack of investment, competition for land and water have eroded the capacity of local people to cope. “The whole world is vulnerable to climate change, but poor countries are affected more,” Cardinal Rodriguez said. “Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to the impacts of climate change. Africans are taking a stand in Durban; it is time for the world to stand with Africa.” Before leaving for Durban, Cardinal Rodriguez took several thousand young Italian members of a Franciscan environmental group to the Vatican for a lively encounter with the pope. The pope told them that the church’s teaching on the environment follows from the principle that men and women are collaborators with God and his creation. The lessons of responsible stewardship over natural resources are increasingly important, he said. “In fact, it is by now evident that there is no good future for humanity or for the earth unless we educate everyone toward a style of life that is more responsible toward the created world,” he said. He said education toward environmental responsibility must begin in families and schools and must reflect the church’s teaching that respect for the human being—in all stages of life—goes hand in hand with respect for nature. In a pastoral letter, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference asked people to urge South Africa’s government, which is chairing the Durban meeting, to support resolutions “based not on immediate economic needs only, but on the survival needs of future generations.” Noting that South Africa is the world’s 13th-highest global emitter of carbon dioxide, the bishops said the country should pledge “much higher targets of renewable energy production by phasing out coal and nuclear production and by developing the job creation potential of renewable energy.” The bishops also called on people “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using your own properties productively to grow trees that will absorb A3 Pope urges international agreement on climate change VATICAN City, Nov. 28, 2011—Pope Benedict XVI urged international leaders to reach a credible agreement on climate change, keeping in mind the needs of the poor and of future generations. The pope made the remarks at his noon blessing at the Vatican Nov. 27, the day before officials from 194 countries were to begin meeting in Durban, South Africa, to discuss the next steps in reducing greenhouse gases and stopping global temperatures from rising. “I hope that all members of the international community can agree on a responsible, credible and supportive response to this worrisome and complex phenomenon, keeping in mind the needs of the poorest populations and of future generations,” the pope said. The meeting, which runs until Dec. 9, is the latest in a series to consider follow-up action to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which obligated industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a specific amount. The Kyoto Protocol expires at the end of 2012, and the Durban encounter is considered crucial in forging an additional commitment period. The goal of the talks organized by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change is to cut greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2050 and prevent carbon dioxide, to grow vegetables and crops organically to reduce the use of chemical-based fertilizers, and to share the food thus grown with the hungry and malnourished in your midst.” (CNS) Christian families are key part of new evangelization, pope says Pinky Barrientos, FSP/CBCP Media Vatican council calls for universal access to AIDS treatments VATICAN City, Dec. 2, 2011—To mark World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers appealed for universal access to life-saving treatment for all AIDS victims and urged others to show solidarity with them. “Although the international community began to work against this infection over twenty years ago, unfortunately it is estimated that 1,800,000 people still die every year because of HIV. These are people who could lead normal lives if they only had access to suitable pharmacological therapies, those known as antiretroviral therapies,” the council’s president Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski said Dec. 1. The development of suitable treatments means that AIDS patients’ deaths, and the sufferings this causes their families, are “no longer justifiable.” The archbishop said the annual observance is also a time to promote prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child and to educate others in a “truly correct and responsible” approach to sexuality. The day is also an occasion to “re-launch the fight against social prejudice and to reaffirm the need for moral, spiritual and—as far as this is possible—material proximity to those who have contracted the infection and to their family relatives.” Archbishop Zimowski also emphasized the “fundamental importance” of educating everyone, especially the younger generations, in a sexuality based upon natural law and “illuminated by the Word of God.” “The Church and her Magisterium ask for a lifestyle that privileges abstinence, conjugal faithfulness and the rejection of sexual promiscuity,” he explained, emphasizing that this is a part of “integral development” to which people and communities have a right. The archbishop thanked those who have worked to help AIDS victims and praised their “wonderful and important work.” Fr. Bob Vitillo, the Caritas Internationalis special advisor on HIV/AIDS, told Vatican Radio the World AIDS Day goal of “Getting to Zero” new patients is much more attainable than it was in past decades. “It’s more a possibility now, and we need to articulate that and work towards it,” he said. U.S. President Barack Obama pledged Dec. 1 to increase access to life-saving drugs for AIDS victims in the U.S. and around the world. He said the U.S. will help six million people in countries hardest hit by the virus access antiretroviral drugs by the end of 2013, an increase from the original U.S. goal of two million. He also announced plans to boost spending on HIV treatment in the U.S. by $50 million. World AIDS Day has been observed since 1988. Over 30 million people have died of the syndrome. More than 33 million people presently live with the HIV virus. (CNA/EWTN News) VATICAN City, Dec. 1, 2011—Christian families are called to welcome, demonstrate and spread the love and presence of Christ in the world, Pope Benedict XVI said. A family, founded on the marriage of a man and woman and open to having children, is “the human space for an encounter with Christ,” he said Dec. 1 in a speech to members of the Pontifical Council for the Family. The council, founded by Pope John Paul II, was marking the 30th anniversary of its establishment by focusing on the role of the family in the “new evangelization.” “The eclipse of God, the spread of ideologies contrary to the family and the degradation of sexual ethics appear to be connected,” the pope said. In the same way, he said, “the new evangelization is inseparable from the Christian family.” Like the church as a whole, the Christian family “is called to welcome, radiate and demonstrate the love and presence of Christ in the world,” he said. The family does so by being a community of lifelong, selfgiving love, he said. It is open to welcoming new life, it educates its members in the faith and in charity, and its civic involvement and charitable activity is motivated by faith. When a Christian family “is able to live love as communion and service, as a mutual gift and openness toward all, it reflects the splendor of Christ and the beauty of the divine Trinity in the world,” the pope said. Pope Benedict said the church needs strong couples involved in its pastoral work, too, especially in educating children, teaching young people about the Christian vision of sexuality, preparing engaged couples for marriage and helping married couples strengthen their relationships. (CNS) Bishop seeks Aquino’s ‘compassion’ for HLI farmers MANILA, Dec. 1, 2011—A Catholic bishop has asked for President Benigno Aquino III’s ‘compassion’ to unburden the farmers from the supposedly P2 billion in debt of the Hacienda Luisita, Inc. to San Miguel Corporation (SMC). In a statement, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the government must help the farmers so that the hefty debt of HLI, owned by Aquino’s family, will not be passed on to them. “The likelihood of having to shoulder such onerous liability, even at the dawn of their rejoicing, is like a douse of disappointment that negates the justice rendered to the farmers,” said Pabillo. According to him, the debt was a family affair transaction and that the farm workers have nothing to do with it. “If this loan were indeed negotiated between the two corporations owned by the president’s family, then he must parley on behalf of the farmers to absolve them of debts which they did not even profit from in the first place,” he said. Pabillo chairs the National Secretariat for Social Action—Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philipbution option and ordered the distribution of lands of the 6,453-hectare sugar estate to the farmers. “Now that a decision has been made in their favor, we call on the farmers groups in Hacienda Luisita to strengthen one another in mutual support and avoid any form of discord that will drive a wedge between and among their ranks,” said Pabillo. The bishop also called on the government to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to the farm-workers. Comprehensive land reform, he added, is not just the distribution of land but also helping the farmers to make the land productive. “Likewise, we appeal to civil societies and the general public to steadfastly support the cause of the farmers and move in unity and solidarity with them until they are securely installed in their lands,” said Pabillo. “The case is partially won and the adversaries might try to derail the actual land distribution. But in unity there is strength. So we pray for their continuous vigilance and determination to keep their land,” he said. (CBCPNews) pines which has been at the forefront of the church’s campaign for genuine agrarian reform. The 2-billion debt obligation to the SMC, of which Aquino’s uncle, Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco is chair, reportedly stemmed from advances given around 2004 that the conglomerate used for its alcoholic beverages. Around 6,000 farm-worker beneficiaries recently claimed victory after the Supreme Court ruling nullified the HLI stock distri- See goodness in your kids, help them discover purpose—pro-lifer MANILA, Nov. 30, 2011—The goal to raise conscientious, happy and morally upright children nowadays is workable amid the changing times in a fast-paced world, said pro-lifer Noel G. Bernardo in a talk he recently gave to parents and guardians with some high school students. “The family is a very special team and you should work together to be able to protect the family from the lures of the world,” Bernardo, who is also part of Filipinos for Life (F4L) group, told parents and students in the audience. Parents ought to see the goodness in their children and “help them discover their potential, passion and purpose,” he added. Thus, charity must reign in the family, where “to love is to listen…and to listen is to love. Do away with words that accuse,” he said. Bernardo also reminded the audience that “your family is a team. Complete each other—do not compete with one another.” Dubbed “Moving towards spirituality and excellence through responsible parenthood,” the talk held at St. Paul University in San Miguel, Bulacan, focused on personal and family values, the challenges brought on by a fastchanging world, and raising kids guided by the five core values of St. Paul University. The value system of today’s youth is partly influenced by their exposure to the Internet as well as to violence and sexuality portrayed in media, Bernardo said. He stressed that without the proper guidance, young people may end up acquiring “a blurred view of freedom” and of criteria as regards right and wrong, citing issues related to human rights, the reproductive health (RH bill) and the “art” exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) several months ago as examples. A life of faith nourished together was also highlighted by Bernardo, who pointed out the need to remain Christ-centered as a family. “Pray as a family…and go to Mass as a family,” he enjoined the parents and students, adding that building family traditions can also boost family life immensely. (CBCPforLife) Social enterprises, keys to social and economic dev’t—group ANTIPOLO City, Nov. 23, 2011—With the grinding poverty gripping the country, the government should support social entrepreneurs and not rely only on big business conglomerates that are created to amass profits, for the country’s development. Jay Bertram Lacsamana, Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc.’s (FSSI) executive director said the Philippine Government should begin to tap local resources in order to push the economy forward into development, and not to rely heavily on foreign direct investments (FDIs), which has failed to raise the economy. “The development of social enterprises, we believe, is a sustainable tool for povertyreduction. A social enterprise, for us to know, is a business with social mission. Aside from financial values, it also creates social and environmental ones,” Lacsamana explained. “What are these, one might ask?” he said. “It could be in the form of cooperatives, enterprising non-profits (NGOs) and other self-help organizations,” he said. The FSSI had been into social entrepreneurship since the 1990s, supporting the local coco noir (the fiber from coconut husks) in the Southern Luzon region. “The Government can support us, social enterprises and entrepreneurs, by ensuring a positive environment for social enterprises, especially those which are owned by disadvantaged communities. One helpful measure would be the affirmative action on procurement of social enterprise products and services,” Lacsamana said. “This would not only help local production but would also generate other values such as improving self-worth of the disadvantaged, environment protection, building community’s identity, among others,” he added. Citing the latest data from the United Nations’ Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), Lacsamana said that while FDI flows had increased tremendously in the past decades, in the least developed countries like the Philippines, it has failed to create livelihood to the majority of people who are living below poverty line. The Unctad report, said Lacsamana, has revealed that most of the FDIs are into natural resource extractive industries such as mining and logging. “FDIs also were not able to link foreign firms to local ones that should build the knowledge for technology transfer and to provide additional value,” he said. GDP is not the barometer for economic success The FSSI also said that the government should stop using the gross domestic product (GDP) as the barometer for country’s development. “We should not just look at GDP as a measure of our sustainability but instead look at our social and environmental performance as well to fast-track poverty reduction,” Lacsamana said. Citing the Stratbase Research Institute’s study, Lacsamana said even though the country is registering somehow a high economic growth, but the income gap between the rich and the poor remains enormous and that the GDP growth never translated into poverty reduction. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said that the country’s GDP has registered a 3.4 per cent growth this quarter, compared to 4.6 per cent on the previous quarter. While this is the case, the country’s poor, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey grew by 3 per cent, from 49 per cent in June 2011, to 52 per cent this November. That translates to more or less 10.4 million families, living in poverty. The FSSI as well as other social entrepreneurs’ groups, has been contemplating of drafting a social entrepreneur bill in order to help social entrepreneurs expand their businesses and to help the poor communities get off from the claws of poverty. (Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews) www.arkibongbayan.org www. upload.wikimedia.org A4 EDITORIAL Opinion Church perspectives CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 IN the world of public opinion, there’s no doubt that a battle of perspectives is taking place. Each party has their own platforms or set of principles from which they see events and make their judgments, and many times they clash. Just take a look at the newspapers, the hard copy or online, and the ever growing number of blogs in the digital continent, and you would have no doubt that indeed there is some kind of war raging out there. Social and political observers have attempted to classify them as conservatives or liberals, leftists or rightists, partisan or independent, secular or religious, etc. One can’t help but use these categories to more or less simplify our life, though we have to admit that these have their limits that we should always be aware of. This is but normal, as long as we don’t forget that amid the flux of views and positions reflecting one’s attitudes and outlook in life, there is an unchanging core that should unite all of us together. This is normal, because we always see things differently, even if we come from the same family, same school, same city and province, etc. Even in our own individual selves, if the different parts of the body could just speak, they too would have different takes on any concern. Human condition makes each one of an individual person, with a unique character and unrepeatable life and everything that goes with it. We should not be surprised that we have different backgrounds, experiences, attitudes, and therefore different views. But the problem arises when we get mixed up—when in failing to distinguish between what is absolute and relative, we absolutize what is relative, and relativize what is absolute. The Church, the “expert in humanity,” offers a perspective that sets the line between what is absolute and relative. That’s because the Church assumes the perspective of God who through Christ in the Holy Spirit has endowed her with powers to do so. ¨Whatever you bind here on earth is bound in heaven...¨ We have to listen to what the Church says, but, of course, we also have to make sure that the Church says something about issues, questions, challenges, etc. She always has or should always have something to say, because whatever affects man, even in his temporal affairs, affects God and therefore the Church. This is her prophetic mission which is carried out in different ways by the different elements that comprise her. The clergy, starting with the Pope, the bishops down to the priests, have an official or authoritative character when carrying out this function. Thus they have to be suitably competent for the office they occupy. The lay faithful also have their prophetic mission as they try to infuse the Christian spirit in the earthly affairs they are involved in. This does not mean that the Church can dogmatize on matters of opinion, but she will always have something to say about how these matters ought to be handled. But because of her human dimension, she cannot but act also in a human way, that is, there is need for study, for consultation, for testing, for correcting, etc., especially when she has to comment on temporal and earthly issues like business, politics, culture, sports, entertainment, etc. That’s why the social doctrine of the Church has been articulated so that there can be some ground rules to follow in pursuing our earthly business and politics. This is what the Church perspectives provide. This is a crucial element in any given society, otherwise we will tend to chaos as differences and conflicts can lose their unitive basis and purpose, and their capacity to resolve themselves. Bp. Leonardo Y. Medroso, JCD, DD Tidbits SOMEWHERE in the Eastern part of the City of Tagbilaran, in a place where the urban trash has for time immemorial been dumped, sorted out and combed through to recover some items for resale, along the boundary that civilly cuts off Tagbilaran from the town of Baclayon, in a secluded sitio of Barangay Dampas pops up a new building visible to passersby due to its pleasing yet unassuming dirty-white coloration. It has two classrooms with a floor elegantly tiled ready to receive twenty-five to thirty young students. Soon, it will with pride and poise bear the name Beato Pedro Calungsod Foundation Training Center for the Youth. The structure, small it may appear, is the incipient realization of a dream that is ambitious in its vision and goals, extent, and intensity. For, the founding officers and members of the Foundation that give it existence have been impelled not by Blessed Pedro Calungsod and the youth of Bohol of the young and their poor families. The founding officers saw this problem, and decided to throw in its share to its eventual resolution. They are for sure not dreamy eyed individuals. They are hard-core realists, persons who could call a spade a spade. If the government is financially incapable of meeting the enormity of the problem, they too are aware that they do not have the monetary resources needed for the task at hand. But they believe in their resourcefulness, their native creativity to look for solutions to problems that come their way. Huddling together and discussing, they came up with the concept of partnership, tying up, that is, with other generous and well-intentioned citizens and organizations, and forging them into multi-sectoral stakeholders. Pooling together their competencies as well as their variegated capabilities they can serve Tidbits / A7 any hint of monetary consideration, but by their obligation to society and by their Christian responsibility to love and care. In their meeting some two years ago or thereabouts, they saw and were shocked to face ugly reality. The number of school dropouts among the youth has risen into a mind-boggling proportion. As responsible citizens they have seen that society seems not to care for them and their future. For sure, the government that is tasked to give general education to its citizenry and, therefore, has the primary obligation to look after this social problem, has not been remiss in this matter. For so long has it been dwelling on this snag and has tried several means to untangle itself from it. But the enormity of the problem is simply staggering. The government for one does not have the sufficient resources to manage this increasing dysfunctional state The Human Person, the Image of God: the Basis of Human Rights IN Christian reflection, the truth of the human person created in the image of God is at the basis of human dignity and of all human rights. Undeniably, “…there are indeed universal human rights, rooted in the nature of the person, rights which reflect the objective and inviolable demands of a universal moral law” (John Paul II, ibid., no. 3). This moral principle of human dignity finds ultimate confirmation in the biblical revelation of Jesus who commanded what is seemingly a human contradiction: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Lk. 6:27). The simple logic of such a startling statement rests in his words: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Lk. 6:31). But beyond the practical motive of being treated well by others is the fact that every human person is truly ennobled and loved by God: “Consider the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Lk. 12:24). In a less faith-oriented statement, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights echoes this truth. It affirms “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.” It declares that the recognition of this truth “is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world” (Preamble). Thus the very first of the 30 Articles of the Declaration states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. —A Pastoral Letter on Human Rights, 1998 Saving lives not only souls THE confessional is not only saving souls. It is saving lives. This is our experience with the number of girls and women in crisis that the priests in Quiapo Church have been sending to us for assistance and shelter. And we have been happy to accept them, no matter how difficult the cases might seem. We, Good Shepherd Sisters, have developed a good coordinating system with the Family and Life Counseling Center in Quiapo Parish of St. John the Baptist, better known for the Shrine of the Black Nazarene. A couple of years ago, the parish priest, Msgr. Clem Ignacio, instructed the staff and volunteer counselors of his parish center to coordinate and be oriented to the different agencies they could be referred to such as Welcome House run by the Good Shepherd Sisters, a shelter for sexually abused girls and battered women. Pro-life Philippines gave the counselors skills training on pregnancy crisis counseling. We have been getting referrals of women who got to know of the parish counseling center because the confessor suggested that she seek assistance there. The last one we received was Lulu who was suddenly terminated from her job as sales lady in one of the garment stalls right there in Carriedo, Quiapo. She admitted that it was her fault why she got fired. Her boss caught her and another employee, a married man with two kids, having an affair. She herself has a live-in partner in the province and they have two sons. She said she had no complaints regarding her partner. She just decided a couple of months ago to come to Manila to work. Not having any contacts here, she went to Quiapo and wandered around the shops there till she saw a stall with a “Wanted Salesgirl” sign. She applied and was accepted right there and there because she was indeed attractive and conversant and she said she had experience as a sales girl in the province. She said she had no problem with her employer till the night before when she did not return to their dorm as she Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS Love Life was out with the guy. She accepted why she was being fired but she could not understand why her employer would not allow her to collect her things from the dorm. Well, she had advanced her salary of P2,000 and unless she paid that in full, she would not be able to get back her things. In desperation, she went to the Church, went to confession and was told to go to the counseling center in the second floor. Sis Mila took care of her from then on, referring her to Welcome House for shelter for a few days while she was working out financial assistance from the Social Services office of the parish. She can then pay back her loan and have transportation fare to return home. Lulu, who described herself as talkative and jolly, was a subdued person when she arrived in Welcome House. She said she had a lot of things to think about and was happy for the quiet atmosphere, especially for the time she could spent in the chapel, as well as have sisters to talk to. She also enjoyed integrating with the other girls and women who have been there a few weeks and were now laughing and keeping themselves busy with handicrafts, reading and household chores. Above all, she resolved to return to her children and her partner. Priests in confession can do so much in assisting in a practical way the people who come to them. Bishop Ambo David welcomed the offer of CBCP Office on Women two years ago to help his diocese set up a Counseling Center for Women and Girls. He said priests in confession are helpless in helping such women because of the seal of confession. But with the center, he and his priests could then refer them to the counselors so they could be healed, not only spiritually, but holistically as needed – emotionally, mentally, physically, and even financially in coordination with the other parish services. If your parish has no counseling center and no counselors available, you can refer them to the nearby ones or call Pro-life office at 733-7027, 0919-2337783. www.cbcpmonitor.com
[email protected] Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM Living Mission Pedro C. Quitorio Editor-in-Chief 2012: Year of the Pontifical Mission Societies tion need to continue to echo in our ears and enflame our hearts! Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS). It is validly asserted that the four PMS are “the Pope’s Mission Societies.” They seek to transform “into concrete reality the general commitment to promote the missionary spirit within the heart of the People of God” (PMS Statutes, 12). In his mission encyclical, Blessed Pope John Paul II noted that the “leading role” in mission promotion “belongs to the Pontifical Mission Societies”; they bring a “spirit of universality and service to the Church’s mission” (RM 84). Living Mission / A7 Ronalyn R. Regino Layout Artist Pinky Barrientos, FSP Associate Editor Gloria Fernando Marketing Supervisor Roy Q. Lagarde News Editor Ernani M. Ramos Circulation Manager Kris Bayos Features Editor Marcelita Dominguez Comptroller The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the CBCP Communications Development Foundation, Inc., with editorial and business offices at 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila. P.O. Box 3601, 1076 MCPO. Editorial: (063) 404-2182. Business: (063)404-1612.; ISSN 1908-2940 THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has declared that the year 2012 will be celebrated as the “Year of the Pontifical Mission Societies” (PMS). The goal of this grace-filled year is to fan the flame of mission in the local Church by promoting a renewed enthusiasm for and dedicated service to Christ’s evangelizing mission. The CBCP recalls that two decades ago in 1991 the local Church celebrated the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP-II) and exhorted the Church to become “a communion in a state of mission” because “the community of disciples does not exist for itself…. It exists for the world” (PCP-II, 103-104). In 2000, the CBCP spon- sored the First National Mission Congress in Cebu to renew the mission commitment of Filipinos; the Congress delegates prayed: “Here we are, Lord Jesus, send us in your Name.” All Filipinos can recall the challenging words that Blessed Pope John Paul II spoke three decades ago during his 1981 visit: “There is no doubt about it: the Philippines has a special missionary vocation to proclaim the Good News, to carry the light of Christ to the nations.” The pope was most emphatic, expressing his profound hope: “I wish to tell you of my special desire: that the Filipinos will become the foremost missionaries of the Church in Asia.” These words of exhorta- Illustration by Bladimer Usi CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Opinion Too little, too late is so old and rusty that the joke came about saying that the ship was a big danger to friends and foes alike not due to its deadly weaponry on the like but rather account of the abundance of tetanus it had as brought about its heavily rusting steel plates. As a follow-up, the same Chief-in-Command had another left-over ship purchased from the US Navy. It was certainly a surplus weaponry with less rusting parts and with less potentials in fire power. And there again some naughty Filipinos who commented that the two war ships should be accompanied and aided by fishing boats to confuse the Chinese, together with colorful vintas to distract them. As of late, there was that public announcement saying “P-Noy asks South Korea for military hardware.” It is said that this brave and expensive move is intended to boost the Philippine weaponry specifically intended to protect the islands from Chinese invasion. Needless to say, the elementary questions asked are basically following: How much public funds would be spent for the desired weaponry? How would the weaponry help the Filipinos in the alleviation of their poverty and misery? How would bullets and bombs remedy the sagging socioeconomic development of the country? The Philippines buying war implements in these days and times to counter a super power? Sorry, such a venture is too little, too late. A5 Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ B. Belizar, Jr., SThD Oscar V. Cruz, DD Views and Points THERE are now those famous islands whose ownership has long been disputed in many ways, for many reasons, among many countries—considering they are not simply in the “West Philippine Sea” but also in “South China Sea.” This is why the said islands have become concrete objects of conflicting claims by supposedly friendly nations—especially by the Philippines and China. Reason: It is said that there is much more in the islands than their unique formation and virginal state. In addition to its strategic location, there is also the strong belief that they hold a good amount of underneath energy materials. Hence, the on-going skirmish particularly between the Philippines and China as principals in the still low-key but already red-hot issue. Understandably, the Philippine Government is disturbed by the adventures of China in its progressive avowed ownership of the islands—some or all of them. As some kind of a demonstration of its rightful claim, China known as a super-power not only in the region but also in the world, sent a big loaded and deadly ship thereto as a symbolic expression of dominion over the islands. So it came to pass that no one less than the AFP Commander-in-Chief himself entered into the picture. So far, the following are his known progressive counter actions—to this writing. For a start, he sends a World War II vintage ship of the Philippine Navy to the islands. A good number of Filipinos did not even know that there was such a ship in the country. It By the Roadside Christmas is all about presences IT all began with a fascination. I was simply struck one day by the story of two men sharing the same experience with God’s Presence (the ‘Shekinah’). No ordinary men these two, with names enough to send anyone yawning—Abraham and Moses. Their experience may, at first, ring familiar. But I wouldn’t suggest that we take it lightly. A story is told of their encounter with God and the Bible presents it as an encounter with his living presence. For instance, even as he reaches the age of ninety-nine, Abraham is visited by a peculiar phenomenon. The Lord appears to him saying: “I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless…” (Gen 17:1). On his part, when Moses expresses self-doubt regarding his worthiness to represent Yahweh before Israel and pharaoh, the Lord replies: “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof (the sign) that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain” (Ex 3:12). There is a dispute among scholars as to the meaning of the sign being spoken of here. Some say that the sign follows the fact of the liberation of Israel from Egypt and, therefore, it is the worship to be rendered to God on the mountain (Horeb). But other scholars also say that the “I will be with you” assurance of God’s presence with Moses is itself the sign that God had really sent Moses (cf. Richard J. Clifford, S.J.). No matter what the angle anyone adopts, the experience of both patriarchs is that when this God calls, he brings his total presence to those he calls and he expects that they reciprocate. When Yahweh calls Abraham and Moses, he makes clear that he is with them and demands that they be with him too. So far, are you with me in this? It is because of the presence of God with them that Abraham and Moses are able not only to enjoy bountiful blessings but also to endure challenges, trials and even, especially in the case of Moses, perform wondrous deeds. Think of the blessings of property, wealth and especially of progeny, i.e., being a “father of many nations” through Isaac that went to Abraham because of Yahweh’s presence in his life. But also consider how Moses engineered the ten plagues in Egypt together with the final liberation of Israel from slavery because of Yahweh’s presence with him too. Besides all these, think of how Abraham passed the greatest trial of his life, i.e., God’s command that Isaac be sacrificed, or how Moses weathered the hard-headedness of Israel, the fierceness of their enemies as well as the envy even of his brother Aaron and sister Miriam because of Yahweh’s presence with them. I often hear engaged and married couples say to one another that because of the presence of the other person in their lives, their lives have never been the same. I know of a sickly woman whose boy friend has been a constant source of strength for her in dealing with her dreaded health problems. I know of a man who has left his entire past of drugs and debauchery ever since a woman he loves has been with him as his wife for the past twenty-five years. I know of formerly ill dressed, unkempt and dirty children who suddenly bloomed in grooming and behavior when their mother arrived from abroad and is devoting plenty of time and attention to them. If the presence of certain persons in our lives can make so much difference, how much more if it is the presence of the personal God? In the seminary we were constantly told to cultivate a sense of the presence of God in our lives. We were amply encouraged to heighten our awareness of his presence through prayer, especially through the Eucharist and our visits to the Blessed Sacrament, through the apostolate and compassionate participation in the struggle of the poor for justice and peace. But there are things we can learn from Abraham and Moses in their cultivation of God’s presence. In both of them we see faith as expressed in terms of obedience to the word of the Lord. But we also see them being asked to give and keep an external, palpable sign of their cultivation of the presence of Yahweh. For Abraham and his descendants it is the practice of the circumcision in order that the bond born of the covenant might not be forgotten (Gen 17:10-14). For Moses and the people of Israel it is the keeping of the charter, the Ten Commandments, as further delineated and exposed in the succeeding laws decreed by Moses. From this we gather that the cultivation of the presence of God involves not only the internal realities of faith expressed in terms of obedience to God’s will but also external realities such as written rules and regulations by which that will is expressed in the many circumstances of daily life. In a word, the cultivation of the presence of God in us and with us involves our total life and our total being, not just our souls or spirits nor only of our material or bodily selves. God makes a total gift of himself to us. The only right response is also our total gift of ourselves to him. He is totally present to us. We must be totally present to him. And don’t we see the real good news? Yes, and it’s been staring us full in the face. Christmas is nothing but the physical actualization of ‘Shekinah’ (God-With-us): Jesus makes God permanently present to us by becoming one like us, a human being. Or let me put it this way. Most of us love music. And most of the music we love are love songs. Who among us hadn’t noticed, as I have, the fairly numerous songs that have the clause “I’ll Be There”? Last 1995 there was a survey that singled out one song that was constantly being played in public places, elevators, restaurants, airports etc. It was the overwhelming choice of so many people, especially the young. The title of the song? “I’ll Be There for You (You’re All I Need to Get By)”. Then an Italian song captured the hearts of many people in 1998 when it was sung by a blind singer named Andrea Bocelli. It was entitled “Con Te Partiró” (With You I Shall Leave) and tells of how the presence of a loved one gives one light and the possibility of realizing dreams. I have a theory that the reason behind this is that there is a deep longing in each human being for someone who is always there for us. Lovers think it is their loved one. Children think it is their parents. Couples think it is their spouses. A barkada thinks it is friends. The only problem with these is that, however we feel strongly about it, the need for someone who is always there for us cannot be filled in by another human being. Somehow or other our loved ones or friends have to leave our side. In the middle of all this we hear a prophecy in the OT from Isaiah. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (Is 7:14). The gospel of Mt explains the word “Immanuel” saying that it is “a name which means ‘God is with us’” (Mt 1:23). This is part the address of the angel to Joseph reassuring him that the baby in the womb of Mary his wife comes from the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20). Lk specifies the name By the Roadside / A6 A giving and forgiving heart THERE is no stopping the clock, it is 20 days before Christmas. While everyone is busy shopping for gifts and personal needs for Christmas, let us not forget our gift to the One who is celebrating His birthday. The season of advent is the period for preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. It is also a period for repentance of our sins. Let everyone have a giving and forgiving heart not only this Christmas Season but also through the years. *** Filipinos are known for their hospitality, kindness, justice and forgiving heart. This Christmas, let the wheels of justice run its true course in the trial of past President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Let us not allow our emotion to rule our sense of justice and fairness. Filipinos are not cruel and insensitive individuals. Let us remember that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Nobody is above the law. Due process of law must be observed and made available to everybody, rich or poor alike, for everyone is equal before the law, everybody has the right to equal protection of the law as provided by our Constitution; the Supreme Court always makes sure of that. *** The newly-elected officers and trustees of Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Laiko) for the years 2012-2013, led by yours truly as the National President, took the oath of office and commissioning last December 02, 2011 at the Diocesan Center for Evangelization, 8 Villonco Road, Km. 21, West Service Road, Sucat, Muntinlupa City with their National Spiritual Director, Most Rev. Jesse Mercado, Bishop of Parañaque, as the Inducting Officer. The oath taking-commissioning ceremony was preceded by the Advent Recollection with Bp. Jesse as the Recollection Master. Christmas Party followed during which Plaque of Appreciation was given to the Outgoing President Edgardo Tria Tirona for his outstanding service to the Church through Laiko as Board Member and Nation- Atty. Aurora A. Santiago Duc in Altum resulted to a closer bonding and understanding among the priests and the laity, hoping for a worthwhile pastoral care and evangelization in the communities of the respective parishes within the vicariate. *** The Diocese of Kalookan Papal Family (“Papal Family”), the organization of papal awardees from the Diocese, held their Advent Recollection at Sonya’s Garden, Tagaytay City, with the healing priest Rev. Fr. Fernando Suarez as the Recollection Master. On hand as concelebrant in the Holy Mass were Rev. Fr. Adrian Magnait, the Chancellor and Diocesan Media Ministry Director and Spiritual Director of the Papal Family, and Rev. Rolando Villanueva, the newly-ordained Deacon. *** Most Rev. Deogracias S. Iñiguez, Jr., D.D., Bishop of Kalookan, attested by Chancellor Rev. Fr. Leandro M. Magnait, issued the Decree of Canonical Erection of the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Grace at Grace Park, Caloocan City. The Decree was granted after having considered the petition of the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Eleno S. Balboa, OMI, and having consulted the College of Consultors and Presbyteral Council of the Diocese. The solemn ceremony will be held on December 07, 2011 with Bp. Iñiguez as the Main Celebrant. *** Birthday greetings to Fr. Mario Cueto, Fr. Rudy Garcia, Fr. Larry Frias, my brother Dr. Andres Santiago, Loida Santuyo, Louie de Castro, Aida Nicolas, Rexy Marcelo and Cynthia de Lara, Congressman Tobias “Toby” Tiangco of Navotas, a supporter of Pro-Life, fighting against the passage of RH Bill, Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Mrs. Monina Lucas, President of Council of the Laity of Kalookan. Happy Sacerdotal Anniversary to Fr. Leo Gilbero, Fr. Allan Lopez, Fr. Dennis Salise, Fr. Rodel Lopez, OMI, all from the Diocese of Kalookan. al President. Plaque of Appreciation was also awarded to outgoing Vice President for the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila Manuel Recto and Trustee Judge Candido Villanueva for immeasurable contribution to the Church through several years of service at Laiko and selfless offering of time and talents. The Incoming and Outgoing Officers and Trustees of Laiko and their respective spouses, the observers-volunteers of Bids and Awards Committees and the volunteers of the recently concluded Congress and Biennial National Convention attended the “3-in-1” affair. Congratulations to the Laiko Incoming Officers and Trustees: Atty. Aurora A. Santiago (President), Atty. Jose Tale (Executive Vice President), Mrs. Ma. Julieta Wasan (Vice President for the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila), Dr. Amelita Dayrit-Go (Vice President for Luzon), Ms. Nida Ruiz (Vice President for Visayas), Mr. Solomon Badoy (Vice President for Mindanao), Ms. Gertrudes Bautista (Secretary), Mrs. Estelita Macalaguim (Treasurer), Mrs. Zenaida Capistrano (Auditor), Engr. Victorino Lahoz (PRO), Trustees Mr. Apolinario Carandang, Dr. Romeo Cruz, Sr., Mrs. Maria Isabel Descallar, Mr. Loreto Guinhawa, Mr. Edgardo Malay, Edgardo Tria Tirona (Ex Officio Trustee). *** The Diocese of Kalookan will offer Thanksgiving Mass on December 10 at 8:00 a.m. at the San Roque Cathedral, the 71st Birthday of our beloved Most Rev. Deogracias S. Iñiguez, Jr., D.D., Bishop of Kalookan. We wish you good health, long life and all the best Bishop Deo. *** Congratulations to the clergy and laity of the Vicariate of San Jose, Diocese of Kalookan, for a successful team building held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The priests were led by their Vicar Forane Rev. Fr. Constantino Conti. The priests from the other three vicariates also joined the group. The event Fr. Roy Cimagala Candidly Speaking THE season of Advent is once again with us. The preparation for Christmas is now entering its final stretch. But Advent means much more than just decorating our houses and offices with the frills of December. Advent, more than anything else, is a reminder for us all that we need to prepare for the second and final coming of Christ. It reminds us that we have to look forward to that coming, with efforts to make Christ “all in all” in us, or “everything to everyone.” This is the more important meaning of Advent. We have to rescue this liturgical season from the dustbin of obscurity and oblivion into which many of us have thrown it. We need to remember that our life here on earth is a pilgrimage, a work in progress, whose destination and completion is Christ, the Alpha and Omega. We have been created in his image and likeness, and with his grace made children of his, meant to participate in God’s very own life. While God created us without us—to paraphrase St. Augustine—he cannot complete that creation without us. God does not impose his love and goodness on us. We need to correspond to it too. This religious dimension and purpose of our life needs to be re-emphasized again and again, since we tend to forget it or take it for granted. As a result, many have already developed an anti-God or anti-religion mentality, perhaps not so much out of malice as of ignorance, confusion and error. Let’s hope the media can help in this effort to remind and clarify things in this regard. It’s understandable that they go full blast into mundane issues like politics, business, culture, etc., but they should not leave religion and faith behind. Ignoring faith and religion invariably leads us to paths of trouble, conflicts, misunderstanding and hatred, and all forms of abuses of our freedom and rights. That’s simply because ignoring faith and religion in our earthly affairs takes away the source and purpose of freedom. Let’s remember that freedom comes from God. We did not generate it on our own. It’s a gift, the highest gift God gives us, since it is what resembles us with him, and enables us to love and be responsible for all Spirit of Advent our actions and, in fact, for our whole life. This freedom is shown in its best form in the life of Christ who did nothing other than to do the will of his Father, no matter what the cost. Let’s hope that this truth of our faith gets a fair hearing in us individually and collectively, especially in the media, since they are a powerful force of influence in society. Let’s bring this truth of faith about our freedom to its practical manifestations, freeing it from a mainly theoretical understanding. In our daily concerns as well as in the big political and socio-economic issues that confront us, we need to highlight how we ought to live our freedom well, always referring it to God. At the moment, we find ourselves in such confusion that many of us don’t know anymore where to go. The local political squabbles, the world economic crisis, the social unrest in many parts of the world just don’t have purely political or socio-economic causes. These causes would not be radical enough if they are not referred to how they violate the use of our freedom as given to us by God. The real germ of the problem would elude detection when the spiritual and moral roots of these causes are ignored. The real culprit is when we misuse or abuse our freedom to do not God’s will but simply ours, in whatever level or way that will of ours can manifest itself. The real culprit is when we do our own will in opposition to God’s, cleverly using our talents, resources, and the imperfections of our political and legal systems. In the media right now, for example, there is so much expression of nothing short than the sheer law of Talion, the eye-for-an eye type of justice, a primitive kind long considered to be inhuman. It’s amazing that this kind of mentality still prevails. There’s quickness to get angry, to get even, to gloat at one’s misfortunes, to judge and condemn. Criminals are not anymore considered human and are therefore placed in a kind of hell here on earth. This was never the example of Christ. He was quick to forgive and to understand. He was quick to heal. Let’s hope we truly understand the spirit of Advent! A6 Local News CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Pagadian to hold grand rally vs RH Bill, human rights violations PAGADIAN diocese is spearheading a two-day rally to protest all forms of mining, the reproductive health bill and human rights violations in time for the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Over 6,000 supporters and parishioners are expected to join the twoday protest slated on December 9 and 10 to denounce threats to the environment, the proposed RH Bill, extra judicial killings and other human rights violations in their local church. According to Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, extra judicial killings and other human rights violations are getting worst in Pagadian and nearby dioceses. He also mentioned that the threats to the environment and the IPs are increasingly heightened due to increasing number of applications for mining in designated municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur. Added to this is the worsening effect of climate change to local agriculture and the entire environment. The synchronized rally will involve the people from the Eastern and Western parts of Pagadian diocese starting December 9 and will culminate on December 10 for the 63rd UDHR anniversary celebration in Pagadian City. “During the march to Pagadian City, a Holy Mass will be celebrated; a program and other awareness activities will be made at designated points,” the prelate said. The rally will end with a program at the junction of Pagadian City’s FS Fajares St. and Rizal Avenue. Speakers are invited to talk on the issues of mining, human rights, peace situation and RH Bill. The huge mobilization called Panaw ug Sakripisyo alang sa Kinabuhi (Sacrifice and March Rally for life) aims to demand from LGUs and other agencies to do religiously their tasks and responsibilities as servants for the people; to challenge the faithful By the Roadside / A5 Priest named Aquino awardee for journalism FOR a mission that has spanned many years as a documentary journalist, an Oblate missionary has been named as the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship Awardee for Journalism for 2011. Fr. Eduardo Vasquez, Jr, was given recognition on December 6 by the United States Embassy and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. No less than President Benigno Aquino III handed the recognition to the Catholic missionary during the awarding ceremonies on December 5 for his accomplishment and potential in journalism. The priest was recognized for his social work and public service through the media group, i-Watch. Fisherfolks / A1 to care and protect the environment; to manifest the united stance of the Church against mining applications and operations, RH Bill and other dehumanizing situation of Pagadian; to deepen and strengthen our commitment to preserve and protect life; and to sacrifice in order to achieve the movement of sustaining life. All media organizations are urged to attend a press conference on December 10 at 5 p.m. at Roxan Hotel, FS Fajares St., Pagadian City. (Wendell P. Talibong) Deeply convinced in the power of media as a tool for evangelization and social transformation, he founded the organization in Upi, Maguindanao in 2006. The i-Watch is a video documentary outfit of the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and manned by people from the grassroots that were trained by Vasquez in the field of video productions. Through the years, it has produced documentaries on socio-political, cultural and environmental issues particularly in Southern Philippines. The nature of Vasquez’s works has put his life at risk many times especially when he was assigned in the war zones of Pikit, North Cotabato and Datu Piang, Maguindanao from 2008 to 2010, where he documented silently the plight of the displaced civilians and other victims of human rights abuses. Aside from Vasquez, Lt. Roberto Beltran, operations and administration office at the naval forces in Poro Point, San Fernando City, La Union, was named as this year’s Aquino Fellow for Public Service. Established in 1998 by the US Embassy in Manila as the Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Fellowships for Professional Development, it was renamed in 2009 the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowships for Professional Development to commemorate President Aquino’s significant contribution to the strengthening of Philippine democratic institutions. The Aquino fellows will travel to the United States on a three to Fr. Eduardo Vasquez, Jr. four-week professional exchange program through the US Embassy’s International Visitor Program. (CBCPNews) mining applications are centered in the Ilocos region, both in the northern parts of the island of Luzon. Most of the applications are concentrated in La Union, Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte provinces. There are also applications for Ilocos Sur. The fisherfolk leader disclosed that there are 15 magnetite mining applications in the onshore and offshore areas of San Juan (2, offshore), Bacnotan (2 offshore), Balaoan (2 offshore), Luna (1 offshore), Bangar (2, 1 offshore, 1 onshore), Pugo (1 onshore), Burgos (1 onshore), Santol (1 onshore) and Sudipen (3 onshore), all in La Union province. Meanwhile, 57 blacksand mining applications are pending for Ilocos Sur region: 4 in Tagudin, 4 in Sta.Cruz, 5 in Sta. Lucia, 4 in Candon City, 4 Foreign / A1 in Santiago, 4 in San Esteban, 5 in Sta. Maria, 5 in Narvacan, 8 in Santa, 5 in Caoayan, 4 in Sta. Catalina and 4 in Vigan City. In Ilocos Norte, there are 86 applications that cover the towns of Badoc (6), Pinili (3) Paoay (3), Laoag (3), Currimao (4), Bacarra (3), Pasuquin (13), Burgos (4), Bangui (1), Pagudpud (2), Batac (1), Banna (5), Nueva Era (7), Marcos (6), Solsona (3), Carasi (5), Dingras (5), Vintar (6), Adams (2), Piddig (3) and Dumalneg (1). “These magnetite mining applications are selling like hotcakes in Ilocos Region. We appeal to DENR Secretary Ramon Paje to stop this dime-a-dozen approval of blacksand exploration permits,” he said. The fisherfolk leader also said that the majority of black sand min- ing applications in Northwestern Luzon were filed by Vancouverbased Colossal Mining, covering about 80 percent of shores of Lingayen Gulf, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. Pamalakaya also disclosed that Grand Total Exploration and Mining Corporation will explore at least 33,000 hectares in the offshore and onshore areas of Tagudin, Sta. Cruz, Sta Lucia, Candon City, Santiago, Narvacan, Santa, Caoayan, Sta. Catalina, San Vicente, Vigan, Sto. Domingo, Magsingal, San Juan and Cabugao in Ilocos Sur. The group also said that a mining company headed by Randy Singson, the son of Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Crisologo “Chavit” Singson, will explore 21,753 hectares of offshore waters in the towns of Bauang, Caba, Aringay, Agoo and Sto. Tomas in La Union, all for the quest of black sand. Hicap, on the other hand said, that they will call the attention of lawmakers representing the provinces of the said regions to oppose the planned offshore and on-shore mining of black sand for the sake of the environment and the livelihood of the people living near the proposed areas of operations. Hicap also said that they will ask Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano to initiate an investigation on the issuance of magnetite mining permits in Region 1 and its impact on the environment and livelihood of small fisherfolks. (Noel Sales Barcelona) of the child to be born of Mary through the angel’s words to her: “You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus” (Lk 1: 31). In a word, Jesus himself is the Immanuel, the God-with-us. We don’t have simply the testimony of Mt and Lk. We also have that of Jn. At the very start of his gospel he declares solemnly: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory: the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love” (Jn 1:1, 14). I remember a young man I know who met someone through the social media. He thought he found the woman of his dreams, someone he would love to be with and who would love to be with him the rest of his life. They agreed to meet in a restaurant. But, alas, when he saw her, he felt like running away. Her e-photo and his idea of her somehow didn’t quite match the real person in front of him. She felt the same way about him. They had to part ways in a huff. The wisdom that we learn from experience, and which had been articulated by St. Augustine, is that we will never be able to find any special someone who AIDS / A1 is always there for us among our fellow creatures, no matter their beautiful or caring ways, no matter the advances of social communications. Only God in Jesus Christ fills up this need. He is the Word who is God who “pitched his tent” among us in order to be our permanent companion. Exactly the whole point of Christmas. The evidence? How about the Scriptures where the Word, Jesus Christ, permanently addresses and transforms countless human beings who care to hear and do what he says. Or take the Eucharist, the sacrament of Christ’s permanent presence where his Body and Blood bring us his whole person daily wherever we are. Or how about the Blessed Sacrament where Jesus always awaits us and makes good his words in Mt’s gospel: “Behold, I am with you all days till the end of the world” (Mt 28:20). And how about you and me who always find him even after sin sometimes snatches us away, only to drop us into pits of agony. Are you with me still? Oh, thank you very much, but what really matters for you and for me is that he always is. And it does matter tremendously for him that we be with him too. From this Christmas on. Amiel Mark Cagayan legislators” from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has been criticized for its coercive abortion policies. The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) has also been getting millions of dollars in subsidies from UNFPA and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the largest abortion provider in the world founded by eugenicist Margaret Sanger, Sotto noted. “I’m very much interested in looking at the financial statements of these organizations, [as there are] reports that these are receiving subsidies from foreign organizations particularly those whose main thrust is to legalize abortions … through the help of NGOs,” Sotto said as he interpellated the sponsor of the RH bill in the Senate, Sen. Pia Cayetano, on December 5. Sotto, citing the list of resource persons who helped craft the bill, said the database of the Securities and Exchange Commission yielded the following results: Pinasamang Lakas ng Kababaihan at Kabataan – “Not Found”; Program for Adolescent Reproductive Health Truce / A1 – “Not Found”; Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines – “Does Not Exist”; Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development – “Revoked”; HIV-AIDS Network – “Revoked”; Likhaan – “Revoked”; RHAN – “No Records”; Institute of Maternal and Child Health – “Does Not Exist”. Cayetano said Sotto raised “very valid points.” But the budget for “nurturing legislators” only involved “expenses of community leaders to talk to legislators,” she claimed. Most of the pro-RH groups are not juridical entities but groups formed for a cause, she admitted. On the groups’ links to IPPF and UNFPA, Cayetano claimed: “They do not have specific responsibilities in the bill. It doesn’t matter.” Sotto, however, warned that these pro-RH lobby groups could be violating the law. “We might also have to check from their financial statements if they have been nurturing legislators in the past two years,” he added. Sotto noted that Republic Act No. 1827 or “An Act to Regulate Lobbying in the Congress of the Philippines and in the Commission on Appointments,” prohibits “corrupt means to influence legislation.” Also, the Foreign Service Act of 1979 (Batas Pambansa 39) requires foreign lobbyists to register, he pointed out. “Nakikialam sila sa paggawa ng batas dito sa atin eh. ‘Di po ba dapat alamin natin kung sino sila?” he asked. A check with Cayetano’s Senate Bill 2865 showed the following specific, policy-recommending responsibility for NGOs: “SEC. 20. Reporting Requirements. – Before the end of April each year, the DOH and POPCOM, in consultation with non-government organizations, women’s organizations, young people’s organizations and the private sector, shall submit to the President of the Philippines and Congress an annual consolidated report, which shall provide a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of its programs and those of other government agencies and instrumentalities and recommend priorities for executive and legislative actions.” (CBCPforLife) whom President Aquino has a respect,” said Gutierrez. ‘Neutral body’ Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier proposed for both the Senate and the House of Representatives to step into the rift between the executive and judiciary branches. He feared that if the executive continues to defy SC decisions, there would be anarchy in the country especially when the situation is replicated in the local level. But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile insisted that it should be the Church and not Congress that should act as the mediator. “I would not attempt to talk to the President and the Chief Justice to stop what they are doing. In the same manner that I think they will not tell me to stop what I’m doing. That’s the essence of the three branches of the government,” said Enrile. “So I would suggest a neutral body. It could be the Catholic church and the other churches being the peacemakers in the country,” he said. Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan, however, said he was open to suggestions for the Church to mediate but “only upon invitation.” “The one who will decide whether the church would mediate or not is not the Senate president but the parties themselves concerned, which are the Chief Justice and the President,” Cruz said. But he doubted that the President would “go by what the Church would say” should an intervention be realized given the President’s misgivings with the Church as an institution. Focus on the country’s problems Bastes said Aquino should just concentrate on the problems of the country, adding that it is not good for everyone if the country’s two powerful leaders are clashing. “I would say that President Aquino should respect also the judiciary because that’s an independent branch of the government,” he added. Gutierrez added both camps should just get their act together to bring Arroyo to justice. Role models For his part, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez called on the two officials to become good role models as public officials to the citizenry by not bickering publicly. “I hope they’ll be sensitive to the feelings of the public. There are personal things that they should set aside and discuss privately and not in public,” he said. At the 1st National Criminal Justice Summit on December 5, Aquino again lashed out at Corona about issues from the latter’s appointment as Chief Justice to to decisions of the High Court that had to do with investigating Arroyo. It was already the second time in five days that Aquino assailed the head of the Judiciary after he did so last December 1 at the Makati Business Club, where he called the SC “confused and confusing”. Corona, who was also present at the summit, refused to comment on the President’s public tirade and instead said: “It’s Christmas, let’s think of peace”. SC Spokesman Midas Marquez, however, said the High Court finds it disturbing that the Chief Executive ridiculed the Judiciary in public and with their officials present. But Cruz believes that the SC’s order for the total distribution of the Hacienda Luisita, the 6,000-hectare sugar plantation owned by the President’s family, to the farmers was the reason for Aquino’s ire. “If I may interpret it right … the decision of the SC on Hacienda Luisita was what made him boil [since] it is a very much cared-for family wealth,” said Cruz. contact… it’s not like that,” said Pabillo, chairman of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. “We have to help those who are in need. We don’t prejudge them even if it’s their fault or not. There’s always a time for change. Let’s always give people a chance to come back again,” he said. AIDS stigma, he cited, includes ostracism, rejection, discrimination and avoidance of HIV infected people. Among the worst cases, he added, is violence against HIV infected individuals which prevent them from seeking HIV testing or securing perpetuating the spread of HIV. Pabillo made the statement during the launching of the National AIDS Sunday celebration at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila. During the celebration, around 2,000 students from various colleges and universities also formed a giant human AIDS ribbon. According to him, the gathering is not just to stop the spread of the virus, but also to eliminate the stigma associated with the disease and be in solidarity with persons living with HIV and AIDS. The bishop reiterated that the effective way to battle the spread of the dreaded disease is not condom use but “chastity and fidelity to one’s partner.” Intervention/ A1 “The best solution is chastity and fidelity. There is a need to educate people about chastity to avoid irresponsible sexual behaviors and at the same time fidelity to one’s spouse or family,” said Pabillo. “That’s why our call here today is ‘stay true and be true’. Stay true to your spouse, family, stay true to the teachings of the church especially about the sacredness of sex,” he added. The bishop-advisor of the Philippine Catholic HIV and AIDS Network (PhilCHAN) was referring to the theme of this year’s celebration, “Getting to Zero: Be true. Stay true.” Pabillo said the report that the Philippines is one of the countries with steadily increasing number of HIVAIDS further stressed the need for a more intensive information drive against the disease. “It means many are not listening, but that should not stop us from our campaign. We remain to what is the proper teaching. It’s another calling to us to intensify more this campaign of chastity, fidelity,” he said. “Most of those afflicted with this disease got it from wrong sexual behavior and drug use that’s why this is a call to the people to change their ways to avoid this sickness which up to now has no cure,” added Pabillo. (CBCPNews) “SC’s inexplicable pronouncement eroded the trust not only of the coconut sector, but also the nation as a whole, to the impartiality of the judiciary,” he said. “A reversal of their decision will not only restore public confidence but also herald the end of a painful and humiliating dominance of wealth and power over our justice system,” added Pabillo. The coco levy fund scam was a controversy in the 1970s and 80’s involving the late and former president Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies. It is alleged that Marcos, Cojuangco and others conspired to tax coconut farmers, prom- ising them the development of the coconut industry and a share of the investments, but on the contrary were used for personal profit particularly in the purchase of United Coconut Planters Bank and majority stake in SMC. “The escrowed levies, now estimated to value over a hundred billion, will be a sizeable infusion to the social services for the coconut industry.” “The Church hence hopes that an immediate and longterm program will be conceived to guarantee that the money will truly benefit the poorest of the poor, and end the cycle of hunger and poverty that hounded them for generations,” he said. (CBCPNews) CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Diocesan News CAGAYAN DE ORO City—One of the religious landmarks in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro has been elevated to the rank of shrine. The Jesus of Nazarene Parish Church in Lapasan district was formally declared as archdiocesan shrine by Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma last December 4. Various priests, local officials and hundreds of devotees witnessed the occasion as well as the installation of Monsignor Rey Manuel Monsanto, JCD, as the shrine’s first rector. A replica of the Black Nazarene’s image was turned over to Cagayan de Oro City in 2009. A7 Aquino says local gov’t must act vs illegal fishers LEGAZPI City―President Benigno Aquino III said it is the responsibility of local government units to protect their fishing grounds from commercial fishers. This was his reaction to a letter sent by Bicol-based bishops led by the Metropolitan of Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legazpi, OP, DD two months ago calling on the Aquino administration to ban the rampant commercial fishing in municipal waters. “As far as I recall the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources have deployed a vessel MCS 3001 and apprehended about 11 fishing vessels and filed cases against traders involved in selling dynamited fish,” Aquino said during a hastily prepared press conference at the Bicol University before midday November 25. He added if the BFAR still lacks resources to patrol the area, he may ask the Philippine Coast Guard to check provided there would be no conflict with the local government unit who need to enforce laws. “We thank the good bishops for their support but you must remember we have thousands of coastlines that need to be protected and we need the support of everyone to share their information so we could apprehend those who violate our laws,” he further said. In September, Bicol prelates led by Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legazpi sent a letter to President Aquino urging him to immediately enforce the law banning commercial fishers from municipal waters. They said the existing law that prohibits commercial fishing within 15 kilometers of municipal waters is completely being ignored. The bishops are worried that if not immediately checked, the illegal practice may lead to the depletion of fish stocks and other marine resources. “We are witnesses of wanton greed of commercial fishers hauling marine resources to unsustainable quantities resulting to the deprivation of the small and marginalized municipal fishers,” the bishops said in their letter. The areas in question are within Ragay Gulf and Burias Pass which are less than 30 kilometers from the shorelines of opposite municipalities, where commercial fishers are not allowed to trawl. (Melo M. Acuña) Nazareno church in CDO elevated into archdiocesan shrine The replica, which came from the Quiapo church in Manila, was handed to Cagayan de Oro City to give devotees in Mindanao a chance to join the annual feast. Since then, its number of parishioners and devotees has tremendously increased. Like Quiapo Church, the shrine also celebrates its fiesta every January 9 where thousands of devotees join the procession. The yearly devotion to the Black Nazarene has become a tradition of the residents of Barangays 21 to 27 and Barangay Lapasan as they also do their part in honoring their patron. (CBCPNews) Priest joins farmers’ march for recovery of Coco Levy funds SAN PABLO City—A priest from the Prelature of Infanta, Quezon joined a group of coconut farmers and various farmers’ coalition in demanding the recovery of the Coco Levy Funds which rightfully belong to the poor coconut farmers. Fr. Jojo A. Eranista, 63, who is ministering the poor tribal settlers in Quezon said that he and his tribal group joined coconut farmers’ march from Lucena City (Quezon) to Manila hoping that the poor coconut farmers would finally be given the (coco levy) funds for the rehabilitation of the coconut industry and improvement of the plight of the poor. The priest said the farmers will succeed in their goal as long they don’t forget the existence of the Supreme Being and to believe that genuine change always begin from the heart. “The heart of the revolution is the revolution from the heart,” he said. Meanwhile, Ed Mora, head of the Panlipunang Kapisanan ng mga Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (PKMP), during their overnight stay in San Pablo City on Nov. 25 said, they are hoping that at this time the government would be on their side. “We hope the Supreme Court would finally rule in favor of the coconut farmers by giving the money to the farmers who genuinely own the coco levy funds,” he said. “We are not asking too much from the Supreme Court. We are only demanding what belongs to the coconut farmers. Just implement the true motive of the government in collecting coco levies from the farmers since the time of Marcos,” Mora said, adding “because of too much poverty among coconut farmers, many of them have lost hope in cultivating further their very old coconut trees.” Many have resorted to cutting coconut trees into lumber as an act of desperation just to be able to support their respective families’ needs, said Mora. Jansept Geronimo of the Coalition of Coconut Farmers of Quezon, said he is grateful that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the farmers by allowing the distribution of thousand hectares of land from Hacienda Luisita. “We are hoping that the Supreme Court would finally rule also in favor of the coco farmers like what they did to Hacienda Luisita farmers,” said Geronimo. Meanwhile, San Pablo Diocese gave its support to the Southern Tagalog farmers’ 10-day march for the recovery of the Coco Levy Fund which started from Lucena City on Nov. 23 with stop-over and programs in various towns in Laguna on their way to Manila. San Pablo Bishop Leo Drona on Nov. 21 has instructed parish priests and vicars forane in various vicariates in San Pablo City, Calauan, Los Baños, Calamba City, Cabuyao, Sta. Rosa City, Biñan City and San Pedro to prepare logistics, venues and accommodations to the farmers and their supporters during their days of sojourn in Photo Courtesy of CBCP-NASSA Briefing Social Action assembly urges fast tracking of agri reform program the province. The estimated 120 farmers belonging to the KATARUNGAN, COCO FARM-Quezon and Alyansa Kanayunan from Southern Tagalog arrived in Laguna on November 25. The march passed through various towns that include Calauan, Los Baños, Calamba City and Sta. Rosa until November 28. Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, who is also supporting the march said the activity aimed to put pressure on President Aquino and the Supreme Court for the speedy resolution of issues surrounding the coco levy fund in favor of the coco farmers; to popularize the clamor to recover the levy fund through mass media; and, to call for the completion of CARPER/agrarian reform in coconut lands. The march culminated on Nov. 30 where the farmers also attended the Pambansang Paglilimi Sa Kahirapan: A National Summit On Poverty, Inequality And Social Reform to be held in Diliman, Quezon City. (Fr. Romy Ponte) BACOLOD City—The Visayas Social Action General Assembly has proposed that agrarian reform be institutionalized in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform and for the program to fast track the improvement of land tenure, as well as for DAR to issue Notice of Compliance to landowners and accomplish Land Acquisition and Distribution annual targets. The proposal is just a part of the resolution that was crafted during the three-day consultation from Nov. 15-17, here. The resolution will serve as the working paper for the Social Action Centers of the archdioceses and dioceses in the region. The social action centers are also urged to explore the possibility of continuing the services offered by SAC through Bigasan Sa Parokya even without the direct support of the National Food Authority. (Modesto Sa-onoy) Tax on SSS, Pag-IBIG contributions, injustice to OFWs—group ANTIPOLO City— It would be an injustice for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) if the Bureau of Internal Revenue will continue its plan of imposing taxes to their Social Security System (SSS) and Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIBIG). In a statement sent to media, John Leonard Monterona of Migrante-Middle East (ME) said most of the OFWs are paying more than the mandatory contribution to ensure that they would have enough money to loan to own a house (in case of Pag-IBIG) and for bigger monthly pension in case they can’t go back to work abroad as a contract worker. (Noel Sales Barcelona) Hacienda farmers to intensify ‘bungkalan’ 500 students rally behind young pro-life lawmakers MUNTINLUPA City—Some 500 students from in and around Alabang, Muntinlupa City flocked to the Tuloy sa Don Bosco Street Children Village in Muntinlupa recently to join the pep rally organized for young pro-life lawmakers by Youth United for the Philippines (YUP). Tuloy sa Don Bosco was founded in 1993 to rescue street children and give them a home, direction, and the skills they will need in the real world. The very same ideal rests on the core principle of what YUP was founded upon – “YUP! to education, YUP! to jobs & YUP to healthcare for all and No to RH bill!” was the standard chant. Hosted by Christine JacobSandejas, Patrick Lim and basDance / A1 ketball superstar Chris Tiu, the energy-packed event was attended by delegates from Muntinlupa National High School, Muntinlupa Science High School, Pedro E. Diaz High School, Muntinlupa Business High School, Pamantasan ng Muntinlupa, University of Asia and the Pacific, Homeschoolers Association of the Philippines, GCF South Metro Christian School, Linden Tree School Philippines, De La Salle Zobel, Elizabeth Seton School, PAREF Woodrose School, PAREF Southridge School, and students from Tuloy sa Don Bosco. Among the solons who make up the Nine Young Legislators (9YL) who made the pro-life declaration and who were pres- ent at the pep rally were Dakila Carlo Cua (Quirino, lone district), Allan Velasco (Marinduque, lone district), Fatima Aliah Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte, 2nd district), Karlo Alexei Nograles (Davao City, 1st district), and Irwin Tieng and Mariano Michael Velarde, Jr., both of Buhay Partylist. Other 9YL members are Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte, 4th district), Rachel Marguerite del Mar (Cebu, 1st district), Gabriel Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district). Cua reminded the students of the experience of densely populated yet prosperous nations. “Singapore, New York, Hongkong… Overpopulation is not the cause of poverty and that is common sense,” the Quirino congressman said. Dimaporo, on the other hand, emphasized the government’s duty to prioritize that which is most crucial to the youth. “The policies of the government should support education,” the lawmaker from Mindanao pointed out. For Tieng, the six-year comprehensive sex education program included in the RH bill —which will be carried out in all private and public schools should the measure be enacted into law—cannot be treated as just another academic subject due to its sensitive nature. “Sexuality education must be handled with care and must be taught in the home,” he said. (CBCPforlife) TARLAC City—With the favorable developments in the Hacienda Luisita case, the farm-workers in the 6,000-hectare Cojuangco sugar estate are now gearing for the more intensified “bungkalan” or collective land tilling to make the idle lands productive. In a statement, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) chairperson Lito Bais said the intensified bungkalan is but a manifestation of the much stronger struggle for land, life and rights by the sugar workers and that it would be the start of the complete takeover of the hacienda by the tillers, who had waited 50 years for them to own the disputed sugar plantation. (Noel Sales Barcelona) China / A1 Manila’s Intramuros district. “It will pass by the Arzobispado de Manila (the Archbishop’s Residence also in Intramuros) where Archbishop Tagle will join them. And then it will proceed to the Cathedral,” said Malicdem. Caracol is a traditional Caviteño danceprocession with the statue of the Our Lady of the Pillar. Asked if Tagle will join the religious procession-dance, Malicdem said this is something that the faithful in the ArchdioTidbits / A4 cese of Manila should watch out for. “Who knows he might join them and that’s what we should look forward to,” he said. The liturgical reception and canonical possession for Tagle will start at 9 a.m. But why did the new head of Manila’s Catholic Church chose December 12 as his installation date? Malicdem cited two reasons: First, it is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Philippines. It is also on the same date, 10 years ago, when he was ordained a bishop and installed as the fourth Bishop of Imus. “It might also interest you to know that the first three bishops of Imus all came from Manila. Now it is the daughter diocese that gives one of her sons to take care of the mother diocese.” he added. It was last October 13 when Pope Benedict XVI appointed Tagle as the 32nd Archbishop of Manila, succeeding retired Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales. (CBCPNews) Living Mission / A4 mar Binay’s request for the CBCP to consider asking all churches to offer a Mass on December 4 for the Filipino convict. “As a Catholic, I have an unshakable faith in the power of prayer, and if all Filipino Catholics storm the heavens with our common prayer for our ‘kababayan’, miracles can happen,” Binay said in a letter to Palma. The Philippine government earlier said that a 35-year old man, who it did not identify, was convicted for smuggling 1.495 kilos of heron in Guangxi, a mountainous Chinese province bordering Vietnam. The Filipino was nabbed last September 13, 2008 at the Guilin International Airport upon arrival from Malaysia after authorities found heroin in his possession. On November 28, the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing affirmed a lower’s court’s decision to impose the capital punishment on him. Media reports revealed that the Chinese authorities consider the decision to execute as final. But Binay said: “We feel that this decision is just in the judicial level. It is our position that we can appeal for a change in the decision through political avenues starting from President Hu Jintao.” The CBCP’s Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) earlier said it will write to the Chinese government to appeal for the commutation of the death sentence on the Filipino drug mule. ECMI executive secretary Fr. Edwin Corros said the Commission will submit a letter-request to the Chinese government to spare the OFW’s life for humanitarian reasons. “We are hopeful that the letter to be sent to the Chinese Embassy by the ECMI would be forwarded at the earliest time to Beijing, and that the authorities would consider your appeal, together with the appeal of our President, in a positive light,” Binay said. (CBCPNews) as a network of relationships, building up that bridge to fill up the gap confronting the youth and their poor families on the one end and, the responsible individual citizens, the different communities and organizations, and the government of the Province of Bohol on the other. After all, every responsible citizen or social organization in the Province has the primary obligation to contribute to national and local development that has long been overdue. It is high time that every Filipino no longer waits for the government to do the things for him. He must do his share. It is along this line of thought that the Beato Pedro Calungsod Foundation was born. To propel it to action and to persevere in its pursuit for the star, it envisioned itself as: “A Foundation of Christ’s faithful in the Diocese of Tagbilaran, inspired by the Word of God, nourished by the Eucharist, strengthened by constant prayer, ever conscious of its social and spiritual life in the integral hu- development. This kind of life could indeed be the needed inspiration for the youth of Bohol, a life around which values-driven transformation programs and activities could be drawn up. The Foundation is hoping that this could be one of the entry points to touch base with the out-of-school youth and their families, and a medium for transforming societies into centers for integral human man development.” It is not mere convenience that the Beato Pedro Calungsod was taken as the title of the Foundation. The founding officers saw the heroism of this young gentleman, a martyr whose life of heroism could be a constant inspiration. Because of the Faith that he had embraced and boldly proclaimed, he was ordered to be killed by a primitive Chieftain in Guam, brutally executed by a tribal soldier. The youthful saint, who, as tradition has it, lived in Bohol, Cebu, and Iloilo, was known for these virtues, to wit: scientific and intellectual discipline; patience; hard work; bravery; and lived Faith. Consistently, the popes have endorsed the works of the PMS in their messages for World Mission Sunday. Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 expressed his gratitude to the PMS for its “valuable service” and its efforts to promote “love and solidarity”; similarly in 2011 the pope once again thanked the PMS for its assistance in supporting “evangelizing activities in mission territories.” As an aside, one notes that retiring Manila Archbishop, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, served as national PMS director from 1975-1982. The Church has established four distinct mission initiatives and given them the status of “pontifical,” meaning under the direction of the Holy Father. Their common goal is the fostering of a universal missionary spirit among all Catholics. Each of the four societies takes upon itself a specific area of responsibil- ity. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith passes on the mission flame by promoting a world-wide mission enthusiasm, especially through World Mission Sunday activities. The Society of Saint Peter the Apostle serves mission through the spiritual and intellectual formation of apostolic personnel (e.g. priests, catechists) in mission territories. The Society of the Holy Childhood fosters mission awareness and commitment of children through its “children-helping-children” initiatives. The Missionary Union of the Clergy promotes the missionary dimensions of priestly life; it also prays for an increase in missionary vocations. A Year of Grace. The CBCP specifically encourages a wide variety of activities (e.g. prayer in parishes and various communities, workshops and seminars of many types, mission activities in Catholic schools, new mission initiatives at home and abroad) to rekindle among Filipinos a dynamic commitment to the effective preaching of the Good News of Jesus Christ— even to the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8; 13:47). This coming year 2012 celebrates the eightieth anniversary since the PMS establishment here in 1932; thus, it commemorates eight decades of uninterrupted dedication to the Church’s mission of evangelization. The year can become a celebration of the gift of the Christian faith that dedicated missionaries brought to Philippine shores. The CBCP implores the guidance of Mary, Star of Evangelization, to bless the efforts of the PMS and instill a missionary fervor in the hearts of all Filipinos—in 2012 and beyond. A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 CBCP official receives 2011 Family Values Award AN official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has been conferred an award for her untiring efforts in upholding the sanctity of the family and life. Family Law and Family Rights advocate Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong, who is also the executive secretary of the CBCP Legal office, was accorded the 2011 Family Values Award by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which recognizes the honorable efforts of moral, outstanding community leaders who are striving to advance standards and values consistent with the said church’s position on the sanctity of the family. A practicing lawyer, Imbong is also an activist, an educator and a family advocate, but first and foremost, a mother. She is married to Manuel B. Imbong, a lawyer with whom she has eight children and three grandchildren. Through her parents’ example, Imbong learned her practices of piety and spirit of sacrifice. That is why it was not difficult for her to bid farewell to a blossoming career in law (working at the Court of Appeals and as a Congressional Chief of Staff) and become a fulltime mother while she was eight months pregnant with her second child. She has always held values learned from her parents and the Church close to her heart, but it was not until 11 years ago that she started her advocacy. A bill was filed in congress to legalize abortion and she vehemently opposed it as part of her volunteer service for a non-government organization. She met with Pro-Life people, learned that the CBCP needed a lawyer, and the rest is history. Imbong is currently a university counsel and a lecturer of the University of Asia and the Pacific, at the same time a faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University and Konrad Adenauer Center for Journalism. Aside from being the CBCP Legal Office’s Executive Secretary, she is also consultant to the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Family and Life (ECFL) and the Office on Women. She is also a regular columnist for the CBCP Monitor. She was also a trustee of the Philippine Alliance Against Pornography (PAAP, Executive Director of the Family Media Advocacy Foundation, and a member of the International Bar Association Media Law Committee. In 2001, she founded Abay Pamilya Foundation, an association of parents and families working for women’s and family rights. In women’s rights circles, she is currently Vice-Chair of Professional & Cultural Development for Women Foundation, a private Raymond Bandril/CBCPMedia) Family rights advocate and CBCP legal secretary Attorney Jo Aurea Imbong poses with immediate members of her family after the awarding ceremony. voluntary organization engaged in the training and formation of working women and homemakers. For her pro bono work in Family Rights Advocacy, Imbong became the recipient of the Fr. Paul B. Marx Pro-Life Award from Human Life International, and Blessed Pedro Calungsod Pro-Life Award from His Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. Along with Imbong, the couple recipi- ents of the 2011 Family Values Awards were Engr. Bayani F. Fernando and Mrs. Ma. Lourdes C. Fernando, both former city mayors responsible for the establishment of a yearly festival which seeks to celebrate kinship and solidarity and to honor Marikina families. The awarding ceremonies, hosted by Patrick and Karen Esmundo, were held November 29 at the Isla Ballroom of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Man- daluyong. The Family Values Awards are presented annually to community leaders in Asia, Europe and the United States. Notable recipients include Australian Prime Minister John Howard MP, anti-abortion and anti-euthanasia policy maker Jack Snelling MP, and Fr. Thomas Rosica the National Director/ CEO of World Youth Day (Canada). (CBCP for Life) Legazpi prelate calls on faithful to unite, serve LEGAZPI Bishop Joel Baylon called on the faithful to carefully put flesh into its new vision-mission statements after the three-day pastoral assembly held at Bethlehem Pastoral Center, in Bacacay, Albay that ended last Nov. 26. In his homily at the closing rites of the pastoral assembly at the St. Gregory the Great Cathedral, Baylon said a great number of people have forgotten God for materialistic and consumerist ways. “Advent reminds us that life does not end on earth,” he said as he explained everyone is bound for a much better place. He added everyone needs God to bring everyone to life everlasting. He said Christ’s first coming happened about 2,000 years ago while nobody could predict His second coming. He explained while it may still take a long time, there will be people who may grow tired of waiting, lose hope, forget and tend to go with the easy way of life. Baylon reminded the faithful of Christ’s third coming which occurs everyday, from the ordinary to the extraordinary as he manifests his presence in our fellowman, the lettered or unlettered, the rich or the poor. “God puts meaning into our everyday life as he puts direction and beauty in a personal or communal sense,” he added. Noting that the Diocese of Legazpi celebrates its 60th founding anniversary, the 30th anniversary of its first visionmission statement, the 20th anniversary of the Second Plenary Council and the 10th Anniversary of Legazpi’s first diocesan synod, Baylon said the diocesan pastoral assembly is but a fitting and proper event to celebrate its milestones. He said eight commissions have been organized and mandated to address the needs of the diocese. These are the Committees on Worship, Christian Education, Family and Life, Youth, Ecclesial Communities, Temporalities, Social Concerns and Clergy and Religious. The diocesan pastoral assembly approved the vision statement “A community of life-giving families, empowered poor, and vibrant youth in Albay, witnessing to Christ and His Gospel under the care of our Mother of Salvation. The diocesan mission is “Shepherd the faithful, specially the family, the poor and the young. Pursue renewed evangelization, and nurture church workers and collaborators, guided by the values of respect for life, integral development and care for creation.” Their thrusts include building Christian communities and renewed integral evangelization. (Melo M. Acuna) Church marks first Catholic AIDS Sunday A LITURGICAL service marking the first Catholic AIDS Sunday was held at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on December 4. The service also aimed to lift up the church’s commitment to working on behalf of people with AIDS, especially in Metro Manila. The first Sunday of December was declared by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), during its plenary assembly last July, as the Catholic AIDS Sunday. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa), said the celebration was also meant to further guide the people in responding to AIDS epidemic. “National Aids Sunday aims to make all of us aware of the serious menace of HIV-AIDS. This menace can only be averted if we appreciate the gift of life and love that the Lord gives us and live respecting the sacredness of life and sex,” he said. Nassa is leading the CBCP’s campaign against HIV/AIDS. This year’s theme dubbed as “Getting to Zero: Be true. Stay true.” is aligned with the United Nations’ global movement against AIDS. The national campaign, launched at the UST, would also set a standard for the other regions and dioceses in the succeeding National AIDS Sunday celebrations. “Respecting the sacredness of life also means acceptance without bias of those who are already living with this virus. Their life too is valuable and sacred. They, too, deserve a dignified life with the help of all,” said Pabillo who is also the bishop-advisor of the Philippine Catholic HIV and AIDS Network (PhilCHAN). The bishop also called on the youth and their families for support in the National AIDS Sunday by wearing red “which means courage to battle the stigma.” The gathering also had a symbolic formation of a giant human AIDS ribbon. The Philippines, juxtaposed with the decreasing global trend, is already one of the seven countries in the world with steadily increasing cases of HIV/AIDS. A total of 7,431 cases have been reported in the Philippines since 1984. From these, 1,416 were registered from January to August this year. An alarming 30 percent of this year’s HIV/ AIDS cases are from the 15-24 age group and 55 percent are from Metro Manila. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews) Markings ORDAINED. A seminarian from the Archdiocese of Cebu was ordained to the Diaconate at the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare, right beside the Santa Croce University, in the center of Rome, November 27, 2011. Rev. Avelito John Burgos, 25, was ordained by Robert Cardinal Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, along with Rev. Ricardo Casanova Duque of the Diocese of San Cristobal in Venezuela. Burgos is currently in his second year licentiate studies in Sacred Theology, major in Liturgy. He first came to Rome in 2007 to undergo his formation in Theology at Sedes Sapientiae International Seminary, run by the Prelature of Opus Dei. According to the Pontificio Collegio Filipino (PCF), the home of Filipino priests pursuing studies in Rome, there are currently nine Filipino seminarians in Sedes Sapientiae. It also said that six priests are also studying at the Santa Croce University, four of them are from the Cebu archdiocese. During the ordination, the basilica was filled with friends of Burgos, many of whom were Visayans, including some Filipino priests. The Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See, Her Excellency Mercedes Tuason, also graced the occasion. INSTALLED. Rev. Fr. Francisco Vargas, C.M. as the first parish priest of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Mangaldan, Pangasinan last November 27, 2011 by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas. INDUCTED. A new set of officers for the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Laiko) were inducted during a thanksgiving Mass held at the Diocesan Center for Evangelization’s Pater Noster Chapel in Muntinlupa City. Laiko’s newly-elected officers and trustees for the years 2012-2013 took their solemn oath of office and commissioning last December 2 in a ceremony within the Holy Mass presided by Chairman of CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity and Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado. The new Laiko officers and trustees are: Atty. Aurora A. Santiago (President), Atty. Jose Tale (Executive Vice President), Mrs. Ma. Julieta Wasan (Vice President for the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila), Dr. Amelita Dayrit-Go (Vice President for Luzon), Ms. Nida Ruiz (Vice President for Visayas), Mr. Solomon Badoy (Vice President for Mindanao), Ms. Gertrudes Bautista (Secretary), Mrs. Estelita Macalaguim (Treasurer), Mrs. Zenaida Capistrano (Auditor), Engr. Victorino Lahoz (PRO), Trustees Mr. Apolinario Carandang, Dr. Romeo Cruz, Sr., Mrs. Maria Isabel Descallar, Mr. Loreto Guinhawa, Mr. Edgardo Malay, Mr. Edgardo Tria Tirona (Ex Oficio Trustee). Outgoing President Edgardo Tria Tirona was given a plaque of appreciation for his outstanding service to the Church as Board Member and National President of Laiko. The outgoing Vice President for the Ecclesiastical Province of Manila Manuel Recto and Trustee Judge Candido Villanueva were also cited for their immeasurable contribution to the Church through several years of service at Laiko and selfless offering of time and talents. INAUGURATED. Archdiocesan Youth Center for Spirituality and Skills Development in the Archdiocese of Cebu; November 12, 2011. The celebration was led by His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu and His Excellency Auxiliary Bishop Julito Cortes, representing Archbishop Jose Palma who was in Rome during the inauguration. More than a hundred invited guests, benefactors and friends were in attendance during the event. Cardinal Vidal narrated that a little more than a year ago, Msgr. Arthur Navales, the Archdiocesan Youth Director; showed to him and to the young people in the archdiocese an artist’s perspective, still a drawing on a paper that has now become a reality. He thanked Msgr. Navales and the youth along with the youth ministers of the youth commission for their vision. The cardinal also thanked the benefactors for believing to the young people of the archdiocese. According to its website, www.coycebu.org, the Youth Center will serve as a study hub for the youth, a school for the out-of school and a sanctuary for young people to encounter God through spiritual activities. The Youth Center is located along P. Gomez Street beside the Cebu Cathedral. DIED. Laureana Franco, or Ka Loring to everyone, passed away at 2 am October 17, 2011, after a lingering illness. She was 75 years old. Fr. Ramil Marcos of the Diocese of Pasig and former secretary of Jaime L. Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, described the indefatigable Church worker, thus: “Ka Luring, a life-long catechist, is a prayer warrior of priests. She was also a close friend of Cardinal Sin. She was conferred the Papal Honor, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in 1990 and the Mother Teresa Award in 2002. She was a dedicated advocate for the welfare of poor children and old people. She generously lent her time to guide seminarians. She was a model of poverty, and purity of heart, faithful parishioner. Cardinal Sin called her a living saint. And she was!” IN an official anti-RH statement released in major broadsheets in September, the Nine Young Legislators (9YL) explained that P3 billion—the proposed annual budget for the RH bill—is a huge amount of taxpayers’ money and will be more useful in addressing the poor’s lack of access to education, employment opportunities and better health care, which are the real causes of poverty. P3 billion should finance real causes of poverty “The proposed P3 billion appropriation for the RH bill, if put towards education, can help secure the future of young Filipinos. That amount can build 4,644 new classrooms…or it can subsidize the college education of 300,000 scholars — a chance for underprivileged student achievers to earn their diploma,” the solons said in the statement. “With precious few teachers fighting the good fight in our public schools, P3 billion can fund the salaries of 13,000 additional teachers to boost up their ranks,” the statement continued. The legislators also said that the amount would be better off used for providing job opportunities to the poor, whose financial stability will be bolstered by gainful employment. Part of this will be the provision of better skills training, the development of farm-to-market roads, and programs such as micro-lending funds to empower small businesses. The statement also zeroed in on the need to prioritize health services for the poor, including provision of PhilHealth coverage, building and maintenance of birthing facilities, and carrying out family nutrition programs. (CBCPforLife) CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Pastoral Concerns begins December 16 as early as 4 in the morning and culminates with the “Misa de Gallo” on Christmas Eve to welcome the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace. Origin Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico when, in 1587, the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas mass outdoors because the Church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening mass. During the old times, the pre-dawn mass is announced by the ringing of the church bells. In some rural areas, an hour before the start of Simbang Gabi, a brass band plays Christmas music all over the town. It is also believed that parish priests would go far knocking on doors to wake and gather the faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Farmers as well as fishermen wake up early to hear the Gospel before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest. Simbang Gabi now and then The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi although it is celebrated in new ways. Still, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues. Part of it are the colorful lights and lanterns that fill every streets. Beautiful parols are hung in every window. Songs of the season are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends and even individuals find its way going to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena. Shortly after the misa de gallo, families gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feasted on various delicacies like queso de bola, bibingka, puto bungbong, or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate. Significance Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. But it is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members B1 but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of mass attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing. (Source: Archdiocese of Manila at www. rcam.org) Simbang Gabi SIMBANG GABI is one of the longest and most popular among the Filipino traditions in the country. It is when Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi mass. Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. The novena Christian Citizenship in the Philippines Today By Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong THE last decade and well into the present year will be remembered as a time when religious freedom and its exercise took severe challenge in the public square. From the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent, from parts of sub-Saharan Africa to regions of East Asia, millions of Christians are under threat, and thousands have paid with their very lives for their refusal to part company with the faith. We can well say, Philippines included, that the times are ripe for a whole new generation of martyrs. Right in our midst, we hear strident cries asserting that “religion has no place in the public square.” At a public hearing of the Reproductive Health bill in Congress last year, a young man who calls himself a Free Thinker insisted that the Church has no place in the debate. Another, a respectablelooking lady, a confessed agnostic, asked to be respected in her nonbelief, and accused the Catholic Church of imposing its doctrine in the public fora. The drive to marginalize religion runs along deeper and more subtle undercurrents. It starts in the same human heart that has the makings of the zeal and passion of a contemplative. This time, however, that same heart vibrates with a searing malevolence against anything religious and transcendental. It nurtures a disdain that says—“We are responsible for nothing outside ourselves, for we are the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.”1 This is the counter-culture that is making its way into the corridors of legislation in matters of human life itself, of family, of traditional values. Marriage of man and woman, the rock of society, is now in the firing line. Listen to the catchwords: “Gender identity is an individual’s sense of being, either male or female, man or woman, or something other, or in between.”2 It seems . . . that the single biggest enemy to homosexuality is Christianity . . .”3 That kind of speech goes beyond the gender culture. Today it oversteps all bounds of reason and now, through legislation, threatens to dismantle and uproot the basic girders and foundations of society, promising to “keep [its] eyes on the goals of providing true alternatives to marriage and of radically reordering society’s view of the family.”4 A Senate Bill5 discussed last week purportedly against social discrimination proposes the repeal within three years of all existing laws that discriminate against gender orientations on marriage. That would mean the automatic extinction of manwoman marriage in the Family Code, among others. The day will come, sooner than we think, when we would have to celebrate the union of Adam and Steve. To those who would be a hindrance to this agenda, the message is consistent: “Keep your God out of the debate.” Pope Benedict XVI describes this cultural lashing quite graphically. Out there, he said, it is a “foul, chaotic, enslaved, and enslaving world.” The moment you walk out of this holy ground, it will seem that you are thrust into air that suffocates, where you have a malevolent “reproductive health” agenda that continues to make demands on the time and resources of Congress for the last twelve years, dividing the nation with flaming passions unheard of; where Christianity is flogged right in the middle of its sacred rituals; where Princes of the Church are pierced with the darts of malice, and for the first time in this country, The Christ is made fodder for comic relief; Whatever it is that is ravaging our culture must be confronted and hemmed in, not by violent words, but by the language of our Faith spoken by each member of the Body of Christ in the public square. Remember, we are citizens of two domains: citizens of Heaven, and of the world. Our citizenship brings with it three commissionings: 1st. As Christian citizens, we have the right and the duty to weigh the justice and fairness of proposed legislation, with due regard to the truth about the nature of man and the demands of the common good; 2nd. As Christian citizens we have the duty to strive to do our civic duty in light of the teachings of our faith, in one vital synthesis with religion; 3rd. As Christian laity, we are charged to banner that faith in the public square by speaking of what our religion bids us to do. The third is what I mean to tackle for it makes each one of us responsible, answerable, and accountable. We owe it to ourselves and to the Body of Christ. There are many ways to silence the laity. But we are empowered because Light was never meant to be hidden. The Pearl of Great Price was not meant to be concealed. The Word was never meant to be suppressed. Let us then consider a few legal parameters. 1. Religious speech expressed by the faithful does not violate the doctrine of Separation of Church and State, nor the Non-establishment Clause. In order for religious expression to pose a constitutional problem, the religious speech or expression must come from the mouth of the state. For there is a crucial difference between the government speaking and endorsing religion—which is forbidden—and private speech endorsing a religion, which the Free Speech and Religious Freedom clauses protect. When the laity speak the language of the Faith in any public discourse on raging issues, it is because as written by the eminent Statesman and Jurist, William Blackstone: “[God’s law, the law of nature] is binding all over the globe, in all countries, and at all times. No human laws are of any validity if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid derive all their force and all their authority, mediately, or immediately from this original.” Issues of the sacredness of human life and other questions of basic morality are matters of natural moral law, not simply of Church teaching. 2. The non-establishment clause is not violated when law reflects religious teachings and values. Every human good acknowledged in the Constitution stems from moral teachings. Morality being rooted on religion, people of the faith, have the right—and the duty—to invoke the Word, the Truth, and the Gospel in confronting the issues of the day. Separation of Church and State does not mean separation of God and State. 3. The state may NOT exclude religion from public life and public discourse. The Constitution forecloses any such attempts against the Catholic faith: “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 or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”6 In our legal system, the Constitution vibrates with the moral law that finds its roots in religion. Right at the start, the Preamble expressly acknowledges the place of the Eternal Law in human affairs: “We, the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just and humane society, and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations, promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity, the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality, and peace, do ordain and promulgate this Constitution.” Faithful to this spirit and intent, the rest of the Constitution acknowledges the inherent and inalienable rights of every person, rights that are universal to all mankind. In the United States, one Michael Newdow, a noted atheist, filed several lawsuits to delete the words, ‘under God’ from the American Pledge of Allegiance. Ignoring American historical context, he argued that exposing his daughter to the words would be unconstitutional. But the U.S. Court said: “The use of ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance is a statement of political philosophy, not religion. It states that our political liberties come from God and not the government, as the Declaration of Independence says.”7 In our legal system, the Preamble of the Constitution is a source of light.8 It sets down the origin, scope, and purpose of the Constitution. Does the Church unlawfully intrude into State matters when it speaks in the public square? NO. Political speech derived from religious belief does not transform it into religious speech simply because of the religious belief of its advocates,9 or if that coincides with the tenets of some religion.10 As it is, many laws overwhelmingly accepted by people are laws that religious groups agree with: laws against robbery, torture, murder, abortion, capital punishment, plunder, same-sex “marriage”, the list goes on. Punished by law, these are acts condemned as well by the Christian faith. The State encourages honesty and integrity in public office, social justice, rights of labor. The Church condemns corporate greed, corruption, exploitation of workers. In its place, the Church teaches detachment, generosity, gift of self. The State calls them principles. The Church calls them virtue. This is what was meant by St. Thomas More, declared by Pope Benedict XVI as the Patron Saint of politicians, that “man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality.” Because of this, the Church and its faithful have the right, and will continue to exercise that right—to preach the compendium of truth without hindrance, to espouse social responsibility unimpeded, to express moral judgments even on matters touching upon the political order when the latter impinges on public morals, human dignity, and the common good. It then follows that it is a duty that devolves on each one of us who are in the middle of the world. Of Catholics in Politics In the realm of political exercise, this duty assumes a crucial dimension. The Second Plenary Council stands on record urging the lay faithful to participate actively and lead in the renewing of politics in accordance with values of the Good News of Jesus,11 to help form the civic conscience of the voting population and work to explicitly promote the election of leaders of true integrity to public office.”12 While the Church has no political mission, it definitely has a political responsibility. Why is this? In fulfilling their respective missions, the paths of the Church and the State converge. They both govern human beings, and both are entrusted with the common good. And if the task of Politics is understood in its broadest sense to mean “service for the common good,” then, with more reason the Church should reverberate in the public realm. A culture inspired by a Christian concept of the human person and his freedoms will affirm certain works of politics as compatible with the dignity of the human person, and reject others for their incompatibility with that dignity.”13 Evangelize. Or fossilize. “For lack of wood, the fire dies out.” (Prov. 27:20) If we do not speak out, Christ’s cause will fizzle out. That is why we should, each one of us, evangelize, or—pardon the expression—be fossilized. It is either that we engage the culture or accept the possibility that one fine day, we will go the way of many a Christian country that has changed its laws on abortion. We have seen recently how a country like Malta has taken the vote for divorce after a fierce struggle against its inroads. Finally, in doing our duty, let us remember to put on the breast plate of faith. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3) (Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong is the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Legal Office and Convenor of St. Thomas More Society Law Center. This piece was delivered at the 2nd National Congress of the Laity held at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila, October 21, 2011. ) NOTES 1 Jeffrey Ventrella, Esq., “The Advocate’s Foes: The Idols of State and Self—God or Caesar; God or Choice:”, citing D.A. Caarson, Christ & Culture Revisited (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmanns:2008), quoting Jeremy Rifkin, Algen: A New Word—A New World (New York: Viking, 1983). 2 Ibid., Jeffrey Ventrella, citing Guidelines Regarding ‘Gender Identity: Discrimination, A form of Gender Discrimination Prohibited by the New York City Human Rights Law. www.nyc.gov/cchr. J. Ventrella, Ibid., citing Merrell Noden, Edmund White’s Own Story, PRINCETON ALUMNI WEEKLY (March 10, 2004, http://www.princeton.edu/~paw/ archive_new/PAW03-04/10-0310/features2.html. Julian Huxley, Evolution: The Modern Synthesis (1942; reprint London: Allen & Unwin, 1974), quoted in James A. Herrick, The Making of the New Spirituality, (Downers Grove, 2003), cited by J. Ventrella, Ibid. Amendment to SB No. 2814, “An Act prohibiting discrimination, profiling, violence and all forms of intolerance against persons based on ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, disability or other status”, 15th Congress. Article III, Bill of Rights, Section 5, Constitution. 3 4 5 6 7 Faith Center Church Evangelical Ministries v. Glover, 480 F. 3d 891 (2007), Karlton, J., concurring. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., Constitutional Structure & Powers of Government, Notes and Cases, 1991, p. 3. Harris v. McRae, 448 U.S. 297. McGowan v. Maryland, 366 U.S. 420. 8 9 10 11 PCP-II, 350 Ibid., Art. 8, #1. 12 13 George Weigel, “John Paul II and the Priority of Culture”, First Things 80 (February 1998). © Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia B2 Updates CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 The Sacraments of Christian Initiation The Juridic Dimension of the Sacrament of Baptism (Part III) By Fr. Jaime Blanco Achacoso, J.C.D. The Role of the Parish in the Administration of Baptism Since Baptism is the door to the other sacraments and the means by which a person becomes a member of the Church, Church Law has disposed that the parish community—under the guidance of the parish priest as a proper pastor—be the center around which the baptismal discipline is organized, and the parish be the administrative organ in charge of taking juridic note of the celebration of the sacrament. Thus, Canon Law confers specific competencies to the parish as regards the preparation, celebration, registry and proof of baptism. a. Preparation for Baptism The Code establishes the following norms for the proper preparation of Baptism: 1) For baptism of adults. An adult who intends to receive baptism is to be admitted to the catechumenate and, to the extent possible, be led through the several stages to sacramental initiation, in accord with the order of initiation adapted by the conference of bishops and the special norms published by it (c.851, 1º). What is prescribed in the canons on the baptism of an adult is applicable to all who are no longer infants but have attained the use of reason (c.852, §1). 2) For baptism of infants: Parents and Godparents. The parents of an infant who is to be baptized and likewise those who are to undertake the office of godparent are to be properly instructed (c.851, 2º). One who is not of sound mind (non sui compos) is equated with an infant so far as baptism is concerned (c.852, §2). As to the content of this instruction, c.851, 2º specifies: a) For parents and godparents: the meaning of the sacrament and the obligations which are attached to it; b) For parents: the parish priest is to see to it that the parents are properly formed, by pastoral direction and by common prayer, gathering several families together and where possible visiting them. b. Celebration of Baptism 1) Place for Baptism. The Code both stipulates the ordinary place for baptism, and prohibits— except in case of necessity— certain places. a) Proper Place: Church or oratory. Outside the case of necessity, the proper place for baptism is a church or oratory (c.857, §1). The Code further prioritizes the locality of such church or oratory as follows: 1º Proper parish. As a rule adults are to be baptized in their own parish church and infants in the parish church proper to their parents, unless a just cause suggests otherwise (c.857, §2). In this regard, the Code provides for the possibility of facilitating access to Baptism by multiplying the churches or oratories that can have a baptismal font within the same parish (c.858). 2º Another parish. If due to grave inconvenience, because of distance or other circumstances, a person to be baptized cannot go or be taken to the parish church or to the other church or oratory mentioned in c.858, §2, baptism may and must be conferred in some nearer church or oratory…(c.859). b) Another Fitting Place. In the case of grave inconvenience previously mentioned, if not even another church in a parish other than that of the one to be baptized is possible, c.859 ends by allowing baptism to be celebrated even in some other fitting place. c) Prohibited Places. On the other hand, the Code explicitly prohibits the celebration of baptism, except in case of necessity or permission by the local Ordinary, in certain places. It is interesting to note the difference in the degree of prohibition, manifested by the increasing margin for permitting the contrary: 1º Private homes. Outside the case of necessity, baptism is not to be conferred in private homes, unless the local Ordinary has permitted this for a grave cause (c.860, §1). Thus, the local Ordinary will permit this only for a grave cause. 2º Hospitals. Baptism is not to be celebrated in hospitals, unless the diocesan Bishop has decreed otherwise, except in case of necessity or some other compelling pastoral reason (c.860, §2). The local Ordinary can permit this without any limitation by the Code; and—it would seem—even the competent Chaplain or priest in case of some other compelling pastoral reason. 2) Other Canonical Requisites. Here we are referring to dispositions of the Code, not just purely ritual requirements (which would be in the particular rituals and liturgical books). a) Baptismal font. Every parish is to have a baptismal font, with due regard for the cumulative right already acquired by other Churches. The local Ordinary (…) may permit or order (…) that there be a baptismal font in another church or oratory within the boundaries of the parish (c.858, §§1-2). The mens legislatoris is clear: In the places where baptism is to be ordinarily administered, there should be a fixed baptismal font. b) Choice of name. Parents, godparents and the parish priest are to see that a name foreign to a Christian mentality is not given (c.855). c)New Holy Oil. The minister must use oils pressed from olives or from other plants that have been recently consecrated or blessed by the Bishop; he is not to use old oils unless there is some necessity (c.847, §1). This oil of catechumens—as it is called—is blessed by the Bishop in the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday. c. Registry and Proof of Baptism. The juridic situation that arises from the reception of this sacrament demands that the necessary measures are taken to safeguard not only the public good of the Church, but also the rights of the faithful that stem from it. Thus, the Code stipulates the following: 1) General Principles: a) Registry in the place of Baptism. In contrast to the criterion of the CIC17—which required communication of the fact of baptism to the parish where the baptized has (or will establish) his domicile or quasi-domicile—the new Code stipulates just keeping one registry, precisely in the place where the baptism took place. The subjects responsible for this are: 1º The parish priest of the place where the Baptism is celebrated must carefully and without delay record in the baptismal book the names of those baptized, making mention of the minister, parents, sponsors, witnesses if any, and the place and date of the conferred baptism, together with an indication of the date and place of birth (c.877, §1). 2º The minister of baptism, whoever it is—if Baptism was administered neither by the parish priest nor in his presence— must inform the pastor of the parish in which the Baptism was administered, so that he may record it in accord with c.877, §1 (c.878). b) Testimonial proof of Baptism. Aside from the written record, Canon Law admits testimonial proof of the administration of Baptism, with different degrees of proof, in two cases: 1º If it is not prejudicial to anyone, to prove the conferral of Baptism, the declaration of a single witness who is above suspicion, or the oath of the baptized person if the Baptism was received at an adult age (c.876). 2º All other cases require at least one witness, other than the baptized person. Thus, the Code stipulates that one who administers Baptism is to see to it that, unless a sponsor is present, there be at least a witness by whom the conferral of Baptism can be proved (c.875). Obligation of the Liturgy of the Hours (Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:) Q: I learned from an older priest that the breviary obligation binds a transitional deacon and priest under pains of mortal sin. I searched canon law and the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours but found no clear answer. What is the right way to think of that?—L.M., Etang Rey, Haiti A: During the development process for the 1983 Code of Canon Law it was decided to remove expressions such as “under pain of mortal sin” with respect to the external prescriptions of Church law. In part this was done to distinguish Church law and the moral law. Church law covers the external relationship of individuals in the Christian community. Since sin also involves internal factors, the law, in itself, does not bind under pain of sin. This technical distinction does not mean that no sin is committed by transgressing Church law. The fact that the code no longer binds attending Sunday Mass under pain of mortal sin does not change the fact that willful and inexcusable absence is mortally sinful. With respect to the obligation of the Liturgy of the Hours for transitional deacons and priests, the Congregation for Divine Worship on Nov. 15, 2000, issued a formal response to a doubt (Prot No. 2330/00/L) on this topic. This unofficial English translation was published by the liturgy office of the U.S. bishops’ conference. The congregation first makes a substantial affirmation regarding the nature of the Liturgy of the Hours: “The integral and daily celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours is, for priests and deacons on the way to the mandate of the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, which mandate pertains, therefore, to the orbit of ministerial responsibilities of the ordained, and goes beyond that of his personal piety. Sacred ministers, along with the Bishops, find themselves joined in the ministry of intercession for the People of God who have been entrusted to them, as they were to Moses (Ex 17, 8-16), to the Apostles (1 Tim 2, 1-6) and to the same Jesus Christ ‘who is at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for us’ (Rom 8, 34). Similarly, the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, no. 108 states: ‘Those who pray the psalms in the liturgy of the hours do so not so much in their own name as in the name of the entire Body of Christ.” The response adds some further historical and canonical background. It then addresses the central question of the obligation of the liturgy of the hours: “Question #1: What is the mind of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments regarding the extension of the obligation of celebration or reciting daily the Liturgy of the Hours? “Response: Those who have been ordained are morally bound, in virtue of the same ordination they have received, to the celebration or the entire and daily recitation of the Divine Office such as is canonically established in canon 276, § 2, n. 3 of the CIC, cited previously. This recitation does not have for its part the nature of a private devotion or of a pious exercise realized by the personal will alone of the cleric but rather is an act proper to the sacred ministry and pastoral office. “Question #2: Is the obligation sub gravi extended to the entire recitation of the Divine Office? “Response: The following must be kept in mind: “A serious reason, be it of health, or of pastoral service in ministry, or of an act of charity, or of fatigue, not a simple inconvenience, may excuse the partial recitation and even the entire Divine Office, according to the general principle that establishes that a mere ecclesiastical law does not bind when a serious inconvenience is present; “The total or partial omission of the Office due to laziness alone or due to the performance of activities of unnecessary diversion, is not licit, and even more so, constitutes an underestimation, according to the gravity of the matter, of the ministerial office and of the positive law of the Church; “To omit the Hours of Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers) requires a greater reason still, given that these Hours are the ‘double hinge of the daily Office’ (SC 89); “If a priest must celebrate Mass several times on the same day or hear confessions for several hours or preach several times on the same day, and this causes him fatigue, he may consider, with tranquility of conscience, that he has a legitimate excuse for omitting a proportionate part of the Office; “The proper Ordinary of the priest or deacon can, for a just or serious reason, according to the case, dispense him totally or partially from the recitation of the Divine Office, or commute it to another act of piety (as, for example, the Holy Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, a biblical or spiritual reading, a time of mental prayer reasonably prolonged, etc.). “Question: What role does the criterion of ‘veritas temporis’ (correspondence to time of day) play concerning this question? “Response: The answer must be given in parts, to clarify the diverse cases. “The ‘Office of Readings’ does not have a strict time assigned, and may be Liturgy / B5 priesthood, a substantial part of their ecclesial ministry. “Only an impoverished vision would look at this responsibility as a mere fulfilling of a canonical obligation, even though it is such, and not keep in mind that the sacramental ordination confers on the deacon and on the priest a special office to lift up to the one and triune God praise for His goodness, for His sovereign beauty, and for his merciful design for our supernatural salvation. Along with praise, priests and deacons present before the Divine Majesty a prayer of intercession so as to worthily respond to the spiritual and temporal necessities of the Church and all humanity. “In effect, even in similar circumstances, these prayers do not constitute a private act but rather form part of the public worship of the Church, in such a way that upon reciting the Hours, the sacred minister fulfills his ecclesial duty: the priest or deacon who in the intimacy of the Church, or of an oratory, or his residence, gives himself over to the celebration of the Divine Office effects, even when there may be no one who is accompanying him, an act which is eminently ecclesial in the name of the Church and in favor of all the Church, and inclusive of all humanity. The Roman Pontifical reads: ‘Are you resolved to maintain and deepen a spirit of prayer appropriate to your way of life and, in keeping with what is required of you, to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours for the Church and for the whole world?’ (Cf. Roman Pontifical, Rite of the Ordination of Deacons). “Thus, in the same rite of diaconal ordination, the sacred minister asks for and receives from the Church the © Pinky Barrientos, FSP / CBCPMedia www.flickr.com CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Year of the Youth B3 3rd Love Rocks! Youth Forum held in Cebu City ONE of the major events of the 2011 Year of the Youth of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines—the Love Rocks! Youth Forum— was celebrated in Cebu City on December 2-4. The forum took place in Don Bosco Technical Center, Punta Princesa, Cebu City, Dec. 2 during the Salesian Youth Movement National Assembly Days 2011. According to Fr. Allen Elevado, SDB, SYM coordinator of Southern Province and Over-All Team Head of NADs, the assembly, which is a collaboration of the Northern and Southern Provinces, happens every 3 years. “The difference with this year’s national celebration, [is that] it will also coincide with the Youth Forum titled Love Rocks! Forum,” said Elevado. Elevado said the first day of the National Assembly tackled the Year of the Youth. The gathering opened with a Mass at 2 p.m. presided by Most Rev. Julito Cortes, DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu. The Love Rocks! Youth Forum kicked off at 5 p.m., conducted and facilitated by the representatives of CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth-National Secretariat for Youth Apostolate. Like other runs of the Youth Forum, the recently-held forum also discussed the three segments namely: ‘kilig moments’, ‘heartbroken moments’, and ‘the original love story’. These three segments coincided with a real love story that was shared by two individuals but also offered to God, Elevado said. The organizers also invited the Archdiocesan Commission on Youth of Cebu and students from local schools. Around 1000 participants attended the Love Rocks! Forum which was followed by a Youth Jam session. (Ryan Rayos/ Jandel Posion) Give oneself to other this Christmas, youth told ANTICIPATING the birth of Christ and celebrating Christmas should not only signal the season of receiving gifts, but also of giving oneself as gift to others. This is what Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon urged the youth as he warned them from focusing entirely on parties, sales, gift-giving, travels and bonuses that abound this Christmas season. Baylon, who chairs the Episcopal Commission on Youth, told young Catholics to deeply reflect on the meaning of Christmas, beyond the material extravagance attributed to the yearend holidays. “Christmas is remembering the birth of Christ, who is God’s greatest gift to mankind. While we receive God’s gift in our lives, let us also receive His invitation to give ourselves as gift to others,” he said in an advent message to the youth. The prelate urged the youth to consider the Advent season as the best way to be charitable—in giving service to the Church and to the community. Baylon said it is also the season of God’s invitation for Catholics to “give ourselves to Him, to get to know Jesus: to befriend Him, and to take Him as a companion in our journey in finding the meaning and happiness in life.” “May your Christmas be merry not only because of the gifts you receive but also because you have also given yourself as a gift to God and to others,” he added. (YouthPinoy) YOUNG achievers in various spheres of Church and society are set to inspire and challenge fellow youth in a Christmas concert that highlights young people’s contribution to social development. Themed “Kabataang Pilipino: Handog sa Bayan at Simbahan,” the Christmas carol festival features young achievers in the field of entertainment and arts, politics and philanthropy. As recognized leaders in their respective fields of endeavor, the young achievers will give inspirational talks, motivating their young audience that it is possible to build a nation of progressive and morally stalwart citizens. Christmas concert highlights youth’s role in Church, society “We want to inspire and uplift the spirits of the young audience, as well as the young at heart,” said Monsignor Vic Bauson of the Archdiocese of Manila’s Ministry on Campus-Archdiocesan Commission on Youth. Performers include popular artists Yeng Constantino, Jovit Baldivino and Markki Stroem, as well youth ministries and organizations such as the De La Salle University Chorale, Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir, Kilyawan Boys Choir, Las Piñas Boys Choir, University of the East Chorale and the Claret Hataw. Manila Archbishop-elect Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle will also give a short address to the assembly. The concert is part of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Year of the Youth celebrations, which will culminate on December 16 this year. The CBCP-Year of the Youth was proclaimed by the Church in the Philippines to increase the people’s awareness of their plight and promote the youth’s active role in the church and society. “The Year of the Youth is the Catholic Church’s way of showing its undying love for and hope in the Filipino youth,” explained Fr. Nono Alfonso, SJ of Jesuit Communications. The Christmas concert, dubbed “Namamasko Po! Karoling ng Kabataang Pinoy” will be held on December 10, 2011 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum. It will be aired a week later on Studio 23. The event is organized by the Archdiocese of Manila’s Ministry on Campus-Archdiocesan Commission on Youth and Jesuit Communications Foundation. Tickets are available at all Tanging Yaman outlets and at the Jesuit Communications office. Contact 426-5971 or
[email protected]. (CBCPNews) Youth lead Mt. Samat pilgrimage for the first time THE Mt. Samat pilgrimage which the young people of Bataan spearheaded recently was the first religious journey the youth of the province had organized on their own. Since the pilgrimage began in 2004, it was only this year that the young people of the diocese were at the forefront of the pilgrimage. A total of 30,000 pilgrims from the different sectors, religious communities and organizations of the community attended the pilgrimage last Nov. 26. Diocesan youth director, Fr. Joshua Santos, MMHC, disclosed that they encountered some problems during rehearsals for the program but he is happy that despite the glitches it successfully ended. Santos said since it was the first time the group headed the pilgrimage, some misunderstandings cropped up especially when others failed to show up during practice. He said he told the youth that he was not aiming for a perfect Mt. Samat pilgrimage if it will only result to a squabble. “Even if our program is not perfect but I see you smiling, for me, that is [already a] success of the pilgrimage. I want you to smile and enjoy,” Santos told the young people. Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, who celebrated Mass during the pilgrimage, com m e n d e d t he r elig iou s journey, saying it was a great success. For his part, Diocesan Chancellor Msgr. Vic Ocampo noted that there were improvements in the recent Mt. Samat Pilgrimage since it started eight years ago. Among the many pilgrims who joined the pilgrimage include a young woman from France, 108 youth from Cabanatuan diocese, students from Catholic schools in the province and pilgrims from various vicariates of the diocese. “I mean it’s pretty new for Youth Commission endorses Christian Meditation Conference THE Episcopal Commission on Youth Chairman and Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon has endorsed the Christian Meditation Conference for young people held at SM Megamall’s Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord in Ortigas Center, Pasig City on Dec. 6 and 7. The conference, organized by the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) Philippines, presented an opportunity especially for the young people and youth ministers, to learn contemplation as a means to deepen their relationship with Christ. “These conferences which will both take place as we come to the conclusion of our CBCP Year of the Youth, aim to benefit our young people and to enrich our youth ministry,” said Baylon. The bishop also mentioned that the first conference on December 6 called the “Contemplative Executive” was prepared particularly for young professionals (blue and white collar), formands, and other young people eager to develop contemplation towards a fuller life. The other conference on December 7 called “Stillness in Schools” catered to educators (government and sectarian) and parents. Both conferences were facilitated by WCCM Director Rev. Fr. Laurence Freeman, OSB. “I look at these Conferences as opportunities to live our cry this Year of the Youth to stand firm in the faith and do all our work in love [cf. 1 Cor 16:13-14], with contemplation as the way,” Baylon said. He added that “looking beyond this special year for our young people, these Conferences remain relevant and helpful for us in the youth ministry in our desire to cultivate prayer among the young, as it nurtures the relationship with Christ, he who is the foundation of Christian life.” Baylon also urged those responsible for youth ministry, in the dioceses and member organizations of the Federation of National Youth Organizations (FNYO), as well as those in youth ministries in parishes, campuses and other settings, to attend the conferences as a fitting follow-up to the National Youth Day 2011. “I also personally call on each young person—studying, working or still searching—to avail of this opportunity. This could be a light in your journey towards true joy and lasting fulfillment,” he added. The Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord can sit comfortably 1,000 participants. But while seat availability was on a first come first serve basis, organizers asked interested participants to confirm their attendance with the secretariat to assure them of a seat. They also emphasized that tickets were not required but participants are encouraged to give love offerings according to the prodding of their heart. “This is to help us cover Fr. Laurence’s transportation, provide him with a modest stipend in appreciation of his support to achieve our dream of helping our youth fare better in this day and age and give a donation to the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord to help defray for the cost of electricity and manpower during the conferences,” the organizers explained. (Jandel Posion) Over 50 animators from the Diocese of Balanga liven up the program during the Mt. Samat Youth Pilgrimage this year. www.facebook.com Samat / B7 Balanga diocese honors outstanding youth during pilgrimage IN a first for the diocese, the Diocesan Youth Ministry (DYM) of Balanga officially recognized outstanding youth leaders during the annual Mt. Samat Youth pilgrimage last Saturday. Models to ‘look up to’ Following an encouragement from the CBCP – Episcopal Commission on Youth to honor young, inspiring leaders in celebration of the CBCP – Year of the Youth, Balanga recognized Jay Quicho, Allen Bangug, Terry Suba, Anthony Bliss, Mary Anne Carbonilla, Amelia Reyes, Jiji De Villa – CYM, Sr. Ruby Rita Linsangan CYM, Tristan Ralf Pacheco and Shiela Salangsang as the ten ‘Most Outstanding Youth Leaders’ in the diocese. Fr. Joshua Maria Santos, MMHC, the Balanga Diocesan Youth Director and chairperson of the Mt. Samat pilgrimage this year explained the reason for the awards, “We recognize them so that the [other] young leaders can look up to someone..[So that they can see] they are not alone in the ministry.” Fr. Santos called the awardees “shining examples”. Mix of ‘veterans’, new faces The awardees were a mix of youth ministry ‘veterans’ and relatively new leaders from the different vicariates who have shown exemplary dedication and passion in serving the youth. Bishop Ruperto Santos presents certificates to 10 outstanding youth leaders from the Diocese of Balanga during a simple ceremony at the Dambana ng Kagitingan. Fr. Santos described some of the awardees’ extraordinary contributions to the ministry, “[Sila ang mga] nagdadala ng thousands of youth to the World Youth Day, sila ang nagbibigay ng Youth Encounter not just in the diocese but in Central Luzon. Sila talaga ang iniinvite.” Awards, enthusiasm booster For some of the awardees, being awarded came as a surprise. One of the awardees, Tristan Ralf Pacheco, 29, from the vicariate of St. Michael the Archangel, said, “Nung sinabi s’akin, nabigla po ako kasi ‘di ko naman ineexpect. Pakiramdam ko kasi, simple lang ako na youth leader. [When I was told, I was surprised because I didn’t expect it. It’s because I feel that I’m just a simple youth leader.]” For Pacheco who had been serving actively Balanga / B7 www.facebook.com www.filamnation.com B4 An enduring legacy of love Features By Rev. Fr. Deogracias Aurelio V. Camon, M.A. THE Season of Advent 2011 marks the beginning of a lasting legacy of enduring love and solicitude of the Diocese of Bacolod for its clergy. On December 15, a day before the beginning of the Aguinaldo Masses, Most Rev. Vicente M. Navarra, D.D., will bless the St. John Mary Vianney Complex. The Complex which is envisioned to become a “Priests’ Village” will include among many other structures and facilities, the New Domus Dei Hospice. The Old Domus Dei Building inside the Sacred Heart Seminary Compound has been the residence and hospice for the sick, elderly and retired priests for years. Unfortunately, the Old Domus Dei building is located along busy city streets. Moved by his concern for his priests and the need to provide due care to sick and elderly priests, Bishop Navarra deemed it opportune to build a new hospice and residence located in a place away from the noise of the bustling city. This noble dream and endeavor began to take shape when Sir Knight Roberto Jalandoni and his family donated for this purpose a five-hectare lot located in Hacienda Makina, Silay City located approximately 14 kilometers North of Bacolod City. However, what started as a simple plan of just constructing a new Domus Dei Building expanded into a vision of building a “Priests’ Village” which will cater not only to the needs of the sick, elderly and retired priests but also to provide a place for those in active ministry. The newly constructed Domus Dei Hospice contains individual rooms for sick and retired priests, a refectory, kitchen, clinic, office and a chapel. It is already set for occupancy after the blessing on December 15. Some members of an Italian founded congregation, the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception of Charity, will take care of the daily operations of Hospice. At present, other buildings such as the dormitory, a covered pavilion, guesthouses and individual houses for priests were already completed. Msgr. Noly A. Que, LRMS, who is in-charge of construction, revealed of plans to build in the future with the help of generous benefactors, a Shrine to St. John Mary Vianney, a columbary, an activity center and a Nursing Home for the laity. The construction of a Retreat House/Center for Spirituality CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 and a Rosary Park are also in the plans. This is in connection with the vision of Bishop Navarra that St. John Mary Vianney Complex will not only be considered as a “retirement” place but also to provide a place for prayer and spiritual refreshment for both the clergy and the laity. This makes the St. John Mary Vianney Complex, indeed, a community where the clergy and the laity can interact and live together in a place that reflects a sense of communion and filial love. According to Msgr. Que, the completed buildings and facilities constituted only a third of the whole project. There is still the need to raise more funds to build the other buildings, facilities and for the procurement of furniture and fixtures. During the Clergy Concert held in the University of St. La Salle Coliseum on November 25, 2011, he appealed to the faithful to continue their support for the well-being of the clergy especially the sick priests. He also asked those present to help for the on-going construction of St. John Mary Vianney Complex. For those interested to help make this dream a reality, please contact Msgr. Noly A. Que, LRMS at the Queen of Peace Parish, Bacolod City at (034) 434-2932. Jamaican missionary honored with peace award in Manila By Ronalyn Regino A JAMAICAN missionary known as the male counterpart of Mother Teresa was conferred an award for his untiring efforts to help the poor live a dignified life. Father Richard Ho Lung, Founder of the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP), was honored in Manila with the Gusi Peace Prize for his untiring efforts of working for people’s betterment and in finding peaceful solutions for their welfare. The awarding ceremonies were held last November 24 at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City. Surprised to be included among the recipients of the peace award he did not even know existed, Fr. Ho Lung decided to come and receive the award after being encouraged by some local friends and clergy. “He felt it is fitting to receive it as it is both an honor for the Church, the local church in the Philippines, and it is a gift to the poor on whose behalf he is receiving the award,” Father Charles Susai, MOP secretary-general said. The Gusi Peace Prize is Asia’s foremost awarding body and among the leading in the world today, according to its website, gusipeaceprizeinternational. org. It is a charitable foundation based in Manila, Philippines, whose main objective is to recognize and give proper recognition through the conferment of awards of excellence and distinction to individuals or groups worldwide who have distinguished themselves as brilliant exemplars of society or who contributed toward the attainment of peace and respect for human life and dignity in various categories. Fr. Ho Lung’s accomplishments, achievements and contributions to world peace, respect and dignity of human life, as an exemplary Catholic priest, has made him a living example for others to emulate, not only in Jamaica, where the apostolate was founded, but throughout Africa, Asia, the United States of America, Europe and the international community. Aside from receiving the award, Fr. Ho Lung’s visit in the country was highlighted by the ground breaking of the construction of a building for the homeless in San Andres, Bukid, Manila and for the elderly in Cebu City. He also met and personally shown his gratitude to Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, the outgoing Archbishop of Manila, who welcomed the Missionaries of the Poor into the archdiocese of Manila. Fr. Ho Lung has been in and out of the country for apostolic visits to his communities since the 90’s. This time, he Jamaican / B7 CoNTRIBuTED PhoTo By Melo Acuña Filipino workers in HongKong: A situationer Mr. Roldan said he is impressed with Hong Kong’s judicial system because it is very efficient in calling opposing parties to the conciliation table. He said workers have shelters to choose from should they lose their work while their complaints have not been resolved. These shelters are run by employment agencies here. The POLO also has a shelter for them and the Catholic Church and non-government organizations. The shelters provide temporary homes to domestic workers awaiting decisions on their formal complaints, to workers who are respondents to several complaints and cancerstricken workers. “Cancer-stricken workers prefer to stay in Hong Kong because medication is free,” Roldan said. But despite the recent court victory of a Filipina domestic seeking permanent residency in Hong Kong and an increase in number of applicants, an informal radio survey conducted on 200 respondents said they still prefer to return to the Philippines. The average age of Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong is between 30-35 years with a 75year old woman as the oldest. Caring for other people’s children Gloh Greganda is one of the hundreds of thousands of Filipina workers in the former crown colony. For her, an ordinary working day would mean cooking, cleaning the flat, washing clothes and attending to his employers’ son who is now a teenager. This routine is observed from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, Gloh works as a secretary to the St. Joseph Parish, carefully preparing documents brought to her by parents whose children are to be baptized. She also attends to concerns from other Filipinas who usually hold prayer meetings at the church premises. Gloh said she has been working in Hong Kong since December 1990 and has worked for a single employer ever since. “Umuwi na po ako sa Pilipinas after five years subalit noong manganak ang bunso nilang anak, pinapunta ako muli dito sa Hong Kong,” Gloh, a high school graduate told CBCPNews. Asked if her employers were good, she said “they really are.” She added she would not have lasted this long if not for the good treatment she received from her employers. Her daily work routine allows her to retire early and rest but there were also instances when she slept late especially when her employers would entertain guests. Now that her ward is a teenager, she can go home at most three times every two years, particularly when her employers go on vacation elsewhere. Greganda, who hails from Calamba City, said she also heard of fellow domestic workers who have been treated unfairly by employers. She described these as verbal abuse, lack of appropriate food and some misunderstandings. “The Hong Kong government is looking after the welfare of overseas workers so we can be assured these abuses will be significantly minimized,” she said. Being a domestic worker in Hong Kong offers both recognition and pain. Gloh said there were a couple of times when she asked her ward to help her and her ward would answer, “Yes, Mother” which created a negative reaction from the boy’s biological mother. “I was surprised the boy called me ‘Mother’ and my employer reacted as expected pointing out to her son that she is the real mother,” she said. However, when she went home in the Philippines, she found lockers with her husband’s and their children’s names. When she asked why her name was not in the locker, her youngest son replied, “Sa maleta mo na lang ilagay, lagi naman kayong umaalis, eh.” During Gloh’s last visit to Laguna, her youngest son who now has a family of his own, recalled that he was seven years old when she left them for Hong Kong. “Today, I now have a sevenyear old child and you’re still in Hong Kong,” Gloh quoted her son as saying. She said it is indeed ironic that she attends to other couple’s children while she cannot attend to her own. rewarding and challenging. She said she was able to recruit public school teachers from Baguio and Davao while those from Ilocos provinces were mostly nurses who attended to the elderly and sick Hong Kong nationals. Confubut, a Thai national, said most of these professionals worked only in the former Crown colony for two years as they have regularly sought employment in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. “They make Hong Kong their stepping stone to much better lives,” she added. The veteran recruiter said she’s still in touch with her former wards through social networking and is always delighted to discover they are in much better conditions now. Asked of her advice to young Filipinas who entertain dreams of working in Hong Kong, Confubut said they should stop watching Filipino television channels and shift to English programs for them to improve their English. She added there were some college graduates who cannot speak straight English. “English programs would help them a lot,” she added. Way out for domestic helpers For Filipinas who are employed as domestic helpers, there are other opportunities to explore. Donald D. Retirado, a native of Bacolod City and a long-time Hong Kong resident, said they have organized a group of 33 domestic helpers who underwent professional driving instructions. “While they used to receive over $3,000 HK as domestic helpers, nine of them have begun receiving $9,000 as family drivers,” Retirado said. He BEHIND a population of nearly eight million and crisscrossing of avenues and boulevards are the usually unseen workers who keep Hong Kong families together. There are the 140,000 or so domestic helpers who work from Monday to Saturday, residing in flats and high-rise condominiums in Kowloon, New Territories and Hong Kong, a bustling melting pot of culture, language and business. It has been said that one would see the former British Colony’s Filipina domestic managers by the thousands every Sunday since years ago. True enough, thousands of them gather at St. Joseph Church for the regular Sunday Mass, celebrated either in English or Filipino. Hong Kong nationals prefer Filipino workers Philippine Labor Attache Manuel C. Roldan said Hong Kong nationals prefer Filipina workers because of their education and capability to teach English to children. “Young couples now demand for Filipino workers,” Roldan told CBCPNews. Having been assigned as Labor Attache to Saudi Arabia and Rome, Italy, he said he was impressed with Hong Kong as far as its protection for migrant workers is concerned. He added that the laws protect workers in terms of the existing contracts established by the Hong Kong government. “All these are enforced by government from rest day to specific type of work to be done, limitations and the provision that workers should be accorded enough food or provided by a monthly food allowance,” he said. Recruiter’s views: growing demands still exist Soraya Confubut, general manager of Nitscheke Employment Co., a recruitment firm she established in 1990, says that for Hong Kong professionals and businessmen, there is still a growing demand for Englishspeaking Filipina domestic helpers. Speaking to CBCPNews, Confubut, a frequent visitor in Manila and the provinces, said the parents’ priorities include giving their children the capability to speak and comprehend English. “It is value-added found in Filipinas,” she said. Asked with the possible entry of Malaysians and Indonesians, she said Filipinos are beyond compare. The recruiter said her job is both added some have even sought employment in Canada, not as domestic helpers but as family drivers. Drivers in Hong Kong are highly qualified to work elsewhere in the world because of their strict adherence to traffic rules and regulations. Retirado, a local hire of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office for over ten years, now runs a remittance services and money exchange and sari-sari stores in two computer shops he and his wife operate. With internet, overseas workers can now touch base with their family through videocams and real time. “Noong araw, magastos ang overseas calls at mga air mail tapos gumastos sila ng over $200 HK para sa load ng cellphone pero ngayon, sa internet madali na, mura pa,” he said. He said additional skills will take Filipinas out of household chores. “In fact, our lady family drivers are giving their Filipino male counterparts stiff competition,” Retirado said. A Pastor’s view: ‘they hang on their faith’ Filipinos in Hong Kong find a friend and a confidante especially in times of distress in Fr. Emil Lim, an SVD missionary, who is assigned as chaplain of overseas workers and migrants in Hong Kong. Interviewed at the B.P. International Hotel along Austin Road in Kowloon, Fr. Lim said he attends to the pastoral requirements of his flock aside from helping them with work-related concerns and counseling, providing the sacraments. He said his job is just like that of any parish priest but migrants have their own concerns that Hong Kong / B7 Photo Courtesy of Fr. Charles Susai, MoP CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Statements B5 Statement on the distribution of Hacienda Luisita “The LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” (Psalm 140:12) WE at CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace share the elation and gratitude felt by the 6,296 farmerbeneficiaries in Hacienda Luisita. The long-awaited decision of the Supreme Court to distribute 4,816 hectares of the vast sugar estate is a stirring victory for the farmers after more than twenty years of struggling for justice. In this moment of rejoicing, we are reminded of God’s promise that He, indeed, hears the cry of the poor. We recognize that the works of agrarian justice is far from realized, but nevertheless we are grateful for the part played by the Department of Agrarian Reform in its steadfast objection against stock distribution option and its expressed preference for land distribution. DAR contributed in no small measure to winning the fight and we pray that this shall be the attitude it intends to assume in the crucial days ahead. We appeal to the government to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to the farmworkerbeneficiaries. Comprehensive land reform is not just the distribution of land but also helping the farmer beneficiaries to make the land productive. We call to the sense of justice and compassion of President Aquino to unburden the farmer-beneficiaries of the purportedly Php 2billion debts made by Hacienda Luisita Incorporated to San Miguel Corporation. The likelihood of having to shoulder such onerous liability, even at the dawn of their rejoicing, is like a douse of disappointment that negates the justice rendered to the farmers. If this loan were indeed negotiated between the two corporations owned by the president’s family, then he must parley on behalf of the farmers to absolve them of debts which they did not even profit from in the first place. The Hacienda Luisita case is a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court and we dare hope and pray that this victory for the farmers was gained for justice’s sake and not for any political moves. Thus we remain hopeful that the High Court will manifest consistent judgments and revoke the 12 SDO schemes by other landholdings covering more than 2,000 hectares all over the country. Now that a decision has been made in their favour, we call on the farmers groups in Hacienda Luisita to strengthen one another in mutual support and avoid any form of discord that will drive a wedge between and among their ranks. Likewise, we appeal to civil societies and the general public to steadfastly support the cause of the farmers and move in unity and solidarity with them until they are securely installed in their lands. The case is partially won and the adversaries might try to derail the actual land distribution. But in unity there is strength. So we pray for their continuous vigilance and determination to keep their land. Finally, we pray that acceptance, peace, justice and reconciliation reign in the hearts of people so that we can conclusively move towards the emancipation of the poor of our agricultural sector. National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA-JP) 5 December 2011 ‘Our Own Lives Become Transfigured Into Christ’s Coming for Humanity’ Advent Message for Priests from Clergy Congregation Prefect DEAR Priests, In this special time of Grace the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Icon and Model of the Church, wants us to be introduced to that vigilance which is the constant attitude of Her Immaculate heart. In fact, the Virgin lived constantly in prayerful vigilance. In vigilance, She received the announcement that changed the history of humanity. In vigilance, She kept and contemplated, more than any other, the Almighty who became her Son. In vigilance, filled with loving and grateful wonder, She gave birth to the Light Himself and, together with St Joseph, became a disciple of He to whom She had given birth. He was adored by the shepherds and the kings, welcomed in jubilation by Simeon and the prophetess Anna, feared by the doctors in the temple, loved and followed by the disciples and opposed and condemned by His people. In the vigilance of her maternal heart, Mary followed Christ right up to the foot of the cross where, in the immense sorrow of a pierced heart, She accepted us as her new sons. In vigilance, Lift the yoke of injustice, show compassion to the poorest of the poor Cory Aquino assumed presidency, the legal battles to reclaim the revenues of the levy commenced, but up to this time, justice remains elusive for the coconut farmers. This sector and their families number to around 20 million and account for the 60% poverty incidence in the country. Data shows that the average earning of a coconut farmer ranges from Php 20 to 30 per day or roughly Php10,000 a year. Their alarming condition prompted the National Anti-Poverty Commission to hail them as the nation’s “poorest of the poor”. The National Secretariat for Social Action – Justice and Peace appeals to the sense of justice and compassion of the magistrates of the Supreme Court. Their recent ruling granting 20% share of SMC to Conjuangco was based on mere technicalities devoid of social merit. Any logical person will conclude that since both the 20% and 24% shares of SMC were obtained using the CIIF, the majority of shares comprising 44% belong to the coconut farmers. SC’s inexplicable pronouncement eroded the trust not only of the coconut sector, but also the nation as a whole, to the impartiality of the judiciary. A reversal of their decision will not only restore public confidence but also herald the end of a painful and humiliating dominance of wealth and power over our justice system. CBCP-NASSA reiterates its continual She waited with certainty for the Resurrection and was Assumed into Heaven. Dearest friends, Christ constantly watches over His Church and over every one of us! We are all called to enter into that vigilance, that passionate observation of reality that moves us between two fundamental directions: the recollection of meeting Christ in our lives and the great mystery of being His priests and the openness to the ‘category of possibility’. The Virgin Mary, was in fact ‘recollected’, which means that in her heart She constantly relived what God had done for Her and, in the certainty of this reality, She lived the duty of being the Mother of the Almighty. The Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, was then constantly willing and open to the ‘possible’, to that materialization of God’s Will in daily circumstances and also in those that are most unexpected. Also today, from heaven, the Virgin keeps us in Christ’s living memory and continually opens the possibility of Divine Mercy to us. Dearest Brothers and Friends, let us ask Her for a heart that is able to relive Christ’s coming in our lives, a heart able to contemplate the way in which the Son of God, on the day of our Ordination, radically and definitely marked our entire existence immerging us in His priestly heart. He renews us daily in the Eucharistic Celebration so that our own lives become transfigured into Christ’s coming for humanity. Finally, let us ask for an attentive heart able to recognize the signs of Jesus’ coming in the lives of every man, especially to the young who are entrusted to us, so that we are able to recognize the sign of that special coming which is the vocation to the Priesthood. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Priests and Queen of the Apostles, always grants those humble requests for that priestly paternity which is the only thing able to “accompany” the youth on the joyful and enthusiastic journey to follow Christ. In the “Yes” of the Annunciation, we are also encouraged to be coherent to the “Yes” of our ordination. In the Visitation to Saint Elisabeth, we are encouraged to live that divine intimacy in order to bring Christ’s presence to the others and to translate it into joyful service without the limits of time and space. In the Holy Mother’s act of wrapping the Baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and adoring Him, we learn to treat the Most Holy Eucharist with an ineffable love. By conserving every event within our own hearts, we learn from Mary how to gather around the Only Necessity. With these sentiments I assure all the dear Priests around the world of a special remembrance in the Celebration of the Holy Mysteries. I ask everyone for the prayerful support for the ministry that was entrusted to me and, before the crib, let us implore the ability to become that what we are every day. CARDINAL MAURO PIACENZA Prefect, Congregation for the Clergy November 27, 2011 © Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia Making a sense out of the confusion WE are a nation that seems to thrive in crisis. We live from crisis to crisis and somehow we seem to manage to make the best in us come forth in each crisis. Among the most recent crisis that we have been faced with in the past weeks is the issue of allowing the predecessor of our present President to travel abroad considering the criminal charges being prepared against her and the resulting animosity between the Chief Executive and the Supreme Court which experts say could lead to more serious political crisis. It is not for me as your archbishop to pass a judgment on this present state of affairs among our national public servants. I choose to keep my opinion about these matters to myself. I am a churchman not a politician. But inasmuch as you have asked me to help you see through the current events, let me offer these aids to help you reflect on the current events from the light of our Christian faith. I seek peace. Let me help you seek peace. The primary question is: Is it the truth? Are the protagonists always candid and forthright with the whole truth? Truth must always be laid out in full. Truth is hurt by partial honesty. It is our duty as responsible citizens to seek the truth ourselves and arrive at our own moral judgment. Do not just parrot what the opposing parties say. Seek the truth. Tell the truth. Defend the truth always. Be open. Resist half truths and lies. Secondly, is it just? Is it fair to the accused whose innocence we must presume until proven guilty? Is the common good always kept in mind? Is the process just? Is the law observed without fear or favor? Is due process used in pursuit of justice or to cover up an injustice? The goal of due process is not to protect the guilty but to insure that the rule of law is maintained. Is it respectful of institutions? The institutions in society are there for the common good. We must distinguish between the person in office and the position he holds. Is the Supreme Court respectful of the President and is the President respectful of the Supreme Court regardless of personal differences? We must never be wanting in respect and civility without giving in to hypocrisy and niceties of protocol. Be respectful but do not withdraw from a chance to stand up for the truth. Is it the most loving thing to do? Would Jesus do what we are doing or say what we are saying? At the end of all of these we will all be judged in the weighing scale of love. Is it compassionate and merciful? Is it kind and charitable? In the conflict between being right and being loving, let us choose to be more loving always. One who loves is always on the side of God who is love himself. My dear people of God, it is time to take a critical look at the discordant opinions we hear and use the teachings of the Lord to make your own assessment of the current situation. Is it the truth? Is it just? Is it respectful of institutions? Is it most loving? Pray for guidance to see as Jesus sees. To act as Jesus would act. Take courage. Bawal ang duwag. Manindigan. +SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS, DD Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan December 6, 2011 THE three-decade struggle of the coconut farmers to claim their rightful ownership of the coco levies reflects a severe anomaly in our justice system. Despite the Sandiganbayan’s pronouncement in 2004 regarding the public nature of the funds, the coconut farmers, the rightful beneficiaries of the levy, continue to live in abject, grinding poverty. Since 1973 to 1982, former dictator Ferdinand Marcos issued a series of presidential decrees automatically taxing millions of small coconut farmers all over the country. When a farmer sold 100 kilos of copra, P15 was automatically collected by the Philippine Coconut Authority to fund government programs that “aim to benefit and develop the coconut industry”. It wasn’t long before the tax increased to P60 so that by 1982, a total of P9.6 billion was already accumulated by the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) placed at the behest and disposal of Marcos cronies. For nine years, this tax, known to us as coco levy, was borne by millions of impoverished coconut farmers that robbed them of billions of income while conversely benefited very few cronies, primarily Danding Cojuangco. As the legal administrator of the levies, Cojuangco was able to acquire United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) and eventually, majority stocks at the San Miguel Corporation (SMC). When Martial Law finally ended and Liturgy / B2 appeal to President Noynoy Aquino to break his silence on social issues and for once come to the defense of the farmers. While we welcome his respect for the subsidiarity of government agencies, he is also duty bound to directly look after the rights of the poor and make sure that considerations of their wellbeing always precede his decisions and actions. We further implore that he stay faithful to the promise made by his mother, the late President Cory, to render justice to the coconut farmers, whose suffering was first and foremost perpetuated by their relative. The escrowed levies, now estimated to value over a hundred billion, will be a sizeable infusion to the social services for the coconut industry. The Church hence hopes that an immediate and long-term program will be conceived to guarantee that the money will truly benefit the poorest of the poor, and end the cycle of hunger and poverty that hounded them for generations. As their thirty-year cry for justice reverberates, we remember the Lord’s words to his people, “If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.” (Proverbs 21:13 + BRODERICK S. PABILLO, DD National Director National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA-JP) celebrated at any hour, and it can be omitted if there exists one of the reasons signaled out in the answer indicated under number 2 above. According to custom, the Office of Readings may be celebrated any time beginning with the evening hours or night time hours of the previous day, after Evening Prayer (Vespers) (Cf. GILH, 59). “The same holds true for the ‘intermediate hours,’ which, nevertheless, have no set time for their celebration. For their recitation, the time that intervenes between morning and afternoon should be observed. Outside of choir, of the three hours, Mid-Morning Prayer (Tertia), Mid-Day Prayer (Sexta), and Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Nona), it is fitting to select one of these three, the one that more easily corresponds to the time of day, so that the tradition of praying during the day, in the midst of working, be maintained (Cf. GILH, 77). “By itself, Morning Prayer (Lauds) should be recited during the morning hours and Evening Prayer (Vespers) during the evening hours, as the names of these parts of the Office indicate. If someone cannot recite Morning Prayer (Lauds) in the morning, he has the obligation of reciting it as soon thereafter as possible. In the same way, if Evening Prayer (Vespers) cannot be recited during the evening hours, it must be recited as soon thereafter as possible (SC 89). In other words, the obstacle, which impedes the observation of the ‘true time of the hours’, is not by itself a cause that excuses the recitation either of Morning Prayer (Lauds) or of Evening Prayer (Vespers), because it is a question of the ‘Principal Hours’ (SC, 89) which ‘merit the greatest esteem’ (GILH, 40). “Whoever willingly recites the Liturgy of the Hours and endeavors to celebrate the praises of the Creator of the universe with dedication, can at least recite the psalmody of the hour that has been omitted without the hymn and conclude with only a short reading and the prayer.” B6 Ref lections CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Do People Recognize God’s Presence in the World through Our Christian Life? 3rd Sunday of Advent – Year B (John 1:6-8; 19-28) December 11, 2011 By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD IT is probably not an exaggeration to say that, of all mortals, those whose names are well known are showbiz celebrities and politicians. Almost to a man, both are eager to publish their names and everything they do, and writers are even paid to promote their self-importance. Probably, no mortals crave to have the spotlight focused on them than these two groups of people. No deed of theirs is so small to pass unnoticed. Of some politicians, it could be said that while alive, they name buildings and streets after them through people loyal to them. Notices are put up on government projects to say that these are being undertaken through their efforts. How they wish, one can only conclude about their frame of mind, they were always in the limelight, the center of attention of their followers and fans! And funny that some of them would even view themselves as larger than life. In the Bible, God alone is the center of life. It is incumbent upon people, as creatures, to recognize how he works in history. Though God is transcendent, he is involved in the affairs of men. In his plan to share his life with them, he raised up a people to be his own to proclaim his deeds in history. By recognizing him as the only Lord and God, men can experience wholeness and integrity in their individual and communitarian life. (On the other hand, the lordship of men over others will only bring evils to the community.) It is for this reason that God raised prophets. The prophets proclaim that the caring and loving God is present among his people, and that he is working on their behalf. Thus, in the First Reading (Isa 61:1-2.9-11), Isaiah says that he was anointed by God to proclaim a new order which God is giving to those who had been exiled to Babylon: glad tidings to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, liberty to captives, release to prisoners, comfort to those who mourn and a year of favor to all. He will ultimately establish justice upon the earth (Isa 61:1-2.11). In all this, however, it is important to notice that in so proclaiming, Isaiah identifies himself as God’s servant who points not to himself but to the saving deeds of Yahweh among his people. In the Gospel (John 1:6-8.1928), we meet another prophet by the name of John the Baptizer. God is sending the true light to us. Here we become like road signs—people can point to us as signs of what real life is all about. We do not stand in the middle of the road. We are readable and clear signs of how God works in our present history. Matthew puts it this way: “Your light must shine before men so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father” (Matt 5:16). John has something akin to this: “But he who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God” (John 3:21). The focus of other people’s attention is not we, who are merely signposts, but God our heavenly Father. Thus the Gospel is a challenge: Is God recognized in our lives? Do people perceive his presence in the world through the life we lead? Being a Christian is not really about telling people about what one has done either in the Church or in the secular society, or about what one has contributed to the uplift of people from misery, no matter how noble this may be; rather, in contrast to being a showbiz personality or being a politician, being a Christian is about allowing people to recognize God’s presence in all we say and do. to the world to enlighten men so that, once they accept the light, they will be empowered to become children of God (John 1:11-12). By accepting the light, men will receive light. When John came on the scene, preaching God’s word and calling them to repentance, people flocked to him in big numbers. He was an instant celebrity. And were he a politician, he could have utilized his popularity, and initiated a personality cult around him. But he did not. He never capitalized on his reputation. Asked by the priests and Levites from Jerusalem, he did not claim to be a Messiah (anointed by God), or an Elijah returned to earth (Mal 3:23), or a prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15.18). Rather, like Isaiah’s, his mission was to let people realize what God was active among them: that God sent his Son, the true light, and his job is simply to testify to the light (John 1:8). He was the voice in the desert prophesied by Isaiah to prepare for the coming of the true light, the Messiah. Such is the call of every Christian, and of every Christian community—we are called to proclaim his saving deeds, we are called to be witnesses to the true light, Christ himself. Just as John the Baptizer proclaimed what God was doing among his people, so we must proclaim what God is doing in the community and in the world. And the witness to his living presence is our life itself. John the Baptizer’s appearance betrayed that he came from God. The same should be true of our life. It should point to what God is doing in our midst, among the people we are part of. There are various ways of doing this, and one of them is to be sensitive to the events happening in our midst. In these events, we can recognize what God wants to say 4th Sunday of Advent B (Luke 1:26-38) December 18, 2011 By Msgr. Lope C. Rodredillo, SThD A FEW weeks after the Marcoses were unseated in February 1986, many books were written about the fourday Edsa Revolution. One of the interesting features of the event, as narrated in several books, is that the outcome was a far cry from what many actors of the event hoped to transpire, and the scenario many political analysts thought would take place. As is well known, Juan Ponce Enrile, together with Gregorio Honasan, Red Kapunan and the RAM had their own plans of what to do with the Marcos machinery. They had their own timetable. Of course, their plan failed, for what came off was People Power—a scenario which the communists and military adventurers never thought of. Indeed, even when the Edsa event continued to unfold, many political analysts came to the conclusion that it was highly probable that the communists would profit in the end. But they were wrong. No one thought of it— but People Power was born. And for a man of faith, this illustrates what the wisdom of God means (Rom 16:27). And it came as a surprise. The First Reading and the Gospel can be seen in this perspective. Both focus on the wisdom of God. Of this wisdom, Isaiah puts it beautifully: “For my thoughts Foolish / B7 What Appears Foolish to Men Shows the Wisdom of God How to prepare ourselves to welcome the Lord Reflections on the 3rd Sunday of Advent (B) December 11, 2011 He knew he was not the Messiah, but only his herald—a voice, sent to proclaim in the desert: “Make straight the way of the Lord!” He knew that his mission was to prepare the hearts of the people to welcome the Christ, and to point him out to them. And all these he fulfilled with transparent sincerity and unique straightforwardness, ready to quit the stage as soon as the great Protagonist would appear. In his humility, John thought of himself as less than a slave, a servant unworthy even to render the most humble service to the One he had been sent to introduce. (See Jn 1:27.) John was humble and honest. Because of this, he was able to recognize Christ and rejoice in him. What about us? We, too, are preparing for the Lord’s coming—both his final coming and his “spiritual” coming at Christmas. By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB SOME people get easily puffed up at the thought of the task entrusted them. They enjoy every bit of the honor given them on account of the institution or person they represent. Some even forget that they are just “representatives” and gradually steal the show, keeping for themselves the honor meant for the one who sent them. John, the most privileged of all the prophets, never fell into that trap. His preaching had been making quite an impact. When delegations from the authorities in Jerusalem came to interview him (see Jn 1:19ff), he proved to be an honest man who knew his place and never lost sight of his mission. John knew he was not the light, but only the one sent to announce its dawning. What is our attitude to him? Curiosity? Indifference? Eagerness? It should be obvious that the effectiveness and fruitfulness of our preparation depend on us. Today’s first and second readings contain valuable insights on how we should prepare for the Lord’s coming in all the richness of its meaning. Applying to ourselves the message of the prophet Isaiah, we should conclude that we, too, like the prophet and the Messiah, are sent “to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted . . .” (See First Reading, v. 1f.) St. Paul tells us how we should prepare for the coming of the Lord: by rejoicing in Him, praying without ceasing , . . . retaining what is good and refraining from every kind of evil. (See Second Reading, vv. 16-22.) There is more than enough in the texts of Isaiah and Paul to make our Advent challenging and fruitful. Jesus, the God-with-us Solemnity of Christmas December 25, 2011 By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB ALREADY the prophet Isaiah had announced that the child to be born of the Virgin would be “Immanuel”—a name that means “God-with-us.” (See Is 7:14). Such a name could be both a wish (May God be with us) or a statement of a fact: “God is with us.” In both cases, however, the name “Immanuel” implied that God would show a special love and concern for His people in terms of protection against overpowering enemies, or abundance of favors in life. But when the Messiah was born, God went far beyond what any Jew would have dared to imagine or hope for: God Himself, really and personally became “one of them.” This was, indeed, the highest degree not only of solidarity but also of identification with His people. But the birth of God’s Son as a human being has a meaning and a message that far transcends the limited horizon of the Chosen People. The Incarnation concerns the whole of humankind. It concerns every human being. All of us can say that in Jesus God became one of us. This is a tremendous sign of honor. It is a fact that spells salvation, for “if God is with us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31) But what can this extraordinary event mean, aside from honor and salvation for all of us? The Incarnation of God’s Son has also other meanings or messages both about God Himself and about us. Today, we can focus on just a few of these “additional messages.” The birth of God’s Son in the grotto of Bethlehem contains, first of all, a message of HUMILITY on the part of God, a humility that we will never comprehend fully. But even in our very limited understanding of this mystery, there should be enough reason to curb our craving for honor and signs of distinction. In front of this God, who “took the form of a slave” (Phil 2:7) of his own initiative, every manifestation of human pride on our part is not only out of place, but utterly ridiculous. But this is not all. When he became man, the Son of God was not born as a member of a rich or powerful family. Christ chose to be born to a family of poor people, in a grotto used to shelter animals, lacking even the most simple comforts and facilities. Jesus / B7 Reflections on the 4th Sunday of Advent (B) December 18, 2011 By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB ADAM and Eve could have created the premises for a magnificent future, both for themselves and their descendants. Unfortunately, they failed miserably simply because they trusted the serpent, rather than trusting God. With their sin, they refused to cooperate with the divine plan, and thus, the seemingly endless night of human perversion began. Over the centuries, the descendants of Adam and Eve did not behave better than their foreparents. Men preferred to follow the allurements of their ambition, pride, and selfishness... rather than heed God’s invitation to trust Him and cooperate with Him in bringing about the perfect happiness He had in store for all men. King Ahaz, though a bearer of the divine promise to David (see 2 Sam 7:16), trusted his earthly allies, rather than the word of God. There were exceptions, as we know. Abraham and Moses were outstanding figures among the few people who trusted God and responded “Yes” to His invitations. But even in their lives, there were some “clouds”—moments of doubts and uncertainties, when their faith seemed to waver... (See, for example Gn 15:2-3 and Nm 20:12 and 27:14.) It was only in Mary, the girl from Nazareth, that God found the perfect faith – unconditional surrender to His will and total availability to cooperate with the divine plan of salvation. (See Lk 1:38.) With her and in her, the attitude of mankind toward God began to be reversed: from mistrust to trust, from rejection to wholehearted acceptance. For Mary / B7 Opening our hearts to God in imitation of Mary Fr. Francis Ongkingco WHATEVER Being our true selves WE often hear people comment, “How can I do or say this if I don’t feel like doing or saying it?”, “How can I forgive that person when I don’t feel forgiveness in my heart?” and “How can I even greet that person when I don’t feel good about him or her?” It is not a generalization, especially in the hi-tech material world we live in, to say that feelings are becoming the basis for one’s actions and decision in life. Benedict XVI observes, “In an age in which calculating thought is celebrating the most amazing triumphs man is nevertheless threatened, perhaps more than ever before, by thoughtlessness, by the flight from thought. By thinking only of the practicable, of what can be made, he is in danger of forgetting to reflect on himself and on the meaning of his existence.” (Introduction to Christianity). Man’s over-dependence on material things tends to make him rely more on the ‘materiality’ of feelings. This sentimental trend –common to both young and old– becomes a subtle but corrosive attitude in life that places convictions, commitments and important decisions at the mercy of one’s feelings or emotions. Perhaps, one of the gravest consequences of such an outlook leads individuals to gradually lose their identity because they fail to develop an integral personality and character which are the principal ingredients of one’s identity. Now every man possesses a personal and creational identity. Since man has not caused his own existence means that he is created for something by Someone. Man’s true identity therefore, lies in the sincere unfolding of his freedom following these creational designs towards the perfection of his identity and purpose in life. For a Christian, this is enlightened and enriched by the Baptismal calling. Through Baptism he acquires an identity of being God’s child and receives a mission to perfect himself and others as well. In one word: as a son of God, he is called to aspire for the highest state of identity of becoming perfect as his Heavenly Father is perfect. The Christian’s true self on earth is being God’s son, but it will only attain its fullness in Heaven depending on how he either corresponds to it or not. While he lives, the Whatever/ B7 © Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Social Concerns B7 Seeking Justice, End To Impunity By Fr. Shay Cullen AS 13 year-old Angelica walked out of the court room she was crying her heart out. Her friends from the PREDA home for abused girls were hugging and embracing her trying to give her comfort. She felt she had been cheated, violated again and again every time the Clerk of Court reading the court’s decision declared her rapist “not guilty”. Every count was dismissed on one technicality after another. The accused stood there smirking, as if knowing the outcome in advance. Clever lawyers, weak uncaring prosecutors and a lazy ignorant judge seemed to be on the take and caused the emotional and mental anguish to Angelica and a life-long trauma. So, a trial is a money making sham and the fig leaf for the impunity enjoyed by the bribe making accused. Bribery is usually assumed then such cases are decided in favor of the accused despite strong evidence. Without a well paid private prosecutor child victims don’t have a chance of winning a case and getting justice. The abuser goes free laughing all the way to his next victim and many more after that. It’s estimated that a child abuser has up to a hundred victims before being caught. Such corrupt officials are co-rapists in my view. When a person knows in his or her conscience that a crime has been committed and the evidence is strong and clear and then acts against it, that’s a crime in itself. Impunity is the norm when it comes to child sexual abuse cases. The child rapists, traffickers, sex abusers and Samat / B3 assassins are seldom caught, charged or convicted. Police too can get away with brutality and torture since they are seldom investigated and brought to trial. The gruesome massacre and mutilation of some 57 people that included 32 journalists in Maguindanao, Southern Philippines two years ago on November 23, shocked the international press. It was the worst attack ever recorded against media practitioners. No convictions yet and little hope of justice it seems. T h e h or r i f i c cr i m e a l l e g e d l y perpetrated by the Ampatuan clan to block their political rival from entering the elections is still in the preliminary stages. Only 93 suspects out of 196 have been arrested and of those only 29 have Jamaican / B4 been arraigned. Eight months were lost due to petitions of the accused for the judge to inhibit herself. Out of 300 prosecution witnesses only 72 have been presented in court. The accused have applied for bail which is the center of the legal battle at present. Media practitioners around the world have declared November 23 as “The international Day to end Impunity”. The Southeast Asian Press alliance led by Executive director Gayyathry Venkiteswaran, based in Thailand and an advocate of the campaign against impunity says that “Impunity is a chronic failure by states, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice”. In Wikipedia we find the following definition of impunity, “In the international law of human rights, it refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims’ right to justice and redress”. The blatant and obvious failure of the state to convict many accused where the evidence is convincing and strong could be taken as de facto impunity. In such cases the trial is a charade and money writes the favorable judgment. This injustice is the deepest wound in society that causes rebellion and war. Wherever there is the abuse of power, influence and money and where corruption thrives there is the chance for alleged criminals to evade prosecution through influence and legal loopholes. Bankers are in the spotlight for defrauding investors, depositors and grossly mismanaging the funds entrusted to them by customers. Their excessive greedily huge salaries and bonuses are said to be the cause of the financial ruin of hundreds of thousands of people. Yet they enjoy impunity. Impunity is never right and while we mourn the assassination of priests, pastors, human rights workers and abused children we must not abandon the pursuit of justice. Those that aid and abet impunity for the criminals are close to being criminals themselves. Balanga / B3 me. There’s so many young people…It’s overcrowded. I’ve never seen that before. It’s pretty new and interesting as well,” said Quiterie De Rorthays, 26, a French Volunteer from the Association Compassion Asia Youth. Balanga’s St. Joseph’s College and Mariveles’s St. Nicholas de Tolentino Catholic School, were among the Catholic Schools that attended. Pilgrims came from the Vicariates of St. Peter of Verona, Our Lady of the Pillar, St. Michael the Archangel, and St. Dominic de Guzman. Students from the Diocesan School in Bataan showcased two category performances during a program at the Dambana ng Kagitingan. This year’s pilgrimage theme took the theme of the celebration of the CBCP Year of the Youth and ECY@25, “Stand Firm in the Faith… Do all works in Love”. (Jandel Posion) Hong Kong / B4 in the parish youth ministry since 2005, the award is strengthening his commitment to the service, “Parang lalo na pong na-boost ang enthusiasm ko mag-serve pa, na maging mas responsable pa. [It’s as if my enthusiasm to serve has been boosted even more. It also makes me want to be even more responsible.]” Around 25 nominees from the four vicariates of the diocese and the Campus Youth ministry were initially chosen. The list was eventually trimmed down by the vicariate councils to 10 outstanding youth leaders. The awardees were recognized in a simple ceremony at the Dambana ng Kagitingan, which was the first program highlight during the Mt. Samat pilgrimage. Number behind the pilgrimage The youth-led Mt. Samat pilgrimage this year was the first www.arkibongbayan.org time young people took the lead in organizing and planning for the event. Take a look at some of the numbers of the pilgrimage. There were 30,000 pilgrims who hiked up Mt. Samat this year; 8,000 hosts were given during the Holy Mass at the summit; 53 youth animators who danced during the event; 9 committee heads who prepared for the event; it is already 8 years since the start of the pilgrimage which is done yearly; 20 priests concelebrated the Holy Mass; 100 Police personnel (PNP) mobilized during the event; 1 Bishop was present during the event; 10 awardees for the outstanding youth ministers; 2,000 signatures gathered for the Anti-RH Bill signature campaign during the pilgrimage, and the preparation was made for 5 months. This year’s pilgrimage happened last Nov. 26. The Mt. Samat Pilgrimage is an annual event that started in 2004. (Nirva’ana E. Delacruz) Mary / B6 stayed from November 22 until November 29. Missionaries of the Poor in the Philippines The Missionaries of the Poor first settled in the country in 1993 when Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi welcomed them in Naga City. The MOPs agreed to work among a squatter community in San Rafael, Cararayan, Naga City, where then Mayor Jesse Robredo, now Secretary to Department of Interior and Local Government, relocated more than a thousand squatter families from the City to Sitio San Rafael. For the past 18 years, the MOPs have constructed housing projects for people who have lost their homes due to fire, typhoons and other calamities, and have sponsored education, nutritional and medical services to children of all levels and needs. The missionaries’ commitment to look after the needs of the underprivileged earned the trust of the over 30 families who lived in Naga’s city dump. The children of these families are educated and provided with medical and nutritional care. With basic services and needs provided for, the families’ little income earned from scavenging is used to provide for other essential needs. The effort done is also a way of breaking the cycle of poverty in these families. Jamaican origin Originally from Jamaica, the community was first established when a great fire in 1981 resulted to 150 casualties in Eventide Homeless Shelter in Kingston, Jamaica. Fr. Ho Lung founded a community, which was then called the Brothers of the Poor―to build a family and community among the poor and disadvantaged. The congregation pursued its apostolic objectives by building a community of men comprising Foolish / B6 religious brothers and priests who would live in a particular community, share all things in common, follow a common spirituality and with a common ministry of service to the least in society; and, bringing together the poor, especially the destitute homeless, as a family and forging community relationships with the wider society. In 1982, the congregation was approved by the bishop of Kingston, Jamaica. Ten years later, the name was changed to “Missionaries of the Poor”. In 1998, the Missionaries of the Poor become the first male Catholic religious institute founded in the Caribbean to receive Vatican approval. To date, there are over 600 Brothers from 13 countries who serve the Lord and the poor in nine missions around the world. For more information, e-mail at mopmanila@ missionariesofthepoor.org or visit www.missionariesofthepoor.org. need attention. Asked of these concerns, Fr. Lim, a missionary ordained in the early1990s, said these include dismissal from work, depression, problem with indebtedness, marital problems and other problems. He said he also functions as “bridge” to the diocese as he gets to implement the diocesan programs with the migrants. “Kung 140,000 ang Filipino sa Hong Kong, ipagpalagay nating 100,000 ang Catholics doon, that constitutes 1/3 of Catholics in Hong Kong with a population of 7.5 million, it has 3-4% Catholics,” he explained. Fr. Lim said the Catholic Church in Hong Kong has to take care of a third (1/3) of its flock and they have a commission, Caritas and several others including the Diocesan Pastoral Center for Filipinos. There are social workers funded by the Catholic Church in Hong Kong which deals with government agencies, including the police and Philippine Consulate for and on behalf of Filipino migrants. As chaplain, he makes it a point to help Jesus / B6 migrants deepen their faith because it is an opportune time. “When they are abroad, they rediscover the faith because you can only hold on to God in times of danger and uncertainty,” he added. He attributes the deepened faith due to loneliness and problems with their families or employers. “And they go to church,” Fr. Lim said. Asked why Filipino workers don’t go to the Philippine Consulate, Fr. Lim said the Philippine Consulate has its own priority programs too “and they’re handling too many problems.” Fr. Lim said it is imperative for chaplains to know the migrants’ stories because from there one can derive appropriate lessons on life to learn from. He said being in Hong Kong since the early 1990s, he has heard a lot of stories about Filipinos and all he had to do was re-echo the same stories in the light of the Gospel and say “Life is not hopeless pala and God has always been with them in their times of suffering.” the first time in man’s history, God had found a human heart totally open to Him. In Mary, He had “a free hand,” and was thereby able to work wonders. He finally able to effect the beginning of the most important part of His plan of salvation: the INCARNATION of His eternal Son. After so many waverings, denials, rejections... a simple human heart matched, in her creaturely way, God’s generosity. Mary gave all she could give without reservation, conditions, or regrets: “May it be done to me as you said!” There is a message for us all in this attitude/behavior of Mary. We, too, have a role in God’s plan of salvation. Though not unique nor as vital as Mary’s, our role also is important, for ourselves first, then for those who live close to us or depend on us. Our enjoying God’s blessings this Advent and Christmas depend on our response to God’s invitation. If we follow the example of Mary, so much will be accomplished, in ourselves and in those whom the Lord has placed on our path. Whatever / B6 There is a message of special LOVE, IDENTIFICATION and SOLIDARITY WITH THE POOR in all these, a message of DETACHMENT from material things to which men are so attached, and for which some people often fight and even kill. Christ chose to be poor in order to teach us the value of the neglected virtue of detachment. Perfect humility, total detachment from material things, solidarity with the least and the last: four virtues, one message— the “Christmas Message.” This is the message addressed by Jesus every year to each of us, to the Church, and to all mankind. After almost two thousand years that humankind has been commemorating the birth of Christ with ever greater solemnity, one can ask: “Have we learned the lesson that this celebration is meant to teach us?” son of God must strive to refine his supernatural identity. This is something he manages through the exercise of virtues. It is precisely anchoring ourselves on virtue, not feelings, that we are consistent and mature in our identity. Living virtue allows us to ‘override’ our ‘unfeelings’ towards persons, commitments and happenings. It is so enlightening that even though we “don’t feel like it”, we must make the effort to “act as if” because of the awareness of what our deeper identity as God’s children invites us to do. Edward Leen explains ‘to act as if’ wonderfully when he says: “There is a great virtue in this principle of acting as if. Men tend to develop feelings corresponding to their actions. The successful effort to wear a smiling countenance induces an inner disposition of pleasantness and amiability. Thoughts in their turn are influenced by feelings and finally actions bear the impress of thoughts.” (Progress in Prayer) Thus we are being our true selves, because we struggle to keep at bay what our human respect, comfort-seeking attitudes and false excuses try to mask the ‘image of Christ’ that we have inherited in Baptism. Thus, Leen says, “It is a common temptation to judge that it is dishonest not to bear oneself outwardly as one is (or believes one is) inwardly. This judgment contains a profound error. There are in us two selves, the true and the false. We are more conscious of the latter than the former, and that is the reason why the false appears to us to be the real self.” (Ibid.) Leen concludes, “We are really false in our bearing and untrue to ourselves when we act and speak according to the unspiritual promptings in us. That character is not acting hypocritically but acting in the very reverse manner, who carries himself outwardly in all the relations of life, as a being that is spiritual, of heavenly tastes, though he “feels” anything but that interiorly. Furthermore, by constantly acting spiritually he becomes spiritual.” (Ibid.) When we choose to decide and act consistently according to our identity as Christ-bearers, as Christ Himself in the midst of the family, work and leisure, then we avoid being hypocrites –hollow men who mask their ‘true self with a false one– before God, ourselves and others. This is true even if the world may not reciprocate our genuine response of charity, forgiveness and compassion that we offer our fellowmen. What is here more important is living our life according to God’s expectations and not men’s. are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above yours, and my thoughts above your thoughts” (Isa 55:1-9). In the first half (1 Sam 7:1-5) of the Old Testament reading today, we are told that David wanted to build a house for the Lord. Realizing that he was living in a house of cedar while the Ark of the Covenant dwelt in a tent, the King proposed to build a temple for God (2 Sam 7:2). No doubt, it was a wise move on the part of David—even Nathan the prophet thought so. But his intention, however noble, failed, because God had a different plan in his mind; it was his son, Solomon, who would do the building (2 Sam 7:13-14). God had his own wisdom which David never anticipated. On the other hand, God’s plan for David—which the latter never envisaged, however wise he was—was to maintain the dynasty of David in perpetuity: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me; your throne shall stand firm for ever” (2 Sam 7:16). In today’s Gospel, we are furnished with another example of God’s wisdom at work. In Luke’s account of the transcendental origin of Jesus, Mary most likely thought that her marriage to Joseph would be no different from any normal marriage between a man and a woman. But God had a different mind about their marriage: it would be his vehicle in the incarnation of God. When the archangel, Gabriel, told her of God’s plan, Mary raised an objection: “How can this be since I do not know man?” (Luke 1:34). Obviously, Mary thought that she could not conceive God’s Son because no one had ever touched her. But the angel replied that her conception would have no precedent in human history, because the Holy Spirit would overshadow her. To conceive without having sexual intercourse is an impossibility; but the angel assured her that “nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). If the birth of Jesus did not follow the human course of things, it is because, in the words of Edward Hoskyns, it is “a dagger thrust into the weft of human history.” God’s ways are simply different from man’s, his wisdom is beyond human contingencies and plans. This has a profound lesson for us. We are now in the age of computers which ushered in a culture of precision. In this culture, everything seems to be predictable. Almost nothing is left to chance. Some even hardly tolerate human error. There seems to be a common belief that we are in control of the future. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that we depend on our own wisdom so much that we hardly conceive that God may have a different plan for us. Yet, our experience shows that how the Church grows and develops, for example, does not reflect our own human wisdom. Very frequently, ours does not succeed. It happens many times that our own wisdom fails, and eventually we realize that in our failure God’s wisdom is manifested. And this brings us to the point. It is important that in our lives, we give space for God. We have to agree to his own plan, and this often requires that we scrape out our own, however well-laid. Like Mary, we have to say “yes” to his will (Luke 1:39), even when this is opaque to our understanding and goes beyond our own wisdom. After all, he made the Number One enemy of the early Christians the Number One “propagandist” of Jesus Christ—St Paul. The early Christians had a view of Paul that never coincided with God’s, but it is always God’s wisdom that prevails in the end. B8 Entertainment Moral Assessment CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Technical Assessment Abhorrent Disturbing Acceptable Wholesome Exemplary Poor Below average Average Above average Excellent TITLE: Happy Feet Two CAST: Elijah Wood, Ava Acres, Hank Azaria,Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Alecia Moore, Sofia Vergara, Hugo Weaving, Johnny A. Sanchez DIRECTOR: George Miller WRITER: Gary Eck, George Miller, Paul Livingston, Warren Coleman PRODUCER: George Miller GENRE: Animation/Family RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT: ½ MORAL ASSESSMENT: ½ Cinema Rating: For viewers of all ages IN Happy Feet 2006, we met Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood), a unique tap-dancing member of a flock of soul-singing emperor penguins. Now in Happy Feet 2, we meet Mumble’s fluffy little son Erik (voiced by Ava Acres) whose feet do not seem to be that happy. Erik’s attempt at tap-dancing ends in a flop, and the whole flock laughs at him. Despite his father’s reassurance that he’ll someday find his very own way—not necessarily tapdancing—to express his deepest feelings, Erik wants to get away from it all. Nursing his wounded pride, Erik, consoled by two young friends Atticus and Bo, take an aimless walk and stumble upon Mumble’s old buddy Ramon (Robin Williams). Their walk takes them to the home of another group of penguins, the Adelies. When Mumble and his mate Gloria (voiced by Alecia Moore) realize that their Erik and his tiny friends are missing, Mumble shuffles off to begin his search. Found, Erik refuses to go home with his father. Meanwhile, a huge iceberg calves off and slams into the emperor penguins’ bay and traps the birds there. It would now take those outside—Mumble, the three little ones, and Ramon—to stage the rescue. As before, the penguins are cute, especially up close when the littlest one could melt anyone’s heart. That is, anyone’s but that of the elephant seal, Bryan the Beachmaster (voiced by Richard Carter), who, after having been saved from sure death by a penguin, refuses to…. (well… spoiler stopped). Happy Feet 2 offers much by way of animation so that the viewer may simply overlook certain CGI flaws in favor of the infectious music and the song and dance numbers. After all, you go watch Happy Feet 2 fully aware that it’s aimed primarily at a GP audience. Its being a “kids’ movie”, however, doesn’t stop Happy Feet 2 from talking to adults as well, although most of the time the message would sail over the heads of its juvenile viewers. We’re referring to lines spoken by characters on sexual themes outside of the central fatherand-son issue. For instance, Bill (voiced by Brad Pitt) the krill’s obvious affection for his best friend Will (voiced by Matt Damon). Bill suggests that he and will start “a little swarm of our own” to which Will readily quips, “We’re both males!” Bill pleads to Will, “have me as partner…” and whatever he leaves unsaid is picked up by the songs Wake me up before you go-go and Never gonna give you up. So Will eventually allows Bill to stay, but not without warning him first, “But no hanky-panky!” Soon, however, Will himself says it’s time to part ways—and that was after they get startled and Bill jumps on Will’s back. Get it? Another instance is when the shortie Ramon woos the shapely Carmen (voiced by Sofia Vergara), she derides him, “I’d never have an egg with you… you’re too short…!” (Since when did successful procreation depend on the height of the partners? Get it?) Another? When a male penguin brings fish for Mumble’s mate Gloria to eat, their beaks touch rather suggestively. Some songs are also suggestive although— perhaps in order to win the GP rating—some words are replaced, as in the song Sexy Back, where “Get your sexy on” becomes “Get your fluffy on”. Speaking of “fluff”—it is also used in place of another “f” word, as in “What the fluff!” and “Take your little fur ball and fluff off.” It seems the racy elements are “penguinized” to protect the innocence of the innocent. This fabulous movie is chock-full of pointers for the philosophically-inclined. A krill tired of running away from hungry whales separates from the swarm to find the truth about his existence. Sven (voiced by Hank Azaria) the “flying penguin” sounds every bit like a motivational speaker as he roots for positive thinking and tells the wide-eyed Erik, “If you want it, you must will it. If you will it, it will be yours.” But more than anything else, Happy Feet 2 is a story about fathering, teaching by example, and greatness in ordinariness. The last is so movingly delivered in “Erik’s opera”, part of which follows: Although he’s just an ordinary penguin My daddy taught me You don’t have to be colossal To be a great heart You don’t have to fly To be awesome My hero, my father! MAC en COLET Ni Bladimer Usi Buhay Parokya TITLE: In Time CAST: Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Johnny Galecki, Matt Bomer, Olivia Wilde, Vincent Kartheiser DIRECTOR: Andrew Niccol WRITER: Andrew Niccol FILM PRODUCER: Amy Israel, Eric Newman, Kristel Laiblin, Marc Abraham GENRE: Crime/Gangster/Sci-fi/Thriller RUNNING TIME:110 minutes TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT: ½ MORAL ASSESSMENT: ½ Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above Look for the images of the Belen, Christmas card and the Three kings. (Illustration by Bladimer Usi) IT is 2061. People have been genetically altered to stop aging at 25 and then to live one more year. Unless they can trade—buy or sell, spend or earn—the time they have left to live, they will be timed off at age 26. Time is their only currency; they pay for daily needs with the time they have; and they earn time as payment for their work. One could die betting his entire time in a casino; one could also win a thousand years or more by gambling. Twenty-eight year-old Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) lives an ordinary hand-to-mouth existence with his mother Rachel Salas (Olivia Wilde) in the ghetto where people die everyday for lack of opportunities to extend their life. One night Will saves the life of a 105-year old rich man Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer) who is tired of living anyway and so transfers his remaining 106 years to Will while he’s asleep. With over a century to spend, Will decides to see how the rich in another time zone live. There he beats the casino dealer, the 95-year-old time-lending businessman Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser), father of 27-year-old Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried), and there starts a mad gamble for time. It is an intriguing premise that In Time offers, teasing the imagination to create scenarios of immortality. There may be many loopholes in the filming but these are more than compensated by the fascinating ideas peddled by writer-director Andrew Niccol. It is engaging, to say the least, as one possibility follows another in the ways time is used as currency. The time that remains of a person’s life is measured in 13 digits representing years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds that flash like a luminous digital clock on the forearm. For instance, a bus ride could cost you two hours; a cup of coffee, four hours; a fancy car, 59 years, and so on. But you could live to a million years if you’re a shrewd time-lender like Weis, or a ruthless robber who at gunpoint steal time from people. How does time pass hands? Simply by arm-to-arm contact. Your life practically ticks away by the second; once you reach 13 zeroes, you’re gone. This is sci-fi that you can take seriously for the subject matter is not science per se but mortality and the human desire to be immortal. The message is underscored in the dialogue between ghetto boy Will Salas and the centenarian from the opulent side of the fence Henry Hamilton. What would you do if you were in Hamilton’s shoes? Is it all right to give your time to time-thieves if you think you’ve seen it all and wouldn’t want to live longer? Is it okay to rob the rich in order to give to the poor? If you had the choice would you want to live forever? The most profound character in In Time,Henry Hamilton, says in effect: “There comes time when you tell yourself it’s enough… your body doesn’t age (he’s been 25 for 80 years) but your mind does, and that’s tiring… everybody wants to be immortal but to be immortal you must die…” In Timewill fascinate young and old alike but you’ll get the full benefit if you close your eyes to its flaws and stay sober while enjoying it. Vol. 15 No. 25 CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 C1 The News Supplement of Couples for Christ CFC: Catch fire and Inspire By Tina Rodriguez COUPLES for Christ leaders and members joined the CATCHFIRE Inspirational Rally organized by our mother community, Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP) last November 20. Fittingly held on Christ the King Sunday, the event gathered an estimated 8,000 participants from different Catholic communities and parishes at the Philsports Arena (ULTRA). The rally participants came from the following groups: CFC; FAMILIA; Tahanan ng Panginoon; Servants of the Lord’s Vineyard; River Dwellers Catholic Community; Fondacio Philippines; The Risen Lord’s Vineyard; The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP); The Workers of Christ; Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon; Christ’s Youth in Action; Women for Christ; Servants of the Word; the Institute for Pastoral Development; Cradle of Joy; The Word of Joy Foundation; Mary Immaculate Parish of Moonwalk, Las Piñas City; the Wednesday Prayer Meeting Group at SMART; and an Aeta community. Among the CFC participants were CFC Chairman Ricky Cuenca and his wife, Irma; CFC Church Integration Office Overseer Joe Tale and his wife Babylou; CFC ANCOP Chairman Joe Yamamoto; Board of Elders member and Singles for Christ International Coordinator Michael Ariola and his wife, Carel; and Evangelization and Missions Office Coordinator Kirby Llaban, with his wife, Michelle. The rally kicked off with a motorcade at 11 AM. The crowd assembled inside the ULTRA to declare Christ as their one and only King. The main event inside the ULTRA started with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, presided by Fr. Herb Schneider, SJ. Joining him were Fr. Dave Concepcion of the Holy Apostles Seminary and Fr. Eligio Santos of the Salesian Order. It was a Spirit-filled Charismatic Mass in the truest sense, with one of the highlights happening during the “Gloria,” when participants and the priest celebrants rang bells and praised and worshipped the Lord for an extended period of time. In his homily, Fr. Schneider emphasized that “our choices determine where we will go.” He encouraged the crowd to make the right choice and declare their allegiance to Jesus the King. The event proper started with a rousing dance and “chant” performance. Spanky Meer, Senior Head Coordinator of LNP, gave the welcome remarks, which included an inspirational message from Bo Sanchez, whose community, the Light of Jesus, was having their Kerygma Conference at the same time. Bobby Quitain, Regional Director of LNP, and the head of Pathways Ministries, LNP’s main evangelistic program, encouraged everyone present to “go for the Giver more than the gift; the Blesser more than the blessing.” He also encouraged first-time attendees to such events to just “worship the Lord however” they “were comfortable with.” The first segment, entitled One King, was led by Glen Glorioso of LNP. It was a period of full praise and worship, and reflection upon God’s Word. The second segment, One People, had LNP leader Mike Joseph introducing three men who each had an inspiring story to share. First up was Nadz Gawat, from LNP, who shared how God used the communities Christ’s Youth in Action (CYA) and Lingkod ng Panginoon to change his life, particularly to bring about healing within his family, and even to help him finish college. Nadz is now the branch leader of Lingkod in Quezon City, and co-hosts an inspirational radio show with Bobby Quitain. Next to share was CFC’s fulltime missionary for Youth for Christ (YFC), Ernie “Er-er” Abringe. Born without a left hand, Er-er shared how God used his parents, who are CFC members, and YFC, to help him From left: Francis Iturralde, Mike Joseph Jr., John Keating and Joe Tale, find time to touch base during the rally. CFC Chairman Ricky Cuenca, Michael Ariola and Kirby Llaban. “find” himself and gain confidence in his identity as God’s child. This confidence led to him trying out activities deemed “impossible” or difficult for people with his condition – such as playing varsity basketball, playing the guitar, and riding a motorcycle. To show God’s concrete goodness in his life, Er-er ended by rendering a worship song to the Lord – leaving the crowd amazed that he could really play the guitar. The last sharer was Mon Puno of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP). Puno shared how he used to be an activist, fighting for change, but “change did not occur” despite all the demonstrations and rallies he attended. Because of this, he decided to go into business instead but soon discovered that many businessmen believed that “honesty is not part of success.” He struggled with other things, like an annulment, near bankruptcy and a broken relationship with his children. Since joining the BCBP though, God has slowly been restoring Mon’s life. The last segment of the rally, “One Mission” had Bobby Quitain onstage again to give a short empowerment talk entitled “Fire for the World.” Quitain shared four simple but profound ways on how we could bring God’s love to a broken world: Find your mission field and be faithful to it. Invest your whole life in God. Rely on God’s power. Explore new territories. Bobby emphasized that each of us is called by God in a particular way, and by living out our individual missions, we contribute to the greater mission of the Church. He exhorted the crowd to do mission for the Lord, without any excuses. The segment then ended with a prayer of commitment, and a time for ministering to one another. The rally then ended with a time of praise and worship. Everyone went home “on fire” and raring to serve the Lord in their respective mission fields, with the rally’s “slogan” ringing clearly in their ears: “One King, One People, One Mission.” Youth Stand Firm In the Faith By Ashel Uson THE National Youth Day (NYD) 2011 held at the city of Manila last November 14-19 was attended by more than 4,000 youth leaders representing the Philippine Church all over the country. The five-day event which was hosted by the Federation of National Youth Organizations officially opened at Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati. The program began with a cultural presentation, video flashbacks of the past NYDs, and animations. The following days created a deeper significance in every pilgrim as they journeyed with Jesus Christ in the NYD. Based on Colossians 2:7 “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith,” different speakers shared the central message of the NYD with the 4000 pilgrims gathered. As early as now, young people are being called to plant themselves in Jesus for them to reap good “fruit” in the future. Most Rev. Joel Zamudio Baylon, Bishop of Legazpi, said that “we are called to become like Christ.” Planting our faith in Him jumpstarts our conviction to serve not only Christ, but also to serve others. We become the means by which other people can become closer to Him. As we plant our seeds in Jesus, we take the responsibility of growing in Him as the next step. Building up faith in Jesus Christ means responding to a greater call and putting His words into practice. This way we can be nurtured to become better youth servants. One of the highlights of the NYD were the Worship Concerts held in every festival site on its third night. With the help of CFC Youth for Christ (YFC), praise and worship as a form of prayer was introduced. NYD 2011 had its closing program at Cuneta Astrodome last November 19. Coming from a solemn Marian Procession, all pilgrims gathered once again for a Grand Festival Night. John Paul II awards were given to deserving individuals who have dedicated themselves to serving the youth ministry. Local artists like Nina, Makisig and Mayumi Morales (who also happen to be YFC members), Agawan Base, and Daryl Leong (also a YFC member) performed and made the night more memorable. The event served as an intense encounter, not only with Jesus Christ, but also with other youth in different ministries and organizations. It was an eye-opener for many, seeing all established religious groups work together as one for Jesus Christ. Advent: A Season Of Surprises But Mary was surprisingly generous in giving her all. She was surprisingly loving as she accepted God’s call and Joseph’s decision, and she was surprisingly brave, ready to face the consequences of her decision. Joseph, though he received an initially “unwanted” surprise and was heartbroken, said “yes” too, and followed God’s will. He was su r p r isin g ly forgiving - forgiving Mary for her decision; surprisingly loving – loving Mary and the child no matter what; and surprisingly brave – accepting, trusting and believing in God’s plan for them. Towards the end of the recollection, Fr. Johnny posed two reflection questions that he urged everyone to mull over during this Advent season: 1. How can I, like Mary and Joseph, surprise God and His angels, and even myself, by being surprisingly generous, surprisingly forgiving, surprisingly loving and surprisingly brave? 2. What is the one surprise I can give God this Christmas? He encouraged everyone present to not let this Christmas pass without surprising God. Who knows, we might end up surprising ourselves? By Beth Comahig “How can I surprise God this Advent?” Fr. Johnny Go of the Society of Jesus and author of “50 Something” (a book of prayer and reflection), asked this question to more than 1,200 CFC Metro Manila Mission Core Group (MCG) members who attended the yearender Advent Recollection in the Ateneo Grade Basketball court last December 4, 2011. Fr. Go said that at the Annunciation, our “God of Surprises” sprang many surprises. He surprised the angels when He decided to become human. He surprised Mary when she was asked to be the mother of the Messiah. He surprised Joseph when the latter found out that Mary, his fiancée, was pregnant. As God surprised Mary and Joseph, the two also surprised God (and the angels) in various ways. When Mary said “yes” to God, she risked the “destruction” of her reputation as a woman. She risked the loss of her love -- Joseph could have left her once he discovered her situation. She risked the loss of her life, as she could have been condemned as an adulteress and stoned to death. C2 Ugnayan CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 CFC Northeastern Luzon Holds Year-End Planning Conference By Evelyn Ylagan MORE than 60 top regional leaders of Northeastern Luzon gathered last October 29 to 30 to attend the last of the year-long series of regional activities in the region. The conference was conducted at the facilities of NIA MARIS Magat Dam located at Ramon, Isabela. The conference’s theme was “Taking Stock . . . Moving On” and was aimed to achieve three things: 1) assess/evaluate the evangelization efforts of the six provinces in the region in 2011; 2) prepare a roadmap for CFC work in all ministries for 2012; and, 3) foster camaraderie and fellowship among the top leaders in the region for mutual cooperation and resource-sharing. Sunday, October 30, was devoted to talks and a workshop. Regional Head and Isabela Provincial Area Head (PAH) Eric Ylagan delivered the talk “On Fire Evangelization” wherein he emphasized the importance of strengthening the households and raising up committed leaders as a means to grow the community. Kalinga Provincial Area Head Elmer Cadiz explained the ANCOP programs, particularly the Child Sponsorship Program (CSP), while the provincial area heads and directors presented their 2011 evangelization reports and roadmaps for 2012. A teambuilding activity was also conducted by couple Roland and Susan Arrogante from CFC Metro Manila South A. With 2012’s theme “Proclaim the greatness of the Lord” echoing clearly in their minds, all the participants enthusiastically discussed and presented their plans during the workshop. “Spicing up” the planning conference were the fun-filled teambuilding activities and fellowship night where the participants displayed their creative talents, either through native dances and songs, or personal testimonies about God’s love shown through the community and its members. CFC Laguna: Shining Silver By Pete and Beth Malaki CFC Cagayan Celebrates 18th Anniversary CFC Cagayan celebrated the 18th anniversary of their entry into the global community of CFC last October 22 in Enrile, Cagayan. CFC members from the seven vicariates of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao came together to celebrate God’s goodness with great love and joy. The day started with a motorcade, with a long line of vehicles bearing CFC stickers going around the town and converging at the municipal gymnasium. segment. The colorful and lively “Praise Parade” presented by the six sectors brought “Spirit and life” to the event, making people forget about the pouring rain. Fr. Emil Uriquia, CFC Laguna’s Spiritual Director; Mon de Leon, CFC Laguna Provincial Area Head; and Melo Villaroman, CFC Executive Director each delivered their anniversary messages. The celebration concluded with a praisefest. His Excellency Sergio L. Utleg, newly installed Archbishop of Tuguegarao, was the main celebrant for the Holy Eucharist. In his homily he acknowledged the active involvement of CFC in the church and in the parish programs and thrusts. The anniversary was made more significant and meaningful with the inspiring messages of Eric Ylagan, CFC Northeastern Luzon (NEL) Regional Head; and Ding Aguinaldo, a member of the Board of Elders and former NEL Regional Head; and Provincial Area Head Peter Carbonell. By Joel Janiya CFC Laguna celebrated its 25th anniversary on December 4, 2011 under a shower of rain that failed to dampen the spirits of the more than 2,000 members that filled the grounds and corridors of Letran in Calamba. The members trooped to the venue as early as six in the morning. The theme of the celebration was “One body, one spirit, one faith.” What made this celebration especial was that it had its own theme song composed by Tito Cayamanda, well-known composer/arranger and member of the CFC National Music Ministry core group. The celebration activities included games for KFC members; a food festival where various delicacies were shared for lunch; a “Praise Parade,” with CFC members showcasing the different festivals of Laguna; and a “CFC’s Got Talent” Cagayan leaders pose for a souvenir shot (top) and with Archbishop Utleg (bottom). CFC Singapore Conducts Visioning Retreat asked to list down the significant events that transpired in the local community from 1985 until the present. Villaroman then instructed the participants to indicate the top three events (international or local) that affected them personally. Interestingly, a number of participants shared milestones that occurred in 2010 and 2011. Next up was the vision imagery activity, where the entire assembly was divided into 15 groups. Each group was asked to draw their vision for CFC Singapore in the next five years. Though the visions varied, “Having Our Own CFC Singapore Home” came up in almost all drawings. After coming up with these visions, a strategy / action planning activity followed, where leaders were asked to list down their plans for achieving the stated visions. The plans were then categorized under the ON-FIRE EVANGELIZATION direction for all CFC members: * One with Christ * New Generation * Fullness of Evangelization * International or Global Calling * Relevant Life and Formation * Effective Governance and Stewardship The retreat concluded with a discussion of the CFC International Council engagement principles, organization structure, and the reiteration of the CFC road map for 2012. CFC Gift of Life Ministry Gives BOM Update By Yolanda Dy LAST November 13, 2011, CFC’s Gift of Life Ministry helped organize a seminar on an update of the Billings Ovulation Method (BOM). The update was taken from the main topic of the Biennial Conference of the BOM held in Preston, Melbourne, between April 29 and May 1 earlier this year. The Melbourne conference was attended by Linda and Raymond Ganar, World Organization of the Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB) Philippines president and training officer respectively. An estimated 90 participants from different groups were able to learn more about the BOM through the update, which focused on the “Pockets of Wonder,” also referred to as “Pockets of Shaw.” These are said to “play an at-times critical role in absorbing one of the key indicators of fertility” (namely vaginal mucus). Their function can also be negatively affected by a history of contraceptive use. The groups represented at the update were: CFC, including the Gift of Life coordinators and volunteers; Focolare; NFPF Medical and Counselling Group of Pasampa; parishes and vicariate representatives of the Archdiocese of Lipa; FFL; and Angeles University College of Medicine. Also present were members of the Committee on Family and Life; Family and Life Ministry; and Parish Pastoral Councils from several parishes. Participants came from Metro Manila, and the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Pampanga, Zambales and Laguna. Fr. Desmond Morrison, MMSC, the Spiritual Director of WOOMB Philippines, also attended the event. Certificates were presented to all participants after the updating. The next schedule for updating and accreditation for the BOM is in 2013. Melo Villaroman synthesizes the workshop outputs. By Paulo Canlas TO prepare for the 25th anniversary of Couples for Christ Singapore (CFC SG) next year and to deepen their understanding of the community’s vision for the next five years, leaders from CFC SG and its Family Ministries attended a two-day visioning retreat on October 22 and 23 at St. Peter’s Auditorium, CAEC. Facilitated by CFC Executive Director and CFC Singapore Country Coordinator Melo Villaroman, Jr., the retreat started with Villaroman asking the participants the following questions: ¨ CFC at 30, CFC Singapore near 25: “What is CFC life and mission to you? Are you grateful for your life, family, and CFC?” ¨ Trials and Tribulations: “What are the trials and pains in your life and community right now?” ¨ The Grace of God: “What have we learned through all these years?” He then emphasized that if everyone is grateful and surrenders to the will of God, freedom is at hand. Day one concluded with an inspiring sharing from Melo’s son, Dave Villaroman, who related his struggles in completing his master’s thesis while serving in the Singles for Christ International Conference (SFC ICON) and the Youth for Christ International Leader’s Conference (YFC ILC). He shared how God affirmed his faithfulness to serve by allowing him to graduate with flying colors. The second day of the retreat kicked off with a milestone completion activity where leaders were CFC Coops moves to Cubao THE CFC Co-ops office will soon be moving to its new and permanent location in the CFC Home Office compound in Cubao, Quezon City from its old place in Kapitolyo, Pasig. The groundbreaking ceremonies took place on October 15, 2011 and construction is expected to be completed before the end of the year. The new building will also house the CFC Ugnayan Multi-purpose Hall, a venue large enough for meetings of about 100 people. CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Ugnayan join groups. In the case of Hannah however, her love for her parents brought them closer to the Lord and strengthened their bond as a family through the CFC community. Even kids can become evangelizers. Kids serve as streams of blessings flow When the Metro Manila South A CFC Kids for Christ launched the “KIDS CAN: Build My House” campaign and distributed to the kids the coin banks made from peanut butter cups, some commented that it would still be the CFC or their parents who would raise the P30 donation per kid. However, God revealed His message: “I am your God, so let me be your God to take care of this for all of you.” After getting his coin bank, 7-year old Rayben went to his grandmother. He said, “Lola, please help me fill this can to build the CFC home, because they teach us about Jesus and I have kuyas and ates there who take care of us.” In less than a week, Rayben was able to fill his coin bank. As the couple coordinators counted the coins, they were hoping to get at least P3000, but the total coins received reached more than P30,000! In some coin banks, there were even letters from kids who joined the “Build My House” campaign. In one letter, a child shared that he saved his money instead of buying candy or juice in school. In another letter, a child said that her father only earns a few pesos, which is not even enough to build their own house. Even so, she was hoping that the coins she saved could help many people because she believes that the Lord will take care of her family. In the Gospel of John, it was re- C3 By Minette Rimando Kids Stand and Take The Lead IN the Metro Manila South A Sector, home to over a thousand KFC members from Las Piñas and nearby areas of Cavite, kids lead by praying, loving and serving. A daughter’s love brings parents to CFC Eight-year old Hannah never missed any CFC Kids for Christ gathering with her cousin. After spending her weekend in the 12th International Kids Village in Laguna, Hannah asked her parents why they are not CFC members. Immediately Hannah’s parents looked for a Christian Life Program (CLP) in their area to be able to join the CFC community. They had previously been invited several times to join the CLP, but this time it was hard for them to say “no” to their daughter. Like Hannah, they did not miss any session or activity. Now they are serving in the KFC ministry in their area. For their family, being part of the CFC community is indeed a blessing. Usually, it is the parents who lead their kids to vealed that the five loaves of barley bread and two fish came from a little boy. In the same way, the coins from the KFC members were like a few loaves that could feed thousands and nourish people spiritually through the CFC community. Indeed, CFC Kids for Christ is not just about children playing but about kids leading by praying, loving and serving. It is about bringing kids to the Lord and building a bright new world. By Len Yango Kids for Christ Holds National Planning Session that for 2012, the focus would be to evangelize kids from different schools, for this would reinforce KFC structures, clarify roles and responsibilities, and bring about important lessons. Some points that were also highlighted include the following: · We need to be on fire! Despite the present condition of our society, where hope seems to be a rare thing, we can change the · We need creative marketing strategies to invite more kids to the ministry, and a good communication flow to ensure speed and accurate dissemination of programs. · The KFC team will continuously “build a bright new world” by giving kids a venue and opportunity to experience carefully planned activities and programs, and by encouraging kids to be active KFC members. YFC Iloilo Holds G.L.A.M Conference By Yvonne Grace Dolorosa LAST November 26, 2011, the YFC girls of Iloilo held their first ever “Femme” event entitled “G.L.A.M (God’s Loving and Admirable Maidens) Conference,” anchored on Psalm 139:14: “I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Almost a hundred sisters from the different sectors of the province attended the conference in St. Clements Retreat house. During the first day of the conference, participants were grouped for the “Amazing Race” competition which took them from Jaro to Lapaz then to St. Clements church. Under the heat of the sun, everyone enjoyed running, memorizing verses from the Bible and making chants to decode the “magic words” in order to meet the “Prince.” This was then followed by worship led by Hazel Tuazon and various workshops designed to meet the needs of the young women present: “Basic Catechism” which discussed the different ways on how to share Mary, the model of all women, to other people wherever they are; a “Love Forum” where insights on the true meaning of love LAST November 19 to 20, 2011, the CFC Kids for Christ (KFC) coordinators, the KFC Philippine Mission program heads and the KFC fulltime workers held its national planning for the year 2012 at Tagaste Retreat House in Tagaytay. The head coordinators of each program presented their evan- gelization reports for the year. They also emphasized which aspects of each program would be given more attention next year, highlighting which strategies would produce best results. KFC International Coordinator Nic Escalona Jr. laid down the KFC Roadmap for 2012, itemizing strategies for the mission; the plans and programs to be implemented; the measure for achievement of goals; and probable output per program. He also emphasized culture of despair. · We must take upon ourselves the “burden” of these troubled times and refuse to make the Holy Spirit a “piece of private property” but a Spirit that matters to everyone else too. · We must strengthen our passion and priorities, and do everything with excellence for the Lord, because whatever we do, we must work at it “with all our heart, as working for the Lord not for men.” · Most of all, the KFC team will support the global KFC mission i.e. “Bringing kids to the Lord and Building a Bright New World,” and the KFC vision: “A global ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit in molding young Christ-like leaders as instruments of hope and healing of families, society and the world.” The group also took the opportunity to have a pre-Christmas celebration during the planning session. and love as a precious gift from God were shared; and “Prayer Power” which touched on how to maximize one’s prayer life. Later that night, Clyde Balansag of YFC Campus-based led the worship which signalled the start of the evening session. Monaliza Lumbo then gave the first session: “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.” She emphasized the value of being a woman and stressed that we are fearfully made by our powerful God, and wonderfully made in His image and likeness. After a break, the participants then watched an audio-visual presentation of a “Love Letter from God” which was followed by the sharing of different women, who bravely opened up about their challenges and trials as women. The second session by Sharmaine May Itulid, titled “Claiming God’s Love,” emphasized that failure is sometimes given to us by God to make us strong women. She also shared that genuine love can only be attained from God and that every one of us belongs to the Father. After the praisefest by Sheila Faldas, the sisters were then surprised by the brothers with an “honoring” and serenade. Everyone came away inspired and affirmed to live as God’s daughters, doing everything that is pleasing to the Lord. By Rouella Cinco 14th Eastern Visayas RYC: Like Jesus The “David’s” Awards Night: SFC warning. Nonetheless, the session continued as Roger managed to use a megaphone with the crowd’s cellular phones serving as “lights.” About five to ten minutes later, the generator started functioning, making the crowd cheer in praise. Session two, “Gain in Pain,” delivered by YFC fulltime worker Elaine Lombendencio started with a dance tableau which presented the common vices of the youth. Elaine highlighted three important points in her talk: “That in Christ we go from suffering to sacrifice, sorrow to hope, and disappointment to passion.” Nine sharers gave inspiring personal testimonies, and carried with them placards containing strong statements of the sufferings that they had. The placards were then flipped to show the word “LOVE” on stage. Arbi Alona, YFC PYH of Western Samar, led the reflection activity where delegates were asked to write their sufferings on their palms, have them painted, and stamped on boxes which eventually formed a cross. This symbolized the participants’ many sufferings to be given up to Christ. Day 2 started with a Eucharistic Celebration, which was followed by an opening worship led by Gab Macabenta, YFC Sector Leader of Leyte. The last session, “Like Jesus” was given by YFC fulltime worker Clinthon Dayandayan. His talk centered on how one has to minimize one’s self in order to maximize and live out the Gospel. Dayandayan led the delegates to make a new commitment to be “like Jesus.” “Clinth led the final praisefest, which was followed by the announcement of winners and the venue for the next EV RYC, namely Eastern Samar. During the same weekend, YFC Bicol and YFC Central Visayas also had their respective Regional Youth Conferences. The Bicol RYC, held at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Pili, Camarines Sur, gathered over 700 participants. The Central Visayas RYC, with over 1200 delegates, was held at the Joventino A. Digal Memorial Complex in Loboc, Bohol. Both conferences, like the Eastern Visayas RYC, were Spirit-filled and powerful, reminding those attending that Jesus calls them to be like Him every day. Youth for Christ from all over Eastern Visayas experienced the glory of the Lord during the 14thEastern Visayas Regional Youth Conference (RYC) held last October 29-30, 2011 at the Municipal Auditorium, Catarman, Samar. The conference gathered almost 600 YFC members from around the region. Day 1 of the conference was started by a rousing morning worship led by Emer Obleopas, YFC Provincial Youth Head (PYH) of Northern Samar. The worship was followed by a production number and a welcome address by Jun Nalason, CFC Provincial Area Head of Northern Samar. The Oath of Sportsmanship then paved way for the various competitions set for the day. Workshops were also set at varied time slots in the morning and afternoon. Among these were the “Worship,” “Webvange,” “ROCK (Reach Out Christ to Kids),” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” workshops. At 6:30 pm, the evening session started with the opening worship led by Filjan Tolibas, PYH of Southern Leyte. The first session was delivered by the new EV Regional Head, fulltime pastoral worker Roger Miguel. In his talk, “Victory in the Vision,” he emphasized that the victory has already been won by Christ. Sharers Ioness Llego, Jomar Maceda, and Meraldy Doñoz shared about faith, hope, and love, respectively. An unexpected power interruption took place during the first session. The lights and sounds went off without MMLA 2011 Year Ender By Beth Comahig A RED carpet; camera flashes everywhere; lovely ladies in sweet dresses; handsome gentlemen in suits; a classy ambience of friends mingling with one another – such a scene was perfect for a party. And party it was during the last Singles for Christ (SFC) Metro Manila Leaders’ Assembly (MMLA) for 2011, where people really came dressed up to celebrate the evening. More than 700 SFC leaders from Metro Manila gathered in the Meralco Multi-Purpose Hall last 19 November 2011 for the “David’s” Awards Night - a night of worship, honoring and celebration of a blessed year for SFC Metro Manila. From last year’s “Festive” theme, this year’s MMLA was inspired by no other than David - a humble king; a good leader; a true shepherd after God’s own heart. His calling is very similar to the calling of an SFC leader – to be a child of God; to be a leader; to be a pastor. The night started with the Youth Cross enthronement, followed by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist by Monsignor Allen Aganon, who was also the first recipient of that night’s “David’s” Awards – the “David’s Shepherd” Award - for guiding us in our community life. Dinner followed, giving the SFCs an opportunity to meet new friends and share their blessings with one another. The roster of “David’s” Awardees started with the “Pastoral Formation Category.” This category aimed to honor all those who did their best to give the SFC pastoral formation in their area. The “Represent” award was given to SFC Big East for representing Metro Manila, and winning the “ St omp Ou t Lou d” c omp et it ion in the ICON last February. The “Learn” award was given to SFC David’s / C7 C4 By Ricky Cuenca, CFC Chairman Ugnayan CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 Our Virtual Christmas Tree THE last part of our 2011 liturgical year brought my wife, Irma and me to the Middle East, specifically to Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Prior to that, in September, we were in UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharja). The change of format from the customary one Middle Eastern conference to individual country fora gave us the opportunity to attend CFC Country Conferences and at the same time conduct in depth pastoral care and conversations with our CFC members. We attribute this to God’s plan! Thank you, Lord! While visiting our flock, I realized that our members are increasing in the Middle East in spite of the harsh realities and contrast of being squeezed in between two extremisms (Islamic Moslem and Jewish Israel) and being subject to religious and social discrimination. In this part of the world, many Christians prefer to flee from the harsh reality of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, lack of religious freedom and political instability. As Christians they are considered second class citizens. In spite of these, our CFC leaders and members are on fire in their Christian faith and witnessing. What we have seen over the years is our small flock growing into an amazing global movement for Christian renewal. Our community in the Middle East has grown from a few dozen to thousands of members in only about two decades. And we ask why? Why are CFC members growing in this part of the world? Although the answer may be economic- escape from poverty in the Philippines and improved economic life in the Middle East, there is clearly a redemptive message – it is God’s plan to bring Christ’s love to the Middle East. And for CFC, what inspires us is our vision of families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth and our mission of building the church of the home and the church of the poor. CFC members in the Middle East are fostering Christian renewal and witnessing, overcoming suspicions and misunderstandings, deepening their bonds of communion in Christ and affirming their faith through compassionate services among each other and other pilgrims. What’s more important is that while all these political conflicts and instability are going on, we believe that CFC is part of a much larger plan of salvation in the world. We observed that certain character traits of CFC leaders contribute to this challenging mission. Our CFC leaders and members are adaptable. They know how to assimilate and adjust to the cultural dynamics, values, beliefs and socio-economic conditions of the countries where they work. They weave into the culture but they keep their faith. They are not judgmental or critical. They are not complainers. They are not overly aggressive and demanding and are appreciated for their submissiveness. They simply work and pray. And they know how to have fun and appreciate other cultures. They are resilient. They persevere and even thrive in the growing challenges and painful realities, never giving up. They are compassionate. The words “kapwa” (others) and “pagmamalasakit” (compassion) are integral to their nature -- the natural giving of care to others. They are generous and hospitable. Everywhere we went, we were met with warm welcome and given comfortable accommodation and delicious meals. CFC members readily give up their best living accommodation and extend hospitality to their guests. They practice servant leadership in their humble day to day practice of their profession and faith. They live the passion of Christ with grace submitting to the will of God. They are happy, resting confidently in the protection of their Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ and the perpetual mantle of help from Mama Mary. When asked if they would continue to proclaim Christ in the Middle East, the response was unequivocal, a confident YES. They will continue to bring the good news of salvation. We were happy and proud to be a part of this mission. CFC has been decorating their virtual Christmas tree throughout the years with the work of dedicated leaders and members in the global mission of evangelization. The confirmation of this grand plan of God during this trip makes Christmas and New Year especially joyous for us. We can say that the presence of CFC members in the Middle East has deep relevance in Christian renewal, especially when they often have to endure gross human rights violation. The plight of our domestic workers, many of them women Catholics who are treated like slaves and denied their right to their religion, is known to all. Like the Acts of the Apostles in the early Christian development in Syria, Antioch and Libya, we realized that the CFC mission in the Middle East is an urgent international response to the call of Christian renewal. Our concerted effort to bring Christ’s love will one day bring peace and ensure respect for human rights and religious freedom into this world. Our pearl of great prize in the year 2011 is our active CFC presence in the global stage. CFC’s gift of Christmas is bringing Christian leadership, witnessing Christ’s love and life in our on-fire evangelization, pastoral care and formation and in our ANCOP work with the poor in the global platform. As we continue our servant leadership, learning and shepherding in the global arena, we can only say Praise God for the opportunity to serve. What a great gift! We look forward to our gift of gold and the many more miracles to come on our CFC 50th golden anniversary. Trusting in God’s awesome plan for CFC, we know CFC will move beyond the global stage into universal fields of the future. May God be praised in His abiding love and formation of CFC into a global movement and network of Christian leaders renewing the face of the earth! In this Christmas of 2011 and the coming 2012, as CFC IC Chair and International Director, we express our unwavering hope and love. We look forward to many more blessings and miracles to come. To our Lord and our dear brothers and sisters, we sincerely express our pride and gratitude. Our success in CFC is a result of the great deeds of our committed leaders, members and partners. Our best wishes for an abundant Christmas blessing and bright peaceful New Year to all! By Melo Villaroman, Jr., CFC Director The New CFC Theme And Our One Roadmap OUR 2012 THEME “Proclaim the Greatness of the Lord!” is our community’s theme for the coming year, and we are very excited! It is the Holy Spirit’s gift, handed to CFC through the International Council retreat and planning last month. With his compelling command, based on the first verse of The Magnificat, the Spirit is drawing us even closer to the core of our calling: EVANGELIZATION – or everyday proclamation of Christ’s love in our word and action. Our incoming spiritual battle cry also urges us on to continue our journey as a people called to respond to His mission of Fullness in Building both the Church of the Home and the Church of the Poor. The “Mighty One who has done great things” for our Blessed Mother will continue to bless our work with the poor, as He has “lifted up the lowly, and filled the hungry with good things!” Our faithful God will also embrace in His power hug of love, strength and mercy our homes, our children, and the families we evangelize and serve, “as He has helped Israel his servant, according to His promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to His descendants forever.” Our 2012 theme also brings to light why the Lord has allowed us to overcome our community’s toughest trials. In the midst of raging storms, why did the Spirit command us to love even more? Why were we exhorted to move forward in Christ, embracing His life and mission of Fullness, and putting on His full armor? It is so that we in CFC can continue to “proclaim the greatness of the Lord!” OUR CFC ROADMAP OR “GPS” As we proclaim the greatness of the Lord in our daily lives and mission, the fire of Christ – a light to nations - will burn even more brightly in Couples for Christ, enabling us to fulfill God’s vision to use CFC to “set the world on fire with the fullness of God’s transforming love” as “Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth!” We have a long journey and an arduous mission ahead of us, but praise God, His ever-faithful Spirit guides us through a “ROADMAP,” some kind of a “GPS” (to the secular world, “Global Positioning System” but in our case “God’s Path for Soldiers”), for CFC to get there. The CFC ROADMAP is a simple and clear, yet comprehensive. It is a one-page document that captures our CFC Vision, Mission Strategies, and priority plans for the next two to three years. It starts with our CFC Vision and Mission in mind, then spells out the most important plans/programs, measures, and enablers that will get us closer to the future God desires for our community. More importantly, the IC leaders through this CFC ROADMAP, have tried their best to listen to and capture your key discernment and inputs to the CFC plans, through the most relevant suggestions flowing out of the past CFC Pastoral Congresses and CFC Leaders’ conferences. I and my IC brothers pray and hope that this ROADMAP will gather the many members of CFC around the world to personally and fruitfully help in fulfilling our one Vision by spiritually and strategically focusing our everyday mission around our common, shared work and goals. Let us start our journey from CFC Pearl to CFC Gold, through a common understanding of the key elements of this ROADMAP, which we will be bringing to life as our Community’s best offering of heart and hands to the Lord. LET’S START WITH OUR VISION! Our vision is lofty, challenging, sounding as almost impossible to some – “Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth!” Let us be affirmed by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta who declared, “You and I have been created for greater things. We have not been created to just pass through this life without aim. And that greater aim is to love and be loved.” We should embrace our CFC Vision as our family’s own and move forward in confidence, never shrinking back even if we are weak, for what will “set the world on fire” and “renew the face of the earth” is the mightiest power in the world – the transforming love of Christ! If our everyday loving and living within and among families and with the poor will proclaim the greatness of the love of God, then the world will never be the same again. For this kind of love flowing out of Spirit-empowered families goes on burning from generation to generation, refining and purifying people and places with the fullness of God’s transforming love. Employees in Apple Inc., and students of a prominent American university were so inspired when famous business leader Steve Jobs rallied them to “put a dent in the universe.” We members in Couples for Christ are so blessed to wake up each morning and in our prayers feel the embrace of God Himself, not just man, who affirms us, “I WILL POUR MY SPIRIT UPON YOU, AND USE YOU TO RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH!” This new day, let us arise and embrace the CFC Vision as our own! Let us go out to the world and shine with the light and fire of Christ! (Next issue: THE CFC ROADMAP: UNDERSTANDING OUR COMMON MISSION STRATEGIES AND PLANS) By Joe Tale Fill the World with Love IT is the start of December, and will soon be Christmas. It is the season of gift giving, of carols, and lanterns, and of merriment. More than all this, it is the season of hope, for it is, most importantly, the observance of the waiting and eventually the birth of the Savior. All things considered, that birth made the greatest impact in the weary world of Israel, the impact of which affected and continues to ripple through to the ends of the earth, to this day, even if so far removed from the time and place of its occurrence. In our calendar, by which we mark the days and seasons, December also brings the close of another year, another cycle ending, another cycle beginning. Thus, in the midst of the merriment and the hustle and bustle of the season, it would be good to find a time and place to quiet down in our hearts, to step back a bit as it were, for a moment of reflection, of encountering ourselves. Many organizations would have completed their vision/ mission sessions and strategic planning workshops by now. They would have established their key result areas, prepared a road map for the way forward, and approved the budget to support all their plans. As individuals, however, we do not typically go through such a process. Thus, one meaningful way of observing the season is for us to also go through a personal vision, mission, and planning process ourselves – to see beyond our regular routine and think through and envision the totality of what we can really aspire to be, in accordance with God’s plan and with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It may, but not necessarily, mean getting out of our present situation, for God may simply want us to bloom fully wherever He has planted us. The process need not be complex, as organizational processes can sometimes be. It is simply to quiet down with God, with a listening heart. It is to faithfully read and reflect on His Word. It is to be sensitive to God speaking through people we meet and circumstances that we find ourselves in through the journey, including the temporary stops we make along the way. Blessed John Paul II guides us thus:“ To be able to discover the actual will of the Lord in our lives always involves the following: a receptive listening to the word of God and the church, fervent and constant prayer, recourse to a wise and loving spiritual guide, and a faithful discernment of the gifts and talents given by God, as well as the diverse social and historical situations in which one lives…” Being anchored on the Lord assures us that we are and will be guided in the right direction. Or if we stray at times, He will make us realize so, and point us to the right path, even it means making a drastic u-turn before it is too late. This is important, for one of the saddest situations we can experience especially in our professional work is “climbing steadily up the corporate ladder, only to find out at the top that the ladder is leaning on the wrong wall.” Thus, we must continually check our bearings, and be guided by what is really important, recognize the essential from the superficial, recognize the grain beyond all the chaff. If you have not done so, I suggest that you seek your personal life mission this season. In one prayer meeting, we shared our favorite bible verses. Some verses are our favorite for different reasons – some because the verse guides us in decision-making, some lifts us up during our low moments, some reminds us to persevere. In my case, I shared that among my many favorites, there is one verse that stands out, for it expresses best what and how I would like my life to be. “ To do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.” (Micah 6:8) This verse has become my personal life mission. “To show constant love” - loving is what the Lord consistently mentions in the scriptures. Indeed, love is what God is all about. Love is what God is. Love is the summary of all the commandments that Jesus shared with us. Love is the theme the Lord gave us in CFC for the year 2008. Love is what many authors have written about. Love is what many songs have expressed many times, many ways. And speaking of songs, once again a particular song comes to mind: Fill the World with Love In the morning of my life, I shall look to the sunrise At a moment in my life when the world is new And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me To be brave, and strong and true And to fill the world with love my whole life through. In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine At a moment in my life when the sky is blue And the blessing I shall ask will remain unchanging To be brave and strong and true And to fill the world with love my whole life through And to fill the world with love, and to fill the world with love And to fill the w o r l d w i t h love, my whole life through. In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset At the moment in my life when the night is due And the questions I shall ask only I can answer Was I brave, and strong and true? Did I fill the world with love my whole through Did I fill the world with love, did I fill the world with love Did I fill the world with love, Fill the world / C7 CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Ugnayan C5 By Joe Yamamoto Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem (BY the time this issue comes out, the more than 200 CFC pilgrims from all over the world would be back home, refreshed and revived by the more than two weeks they spent together, visiting the holy sites of Egypt and Israel, and with their faith fortified by the awesome wonder of having been bodily present in the places where Jesus and His Mother walked and lived. This is the last in the series of articles on the sites of the pilgrimage.) ON TO JERUSALEM One of the highpoints of the pilgrimage would be the journey to the city of David, Jerusalem. It has been called the city of Peace even if it hardly experienced the peace that would be appropriate to its being the city that God has identified as His. The best way to appreciate and genuinely experience the full meaning of Jerusalem is by understanding God’ plan for humanity, the history of the plan of salvation which Jerusalem is very much a part of. Fortunately for us, Jerusalem continues to stand, in spite of strife and human failings to constantly remind us of our spiritual roots and origins. The Jerusalem that we see today carries in its bosom many centuries of continuing conflicts, challenges and efforts at establishing a kingdom, a dynasty and a temple that was deemed to be the fitting honor to the Living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Two temples were built on the site chosen by David and the same two temples were destroyed completely by conquering powers over the course of seven centuries. For a greater appreciation of God’s Divine Plan for Jerusalem, we need to go back to history. JERUSALEM, THE CITY OF DAVID David as a young shepherd was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel to take over from Saul. After Saul’s death, David was anointed king by his fellow tribesmen of Judah in about 1000 BC. The early part of his reign was far from peaceful for apart from internal strife, there were attacks by hostile Canaanites who posed serious threats to their survival. At that point, the kingdom was far from united; David had to contend with internal and external foes. Left with no choice, he embarked on successful military campaigns. War weary, David finally decided to build his kingdom’s political and religious center in Jerusalem after defeating the Jebusites that controlled the city (2 Samuel5:7). Consequent to that victory, the Israelite capital was moved from Hebron in the south to Jerusalem, which was atop Mount Zion. Aside from being on a high plateau, and thus heavily fortified, the city was centrally located between the northern and southern tribes of Israel for transparency and neutrality in governance. David was the last Judge of Israel. He was the second king of Israel, succeeding Saul who lost favor with God. King David ruled his people well, cared for and protected his people and his kingdom as the anointed of God. Out of necessity, David and his soldiers waged wars to survive the repeated onlaughts of surrounding hostile tribes. In the process, his kingdom grew in size by conquest and his stature as the brave king of Judah grew as well. Finally, he came to a decision to build a house for the Lord, one that will house the sacred Ark of the Covenant. At that point in his reign, David ruled over Israel and Judah. In choosing the site of his capital, he chose the Jebusite city of Jerusalem that was between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. After a bloody conquest, the Jerusalem of the Jebusites fell to the might of David’s army. For so long, despite the command of the Lord to take hold of the land, there was no peace because the Israelites refused to destroy the Jebusite Canaanites. After accomplishing the mission, David built a grand city in Jerusalem, and thus it became known as the City of David. David wanted to honor God by building a temple for the Ark of the Lord, which throughout his reign resided in a tent. Nathan, the prophet who came after Samuel, received a vision from the Lord declaring that David will not be the one who will build the temple but his son Solomon will. God gave David instead, through the prophet Nathan, much more than anything he could hope for - David will be the founder of a dynasty. The son of David will be a ruler of the kingdom, David’s son will build the temple, David’s son will be God’s adopted son whom He will never disown no matter what, and the dynasty of David will last forever. God promised that David’s bloodline will give rise to Jesus the Messiah, the King of Kings. THE RISE OF THE TEMPLE Unlike David’s reign that was fraught with wars and strife, his son Solomon’s reign was peaceful. Renowned for his wisdom and learning, Solomon brought great wealth, expansion and prestige to his kingdom. The wise king embarked on many splendid constructions and his crowning achievement was the building of the Temple. After seven years of relentless construction, the Temple rose in its full magnificence in the place that has become known as the Temple Mount, the same site as Mount Moriah where Abraham bound Isaac for sacrifice and where the angel of the Lord stayed the hands of Abraham. Nothing remains of this magnificent temple as this was utterly destroyed by the invading Babylonians in 586 BC. After the Babylonian exile, the captive Jews were allowed to return to their homeland through the authorization of the Persian king Cyrus. Persia became the dominant power after the invasion and the subsequent defeat of the Babylonians. The sight of the ruined temple moved and inspired Nehemiah to start the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Later, the Book of Ezra chronicled the reconstruction of the Second Temple by the prophet Ezra and Nehemiah. The reconstruction continued and was completed at the time of Zerubbabel, the then governor of Jerusalem. The reconstructed temple was not as grand as the one built by Solomon but it was sufficient to allow the people to resume worship freely. Additional constructions were done continually and major works were accomplished during the reign of Herod the Great - it was this Second Temple that featured prominently in the life and ministry of Jesus. The Temple in Herod’s time was the scene of many major events chronicled in the four Gospels. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Temple and that came to pass in 70 AD when the Roman armies under Titus completely razed the Temple and everything that was in it. In that ensuing campaign, the Roman armies killed almost a million men, women and children. Once again, the Jews were dispersed and worship in the Temple ceased. Of the Second Temple, only parts of the Western Wall remain today. The site of the Western Wall is venerated as a holy place by the modern day Jews. The land of Israel came under attacks and invasions by other armies, such as Saracens, Crusaders, Turks, and British. Dominion of the land changed hands many times and ultimately came under Arab domination. In 1948, against insurmountable odds, the nation of Israel was restored and reestablished as a democracy. Nevertheless, Jerusalem remained in Arab hands until the Six Day War of 1967 when Israel finally wrestled control of the city and the Temple Mount from the Jordanians. Paradoxically,today, the Temple Mount is occupied by mosques and inaccessible to most Jews but Jerusalem is back in their hands . The politics of governance remains very complex and too complicated to understand. We need to keep focused on the spiritual significance of Jerusalem and Israel rather than on the politics of the land. As a fitting footnote to the eventual fates of the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem, the pilgrim would be wise to know that God who controls history and the unfolding of events allowed the destruction of the two temples to occur on the same day, the Ninth day of Av ( July or August in the Jewish calendar) 655 years apart! JESUS and JERUSALEM IN HIS TIMES The ministry of Jesus had three parts -- the Galillean, Judean and Perean ministries occurring in that sequence. Because the family of Joseph and Mary were observant Jews, journeys and trips to Jerusalem were part of their religious practice. The narrative on the presentation of Jesus in the Temple is amply recorded in the gospels. The prophets Simeon and Anna attested to the messianic role prepared for the infant Jesus. The next occasion that they journeyed to Jerusalem was when Jesus was twelve and he joined his parents for the Passover celebration. “Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it.” (Luke 2:41-44). Jesus was later found discoursing animatedly and profoundly with the scribes, Pharisees and other scholars of the law. As was the practice of observant Jews, there were three occasions every year that required them to travel to Jerusalem for pilgrimage, and the Passover was one of those. Jesus followed that practice consistently. The other two pilgrimage festivals were the Feast of the Tabernacles (Sukkot) and the Feast of the Pentecost (Shavuot). JERUSALEM and THE MINISTRY OF JESUS The last full year of the public ministry of Jesus was spent almost exclusively in the Judean and Perean ministries. As a distinction, the earlier travels of Jesus to Jerusalem were part of His observance of the religious customs of His people. Jerusalem was very much a part of Judean Ministry as was Bethany. Farther to the east of Jerusalem across present day Jordan was the region once known as Perea that was much a part of the life and later ministry of Jesus. The Judean ministry gave rise to many unforgettable events and encounters of Jesus with those who received the Good News and experienced firsthand the miracles or were transformed by the words that came from His divine lips. The landmark encounters of Jesus with the religious authorities in Jerusalem were likewise amplified and duly recorded. In Jerusalem, one early morning in the temple grounds, a commotion broke out where a woman caught in adultery was brought to the attention of Jesus by scribes and Pharisees seeking to trap him. The unforgettable encounter ended when Jesus finally confronted them by saying: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ( John 8:7-8) In John 8:12-20, Jesus declared: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” It was also in Jerusalem that Jesus told his followers the Parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21) and the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)). One of the sites to be visited by the modern day pilgrims during the CFC Pearlgrimage is the Inn of the Good Samaritan, and hopefully their reflections on the lessons Jesus taught in this particular parable would be centered on the need for compassion, mercy and charity for all, regardless of race or creed. Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s prayer in response to their plea: “Lord teach us to pray...”(Matt.6:9, Luke 11:1-13). That event is commemorated today in the Church of the Pater Noster, located in the slope of Mount Olives. The time of ministry of Jesus in the Judean area allowed him to visit the family of Martha and Mary in Bethany (Luke 10:38) and in the latter part of the year, the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). The family of Lazarus and Jesus enjoyed a special bond of friendship. The Gospel of Luke emphasized that while Bethany was only two miles from Jerusalem where Jesus was preaching, it took sometime for Jesus to respond to the request of his dear friends to visit the sick Lazarus. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus was already dead for four days. In the emotional encounter with Martha, Jesus declared. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who believes in Me will never die...” (Luke 25-26). Jerusalem is a very important part of the life of Jesus. It is now also an important part of the life and mission of all believers. A pilgrimage to this holy site will allow the present day followers of Christ to personally experience those events while walking and reflecting in the very areas that meant so much to Jesus, the disciples and our Christian faith. The CFC members who joined this particular pilgrimage will bring home much more than the awe and wonder of having trod in the very places where Jesus lived; they will bring home a deep sense of renewed faith and of great resolve to live as Jesus wants us all to live. By Jun Uriarte Doing God’s Will A story is told that St. Augustine’s intense desire to acquire wisdom was ignited when at the age of 19 he read Cicero’s Hortensius, an exhortation to the study of philosophy. Born in 354 in what is now called Algeria in Africa, he was given the name Aurelius Augustinus. His most well-known writings are Confessions and City of God. A beautiful excerpt from one of his sermons pertains to the Blessed Virgin Mary, discipleship and evangelization: “Stretching out his hand over his disciples, the Lord Christ declared: Here are my mother and my brothers; anyone who does the will of my Father who sent me is my brother and sister and my mother. I would urge you to ponder these words. Did the Virgin Mary, who believed by faith and conceived by faith, who was the chosen one from whom our Savior was born among men, who was created by Christ before Christ was created in her – did she not do the will of the Father? Indeed the blessed Mary certainly did the Father’s will, and so it was for her a greater thing to have been Christ’s disciple than to have been his mother, and she was more blessed in her discipleship than in her motherhood. Hers was the happiness of first bearing in her womb him who she would obey as her master.” “Now listen and see if the words of Scripture do not agree with what I have said. The Lord was passing by and crowds were following him. His miracles gave proof of divine power and a woman cried out: Happy is the womb that bore you, blessed is that womb! But the Lord, not wishing people to seek happiness in a purely physical relationship, replied: More blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. Mary heard God’s word and kept it, and so she is blessed. She kept God’s truth in her mind, a nobler thing than carrying his body in her womb. The truth and the body were both Christ: he was kept in Mary’s mind in so far as he is truth, he was carried in her womb in so far as he is man; but what is kept in the mind is of a higher order than what is carried in the womb.” This sermon of St. Augustine calls to mind the passage in the Gospel of Mark: His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mk 3:31-35) This passage contains the only appearance of the mother of Jesus in the gospel of Mark. And the only other mention about her in the First Gospel is in Mark 6:3: Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? In his sermon, St. Augustine links doing the will of God with discipleship and states that Mary’s blessedness emanates from her being the first and foremost disciple of her Son. As the foremost disciple, Mary carries forth her Son’s message of salvation. And this act of discipleship is nobler than her act of physical motherhood, of carrying her Son in her womb. For St. Augustine this is the most important responsibility of a disciple – the proclamation of Christ’s message, which is evangelization. Pope Paul VI in Evangelii nuntiandi defines evangelization as “the carrying forth of the Good News to every sector of the human race so that by its strength it may enter into the hearts of men and renew the human race.” This definition carries two important aspects. The first aspect is that evangelization requires the evangelist to merely carry forth the Good News to every sector of the human race. In evangelization the preacher does not carry forth or proclaim himself. Rather he carries forth or proclaims the Good News, which is the Word of God. The second aspect is that the effectiveness of the proclamation depends not on the ability, training, experience or eloquence of the evangelist but on the inherent strength, the intrinsic power of the Good News itself. The Good News, by itself, has the power, the strength, and the ability to enter the hearts of men and renew the human race. Evangelization therefore involves hearing, accepting and then proclaiming the Good News. The Blessed Virgin Mary was the first to hear the Good News: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus (Lk 1:31). She was also the first to accept the Good News: May it be done to me according to your word (Lk 1:38). For this reason, Pope John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor tells us that: “By accepting and pondering in her heart events which she did not always understand, she became the model of all those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Evangelization involves proclaiming the Good News. And again Mary was the first to proclaim the Good News: Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Lk 1:39,46-47) It is because of this that Pope Paul VI in Marialis Cultus tells us: “The Virgin Mary has always been proposed to the faithful by the church as an example to be imitated … she is held up as an example to the faithful for the way in which in her own particular life she fully and responsibly accepted the will of God, because she heard the word of God and acted on it, and because charity and the spirit of service were the driving force of her actions. She is worthy of imitation because she was the first and most perfect of Christ’s disciples.” Finally, evangelization involves witnessing to a personal and living relationship with Jesus. Mary was the only person who was with Jesus in all stages of his life – during Jesus’ conception, birth, public ministry, passion, death, resurrection – living a close, personal and loving relationship with Jesus. For this reason, Pope Paul VI in Evangelii nuntiandi writes: “This is the desire that we rejoice to entrust to the hands and the heart of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary. On the morning of Pentecost she watched over with her prayer the beginning of evangelization prompted by the Holy Spirit: may she be the Star of Evangelization ever renewed which the Church, docile to her Lord’s command, must promote and accomplish, especially in these times which are difficult but full of hope!” Mary therefore was the first to hear the Good News, the first to accept it, and the first to proclaim it. And among the disciples, she had the longest and most intimate personal relationship with Jesus. Thus she is the first and foremost disciple and therefore the first and foremost evangelizer. She is the Star of Evangelization. For this reason, as our community completes its first 30 years and looks forward to the next 30 years, our work of evangelization shall now explicitly and ardently seek the Blessed Mother’s intercession and prayers in raising more men and women with the zeal and commitment to “travel in haste” to “carry forth the Good News to every sector of the human race.” We shall keep in mind the event that led Mexico to faith in the 16th century where despite the heroic efforts of hundreds of missionaries, including learning the language and culture, there were few conversions; and yet after the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego, eight million natives were baptized in seven years. Our Lady of Guadalupe shall then be our companion for the next 30 years and beyond. It was she who sought out her Son. It is she who does the will of the Father. She shall be our companion in and model for evangelization. C6 By Elsie A. Rabago Ugnayan the assistance of the Philippine Red Cross. MedicalDental Mission services, in coordination with the Batangas Regional Hospital and the Batangas Medical and Dental Societies, were likewise made available which were able to serve a little over 200 patients at the Most Holy Trinity Parish, also in Batangas City, in a half day’s work. Highlighting the afternoon program were sectoral competitions in Dance, Show Choir, Band and Praise Dance. Capping the entire celebration, after a spirited praise fest, was the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist by the Archbishop of Lipa, His Excellency Msgr. Ramon C.Arguelles concelebrated by Chancellor Fr. Oscar Andal, Fr. Jun In his homily, Archbishop Arguelles exhorted the CFCs to be like the wise virgins with “true wisdom”- with a mind that is one with the mind of God, a mind that sees the inner self more rather than the externals. He reminded the group that the Lord’s greatest joy is to see His people back in His image and likeness, to see His greatness shining brightly in every man, to see His Person very much alive in everyone. The Archbishop, furthermore, counseled the community to exert conscious effort to enter into the wisdom of God in order to make His greatness and magnificence visible in everyone. This, according to him, can be well attained through the daily reading of the Scriptures. In closing, CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 CFC Lipa Celebrates 24th Anniversary Quiambao, Fr.John de Castro, Fr. Cecilio Arce, Fr.Jayson Alcaraz, Fr. Donald Dimaandal, Fr. Eugene Penalosa, Fr. Conrado Castillo and Msgr. Rafael Oriondo. CFC Spiritual Director Fr. Dale Barretto Ko was present in the day’s programs, but had to leave for another appointment. THE 6th of November was a day of grace for the CFCs of the Archdiocese of Lipa as they celebrated their 24th year with immense joy and spiritfilled thanksgiving with the theme “Put on the Full Armor of God” and the sub-theme “CFC on Fire.” The celebration was held at the Batangas City Coliseum, attended by about 3,800 CFCs from all over the archdiocese. Foreign CFCs from New Zealand, United States and Lebanon also graced the affair. The day’s festivities started with a Training Workshop Course for prospective lecturers on Natural Family Planning in support of and coordination with the Family Life Apostolate of the Archdiocese. Then a blood–letting activity with 52 donors followed with Archbishop strongly urged the CFCs to continue to “be on fire” and not to be like the ten foolish virgins who had no oil and were not prepared to meet the Lord. In his Anniversary message, Melo Villaroman, CFC Executive Director, gave further stress to the Archbishops homily by defining the acronym: O – ne with God and with the Catholic Church N – ew generation(develop leaders among the youth) F – ullness in Christ, through service to the family and to the poor I – international (CFC will continue to serve the world) R – elevant life and formation through faithfulness to the Eucharist, the Liturgy, households and teachings E – Effective Stewardship (continued support for mission work) CFC United Arab Emirates Turns 19 CFC-Kuwait 1st National Conference By Leggy Sabido LAST November 5, 2011, CFC UAE celebrated its 19th anniversary at the Al Nawras Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. The event was attended by 1,097 people with 445 coming from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, 313 from the Northern Emirates and 339 from Dubai. The celebration beRouquel and Nina Ponte gan with a vibrant opening worship led by Mario Dizo (CFC Area Head for Northern Emirates and CFC UAE National Council member) followed by an inspiring anniversary message from UAE National Director, Leo Verdolaga. Rouquel Ponte, CFC International Council Member, and his wife Nina were the special guests. Rouquel shared his experiences when CFC started in the UAE in 1992 with only 13 couples and how it has grown and matured to its present time. He furthermore said that greater things will come our way and that we must always be a blessing to others. Nina emphasized that “No one is leaving this place not touched by God.” Each one will receive God’s blessings, favors, answered prayers and healing. One must realize that everything only comes from the grace of God. Upon receiving His blessings, we must share them with others. The event continued with several presentations from the various ministries, namely a song and dance presentation from KFC Northern Emirates, followed by a dance number rendered by YFC Dubai. Another presentation was a dance number from SFC Abu Dhabi and finally a song and dance interpretation from HOLD Dubai. Ramuel Garcia, UAE National Coordinator for ANCOP, also gave an update on the status of our UAE ANCOP site in Bataan. He mentioned that 22 houses out of the 30 houses have already been pledged, 17 of which have already been paid for. The remaining eight houses are to be turned over by Dubai before the year ends. COUPLES for ChristKuwait recently held its first ever National Conference (Armor Weekend) last November 10-11, 2011 at Carmel School, Kuwait attended by more than 150 members. The conference started with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist officiated by no less than the Papal Nuncio of Kuwait, His Lordship Peter Rajic. He arrived ahead of the schedule but showed his graciousness when he even participated in singing our CFC songs. His homily centered on the importance of family as the pillar of the Catholic Church and exhorted our members to continue our evangelization work. He also mentioned the need for an extended family of migrant workers to help them prevent from committing sins. The “Prologue” was delivered by Diago D’Souza, Area Director for Kuwait. The first talk, “Field of Battle” was given by Silver Salvado, National Migrant Workers Program Head, became a venue for the launching of ANCOP, which was received enthusiastically by the members. The newly assigned ANCOP Head, Al Collado, committed to push for the various programs of ANCOP, specifically, Education, in the understanding that it will help break the cycle of poverty. But the highlight of the event is the approval of Ricky Cuenca regarding the adoption of India as the mission area of CFCKuwait to re-establish Couples for Christ in the country. Our Indian brethren received this development with enthusiasm that about 5 couples immediately volunteered to go on a mission trip on August-September, 2012. Diago D’Souza is leaving on November 24, 2011 to start the ground work for the mission by contacting bishops of Mumbai, Kerila or Bangalore for our re-entry in India. The Conference closed with a Praisefest led by Tristan Talosig, Family Ministry Head of Kuwait. sharer was Jayanthi Isaac, wife of Thomas Isaac, National Church Integration Coordinator, while Noli Manuel, Middle East Regional Center Head gave Talk No. 2, “Rely on the Mighty Power of God”. His wife Sam, shared on the topic. The Conference was honored with the presence of our CFC Chairman, Ricky Cuenca, who delivered Talk No. 3, “Stand Firm Against the Foe.” He came with his wife Irma who gave her sharing. The fourth talk, “Put on the Full Armor of God”, was delivered by Diago D’Souza and his wife Audrey shared on the topic. The last and final talk, “Victory in the Spirit” was given by Rudi Talosig, while his wife Betty was his sharer. The National Conference also SFC Manila Finds Love By Aiza Garnica PASSION for the family and a reverent attitude towards marriage were a few of the reasons why CFC Singles for Christ Metro Manila Central (Makati) and East sectors, together with the Single Young Adults (SYA) of Santuario De San Antonio, organized a seminar-workshop which aimed to help the single person “find the love of his life.” “As a member of Singles for Christ, I have seen the struggles of our brothers and sisters when it comes to matters of the heart,” said Chacha del Rosario of SFC Makati. As discussed during the recently held SFC Global Leaders’ Summit, one of the core issues that a single person deals with is lovelife. This is why on November 24, 2011, 160 single professionals from all over Metro Manila gathered at the Multi-purpose Hall, Lay Formation Center of San Carlos Seminary for the “Finding the Love of Your Life” seminar-workshop. The threehour event was facilitated by relationship experts and parenting consultants Dr. Allan and Ms. Maribel Dionisio of the Love Institute. The couple have been happily married for 27 years and they have been around the country giving talks and seminars on family and relationship concerns. It is their passion to strengthen relationships by strengthening individual character because, as they discussed, one of the predictors of marital happiness is emotional maturity. “Finding the Love of Your Life” officially began with an opening worship, followed by an introduction of the speakers. The couple speakers took off by enumerating what amazes them about the other. They stressed the importance of affirming your partner and reminding them of what makes them special. Dr. Allan asked a few questions which stirred up the interest of the audience, such as, “Who wants to get married?” and “Do you believe in unconditional love?” “Marriage is supposed to be the source Dr. Allan and Ms. Maribel Dionisio of love and intimacy in the world,” declared Dr. Allan as he began the session, “and with it, there is no retirement.” Having said this, he discussed the importance of choosing well the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with, and several factors that need to be considered in finding the love of your life. He shocked everybody when he said, “At this point in your life, unconditional love will get you in trouble.” It became clear though when he explained further that in order for one to choose one’s partner, there must be conditions and criteria, and he related it to hiring people for a job. “You don’t just pick whoever applies first,’” Dr Allan said. There is a process that applicants have to go through. And only after thorough screening do we choose the best people, those perfectly suited for the post. We cannot just settle for less because we know that we deserve the best, because God wants us to have only the best. The speakers went on to discuss the assumptions expected of a single person who is actively searching for love. There are three, namely, knowing exactly what one wants; having what it takes to be married and to stay married; and making good choices. They also talked about the other predictors of marital happiness aside from emotional maturity, and those are similar core values, and authentic love. To ensure having similar core values with a prospect, one must have a list of nonnegotiables. These are usually traits and values which cannot be compromised; a common example is faith or religion. Emotional maturity, as explained by Dr. Allan, does not really come with age, but with how one learns from experience. Factors that may affect maturity include past hurts which are, but not limited to, parents’ separation, any form of abuse, and failed relationships. As people age, their experiences are widened. And as they gain insights and learnings from those experiences, they also become more emotionally mature. As for authentic love, Maribel shared that it also takes a process. Before having authentic love, couples need to undergo the other two stages of love, namely romance and disillusionment. Towards the end of the seminar, participants were asked to group themselves according to the colored sticker given to them upon registration. In about 30 to 45 minutes, the participants found themselves actually experiencing “speed dating.” The speakers described it as a “communication skills workshop,” which according to them is really important in building happy and fruitful relationships. The workshop was followed by a Q&A portion, and the event closed with a reminder from the couple speakers for the participants to not disregard personal growth while discerning for love. To know more about Dr. Allan and Maribel Dioniso, you may visit http:// theloveinstitute.com/. CFC Timor Leste: Bracing For The Next 10 Years By Emmanuel Asunto CFC Timor Leste celebrated its 10th anniversary last November 19 and 20 in Don Bosco Gym in Comoro, Dili. It was an opportunity to remember the community’s humble beginnings on November 9, 2001, when the first missionaries to Timor Leste (Manny and Ditas Garcia, Mon Santiago, Boy and Inday de Loyola, and Beato Pudadera) conducted a CLP in Don Bosco Agricultural School in Fuiloro, a sub-district of Los Palos, about 8-10 hours away from Dili, the capital of Timor. That CLP yielded seven couples and planted the seeds of faith which would eventually yield much “fruit” – 2,616 members in the whole of Timor Leste today. This year’s anniversary was truly a celebration of God’s victory. With the theme “Put on the Full Armor of God,” it spoke boldly of how the Lord wants to direct the CFC Timor community to do greater things for Him in the next ten years. The anniversary also marked the start of the next phase of evangelization work in Timor Leste – “Strengthening our fortress.” The past ten years was focused on setting up and building up the community, and establishing the CFC presence in the districts. The next ten years will be a period of raising new leaders; exploring new areas of evangelization; strengthening relationship with the Church; maximizing pastoral formation; and increasing resources to support the mission. 523 members from CFC and the Family Ministries came for the 10th Anniversary celebration. Don Bosco is very significant because the Salesians were the first congregation that supported our community and opened their doors for us to be able to conduct our first CLP in Fuiloro. CFC is particularly grateful to Fr. Jojo San Juan SDB, the rector of the Don Bosco community in Fuiloro at the time. The 10th Anniversary mass was celebrated by Fr. João Aparicio, Father Provincial for the Salesians of Timor Leste – Indonesia. During his homily, Fr. Aparicio commended CFC for playing a very important role in the mission of transforming the society by bringing Christ to the families. He likened CFC to yeast which helps in the growth of the spiritual life of people. Finally, he affirmed that CFC’s work is fundamental to the life and mission of the Church. The first Lay and Clergy meeting in the country was also held, with the end goal of strengthening CFC’s partnership with the clergy, and determining how efforts to build the Church of the Home and the Poor can be consolidated and maximized. The meeting was attended by several members of the Timorese clergy, including Fr. Luis Bonaparte, Episcopal Vicar for Re-evangelization of the Diocese of Dili. The Bishop of Dili, Dom Alberto Ricardo da Silva, celebrated the opening mass on Saturday. He encouraged CFC to continue to support the mission of the Church, which is to bring about transformation in the lives of its people. CBCP Monitor Vol. 15 No. 25 December 5 - 30, 2011 Ugnayan C7 By Arnel Santos HIS Excellency Mylo Hubert C. Vergara, Bishop of Pasig, shared his thoughts on “servant leadership” with the CFC Mission Core Group (MCG), during its regular MCG Teaching Night at Christ the King Parish, Greenmeadows, Quezon City, on November 22, 2011. Addressing the CFC MCG, Bishop Vergara emphasized how vital the services of the lay groups have been to the Church and “how lay servanthood is crucial today.” A deep appreciation of servant leadership “will help you out in your service to the Church.” Five models of the Church He explained the theological perspective on servanthood, citing the five (5) models of the Church, based on the writings of Cardinal Avery Dulles. The first is the Church as an institution, which evokes the image of a pyramidal structure (“nagbibigay kautusan” or dispenses instructions). This gives a sense of order in the Church. It is because of the “structure, blessed Servant-Leadership model given the needs of the Church today.” As servant, the Church heals and humanizes the world. It “stoops down humbly seeking to help wherever help is need.” It also “reaches out to the poorest of the poor and the neglected, evangelizing them.” With the fifth model of the Church as perspective, Bishop Vergara extensively discussed what a servant leader really means. Servant Leader Citing Greenleaf, he highlighted that “the servant-leader is servant first.” Servanthood begins “with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.” He is sharply different from the person who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. For the “leader first,” it will be a later choice to serve – after leadership is established. “The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.” Bishop Vergara emphasized that “servanthood requires lead- ership. It demands forming one’s vision-mission. It means being a guide and leading those entrusted to one’s care to where they should be going. It demands leadership by example.” As such, the servant as a leader must think ahead, anticipate the needs and expectations of those he serves, prepare well to deal with the unexpected, be flexible, and must be sensitive to the needs of those he serves. On the other hand, the leaders as servant must: 1. Be prepared to humble 2. 3. 4. 5. themselves Serve with joy Never ask ‘what’s in it for me?’ Look for opportunities to serve Serve when no one else is watching Bishop Vergara ended by challenging the MCG to reflect: “How am I as a servant-leader in my family and/or community? What qualities of servantleadership do I hope to practice to become a better disciple of Christ?” by Christ,” that the Church has withstood the test of time. While its weakness is the tendency to “put Church leaders in lofty thrones,” without the structure, “we will be scattered.” The second is the Church as a Mystical Communion, (“nararamdaman” or felt) which calls to mind the image of a circle. This softens the image of the Church as an institution, as the emphasis is the Church as “one body,” with which even leaders are one. It is a Church that “reaches out.” The third is the Church as a Herald Proclaimer (“naririnig”or heard). “This dominant model presents to us how the Church teaches, catechizes and shows to us the words and deeds of our Lord so that they can be understood.” The fourth is the Church as Sacrament (“nakikita” or seen). The sacraments are the “gifts of God to the Church and of the Church to the baptized.” The Lord Himself is the “primal sacrament.” Sacraments inspire people to work for God. The fifth is the Servant Leader Model, which is “the dominant CFC USA Participates In Adopt-A-Priest Program By Ricky Coronel and Julienne Calasanz MORE than 360 priests from all over the United States gathered for the First National Assembly of Filipino Priests held in Los Angeles on November 8 to 11, 2011. The event was headed by Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, D.D. (Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles; Episcopal Liaison to Filipino Priests in the USA; USCCB Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs) and Rev. Fr. Albert Avenido (Moderator and Host, 1st National Assembly of Filipino Priests-USA; Filipino Ministry Coordinator for the Archdiocese of LA). Couples for Christ Southern California (So Cal), in behalf of CFC USA, played a major role in the First National Assembly of Filipino Priests ADOPT-APRIEST program. They were tasked with providing personalized stoles for the priests; LA city tours; a Barrio Fiesta-Concert; A/V Technical Production and the highlight of it all, the hosting of a Family Dinner for a total of 164 priests dubbed “Kahit Isang Gabi Lang Po Father.” Wednesday, November 9, was the much awaited component of the program for the fellowship that was set to be “up close and personal.” CFC’s 40 vehicles rolled up from their staging areas to flawlessly transport 164 delegates from Westin Hotel LAX, to the venue six miles away. “This is historic,” said one of the priests from Chicago as we drove from the Westin LAX to St. Anthony’s parish for the “Kahit Isang Gabi Lang Po Father” dinner. The priest described the amount of work that went into searching and finding any and all of the Filipino priests from the different dioceses of various states. “It took us months to locate them!” St. Anthony’s gym was transformed into a dining area bedecked with round tables accentuated with the colors of the Filipino flag with native tunes playing in the background. As the priests arrived, they were met by uniformed receptionists who ushered them to the different tables where members of a CFC family awaited them. Ricky Coronel (CFC So Cal Sector Head and ADOPT-A-PRIEST Coordinator) gave the opening exhortation while Eric Villanueva (CFC USA National Director) and Cris Kagahastian (CFC USA Council member) welcomed the delegation before the invocation led by Fr. Albert Avenido. CFC and all its ministries - even KFC - were able to enjoy a delicious Filipino meal with the priests - learning about them, laughing with them, and appreciating the presence of Christ in each other. The main topics of table discussions between mouthfuls of Filipino food and puto bumbong included vocations to the priesthood, lay-clergy relationships and partnership in evangelization. The exchange of pleasantries went well into the night as people began poignantly reconnecting with “kababayans.” The evening featured three performers who provided music for the night. Leslie Ann Picazo (YFC), Binky Coronel (CFC) and Kyle Belmont (SFC) wowed the crowd with their powerful renditions ranging from pop, Broadway and standard genres. The performance ended with a surprise piece from the trio singing “Stand Up” that brought the house down. Parish priest Fr. Robert Victoria was so impressed with the program that he invited the performers to join them for their concert on December 4 entitled “Filipino Priests in America.” The segment then segued into a Karaoke night for the priests emceed by Ahrman Amante of CFC Cluster B. With a little bit of persuasion and encouragement, a few priests went up on stage to sing a few songs. “They’re just like regular people,” said one of the South bay youth. The evening was filled with pictorials, laughter, and smiles. Even as the night came to a close, the priests and some David’s / C3 lively CFC members were still on the floor, dancing to the beat of “Christian line dance music,” choreographed by a visiting priest. A pray-over of the priests by CFC capped the night before the delegates were chauffeured back to their hotel for a good night’s rest. Thank God for the commitment of CFC So Cal Cluster ‘B’ who made sure that the evening went well. Although CFC felt challenged in the beginning as support came in trickles, the deluge of support came when the names of the priests from the 12 regions were announced. The sponsors recognized the names as the same priests whom they have been serving with for many years in their respective parishes. It was truly inspiring to see the names of the priests who once started out in the US as newly ordained priests at just about the same time CFC was struggling to plant its roots in America. Now they have “risen” in the ranks of the Church hierarchy as parish priests, monsignors and in other distinguished offices, while CFC also grew and spread as a community. As Bishop Oscar Solis shared during the planning session, this event would give the laity a better understanding and appreciation of our Filipino priests, and it surely did. Not only are they administrators of the Sacraments and spiritual pastors of the flock, our priests are a wealth of gifts, talent and knowledge to be shared with the Church. We thank God for this opportunity to accomplish another milestone in line with our expanded vision of being one with the Catholic Church. His Excellency, Bishop Oscar Solis, said it all when he said “I am very pleased.” Fill the world / C4 my whole life through Beyond being a beautiful song, its lyrics wonderfully express a most helpful guide to living a meaningful life – to fill the world with love my whole life through. It speaks of being brave, being strong and being true as values to uphold. It also sets the major milestones when we need to check how we are doing – in the morning, in the noontime, and in the sunset of our lives. This song has thus become my personal life mission song. May I invite you to make it yours as well. We know from experience, however, that actual living out of the mission to love is far from easy, is far from simple, especially when we measure it, as we should, based on the ideal of loving as Jesus loved. We therefore seek God’s grace to help us do so. The mission to love becomes even more challenging in an institutional setting. Many factors need to be considered – not the individual’s situation alone, but the interest of the institution as a whole. Can loving be compatible with organizational discipline, or with the need for corporate efficiency for instance? It is difficult enough to practice personal forgiveness, how much more collective forgiveness? Challenges as these and many more may abound, but what we know is that God’s grace can lead us to the right answers in accordance with His will. To fill the world with love is to practice kindness all around. This may be easy to understand and accept as a concept, but what specific steps should we really do? There are of course many ways. We should start though with what the Lord Jesus so clearly points to us to do. In Matthew 25: 31-46 particularly, Jesus asks to do the following, especially to the least of our brethren: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers to our home, clothe the naked, take care of the sick, visit those in prison. I invite you to make this verse our shared personal life goal, and ask for God’s grace to help us fulfill it. So, where do we start doing all these – our personal life mission, mission and goals? We should not look far. We start with our own family, relatives, and the community (both spiritual and territorial) the Lord has brought us to. This Christmas season, more than thinking of what nicely wrapped gifts to give, let us ask ourselves: -How can I be more loving to my spouse? -How can I be more loving to my children? -How can I be more loving to my parents? -How can I be more loving to my siblings? -How can I be more loving to my in laws? -How can I be more loving to my relatives? -How can I be more loving to my brothers and sisters in community? -How can I be more loving to the least of my brethren? -How can I be more loving to my country? Let us sincerely ask and attentively listen to the Lord’s answers. But more importantly, let us go and proceed to act accordingly. As we make filling the world with love our lifetime commitment, we need to keep in mind what Steve Sjogren shares in his book Conspiracy of Kindness: “It seems people don’t necessarily remember what they are told of God’s love, but they never forget what they have experienced of God’s love.” A Blessed Christmas filled with God’s love to all! (Note: The song Fill the World with Love was composed by Leslie Bricusse and was first introduced in the beautiful movie “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” in the 1960s.) Central C for having the most number of participants in the Theology of the Body series of seminars. The “Do This” award was given to SFC Central A1 and South B1 for immediately cascading the “Knight’s Tale” and “Princess Diaries” weekends in their chapters. Meanwhile, the “Come” awards were given to SFC West B and Central C for having the biggest number of delegates last Metro Manila Conference (MMC), and for having the most number of chapter heads/leaders who attended the ICON and the MMC respectively. The “Sacrifice” award, under the “Work with the Poor Category” was given to the SFC of East A, East B, Central A, Central B, Central C, West A, and West B, for wholeheartedly accepting the call to serve in the Cornerstone schools outside their areas, waking up early every Saturday just to teach and learn with the kids. The “Evangelization Category” on the other hand, aimed to honor those who continuously responded to the call of mission and evangelization. The “Evangelize” award was given to East B for the most number of CLPs in the year; South A for the big- gest growth in membership; Central A3C for bringing SFC to the Jollibee Corporate office; Central A and B for opening CLPs in the rehabilitation center; and South B for the CLP in prison. The “Empower” award was given to SFC North B for encouraging their leaders to empower themselves by attending trainings and summits, and for sending the biggest delegation to the SFC Global Leaders Summit in Thailand last October. Lastly, the “Go” awards were given to those who fearlessly answered the call to go on mission during the “SFC Backpackers Great Adventure,” namely: Bodenar Mananquil; Anthony Sacramed; Kristine Mapanao; Patrick Campos; Charles Yao; Manz Padilla; Dominic Barrios; Karen Lorico; Beth Comahig; Erick Abad; Raymond Villapena; and Lucy Lacsamana. The 12 singles, together with 26 more CFCs and SFCs went on mission to five countries in the Greater Mekong Area. The “Build” award under the “Household Category,” was given to East B Chapter Servants for consistently and constantly updating the Info system for their household meetings and all other ac- tivities of their areas. East B was also awarded for being faithful in tithing. The last two awards under the “Lifetime Category” were given to our SFC brothers and sisters who offered their lives to make everyone experience Christ. The “Witness” awards were given to our brethren who died this year due to sickness or accidents, namely: Carlo Taneo of West B; Erick Espinosa of Central C; Janon Cudal and Alex Petilla of East A. The “Declare” award was given to Jee Ann De Guzman of North A, who died a victim of crime and injustice. Their lives will always be a declaration of God’s love and mercy, and their death will always remind us of the urgency of our mission. As the night came to an end, Michael Ariola, SFC International Coordinator, shared the expanded SFC Vision with the leaders. He honored everyone for giving their all - that though our climb was difficult, it was worth it. He encouraged everyone to continue to journey with Christ, and to be a witness to all single men and women, as SFC becomes the next generation of CFC, and builds a Christ-centered society. C8 Ugnayan CBCP Monitor December 5 - 30, 2011 Vol. 15 No. 25 By Jon and Bel Masinsin CFC Marches CFC established in Mauritius For Life roses commemorating those who died but never got a funeral. The Church happens to be in the middle of two abortion clinics which are only about half a mile (800 meters) apart from each other. The reality of the culture of death makes the mission of CFC even more urgent, not only in taking a stand for Christ, but in being actively committed in defending life. CFC provided the praise and worship music during the march. It was indeed a beautiful expression of love for life. Because the CFC group was so vibrant and well represented, the organizers asked CFC to be in charge of next year’s event - not just the music but the entire program It would be a great opportunity for CFC Florida to be of more service to our Church and community. By Allison Gozun JACKSONVILLE, FL, USA, Nov. 5, 2011 – The Couples for Christ (CFC) and its Family Ministries, along with other Catholic pro-life organizations in the Diocese of St. Augustine, and other Christian ministries, participated in the annual “March of the Surviving Youth,” a day of prayer and commemoration for “one-third of a generation missing due to abortion.” The day started with a memorial Mass at 7 AM at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Despite the early start and the gloomy weather, CFC members answered God’s call to service. The march to two abortion clinics right after the memorial Mass was led by the “Survivors,” who carried a casket full of On Tuesday, 25 October 2011, the first Couples for Christ mission team arrived in Mauritius. Composed of five couples from Seychelles, a CFC brother from Abu Dhabi, and our Regional Coordinator from Manila, we were privileged to have the blessing of Monsignor Maurice Piat to establish our CFC community in Mauritius. The Diocese of Port-Louis sent a team to Seychelles to take a look at our CFC community in September 2010. The team included two priests, Father Jacques Piat and Father Pierrot Friquin, a nun, Sister Josianne, and a couple, Lindsay and Franchette Lapoul. Just over a year later, they gave us a warm welcome as we arrived at Le Thabor - the formation centre for the Diocese - which was to be our home for the next two weeks. During our mission, we were also joined in service by two Mauritian couples who had previously joined CFC in Africa and had moved back home. They were eagerly waiting for CFC to be established in Mauritius and enthusiastically joined us in our mission. We began with a meeting to set expectations and discuss the schedule with Monsignor Maurice Piat, our CFC team and our two newly assigned chaplains, Father Piat (Parish Priest of Flacq) and Father Friquin (Parish Priest of Rose Belle). They had been busy gathering participants for the Christian Life Program that was to be held in the parish of Flacq. The CLP began on Friday, 28 October, and concluded on Sunday, 30 October. There were twenty one couples awaiting us at Flacq. As the CLP progressed, we were inspired and humbled by their thirst to hear more - about God’s love, about Christ, about how to live a fuller life through the Holy Spirit within their homes and families. Despite the hectic schedule, they enjoyed the sessions, discussions and songs. We were pleasantly surprised Monsignor Maurice Piat said that the weekend proved that “the Gospel has the power to transcend language.” During his homily, he remarked that he has “great hopes for the fruit that Couples for Christ will bear in Flacq, and in Mauritius.” In the week following the CLP, household leaders were established, and future plans were laid out. CFC Mauritius is very much blessed in the that the language barrier did not pose a serious problem. God inspired us through the eagerness of our new brothers and sisters and their willingness to participate. The CLP was capped by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, concelebrated by the Bishop and our two priests. At the beginning of the Mass, support we have from Monsignor Piat and our chaplains. We truly live in exciting times - and look forward to more fellowship, more service, and more memories with our new brothers and sisters. Editor’s note: Allison and her husband Joseph are CFC missionaries based in Seychelles, Africa. CFC Milan Turns 13 By Alona Linatoc, Cherryl Perez and Raul Villaluz CFC Milan celebrated its 13th anniversary last November 20 at St. Eugenio Chapel, Via Turchino 9. It was actually a post-celebration since CFC marked its 13th year of existence in Milan, Italy last October 25. The occasion involved brethren outside the CFC community in preparation for the Seventh World Meeting of Families, which will take place in Milan, Italy from May 30 to June 3, 2012. It was a unique celebration because it did not involve lavish presentations nor expensive preparations but rather a very spiritual and enlightening exercise. Attendees gathered at the venue at around 11 in the morning for the Holy Mass presided by Don Luciano Pozzi, an Italian priest. The CFC Music Ministry, headed by Ging Oba, led the congregation in singing during the mass. Shortly after the mass, the YFC music ministry rendered some gathering songs while the participants started to build up to nearly three hundred. Don Giancarlo Cuadri, an Italian priest in charge of the immigrants in Milan, led the invocation of the Holy Spirit and delivered an inspirational message. For the production number, some brethren comprising the CFC and its Family Ministries performed interpretative dances while live Christian songs were sung by the YFC music ministry. Afterwards, a documentary film on the history of the World Meeting of Families was shown. Right after the film, a parade of CFC banners with the FCSL Roel and Madz Panlilio came in to read the Word of God and introduced the speakers. Amedy Arcayan, HOLD Eastern Europe Regional Coordinator shared her insights on the second biblical catecheses: “The Family Generates Life.” Then Venci Arcayan, CFC Eastern Europe Regional Coordinator and CFC Italy Country Coordinator, expounded on “Listening to the Magisterium.” After all the talks, a short film about a father and a son, centered on forgiveness, was shown. Leo and Mean were tasked to read the Word of God and introduce the speaker for the third biblical catechesis: “The Family Is Put to the Test” namely Fr. Elmer Agcaoili Bumanglag, SDV (Paulino). After the talks, the participants were divided into groups for the exchange of ideas based on the biblical catecheses discussed. For each group, a couple facilitator was assigned and printed guide questions were distributed to aid the group sharing. The celebration concluded with an exhortation led by Fr. Emil Santos, FSCL chaplain. Later, he was joined by Fr. Bumanglag for the final blessing. CFC Middle East: A Week of Victory for the Lord Session 5: “Victory in the Spirit” was delivered by Ricky Cuenca (CFC Chairman). CFC Kuwait “Armor of God” National Conference – November 10 and 11, 2011 142 CFC participants trooped to Carmel School in Kuwait for their “Armor of God” National Conference. Silver Salvado (CFC Kuwait) gave Session 1: “Field of Battle.” Session 2: “Rely on the Mighty Power of God” by Noli Manuel (CFC Middle East Regional Missions Office Coordinator) and Session 3: “Stand Firm Against the Foe” by Ricky Cuenca (CFC Chairman). Diago D’Souza (CFC Kuwait Country Head) gave Session 4: “Put on the Full Armor of God” and Session 5: “Victory in the Spirit” by Rudy Talosig (CFC Kuwait Country Coordinator). CFC Oman “Armor of God” National Conference – November 10, 2011 120 participants from CFC Oman joined their “Armor of God” Conference held at the Ghala Parish Hall, Oman. Session 1: “The Field of Battle” was given by Onyx Verano (CFC Oman Country Head) and Session 2: “Rely on the Mighty Power of God” was delivered by Nora Verano (wife of CFC Oman Country Head, Onyx Verano). Leo Verdolaga (CFC Oman Country Coordinator) gave two talks namely, Session 3: “Stand Firm Against the Foe” and Session 5: “Victory in the Spirit.” Session 4: “Put on the Full Armor of God” was given by Rita Verdolaga (wife of CFC Oman Country Coordinator, Leo Verdolaga). CFCs all over the Middle East were reminded through the different conferences that the only way to victory is to put on the full armor of God – truth, righteousness, readiness to announce the Good News of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. Our full armor of God is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In Him alone is our victory. By Samantha Manuel A SERIES of powerful, Spiritfilled and victorious National Conferences were held in 5 countries – Qatar, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman – in the Middle East region this month. It was the first time these countries conducted a National Conference for Couples for Christ following the cancellation of the annual CFC Middle East Conference (MEC) earlier this year. The CFC MEC supposedly to be held in Bahrain did not push through due to security concerns and unstable conditions a few months back in the country. As a result, it was decided that the different areas in the region will have to conduct their own CFC National Conference with this year’s community theme, “Put on the Full Armor of God,” based on the verse from Ephesians 6, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God!” CFC United Arab Emirates had their “Armor of God” National Conference in Sharjah, UAE last April 2011. Over a thousand CFCs (including HOLD, SOLD and SFCs in some areas) attended these conferences. The following are some highlights of the various conferences: CFC Qatar “Armor of God” National Conference – November 3 and 4, 2011 Over 300 participants attended the Conference at the Seraphic Hall of Our Lady of Holy Rosary Parish. The conference speakers were as follows: The prologue was given by Raffy Pingul (CFC Qatar Governance Team Member); Session 1: “The Field of Battle” by Noli Manuel (CFC Middle East Regional Missions Office Coordinator). Session 2: “Rely on the Mighty Power of God” by Toots Garduce (CFC Qatar Country Head). Session 3: “Stand Firm Against the Foe” by Ricky Cuenca (CFC Chairman). Session 4: “Put on the Full Armor of God” by Tony Dayot (CFC Qatar Country Coordinator) and finally, Session 5: “Victory in the Spirit” by Shok Ariola (SFC International Coordinator). CFC Lebanon “Armor of God” National Conference – November 6, 2011 Over 70 participants attended the first day of the Conference. Due to certain limitations in the area, the community gathered, “video-conference” style, using the actual video coverage of the Mission Core Weekend held in Baguio in January. The prologue was given by Jun Iriola, CFC Lebanon Country Head. The video conference was held at St. Joseph Church Function Room, Tabaris, Beirut, Lebanon. Day two of the conference will be held on the 4th of December 2011. CFC Bahrain “Armor of God” National Conference – November 7, 2011 More than 300 members of CFC Bahrain and its Family Ministries attended the Armor of God Conference held at Bishop Tirinanzi Auditorium, Sacred Heart Church, Manama, Bahrain. The prologue was led by Mario Japitana (CFC Bahrain Country Head). Session 1: “The Field of Battle” was given by Rouquel Ponte (CFC International Council member and Director of Pastoral Formation). Session 2: “Rely on the Mighty Power of God” by Irma Cuenca (wife of CFC Chairman Ricky Cuenca) while Session 3: “Stand Firm Against the Foe” was delivered by Nina Ponte (wife of CFC International Council member Rouquel Ponte). Session 4: “Put on the Full Armor of God” was given by Noli Manuel (CFC Middle East Regional Missions Office Coordinator). And finally, (Filipino Community of San Lorenzo) banner followed. FCSL is based in the Basilica di San Lorenzo, where the CFC Milan chapter is housed. Fortune Kalalo, incumbent CFC Milan chapter head, took the floor for the welcome address. To anchor the first session, an audio visual presentation of the preparatory biblical catecheses: “The Secret Of Nazareth” was played. After the film viewing, CFC Australia Holds Leaders Summit By Josie Pangilinan CFC Australia gathered leaders from the different mission areas in Australia for a Leaders Summit at Loyola College, Mt. Druitt last Saturday, 5 November 2011. Convened by the CFC National Council, leaders from Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney came for this day-long meeting. Updates were given by each area head on Christian Life Programs undertaken and teaching tracts, their mission challenges, proposed steps for improvement, and future plans and programs. Updates on statistics on membership were reported and although most areas have achieved increases, the challenge is to go and cover more new areas of evangelization. Workshops, leadership teachings and training were also conducted by Thelma Hizon, HOLD Country Coordinator and Lito Tayag, CFC Country Coordinator. There was a very welcome visit from the newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to Australia, Her Excellency Belen Anota, who traveled all the way from Canberra. Ambassador Anota and her husband Jun are active members of CFC, with Belen actively involved in Handmaids of the Lord. She shared her faith journey as a CFC and the blessings of community. The Oceania region is divided into the two mission areas of Polynesia and Melanesia. The Polynesia Region was covered in the updates and summaries of evangelization efforts as presented by Bong Bernardo. This area includes Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa and American Samoa. Denis Reyes urged more missionaries to go to Melanesia: PNG, Vanuatu, Fiji and Solomon Islands. Dom Pangilinan (Social Ministry) and Ethel Balenton (ANCOP, Manila) urged the assembly to be faithful to its mission of building the home of the poor through education, or the Child Sponsorship Program (CSP) of ANCOP. CFC Australia is committed to continue to help poor students in PNG, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines.