•A3 ‘more

Benedict XVI calls for

profound knowledge’
•B1 not
‘The Priesthood ... Is
Simply Office, but
•C1 Ugnayan
The News Supplement for
of the Eucharist Sacrament’ Couples for Christ

Bishop Soc to Aquino: CBCP official credits

Oppose casino gambling
ARCHBISHOP Socrates Villegas on Monday
has made his first public appeal for President-
elect Benigno Aquino III: stop the opening of
more casinos.
In a pastoral letter dated June 14 but was re-
leased to the media today, Villegas, known to be
close with the Aquino family, said that gaming
is not in the country’s best interests.
He said it’s imperative for the incoming
administration to provide alternatives to boost-
ing economy that will not cost the country the
Bishop Soc / A6
GMA for abolishing death
penalty
AN official of the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on
Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC) has credited
outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
for having abolished the death penalty in the
country’s justice system.
Aside from abolishing the death penalty,
ECPPC executive secretary Rodolfo Diamante
also acknowledged Arroyo’s support to legisla-
June 21 - July 4, 2010 Vol. 14 No. 13 Php 20.00 GMA / A6

DepEd sued over sex education

By Melo Acuña

PARENTS led by a lawyer of the

Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines have filed a
class suit against the education
department in response to new
sex education program for public
schools.
Atty. Jo Imbong, CBCP Legal Office ex-
ecutive secretary, said the implementation
of the foreign-funded program was uncon-
stitutional and violates parents’ rights to
be responsible for the development of their
children’s moral character.
Together with representatives of Catholic
political party Ang Kapatiran, Imbong went
to court on June 21 seeking to stop the pilot
testing of the program funded by the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The Adolescent Reproductive Health
program, to be integrated in regular sub-
jects including science and health, English,
mathematics, and physical education, will be
pilot tested in 80 elementary and 79 second-
ary schools.
Imbong said she filed the case in behalf of

© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

30 concerned parents who strongly opposed
the sex education plan.
Named respondents in the case were Edu-
cation Secretary Mona Valisno and Under-
secretary Ramon Bacani, among others.

‘Contraceptive imperialism’
Imbong, a candidate of the Ang Kapatiran CBCP-ECFL chairman and San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto (2nd from right) is joined by (from L-R) Human Life International–Asia/Oceania director Dr. Ligaya Acosta, CBCP lawyer Jo
DepEd / A6 Imbong, and Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias in exposing some inappropriate contents of the sex education modules being promoted by the Department of Education, June 21, 2010.

Poor economy blamed for low enrollment in Catholic schools

Bishop, poll watchdog
AS millions of elementary “Whenever Catholic schools suffer from teachers’ exo- “There are a few Catholic poor but deserving students
pupils and high school stu- increase their tuition fees, a dus to public schools due to schools experiencing an in- in far-flung areas.
dents trooped to their respec- significant number of parents higher-paying and lighter crease in enrolment due to “We are optimistic President

call for independent

tive schools today, Catholic would opt to transfer their routines. their location and parents’ Benigno Aquino will fulfill his
schools have continued to children to public schools,” Hardest hit by decline in capacity to support their chil- campaign promise to increase
suffer from declining enrol- Santos said. enrolment are parochial and dren’s Catholic education,” the ESC scheme while phasing

probe of May 10 polls

ment.
Msgr. Gerardo Santos,
President of both the Catho-
lic Educational Association
of the Philippines and Ma-
nila Archdiocesan Parochial
Schools Association said the
decline was anchored on the
economic difficulties suffered
by Filipino families.
He also said Catholic
schools noted an increase in
their dropout rates until last
year. The school executive
hoped the decline in enrol-
ment would be arrested soon
as the government plans to in-
crease its funds for its service-
contracting scheme.
Santos said Catholic schools
mission schools. He defined
parochial schools as those op-
erated by the parishes under
the supervision of its respective
directors and the local ordinar-
ies (bishops and archbishops)
while mission schools are the
ones operated and supervised
by religious congregations in
remote areas.
he added.
Educational Service Con-
tracting
He said there are parochial
and mission schools surviving
on the government-sponsored
Educational Service Con-
tracting (ESC) scheme which
provides financial support to
out the Educational Voucher
System,” he explained.
He said the Educational
Service Contracting scheme
provides public schools some
A CATHOLIC bishop has joined calls for the
breathing space by send-
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee
ing beneficiaries to Catholic
to form an independent body to assess the
schools instead of enrolling
just-concluded automated elections.
them in already crowded
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo
Poor / A6
along with other conveners of the Auto-
mated Election System Watch (AES Watch)
made the appeal in a letter sent to the House

Residents file class suit vs 3 mining firms, DENR committee.

“The panel (should) be constituted with
competent individuals of established probity
and mandated with proper and adequate sup-
port to conduct a thorough review and evalu-
ation of the technical, procedural, and other
aspects of the automated election system used
in May 2010,” part of the letter read.
Aside from Bishop Pabillo, AESWatch’s
letter was signed by conveners Alfredo
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
Pascual, president of the University of the
Philippines Alumni Association; CenPEG
vice-chair Dr. Temario Rivera; and Dr. Ra-
chel Roxas, dean of the De La Salle Univer-

Archbishop Cruz asks

sity College of Computer Studies.
Pabillo chairs the National Secretariat
for Social Action- Justice and Peace of the

Aquino to abolish Pagcor Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philip-

ARCHBISHOP Oscar Cruz urged Pres-
ident-elect Aquino to abolish the state-
run gambling firm Philippine Gaming
Corp. (Pagcor) for bringing havoc to the
country.
Cruz, a known anti-gambling crusader,
said Pagcor’s so-called social objective only
breeds corruption whenever it rakes in
millions from private citizens and public
officials.
He said the gambling firm failed and does
not enrich the nation or generate wealth for
the country.
Instead, Cruz claimed, it simply impov-
erishes its own so-called patrons, clients, or
customers.
“On bended knees I would want to ask
the incoming administration to get rid of
Pagcor especially as a government corpora-
tion because all the money that Pagcor earns
are taken from the pocket of people and
gambling capitalists never loses because the
odds are always against the gamblers,” he
Pagcor / A6
pines (CBCP).
AES Watch expressed concern over the
“many technical and procedural glitches
which tend to put into question the overall
validity of COMELEC’s claim” that its system
worked “perfectly” “and that the poll auto-
ENVIRONMENTAL CLASS SUIT VS. MINING. Hundreds of streamer-bearing residents of Barangay Anislagan, Placer, Surigao del
Norte trooped to the Hall of Justice to file a class suit for mandamus against three mining firms and the DENR-Caraga for violating mation glitches were due mostly to human
local ordinances banning mining in the barangay and town, which has been identified as a protected watershed area.(Photo supplied intervention resulting in procedural errors.”
by LRC-KSK/FoE) The broad, multi-sectoral poll watchdog
said the May 10 voter turnout is way below
SIMPLE barangay folks, mostly Tuesday and filed an injunction for ABAKATAF said the DENR- Comelec’s forecast of 85 percent, and “could
farmers who derived livelihood mandamus against Manila Mining Caraga issued exploration per- be the lowest” compared with previous
from the land, have filed an Corp. (MMC), Kalayaan Copper Gold mits (EPs) to the three mining presidential elections.
environmental class suit against Resources (KCGR) and Silangan Min- companies despite the commu- The group added the technical and pro-
three mining companies and the danao Mining, Inc. (SMMC). nity’s strong opposition. cedural problems resulted in long queues
Environment department for Also included in the charge sheet ABAKATAF, which has been and inconveniences that discouraged many
violation of a local ordinance that were some top officials of the Depart- in the forefront in the struggle voters from voting.
ban mineral exploration in their ment of Environment and Natural against all forms of mining in “The magnitude of voter disenfranchise-
locality in Surigao del Norte. Resources (DENR) in Caraga Region, their area for more than a decade, ment could be bigger if the significant number
Hundreds of residents of Ba- said Ma. Zherwinah B. Mosqueda, feared that mining activities will of rejected ballots is considered,” it said.
rangay Anislagan in the mu- team leader of the Cagayan de Oro affect their farms and will have It asserted that the important question to
nicipality of Placer, Surigao City office of the Legal Rights and adverse impact on Anislagan’s answer is “if and how the AES enhanced
del Norte who belonged to the Natural Resources Center- Kasama forest areas and water sources. the exercise of voters’ rights and whether
Anislagan Bantay Kalikasan sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth- Mosqueda, in a statement, it provided fair, transparent, and credible
Task Force, Inc. (ABAKATAF) Philippines ( LRC-KsK/FoE-Phils). said that ABAKATAF included elections.”
stormed the Hall of Justice In their 14-page complaint, Residents / A6 “Prudence,” the AES Watch signatories
Bishop / A6

www.pms-phil.org www.cbcphealthcare.org www.cbcpmedia.com

 World News
CBCP Monitor
A2 Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

Pope: Candidates for priesthood do not

think of security in life or social positions
VATICAN NEWS, June 20,
2010—“The priesthood can
never be a way to achieve secu-
rity in life or to gain a position
in society”.
This was Benedict XVI’s stern
warning to priests as he con-
ferred the sacrament of Holy
Orders on 14 deacons from the
diocese of Rome today in St
Peter’s basilica.
The concept is not new to
the Pope’s teaching, and was
repeated later, before the An-
gelus prayer, after which he
also appealed that “peace and
security will soon be restored
in southern Kyrgyzstan” and
recalled the World Refugee Day
celebrated today.
The real way to be priest was
plans his life like this, a priest
who sees his ministry in these
terms, does not truly love God
and others, only himself and,
paradoxically, ends up losing
himself. The priesthood—let
us always remember—rests
on the courage to say yes to
another will, in the awareness,
to be nurtured every day, that
our compliance with the will of
God, our “immersion” in this
will, does not cancel our origi-
nality, rather on the contrary,
it helps us enter deeper into
the truth of our being and our
ministry. “
“We too,” he said later, af-
ter the celebration, before the
Angelus, addressing the 20
thousand people present in
Even in our days, he said later
during the Angelus “there are
many Christians in the world,
inspired by love for God, who
take up the cross every day,
the cross of daily trials, and
the cross procured by human
barbarity, which sometimes
requires the courage of the ul-
timate sacrifice.”
Extending his gaze to the trag-
edies of today’s world, the Pope,
after the Angelus, launched an
“urgent call for peace and se-
curity” to “be restored soon in
southern Kyrgyzstan”. “To the
relatives of victims and those
suffering from this tragedy -
he continued - I express my
heartfelt closeness and assure
you of my prayers. I also invite

© Yahoo! News
thus indicated by Benedict XVI,
inspired by the Gospel episode
of “St Peter’s confession” from
that “you are the Christ of
God,” which made Simon the
St. Peter’s Square, “can know all ethnic communities in the
God through faith in his Word country to renounce violence
and Sacraments, Jesus invites or any provocation and ask
us to follow Him every day the international community
and also reminds us that to to work so that humanitarian

Cuban bishops working to

first of the apostles. be his disciples we must take aid quickly reaches the affected
Commenting on Jesus’ reply, upon ourselves the power of populations”.
“that being a disciple means his Cross, the culmination of Finally today’s celebration
“losing oneself”, but only to our goods and the crown of of the UN World Refugee Day

secure papal visit in 2012

HAVANA, Cuba, June 18, 2010—The Catholic
bishops of Cuba have expressed their hope that
Pope Benedict will visit the island nation in 2012.
Bishop of Holguin Emilio Aranguren commented,
“it’s our hope, our interest, that the Pope come to
Cuba in the year 2012… It’s up to the Holy See.”
The bishop spoke at a briefing on the activities
of Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s
secretary for Relations with States, who is in Havana
to mark Catholic Social Week. According to the As-
sociated Press, Bishop Aranguren said the visit had
nothing to do with a possible papal visit.
In 1998 Pope John Paul II made the first papal
visit to Cuba. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vati-
can Secretary of State, visited in 2008.
The year 2012 marks the 400th anniversary of the
fully rediscover oneself (cf.
Lk 9.22-24),” Benedict warns
that “ the man who aspires to
the priesthood to enhance his
personal prestige and power
discovery of a small wooden statue of the Virgin has misunderstood the mean-
Mary which has become an object of veneration ing at the root of this ministry.
on the island, the Associated Press reports. In 1612 The man who wants above all
three men from the eastern copper mining town of to achieve a personal ambition,
El Cobre found the statue floating off the coast. It achieve personal success, will
was labeled “I am the Virgin of Charity.” always be a slave to himself
Under the title “Our Lady of Charity,” St. Mary and public opinion. In order to
was declared patron saint of Cuba in 1916. be considered, he will have to
Cuban political dissidents have hoped that Arch- flatter; to say what people want
bishop Mamberti’s visit could lead to freedom for to hear, he will have to adjust
more political prisoners or more prison transfers to changing fashions and opin-
for those held far from their families. ions and thus deprive himself
Bishop Aranguren said that the archbishop will of the vital relationship with
likely meet with President Raul Castro before he the truth, reducing himself to
leaves on Sunday but has no plans to meet with condemning tomorrow what he
dissidents. (CNA) would praise today. A man who
our hope.”
First, addressing the newly
ordained, Benedict XVI stressed
that “the central one task of the
priest is the celebration of the
Eucharist.”You are entrusted
the redemptive sacrifice of
Christ, you are entrusted his
body given his bloodshed”.
“We pray to the Lord to give
you an ever vigilant and enthu-
siastic consciousness of this gift,
which is at the centre of your
being priests! So that he may
give you the grace to be able
to experience in depth all the
beauty and strength of this and
at the same time your priestly
service, the grace to live this
ministry with consistency and
generosity every day.”
was also remembered, “to draw
attention to the problems of
those who have been forced
to leave their land families,
and customs arriving in envi-
ronments that are often very
different . The refugees want
to find acceptance and be rec-
ognized in their dignity and
their fundamental rights, at
the same time, they want to
offer their contribution to the
society that welcomes them.
Let us pray - he concluded – so
that in a just reciprocity, we
may respond adequately to this
expectation and that they may
show the respect they nurture
for the identity of the com-
munities that receive them.”
(AsiaNews)

Asian bishops’ conference laments US bishops encourage diocesan relief

exploitation of women
HONG KONG, June 17, 2010—The East
Asia Bishops’ Institute on Lay Aposto-
late is highlighting the need for more
help for victims of sexual harassment
and human trafficking, as well as more
awareness of how society exploits the
woman’s sexuality.
The recommendations come at the
end of the institute’s May conference on
the woman, co-organized by the Office
of Laity and Family of the Federation
of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and
Taiwan’s episcopal conference.
The conference, which took place in
the Diocese of Hsinchu, Taiwan, had
as its theme “Mary, Truly A Woman of
Our Times.”
The meeting drew over 100 partici-
pants from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea,
Macau and Taiwan, the organizers
reported, and included laypeople, reli-
gious, bishops and priests.
A final statement from the meeting
said the gathering took place “to en-
courage the Church to look at Mary as a
woman who lived through many of the
trying situations that women experience
today, and to encourage them to draw
strength and inspiration from her as
Mary has a universal message for all
Christian disciples today.”
The discussions brought participants
to “a deeper sensitivity of women’s
plight and an urgent need for all men
and women to follow Mary’s model of
femininity (recovering the femininity
of God), virginity (filled with the Spirit
closely following God’s Word), and
maternity (nurturing life through work
for peace and justice).”
In the statement, the institute la-
mented “the impact of the modern-day
work culture on people—causing stress
and conflict in families; resulting in
the destruction of the family system,
where young women do not want to
marry and start a family,” and “in the
neglect of human dignity seen in the
commoditization of the human person
in mistreatment of migrant workers,
exploitation of women’s sexuality in the
entertainment and advertising industry,
abortion, and human trafficking.”
The participants suggested that Asian
churches should support victims of sexu-
al harassment as well as create awareness
on sexuality in the Church for both men
and women; help to restore the sacred-
ness of women’s bodies and sexuality
from its devaluation in popular culture;
and to raise awareness and conscious-
ness of women’s issues through the small
Christian communities. (Zenit)
effort for gulf oil spill victims
WASHINGTON D.C., June 20, 2010—
In response to the recent catastrophic
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that
has ravaged wildlife and decimated
seafaring jobs for many in the area,
the U.S. bishops have started dioc-
esan wide network relief efforts and
encouraged Catholics to respond.
Bishop J. Kevin Boland of Savan-
nah, Georgia, who serves as bishop
promoter of the Apostleship of the
Sea—which provides spiritual assis-
tance for seafarers—urged Catholics
to participate in the efforts already
underway by the Church to address
the disaster.
The prelate announced that the
Apostleship of the Sea is setting up
a network of diocesan relief efforts
along the Gulf Coast and recom-
mended Catholic Charities in the
Archdiocese and New Orleans as a
starting place for the faithful to get
involved.
“It is God’s creation,” Bishop Bo-
land said, speaking of the environ-
ment. “He has given it to us to take
care of it. We must do all that we can,
both as individuals and as a Church
and as a community to restore to its
proper dimensions and its proper
beauty what God has given to us.”
Bishop Boland also offered and
encouraged prayers for the victims of
the oil rig explosion and their fami-
lies and for all individuals whose
livelihoods have been threatened
by the spill. He also urged Catholic
to pray for the success of relief and
clean up efforts. (CNA)

‘Illegal’ Vietnamese priest becomes bishop Australia’s newest

HANOI, June 18, 2010—Father John Mary
Vu Tat, who was originally made a priest
without government approval, has now
been ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Hung
Hoa diocese.
His ordination was celebrated at the Our
Lady Immaculate Cathedral in Son Tay on
June 15. It was attended by 24 archbishops
and bishops, 200 priests and a congregation
of 10,000.
John Mary Vu Tat started studying for the
At the same time, he secretly studied phi-
losophy and theology, cycling 60 kilometers
Catholic university to
to his teacher’s house and returning home
each night. host youth conference
He was ordained a priest—without gov-
ernment permission—by Bishop Tung of Bac
Ninh in April 1987.
He obtained a bachelor degree in canon
law at the Pontifical University Urbaniana,
Rome, in 1997. He served as vice rector of
Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Hanoi until
© www.ucanews.com

priesthood in his youth, but the government
closed his seminary in 1966. After that, he
dug ditches, grew crops, worked as a carpen-
ter, gave basic education to local farmers and
served as village secretary for 24 years.
his appointment as auxiliary bishop was
announced in March.
Hung Hoa is northern Vietnam’s largest dio-
cese in terms of territory. It has 63 priests and
202 nuns serving 223,000 Catholics. (UCAN)
SYDNEY, Australia, June 19, 2010—For the
third year running, “Convivio,” a Catholic
Auxiliary Bishop John Mary Vu Tat blesses parishioners after his ordination youth conference which has been held an-
nually around the world since 1977, will
take place in Australia. Initiated the by

Faith leaders urge aid for starving North Koreans
SEOUL, June 18, 2010—South Korean reli-
gious leaders are urging their government
to allow humanitarian aid to reach starving
people in the North.
North Koreans are starving to death through
economic hardship and food shortage, said 507
religious leaders in a statement released during
a press conference in Seoul on June 17.
“We need to reach out to North Koreans
by giving humanitarian aid urgently. It will
help to bring about reconciliation and a
peaceful reunification of the two Koreas,”
said the Buddhist, Catholic, Cheondo-gyo,
Protestant and Won Buddhist leaders.
Cheondo-gyo and Won Buddhism are
© www.ucanews.com
Since Lee Myung-bak became South Ko-
rean president in 2008, his government has
forbidden civil groups, including religious in-
stitutions, from sending food to the North.
All forms of exchange stopped after the South
Korean government blamed the North for sink-
ing the Cheonan warship on March 26.
In return, North Korea has threatened war
with South Korea.
The religious leaders called for a summit
between the leaders of both nations to break
the current impasse.
“The leaders need to … discuss further
measures for peace on the peninsular includ-
ing humanitarian aid,” they said.
the Christian Life Movement which was
founded in Peru, “Convivio” is a congress
for Catholic youth which seeks to help
them deepen their relationship with the
Lord Jesus, with themselves, and with
others.
June 25 -27 conference, which has the
theme, “What are you searching for?” will
be held at the University of Notre Dame
in Sydney and will play host to hundreds
of young people seeking to deepen their
faith.
Over the course of the weekend, 10th -
12th graders will be able to reflect on issues
impacting today’s world through talks, dis-
cussion groups, Mass, reconciliation, theater,
films and games.
Conference organizers explain that Con-

religions founded in Korea.
The religious leaders, members of the
Religious Solidarity for Reconciliation and
Peace of Korea, urged their government to
Religious leaders are asking the government to allow humanitarian aid to suspend its policy of non-cooperation and
North Korea withholding food aid to the North.
Meanwhile, the National Council of
Churches in Korea (NCCK) held a prayer
meeting in Seoul on June 17 in which they
issued the declaration of South Korean
Churches for the peaceful reunification of
the Korean Peninsula. (UCAN)
vivio aims to produce leaders who are com-
mitted evangelizing society and building
a civilization of love. It is their hope that
participants will eave the congress knowing
that God is their source of reference for all
that they do. (CNA)
 News Features
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010
A3

Benedict XVI calls for ‘more pro- Eco groups

hit Palawan

found knowledge’ of the Eucharist

mining
‘midnight deal’
VATICAN CITY, June 16, 2010—Yester- MANILA, June 10, 2010—Environmen-
day evening, Pope Benedict XVI inau- talists have demanded transparency
gurated the diocesan congress of Rome from the Department of Environment
in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The and Natural Resources (DENR) even as
congress, which is being held June 15 they accused the government agency of
to17, has as its theme this year, “‘Their entering into a “midnight deal” with a
eyes were opened, they recognized Him mining company.
and announced Him:’ The Sunday Eu- Green groups have charged DENR
charist and the witness of charity.” of fast tracking a mining contract in
“The faith,” said the Pope, “can Palawan in favor of MBMI Resources,
never be taken for granted, because a mining company that has a stake on a
each generation needs to receive this gift wide area of forested lands in the prov-
through announcement of the Gospel ince that is rich in biodiversity.
and knowledge of the truth that Christ They claimed the alleged contract is
revealed to us. Thus the Church con- contained in a Financial and Technical
stantly strives to present the heritage of Assistance Agreement (FTAA) which
the faith to everyone. This also includes combines other contracts separately
the doctrine on the Eucharist.” awarded to Narra Nickel Mining and
Unfortunately, he continued, this Development Inc. (NNMDC), Tesoro
doctrine “is insufficiently understood Mining and Development Inc. (TMDI),
in its profound significance and in the and McArthur Mining, Inc. (MMI).
relevance it has for believers’ lives. It is The smaller mining contracts cover
important, therefore, for people to have a four mining projects located in the mu-
more profound knowledge of the mystery nicipalities of Rizal, Bataraza and Narra,
of the Body and Blood of the Lord.” all in Palawan.
Speaking about the Mass, the Pontiff
explained that “when it is celebrated Alarmed
with respect for liturgical norms, and Fr. Edu Gariguez, Executive Director
with adequate attention for the impor- of the National Secretariat of Social Ac-
tance of signs and gestures, it favors tion of the Catholic Bishops Conference
and promotes the growth of Eucharistic of the Philippines (CBCP-NASSA), has
faith.” He encouraged the faithful “to expressed alarm on the alleged award-
rediscover the fruitfulness of Eucha- ing of contract.
ristic adoration, ... and to ensure that “The granting of this latest FTAA

© www.catholicnews.com
our apostolic activity is not reduced to in Palawan, if true, goes against the
sterile activism; rather, that it be a testa- Catholic social teaching of stewardship
ment to the love of God.” of the Earth and preferential treatment
“Drawing nourishment from Him, we of the poor,” he said, adding that “given
free ourselves from the bonds of indi- the fragile ecology of Palawan and the
vidualism. And through our communion opposition of local communities, espe-
with Him, we ourselves become, all to- cially IPs, the mining contract should be
gether, a single unit, His mystical Body,” rescinded as soon as possible.”
said the Pope. “Thus we overcome the The influential Catholic Church in the
differences due to profession, social class
or nationality because we discover that
we are all members of one large family,
Pope apologizes for abuse, says priests Philippines has consistently been vocal
in its opposition against large-scale min-
ing because of its destructive impact on

called to bring God to the world

that of the children of God in which each
individual is blessed with a specific grace
for the common good.”
“When we receive Christ,” the Holy
Father explained, “the love of God
expands inside us, radically modify-
ing our hearts and making us capable
of gestures which, by the contagious
power of goodness, can transform the
lives of people around us.”
“For the disciples of Jesus,” he con-
tinued, “witness of charity is not some
passing sentiment; quite the contrary, it
shapes their lives in all circumstances.”
The Pope invited those in attendance to
show “commitment in the delicate and
vital area of education in charity, as a
permanent dimension of individual and
community life.”
“Our city of Rome,” he added, “calls
Christ’s disciples to a renewed announce-
ment of the Gospel and to a clearer wit-
ness of charity.” He also expressed his
gratitude “to the people who work in
various charitable structures, for the
dedication and generosity with which
they serve the poor and marginalized.”
The Eucharist “requires us to become,
and at the same time makes us capable
of becoming, the bread broken for our
brothers and sisters, meeting their needs
and giving of ourselves. For this reason,
a Eucharist celebration that does not
lead us towards men and women where
they live, work and suffer, to bring them
the love of God, fails to express the truth
it contains.”
“In the present economic and social
crisis, let us show solidarity with those
who live in poverty, offering everyone
the hope of a better tomorrow worthy of
mankind,” the Pope concluded.
Finally, he encouraged young people
not to be afraid “to chose love as the su-
preme rule of life,.. to love Christ in the
priesthood, ... to create Christian families
that live a faithful and indissoluble love,
open to life.” (CNA/EWTN News)
VATICAN CITY, June 11, 2010—
Pope Benedict XVI said the Year for
Priests might have been ruined by the
clerical sex abuse scandal, but instead
became a “summons to purification”
in the church.
Concelebrating Mass June 11 with
some 15,000 priests, the pope said that
“the enemy,” Satan, wants to drive
God out of the world and opposes
those who work to ensure that God is
at the side of every man and woman,
especially in times of trouble.
“And so it happened that, in this
very year of joy for the sacrament
of the priesthood, the sins of priests
came to light -- particularly the abuse
of the little ones, in which the priest-
hood, whose task is to manifest God’s
concern for our good, turns into its
very opposite,” the pope said in his
homily at the Mass concluding the
Year for Priests.
The priests, 80 cardinals and 350
bishops and archbishops, who were
sitting under the hot sun in St. Peter’s
Square, signaled their agreement with
the pope’s statement by applauding.
The Vatican said that with so many
priests vested for Mass and recit-
ing together the key words of the
eucharistic prayer with their hands
extended toward the altar, the liturgy
marked the largest concelebration
ever held at the Vatican.
Addressing the abuse scandal in
his homily, Pope Benedict said the
Catholic Church begs forgiveness
from God and “from the persons
involved, while promising to do ev-
erything possible to ensure that such
abuse will never occur again.”
In admitting men to the seminary
and priesthood, he said, “we will do
everything we can to weigh the authen-
ticity of their vocation and make every
effort to accompany priests along their
journey, so that the Lord will protect
them and watch over them in troubled
situations and amid life’s dangers.”
The priests and bishops, who turned
St. Peter’s Square into a sea of white
albs and stoles, were well aware of the
scandal and of the shadow of doubt it
cast over the Catholic priesthood.
But, the pope said, the scandal should
make priests grow “in gratitude for
God’s gift, a gift concealed in ‘earthen
vessels’ which, ever anew, even amid
human weakness, makes his love con-
cretely present in this world.”
“Let us look upon all that happened
as a summons to purification,” the pope
said. He then led the priests in the sol-
emn renewal of their priestly promises
to be faithful ministers of Christ, work-
ing not for their own interests, but for
the good of all men and women.
Father Paul Daly, pastor of St. Joseph
Parish in Heywood, England, said, “I
think the pope was spot on” in saying
the Year for Priests was about thanks-
giving and renewal, not shouting the
glories of the priesthood.
“It wasn’t a triumphalistic celebration,
but was calm and reflective,” he said.
As for the pope using the Mass to
apologize for abuse, Father Daly said,
“He says and continues to say from the
heart that he is shocked and sorry. The
pope would have been pilloried if he
hadn’t said anything, but he also needed
to apologize for the past and renew the
church’s commitment to making the
church safe for children.”
In his homily, the pope said, “God
ecology and livelihood of the people.
For his part, Jaybee Garganera, Na-
tional Coordinator of Alyansa Tigil
Mina, an alliance of mining-affected
wants us, as priests in one tiny mo- communities and support groups, dared
ment of history, to share his concern DENR to be transparent and urged it to
about people.” release documents for perusal.
Called to be shepherds, imitating “It is unacceptable that affected com-
Christ the Good Shepherd, he said, munities and the rest of the Filipino
“we are not fumbling in the dark. people learn about this midnight min-
God has shown us the way and how ing contract from international sources
to walk aright.” and the mining company, and yet the
When priests, like anyone else, DENR itself is mum about it,” Gargan-
walk through “the dark valleys of era said.
temptation, discouragement and The groups believed that the FTAA
trial,” they must remember that God approval will allow MBMI and its Phil-
is there, he said. ippine partners to expand in its explora-
“God personally looks after me, tion activities in the province.
after us, after all mankind. I am not At least more than 3,200 hectares
abandoned, adrift in the universe and forested lands rich in biodiversity along
in a society that leaves me ever more Mt. Bulanjao range in southern Palawan
lost and bewildered,” he said. will be impacted by mining if pushed
Continuing the work of the Good through, not to mention the six major
Shepherd, the pope said, “the church, rivers that provide water supply to the
too, must use the shepherd’s rod, the population.
rod with which he protects the faith “It is the highest form of irony and
against those who falsify it, against cur- hypocrisy that a destructive midnight
rents which lead the flock astray.” mining deal was fast-tracked in Pala-
The “rod and the staff” help the wan, a province that is considered as
church exercise its love for people a global biodiversity hotspot, and host
and for their true good, he said. to one of the wonders of the modern
“Today we can see that it has nothing world – the St. Paul Subterranean River
to do with love when conduct unwor- System,” Garganera lamented.
thy of the priestly life is tolerated,” he
said. “Nor does it have to do with love Worst activity
if heresy is allowed to spread and the Artiso Mandawa, spokesperson for
faith (is) twisted and chipped away, as ALDAW/NATRIPAL (Ancestral Land
if it were something that we ourselves and Domain Watch-Nagkakaisang
had invented,” the Pope said. Tribo ng Palawan), also decried the
The Year for Priests coincided with DENR’s alleged sneaky decision.
the 150th anniversary of the death He lamented that mining has so far
of St. John Vianney, the patron saint brought conflict among the people as it
of parish priests. During the liturgy, destroys not only the environment but
Pope Benedict used a chalice that be- also the cultural values of the people.
longed to the saint and was brought “Mining is the worst activity of man
to Rome from his former parish in because it destroys our mother earth; it
Ars, France.(CNS) destroys our livelihood and our Life,”
Mandawa said. (CBCPNews)

Council of Churches affirms solidarity with RP human rights workers

MANILA, June 11, 2010—The
Filipino Human rights workers
who attended the 14th Session of
the UN Human Rights Council
have been invited to speak at the
World Council of Churches, also
in Geneva.
The World Council of Church-
es (WCC) through its Commis-
sion of the Churches on Interna-
tional Affairs (CCIA-WCC) has
asked the Ecumenical Voice for
Peace and Human Rights in the
Philippines (EVPHRP) to speak
on the country’s human rights
situation.
WCC is one of the interna-
tional organizations that issued
a statement calling for the release
of the 43 health workers ar-
rested on February 6 in Morong,
Rizal.
The EVPHRP group has gone
to Geneva to attend the session
of the UN’s Human Rights
Council and to formally file their
complaint against the Philippine
government and military on the
illegal arrest and detention of
Morong 43.
Dr. Mathews George Chu-
nakara, director of CCIA-WCC
welcomed the delegation of RP
human rights workers led by Fr.
Rex Reyes, general secretary of
the National Council of Church-
es in the Philippines (NCCP) and
Marie Hilao-Enriquez, chairper-
son of human rights watchdog
KARAPATAN.
Thanking WCC for its unwav-
ering support to the churches in
the Philippines, Reyes said it is
essential to speak up in defense
of human rights especially in
countries “where it seems not
to exist” emphasizing the im-
portance to “affirm the church’s
self-understanding as being for
and with people.”
“We do our best to preserve
human dignity in that part of
the world, conscious of the fact
that we are your representatives
there. It is an ecumenical task”,
Reyes told WCC.
The group presented to the
council the situation of the
detained health workers also
known as Morong 43, highlight-
ing their illegal arrest by the
military, torture and continuing
detention.
Atty. Edre Olalia, acting Sec-
retary General of the Nation-
al Union of Peoples’ Lawyers The panel of speakers in a round table discussion with members of the World Council of Churches. (Contributed photo)
(NUPL) and a legal counsel of
the Morong 43 discussed the threatened his wife of reprisals ness amid alleged torture and said, “the number of human
various human rights violations to her family unless she admits harassment from military. rights victims in the Philippines
the health workers have experi- her group’s association with The Catholic Bishops’ Confer- shoot up each time nobody is
enced which he said afforded New People’s Army. ence of the Philippines, for its watching.”
solid grounds “for citing the ar- “This is the same story with part, has also issued a statement The delegation also called on
rest and detention as illegal.” the families of the other detain- expressing grave concern on the WCC general secretary Dr. Olav
Jigs Clamor, a member of the ees,” Clamor said. continued detention of health Fykes Tveit who also reiterated
delegation, and husband of one The health workers who have workers while calling the illegal the WCC’s continuing support
of the detained health workers been illegally detained at Camp arrest as a “seeming lack of re- and interest on the case of Mo-
recounted the sufferings his Capinpin since their arrest on gard of the Armed Forces of the rong 43.
family has undergone and still February 6 have since been Philippines (AFP) for human The 14th Regular Session of the
going through while his wife is transferred to Camp Bagong rights and the rule of law.” UN Human Rights Council began
under detention. Diwa, in Manila. Five of the Citing the importance of in- May 31 and ended June 18, 2010.
He described how the military detainees have turned state wit- ternational pressure, Enriquez (Pinky Barrientos, FSP)
A4 Opinion CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

EDITORIAL

Sexualization of children

AT press time the Secretary of the Department of Education

seem to have stepped back from implementing the sex
education curriculum saying “we have decided to hold
sex education module in abeyance until a final decision
is made on the consulting process.”
At first blush that seems to be a happy development.
But this is no cause for jubilation for the parents who
went out of their way to sue the Education Department.
Because, if there is going to be any “consultation process”
it will merely be, as perhaps before, a rubber stamp of
an aggressive implementation of a curriculum that will
allow neither concession nor compromise—despite media
statements of the Department to the contrary.
The reason why this curriculum is “immutable” is, it is
crafted or, better still, dictated, by foreign sponsors that
have bundled both content and logistics in one well-funded
program. This present sex education curriculum that was
supposed to be piloted, or in fact, already implemented
in several schools this year carries the content of a sex-
ed curriculum model issued by UNESCO in which five
year olds would be literally taught about the pleasures
of masturbation. The cover of the sex-ed manual carries
the logo of both DepEd and UNFPA, the United Nations

Illustration by Bladimer Usi

Population Fund.
There should be an overarching agenda why this seeming
obsessive-compulsive behavior of international grand
planners seems too overt. They are the same planners
that met in Cairo in September 1994 on Population
and Development; in Beijing in 1995 on the 4th World
Conference on Women; in Davos Switzerland on Climate
Change and Tourism UNWTO in 2007 and elsewhere.
Abp. Angel N. Lagdameo, DD
Whatever the grand plan is, it is troubling to finally
realize that these supposedly technocrats stand on a theory
Bukas Loob sa Diyos
In and Out of Season
that children’s innocence is a myth. Their psychological
premise is that children younger than five already know
about sex and are sexual “agents”—hence, the logic and
necessity of teaching them about sex. This, of course, is
not true no matter what modern theorists says—unless, AFTER a whole night of un- 20/21). “Go, and make disciples every step in every level of BLD, without thanking God and one
of course, they have already changed human nature in the successful fishing, during the of all the nations” (Mt. 28/19). simply because BLD is “open another for the stories and expe-
same fashion that George Soros is famed for changing a daytime, at Jesus’ command, The date, twenty-five years inwardly to God.” riences of the past in BLD. This
financial scenario by mere currency speculation. Simon Peter lowered his nets ago, when Bukas Loob sa Diyos Today the total number of are what have made the present
into the sea and hauled in a saw the light of day, was April BLD Districts worldwide is 51, BLD. Present also means “gift”.
It is not therefore far-fetched to say that this sex education colossal catch of fish. Humbled, 16, 1985. There was no stopping The present BLD is the gift of the
made up of Full-Term Districts,
proposed by the education department will certainly disrupt astonished and frightened by the the momentum that was started. 19 Full-Fledged Districts and 23 historic past of BLD.
the natural development of sexual awareness of children unexpected event, Simon Peter Within the BLD there developed Districts in Process. They make A celebration like this is also
by deliberately feeding them more advanced knowledge fell on his knees in repentance. the institution of its leadership: an average total of almost 5,000 not complete without entrust-
which is still beyond their realm. This indeed is a form But Jesus said: “Do not be afraid; the Executive Council of Servant active covenanted and commit- ing the future of BLD. To God
of “sexualizing” the children which in itself is already a henceforth, you will be catching Leaders (ECSL), the district ted disciples and almost 5,000 as we have expressed in our
form of sexual abuse that may progressively prepare them men” (Lk. 5/10). Council of Stewards (DCS), the regular members. To which Vision and Mission Statements.
for physical abuse should any occasion arise. In his biblical context we situ- District Servant Leaders (DSL), District do you belong? What On this occasion, let us remind
ate the beginning, development, the formation of Tricords, Shep- specific responsibility or apos- ourselves of BLD VISION: that

growth and spread of Bukas herds, Teachers, Homesteads tolate are you in charge of a we are a communion of recon-
Loob sa Diyos (BLD) from eight and Households, the fruitful member of? As in the human ciled, encountered and renewed
dreamful couples led by the holdings of Encounters, Semi- body, as in the mystical Body of individuals, couples and fami-
A renewed church late Sonny de los Reyes with Fr. nars and Word Sharing. We are Christ, everyone is an important lies, each blessed with spiritual,
Pascual Adorable, S.J. to several witnesses to the dedication and member. natural, innate or acquired gifts
thousands of committed and unselfish functioning of the five- What stories of BLD, about and talents which we freely and
PCP II invites us to renewal in our Church. It is calling us prospective disciples. “Do not pronged apostolate: Manage- BLD, or in BLD do you treasure fully surrender and offer to God
to join in that springtime in the universal Church that the be afraid; henceforth you will be ment, Pastoral, Evangelization, or remember, which are worth for the building of His Kingdom
3rd Millennium will usher. This is the intuition and prayer catching men.” “As the Father Formation and Mission. In faith sharing with others? A celebra- here on earth.
of the Holy Father. Joyfully, we make that our own. has sent me, so I send you” (Jn. we see the hand of God guiding tion like this is not complete
In and Out / A6
On what will the hope for renewal rest? On the growing
awareness by the family of its nature: by God’s design Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
to be the Church in microcosm, that like the Church,
itself Evangelizer. And so, the Holy Father points, Breast cancer
linked to abortion Love Life
evangelizing the family is at the heart of evangelization.
“Evangelization, in fact, necessarily passes through the
family.” The family itself proclaims the gospel. And what
in the gospel does it specifically proclaim? It proclaims
the very core of the entire gospel: that GOD IS LOVE.
“UP to a third of breast cancer can be The article quotes Dr. Michelle Holmes taglandins hormone in the breasts until they
We can more readily accept his prediction that “as we look avoided”. This was the title of an article that of Harvard University who has studied develop into cysts and lumps years later.
on the now imminent 3rd Millennium, the evangelization appeared in a leading daily newspaper a few cancer and lifestyle factors. She refutes the Nature knows what to do and we cannot
of families in the Dioceses will intensify”. This is what weeks ago. The information is indeed wel- people who think their chances of getting fool nature. In a miscarriage, the situation is
we now see happening. come news to us women, especially those of cancer depend more on their genes than different. When the baby dies in the womb
us who have experience of taking care of our their lifestyle. due to some abnormality and not due to a
Now God will no longer be thought of as only found in mothers, sisters and friends who suffered or Lifestyle then has a lot to do in so many forced abortion, the mammary glands know
“sacred places, such as the chapels and churches. He will are now suffering from breast cancer. Some of women getting breast cancer these days. that the task of preparing for breastfeeding
now also be found closer to all persons meaningfully in of them have passed away—a tragedy lin- With so many women choosing abortion is over, so it clears itself up. This informa-
the churches of the homes, in the families, and in the daily gering in our memories and filling us with as a way out of pregnancy, abortion has tion on the link between abortion and breast
realities of their lives. And wherever, too, they extend anxiety that we might be the next victim. become part of the modern woman’s sexual cancer has been published in many medical
themselves—their workplaces, markets etc. There will Teens now are being taught how to detect lifestyle. It is no longer surprising to hear of journals but media is not inclined to publish
no longer be purely secular realities. All earthly realities lumps and other signs that could point to some having two or three or four abortion it because of their prevailing pro-abortion
will have a religious meaning, and offer opportunities for breast cancer and to go to a physician as – what with casual sex getting so common orientation. If only girls and women were
experiencing of the sovereignty of God’s love. soon as possible. Women who smoke, who among college students, young profession- given the hard truth, many will not even
are overweight, who live on high-fat diet or als, sales girls, not to mention those involved dare to have an abortion. This is not to say
To find God in all things—His presence and His workings. have history of breast cancer in their fam- in prostitution. that all the women who had/have breast
To experience His covenant with His people in the day- ily are advised to go for annual check-ups. They could have an abortion today but cancer underwent abortion. But it is sad
to-day life. That is the gospel which the Church of the Experts believe that exercise, even among ten or fifteen years from now, the mammary that the article did not mention abortion
home is called upon to proclaim. It is the entirety of the slim women, is highly advisable in order to glands that began to process production of as one of the preventable means under the
Church in the entirety of Life that is being opened to the burn fat that stores estrogen—the hormone breast milk as soon as pregnancy occurred is woman’s control.
invasion of the Holy Spirit. responsible for triggering all those lumps blocked suddenly by the abortion, confusing Here is a Resolution from the Catholic
and cysts and cancer cells in the breast. the developing cells and locking up the pros- Love life / A6
-- Save the Family and Live, 1993
Fr. Melvin P. Castro
The Year that was, and
www.cbcpmonitor.com
cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.net
Speaking of Mary the Years that are to
come
ROME (Italy). It was such a the Holy Father. It was family my blood pressure shoot up. and they were bringing along the
sunny and very hot day. The and it was home! Anyway, I thought, I took all my much-needed bottles of water. In
day was Friday, 11th of June, The security check was not medicines that morning. It’s the front of me was a Filipino priest,
the Solemnity of the Most Sacred waived. At 8:45 a.m., the bells Closing of the Year of Priests, at his side was a Peruvian and
Heart of Jesus and the Closing were tolling. And we were still and it is just a small sacrifice. two Chinese priests. At my side
of the Year of Priests. We were in line. 9:15 a.m. passed. Finally, Bottles were being handed out were Italian priests. And at my
Pedro C. Quitorio Kris P. Bayos
Features Editor told, there were 15,000 priests were made to enter near the Aula as we passed. Oh, one last bottle back were Polish priests. That
Editor-in-Chief
in attendance. By far, the largest Paulo VI. We were told to leave I saw. I had it in my right hand. is how universal the Church
Pinky Barrientos, FSP Gloria Fernando Mass ever concelebrated. behind our bags. Our bags! Yehey! My trophy. Then there is. But the Chinese came more
Associate Editor Marketing Supervisor We were already in line at left Then, all had to take out their was another hand. Non c’e piu’? prepared than us. They had a
side of the colonnades facing bottles of water, digital cameras, An elderly religious nun. Obvi- blue umbrella with them. The
Melo M. Acuña Ernani M. Ramos the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica and everything that could fit in ously, there was no more at that Italian priest at my side was
Managing Editor Circulation Manager as early as 8:15 in the morning. the pockets. The entire Aula was moment. Oh sister, I just closed preparing for the long sunny
I’ve never seen so many priests, filled with bags. I just thought my eyes, and gave it to the nun. morning. He poured water into
Roy Q. Lagarde Marcelita Dominguez save for the Philippine National it would take a miracle of St. And I just didn’t look back. No his cloth hat and placed it in his
News Editor Comptroller
Congress of the Clergy last Anthony if I were to find my bag more water... head. I thought it was good. But
January. I didn’t know anybody after the Mass. Then I saw two Filipino priests. I was saving my bottle of water
except for the priests that I saw As we enter the Piazza di San We were literally running to the to drink.
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the CBCP Communica- days earlier. But in that line, I Pietro, the sun was smiling. Nay, available seats. Let’s take the Philippine Ambassador to the
tions Development Foundation, Inc., with editorial and business offices just felt very happy and very the sun was laughing! It was seats near the aisle, I exhorted Holy See, H.E. Mercedes Tuason
at 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila. P.O. Box 3601, 1076 MCPO. much at Rome. We’re in Rome just too hot. I kept on praying them. The Holy Father will pass texted me then. Bring out your
Editorial: (063) 404-2182. Business: (063)404-1612.; ISSN 1908-2940 and we’re in the company of that I’ll make it throughout the by here, and so I hoped. blue umbrella so I could see you.
priests, bishops, Cardinals, and Mass without fainting or having And yes, seminarians came in Speaking of / A5
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010
Opinion A5
Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I.
‘Kung walang corrupt, Commentary
Perspectives walang mahirap’ Vincenzina Santoro

Population and
PRESIDENT-ELECT Noynoy sin become an attitude of the No Philippine President has to demonstrate this. Will her son
Aquino ran his campaign with heart. God is sacrificed on the ever made a serious dent on have the same experience? He
this catchy slogan. Like all slo- altar of mammon. corruption. Each presidential re- should have people around him
gans, it has both an element of
truth and an element of over-
But corruption is also embed-
ded in social, economic, politi-
gime has its own anecdotal illus-
trations of corruption incidence,
who are incorrupt and who can
personify his slogan: ‘Kung wa- philanthropy
simplification. cal structures. It is a social sin, even if only two suffered legal lang corrupt, walang mahirap.’
Corruption indeed is a cause a structural injustice, built up consequences, sequestration of The first question then is: who EVERY year in the waning days of springtime the United Na-
of poverty. But it is not true that by repeated personal sins. The alleged ill-gotten wealth for one will serve as his cabinet mem- tions Population Fund (UNFPA) has a ceremony to bestow its
if there is no corruption, there many personal sins of corrup- and conviction of plunder for bers, his closest advisers? Do Population Award on a person and an organization that has met
would be no poverty. Poverty tion build a structure within the the other. For others, various they pass the test of integrity? its criteria for population control. The afternoon of June 3rd, as
may also be due to misguided economic, social, and political alleged scams were subjected Of course we believe that storm clouds gathered over New York, a very tall, elderly gentle-
economic philosophies and de- structures, embed corruption to grandstanding investigations with God everything is possible. man made his way with other dignitaries to the podium of a
velopment programs. Poverty in it, and facilitate continuing “in aid of legislation” but for this That is our faith. In Church vast conference room. He was William H. Gates, Sr, father of the
may also be due to some extent corruption. The structure of very reason there has been no language, we need contempla- more famous Bill, accepting the 2010 United Nations Population
to some cultural factors. Imbal- corruption is also built up by conviction. tion and solidarity, prayer and Award on behalf of his travelling son (who was in Spain) and
ances in the political sphere can imbalances in economic and We are a society that in fact cooperation. travelling daughter-in-law Melinda (who was in Mexico).
also cause poverty. Destruc- political power. While powerless turns a blind eye to past griev- Solidarity would dictate that The thought crossed my mind that perhaps the UNFPA
tion of the environment causes people can be easily convicted ous lapses of corruption. A quick in the battle against corruption, award was to offset the scathing article written earlier this year
poverty. and jailed, this is not true for the scan of election winners will all of us have to be united, striv- by the hand of this author [“A Geek with Cheek” MercatorNet,
Thus the campaign slogan is powerful. Bribery, threats to life, reveal how short our memories ing to be persons of integrity 9 February 2010] but quickly moved on.
only partly true. As such it is and extortion are bedfellows in are and how easily we put aside in our areas of responsibility Each year the multibillionaire uses funds from his multibil-
unrealistic. It offers false hopes the structure of corruption. moral judgments. and refusing to connive with lion dollar foundation, the world’s largest private foundation,
for a long suffering people. Because it is both a sinful at- Given the nature of corrup- others in acts of corruption. In operating in over 100 countries, to provide a number of chari-
Why is corruption so difficult titude of the heart as well as an tion as a personal sin and as a solidarity we need to denounce ties and nonprofits with the wherewithal for the tools of the
to eradicate? unjust social structure, corrup- structure of sin and given our what we see are corrupt systems population control trade under the wide umbrella of “family
Corruption is a sinful attitude tion in the Philippines, as else- own propensity to disregard in public and private life that planning”. The UNFPA has undoubtedly been the beneficiary
of the heart. It is the surrender where in many Asian countries, moral judgments, it is clear that ensnare and trap people into of the Gates largesse for its global scale works.
of the heart to the temptation is firmly entrenched. It is also en- corruption is not going to go corruption. In solidarity we need The citation read at the ceremony by UNFPA executive direc-
of power and wealth. Once the demic in private and public life. away easily. to work with our leaders who tor Thoraya Obaid stated in part that the Gates Foundation was
heart succumbs to a first temp- It infects the whole social ladder, The President-elect needs all want to establish structures of “a leader in the fields of global health and global development,
tation and gains access to some from top to bottom or from bot- the help he can get to make good integrity and justice. particularly in promoting excellence in population assistance,
amount of money without being tom to the top. Even elections for on his slogan. He would need a If we believe that with God all including through the design of innovative, integrated solu-
punished, it is easier to surren- kabataang barangay positions miracle to get rid of corruption things are possible, then prayer tions in the areas of reproductive health, family planning, and
der to the next temptation. This are now afflicted by extravagant in his six years of office. Good for wisdom, guidance, and cour- maternal and neonatal health….”
is even more so when the gains spending because of the promise intention and good example are age and integrity would be nec- No doubt with so much money and a great need to alleviate
in wealth and power are incred- of more money gained through not enough. We have the exam- essary. Through solidarity and much misery Gates monies go to many worthy charities. But “pro-
ibly huge. The repeated acts of one’s position. ple of the Cory Aquino regime prayer miracles do happen. moting excellence in population assistance” does not exactly inspire
confidence in light of activities covered under “family planning.”
Mr. Gates Senior read his “acceptance statement”—which to
Oscar V. Cruz, DD trained ears that have been present at more than one of these
awards—sounded as though it could have been written for him
No way but up by the UNFPA itself. Here is a key quote: “The United Nations
helped pioneer the field of family planning. You are recognizing
Views and Points Bill and Melinda today because they followed your lead.”
After expressing regrets for the Bill and Melinda absence, he went
on to convey that “…this honor is especially meaningful, because
family planning first sparked their interest in global health 15 years
WITH the glaring fact that the country is so But most Filipinos, the “uneducated” ones wrong deeds have already been done and
ago. The occasion of this ceremony has given them the opportunity
down under in socio-economic development included, feel and know what is good or evil, well done before. In the same way, these
to reflect on why they started the Gates Foundation in the first place,
as well as in politico-cultural integrity offers what is virtuous or vicious. This is called in- post-Hello Garci period has done anything
and how much progress they have seen since then.”
no consolation to anybody in anyway. Yet tuition, and this is what the poor, the helpless vicious and everything odious possible.
The rest of his statement contained all the phrases, facts
this same lamentable national situation nev- and the ignorant mostly have. It would then be quite hard for the now
and figures that are routinely bandied about at any and all
ertheless strongly implies that the incoming The at long last existing inglorious reign named “P-Noy” to still do wrong, to still go
panels, conferences and presentations by the UNFPA on the
administration has no other way of govern- boasted of so many things done! But at what astray—as all these have been already very
“wide ranging benefits of family planning” and that there are
ing and leading the Filipino people but up: cost to the people—the still unborn includ- successfully done by his depreciated and
“215 million women” that the UNFPA has determined “want
Up in examples of honesty and probity. Up ed? The billions upon billions from foreign disdained soon to be predecessor. Alone, it is
to use contraceptives but don’t have that option”—if only
in the degree of their trust and respect. Up and local debts incurred, plus all the direct certain that the incoming leadership cannot
their UNFPA-determined desire were to be fulfilled, why
in terms of industrial progress and employ- and indirect taxes spent, are too big to have do much. But with the honest and upright,
this “would prevent millions of abortions that occur because
ment. Up in the matters of finances, health too little to show. It is said that the going, competent and trusted collaboration of his
women were not able to access contraception.”
and education. going, gone Chief of all chiefs simply loved carefully chosen lieutenants, he is on!
In his closing remarks Mr. Gates pledged “the Gates Foun-
It could be difficult and possibly even doing public works. But lo and behold, it is Again: anything bad and everything
dation support in the effort to meet the unmet need for family
messy. There would be resistance on the part no secret that it is precisely in public works wrong have already been done before by
planning….” and that Bill and Melinda would “continue to be
of experts in graft and corruption. Those ac- that practically half of the money spent goes someone becoming bad history—very soon.
your partner in this essential work.”
customed to the use of questionable power to SOP’s. How intriguing! How revolting! With firm right intention and consequent
It is worth recalling that William H. Gates Sr. was once head
held and untenable wealth accumulated These are like the post-Martial Law days. virtuous decisive option, the incoming suc-
of Planned Parenthood in the US and that International Planned
might urge and pay certain individuals or Then, the succeeding administration could cessor cannot go wrong—practically speak-
Parenthood Federation won the population award in the institu-
groups to oppose what is right and just. practically do nothing wrong whereas all ing. Hence: Go, man, go!
tional category in 1985. He must have felt very much at home.
The population award carries with it a medal, a citation and
a monetary award. Given that the last is of no consequence
Fr. Roy Cimagala
Unrepentant or to anyone in the Gates family, Mr. Gates said the foundation
would “match the prize money for this award and make a grant

opportunistic?
THIS is in reaction to Time
Magazine’s cover story of June
7, 2010, with the banner title:
“Why being Pope means never
having to say you’re sorry: the
sex abuse scandal and the limits
of atonement.”
That’s, of course, a reprise of
a late ‘60s movie, “Love Story,”
whose famous line precisely was
“Love means never having to say
you’re sorry.”
This new version, however,
has nothing of the sweet ele-
ments that characterized that
romantic movie. It’s rather full
of attacks, missiles, torpedoes
and carpet bombing aimed at the
Pope and the Church.
It spent a lot of precious ink
trying to prove that Benedict
XVI’s papacy is “permanently
damaged,” and that the Church
now needs a radical reformation,
again trying to repeat an unfor-
tunate event in the Church’s
tumultuous history.
Reformation here means
nothing less than changing the
Church’s nature and from there
whatever may come as con-
sequences. The piece proudly
concludes, from a logic mostly
emotion-driven, that the Church
has to be democratized.
The Church, it pleads, has to be
taken away from aging ecclesias-
tics helplessly lost in their theolo-
gies and traditions and brought
back to the people. The subtext
seems to be that the present
Church has become obsolete.
I’m always suspicious of this
kind of contrasts. There will
always be distinctions of roles
in any organization. But these
differentiations are not meant
to divide the parties involved,
but rather to distribute the work
to be done and to foster greater
unity. This is part of our human
condition.
As soon as this idea came into
view while reading the article,
I immediately asked myself:
whom should I believe—the
authors of this article or the Pope
and the whole teaching of the
Church from the beginning?
It’s a crazy proposition that
tempted me to drop the magazine
immediately. But I had to read it
in toto just to get its whole thrust.
It would not be fair to comment
on it without reading it entirely.
I might be addressing myself to
phantoms of my mind.
Certainly, the story had many
good points. It was well-re-
searched. It exposed ugly details
that had accumulated through the
years in both Church and world
Candidly Speaking
cultures. Still, there were glaring
loopholes, foremost among which
is the matter of perspective.
In short, we have to choose
between looking at the issue
within the framework of faith
and reason as they impact on
human realities, or the viewpoint
of reason alone with its full
complement of human sciences
like history, sociology, etc.
In this particular case, the lens
used had hardly anything to do
with faith, but rather more with
pure reason, a reason unguided
by faith but highly affected by
emotions.
The scandals are ugly enough,
and the Pope has apologized
already a number of times for
these unfortunate incidents and
has promised to do all to resolve
them in their different aspects
and levels.
Those accusations of system-
atic cover-ups by bishops and
even the Pope are unfair in the
sense that unless legal actions
are initiated and pursued, the
Church authorities obviously
will try their best to keep the
cases away from public attention
while pursuing the appropriate
actions to mete justice to all par-
ties concerned.
This behavior is universal. It
can be seen in families, govern-
ments, corporations, organiza-
tions and groups. That is why
we have a legal system of justice,
with its laws and rules, so as to
attain greater objectivity in the
pursuit of justice for all.
What we should try to avoid is
to be rash in judging the actua-
tions of these human social bod-
ies. Of course, we can look into
them, probe them, and if there
are valid grounds to think some
unfair practices have been com-
mitted, then let’s prosecute them
according to our legal system.
But this procedure has noth-
ing to do with the nature of the
Church. That nature is God-given
as revealed by Christ. It is not ours
to change and to shape according
to our designs. It is for us to follow
it and live it as best as we can.
Of course, we are notorious for
our infidelities and sins. Still all
these do not add up to the need to
change the nature of the Church.
What we need to do instead is to
try our best, up to our last breath,
to be faithful. For this, we have to
help one another.
Are the Pope and the bishops
really unrepentant, or are there
groups who are taking advan-
tage of these unfortunate events
to push their own agenda?
for the total amount to the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians
on Population and Development—the institutional category
recipient for the 2010 population award.
This organization, founded in 1981, advances the agenda set
out at the UN’s Cairo population conference by “promoting
parliamentary action on population and development issues”
according to the citation read at the ceremony. This group has
become a “worldwide model” that spawned similar associations
in other regions of the world, particularly in Europe and Africa.
One wonders if there was any whiff of influence on the re-
cent approval of the health care legislation in the United States
which seems to contain some population control elements.
True to their word, a few days after the UN award the Gates
foundation pledged a considerable sum to support the UN
led initiative called “The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn
and Child Health” which is “hosted and administered by the
World Health Organization” and includes approximately 300
NGOs such as Planned Parenthood and organizations like the
UN Population Fund.
The announcement was made by Melinda Gates at a “Wom-
en Deliver” conference in Washington, DC on June 7th, where
the “partnership” organizations had gathered to support the
maternal/child cause—as they see it. The foundation is to in-
vest $1.5 billion from 2010 through 2014 “to support innovative
projects addressing family planning; health care for pregnant
women, newborns, and children; and nutrition.”
While maternal and child welfare are noble and worthy goals,
it is worth noting that “family planning”—with all of its life
prevention implications—was listed first as the Gates Founda-
tion continues to hold fast to its original inspiration: population
control.
At UN insistence, the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
initiative is being added to the agenda of the G8/G20 summit
of world economic powers, to be held June 26-27 in Canada,
with the purpose of generating even more money.
Matching funds anyone?
(Vincenzina Santoro is an international economist. She represents
the American Family Association of New York at the United Nations.
This article is reprinted on special arrangement with MercatorNet.)

Speaking of / A4
She was, of course, seated along the
diplomats sopra delle Collonade. Oh, the
umbrella that she lent to me earlier on
was left inside the bag that was now in
the Aula and that which I did not if ever
I would find it again.
The Swiss guards then came to their
assigned positions. The Holy Mass was
about to start. Then, the very beautiful
Litany of the Saints. And the Holy
Father started the Entrance Procession.
He was in the Pope Mobile, but without
the bullet proof glasses. He seemed very
happy seeing the thousands of priests.
Viva il Papa! One group shouted.
Another group shouting Benedetto! Fol-
lowed by five rhythmic claps. There we
were the Catholic priests, in the midst
of the scandals engulfing us, we have
chosen not be engulfed by this world’s
madness and utter sense of discourage-
ment. It was not a celebration of priests,
it was a celebration of the Priesthood!
On the facade of St. Peter’s was the
tapestry bearing the image of St. John
Marie Vianney, very serious looking. As
if beckoning to us priests that we take
our priesthood more seriously and with
more dedication.
The Holy Mass has begun, it was not
the usual Penitential Rite, instead there
was the Asperges. The sprinkling of the
Holy Water calling to mind that from
the wounded side of Christ gushed
forth blood and water, the fountain of
sacramental life.
After the Homily of the Holy Fa-
ther, we renewed our priestly vows.
It was such a wonderful scene and
an unforgettable experience, the
thousands of priests responding three
times to the three different tasks of
the priesthood, and all were in uni-
son. Volo! I do.
At the end of the Holy Mass, the Holy
Father was kneeling before an icon of
Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani, Salva-
tion of the Roman People. He led in
the Consecration and Entrustment to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Once the Mass was ended, riding the
Pope Mobile, he went around the Pi-
azza. And thankfully, he passed in front
of us. And no, I failed to take pictures,
I was just elated to see him pass by just
in front of me.
And off we went to the Aula Paulo VI,
would I find my bag? I really didn’t care
then, I was just happy to have attended
the Holy Mass marking the closure of
the Year of Priests. I went to the spot
where I thought I laid my bag on that
particular part of the floor. And it was
not there.
The Year of Priests might have ended
but the coming years are to stay in and
be in love with the Priesthood of Christ
that we simply share in continues on.
My bag was no longer at the pavimen-
to. Somebody probably took pity on the
bag that was just being kicked around
and trampled on. He placed it on top of
one of the seats. And there I found it,
with nothing missing at all. I thought I
lost it for good, but it was there.
I thought it is also like the priesthood.
We, His priests, and the Priesthood itself,
may be kicked around and trampled on,
but Christ will elevate it all the more. It’s
His, after all.
 Local News
CBCP Monitor
A6 Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

Fake priest in Cubao excommunicated
Xavier Eubra de Borja
A FAKE priest was formally excom-
municated after serving at the Diocese
of Cubao for over a year.
The excommunication of Xavier Eu-
bra de Borja was issued last May 30 but
made public only recently.
According to Cubao chancellor Fr.
Fredrick Edward Simon, Bishop Hon-
esto Ongtioco said the decision came be-
cause de Borja “disguised” as a priest.
De Borja was a homegrown resi-
dent of St. Ignatius village and was a
parishioner of Christ the King Parish
at Greenmeadows where he served as
altar boy during his school days.
He allegedly left the country and
entered a seminary in Russia and went
back for vacation in 2009 identifying
himself as “ordained priest” and went
around the parish in black cassock.
The man had clerical robes and
documents that he is a member of the
Canons Regular of St. Augustine based
in France.
Sources said de Borja’s family being
parishioners and upon the recommen-
dation of several parishioners, he was
accepted as “guest priest” while on va-
cation prior to his “return to his current
assignment in Russia.”
A check, however, with Vladivostok-
based Mary Mother of God Mission So-
ciety website revealed no Filipino priest
has ever been assigned there.
It was learned he celebrated the
Eucharist, heard confessions and con-
ducted retreats and recollections.
He reportedly attracted parishioners
with his celebration of the Mass described
as “reminiscent of all the reverence and
strict compliance with the movements
and rituals whenever traditional Latin
Masses are celebrated.
The fake priest was also reported to
have delivered good homily during
Mass and knows how to say the Holy
Mass in Latin and Traditional (Triden-
tine) Latin Mass.
It was also learned he heard con-
fessions and accepted invitations to
conduct retreats and recollections for
various parish-based organizations.
Being excommunicated, De Borja is
now banned from participating in Mass,
Communion or other religious ceremo-
nies even as a participant.
Meanwhile, the Diocese of Paranaque
warned Catholics about certain Joseph
Sorongon posing as Deacon. The dioc-
esan chancellor Fr. Benjamin D. Molina,
Jr., in a circular dated June 16, 2010 said
Joseph Sorongon introduces himself as
a Deacon from the Order of St. Benedict
of the Monastery of the Transfiguration
in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.
Fr. Molina said Sorongon is a fraud
and impostor.
“The Chancery, after careful research
and investigation, found out that Mr. Jo-
seph Sorongon is not a deacon nor is he
a member of the Order of St. Benedict,
as confirmed by Fr. Savio Ma. Siccuan,
OSB, Prior of the Monastery of the
Transfiguration,” Fr. Molina wrote.
He cautioned the faithful to ask for
a celebret or certificate of ordination to
the diaconate issued by their chancery
of their diocese or religious congrega-
tion and duly signed by the bishop or
religious superior. (Melo M. Acuña)

Bisbop Soc / A1 GMA / A1

inevitable negative social and
moral consequences.
Villegas was joined by six
other bishops from Pangasi-
nan, La Union and Nueva
Ecija comprising the Lingay-
en-Dagupan archdiocese in
appealing to Aquino to reject
gambling.
The bishops particularly
rebuffed a government plan
for the introduction of casi-
nos in two towns within the
archdiocese, adding that it
“destroys families and cor-
rupts people.”
“Now that we are at the
dawn of a new beginning for
our nation, with hopes high
and patriotic fervor at its
best, …make a unified stand
to oppose the plan to open a
casino in Urdaneta City, and
San Leonardo, Nueva,” the
statement read.
“If it is not legally possible
to close all casinos imme-
DepEd / A1
Party, lost the senatorial race on
May 10. She claimed that teach-
ing sex education in schools vio-
lates the 1987 Constitution.
She said the restriction is
provided by Section 12, Article
II of the Charter, which states
that, “The natural and primary
right and duty of parents in the
rearing of the youth for civic ef-
ficiency and the development of
moral character shall receive the
support of the government.”
Imbong also described the
program as a form of “contra-
ceptive imperialism,” not only
because it is funded by UNFPA
but it attacks moral sensibilities
and values of the children and
encourages sexual promiscuity.
Based on their studies of the sex
education modules being used
by DepEd, Imbong said they’ve
found out that it promotes fam-
ily planning, reproductive health
and demographic development.
“It is specifically designed to
transform the attitudes, behavior
and social norms of young people
based on a foreign model,” Im-
bong said in a press conference.
The lawyer said sex education
was being implemented in the ba-
sic education curriculum 12 years
ago, and the education department
only updates the modules.
Imbong also vowed to put to-
gether a nationwide mechanism
for parents and parent associa-
tions “so that DepEd defers to
us, not we to them.”
diately, we plead with the
government not to open new
ones,” it said.
The bishops said what is not
being acknowledged is that
the harm will reach far beyond
the individual gamblers by
affecting their families and
the community in which they
live.
Opening another casino,
the bishops added, will “open
more doors for corruption”
and pave the way for the “im-
poverishment of the families
of the gamblers.”
“Where the casinos operate
now, we see the ill effects on
the socio-moral fiber of the
citizenry—the rise of criminal-
ity, the spread of prostitution
and the shameless corruption
of those engaged in the busi-
ness,” they said.
The church leaders said they
are counting on Aquino’s bat-
tle cry during the campaign
Scrap sex education
San Fernando Archbishop Pa-
ciano Aniceto urged President-
elect Benigno Aquino III to im-
mediately stop the government’s
sex education program being
taught in primary and high
schools students.
Aniceto, chairman of the CB-
CP’s Commission on Family and
Life, said scrapping the program
is the best thing Aquino could do
as soon as he assumes his post
this month.
In the same press conference,
he said: “Aquino should devote
to the importance of the (sex
education) project of the DepEd
because he is responsible for the
spiritual, mental and physical
advancement of the people.”
Aniceto added that “being a
Christian,” Aquino should “do
what is according to moral law,
according to the dignity and
rights of every Filipino.”
The church official reiterated
that the parents have the sole
responsibility of teaching their
children about human sexuality.
Novaliches Bishop Antonio
Tobias said they will continue
to mobilize their faithful to be
on the lookout for sex educa-
tion modules being taught in
government-run schools.
He said they are concerned
of the manner sex education is
being taught to intermediate el-
ementary pupils and high school
students.
period of ending the problem
of poverty and corruption.
“We appeal to the govern-
ment to aggressively fight cor-
ruption and diminish poverty.
One of the first steps the gov-
ernment must take is to stop
the opening of more casinos,”
the prelates further said.
“The right step is values
education for the children
and livelihood opportunities
for the poor. Opening another
casino—in Urdaneta and San
Leonardo or in any other
place—is a step deviating
from our vision,” they said.
Other signatories of the pas-
toral letter are Bishops Jacinto
Jose of Urdaneta, Mylo Hubert
Vergara of San Jose, Artemio
Rillera of San Fernando, Marlo
Peralta of Alaminos, Sofronio
Bancud of Cabanatuan and
Renato Mayugba, auxiliary
bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.
(Roy Lagarde)
Behavior modification
Human Life International-Asia
executive director Dr. Ligaya
Acosta criticized the government
for insisting that children need
a course of instruction in sex
education.
For Acosta, sex education “is
actually a course in systematic
behavior modification, designed
to change the child’s entire belief
system.”
She claimed that there is a
rapid escalating rate of teen
pregnancy and an exploding
AIDS epidemic in nations where
there is sex education and ag-
gressive contraceptive use.
“The glaring truth is that
researches around the world
substantiate the fact that the
more contraceptive programs
are aimed at the young, the
more pregnancies, abortions,
promiscuity, sexually transmit-
ted diseases, and cancer of the
cervix results,” Acosta said.
From pilot testing, the sex
education program will later
be expanded nationwide in a
bid to limit unwanted teenage
pregnancies and stop the spread
of HIV and AIDS.
“Granting that there is now an
increased incidence of premarital
sex and teenage pregnancies, we
don’t solve a wrong by another
wrong – worse than the problem.
What we need is a massive moral
and spiritual regeneration,”
Acosta said.
tive reforms that allowed deten-
tion prisoners to vote last May
10 during the country’s national
and local elections.
“Some 24,000 detention pris-
oners have registered and par-
ticipated in the recent elections,”
an elated Diamante told CBCP-
News. He said the Commission
on Elections ordered their staff
to visit various detention facili-
ties to allow inmates to register
few months before the campaign
season.
Since there were no Precinct
Counting Optical Scan machines
brought to the detention centers,
the inmates manually filled the
ballots which were later taken to
the polling precincts for count-
ing.
The Commission on Human
Rights and the Ateneo School of
Governance are currently con-
ducting studies on the conduct of
elections in detention centers.
“The next step is to revise the
existing Omnibus Election Code
to allow convicts to vote in the
coming elections,” Diamante
said. He explained voting is not
just a privilege but a matter of
individual right.
He added one doesn’t take
Bishop / A1
said, “dictates that the AES and
its management be looked into to
determine the accuracy and in-
tegrity of the election results.”
Weeks before the elections,
AESWatch rated Comelec prepa-
rations for the May 10 polls as
being “deep into the danger
zone” given the absence of
minimum internal safeguards
and the imperfect certification of
the AES operation issued by the
Comelec’s Technical Evaluation
Committee.
“An appraisal of the recent
automated elections is also
needed in aid of whatever leg-
islative action shall be taken
to review RA 9369 (amended
Automated Elections Law) and
other election-related laws”;
and to “resolve tensions be-
tween opposing views, achieve
closure on various issues and
questions, pinpoint account-
abilities for lapses and mis-
deeds, and learn lessons that
can inform the use of automat-
ed systems in future elections,”
said AESWatch.
The poll watchdog stressed
that its experts are available to
support the work of the pro-
posed panel. (CBCPNews)
away another’s rights because of
detention and convicted prison-
ers should learn the importance
of citizenship.
Asked if he sees detention
and convicted prisoners getting
elected into office, Diamante said
prisoners would know what is
best for them and probably in-
stitute reforms in the country’s
judicial system.
Prisoners’ participating in
elections would assure them of
restorative justice and depart
from the usual punitive justice.
“Reforms happen inside jails
whenever celebrities, including
politicians serve terms,” Dia-
mante added. He also under-
scored the need for conversion
among detention and convicted
prisoners and their victims’
families as well.
Diamante said his office will
celebrate the 4th anniversary
of the death penalty’s abolition
at Ateneo de Manila University
with Quezon Representative and
Human Rights advocate Erin
Tanada as guest of honor and
speaker.
Asked where the Macapagal-
Arroyo administration failed
to deliver, Diamante said the
Residents / A1
the DENR-Caraga officials in the
case because of their patent and
clear disregard and violation
of a barangay ordinance that
disallowed mining or even min-
eral exploration in Anislagan to
protect the area since it has been
identified as a watershed area.
The Municipal Council of
Placer also passed an ordinance
protecting the watershed and
communal forest in the whole
municipality.
But despite this, DENR-Caraga
officials still issued 13 permits to
MMC to explore the mineral-rich
Anislagan town without consult-
ing the barangay’s residents.
MMC, a subsidiary of the
Lepanto Group of Companies,
was issued two exploration
permits (EPs; XIII-014 and XIII-
014A) by the DENR-Caraga,
which also granted an EP to
KCGR and Silangan Mining.
KCGR is a joint venture of
MMC and Anglo American, a
British mining company.
According to Mosqueda, the
class suit will put to test the new-
ly-promulgated environmental
case proceedings (environment
courts) by the Supreme Court
and how it will properly address
granting of executive clemency
was limited to influential politi-
cians and personalities and not
the lowly convicts.
“There were no jails con-
structed though the prisoners’
numbers nearly doubled during
the past nine years,” Diamante
added.
However, Diamante also laud-
ed the enactment of the Juvenile
Justice and Welfare Act of 2006
authored by Senator Francis
Pangilinan and Aurora Repre-
sentative Juan Edgardo Angara
enacted into law as Republic Act
# 9344.
He said the Philippines was
left behind by other countries
in looking after the welfare
of minors in conflict with the
law. He added minor offend-
ers in South Africa and other
poor African countries don’t
go to jail but to facilities run by
government to assure them of
rehabilitation.
“Yes, minors have been in-
volved in criminal activities
but the main reason behind is
economics. When the young get
hungry, in their will to survive,
they resort to criminal activities,”
Diamante said. (CBCPNews)
this kind of cases.
ABAKATAF expressed hopes
that their case against the three
mining companies will finally
put a stop on all mining activities
in their area.
Last January 11, 2010, hun-
dreds of Anislagan barangay
residents formed a human bar-
ricade to prevent the entry of a
6-vehicle convoy of the Philex
Mining, the country’s largest
mining company.
Anislagan is an area very rich
in natural resources. It has been
identified by the government as
priority area in mining because
of its rich mineral resources.
It has first–class nickel and
gold minerals. Lakes, rivers and
springs also surround it.
Anislagan provides potable
water to the entire town of
Placer. Anislagan also provides
irrigation to rice fields in the vil-
lage and to adjacent villages.
A barangay resident and
member of the ABAKATAF
said: “The Barangay Council
(of Anislagan) already filed a
resolution as early as 2002 not
to allow any mining activities in
our village. They should respect
it!” (Bong D. Fabe)

Poor / A1 Pagcor/ A1

public schools.
Effects on students
Santos warned that students
fleeing the private system to
state schools may hurt the stu-
dents’ “psychological and emo-
tional” side.
“Shifting to other schools is
really hard especially when a
student is used to cultures in
private schools. Shifting to a
state college and university is a
bit difficult,” he said.
Some 23.43 million students
trooped back to public and pri-
vate elementary and secondary
schools on June 15 for the start of
the school year 2010-2011.
As parents feel the economic
crunch enrollments in public
schools have risen this year with
education officials claiming a
large proportion of the increase
was due to students fleeing the
private system.
Even Santos admitted Catholic
schools continue to experience
“a downtrend of enrollment”
each year.
Told that there are some stu-
dents who would rather stop
temporarily than be forced to
transfer to public schools, the
priest said this should not be
the case.
“As much as possible, they
should not stop in their studies,”
stressed Santos.
The education department
figures show that there are some
20.17 million or 86 percent of
the students enrolled in public
schools, while the other 3.26 mil-
lion or 14 percent are enrolled in
private schools.
The agency however has no
figures yet on how many trans-
ferred from private to public
schools for this school year.
(CBCPNews)
told reporters.
Cruz is the former president
of the Catholic Bishops’ Confer-
ence of the Philippines and the
founder of the People’s Crusade
Against Gambling.
The retired archbishop made
the appeal on Wednesday fol-
lowing the reported retirement
of Pagcor chief Efraim Genu-
ino.
Cruz said the president-elect
should abolish Pagcor as this is
also synonymous to corruption,
a thing which the latter promised
to rid the country of during his
campaign.
“Gambling is synonymous to
corruption and if Pagcor remains
just like that, and in fact it’s still
trying to open new branches…
the promise of anti-corruption is
not as tenable as that,” he said.
At least seven bishops led by
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop
Socrates Villegas earlier called
on Aquino to reject gambling too
and “stop the opening of more
casinos”.
In a pastoral letter, the bish-
ops said that gambling is not in
the country’s best interests, as
they urged Aquino to instead
provide alternatives to boost the
economy that will not cost the
country the inevitable social
and moral consequences.
The prelate, meantime, called
on other Pagcor officials to re-
sign from their posts.
“A good option is never late.
Just imagine how you present
yourself to your children….
how could you be proud of
that?” said Cruz.
Earlier Pagcor spokesman
Edward King said Genuino
filed his “retirement” papers
May 28 with outgoing Pres-
ident Gloria Arroyo. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCPNews)

In and Out / A4 Love life / A4

Let us also remind ourselves of
BLD MISSION: that “we are called
by the Lord to build communities
of disciples of Jesus Christ who,
empowered by the Holy Spirit,
will renew and strengthen our
Christian faithful.
a) through programs of Chris-
tian Encounters ( Marriage
Encounters, Family Encounters,
Singles Encounters, Solo Parent
Encounters, Youth Encounters)
and Life in the Spirit Seminars.
b) through programs of Dis-
cipleship Formation, Spiritual
Growth and Pastoral Care aimed
at developing Intercessors, Wor-
ship Leaders, Shepherds, Teach-
er and Witnesses;
c) and through programs pro-
moting Servant Leadership and
poverty alleviation of society.”
(Statues of BLD-CC, May 5, 2009)
In the last 25 years, the move-
ment of grace has been very
tangible. It is, therefore, with
great trust and confidence in
God above all and in one an-
other that the BLD Community
can continue to “put out into
the deep waters and lower the
nets for a catch” (Lk. 5/4). The
instruction of the Lord is that
BLD move on to gain in both
quantity and more importantly
in quality that means moving on
outwardly and inwardly.
Let the final word be profound
and sincere gratitude to all the
people who have helped and
worked with BLD through the
25 years to reach what it is today.
How can we thank satisfactorily
the Archbishops and Bishops,
the Priests and Spiritual Direc-
tors and the members of the laity
in the various Archdiocese and
Dioceses where BLD is?
“May the Lord bless you and
keep you. May He show His face
to you and have mercy on you.
May He turn to you and give you
peace. May the Lord bless you.”
(St. Francis of Assisi)
Medical Association insisting
that full information on the
link be told to all who go for
abortion:
“Whereas epidemiological
evidence of an association be-
tween abortion and breast can-
cer has existed for almost a half
century, “Whereas 29 out of
38 worldwide epidemiological
studies show an increased risk
of breast cancer of approxi-
mately 30% among women who
have had an abortion, Whereas
all women undergoing abortion
are entitled to full informed
consent as to all risks includ-
ing long term risks, Therefore
be it resolved that the Catholic
Medical Association endorses
the passage of state legislation
to require abortionists to in-
form all women of their future
increased vulnerability to breast
cancer.” (Resolution Approved
10/15/03)
Although abortion is illegal
in the Philippines, we are aware
of thousands of abortions being
done every year through abor-
tifacient pills, by the “hilot” or
by midwives who have learned
how to do D and C. Unscru-
pulous physicians perform for
money and get away with it by
reporting false diagnosis.
It is urgent then that abor-
tion prevention by educat-
ing the public on the many
side effects of abortion is done
through the schools, organiza-
tions and parishes. All sectors
should be reached—the out-
of-school youth, the single or
married male and female, and
the priests, nuns and teachers
who can include the topic in
their advocacies.
For more information on the
abortion-breast cancer link and
other topics on abortion preven-
tion, contact Pro-life Phils. Office
at (02)733-7027, 0919-733-7783,
life@prolife.org.ph.
 Diocesan News
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010
A7

Archbishop to Ate Vi: ‘Fight illegal gambling’

LIPA CITY—Lipa Archbishop Ramon
Arguelles, a staunch anti-gambling
prelate, called on re-elected celebrity
Governor Vilma Santos-Recto to do
everything possible to stop illegal ac-
tivities in the province at the soonest
possible time.
In a letter dated June 7, 2010, the 65-
year old prelate said he heard “founded
rumors” about many groups including
people identified with the re-elected
governor who are now “fighting to
take over this unfortunate business
(jueteng).”
“May I respectfully beg Your Honor
not to allow these immoralities taint
your good record,” Archbishop Ar-
guelles further said.
The prelate reminded Governor
Santos-Recto that prior to the 2007 local
elections, it was he who encouraged her
to challenge incumbent governor. He
said they were successful in putting an
Archbishop Ramon Arguelles end to a regime characterized by nefari-
ous activities.
The archbishop admitted he was one
of the most hated persons in his archdio-
cese because of his advocacies against
gambling, immorality and criminality
that were rampant before 2007.
Although Governor Santos-Recto’s
victory “promised a hopeful future”,
Arguelles said he noticed that jueteng
which was identified with the former
governor for a number of years con-
tinued during the lady governor’s first
term.
“I accepted the reality that gambling
could not be stopped due to midnight
approvals of the former governor,” he
explained. He described the Small Town
Lottery as a camouflaged jueteng which
prevailed.
The prelate recalled PCSO Chairman
Valencia’s statement that something
could be done to stop it (STL) upon the
expiration of the probationary period
“which is NOW.”
Arguelles said he pledged to col-
laborate with the Santos-Recto admin-
istration and “bring behind me the full
force of the religious sector to achieve
what is for the best interest of the Ba-
tanguenos.”
He hastened to add that the re-elected
governor is aware that as Archbishop of
Lipa, he “cannot and will not keep silent
when it comes to opposing gambling of
all kinds, the proliferation of sex dens,
spread of drugs, all sources of criminal-
ity, because it will not do any good to
our people.”
“I plead with you to make sure that
the crimes of the past administration
will not prevail under your program
to promote a wholesome environment,
in alleviating the life of our people, in
giving them hope,” he added.
The prelate said he hopes and prays
Governor Santos-Recto’s second and
third terms “will bring brighter pros-
pects for the province which hope-
fully will be truly progressive, vice-free
and environment-friendly.” (Melo M.
Acuña)

Order immediate retrieval of sunken ship, Aquino urged

SIBUYAN, Romblon—Residents
of San Fernando in Sibuyan Is-
land are urging President-elect
Benigno Aquino to order the im-
mediate retrieval of sunken ship
M/V Princess of the Stars.
Two years since the boat sunk
off the Coast of Sibuyan Island,
full retrieval of the victims’ re-
mains and other cargoes are yet
to be accomplished.
Fr. Noel Sixon, parish priest
of Our Lady of Remedies in San
Fernando town lamented the
inaction of concerned companies
and agencies directly responsible
for the retrieval operations.
“How many times that they
and companies,” Sixon said.
The tragedy has severely af-
fected not only the lives of the
victims’ families but his parish-
ioners as well, the priest said.
“There are a lot of things to
be done after the tragedy, not
only the trauma and sadness
of the bereaved family but also
the lives and livelihood of my
parishioners who are gravely
affected by the typhoon which
are left forgotten,” he said.
Taclobo village chief Arturo
Mortera also demanded the im-
mediate retrieval of the ship say-
ing the people cannot anymore
take another year of promise.
community,” he added.
A fishing ban was implement-
ed after the sea tragedy which
has affected many fishermen
who depended on fishing as
their main livelihood.
And even after the ban was
lifted, fishing was deemed un-
safe because of oil leak coming
from vehicles trapped in the
belly of the ship.
Rodne Galicha, coordinator of
environmental group Sibuyan
Island Sentinels League for Envi-
ronment Inc. (Sibuyan ISLE) said
the wastes and garbage washed
ashore transformed the seashore
into a virtual dumping ground.
island—these are some realities
which continue to worry our
island-people,” he said.
An earlier report also said
the salvor company built three
garbage pits in the area for waste
disposal despite restrictions from
the local government not to leave
any waste in the area. Galicha
said the Aquino administration
should include the completion of
retrieval operations in the agenda
of his first 100 days in office.
“In the first 100 days of incom-
ing President Benigno Aquino,
we urge him to look seriously
into this tragedy with a sense of
urgency,” he said.

promised to retrieve the sunken
ship completely? Two years is
enough for these promises. We
pray for justice for these souls
who have been taken for granted,
who are still trapped in the indif-
ference of the concerned agencies
“As we seek justice for our
fishermen and those who were
affected, we demand for the
complete retrieval of the remains
of the passengers which are still
trapped inside the ship, these
poor souls are already part of our
“Huge containers have been
stocked along the seashore with
putrefying cigarette packs and
other products, oil leaking from
the ship and unretrieved cars and
trucks, the remains of the victims
still trapped, garbage pits on the
www.monstersandcritics.com
Galicha said it is lamentable
that the Arroyo government
failed to pressure the companies
and agencies involved to fully
accomplish the retrieval opera-
tions. Two years is too long, he
added. (CBCPNews)

San Pablo clergy gets P.5 Basilan Bishop Briefing

million gift on closing rites asks prayers for Shun policies harmful to indigenous people, Aquino told
TARLAC CITY—The Aeta communities of Tarlac urged

of Year for Priests evacuees

SAN PABLO CITY—Showing their love and
concern for their priests, the Council of the
Laity of San Pablo Diocese gifted their clergy
with P.5 million during the closing rites of
the Year for Priests here.
The Diocesan Council of the Laity headed
by President Bro. Gerry Gonzales handed
over to the clergy led by San Pablo Bishop
Leo Drona an enlarged replica of a check
worth P500, 000.00 as gift to the Clergy for
their needs and other projects related to
priestly formation.
The gift was given during a program ten-
dered by the laity to the clergy at the culmi-
nating activities for the Year for Priests.
Bishop Drona led the San Pablo clergy,
religious and laity in closing the year-long
celebration of the year of the clergy on June
10 with a Holy Eucharist and a program.
The culminating activities started with the
Blessing and Inauguration at 3:00 p.m. of the
newly constructed Pre-College Institute Build-
ing located at the grounds of St. Peter College
Seminary in Brgy. Concepcion. The Concel-
ebrated Mass presided by the prelate followed
at the San Pablo Cathedral at about 6:00 p.m.
Around 100 priests, religious and deacons
joined the bishop in the solemn ceremony.
Also in attendance were nuns, youths,
professionals and a big number of the faith-
ful who were actively involved in the prepa-
rations of the Liturgy and the sumptuous
dinner that followed after Mass.
The bishop in his homily praised the
priests and religious for their active partici-
pation in making the yearlong celebration
for priests successful. He also expressed his
gratitude to all the members of the laity for
their spiritual and material support to all the
priests and religious for the entire year.
The prelate has urged both the priests and
laity to remain supportive of each other in
the present and years ahead.
Reiterating what he said in the invitation
message sent for the occasion, the bishop
said: “With the activities that the committee
we created for the purpose and with the ini-
tiatives coming from the priests themselves,
religious and lay, I am confident that each
has contributed a lot to make this year a 365
days full of grace which we could humbly
bring back to God praising and praying to
Him to “look with favor on our offerings.”
Right after the Holy Communion, the
priests, religious knelt before the altar to-
gether with the Bishop who led the prayer
of dedication of priests to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
After the Mass, the priests, religious and
deacons were then ushered into the Liceo de
San Pablo Gymnasium for the Agape and
program offered by the Diocesan Council
of the Laity.
Various groups rendered presentations in
honor of the priests. They included Doxology
by the Servi Dei Choir of Sto. Rosario Parish
in Pacita I, San Pedro; Intermission by the
San Pablo Seminary Choir; song number by
the Sancti Joanis Choir of the San Pablo Ca-
thedral parish. The priests led by the bishop,
responded with a song number entitled “Pari
Magpakailan Man.”
A 30-minute fireworks display followed
outside the gym as a final highlight of the
diocesan ending of the Year for Priests (June
2009 to June 2010). (Fr. Romulo Ponte)
ISABELA CITY—Hundreds of fami-
lies in Basilan have fled to safer places
to avoid the escalating military opera-
tion in the area, a bishop said.
Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad has
asked for prayers for hundreds of
families who fled to escape the military
offensives launched against the Abu
Sayyaf bandits.
“The only thing we can do right now
is to pray (for the evacuees) because
we cannot go to the area at this time,”
Jumoad said in an interview.
According to a report, at least 400
families escaped from their homes
when the military launched offensives
against the Abu Sayyaf bandits. There
were already three evacuees that have
been reportedly executed.
Jumoad said the situation is getting
complicated due to the delay in the
distribution of relief goods from the
Catholic Church because of the strong
military operation.
“Areas in Sumisip are quite difficult
to reach because of the military opera-
tion and at the time, roads are very
poor for our relief delivery,” he said.
He also expressed his fear on the
“worsening peace and order situation”
in Sumisip, Basilan.
“Some priests reported to me the
displacement of innocent people
because of the ongoing military op-
eration in the area,” noted Jumoad.
(Kate Laceda)
President-elect Aquino to take up their cause and avoid imple-
menting policies that are damaging to the indigenous people.
The indigenous Aetas of Tarlac called on Aquino, their fellow
Tarlaqueño, to address their plight, as well as all indigenous
peoples in the country who are facing almost the same issues
and threats. (CBCPNews)
Bishop lauds Arroyo projects in Catanduanes
VIRAC, Catanduanes—A Catholic bishop hailed outgoing
President Arroyo for the various infrastructure projects deemed
to improve the social and economic welfare of Catanduanes
folks. Virac Bishop Manolo Delos Santos said he is grateful
to Arroyo for her concern to boost Catanduanes economy by
building various infrastructure projects. (Melo M. Acuña)
UNO-R administrator joins China’s Climate Project training
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL—A training on Climate Project in
Beijing last June 9-12 has one Filipino religious as participant
among 300 Chinese and selected trainees from other countries.
OAR Brother Jaazeal Jakosalem, property administrator of
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos joined with other
participants from other countries in the training organized
by former US vice-president and Nobel Laureate Al Gore.
(CBCPNews)
Groups laud gov’t ban on open pit mining
KORONADAL CITY—Open pit mining is now forbidden in
South Cotabato on the basis of a recently passed environmental
code by the provincial government. Environmental groups and
indigenous communities in South Cotabato province lauded
the provincial government’s move to ban open pit mining in
the area. (CBCPNews)
Prelate to poll winners: Deliver campaign promises
JARO, Iloilo—A Catholic prelate has urged all poll winners in
the recent elections to fulfill their campaign promises for the
best interest of the people. Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo
said the public expect the winning candidates to be better lead-
ers than their predecessors. (Melo M. Acuna)
Sack officials linked on human trafficking syndicate,
Noynoy told
ANTIPOLO CITY—As the US State Department said that there
had been increasing number of Filipinos being “exported” to the
countries by illegal means, a militant group urged President-
elect Aquino to sack immigration and foreign affairs officials
involved in human trafficking. Migrante International chair
Garry Martinez said this would be the greatest challenge to
Aquino as there were confirmed reports about some public of-
ficials are involved in the transnational crime. (CBCPNews)

Panlilio open to Cabinet position

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—Outgoing Pampanga Gov.
Ed Panlilio, a suspended priest, is responding positively to
possibilities that President-elect Aquino offer him a post in
his Cabinet. Asked whether he would accept such a position,
Panlilio replied, “(I’m willing) to help Aquino in so far as it does
not ride in conflict with my priesthood.” (Roy Lagarde)

Bishop urges Aquino to stop jueteng

BANGUED, Abra—Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian called
on the incoming administration to be active in the campaign
to eliminate “all unlawful gambling,” especially jueteng. Jau-
cian said President-elect Aquino should also turn his attention
to the illegal numbers game and to jueteng lords who remain
untouchable. “It will be a miracle (if Aquino could stop jueteng)
but we are hoping he could do something about it,” he said.
(Roy Lagarde)
 A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

Largest concelebration Markings

ever held in Vatican CELEBRATED. Diocese of Malay-
balay Bishop-emeritus Honesto Ch.
Pacana, SJ, 45th anniversary of
sacerdotal ordination; June 10, 2010.
Bishop Pacana who has recently
retired as bishop of Malaybalay upon
the election of Bishop Jose Cabantan
on February 19, 2010, has spent his 21
years of priesthood and another 17 as
bishop in the diocese. At present, Pa-
cana continues to serve the diocesan
faithful through facilitating of recollec-
tions and retreats. He currently stays
in a house near Blessed John 23rd
College Seminary at Pal-ing, Patpat,
Malaybalay City.

© Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III / CBCP Media

APPOINTED. Fr. Rochester Charles Resuello, Director of the Lipa Arch-
diocesan Commission on Vocations as the new executive secretary of the
Episcopal Commission on Vocations during the 22nd National Vocation
Convention, April 2010. Resuello is the first Executive Secretary who is
not from the National Capital Region (NCR). He will officially seat as the
ECV Executive Secretary after the Bishops’ Plenary Assembly on July
2010. The ECV is currently headed by Boac Bishop Reynaldo Evange-
lista. Other officials of the commission are Iba Bishop Florentino Lavarias,
Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra, Cabanatuan Bishop Sofronio Bancud,
Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Bagaforo, San de Antique Bishop Jose
Romero Lazo and Ipil Bishop Julius Tonel.

ORDAINED. Nicanor Valiente of Sto. Niño de Praga Parish, Matalam

THE Eucharistic celebration with
the greatest number of concel-
ebrants in the church’s history,
55 of whom are Filipinos, was
recorded in Rome on June 11.
Some 15,000 cardinals, bishops
and priests from around the
world gathered at the St. Peter
Square in a Mass presided by
Pope Benedict XVI to close the
Year for Priests.
In his homily, the pontiff said
the Year for Priests might have
been destroyed by the clerical
sex abuse scandal, but instead
became a “summons to purifica-
tion” in the church.
The pope said that “the enemy,”
Satan, wants to drive God out of
the world and opposes those who
work to ensure that God is at the
side of every man and woman,
especially in times of trouble.
“And so it happened that, in
this very year of joy for the sacra-
ment of the priesthood, the sins of
priests came to light—particular-
ly the abuse of the little ones, in
which the priesthood, whose task
is to manifest God’s concern for
our good, turns into its very op-
posite,” Benedict XVI said.
The priests, 80 cardinals and
350 bishops and archbishops,
who were sitting under the hot
sun in St. Peter’s Square, showed
their agreement with the pope’s
statement by applauding.
The Vatican said that with so
many priests vested for Mass
and reciting together the Eucha-
ristic prayer with their hands
extended toward the altar, the
liturgy marked the largest con-
celebration ever held there.
During the Mass the prayers of
the faithful was said in many dif-
ferent languages. Representing
the Philippine delegation was a
Filipino nun from the Sisters of
Saint Paul of Chartres who read
the prayer in Tagalog.
Manila Archbishop Gauden-
cio Cardinal Rosales was on the
lead of four Filipino prelates and
some fifty priests who attended
the occasion.
The other bishops were Ra-
mon Villena of Bayombong,
Bernardino Cortez, Auxiliary
bishop of Manila, and retired
bishops Benjamin Almoneda
and Antonio Ranola.
During the Mass, special mo-
ments in the celebration were
observed such as the “rite of
aspersion with the holy water
as penitential act.” Four concel-
ebrant cardinals joined the pope
Cotabato and Krizaldy Tadiaque of St. Isidore Parish, Tulunan Cotabato,
to sprinkle the assembly. to the Sacred Order of Priesthood, June 18, 2010. Kidapawan Bishop
Monsignor Guido Marini, Romulo dela Cruz led the ordination rites at the Our Lady Mediatrix of
All Grace Cathedral. The ordination mass was preceded by caravans
master of papal liturgical cer- from the 17 parishes with parishioners carrying banners and streamers
emonies, said “This rite was with the words “We love our priests.” The ordination rites, concelebrated
chosen taking into account the by the clergy of the diocese also marked the closing of the year-long
solemnity of the Sacred Heart celebration of the Year for Priests in the Diocese of Kidapawan.
and making reference to the ORDAINED. Bernard S. Ondap, OMI of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, to the
blood and water that gushed Sacred order of Deacons by Bishop Angelito Lampon in Sto. Nino Parish
from the Lord’s heart as salva- Church, Midsayap, Cotabato, June 5, 2010. Family members, confreres
tion for the world and also to among the Oblates, and guests from Japan witness the celebration.
take up again the topic of purifi- ORDAINED. Rev. Estephen Mark Rayos Espinoza to the Sacred Order
cation, about which, in different of Priesthood by his Excellency Socrates B. Villegas, DD, at the church of
circumstances, the Holy Father the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish, Lingayen, Pangasinan; May 31, 2010.
has spoken recently.” Fr. Estephen was the first priest ordained by Archbishop Socrates B. Vil-
legas, DD upon assuming the post as Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.
After the homily, the priests He was assigned in the Parish of St. Fabian, Pope and Martyr, for about
renewed their priestly prom- a year, first as a seminarian, and as a Deacon upon his ordination to
ises as on Holy Thursday in the the Diaconate. The newly-ordained priest is currently assigned as the
Chrism Mass. Parochial Vicar of St. Ildephonse Parish in Malasiqui, Pangasinan.
At the end of the celebration, CELEBRATED.
before the conclusive blessing, First Profession
Benedict XVI renewed the act of vows of Cleric
of consecration of priests to the Albert O. Garong
and Cleric Eric
Blessed Mother. (CBCPNews) Mark S. Salamat
among the So-

Filipino journalist bags int’l journalism award

ciety of St. Paul
(SSP), June 6,
2010. The two
seminarians pro-
fessed the vows
of chastity, pov-
erty, obedience and fidelity to the Pope during the Mass of the Solemnity
of the Body and Blood of Christ held at the St. Paul Novitiate Chapel in
San Fernando City, Pampanga. The celebration was led by Fr. Ruben
Areño, SSP Provincial Superior together with Fr. Joe Aripio, Novice
Master, and Fr. Alan Gamutan, Master of Juniors and other priests of the
congregation. Also in attendance during the event were representatives
from various congregations, members of the Pauline family, friends,
benefactors and family members of the newly professed. As temporary
professed members, the two juniors will go for their theological studies
and begin their apostolic assignments in the various communication
ministries of the congregation.

Advocates mark anniversary

The award recepient, Jose Arenas (extreme right) with his collaborators at New City Magazine.
A FILIPINO writer has been chosen to re-
ceive the prestigious International Award
for Excellence in Journalism sponsored by
International Union of Catholic Press (UCIP)
in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jose Aranas, editor-in-chief of New City
Magazine of the Focolare Movement is
among the 43 journalists in religious and
secular media who will receive an award for
their exemplary contributions in the world
of journalism.
Aranas was cited for his efforts to pro-
mote interreligious dialogue through his
writings.
He, together with Paul Mati, a journal-
ist in Indonesia were chosen by the jury
as recipients of “Honourable Mention of
International Award for Inter-religious
Dialogue 2010.”
The International Union of the Catholic
Press told Aranas in a letter, that “the jury
took the decision considering on one hand
your brilliant and exemplary presentation,
and on the other hand the message you want-
ed to communicate through your work.”
Aranas had sent three articles on interreli-
gious dialogues for the jury’s consideration.
One, an editorial titled “To disarm the heart”
highlighted the relationship between Chris-
tians and people of other faiths and the need
for a continuous dialogue that is based on
understanding and respect of the other.
Another article was the story of a young
Muslim teacher in Maguindanao named Naji-
yyah, who strives to live the Golden Rule in her
relationships with her Christian students. The
third was an article on the 60th death anniver-
sary of Gandhi, translated from Citta Nuova,
New City magazine’s Italian edition.
Aranas’ writings delved mostly on the top-
ic of promoting unity and universal brother-
hood, essentially at the heart of the Focolare
Movement, of which he is a member.
“I have been active in the Movement for
almost 12 years, and have travelled to dif-
ferent places in the Philippines and abroad
because of the Movement,” he disclosed in
an email interview.
As a writer, he has traveled throughout the
country writing stories of hope that seldom
featured on the papers.
“I visited the southeastern Philippines,
Maguindanao included, last March, and I
saw a lot of hope in the region… The Sta.
Cruz Mission site in Cotobato is indeed great
as they cater to the needs of the lumads,
of death penalty abolition
IN celebration of the 4th year an-
niversary of the abolition of death
penalty in the Philippines, a gen-
eral assembly will be held on June
24, 2010 at the Social Development
as is the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Complex, Ateneo De Manila Uni-
People’s Education in Davao City which I versity in Quezon City.
featured in an article in the present June issue Convened by the Coalition
of New City Magazine…” he said. against Death Penalty (CADP)
Aranas said those are good news that and the CBCP’s Episcopal Com-
should be highlighted in the media so as to mission on Prison Pastoral Care
bring hope to the people. (ECPPC), the assembly aims to
“The uplifting experiences of unity, soli- update the status of the advocacy
darity and brotherhood are truths which me- campaign and lobbying for penal
dia should highlight more which I have seen reforms.
very present in our nation,” he said. CADP President Fr. Silvino
Aranas and the other awardees will Borres, SJ will give his opening
receive their citation at the UCIP World annotations while a message
Congress to be held on African continent, from the representative of the
at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 12 to Royal Netherlands Embassy will
19 September 2010. be delivered.
Eight major awards will be handed over Rodolfo Diamante, Executive
during the event: Gold Medal, Titus Brands- Secretary of CBCP-ECPPC and Vice
ma, photojournalism, interreligious dia- President of the CADP, will tackle
logue, women issues, educommunication, on the current update on the status
solidarity with refugees and international of the advocacy campaign and the
award for excellence in journalism. lobbying for penal reforms.
The International Journalism and Media Quezon Representative Loren-
Awards are given every three years to out- zo Tañada III is expected to come
standing media professionals, publications to discuss on the issue “The Need
and institutions worldwide both in secular and for Prison and Jail Reform.”
religious media by the International Union of The assembly will culminate
Catholic Press. (Pinky Barrientos, FSP) with a synthesis and a Eucharistic
celebration presided by Borres.
Meanwhile, the launching of
the 4th Sourcebook on Restor-
ative Justice and Alternatives
to Imprisonment will also be
featured in the gathering.
This sourcebook tackles the
current systematic environment
which basically delves on the
criminal justice system in the
Philippines.
It also discusses the basic con-
cepts and framework of the “justice
that heals” as well as the current
situation on the detainees today.
Significant documents are
also included in the book as a
reference to the restorative justice
advocates.
Participating in the assem-
bly are the restorative justice
advocates and the five pillars
of the criminal justice system
that includes of the prosecutors,
Supreme Court employees and
personnel, Parole and Probation
administration members.
The death penalty was first
abolished in the 1987 Philippine
Constitution however; it was
enacted in December 1993 due
to the increase of heinous crimes.
(CBCPNews)

100 youth leaders renew commitment to the Gospel

MORE than 100 youth had gath-
ered together in a parish covered
court to reaffirm their faith and
service to God and men, as
they launch the first ever Parish
Youth Ministry (PYM) Open
House by the Christ The King
Parish of Quezon City, last June
12, Independence Day.
Bearing the theme, “Let us
bring the Light to the world by
being the light ourselves,” based
on Genesis 1:3 and Matthew 5:
13 – 16, Eliza Kris Cuerbo, the
PYM overall coordinator said
that the gathering aimed not
only to strengthen the faith of
the youth servants in their par-
ish, but to renew their vow in
spreading the Gospel of Christ
as living witnesses of the love
of God by setting an example to
their respective communities.
“This is the first time that
we will be able to gather the
[youth from] the nine out of 20
subparishes of the Christ the
King [church] and the aim of the
gathering is to encourage them
to join us in the journey in taking
the path of Christ, going to the
Father in heaven,” the 17-year
old lay leader said.
Participants came from the
different chapels spread into
different villages in the Batasan,
Payatas and Veterans area name-
ly Mary the Queen chapel in
Sugartowne; Pook Pag-asa; St.
Vicente Ferrer, a newly-opened
subparish; Divine Providence; St.
Anthony of Padua; and Dakila.
The participants, mostly are
entering into the youth service
for the first time, said that they
were excited not only to show
their talents but to offer these
talents to the Lord.
Mrs. Zenaida Gutierrez, presi-
dent of the Parish Pastoral Coun-
cil of the Christ the King Parish,
in her speech said that she is glad
to see many young people eager
to serve God and she had wished
them well, praying for their spiri-
tual and moral growth.
For the first time, the group
had introduced its new logo,
which bears the primary mission
of the youth ministers,
“The circle with two green rib-
bons, symbolizes the world; the
green color in the logo symboliz-
es the freshness of the youth and
their renewed commitment to
the service of Christ. Meanwhile,
the Cross that the human-like
figure with the flame serves as its
head, symbolizes the Passion of
Christ, as He shows His love to
the world, especially the youth,
as the Bible had exposed in the
Gospel of Mark and Luke. The
central figure, the human-like
image, with the flame as its head,
is the youth itself—serving as
the salt and light of the world,”
Cuerbo explained.
The young leader also said
that they are planning to have a
follow up activity in the coming
days in order to solidify their
These children had begun their journey as ambassadors of Christ as they join the
commitment to the spiritual ser- Parish Youth Ministry of the Christ the King Parish at Batasan, Quezon city. (Photo
vice. (Noel Sales Barcelona) courtesy by Pia Montalban)
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010 Pastoral Concerns B1

© Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III / CBCP Media

‘The Priesthood ...
is not simply Office,
but Sacrament’
Homily delivered by Pope Benedict XVI at the Eucharistic
celebration that marked the closing of the Year for Priests on the
feast of the Sacred Heart on June 11, 2010, at the Vatican Square
Dear Brothers in the Priestly Ministry,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Year for Priests which we have celebrated on the one

hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the death of the holy
Curè of Ars, the model of priestly ministry in our world, is
now coming to an end. We have let the Curé of Ars guide us
to a renewed appreciation of the grandeur and beauty of the
priestly ministry. The priest is not a mere office-holder, like
those which every society needs in order to carry out certain
functions. Instead, he does something which no human being
can do of his own power: in Christ’s name he speaks the words
www.oraclespeak.files.wordpress.com

which absolve us of our sins and in this way he changes,

starting with God, our entire life. Over the offerings of bread
and wine he speaks Christ’s words of thanksgiving, which
are words of transubstantiation—words which make Christ
himself present, the Risen One, his Body and Blood—words
which thus transform the elements of the world, which open
the world to God and unite it to him.

The priesthood, then, is not simply
“office” but sacrament: God makes
use of us poor men in order to be,
through us, present to all men and
women, and to act on their behalf. This
audacity of God who entrusts himself to
human beings—who, conscious of our
weaknesses, nonetheless considers men
capable of acting and being present in
his stead—this audacity of God is the
true grandeur concealed in the word
“priesthood”. That God thinks that we
are capable of this; that in this way he
calls men to his service and thus from
within binds himself to them: this is
what we wanted to reflect upon and
appreciate anew over the course of the
past year. We wanted to reawaken our
joy at how close God is to us, and our
gratitude for the fact that he entrusts
himself to our infirmities; that he guides
and sustains us daily. In this way we
also wanted to demonstrate once again
to young people that this vocation, this
fellowship of service for God and with
God, does exist—and that God is indeed
waiting for us to say “yes”.
Together with the whole Church we
wanted to make clear once again that
we have to ask God for this vocation.
We have to beg for workers for God’s
harvest, and this petition to God is, at
the same time, his own way of knocking
on the hearts of young people who
consider themselves able to do what
God considers them able to do. It was
to be expected that this new radiance of
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media
light—particularly the abuse of the little
ones, in which the priesthood, whose
task is to manifest God’s concern for our
good, turns into its very opposite. We
too insistently beg forgiveness from God
and from the persons involved, while
promising to do everything possible to
ensure that such abuse will never occur
again; and that in admitting men to
priestly ministry and in their formation
we will do everything we can to weigh
the authenticity of their vocation and
make every effort to accompany priests
along their journey, so that the Lord
will protect them and watch over them
in troubled situations and amid life’s
dangers.
Had the Year for Priests been a
glorification of our individual human
performance, it would have been
ruined by these events. But for us what
happened was precisely the opposite: we
grew in gratitude for God’s gift, a gift
concealed in “earthen vessels” which
ever anew, even amid human weakness,
makes his love concretely present in
this world. So let us look upon all that
happened as a summons to purification,
as a task which we bring to the future
and which makes us acknowledge and
love all the more the great gift we have
received from God. In this way, his
gift becomes a commitment to respond
to God’s courage and humility by our
own courage and our own humility. The
word of God, which we have sung in the
Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy,
we peer, as it were, into the heart of
Jesus opened in death by the spear of the
Roman soldier. Jesus’ heart was indeed
opened for us and before us—and thus
God’s own heart was opened. The liturgy
interprets for us the language of Jesus’
heart, which tells us above all that God
is the shepherd of mankind, and so it
reveals to us Jesus’ priesthood, which
is rooted deep within his heart; so too
it shows us the perennial foundation
and the effective criterion of all priestly
ministry, which must always be
anchored in the heart of Jesus and lived
out from that starting-point.
Today I would like to meditate
especially on those texts with which the
Church in prayer responds to the word
of God presented in the readings. In
those chants, word (Wort) and response
(Antwort) interpenetrate. On the one
hand, the chants are themselves drawn
from the word of God, yet on the other,
they are already our human response
to that word, a response in which the
word itself is communicated and enters
into our lives. The most important of
those texts in today’s liturgy is Psalm
23(22)—”The Lord is my shepherd”—in
which Israel at prayer received God’s
self-revelation as shepherd, and made
this the guide of its own life. “The Lord is
my shepherd, I shall not want”: this first
verse expresses joy and gratitude for the
fact that God is present to and concerned
for humanity. The reading from the Book
of Ezechiel begins with the same theme:

the priesthood would not be pleasing
to the “enemy”; he would have rather
preferred to see it disappear, so that God
would ultimately be driven out of the
world. And so it happened that, in this
very year of joy for the sacrament of the
priesthood, the sins of priests came to
can speak to us, at this hour, of what
it means to become and to be a priest:
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn
from me; for I am gentle and humble
of heart” (Mt 11:29).
We are celebrating the feast of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the liturgy
“I myself will look after and tend my
sheep” (Ez 34:11). God personally looks
after me, after us, after all mankind. I am
not abandoned, adrift in the universe
and in a society which leaves me ever
more lost and bewildered. God looks
Priesthood / B4
B2 Updates
Crime and Punishment in
the Catholic Church (Part I)
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso,
J.C.D.
The Catholic community in Quezon
City was shocked recently by the
much-publicized excommunication,
inflicted by the diocesan Bishop
on an impostor-priest. The person
had been serving in the diocese of
Cubao─especially in Christ the
King Parish at Green Meadows
Subdivision─for a good part of
a year, but who was recently
discovered to have never been
ordained as he claimed he was in
Europe. The scandal was exacerbated
by the fact that this “fake priest”
www.spinninguru.com
displayed a lot of positive external
qualities (always properly dressed,
well-spun homilies and pious
liturgical celebrations), and of
course administered the sacraments
(including celebrating the Mass
daily and hearing Confession).
On banners, Several questions have been asked
by disturbed faithful: Is it that easy
for somebody to simulate being a
overhead projectors
sacred minister and victimize the
faithful? Can the bishop punish so
severely? What is excommunication
and PowerPoint
ferendae sententiae? To answer these
questions, we shall break this article
into two parts.
The Penal Law of the Church
displays What is the justification for the
coercive power? Or equivalently,
what is the ultimate justification
for the ius poenandi? Several
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina theories have been proposed, but
Apostolorum university, answers the following query:) we can summarize the prevailing
canonical doctrine into three
Q: It is a regular feature at Masses in Australia and New reasons:
Zealand that children or artists make banners for decorating 1) Defense of the Juridic Order.
churches, especially for the different seasons and for special The ultimate justification of
occasions, such as confirmations. Many parishes are now penalty is the same as that of
replacing overhead projectors with the words of the hymns, Law: The need to maintain the
with computerized PowerPoint displays that allow for all juridic order (which is the end
kinds of graphics and backgrounds to be added. I have seen of punishment), without which
everything from small discreet icons to actual video clips of society (civil or ecclesial) would
the entry into Jerusalem from Mel Gibson’s Passion during the be impossible.
Sanctus and worse. Are there any norms for visual displays in Traditionally, punishment
church, and in particular, the use of projected images during had been justified by three
Mass?—J.B., Melbourne, Australia purposes:
(i) Retribution of damaged juridic
A: There are few specific laws or even orientation regarding order. Punishment aims to redress
this aspect. But perhaps some of the principles formulated by the disorder introduced by the
the U.S. bishops’ document on Church art and architecture, offense, by depriving the offender
“http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/livingstonesind.shtml”>Built of a good of a proportionate
of Living Stones,” might be of help. degree to that which was suffered
With respect to the use of banners, the document says: “127. by the offended, or—in the
Fabric art in the form of processional banners and hangings ultimate analysis—by the society.
can be an effective way to convey the spirit of liturgical Hence, the punishment must be
seasons, especially through the use of color, shape, texture, commensurate to the gravity
and symbolic form. The use of images rather than words is of the offense. In any case,
more in keeping with this medium.” retribution cannot be confused
This would at least indicate that tasteful and well-designed with revenge.
banners may have a place within the liturgy, even if the (ii) Reformation of the offender.
handiwork of children. Indeed, in one form or another, banners Since society is for man (not
such as the symbols of confraternities and other Catholic vice-versa), when society inflicts
organizations have long been used on solemn occasions such punishment, it must redound to
as Eucharistic processions. the good of individual man. Thus,
Since the use of videos or overhead projections is such a punishment must contribute to
novelty and is still a rarity, I have found almost nothing official on the correction of the offender,
this theme. Some of the general principles on liturgical artwork giving him a chance to change
in “Built of Living Stones” might help clarify the issue: for the better.
“The Role of Religious Art (iii) Deterrence for future offenses.
“143. Art chosen for the place of worship is not simply Punishment must deter crime,
something pretty or well made, an addition to make the ordinary and it does so to the extent that
more pleasant. Nor is the place of worship a museum to house the severity of the punishment
artistic masterpieces or artistic models. Rather, artworks truly produces fear, which hinders
belong in the church when they are worthy of the place of one from committing a crime.
worship and when they enhance the liturgical, devotional, and Thus, a successful deterrent must
contemplative prayer they are inspired to serve. be a psychologically effective
“Components of True and Worthy Art threat.
“146. Authentic art is integral to the Church at prayer The first two ends of
because these objects and actions are ‘signs and symbols of the punishment are succinctly
supernatural world’ and expressions of the divine presence. summarized by the Catechism
While personal tastes will differ, parish committees should of the Catholic Church in the
utilize the criteria of quality and appropriateness in evaluating following terms: Punishment has
art for worship …. the primary aim of redressing the
“148. Appropriateness for liturgical action is the other disorders introduced by the offense.
criterion for choosing a work of art for church. The quality When it is willingly accepted by the
of appropriateness is demonstrated by the work’s ability to guilty party, it assumes the value
bear the weight of mystery, awe, reverence and wonder that of expiation. Punishment then, in
the liturgical action expresses and by the way it serves and addition to defending public order
does not interrupt the ritual actions which have their own and protecting people’s safety, has a
structure, rhythm and movement …. medicinal purpose: as far as possible,
“Materials of the Artist it must contribute to the correction
“162. Artists choose materials with integrity because they of the guilty party (n.2266).
will endure from generation to generation, because they are 2) Perfect-Society Ecclesiology.
noble enough for holy actions, and because they express what A perfect society needs a coercive
is most respected and beautiful in the lives and cultures of the power in order to protect its
community. Materials, colors, shapes, and designs that are of juridic order against those who
short-lived popularity are unworthy …. may want to disturb or destroy
“163. Similarly, artworks consisting of technological and it from within. Since the Church
interactive media, such as video and other electronically fabricated is a perfect society, it needs such
images, may also be appropriate for sacred purposes. Subject to power.
the same criteria of suitability as other sacred art, technologically 3) Magisterium of John Paul
produced works of art can point toward sacred realities even II. In an address to the Roman
though they do not possess the more enduring form, color, texture, Rota (17.II.1979), the Roman
weight, and density found in more traditional sacred art.” Pontiff gave the ultimate
Thus, while No. 163 apparently leaves open the possibility justifica¬tion for the ius poenandi
of the use of technological aids, it does not elaborate upon the in the Church: “In the image
contexts in which these means may be used. of a Church which safeguards
Personally I do not consider that the use of slide shows the rights of every faithful, and
and videos during Mass is a legitimate option. It is said that which—even more—fosters and
a picture paints a thousand words, but even a picture must be protects the common good as
interpreted using words, albeit mentally. Thus, these visual an indispensable condition for
elements, instead of enhancing the rite, draw attention away the integral development of the
from the liturgical action of participating in the rite itself. human and Christian person,
For this reason I believe that No. 148 cited above, by stressing penal law is positively included.
that liturgical art serve and not interrupt “the ritual actions The penalty inflicted by the
which have their own structure, rhythm and movement,” is ecclesiastical authority (which
especially applicable in this case. in reality only acknowledges the
situation in which the subject
has placed himself) should be
recognized as an instrument
of communion, i.e., as a means
to recover those deficiencies
of the individual good and of
the common good arising from
whatever anti-ecclesial, delictive
and scandalous behavior of
some members of the people of
God.”i
Dealing with the question of
the death penalty, John Paul
II affirmed that “the primary
purpose of the punishment
which society inflicts is to redress
the disorder caused by the
offense”. Thus, “public authority
must redress the violation of
personal and social rights by
imposing on the offender an
adequate punishment for the
crime, as a condition for the
offender to regain the exercise of
his or her freedom. In this way
authority also fulfills the purpose
of defending public order and
ensuring people’s safety, while
at the same time offering the
offender an incentive and help to
change his or her behavior and
be rehabilitated.” ii
Notion and Typology of
Canonical Crimes
The old Code of Canon Law
stated that in ecclesiastical law, the
term crime (or offense) is understood
as the external and morally imputable
violation of a law which carries with
it a canonical sanction, at least
undetermined (c.2195). This gives
an apparent configuration of
canonical offense as a violation
of a penal law.
Although the actual Codex
does not define a canonical
offense, c.1321,§1 gives us its
constitutive elements: No one
is punished unless the external
violation of a law or a precept
committed by the person is seriously
imputable to that person by reason
of malice or culpability.
Here we are no longer
considering the canonical offense
as an abstract case, but the
structure of a concrete one. From
the above canon, we can glean
three factors that determine
whether or not a given case
constitutes an canonical offense:
an objective element (harm to the
ecclesial society), a subjective
element (grave imputability an
culpability) and a legal element
(typification of the delictive
act as such in a penal law
and the establishment of the
corresponding punishment).
In principle, we can speak of
as many types of ecclesiastical
crimes as types of goods that
are juridically protectable.
Nevertheless, in the work of
codification, the legislator has
opted for a classifica¬tion of long
tradition in classical Law, based
on six categories of the more
general goods, giving rise to the
Titles I-VI of Part II of Book VI
of the CIC:
1) Offenses against religion
and the unity of the Church (cc.
1364-1369)
2) Offenses against
ecclesiastical authorities and
the freedom of the Church (cc.
1370-1377)
3) Usurpation of ecclesiastical
functions and offenses in their
exercise (cc. 1378-1389).
4) The crime of falsehood (cc.
1390-1391).
5) Offenses against particular
obligations (cc. 1392-1396).
6) Offenses against human life
and freedom (cc. 1397-1398).
Notion and Finality of Canonical
Sanctions or Penalties
A canonical sanction or
penalty is the privation of some
good, imposed by the legitimate
authority, for the correction of the
offender and the punishment of
the offense (CIC 17, c.2215).
We can analyze this canonical
definition in the following
terms.
1) Privation. Evidently, the
sanction cannot be a gift, but
rather—as Grotius affirmed—a
malum passionis propter malum
actionis (i.e., the offense). Being
a canonical sanction, such malum
must be in the ambit proper of
the ecclesial society—i.e., the
privation of some good which
is enjoyed in the Church. Since
it is the Church which deprives
the offender of such good, and
since nobody can deprive except
of such things over which he
exercises dominion, the goods
which the canonical penalty
can deprive of must have the
following qualities:
a) Good of the juridic order—the
enjoyment of which requires
an external relation of Church-
faithful, a rela¬tion on which
are founded mutual rights and
duties; these exclude moral
rights, grace, etc.
b) Good of spiritual, material or
mixed nature—since the relation
Church-faithful applies to all
three cases.
2) Finality of Canonical
Sanction. This can be summarized
in the formula: to defend the
fundamental juridic interests of
the Church:
a) Not Retribution. The ecclesial
society inflicts a sanction not
because such sanction is just:
there is no exact correspondence
between offense and sanction.
Rather, a sanc¬tion is imposed
in order to support and preserve
the just juridic ordering.
b) Correction of the Offender. The
Church tries to move the offender
to contrition and amendment.
c) Other Ends of Sanction.
These are not properly ends, but
rather qualities of sanctions. It
is said that penalty intimidates,
sets an example, and gives
social tranquility (by acting as a
deterrent to crime).
Kinds of Canonical Sanctions
Can. 1312,§1 states: The
following penal sanctions exist in
the Church: 1° medicinal penalties
or censures enumerated in cc.
1331-1333; 2° expiatory penalties
enumerated in c.1336.
a. Medicinal Penalties:
Censures
The censure is a penalty by which
the baptized and contumacious
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010
offender is deprived of certain
spiritual or related goods until
he ceases in his contumacy and
is absolved (CIC 17, c.2241).
Analyzing this definition, we
see the following elements of the
ecclesiastical censure:
a) Objective Element: It is a
true penalty (not just a penance).
The spiritual or related goods
which a censure can deprive the
offender of are only those under
the control and administration of
the Church.
b) Subjective Element: The
destinatary of the penalty is the
person who has been baptized—
or received—in the Catholic
Church (c.11), and who has
completed 16 years of age (c.1323,
1°).
c) Formal Element: Contumacy.
A special requisite of the censure
is contumacy—i.e., the persistent
will in the of¬fender to violate
the ecclesiastical law. It is the
juridical counterpart of the
Pauline (and biblical) notion of
the hardness of heart.
It is worthwhile noting that
contumacy is not conceptually
identifiable with the reincidence
in the offense (even if the latter
can be a manifestation of the
former). Thus, c.1326,§1, 1°
employs the term pertinacia for
the case of reincidence. This is
due to the fact that the notion of
contumacy is derived not from
the relation of offender-offense
© Pinky Barrientos, FSP/CBCPMedia
(i.e., to his persistence in the
delictive act per se), but rather
from the relation offender-
authority: the rebellion against
Church authority.
This doctrine is very much in
keeping with the notion of the
censure as a medicinal penalty: as
a medicine, a censure should only
be inflicted after all the extra-
penal (e.g., warnings) or semi-
penal (e.g., penances) means
for making the offender submit
to ecclesiastical discipline have
been exhausted. Obviously, such
measures can only be effective if
the presumed offender submits
himself to the ecclesiastical
authority, who determines the
manner in which he can express
contrition, satisfaction, etc. The
minute such person rejects such
means, he breaks off from the
Hierarchy, who then have to
impose a censure to break the
contumacy.
b. Expiatory Penalties
Expiatory penalties are those
whose direct finality is the expiation
of the offense, such that their
remission does not depend on the
cessation of the contumacy of the
offender (cf. CIC 17, c.2286 under
the term vindictive penalties). Due
to the possible pejorative sense
and allusion to retribution of the
term vindictive, the new Code
has opted for the expression
expiatory penalty, taken from
St. Augustine (De ci¬vitate Dei,
21.13); but the notion is the same,
in its nature as well as its effects.
From the above definition, the
following essential elements can
be deduced, which differentiate
Crime / B7

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010
Questions and Answers on Freemasonry
(Starting this issue, we are serializing
Question and Answer on Freemasonry which
is part of the Primer on Freemasonry issued
by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines in September 2003—Eds)
I. Pastoral Guidelines
1. What is the latest declaration of the
Catholic Church on Freemasonry?
On November 26, 1983 the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith issued, with the approval of Pope
John Paul II, “A Declaration on Masonic
Associations”.
2. Why did the Catholic Church issue that
Declaration?
That Declaration was in answer
to questions whether the negative
judgment of the Church in regard to
Freemasonry had been changed by
reason of the fact that there is no explicit
mention of Freemasonry in the new Code
of Canon Law (1983) as there was in the
old Code (1917).
3. What is the main teaching contained
in the same Declaration?
The third paragraph of the Declaration
says: “Therefore, the Church’s negative
judgment in regard to Masonic
associations remains unchanged since
their principles have always been
considered irreconcilable with the
doctrine of the Church and therefore
membership in them remains forbidden.
The faithful who enroll in Masonic
associations are in a state of grave sin and
may not receive Holy Communion.”
4. Isn’t this statement equivalent to a
judgment on the conscience of Catholics
who have joined Freemasonry?
No. It is rather a statement of the
objectively serious wrongness of
such membership. The subjective
moral culpability of each individual is
determined by himself in his conscience,
after an honest consideration of what
the Christian Faith teaches through the
Church.
5. What are those principles of Freemasonry
which are irreconcilable with the Christian
Faith?
First, with regard to religion in general,
Freemasonry considers all religions of
the world as mere competitive attempts
to know God, who remains unknowable.
Consequently, to say that Christianity is
the true religion would be unacceptable
in Freemasonry.
Second, Freemasonry considers itself
as above and beyond all religions, a
source of unity among men because
it upholds only those beliefs in which
all men agree. “We are religious, but
Freemasonry is not a religion,” its
members would describe themselves.
Third, Freemasonry makes
human reason as the only source of
knowledge. What reason cannot totally
comprehend—such as the mysteries
of Christianity—is disregarded as
superstitious.
Fourth, and as a consequence of the
above, Freemasonry teaches that the
truth about God and man is unattainable;
thus, in Freemasonry, whatever sounds
dogmatic (in Christian faith and morals)
is dismissed as bigotry and fanaticism.
Fifth, Freemasonry seeks the perfection
of man only in the development
of his natural virtues. Whereas
Christianity gives primary importance
to supernatural grace received in the
Sacraments, Freemasonry grounds man’s
“enlightenment” and moral perfection on
man’s human effort alone.
6. Since when has the Church declared
that Freemasonry is incompatible with the
Christian faith?
Since 1738, with the constitution
“In Eminenti” of Pope Clement XII,
twenty-one years after Freemasonry
was established in 1717.
7. Was the same teaching of Pope Clement
XII maintained by his successors?
Yes. Eleven popes, including John
Paul II, maintained the same teaching.
For example, in the 19th century Pope
Pius IX issued three formal statements,
Pope Leo XIII issued four, foremost of
which was the encyclical “Humanum
Genus” in 1884.
8. What are the canons in the 1983 Code
of Canon Law relevant to Freemasonry?
Canon 1364 §1 says: “An apostate from
the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs
a latae sententiae excommunication,
without prejudice to the provision of
can. 194 §1, n.2; a cleric, moreover,
may be punished with the penalties
mentioned in can. 1336 §1, nn. 1,2, and
3.” (Note: Canons 194 and 1336 refer
only to clerics.)
Canon 1374 says: “A person who joins
an association which plots against the
Church is to be punished with a just
penalty; one who promotes or takes
office in such an association is to be
punished with an interdict.”
9. What did the Code of Canon Law of
1917 say about Freemasonry?
Canon 2335 stated that “Those who
join a Masonic sect or other societies
of the same sort, which plot against
the Church or against legitimate civil
authority, incur excommunication”.
10. Why was Freemasonry not mentioned
in Canon 1374 of the 1983 Code of Canon
Law?
The Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, in the second paragraph of “A
Features
Declaration on Masonic Associations”
mentioned in no. 1 above, explains the
reason: “This Sacred Congregation is in
a position to reply that this circumstance
is due to an editorial criterion which was
followedalsointhecaseofotherassociations
likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they
are contained in wider categories”.
11. What happens to a Catholic if he is
excommunicated?
A Catholic who is excommunicated
is deprived of the right to receive the
Sacraments—not even the Sacrament
of Penance (Confession)—and to
participate in public acts of worship.
If he is a cleric he is forbidden to
celebrate the Holy Mass and all the
other Sacraments; neither is he allowed
to receive the Sacraments. It is a penalty
that is intended to make the faithful
realize the gravity of his sin. Only
after the excommunication is lifted by
the competent Church authority can a
Catholic receive the Sacraments again.
12. What is meant by latae sententiae
excommunication?
Latae sententiae means that the offender
automatically incurs excommunication
uponcommittingtheoffense,thatis,without
any need for a formal judgment issued by
the competent ecclesiastical court.
13. What does it mean to be an apostate
from the faith? What is a heretic and a
schismatic?
An apostate is a baptized Catholic who
willfully and completely abandons his
faith either by becoming an atheist (one
who rejects belief in God) or by joining a
non-Christian religion. A heretic, strictly
speaking, is a Catholic who willfully
rejects any important element of the
Christian faith that forms part of divine
revelation as contained in Holy Scripture,
Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of
the Church. A schismatic is a Catholic
who formally breaks his union with the
visible structure of the Church (under the
leadership of the Pope and the bishops
in communion with him).
14. Does a Catholic who joins Freemasonry
become an apostate?
InsofarasFreemasonry’sbasicprinciples
are incompatible with Christianity (see no.
5 above and Part II), a Catholic commits
apostasy if he joins it and adheres to the
same principles with full conviction.
15. If a Catholic joins Freemasonry but
does not maintain a convinced adherence to
its principles and philosophy, does he incur
excommunication latae sententiae?
No, he does not, but the prohibition of
membership remains: he is still obliged to
withdraw his membership. As mentioned
in no. 3 above, objectively speaking,
“the faithful who enroll in Masonic
associations are in a state of grave sin and
may not receive Holy Communion”.
16. What is an interdict, referred to in
Canon 1374?
When a Catholic is under interdict,
he is still a member of the Church (i.e.,
he is not excommunicated), but he is
forbidden to receive the Sacraments
and an ecclesiastical burial, and to
participate in public acts of worship such
as hearing Mass, acting as sponsors in
baptism and confirmation. An interdict
is incurred only after it is imposed and
declared by the ecclesiastical authority
(Cf. Appendix 2).
17. Is a Freemason who is a leader
in his lodge (takes office) and promotes
Freemasonry liable to an interdict?
Yes, in accordance with Canon 1374.
And if, subjectively, he maintains a
convinced adherence to the philosophy
of Freemasonry, he is in fact incurring
excommunication latae sententiae (Cf.
Appendix 2).
18. If a Catholic’s purpose in joining
Freemasonry is merely to establish
professional or social contacts, does that
justify his membership? sanctions?
No. The end does not justify the
means. Right judgment and discernment
should govern the person’s right to
association. Moreover, he would be
exposing himself, without any important
reason, to beliefs that can water down his
Christian faith. The First Commandment
enjoins the faithful not only to follow the
truth about God but also to protect that
truth from error. (Cf. Appendix 4) There
are many other civic or professional
associations whose basic ideologies are
not at variance with Christianity that can
satisfy a Catholic professional’s need to
belong to a group.
19. Why can’t a Catholic join a particular
Masonic lodge where the religious beliefs of
the members are not even discussed?
Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical
Humanum genus explains why: “If
those who are admitted as members are
not commanded to abjure by any form
of words the Catholic doctrines, this
omission, so far from being adverse to the
designs of the Freemasons, is more useful
for their purposes. First, in this way they
easily deceive the simple-minded and the
heedless, and can induce a far greater
number to become members. Again, as
all who offer themselves are received
whatever may be their form of religion,
they thereby teach the great error of this
age—that a regard for religion should be
held as an indifferent matter, and that
all religions are alike. This manner of
reasoning is calculated to bring about the
ruin of all forms of religion, and especially
of the Catholic religion, which, as it is the
only one that is true, cannot, without great
injustice, be regarded as merely equal to
other religions.” (no. 16)
20. What is the most recent Declaration
of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines on Freemasonry?
The CBCP, on July 6, 2002, during
its Plenary Assembly, issued a Joint
Declaration applying the provisions
of Canon Law on sanctions against
membership in Freemasonry. The
Declaration states that:
(1) Any Catholic who is publicly
known to be a member of any Masonic
Association and actively participates in
its program and activities, or promotes
its views, or holds any office therein, and
refuses to renounce such membership
despite at least one warning (Cf. Canon
1347) is to be punished with an interdict
(cf. Canon 1374), that is:
a) he is not to be admitted to Holy
Communion and other sacraments (Cf.
Canon 1332);
b) is prohibited to act as sponsor in
Baptism and Confirmation;
c) is not to be admitted as member
of parish or diocesan structures;
d) is to be denied funeral rites, unless
some signs of repentance before death have
been shown (cf. Canon 1184, §1, no. 3);
e) where Church funeral rites are
allowed by the bishop no Masonic services
shall be allowed in the Church or cemetery
immediately before or after the Church
rites in order to avoid public scandal (Cf.
Canon 1184, §1, no. 3, and Canon 1374).
(2) Any Catholic who is a convinced
member of Freemasonry, notoriously
adhering to the Masonic vision, is
already considered excommunicated
latae sententiae (Cf. Canon 1364). (See
Appendix 2 for the complete text.)
21. What is the purpose of these
These sanctions are meant to help the
members of the Church see clearly that
the incompatibility between Christianity
and the principles of Freemasonry
touches on important matters. “(They
intend) to enlighten the consciences of
the faithful about a grave consequence
which must derive from their belonging
to a Masonic lodge.” (Cf Appendix 4)
The law of the Church only seeks to
promote and safeguard the spiritual
good of her members.
22. How should a Catholic treat other
Catholics who have joined Freemasonry?
Since Catholic Masons are members of
the Church, they deserve the prayers and
charity Christians owe to one another
(Romans 13:8). But charity is the same
motive behind the need to explain to
them why they cannot be simultaneously
Freemasons and Catholics. At the same
time this should be done in such a way
that, while the Church guidelines are
not watered down, the personal and
individual situation of a Catholic Mason
is considered, so that gradually he may
freely follow those guidelines. This is
why it is recommended that a Mason
speak with his parish priest or bishop to
receive personal spiritual guidance on
this matter. (To be continued next issue)
B3
www.douglawrence.files.wordpress.com
Joint Declaration of
the CBCP on Sanctions
for Catholics Who Join
Freemasonry
We, the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,
gathered at Tagaytay City for our 85th Plenary Assembly, in the exercise
of our pastoral duty to guide the members of the Church towards a sincere
discipleship of Jesus Christ, hereby issue this Joint Declaration in order to
apply the provisions of Canon Law on sanctions for Catholics who join
Freemasonry. We decree that:
(1) Any Catholic who is publicly known to be a member of any Masonic
Association and actively participates in its program and activities, or
promotes its views, or holds any office therein, and refuses to renounce
such membership despite at least one warning (Cf. Canon 1347) is to be
punished with an interdict (cf. Canon 1374), that is:
a) he is not to be admitted to Holy Communion and other sacraments
(Cf. Canon 1332);
b) is prohibited to act as sponsor in Baptism and Confirmation;
c) is not to be admitted as member of parish or diocesan structures;
d) is to be denied funeral rites, unless some signs of repentance before
death have been shown (cf. Canon 1184, §1, no. 3);
e) where Church funeral rites are allowed by the bishop no Masonic
services shall be allowed in the Church or cemetery immediately before or
after the Church rites in order to avoid public scandal (Cf. Canon 1184, §1,
no. 3, and Canon 1374).
(2) Any Catholic who is a convinced member of Freemasonry, notoriously
adhering to the Masonic vision, is already considered excommunicated latae
sententiae (Cf. Canon 1364). As such, the censures described in Canon 1331
automatically take their full effect on this person.
Canon 1331 states:
1. An excommunicated person is forbidden:
a. to have any ministerial participation in celebrating the Eucharistic
Sacrifice or in any other ceremonies whatsoever of public worship;
b. to celebrate the sacraments and sacramentals and to receive the
sacraments;
c. to discharge any ecclesiastical offices, ministries, or functions whatsoever,
or to place acts of governance.
2. If the excommunication has been imposed or declared, the guilty
party:
a. wishing to act against the prescription of §1 is to be prevented from doing
so or the liturgical action is to stop unless a serious cause intervenes;
b. invalidly places acts of governance which are only illicit in accord with
the norms of §1 no. 3;
c. is forbidden to enjoy privileges formerly granted;
d. cannot validly acquire a dignity, office or other functions in the
Church;
e. cannot appropriate the revenues from any dignity, office, function or
pension in the Church.”
(3) Further, all the individual bishops, in virtue of Canon 455 §4, decided
to strictly disallow in their respective jurisdictions these Masons from being
witnesses in Marriage, and as members of any associations of the faithful.
These sanctions clearly manifest that the incompatibility between
Christianity and the principles of Freemasonry touches on important matters
of Christian life.
In the spirit of the Good Shepherd, we trust that these sanctions be
received by men and women of good will as signs of our solicitude for
their spiritual welfare.
Since Catholic Masons are members of the Church, they deserve the prayers
and charity Christians owe to one another. While the Church’s guidelines
should not be watered down, the personal and individual situation of a
Catholic Mason should be considered, so that gradually he may freely follow
these guidelines. It is recommended that a Mason see his parish priest or
bishop to receive personal and spiritual guidance on this matter.
+ORLANDO B. QUEVEDO, OMI, D.D.
President, CBCP
6 July 2002
 Features
CBCP Monitor
B4 Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010

Christian
By Bishop Jose C. Sorra always been so. In the very structure of the school
curriculum, Religion, which is the integrating
factor, has not been treated as a core course but
Challenges to Catholic Education relegated as simply one of the many courses in
What education challenges then must the many Catholic schools. Apparently, other courses

leadership in
Catholic school leader face today? The following are not seen in their integral connection with faith-
may be some of the currently pressing challenges life (Ibid. no. 628).
to the Catholic education leaders of our Catholic It is a basic principle in education that it is the teacher
Schools: that makes the school. And it is also Christian faith
Secularized Education. We are faced today with and the Gospel values, imparted more by example
a ”secularized culture” massively advertised and than by words, which spell the difference between

Catholic School
advanced by an amoral mass media and wittingly secular education and Catholic education.
or unwittingly tolerated, if not naively adapted by So PCP II asks: Are these teachers true witnesses
many a so-called Impressionist schools, cultural of their faith to their students? Do they simply
organizations or movements—all in the name of view teaching religion as mere transmission of
burlesque cultural art appreciation. doctrine divorced from morality and worship?
Another secularized or secularist approach by Some well-meaning parents also ask why the
an amoral educational system takes place in the teachers of religion in some Catholic schools are

education
narrow confines of a laboratory or classroom. It lay catechists, and not religious sisters, brothers or
rejects or is indifferent to the fact or realities of the priests? They admit that while lay religion teachers
“fallen human nature” as reflected in man’s human may be academically well qualified, they, however,
frailties underlying his human existence. do not wear their symbolic religious habit or attire,
Head. The target of Catholic schools is primarily which enhances the credibility of the religious as
the HEAD, making it just a storehouse of Church evangelizers and witnesses to the Word
information. But true education does not consist of God. What some parents seem to point out is it
merely in the possession of many facts and figures in sends the wrong signals to the lay people when they
the head, just as an encyclopedia, which has a vast see lay teachers of religion in the classrooms while
store of information, is never called “educated.” the religious sisters are in the school canteen.
Such a person may be learned but not necessarily
educated. Besides, now-a-days such a mind easily
Second of two parts Renewal and Conversion
becomes obsolete and outsmarted by even a tiny If we may cap off our reflection on the leadership
laptop computer. qualities and the daunting challenges to our Catholic
Incidentally, some brilliant and learned men school education leaders, we would suggest just
(some are invariably addressed “the Honorable two key words: Renewal and Conversion.
Gentlemen” of Congress), who have such an There must be a renewal of the school community
“education,” are today either behind prison bars or through intensive religious formation of teachers
are fugitive convicts of the law. For, as one observer and non-teaching school personnel, for “You cannot
succinctly articulated about our Philippine society, give what you do not have,” says the philosophical
“We are a society of lawyers but not of law.” And dictum. Building a Community of Disciples has
cynically he added, “In our Catholic-Christian been the vision-mission of the post-Vatican II New
country, it is not what you know that counts, but Evangelization, which Catholic schools are tasked
who you know”—Palakasan! to pursue from within their school campus.
An educated mind must be able to see something In every Catholic teacher, then, there must be
in another—from both a human and a divine formed a “sense of community” and training in
perspective. That something is reality, truth which the required skills to form such school campus
must lead the knower to the “ultimate Truth,” Who communities. This could be the answer to a
is the source of all truths. To quote one educator dichotomized faith-life, or to the so-called split-level
of substance, “The head with its eyes and the light Christianity or double standard of morality. This
outside must not only see how the earth and sky gives rise, indeed, to the brokenness of our society,
seemingly meet in the horizon. It must also see or whose pernicious vital roots stretch back down to
understand the reality, the Truth beyond.” the home and further reinforced in a fragmented

© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Now, what happens when education doesn’t
even allow the learner to look around and beyond?
Then it becomes secularist, materialistic, money-
oriented; thus, the mighty dollar becomes the be-all
and the end-all of his pursuit in life. It’s therefore
“education” of the head—only for money-making.
No wonder, even doctors of medicine have to
stoop down, so to speak, to take up nursing to be
able to fly to the U.S. and qualify for a hospital or
nursing home job.
Heart. A balanced education must equally and
imperatively involve the molding of the heart.
“Good manners and right conduct” can only be a
result of a clear-thinking head balanced by a good
humane heart. More often than not, so-called
“good manners” are not so good. Many times it is
used as a mask for evil or a hidden agenda. Take
for instance, the term “diplomacy,” which is often
used in high circles to substitute for the more refined
phrase “good manners.”
Hands. But, of course, the target of a well-
rounded education is not only theHead and the
Heart, but must likewise include the Hands, which
stands for human skills—vocational and physical
education or athletics. We’ve stressed earlier first
the urgency of the education of the Head and the
Heart, because skills in a man or woman without a
sound mind and heart may be risky or dangerous.
Skills can make a living for a person, but not
necessarily teach him how to live.
Misguided skills could regretfully ruin one’s life,
family and future. Take for example the world’s
king of golf, Tiger Woods, and two of the world’s
champion basketball players—Earvin Magic
Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Years ago, the
latter two athletes came to our country not only
to give the Filipino youth fantastic exhibitions in
basketball, but also to forewarn all young Filipino
athletes against the dreaded disease of AIDS. They
and a host unfortunate others who are revered
icons of the athletic world, have become themselves
victims of the incurable AIDS.
Authentic Christian Education
These three H’s are not complete visions of
authentic Christian or Catholic education; Christian
education must be rooted in the person of Jesus
Christ. It must aim to personally know Christ and
not just know about Christ. It must impart not just
the doctrine about Christ, but also let live the very
life of Christ.
Finally, authentic Catholic/Christian education
must embody and pursue Christ’s vision or
dream— not just man’s dream of living comfortably
and happily in the society of the “City of man,” but
Christ’s dream or vision for man to live the New
Life in Christ in the “City of God” as a “Community
of Christ’s Disciples.” And to them, Christ entrusts
His own mission of evangelizing and Christianizing
the whole world. Hence, Christ’s command to all
His followers, as echoed by Pope John Paul II to the
Filipino Youth at the World Youth Day in Manila:
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you!”
The 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines sadly
admitted, “Our Catholic school graduates do not
seem to have sufficiently assimilated Christian
values in such a way to renew their Christian living;
that many seem to look at Catholic education as a
passport to better opportunities for earning a living;
that many Catholic school graduates have been
successful economically and politically but they
have also contributed to the dismal economic and
political imbalances existing in our country” (Ibid.,
no. 627). Indeed, many of our country’s filthy-rich
political leaders proudly claim the distinction of
being products of our exclusively elite Catholic
Universities.
Evangelization, says PCP II, is supposed to be
the primary concern of Catholic education. We
must, however, admit that in practice this has not
school community.
PCP-II has actually been re-echoing the Gospel
call for conversion. But this conversion must start
with the individual heart, which must put itself
back into the Church Community. This sense of
“Church Community” must have a manifestation
in the core community of the school, in the
religious Congregation that runs the school, in
the administration and faculty, and in the very
student body itself.
This conversion, to be true, must be rooted in
the Gospel and lead to a new image of the school.
It will no longer be an exclusive Catholic school
for the elite (a contradiction of terms). Even less
will it identify education with money, but rather
a community-extension of the family, where the
individual grows as a person and not just a cog in
the wheel of a secularized modern society.
But to attain this purpose, the content and
process of religious education must be renewed. It
must lead the good-willed person to nurture and
grow in his faith. It must help him form a mature
conscience and must give him the Christian sense
of purpose in life that will drive him to do his
Christian Vision-mission to “Go into the whole
world and teach (educate/evangelize) all nations
the Good News” (Mk 16:15).
(The first part of the following article appeared in Vol.
14, No. 8, dated April 12-25, 2010. Due to urgency
of other materials, this continuation comes a month
after—Eds)

Priesthood / B1

after me. He is not a distant God,
for whom my life is worthless.
The world’s religions, as far as
we can see, have always known
that in the end there is only one
God. But this God was distant.
Evidently he had abandoned the
world to other powers and forces,
to other divinities. It was with
these that one had to deal. The
one God was good, yet aloof. He
was not dangerous, nor was he
very helpful. Consequently one
didn’t need to worry about him.
He did not lord it over us.
Oddly, this kind of thinking
re-emerged during the
Enlightenment. There was still
a recognition that the world
presupposes a Creator. Yet this
God, after making the world,
had evidently withdrawn from
it. The world itself had a certain
set of laws by which it ran, and
God did not, could not, intervene
in them. God was only a remote
cause. Many perhaps did not
even want God to look after them.
They did not want God to get
in the way. But wherever God’s
loving concern is perceived as
getting in the way, human beings
go awry.
It is fine and consoling to know
that there is someone who loves
me and looks after me. But it is
far more important that there
is a God who knows me, loves
me and is concerned about me.
“I know my own and my own
know me” (Jn 10:14), the Church
says before the Gospel with the
Lord’s words. God knows me,
he is concerned about me. This
thought should make us truly
joyful. Let us allow it to penetrate
the depths of our being. Then let
us also realize what it means: God
wants us, as priests, in one tiny
moment of history, to share his
concern about people. As priests,
we want to be persons who
share his concern for men and
women, who take care of them
and provide them with a concrete
experience of God’s concern.
Whatever the field of activity
entrusted to him, the priest, with
the Lord, ought to be able to say:
“I know my sheep and mine know
me”. “To know”, in the idiom of
sacred Scripture, never refers to
merely exterior knowledge, like
the knowledge of someone’s
telephone number. “Knowing”
means being inwardly close to
another person. It means loving
him or her. We should strive
to “know” men and women as
God does and for God’s sake;
we should strive to walk with
them along the path of friendship
with God.
Let us return to our Psalm.
There we read: “He leads me in
right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the
darkest valley, I fear no evil;
for you are with me; your rod
and your staff – they comfort
me” (23[22]:3ff.). The shepherd
points out the right path to those
entrusted to him. He goes before
them and leads them. Let us put
it differently: the Lord shows
us the right way to be human.
He teaches us the art of being a
person. What must I do in order
not to fall, not to squander my
life in meaninglessness? This
is precisely the question which
every man and woman must ask
and one which remains valid at
every moment of one’s life. How
much darkness surrounds this
question in our own day! We are
constantly reminded of the words
of Jesus, who felt compassion for
the crowds because they were
like a flock without a shepherd.
Lord, have mercy on us too! Show
us the way! From the Gospel we
know this much: he is himself
the way.
Living with Christ, following
him—this means finding the
right way, so that our lives can be
meaningful and so that one day
we might say: “Yes, it was good to
have lived”. The people of Israel
continue to be grateful to God
because in the Commandments
he pointed out the way of life. The
great Psalm 119(118) is a unique
expression of joy for this fact:
we are not fumbling in the dark.
God has shown us the way and
how to walk aright. The message
of the Commandments was
synthesized in the life of Jesus and
became a living model. Thus we
understand that these rules from
God are not chains, but the way
which he is pointing out to us. We
can be glad for them and rejoice
that in Christ they stand before
us as a lived reality. He himself
has made us glad. By walking
with Christ, we experience the
joy of Revelation, and as priests
we need to communicate to
others our own joy at the fact
that we have been shown the
right way.
Then there is the phrase about
the “darkest valley” through
which the Lord leads us. Our
path as individuals will one day
lead us into the valley of the
shadow of death, where no one
can accompany us. Yet he will be
there. Christ himself descended
into the dark night of death.
Even there he will not abandon
us. Even there he will lead us. “If
I sink to the nether world, you
are present there”, says Psalm
139(138). Truly you are there,
even in the throes of death, and
hence our Responsorial Psalm
can say: even there, in the darkest
valley, I fear no evil. When
speaking of the darkest valley, we
can also think of the dark valleys
of temptation, discouragement
and trial through which everyone
has to pass. Even in these dark
valleys of life he is there. Lord, in
the darkness of temptation, at the
hour of dusk when all light seems
to have died away, show me that
you are there. Help us priests, so
that we can remain beside the
persons entrusted to us in these
dark nights. So that we can show
them your own light.
“Your rod and your staff—they
comfort me”: the shepherd needs
the rod as protection against
savage beasts ready to pounce
on the flock; against robbers
looking for prey. Along with
the rod there is the staff which
gives support and helps to
make difficult crossings. Both
of these are likewise part of the
Church’s ministry, of the priest’s
ministry. The Church too must
use the shepherd’s rod, the
rod with which he protects the
faith against those who falsify
it, against currents which lead
the flock astray. The use of the
rod can actually be a service
of love. Today we can see that
it has nothing to do with love
when conduct unworthy of the
priestly life is tolerated. Nor does
it have to do with love if heresy
is allowed to spread and the
faith twisted and chipped away,
as if it were something that we
ourselves had invented. As if it
were no longer God’s gift, the
precious pearl which we cannot
let be taken from us. Even so, the
rod must always become once
again the shepherd’s staff – a staff
which helps men and women to
tread difficult paths and to follow
the Lord.
At the end of the Psalm we
read of the table which is set,
the oil which anoints the head,
the cup which overflows, and
dwelling in the house of the
Lord. In the Psalm this is an
expression first and foremost
of the prospect of the festal joy
of being in God’s presence in
the temple, of being his guest,
whom he himself serves, of
dwelling with him. For us, who a new stream of life; here John
pray this Psalm with Christ and was certainly also thinking of
his Body which is the Church, the prophecy of Ezekiel who
this prospect of hope takes on saw flowing forth from the new
even greater breadth and depth. temple a torrent bestowing
We see in these words a kind fruitfulness and life (Ez 47):
of prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus himself is the new temple,
the mystery of the Eucharist, in and his open heart is the source
which God himself makes us his of a stream of new life which is
guests and offers himself to us as communicated to us in Baptism
food –as that bread and fine wine and the Eucharist.
which alone can definitively sate The liturgy of the Solemnity
man’s hunger and thirst. How of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
can we not rejoice that one day also permits another phrase,
we will be guests at the very table similar to this, to be used as
of God and live in his dwelling- the communion antiphon. It is
place? How can we not rejoice at taken from the Gospel of John:
the fact that he has commanded Whoever is thirsty, let him come
us: “Do this in memory of me”? to me. And let the one who
How can we not rejoice that he believes in me drink. As the
has enabled us to set God’s table Scripture has said: “Out of his
for men and women, to give heart shall flow rivers of living
them his Body and his Blood, water” (cf. Jn 7:37ff.) In faith we
to offer them the precious gift drink, so to speak, of the living
of his very presence. Truly we water of God’s Word. In this way
can pray together, with all our the believer himself becomes a
heart, the words of the Psalm: wellspring which gives living
“Goodness and mercy shall water to the parched earth of
follow me all the days of my history. We see this in the saints.
life” (Ps 23[22]:6). We see this in Mary, that great
Finally, let us take a brief look woman of faith and love who
at the two communion antiphons has become in every generation
which the Church offers us in a wellspring of faith, love and
her liturgy today. First there life. Every Christian and every
are the words with which Saint priest should become, starting
John concludes the account of from Christ, a wellspring which
Jesus’ crucifixion: “One of the gives life to others. We ought
soldiers pierced his side with to be offering life-giving water
a spear, and at once blood and to a parched and thirst world.
water came out” (Jn 19:34). The Lord, we thank you because for
heart of Jesus is pierced by the our sake you opened your heart;
spear. Once opened, it becomes because in your death and in
a fountain: the water and the your resurrection you became the
blood which stream forth recall source of life. Give us life, make
the two fundamental sacraments us live from you as our source,
by which the Church lives: and grant that we too may be
Baptism and the Eucharist. From sources, wellsprings capable of
the Lord’s pierced side, from bestowing the water of life in
his open heart, there springs the our time. We thank you for the
living fountain which continues grace of the priestly ministry.
to well up over the centuries Lord bless us, and bless all those
and which makes the Church. who in our time are thirsty and
The open heart is the source of continue to seek. Amen.
 Statements
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010
B5

Restoring Integrity, Alleviating Poverty

Contraceptive
Imperialism
Statement of Atty. Jo Imbong on
behalf of the petitioners in Imbong et
als. vs. Sec.Mona Valisno

www.hesaidandshesaid.files.wordpress.com

© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

IT is not difficult to see that our two biggest
problems in the country right now are
dehumanizing poverty and unabated graft
and corruption in government. In fact,
our President-elect focused his campaign
platform on bringing a lasting solution to
the problem of poverty and corruption. For
indeed, in the last few years, the spread of
corruption and the deepening of the poverty
level became so evident.
Now that we are at the dawn of a new
beginning for our nation, with hopes
high and patriotic fervor at its best, we
your Catholic pastors in Pangasinan, La
Union and Nueva Ecija comprising the
Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of
Lingayen Dagupan make a unified stand to
oppose the plan to open a casino in Urdaneta
City, and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.
Gambling and integrity of character are
opposites. Gambling and poverty have been
twins for a very long time. If it is not legally
possible to close all casinos immediately, we
plead with the government not to open new
ones. Opening another casino will open more
doors for corruption and pave the way for
the impoverishment of the families of the
gamblers. Where the casinos operate now, we
see the ill effects on the socio moral fiber of the
citizenry—the rise of criminality, the spread
of prostitution and the shameless corruption
of those engaged in the business.
The long way to the recovery of our lost
national pride begins with the restoration of
moral values. Gambling and upright moral
values cannot flourish side by side. Gambling
breeds indolence and laziness. Gambling
destroys families and corrupts people. At
the end of the day, even winners in gambling
games become poorer and end up addicted
to this malady.
We are ready to help the government fight
corruption and find a lasting solution to
poverty. We have livelihood programs and
micro financing projects initiated by former
President Cory and now flourishing in many
parts of Luzon. We do not only offer protest.
We offer viable practical moral alternatives.
We appeal to the government to aggressively
fight corruption and diminish poverty. One
of the first steps the government must take
is to stop the opening of more casinos. The
right step is values education for the children
and livelihood opportunities for the poor.
Opening another casino—in Urdaneta and
San Leonardo or in any other place—is a step Today marks the first step to reclaim our culture.
deviating from our vision. More than just assailing DepEd Memorandum 261, more
than asserting our rights as families, the suit filed this morning
From the Archbishop’s House, Dagupan points a finger at the forces that are reshaping the hearts and
City, June 14, 2010 minds of our children. The suit brings together parents who
want to pull the plug and stop the devices that are capturing
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS our children when we are not there to hold their hand.
Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan What has sex education done to us since these were planted
into the educational system 30 years ago? From a culture
+ARTEMIO L. RILLERA, SVD that cherishes children, robust families, decency, integrity
Bishop of San Fernando, La Union of the body, respect for parents, holy fear of God, the person
in the street today thinks that couples should have only two
+SOFRONIO A BANCUD, SSS children, that we are almost bursting at the seams because of
Bishop of Cabanatuan “unwanted pregnancies”, that morality is relative and sex can
be a topic for group dynamics in the classroom.
+MARLO M. PERALTA Why do many youngsters today trifle with their bodies?
Bishop of Alaminos Why do most couples today choose not to marry? Why do
many marriages fail? Why are we governed by policies that
+JACINTO A. JOSE are hostile to new births, and why have birthrates in this
Bishop of Urdaneta country significantly decreased?
Our young population has metamorphosed into an age
+MYLO HUBERT C. VERGARA whose mindset is a refusal of moral limitations in the sphere
Bishop of San Jose de Nueva Ecija of human sexuality. In an environment where one hears and
sees condom ads on primetime programming every single
+RENATO P. MAYUGBA day, where ads splash contraceptives in the guise of “family
Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan planning”—it is almost impossible for young people to
assume the enduring sacrifices on which stable marriages

‘We Need to Provide People with

and families are built. And the system is almost succeeding.
After all, the sex education program is designed, according to
DepEd Memo 261“to change the lifestyle, behavior, attitudes
and values of Filipino children on sexuality.” In other words,

More than Knowledge’

to draw the hearts and soul of our children into the vortex
of a contraceptive imperialism. By the way, this program is
funded generously by the United Nations Fund for Population
Activities (UNFPA).
DepEd has used a new term for sex education—“population
education”. Today, DepEd calls it “lifeskills-based” education.
(Address of Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See at the Lately an official offered a new term, “Gender education.” As
United Nations, at the 64th session of the U.N. General Assembly on the topic of HIV/ parents who treasure our children, we shall fight against any
continuing onslaught, in whatever chameleon-like language
AIDS; June 10, 2010) it may be called. We shall also consider putting together a
nation-wide mechanism for parents and parent associations
so that DepEd defers to us, not we to them. After all, we are
Mr. President, the first and primary teachers of our own children.
In the 2001 Declaration of
Commitment on HIV/AIDS, June 21, 2010
Heads of State and Government
acknowledged with urgent
concern that the spread of HIV
constituted “a global emergency

Message
and one of the most formidable
challenges to human life and
dignity” as well as a serious
obstacle to the realization of IN order to dispel confusions and avoid misunderstanding
the internationally agreed that may have been caused by the prohibition we issued last
development goals (A/RES/S- week on the celebration of Mass at the Quezon Convention
26/2). Five years later in the Center in Lucena City at the funeral wake for the deceased
Political Declaration on HIV/ Governor of Quezon, Hon. Rafael P. Nantes, we feel the urgent
AIDS they noted with alarm need to make the following clarifications:
that one quarter of a century into The local Catholic Church of the Diocese of Lucena mourns
this scourge we are still facing with the people of Quezon. Fact is, we sent our condolences to
an “unprecedented human the family of Governor Nantes immediately after we received
www.doctorswithoutborders.org

catastrophe” (A/RES/60/262).
On both occasions they made
a commitment to take the
necessary action to combat this
serious threat to the human
community.
Given the significant
engagement of Catholic Church-
sponsored organizations in
providing care in all parts of
the world for those with HIV/
AIDS, my delegation takes this
occasion to note that the global
community continues to be
confronted by many obstacles in
its efforts to respond adequately
to this problem, for example, that
7,400 people become infected
with HIV every day; that nearly
four million people are currently
receiving treatment, while 9.7
million people are still in need
of such life-saving and life-
prolonging interventions; and
that for every two people who
commence treatment, 5 more
become infected (UNAIDS:
Country and regional responses
to AIDS).
Mr. President,
If AIDS is to be combated by
realistically facing its deeper
causes and the sick are to be
given the loving care they need,
we need to provide people with
more than knowledge, ability,
technical competence and tools.
For this reason my delegation
strongly recommends that more
attention and resources be
dedicated to support a value-
based approach grounded in the
human dimension of sexuality,
that is to say, a spiritual and
human renewal that leads to a
new way of behaving toward
others. The spread of AIDS can
be stopped effectively, as has
been affirmed also by public
health experts, when this respect
for the dignity of human nature
and for its inherent moral law is
included as an essential element
in HIV prevention efforts.
My delegation is deeply
concerned about the gap in
available funds for antiretroviral
treatment among poor and
marginalized populations.
Catholic Church-related
providers in Uganda, South
Africa, Haiti, and Papua New
Guinea, among others, report
that international donors have
instructed them not to enroll new
patients into these programs and
express concern about further
cutbacks even for those already
receiving such treatment. The
global community carries a
serious responsibility to offer
equitable and continuous access
to such medications. Failure to do
so will not only cause untold loss
and suffering to those individuals
and families directly affected by
the disease but also will have
grave public health, social, and
economic consequences for the
entire human family.
Particularly vulnerable are
children living with HIV or HIV/
TB co-infection. Access to early
diagnosis and treatment is far
less accessible to HIV-positive
children than adults; without
such access at least one-third
of such children die before
their first birthday and at least
one-half die before their second
birthday. Such loss of the future
the sad news of his tragic death. We did not, in any way, forbid
prayers for the eternal repose of his soul. Our priests were allowed
to bless the mortal remains of the Governor. They were also not
precluded from saying Mass in churches for him as long as his
body was not there. This was so because the Mass cannot be said
“corpore presente” due to the following impediments:
1. The Governor is a “born-again” Christian and the laws of
the Catholic Church are explicit on this. Canon 1184 of the Code
generations and leaders can no of Canon Law says: “Church funeral rites are to be denied to
longer be met with silence or the following, unless they gave some signs of repentance before
indifference. death: (1) notorious apostates, heretics and schismatics; x x
x.” This Catholic Church considers “born-again” Christians’
Mr. President, willful dissent from orthodox doctrines of Catholic faith as
Through their global a form of heresy. In addition, Canon 1185 states that “Any
commitments in 2001 and 2006, form of funeral Mass is also to be denied to a person who has
Heads of State and Government been excluded from a Church funeral.”
articulated a vision of equitable 2. The late Governor is a member of Freemasonry. The
access as well as comprehensive Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
and effective action in response Primer on Freemasonry says: “The faithful who enroll in
to the global HIV spread. The Masonic Associations are in a state of grave sin. Therefore,
present-day challenges call into any Catholic who is publicly known as a mason…may not
question our ability to fulfill receive Holy Communion…and, Church funeral rites may be
such promises. Yet, in the face denied unless some signs of repentance before death had been
of the ongoing threat of HIV and shown” (Moral Guidelines on Membership in Freemasonry,
AIDS, we must acknowledge the March 1990)
demands of the human family for The prohibition we issued as clearly in conformity with and
worldwide solidarity, for honest in pursuance of the Catholic Church’s established norms and
evaluation of past approaches precepts. It should not, therefore, be viewed as provoked by or
that may have been based more in any way tainted with political undertones as the Church’s
on ideology than on science laws do not admit compromise. Be that as it may, we wish
and values, and for determined to assure the family of Governor Nantes of our continued
action that respects human prayers for the eternal repose of his soul.
dignity and promotes the integral
development of each and every +EMILIO Z. MARQUEZ, DD
person and of all society. Bishop of Lucena
Thank you, Mr. President.
 Ref lections
CBCP Monitor
B6 Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010

By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo,

SThD
The mission to bring peace Satan is being won, with the rising of
Jesus to new life. In the words of the
Johannine Jesus, “Now has judgment
come upon this world, now will this
EVEN if one just limits his reading
to newspaper headlines this week, it
14h Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C (Luke 10:1-12.17-20); July 4, 2010 world’s prince be driven out, and
I—once am lifted up from earth—will
will not take him more than a minute draw all men to myself” (John 12:31-32).
to conclude that this is not a peaceful And as Paul puts it, “then the God of
world. The killings attendant upon peace will quickly crush Satan under
national and local elections, firefight your feet” (Rom 16:20).
between the Abu Sayyaf and the But what does the Gospel wish to
military in Basilan, the tribal bloody teach us about peace? We all long for
conflict in Darfur, the tension between peace, for wholeness, integrity and well-
North Korea and South Korea, the war being—which is meant by the Hebrew
against terrorism in Afghanistan, the word shalom, but in order to establish
drug crimes in Mexico and the unrest this peace not only in our individual
in Thailand—these stories may not lives, but also in our community, in
prove Marx correct in his theory that the nation and in the world, Jesus
ours is a history of struggle between needs men to spread it. It cannot be
the rich and the poor, but they do privatized as if it were an individual
indicate that our history continues possession, with the bearer unmoved
to be characterized by confrontation, by the events, vicissitudes and concerns
conflict and hostilities. But despite in this life. Peace always involves
these endless happenings of violence relationships within communities and
and war, people—especially those between peoples; it is always about
who experience war and those who are their unity and harmony. If Jesus gave
victims of human rights violations, of his peace to his disciples (cf John 14:27),
disinformation and blackmail—know his disciples must bring it to men. This
the need and long for peace. is why in today’s Gospel, Jesus sent
In today’s 1st Reading (Isa 66:10-14c), his disciples for the mission to spread
Isaiah speaks of peace that God will peace: “On entering any house, first
bestow on his people who suffered say, ‘Peace to this house’. If there is a

strife, defeat and humiliation. But what
is peace? For the prophet, peace is not
merely the absence of war. One does not
create a desert and call it peace. Using the
image of the new Jerusalem as a mother
who consoles the returning exiles at
her breast and dandles them at her lap,
the prophet describes peace in terms
of the mournful experiencing comfort,
prosperity spreading over the land,
and all inhabitants being joyful in mind
and heart. Isaiah’s imagery expresses
in another way the Old Testament idea
of peace as an experience of wholeness
and integrity in the life of the people
and community—the right relationship
among the members of the community
and nation and the right relationship
between the people and God.
But will we ever experience it? In
the theology of the New Testament,
such peace—if it is experienced—is
often elusive. This is because, viewed
according to the Jewish symbolic
universe, evil forces are at work. An
example of this explanation is given in
a scroll found at Qumran caves: “All
dominion over the sons of perversity
is in the hand of the Angel of darkness;
they walk in the ways of darkness. And
because of the Angel of darkness all the
sons of righteousness go astray; and all
their sin and iniquities and faults, and all
the rebellion of their deeds, are because
of his dominion… And all the blows
that smite them, all the times of their
distress, are because of the dominion of
his malevolence. And all the spirits of
his lot cause the sons of light to stumble;
but the God of Israel and His Angel of
truth succor all the sons of light” (1QS
3:20-25a). The influence of Satan’s power
is vast and difficult to eradicate. This is
evidenced in, among others, personal
rifts and social and political conflicts
where, it is assumed, he dominates.
According to this symbolic universe,
illness and physical handicaps are results
of the activity of Satan’s power. Also,
if there is no harmony and prosperity
in the land, it is because his demonic
power controls not only the life of the
individual but also the relationship
within the nation and among nations. In
the light of this view of reality, one can
claim that the power of Satan lies behind
the proliferation of prohibited drugs, the
uncontrolled jueteng, the kidnappings
for ransom, and other evils that plague
our present society.
With Jesus, however, came new and
full power (cf Matt 28:18). Through his
cross and resurrection, he vanquished
the powers of this world: “thus did God
disarm the principalities and powers.
He made a public show of them and,
leading them off captive, triumphed in
the person of Christ” (Col 2:15). Because
he defeated the forces of evil, peace is
now possible. Of course, during his
public ministry, he already anticipated
this victory over evil and triumph
www.michaelguth.com
for peace through his healings and
exorcisms. “For with what authority and
power he commands the unclean spirits
and they come out” (Luke 4:36). By
undoing Satan’s work, Jesus challenged
the demonic power and its influence.
That is why, in today’s Gospel (Luke
10:1-12.17-20), the seventy-two disciples,
who were given power by Jesus, could
exclaim in triumph: “Master, even the
demons are subject to us in your name”
(Luke 10:17). They penetrated into the
territory of Satan who, unseen by men,
exercises influence over people and
events in the world. Thus, even in his
public ministry, the power of Satan to
sow evil was already being broken. As
Jesus himself said, “I watched Satan
fall from the sky like lighting” (Luke
10:18). Though the eschatological battle
between the forces of good and evil has
begun, now the ultimate victory over
peaceable man there, your peace will
rest on him” (Luke 10:5-6). What Jesus
meant here is not a simple greeting
that one gives to people he meets on
the way, but an announcement of the
peace that the salvation of Jesus brings.
We, Christians, must be peace-bearers.
We are to be vehicles of peace—for it
is only through the communities of
disciples will real peace come upon
earth. We have to be involved in the
peace-process. In our time, that process
would include not only maintaining
the balance of power, but even more
important, safeguarding of the goods
of persons, free communication among
men, respect for the dignity of persons
and peoples, and assiduous practice
of charity (CCC 2304). And it may be
stresses that to spread peace is not a
work of mercy—it is rather demanded
by our status as disciples of Jesus.
“Peacemaking is not an optional
commitment. It is a requirement of our
faith. We are called to be peacemakers,
not by some movement of the moment,
but by our Lord Jesus” (NCCB, The
Challenge of Peace, 333).

Fr. Francis Ongkingco

WHATEVER Bishop Pat Alo

‘Dear Dad …’ (Part 1 of 3)
Shanghai International least I feel, not entirely–, but at this
Airport stage I guess it’s water under the bridge
and it would be useless to ask whom
DEAR Dad, to blame.
Perhaps, I should at least explain
It will be still some four hours before how this condition developed in me
ENCOUNTERS
during community gatherings.
Perhaps, I have to confess, this was
the reason why at first year high I began
to intentionally flunk my subjects. I
felt that this would send some signals
and make you realize what I was going

my connecting flight for New York
arrives. I think this would be the best
moment, (I’ve always been searching
for a neutral ground, I guess an airport
would do) to confide something I never
had the courage to tell you until now.
I can’t imagine how you will react
to what I’m about to share, but I think
the distance between us and the life I
am about to live on my own will help
us to come to terms with the reality
that I’m gay.
The pressure was tremendous. I,
it seemed, was not allowed to make
mistakes. My social life was then
constantly monitored, and I was
being bred into someone I was totally
detached from. I couldn’t, or was not
allowed to find myself. At this point
I’m freer to be myself, and perhaps,
hopefully find an answer to my
situation.
Dad, I hope you don’t take all this
personally. It wasn’t your fault –at
Bo Sanchez
through the years. Did I have any
special difficulties or trials? I don’t
think so. On the contrary, I was as one
of the most gifted children in our family
and our community.
I excelled ever since grade school
and from then I always represented
our school in almost every academic
competition and event. I recall how I
often received the annual best athlete
award in basketball and judo, and came
out as one of the most outstanding
student models. I was, mom would
casually say (trying hard not to show
her pride), the envy of every parent.
Was I truly perfect as you thought I
was or at least as you intended me to
be? Deep inside me then, I wanted to
say something I just couldn’t properly
express. I was buried under a heap of
achievements! I cried out for help, but I
was only pushed by mom to excel more.
I became her trophy to show to her
friends as she introduced me to them
through. But fate had you reassigned to
South Africa for the longest time. Mom
simply brushed my bad performance
aside and said I only missed you.
She was right! I was truly missing
you! I needed someone to answer my
emotional hang-ups. Thus, I found
myself totally at a loss, and realized
that I had to succeed by myself when
there was no one who would pull me
out of my confusion.
Funny, I now recall how I even tried
starting a relationship with a girl!
Mom found out and freaked out. Since
then I could never move without her
snooping on me and my whereabouts.
She said relationships would only
distract me from my precious academic
track record.
I’m sorry dad, but I have to continue
later. The flight to the U.S. will be quite
long and ample time to introduce you
to my very good friend Jude. (To be
continued…)
The magisterium
THE above word usually refers to the teaching authority of the
Roman Catholic Church which implies the guarantee of truth
and infallibility promised by Our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Peter,
the first Pope. “Simon, son of Jonah, you are a happy man!
Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you
but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter
and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the
underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys
of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be
considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall
be considered loosed in heaven.” (Mt. 16:18-20).
Church magisterium is thus delineated this way: The solemn
or the ordinary magisterium of the Church is the norm of faith
in truths revealed by God. The solemn magisterium consists
of papal or conciliary dogmatic definitions. The ordinary mag-
isterium is the unanimous teaching of the bishops united with
the Pope (cf. Canon Law 748-749). For the same reason as
above, the daily ordinary uniform teaching of the Church in
every place in the whole world is infallibly true because it is
one with the universal Catholic Church under the successor of
Peter and the Bishops united with him.
Canon 748 – [1.]. All persons are bound to seek the truth in
those things which regard God and his Church and by virtue
of divine law are bound by the obligation and possess the right
of embracing and observing the truth which they have come

SOULFOOD
to know. [2.] No one is ever permitted to coerce persons to
embrace the Catholic faith against their conscience.
Canon 749 – [1.] By virtue of his office, the Supreme Pontiff
possesses infallibility in teaching when as the supreme pastor
and teacher of all the Christian faithful, who strengthens his
brothers and sisters in the faith, he proclaims by definitive act

Let some things not change
I REMEMBER a time when life was a little simpler.
During an ancient, pre-historic era, there was only one
Shakey’s pizza store in the country—located in far away
Angeles City. I was only twelve years old when my father
would bring me there for a two-hour drive, just to eat pizza.
He’d eat two slices, and I’d eat the rest.
More than the pizza however, I treasure the time I spent
with Dad. In my heart, I knew that my father loved me.
Because he loved me enough to waste his time on me.
Things have changed now. Today, we no longer go out
of town to eat pizza. We don’t even leave the house. I just
dial delivery, ana Dad and I can eat pizza. My father’s an
older man now, and so am I (Sniffle). Sometimes I pay the
bill. (Waaaah!)
But when I really think about it, the deeper things haven’t
changed. Dad still eats two slices, and I still eat the rest. And
I still enjoy his deep friendship, much more than ever.
As a kid, Dad and I walked together to Cubao, and we loved
passing by that tiny Shoemart—if you can still remember—
that ancient SM that sold only shoes and nothing else.
I loved those walks!
Just Dad and me, walking man to man.
What has changed?
Today, SM consumes 30% of the geographical land space
of the Republic of the Philippines. And it sells everything
else except nuclear reactors and live piranha.
Also, Dad and I are no longer able to take long walks.
I’ve become a missionary and that has taken me away from
home. But when given a chance, I invite Dad and Mom to
hop along the journey. So we’ve gone together to different
parts of the world.
They don’t give talks or anything like that.
I still do the preaching. But from the pulpit, I could see
Dad and Mom, praying at the back of the crowd.
They’re praying for me.
They love me.
Thank God, some things don’t ever change.
Because in this insanely chaotic world of ours, our kids
desperately need to know that they can hold on to certain
realities that remain true for life.
Or else they’ll lose their way, and die somewhere
inside.
that a doctrine of faith or morals is to be held. [2.] The college
of bishops also possesses infallibility in teaching when the
bishops gathered together in an ecumenical council exercise
the magisterium as teachers and judges of faith and morals
who declare for the universal Church that a doctrine of faith or
morals is to be held definitively; or when dispersed through-
out the world but preserving the bond of communion among
themselves and with the successor of Peter and teaching
authentically together with the Roman Pontiff matters of faith
or morals, they agree that a particular proposition is to be held
definitively. [3.] No doctrine is understood as defined infallibly
unless this is manifestly evident.
In the confused teachings of our world, the divergent doctrines,
and the malicious errors that originate from the Devil who is “a
murderer and the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44), we need the guiding
light of the Roman Catholic Church to guide us towards love,
purity, morality, justice and righteousness and reach the final
destiny we all aim for – heaven with God as Our Father, source
of every good and happiness. Jesus, being God’s only begotten
Son, knew how necessary is that guarantee of protecting the
Church from wrong teachings since He Himself gave that final
instruction for the Church and its missionaries. “Go into the whole
world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes
and is baptized will be saved; he who does not believe will be
condemned” (Mk. 16:16). The universal body of the faithful who
have received the anointing of the holy one (see 1 Jn. 2:20,27)
cannot be mistaken in belief (Lumen Gentium 12).
 Social Concerns
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010
B7

Compassion for children

By Fr. Shay Cullen
IT was a dark, overcrowded prison
cell packed with the sweating, heaving
tattooed bodies of the most wicked-
looking criminals you could imagine. I
could not see Hakim, the young kid I had
come to rescue from this harsh place of
human misery and degradation if ever
there was one. Then in the dark corner
near the stinking hole that served as a
toilet, I saw the large staring eyes of
this shrunken figure. He was terrified.
I looked through the bars, the other
prisoners stirred and shouted at me for
food, cigarettes, money and drinks.
I motioned to the guard, he removed
the padlock and Joan slid back the bolt
with a loud clang. “Hakim, come out!”
the guard shouted. The boy looked
up fearful. He stood on wobbly legs, a
skinny skeletal body like a prisoner from
Auschwitz, a Lazarus from the grave.
He took a faltering step and almost fell
www.blogs.browardpalmbeach.com
A precious human life was saved, a
cast away, unwanted, alone with his
dark skin, Negroid hair and indigenous
features, he was low caste. Now he was
saved from certain death. “I came to
bring freedom to the captives”, Jesus
said, and so we all should too and meet
Him right there in the likes of the kid
with the scabies and the hollowed-out
eyes. “I tell you the truth, whatever you
did for one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did for me.”
The gate clanged shut, he slowly
walked free that day in March, out into
the blinding, scorching sun, clutching a
plastic bag with a dirty T-shirt in it – his
only possession. I thought once again of
all the useless surplus stuff I had, too
much, and promised heaven I would
finally give it away.
The first stop was for food. Hakim was
slow to eat, too weak to chew the first
bit of chicken he had eaten in years. The
boy looked around him hardly believing
he was out of the cells.
sent back to the brutality of the prison
and was forgotten.
He was at the bottom of the pile
in the jail since he was a dark-faced
indigenous tribal person, a Muslim
from war-ravaged Mindanao. Even an
enemy and migrant in a foreign land you
might say. His village had been burnt,
the people fled the fighting and Hakim
was taken by relatives on a rusty old
ship filled with war refugees and they
got separated when the ship hit a reef
and many drowned.
He got to Manila and was begging on
the streets when he was picked up by
the police and charged with theft. It was
the usual frame-up so they could claim
they had solved a crime and get a reward
and a step closer to their arrest quota
and promotion. This boy was the most
forgotten and discriminated of all. No
doors would ever have opened for him
unless Mina, Joan and Shiela had undone
the bolt and led him out to freedom.
As the days passed, he slowly emerged

over. He was weak, emaciated, half-
starved and naked, he had nothing but
cotton shorts. The specter of TB was all
over him like a shroud of death, like so
many of the others we rescued. He was
poverty itself. We guided him out the cell
gate, down the crowded corridor to the
warden’s office and his quivering hand
signed the release paper. He was free.
It had been ten months without a
visitor, ten months with only two short
trips to the court. One to be arranged for
a crime he didn’t know, and although
he said he was 15 years old, he couldn’t
prove it and was marked an adult. The
second time in court was to learn that
there was no evidence or witness or a
complaint to accuse him. But he was still
from the ten-month depression. But the
affirmation, acceptance, and friendship
of the other boys in the Preda New
Dawn Home gave him trust and the
small smile grew bigger. He responded
to the medicine and the food and the
good sleep in the cool shade of the
mango tree. He healed. Today he is a
college student.

Daniel, Jezebel and the

Mangahas girls
By Denis Murphy
WE watched Daniel search
back and forth in the field of
concrete rubble. My wife and
I were in Baseco to help young
students from the Mapua School
of Architecture survey the field,
so the families who lived there,
before a fire destroyed their
homes, could return. This time
they will not be squatters, but
legal occupants of lots that will
someday be titled to them. Daniel
never stopped his search; back
and forth he went tirelessly.
When he came close to where
we sat, we saw there was no joy
in the little boy’s face.
We called him over and he
came, but he wasn’t happy
losing time talking to us. We
asked to see what he had in the
white plastic bag he carried. You
could always tell where he was
in the field by looking for that
bag flashing in the sunlight. He
was reluctant to show us what
he had found, until a little girl
named Jezebel came and sat with
us. She told Daniel to show us
what he had found. There were
rusty nails and nails embedded
in concrete he would have to
smash to free the nails. There
were pieces of plastic singed with
fire. Sibak and plastic. Daniel
gets P10 for a kilo of nails and
P10 for a kilo of plastic, Jezebel
explains. He is always working,
she says. Jezebel is his public
relations person. They are both
in Grade 1, though he is 6 and
she is 10.
Soon eight other children
and a woman selling turon
gathered around us. We bought
some turon for them. The other
children and Jezebel ate their
piece, but Daniel wrapped his
in cellophane the turon woman
gave him. “He’ll give it to his
baby sister.” Jezebel told us, and
sure enough when the group
broke up, we saw Daniel running
across the field to give his sister
the turon.
Later in the afternoon on the
way out of Baseco we came upon
a truck coming in with concrete
remnants from a construction
site, old wood, junk and trash.
Men and older boys were up in
the truck, sorting out the good
pieces and throwing them down
to their friends. Daniel was also
in the truck. He was by far the
youngest and smallest person
there, but holding his own in
the struggle for good pieces to
sell. Other children around the
world, and even in Baseco, play
ball on Saturday, but not Daniel.
How will he turn out in life? And
Jezebel, how will she turn out?
Will they stay friends? Watching
them we can understand the
weight of Jesus’ words of doom
for those who “scandalize one
of his little ones.”
A day later we met the three
young Mangahas girls—Evelyn,
Emily and Novelyn, 6-9 years
old. They are the daughters of
a woman who was one of the
Navotas women leaders who
mounted a barricade against
the Department of Public Works
and Highways’ eviction team
earlier in the month. The girls
were sitting in front of the
very temporary shack they
put up after their home was
destroyed. They wait with 340
other families who were literally
left in the streets of Navotas for
the government to find some
place where they can begin life
anew.
I asked the girls how they
felt during the eviction. They
said they were very frightened
and angry when they saw their
mother handcuffed by the police
and dragged away while she was
crying out for help. There were
tears in their eyes as they told
the story. Evelyn said: “It was
hard to see mama like that. The
water canonizing of mama and
the other women made us dizzy.
It was sad to see our house torn
down. It was small, but it was
always clean, and we all helped
with the chores. We were very
happy there with mama and
papa and Sari James (the baby
brother). They just tore our home
down. They didn’t care. I was
afraid I would be arrested. Yes,
I dream of those things.”
Every year by its illegal, forced
evictions, the government gives
thousands of children such
traumatic experiences. How
long will the bad memories stay
with the children? What harm
will they do?
There are another 60 evicted
families from Navotas camped
out in front of DPWH on
Bonifacio Drive opposite
Intramuros. It was midmorning
when we visited the families
in their patched and tattered
tents. They sat on low wooden
platforms packed together like
passengers in economy class
quarters on an inter-island boat.
The people just sat and talked.
No one was in a hurry, just as
on a boat. Young girls slowly ate
bananas—the whole day ahead
of them and nothing to do. A
woman sweeps around to keep
busy. They had chicken adobo
the night before. This night it
will be upo, rice and dried fish.
It was cold in the tent the night
before and the women said
they feared big trucks roaring
along Bonifacio Drive from
Tondo would come crashing in
on them. The dust and exhaust
made them sick.
Why are they there? They want
the city to know of the injustice
done to them. Few people stop
to talk with them, however.
They want the president and
the general public to know how
they were brutally and illegally
removed from their homes of 20-
30 years. Does anyone care?

Crime / B2

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censures:
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or to increase a penalty. Vitae (25.III.1995), n.56.

 B8
 Disturbing
 Acceptable
 Wholesome
 Exemplary
Sex and the City 2:
sugar coated poison
By Teresa R. Tunay,
OCDS
Those who have become fans
of the cable-TV series will no
doubt find something to like
in the movie, but for audiences
who regard movies as powerful
shapers of values particularly
of the young, Sex and the City
2 is sugar-coated poison.
After two years, the quartet
of long-time gal-pals Carrie
(Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda
(Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte
(Kristin Davis) and Samantha
(Kim Cattrall) reunite and
update one another on their
woes, their joys, etc. Lawyer
Miranda grumbles that she is
pushed around by her male
boss simply because she’s
female. Housewife Charlotte
thinks she’s a happily married
mother of two kids. PR agent
Samantha swears happiness
is looking 35 when she is 50..
Writer Carrie (who narrates
the story) chooses marriage
without children as most
fulfilling for her. They are
so close that when Samantha
is gifted by a potential client
with the opportunity to travel
first class and spend some
days in style in Abu Dhabi,
she wouldn’t go without the
other three. In Abu Dhabi,
situations invite them to
confront their insecurities
otherwise unexamined back
in America.
A sequel to the 2008 feature
by director Michael Patrick
King, Sex in the City 2 is
candy for the eyes, especially
if viewers relish high end
fashion, high end travel,
high end living, high end
everything. There’s a story
all right, a story of women
who represent the ultimate
consumer, and everything
else in the movie backs this
up. The pace is snappy and
so is the script, and with the
frequent costume changes,
fancy settings, “beautiful
people” and exotic locales, it’s
hard to get drowsy or bored
watching this 145-minute
bloated version of the TV
sitcom. In this technically
polished production, acting
is sincere, but the characters
are contemporary and seem
too close to home to challenge
one’s acting skills. Besides,
when the movie is almost
fashion-porn, who needs to
act?
Those who have become fans
of the cable-TV series will no
doubt find something to like
in the movie, for it is indeed
entertaining in its own right,
but for audiences who regard
movies as powerful shapers
of values particularly of the
young, Sex and the City 2
is sugar coated poison. If
the movie is candy for the
eyes, it is also toxic for the
impressionable soul.
While sound values are
presented—like fidelity,
family, sexual equality,
tolerance and respect for alien
culture—these are glossed over
when contradictory values
forcefully grab screen time,
making us wonder whether
the movie is pushing a hidden
agenda or is simply being
dismissive and downright
contemptuous of people who
are not “in”.
A lavish gay “wedding” eats
up nearly half an hour, with
the Best Man being a woman
(Parker) in a tuxedo, and the
pastor another woman—60-
something Liza Minelli doing
a whole song and dance
routine (I’m a Single Lady)
in a glamorized man’s shirt
and fishnet stockings. That
number in itself trivializes the
pastor’s ministry and makes
of the marriage ceremony a
vaudeville show.
Also inserted into the story
is a tour of a luxurious hotel
suite—mouthwatering to many
no doubt, but may be thought-
Entertainment CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 – July 4, 2010
Moral Assessment Technical Assessment
 Abhorrent  Poor
 Below average
 Average
 Above average
 E
xcellent
provoking to some who may Title: Sex and the City 2
wonder how much the five- Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker,
minute plug is actually costing Kim Cattrall, Cynthia
the hotel owner. Five minutes Nixon, Kristin Davis,
in a movie where fates are Chris Noth
sealed in a matter of seconds Director: Michael Patrick King
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Ro-
must cost quite a fortune. mance and Sequel
While the gang of four Distributor: Warner Bros.
fashionistas do care to be Running Time: 146 mins.
there for each other, they are Technical Assessment: 
too self-absorbed, pathetically
Moral Assessment: 
unaware that there breathes CINEMA Rating: For viewing
a world outside of their own by mature 18 year olds
sparkly little bubble. and above.
Carrie prides herself in
juggling career and marriage
with elan, but she’s a writer
who has no “give and take” in
her vocabulary.
Charlotte is the picture of
a contented wife and mother,
until her two-year old daughter
impatient for her attention
imprints red paint on her
prized Valentino skirt. MAC en COLET Ni Bladimer Usi
Lawyer Miranda plays safe
and does some research on the
local customs before they fly
off to Abu Dhabi but the movie
does not take her seriously;
instead it gives the youth-
obsessed Samantha license
to mock with impunity the
sex and dress issues of the
Muslims. In fact, Samantha is
the kind of American tourist
no self-respecting American
traveler would want to be
identified with, uncovering
her profound maleducation
Buhay Parokya
by openly defying mores of
Islamic modesty and seducing Look for the
a man in public in full view of images of St.
a traditional Muslim couple. Ignatius de
In real life, Samantha could Loyola, Holy
have been stoned, but in the Bible, and Angel.
movie the director lets her (Illustration by
go scot-free, her neck saved Bladimer Usi)
by burqa-clad women who
literally unveil themselves
as clones of the fashion-
obsessed quartet from New
York. (Uh-oh… insult upon
injury! Let’s see how this
movie performs among Middle
Eastern audiences).
It is doubtful whether Sex
and the City writer and director
King intended to portray these
four friends as conflicted
human beings struggling
for enlightenment, but if he
believes film ought to serve
as a tool for man’s growth, he
needs to transform his heroines
from women of (dubious) style
to women of substance. From
lauding these women’s avarice
he should now challenge them
to get real and outgrow their
narcissism.
In Sex and the City 2,
women empowerment means
the entitlement to la dolce
vita, the privilege to shop on
a husband’s largesse, and the
freedom to carry condoms in
your bag as a basic necessity.
In spite of everything they
have, these women can’t
seem to have enough. We’d
love to see Sex and the City
3 do justice to women, real
women. Miranda will now be
running her own law office and
rendering legal services pro
bono to cuckolded husbands
on welfare. Charlotte will be
shown happily conducting
healing sessions in a facility for
battered wives in Harlem while
her children play with her
patients’ children in a crying
room she’s built out of her own
pocket. Realizing that a novel
of import is never written from
atop an ivory tower, Carrie
will move to Brazil to write
while living alone in a favela
and managing a soup kitchen
for its residents—because has
husband has now claimed his
right to enjoy in solitude black
and white movies without
talkies. Samantha who will
have (finally) fallen in love, will
now be residing somewhere
in Afghanistan as the fourth
wife of a handsome 80-year
old sheik who demands that
she wear a burqa for life, or
else…
(The author is Founding
Board Member of the CBCP/
CINEMA)
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 3
C1
February 1 - February 14, 2010

The News Supplement of

Couples for Christ

CFC: Filled With Thanksgiving

By Octavio Mella
Beloved CFC Family!
Tonight, before I allow my weary body to rest
in anticipation of a brand new day, I greet you all
a happy anniversary!
I have seen tonight the revelation of God’s love
for His people in this community! If today’s cel-
ebration is the precursor of another awesome an-
niversary next year, then . . . I shiver at the thought
of what God has in store for this bigger family He
has blessed so much! Almost 50 thousand people
gathered at the Luneta today to savor the fellow-
ship of one another under the sweltering heat of
the noonday sun. They came in droves . . . dressed
in the anniversary blue and white shirts, old and
young, parents and children together bringing all
kinds of food and reveling in the love and laughter
that was in great abundance! There were games,
songs, dances, . . . there was the joy of seeing old,
familiar faces . . . there was much hugging, kissing,
reminiscing about good old days . . . there were
many joyful moments.
The sun refused to hide, even as the delegates
were assembling for the 4:00 pm parade, sweltering
under intense heat but excited at the idea of parad-
ing and exhibiting the exuberance being part of this
community gives. By this time, historic Luneta
had swelled with brethren from different parts of
the country . . . and of the world, applauding and
cheering the different Metro Manila sectors and
provincial delegations as they paraded with their
mascots and banners, and entertained everyone
with their cheers, antics, and dances.
But suddenly, the darkening clouds which had
begun to thicken as the parade was drawing to a
close, erupted in a sudden downpour of rain, with
accompanying thunderstorms. The papal nuncio,
Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams and his entou-
rage arrived at this point. The streets were already the praisefest told it all -- each one at
flooding and it was our task, as the events security, the Luneta was filled with thanks-
to secure the papal nuncio and his group from the giving!
drenching rains. It was an exercise in futility! I’m tired, I’m so weary, I have to
We hoped that the rains would cease and give buy shoes to be used for tomorrow’s
us a break, but again, it was a futile hope. And yet, conference to replace the ones that got
wonder of wonders, the people just stood in the ruined in the floods, my body aches
drenching rain, waiting for the papal nuncio to due to my clothes being drenched for
celebrate the mass. Their shoes were soaked, and hours. but I’m joyful right now. I’m
without adequate cover (some only had plastic shedding tears of joy because God has
bags to cover their heads), soon their clothes were given me this faithful, loving family
wet as well. that is CFC!
But if the rains wouldn’t let up, the band
wouldn’t either! They continued to sing praise (Ed’s Note: Octavio “Bobbee” Mella
songs, and everyone just joined in! After the im- is a member of the CFC USA National
promptu praisefest, someone on the stage started Council.)
praying the rosary. Once again I saw the power
of prayer. As the rosary was ending, the rains
started to die down, such that when the papal
nuncio started the mass, joined by 16 priests, he
was led to remark that “the angels have turned
off the faucets!”
As we were all singing “Glory to God,” the rains
completely stopped, and one by one, the stars came
out as if from hiding behind the clouds! It was the
most wonderful experience of celebrating God’s
presence in the bigger family of the Church. The
papal nuncio acknowledged CFC’s role in building
the home of the church and the poor.
The mass ended with Joe Yamamoto’s leading
CFC to a recommitment to be one with the Catholic
Church for the next 29 years and beyond.
In the hearts of the tens of thousands of breth-
ren who were there until the jubilant end of the
praisefest led by Kirby Llaban, it did not matter if
they were drenched in sweat earlier and soaked
in the rains later. What was important was being
able to feel the fullness of God’s love in each other
as members of this bigger family.
The voices raised in praise and worship during

29 Years of Grace
THE following are excerpts from the homily of the Papal Nuncio
Lay Faithful as
Witness to Christ in
Civil and Political
to the Philippines, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams. It was a
homily that almost did not get said. Prior to the Mass, the rain
poured down in torrents, flooding the streets leading to the stage
where CFC’s anniversary Mass was to be held and stranding the
Papal Nuncio and his party in their cars. Meanwhile the people
Community
waited patiently under the rain, huddled under umbrellas but By Arnel Santos for the laity to bring Christ in
getting soaked nonetheless. all aspects of life.” He empha-
After almost thirty minutes of waiting, someone suggested that sized that the social doctrines
the Mass be cancelled, in consideration of the tens of thousands who “To intensify evangelization, of the Church are very impor-
were out under the rain. But someone else suggested that they wait to provide pastoral accompa- tant to CFC with its thrusts for
a little bit more, pointing out that in all of CFC’s 29 years, there has niment to members of Cou- family life renewal, mission
never been a time when the anniversary Mass was not celebrated. ples for Christ (CFC) called and evangelization, and total
Meanwhile, up on stage, someone began leading the praying of in the political arena, and to Christian Liberation.
the Holy Rosary. Just as the Rosary was ending, the rain suddenly witness to good citizenship.” The Congress’ keynote
ceased its torrential downpour and became a gentle rainshower. These are the goals of CFC, speech was delivered by Dr.
The Papal Nuncio and his party were able to get to the stage and in response to what were dis- Jesus Estanislao, who cited
the original plan was for him to simply give a general absolution cussed and enunciated at the Pope Benedict XVI’s Caritas in
after the readings – no more Offertory, no more Communion, in don’t believe in Jesus, they don’t believe he is the Christ. They look 3rd Clergy-Lay Congress held Veritate (CIV) and highlight-
short, a “dry” Mass. at him in a similar way. They would see him as a man who fought on June 18, 2010, at the Ma- ed the Pope’s call for commit-
But God indeed works miracles. As soon as the Mass began, against abuses in his society, a man who was against dishonesty, rikina Convention Center. ment for the common good of
and just before the Nuncio gave his homily, the rain completely against moral depravity; a man against wickedness; a man who gave CFC leaders from all over all, subsidiarity, solidarity
stopped, hence the Nuncio’s first remark: “The angels have turned a conscience and a voice to the poor and the oppressed. They see the country and abroad, joined with others, and the promo-
off the water.” The original plan was scrapped and the Mass was him as a martyr for freedom, a rebel against exploitation of all kinds, by three archbishops and 32 tion of the personal dignity of
celebrated in its entirety. After the Mass, the Praisefest was vibrant, someone who fought to the death for the rights of his people. priests, tackled the theme, every individual. He stressed
joyful and totally awesome – a recognition of God’s power and His This is how they look at Jesus. They don’t believe in Him. They see “The Lay Faithful as Wit- that “all these values are in
love for His people! Him as a good man, a liberator but not as we do—you and I. This nesses to Christ in Civil and search of individual persons
The following are excerpts from the Papal Nuncio’s homily. is an image of the Christ recognized by so many who plan social Political Community.” In his who can personify them.”
change today. It is an image of Him which does not correspond to opening remarks, Msgr. Allen Dr. Estanislao concluded
“The angels have turned off the water. the reality of the Christ, the Christ for whom you couples are for. Aganon, CFC spiritual direc- that “secularism” is wrong
It is a pleasure for me as the representative of Pope Benedict, What do people of our world say about this Christ, this Jesus? tor, stressed that this theme and “clericalism” is against
the 264th successor of St. Peter, to be present with you, as you-- Many unbelievers see him as a human being, as one who realized was based on the address of Catholic teachings. “The laity
members of Couples for Christ -- mark your 29th year of existence. the noblest of human possibilities, a model for all of us, someone His Holiness Benedict XVI to should take the lead. Giving
I rejoice with you, and with you, give thanks to the Lord for these who was not God, but who was god-like. This Christ is a figure for the 24th Plenary Session of the witness is not limited to assist-
years of grace. them who gives inspiration for harnessing mankind’s positive ener- Pontifical Council of the Laity ing the hierarchy. Our area is
As you look back to these 29 years, so much good has been ac- gies, directing them towards a better future, a future of peace and (PCL), on May 21, 2010. a far bigger area – to proclaim
complished. They have been years of spiritual awakening, years of justice, the conservation of our environment. This is a Christ which “CFC is approaching mid- Christ in politics, business and
love and dedication to the God of the universe, years of prayer, years is not our Christ. It is a political figure whose goals are entirely of life, at an opportune time society. The clergy have their
of self-giving, years of answering the cry of the poor, years of hard this world…. when the world has grown competence. We, the laity,
work, years of zeal to share Christ’s way-- in couples, with your In the Gospel, our Lord asked the second question… “Who do with ideas and ideologies,” have our competence. And
families, with your neighbors; years of faith and devotion, 29 years you think I am?” These people who were his friends, he asked them said Msgr. Aganon. “CFC the duty of the laity is to put
during which the Lord’s Word has been listened to and proclaimed, “who do you think I am?” They were of course believers and from should be better equipped by order in our country’s politics,
and the sacraments received, celebrated, and lived… them, our Lord expected a different answer… seeking guidance from Pope business and society.”
My dear people, I am here with you today to strengthen you and And it is the same today. Jesus is not content to hear what unbeliev- Benedict XVI, a profound Bishop Jose Advincula,
encourage you in your effort to remain faithful to God and to His ers say about him, what our modern culture says about him… observer of human affairs,” as a member of the panel of
Christ, for whom as Couples for Christ, you have lived and worked He wants to hear your answer and my answer -- the answer of who in his PCL address, em- reactors, said that with the
this past 29 years. people who believe in God and who have placed their hope and phasized that “Politics is a proliferation of new ecclesial
“Couples for Christ”... ‘For Christ’. Who is this Christ that you trust in Him as God. He wants to hear the answer of you, dear very important field in which communities with members
are for? In our reflection this evening, we take a look at the Lord’s Couples for Christ. to exercise charity.” coming from the laity, the
question… Who is this Christ that you are for? What is your answer? “He is Rouquel Ponte, Interna- lay now are becoming leaven
There were many who listened to Him but did not believe Him. In our Lord! He is our Lord!” tional Missions Director and in the world. “The only ob-
our Lord’s time, many saw Him as a prophet. Yes, they even thought Our answer, your answer, my answer, is the answer of Peter— a member of the CFC Interna- stacle,” he said, “is lack of
maybe he was the one who was foretold, the one who would come “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!” That tional Council, explained that knowledge of what Christian
to deliver Israel from its enemies…. is our Christ. That is the Christ that you are for. “The Lord is not done with us values to espouse. The laity
In other words they thought that this Jesus was a prophet, maybe This is our faith, my brothers and sisters. It is the answer of all yet. A lot more surprises are in should start giving flesh to
a messiah, but a human figure, a liberator, one who would vindicate Christian generations that preceded us. It is the faith that you who store for us,” especially in this human values so that they
the rights of his people. That’s how they saw him. belong to Couples for Christ have professed, and have tried to live day and age, when “the call is Lay Faithful / C1
Many of our contemporaries, people who live in our world, they Grace / C3
 C2 Ugnayan CBCP Monitor
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

Joe Tale, CFC Chairman

Fathers
Happy 29th anniversary, CFC! Praise God and congratulations for
a successful and victorious celebration of 29 years of God’s bless-
ings!
Amidst our celebration, particularly during our Philippine Mission
Congress that capped our anniversary week, we also joined many
others in the world in celebrating Father’s Day. Newspapers and
magazines were replete with articles on fathers, and television, too,
with shows featuring fathers. Father’s Day greetings on SMS mes-
sages and emails exchange filled a good part of our Sunday.
And it is good, that we set aside a day focused on honoring fathers.
Of course, there is the commercial aspect of this celebration, which
actually helps in getting everyone’s attention on this special day, but
it is important that we do not stay on the superficial, but actually
experience the substance of what this day really means.
Celebrating Father’s Day falls right in with our life and mission
in Couples for Christ, for we have been blessed with the charism
of being a family renewal movement. We thus take this moment
to reflect on fatherhood and how the entire family may celebrate
this great gift from God. With the unrelenting attacks against it, we
need to stand firm and strengthen the family, beginning with the
role of fathers.
Much has been written and much more can be said about fathers
and fatherhood. We will only take up three key points here. It is
important too, to view things holistically, and look at the entire
picture. For fathers are not just fathers to their children, they too are
children to their fathers. We also cannot speak about fathers without
also recognizing their role as husbands to their wives.
And so we start from the early times, when God was forming a
people and a nation. Central to the formation of a nation are guides
to live by, for peace and good order. God gave His people basic
guides to live by - the Ten Commandments. Many may look at these
commandments as stringent old fashioned rules, burdensome and
all, but if we really think about it, they are timeless, and if everyone
just observed them, what a wonderful world this would be.
In particular, the fourth commandment says: “Honor your father
and mother.” Many read and understand this commandment just
this way. But actually, there is much more to this special com-
mandment. It is the only commandment where the consequence
of observing the same is also given. Exodus 20:12 after giving the
commandment further says, …”so you may live a long time in the
land I am giving you.” Honoring parents is not only a joyful thing
to do, and a major ingredient in strengthening the family, it is also
key to a long and happy life in the Lord’s care and provision.
Honoring fathers includes recognizing and respecting their head-
ship of the family. Ephesians 5:22- 25 says:
“ Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. For
a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority
over church; and Christ is himself the savior of the church, his body.
And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands
just as the church submits itself to Christ.
Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and
gave His life for it.”
St. Paul cannot be too clear. It is important that we heed these
inspired words. Of course we hear about the headship of husbands
being the subject of jokes and sometimes ridicule. Some of the time it
is just about humor, and the ability to laugh at ourselves. But again,
let us take heed, for he who obeys laughs last and laughs best.
It should be clear that the above passage is not about the dignity
of persons. It is not putting women down. It is not considering them
of lower dignity. The passage talks about roles to play, so there may
Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of the diocese of Cagayan de Oro is visited by IC
members Joe and Babylou Tale and Joey and Tess Arguelles, provincial leaders and
the Mission Team from Metro Manila.
be good order in the family. Both men and women are equal in dig-
nity, and that is not diminished in the above passage. We are here
delineating roles so there is harmony and good order in the home.
When there is a mix up of roles, certain dysfunctions happen.
Finally, while we honor our earthly fathers, we really above all,
honor and give glory to our Heavenly Father, who loves us uncon-
ditionally, sending even His only son to suffer and die for us so we
may be saved eternally.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:37 – “Those who love their father or
mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love
their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples.”
There might be some who are uncomfortable with these words. We
should not be. It should be clear that Jesus is not asking us not to
love our father and mother, nor our son and daughter. He is saying
that we should love God above all things. There is no inconsistency.
It is loving all the way, God first, then family. In fact, the blessing is
that as we love God above all, God actually helps us to deepen and
increase our love for our own family too.
And so we greet the fathers among us. We greet with love our
own fathers and fathers-in-law. We even also greet our pastors, our
priests, our reverend fathers. But most of all, we take this special
occasion to express above all, our love and honor to our Heavenly
Father.
Happy Father’s Day!

Joe Yamamoto, CFC Director

The Heart of a Fisherman

“LAUNCH out into the deep and let down your nets
for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)
The verse above is taken from the gospel of Luke
and narrates the first time Jesus exhorts Simon and
company to do something out of the ordinary.
In the fifth chapter of Luke, we see Jesus by the
shore of Lake Gennesaret, being pressed by a great
multitude wanting to hear the Word of God. The
crowd was so great that Jesus got into one of two
boats, owned by Simon Peter, that were standing
by the lake, and delivered his words of inspiration
and hope from there. That done, he then instructed
Simon to put out a little farther from the land:
“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets
for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)
We see the seasoned fisherman cooperating fully
and not uttering any word of resistance, saying
instead, “ Master, we have toiled all night and
caught nothing; nevertheless at your word I will
let down the net.” (Luke 5:5) That response was
surprisingly rewarded by a big catch of fish, the
volume of which would have been enough to tear
the nets and yet did not. Simon on experiencing
something truly out of the ordinary, falls on his
knees and cries out: “Depart from me, for I am a
sinful man, O Lord.”(Luke 5:8)
Many things are seemingly out of sync with
the recounted scenario. Consider that these were
seasoned fishermen who knew that after a futile
evening expedition, it would be better to just wait
another day and hope that the next day would
bring positive results. Then there is the conven-
tional wisdom that no fisherman expects to catch
fish in broad daylight. How about the seemingly
foolish act of following orders from a carpenter
who had no connection at all to fishing, and who
gave the very crazy advice of dropping the nets so
close to shore where fishes would be scarce? But
the most out-of-sync reaction came from Simon,
who simply obeyed, and was rewarded for that
act of faith not just with a big haul but also with
an unusual mission: “...from now on, you will be
fishers of men.” (Luke 5:10b)
From that day forward, Simon would catch men
for the kingdom of heaven. In order to do this, he
quickly and willingly left his profession to follow
the Messiah and fulfill his mission.
It is interesting to note that when Jesus issued
his call to the first disciples, it was Andrew and
John who first responded. It was Andrew who
introduced his older brother, Simon, to Jesus.
During that initial encounter (John 1:42), Jesus
looked at Simon and said “You are Simon, son of
John; you will be called Cephas” (i.e.Peter, rock
in Greek).
The seemingly inauspicious encounter between
Jesus and Simon prefigured the role that Simon
would fill and defined the responsibility that
was thrust upon his shoulders. Thereafter, the
four disciples, brothers Simon and Andrew, and
brothers John and James, were never far from Je-
sus. They constituted the inner circle of the Lord
and it was very appropriate that they started the
work of recruiting disciples as ‘fishers of men.’
Their fishermen’s instinct and background came
in wonderfully handy for the task at hand. From
that inner circle, Jesus progressively enlarged the
group by recruiting other disciples who eventually
became his Apostles.
Jesus wanted evangelization to proceed as a
personal experience of encounter with the divine
and subsequently influence others to follow the
leading. From planting the seeds of leadership
to nurturing the fruits of spiritual maturity, every
disciple goes through two important phases, the
call and the preparation. In the case of the disciples,
the call was the easy part; what came after - the
preparation and the commitment to a higher level
of existence – was much more difficult.
Everyone knows the struggles of Simon Peter,
the rough and unlearned fisherman who had been
placed in the center stage of the unfolding ministry
of Jesus. There was actually no preparation prior
to the call and everyday that he spent with the
Lord was spent in very deliberate and meaningful
mentoring and teachings. The disciples learned
to follow the footsteps of Jesus, going where he
went, learning to do what He showed by daily
examples and relishing every word that came
from His mouth.
Simon Peter is a model for every Christian. The
qualities of leadership he exhibited reflect his own
personality, background and experience. The let-
ters of his name, Simon Peter, his original name
and the name assigned to him by the Lord, provide
us with these qualities:
1. SIMPLE and SINCERE - The many episodes
of Simon serving and following Jesus are
replete with examples of the simplicity of his
life’s approach. But one classic example is
the simplicity and sincerity of his reply when
Jesus, on seeing some of his disciples deserting
him, asked all of them, “Do you also want to
go away?” Of them all, only Simon answered
with complete conviction, reflective of the
honesty of his beliefs and the total trust he had
reposed on Jesus:”Lord to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Also we
have come to believe and know that You are
the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (John
6:67-69)
2. INTENSE - Simon displayed intensity in do-
ing his work. His commitment and eagerness
to serve led him, in some occasions, to ‘shoot
himself in the foot’, to borrow the modern day
lexicon.
In the category of intensity, nothing can beat
the episode where Peter became a ‘water
walker.’ It was the fourth watch of the night
(about 3 to 6 am), when Jesus had left them
behind while he went up to the mountain to
pray. Jesus walked towards the boat and in
the darkened night was mistaken for a ghost.
Despite being seasoned fishermen-disciples,
they still had not overcome their superstition
and were relieved only when Jesus declared
–“it is I, do not be afraid.’ Once again, intense
and reactive Peter beat others to the draw by
asking Jesus to invite him: “Lord, if it is you,
command me to come to You on the water.”
Whereupon, the Lord simply said “Come.”
Peter did as commanded and indeed walked
on water until his steady progress was inter-
rupted and he began to sink because he looked
at the waves and shifted his focus from the
Lord. Jesus reached out to Peter with his out-
stretched hand, caught him and said, “O you
of little faith, why did you doubt.”
What lessons are we taught? – simple Peter
was the only one willing to go out of the boat
and, even if he was admonished by the Lord
for his ‘lack of faith,’ actually displayed faith
and confidence that the Lord will always be
on hand for his disciples. By going out of his
comfort zone, Peter became even more intense
in his commitment to the Lord.
3. MOTIVATED - Peter had a unique experience
during the Transfiguration in Mount Tabhor,
when he and the brothers John and James wit-
nessed Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. mentoring he received. He was transformed
Peter, sensing this to be a very special and
momentous event, was motivated to say to
Jesus: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If
you wish, let us make here three tabernacles;
one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
There was no external suggestion; Peter was
simply motivated to honor and commemorate
an event of profound importance. Maybe,
Peter was following a leading from the Holy
Spirit.
4. OBEDIENT - Impulsive Peter knew the value
and importance of obedience. His experience
at sea must have trained him to emphasize
to his crew that if the captain of the fishing
boat, who was the most experienced and
competent, was not followed, disaster and
failure might be the consequence. As he fol-
lowed Jesus, this training and natural mindset
served him well. Consider the time when he
was asked if his Master paid temple taxes, and
Jesus responded and acted in an unheard of
manner. Jesus orders Peter: “.. go to the sea ,
cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up
first. And when you have opened its mouth,
you will find a piece of money, take that and
give it to them for me and you.” (Matt.17:27)
Peter’s act of obedience, in the face of what
was assuredly an absurd order, is admira-
ble.
5. NO- NONSENSE- In Matthew, Chapter 18,
there was another memorable dialogue be-
tween Jesus and Peter about how and how
frequently one must forgive. Peter in the
traditional manner of the time volunteered
“seven times?” Jesus gave a different answer:
“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up
to seventy times seven.” No-Nonsense Peter
received a no-nonsense response from the
Lord.
6. PRESENCE - Of the qualities that Peter elo-
quently demonstrated throughout his period
of training and mentoring by Christ, it was his
good fortune to be present in all the major and
pivotal events in the public life of Jesus. Per-
haps it was this endearing quality of loyalty
and capacity to commit to presence that Jesus
saw as one distinct quality in Simon Peter.
Even though Peter is seen as having denied
Jesus, the gospel depicts him as somehow
staying within the vicinity of the accused
Jesus. Peter never lost sight of the need for
him to be around, even if he was helpless and
afraid for himself.
7. EAGERNESS - Perhaps Peter might strike
some people as being ridiculous in his at-
tempts to please the Lord, in his being over
solicitous. Consider the instance when he re-
proved the Lord and he confidently declared
that he will not allow any harm to befall him,
only to be strongly admonished that he was
not thinking according to God’s plan. Then
there was his pronouncement that he would
not allow the Lord to wash his feet, only to be
told that those who will not let Jesus do the
washing will have no share of inheritance in
heaven. He was impulsive, over eager, quick
to anger, but also quick to defend. How reck-
less he was in rushing to Jesus’ defense and
cutting off the ear of Malchus the servant at the
encounter in Gethsemane, without stopping
to consider that there was a whole platoon of
soldiers around him.
8. TRANSFORMED- Following the life and
progress of Peter in the gospels and the Acts,
one cannot help but rightfully conclude that
Peter was forever transformed not only by the
unique assignment given him by the Lord,
but also by the teaching, training and the
by experiencing up close the miracles of Jesus
and feeling intimately the love and friendship
of the Lord. From a timid and fearful apostle
he successfully journeyed to one who was
fearless. He needed to take that journey for
he was entrusted the daunting task of leading
and growing a young Church.
The complete transformation of Peter came
about through the love, mercy and grace of
God. Simon Peter displayed a very important
trait that all struggling leaders must emulate-
it is the attitude of remaining TEACHABLE. If
Peter were not teachable, he would probably
have continued to lead a bumbling life and
harbored a deep hurt with the strong admoni-
tions he received from Jesus. But because the
admonitions were gentle and loving, Simon
Peter never saw these as rejections nor re-
buffs.
9. EVER READY- Throughout the gospels where
Jesus made his most powerful and pivotal
teachings and miracle works, Peter was al-
ways around. Peter might just as well be the
greatest turnaround disciple leader in the New
Testament. He was the same man who made
the knee jerk promise that he will follow Jesus
no matter what even unto death, and yet when
a servant girl accused him as a follower of the
Christ, readily denied his Lord. In the Acts,
the changed Peter spoke the name of Jesus
with authority and great power. He was not
concerned with the consequences. His only
concern was to be ready at all times to share
the Lord to one and all.
10. RISK TAKER – After the Resurrection and
Ascension of Jesus, an empowered Peter
continued to be a relentless Risk Taker. Even
if he knew the dangers of preaching Jesus,
he persevered. Simon Peter knew the cost of
discipleship and by doing the will of God and
preaching Jesus at every turn, was taking his
life in his hands. As the risk taker he always
had been, Peter just had to preach the name
of Jesus and not be concerned with any other
mundane things.
With the commissioning he received from the
Lord, Peter moved on to be the top shepherd of
the growing flock. Truly, his was a remarkable
journey, the fumbling “water-walker” with feeble
sea legs matured through the power of the Holy
Spirit to a powerfully outspoken, courageous and
charismatic leader.
Simon Bar - Jonah, as he transitioned to Simon
Peter the Rock, learned many personal and lead-
ership traits which he readily shared with others.
These very attributes we can find useful in our
present circumstances.
LEARNING FROM SIMON PETER
For Christian leaders confronted with the mod-
ern day realities of materialism, selfishness and
hedonism, is Simon Peter a good role model? Peter
had once been like every one of us, unprepared and
perhaps even unconcerned with the affairs of the
world. Just as Peter was called, we are likewise
invited to discipleship. What is critically important
is to follow the examples of Peter in terms of his
willingness to be present with the Lord, to be ready
with our own journey of spiritual and personal
transformation and to allow the Lord to reach out
to us and look after our welfare and safety.
In so many occasions, Peter learned to confront
his own failings but he never had a falling out with
God because he recognized God’s indispensability
in his life. Just like Peter, we must profess that Jesus
is our Messiah and we will not leave as “Jesus is
the Son of God and he has the words of eternal life.
To whom can we go?”
Peter allowed Jesus to transform him from an
unassuming fisherman to an obedient and ever
ready fisher of men and to a shepherd called to
feed God’s sheep. In our daily life and in our own
mission of renewing the face of the earth, the same
attitude Peter had – the desire to be in the presence
of God – must be ours as well.
 CBCP Monitor
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010
Ugnayan C3

The Psalms: The Heart

of God’s Word
By Raymond Bucu
THE Psalms is the Heart of God’s word,” thus stated
renowned Catholic author and speaker, Thomas
Smith, during a one-day seminar organized by
Christ the King Parish, Greenmeadows, Quezon
City, entitled “A Day with the Psalms” held last
June 12, 2010 at the Chapel of the Eucharist Lord
at the SM Megamall.
The seminar, which was co-sponsored by
Couples for Christ, consisted of three main talks.
Talk One revealed why the Psalms are the ‘Heart
of God’s Word,’ whose “unique power to meet
and join our hearts, broken or whole, bruised or
bursting, remains largely untapped. Talk Two was
entitled “Masterpiece of Prayer,” where Smith ex-
plained why the Church has offered us the Psalms
as an indispensable companion in our spiritual life.
Finally, Talk Three discussed “Our Daily Delight,”
and examined why Psalm 1 introduces us not only
to the whole Psalter but also how to approach
God’s word in a daily dialogue of love.
According to Smith, the Psalms, also known
collectively as the Psalter, is an ancient collec-
tion of Jewish songs usually accompanied by
musical instruments, and sang first in the Holy
Tent, then later in the temple of Jerusalem. It is
traditionally believed that King David regulated
their use in the Temple liturgy and that he wrote
all 150 Psalms. However, Biblical scholars found
it more likely that David only wrote around 70
Psalms, found within the first two books, and
that the Levites, who were in charge of the sacred
music of the temple, probably wrote the rest of
Psalms, as well as selected which ones to use in
the Jewish liturgy.
Smith emphasized the importance of the Psalms,
citing that they are sure to have been used as
songbooks by Jesus and Mary. He also said that
“the Psalms have nourished the hearts of our
Lord and His mother.” This is the power of the
Psalms, says Smith. “The Psalms is big enough to
provide anyone with companionship. They have
the power to meet us exactly wherever we may be.
The Psalms give us the language of love, a liter-
ary garden where we can seek God in a mystical
moment. There are Psalms for lovers, or for the
heavy of heart.”
According to Smith, the Psalms have the “ability
to cut down the thorns and briars that surround the
Celestial Road (God).” In fact, in many verses of
the four Gospels, Jesus quoted extensively on the
Psalms, even more from any book of the Old Tes-
tament. Even at the final moments of Jesus on the
cross, He cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
(Matthew 27:46), a direct quote from Psalm 22.
Smith explained that the Psalms, having been
composed by various writers, have come down to
us through the ages as a powerful means of prayer,
for they are surely the reflections of people who
have undergone various spiritual encounters with
varying emotional experiences.
For instance, says Smith, the Songs of Lament,
attributed to King David, can be seen as coming
from the darkest places of the human soul. We are
reminded that David wrote them during a period
of 12 years, a time when he was being hunted down
by King Saul. It was therefore a time of deep de-
spair, of serious questions about his future, as well
as of persistent doubts about God’s revelations to
him, coming as it were after Samuel’s anointment
of him as the next King of Israel. Thus, says Smith,
anyone who feels that they are being tested may
be able to relate to the dark lamentations of David.
However, he will also find out that after the dark-
ness, he will also be brought to joyful praising in
the end. As Smith put it, God will allow you to visit
Pity City, but He will not let you stay.
The Psalms consist of five books. Smith ex-
plained that in Book One, the Psalms “bring us
to varying degrees of darkness that brings the
reader to exultant praise in the end.” Book Two is
about thanksgiving. Book Three, which begins at
Psalms 73, may be one of the darkest parts of the
Psalms, some of which were written in the days
of the Maccabeean struggles and was a time of
great tribulation. The psalmist expresses feelings
of abandonment by the Lord of His people but
later reflects that their suffering is brought about
by their disobedience to the God.
Book Four, written when the Davidic throne was
forced into exile, expresses the psalmist’s sense of
wonderment at God’s ways. Finally, Book Five
is marked by exultant praise, where some of the
Psalms, called the “Songs of Ascent,” were usu-
ally sang by pilgrims coming up the mountain
of Zion to visit the Temple of Jerusalem. Smith
stated that “these Psalms were sure to have been
sung by Jesus and His parents during their visits
to the Holy City.”
Of great interest to the listeners was Smith’s
discussion of the Messianic psalms (Psalms 2, 15,
22, 24, 40, 41, 45, 50, 68, 72, 91 and 118, to name a
few) and how they related to our Lord’s rabbinic
teaching technique which Smith called, ‘remez,’
Hebrew for ‘to hint.’ Smith said that “even at
the foot of the cross, Jesus was still teaching His
disciples by quoting Psalm 22, which hinted at all
that was happening at that profound moment.”
Smith reiterated that “whenever we read Jesus
quoting the Bible, we must pay attention and start
finding out where the quote came from and why
He is quoting it.”
Finally, the seminar ended with Smith’s brief
discussion of Lectio Divina, or divine reading.
There are many variations on the practice of lectio
divina, but they all rely on reading a passage of
scripture and attempting to attain a deeper un-
derstanding of Scripture through meditation and
contemplation. Smith explained that to benefit
even more greatly from the Psalms, it may be ap-
proached by using the four steps of lectio divina:
reading (lectio), reflecting (meditation), respond-
ing (oratio), and resting (contemplation).
“Lectio Divina” may be likened to the eating of
delicious food, taking in its appetizing sights and
smells, chewing it and quietly relishing the various
tastes while identifying the different ingredients
that went with it, until finally it is swallowed,
where it becomes pure grace, to nourish and to
strengthen, allowing us to go deeper into God’s
presence” he added.

CFC - Dili Celebrates Fullness in Christ in Ho Chi Minh

Pentecost with Praise By Annette Taguba
CFC Vietnam held the
Fullness in Christ seminar last
Couples for Christ in Dili celebrated the birthday of the May 30, 2010 in Ho Chi Minh
Church in true Pentecostal fashion – through worship. Last City (formerly Saigon). The
May 23, Pentecost Sunday, around 140 members of CFC and activity was further enhanced
its Family Ministries gathered to commemorate Pentecost by the presence of Sr. Mary
with a lively mass, the highest form of worship. Rev. Fr. Alan Niere, a Carmelite nun, who
Bondoc, SVD led everyone - couples, singles, youth and kids was one of the speakers at the
alike - in praising God through the liturgy. retreat.
Everyone truly felt the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their The retreat was, in the words
hearts, especially after receiving Holy Communion. of the participants, “particu-
Before the final blessing, Fr. Alan led the congregation in a larly meaningful because it
rousing praise and worship session that had everyone raising brought home to us the value
their hands, clapping, dancing, jumping and singing their of loving one another as a
hearts out to the Lord. It was truly refreshing and empower- requisite to truly achieving
ing for everyone! fullness of life in Christ.”
The other speakers were
Nonoy and Marivie Dalman,
Lily Domingo and Tony and
Zeny Gimenez from Manila.
The visiting team from Ma-
nila also visited Phnom Penh,
Cambodia and conducted
pastoral teachings, particularly
on leadership, commitment
and sacrifice.

CFC Jolo Celebrates 15th Anniversary

By Nanding Gonzales
After the mass, the formation course on “Living As A People COUPLES for Christ Jolo gathered to celebrate their 15th
of God” was given to leaders and members of CFC, HOLD, anniversary last May 30, 2010. The celebration was held at the
SOLD and SFC, as part of CFC - Timor’s transition to local Demasinud Formation Center. Ji Valdez, Area Head of Jolo, Sulu,
governance. Nanding Gonzales, Provincial Area Director of Zamboanga City,
Although physically drained from the heat, humidity and Vic Lauro and Willy Fermin, members of the Area Council, led
the lengthy whole-day affair, everyone went home on fire the Jolo brethren in thanking God for the past 15 years of their
with the Holy Spirit, eager to give light to Timor Leste and the community life.
world through CFC and its ministries. Hahi ba Nai Aleluia! It was not all celebration, however. In addition to the festivities,
Praise the Lord Alleluia! the council members provided everyone an update of the various
CFC activities and programs and asked them to reflect on the CFC
Covenant and the pastoral structure. Some leaders also shared their
inputs and insights which helped everyone to fully understand the
Grace / C1 meaning of the theme for the year: “Fullness of Life In Christ”.
this past 29 years…. A planning session was also conducted which stressed the impor-
That is the Christ that you believe in, the Son of God. In our prayers tance of evangelization to increase the number of God’s Army in Jolo.
The session allowed the leaders to draw up programs and activities CFC activities.
and in our teachings, always the Church repeats the same faith --
such as Christian Life Programs and pastoral teachings. One major problem in Jolo is the unstable peace and order situa-
Jesus is not a man. He was a man, but he is not just a man. He is not
CFC Jolo is fully supported by the Prelature of Jolo under the tion, but judging from the past 15 years of vibrant community life,
just a prophet. He is not just a human being who is a great leader, a
leadership of Bishop Angelito Lampon, who assists and encour- CFC Jolo is unfazed by any difficulty and instead remains commit-
great liberator, a great lover of mankind, the icon of peace and the
ages the brethren there not just with his pastoral guidance but by ted to the vision of being Families in the Holy Spirit, Renewing the
sacredness of environment. He is all of that, but much more. He is
practical help such as making prelature facilities available for all Face of the Earth.
God with us, for us. And you are for Him, Couples for Christ!
This is the Christ in whom we believe and who enables us to do
miracles, to extend his presence in our world but most especially to
bring His presence to those who long for God, those who feel aban- Lay Faithful / C1
doned, the poor, those who look for signs of love and compassion.
My brothers and sisters, you are there for them. Through you, the become virtues.” More and Associates (STMA), mon Arguelles, and assisted by Build indeed, our life on Christ, ”
Christ speaks to our world, as He did two thousand years ago, to the Fr. Carmelo Diola, for his expressed affirmation of his re- the other bishops present. In his said Archbishop Arguelles.
tax collectors, the ones who were rejected, to the centurion, the pagan part, explained, that “politics is solve to make “the office and the homily, Archbishop Arguelles The Clergy-Lay Congress
and to the crowds who wanted to listen to His voice, His consoling the art of public service.” It has courts as milieu for evangeliza- exhorted that, “The best people is an annual CFC event. Joey
words. You are there for them, Couples for Christ! only gained a dirty or pejorative tion” and to truly heed the call who can evangelize are the lay Arguelles of the CFC IC ex-
Remember which Christ you are for. It is He who came to bring connotation because of default. to witness because this “opens people, as exemplified by the plained that the idea of the
glad news to the poor, to proclaim freedom to those who are unfree, He elaborated that “behind de- up opportunities for more CFC first lay person to evangelize – congress started in 2008 as
recovery of sight to those who don’t see, and release to those who velopment is good governance. to be active in STMA.” the Blessed Mother. She could CFC’s way of renewing its ties
are captives. Allow yourselves to be transformed by Him, the Christ Behind good governance is prin- Rommel Ancheta, YFC In- be anyone of you.” to the clergy. Eventually, it has
who is the Savior, the Messiah, the Son of God, our Hope. Allow cipled politics and politicians,” ternational Coordinator, com- He explained that “We, priests, become a forum to strengthen
yourselves to be transformed by Him, to be filled by His grace so made possible in turn by “en- mented that “politics has been are meant to make the lay feel the the bond between the lay and
that as Couples for Christ – couples for Him – you might stay with gaged communities”, composed farfetched from the mind of the love of Christ. They should ex- the clergy.
Him and lead others to Him. of “values-driven families”, youth.” The Pope’s call presents perience the presence and power Addressing the clergy, Joey
As you recall the past with gratitude, look forward to the future, behind which are “enlightened a greater challenge, especially of Christ that passes through us. Arguelles said: “We remain
with courage and optimism. Do not lose sight of the Christ that you and renewed individuals.” for the youth who are in search We are here to enable the lay to hopeful and encouraged despite
are for, the real Christ. He is a God who has enabled us to be what we Fr. Bs Mardiatmadja, SJ. from of role models and heroes. be rooted on the real Christ alive difficult situations because of
are, to accomplish so much good. You who accomplished so much Indonesia spoke about the ex- Cagayan de Oro Archbishop in the Church.” the gift of pastoral fathers pow-
good for the past 29 years --It is only He who has done it. It is the real pression of our faith life as a Antonio Ledesma exhorted CFC “What we are meant to export erfully praying for all of us as
Christ who now blesses you and sends you on a mission to spread “counter-witness” and the need to lead the way in terms of Natu- is trust in God and in human we strive to be better sons and
His Gospel, the Gospel of Love, of Truth and of what is Right. to discern always what are the ral Family Planning (NFP). beings. That’s our evangeliza- daughters of God… As we have
In the Philippines and throughout the world, it is He who unites best ways to witness to Christ. The Congress ended with the tion, based on the humility of found pastoral fathers in you,
husband and wife, keeps them faithful and keeps the family together Atty. Nides Respicio, Na- celebration of the Holy Eucharist the Son of God- made-man. The we hope that you have found a
in the holy bond of love. This is the real Christ.” tional Coordinator of St. Thomas celebrated by Archbishop Ra- only hope of the world is Christ. family in CFC.”
 C4 Ugnayan CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 13
June 21 - July 4, 2010

CFC Country Leaders’ Congress:

CFC’s Truly Catholic Evangelization

By Nirva Delacruz
COUPLES for Christ’s call to be ‘missionary’ is as old as its 29 years
of existence. But at this year’s Country Leaders’ Congress held last
June 16, the emphasis for CFC’s global work is for it to be truly
Catholic, truly universal.
CFC is now on Twitter!
Top CFC leaders from 28 countries listened to the sessions which
talked about “Our Role in CFC’s Global Evangelization and Mission”
given by International Missions Director Rouquel Ponte. Ponte par-
ticularly stressed the accountability that comes with leadership. relationships” and “embrace the pastoral formation.”
Worth noting is the importance CFC is starting to give evangeliza- Leaders like CFC Thailand National Director Jimmy Lozare found
tion using the “new media” or the internet through social network- this year’s congress inputs helpful for the continuity of the missions.
ing sites like Facebook and Twitter. This is the first year that CFC is “We are more Church-oriented which is the proper direction,” he
taking its presence on the net seriously by championing the cause explained. The congress ended with a praisefest led by Singles for
of bringing Christ online. To date, Couples for Christ in several Christ full-time worker Lawrence Quintero.
countries have been building their own websites and have been
setting up official Facebook pages to create a sense of community
for members and even non-members online. This move is in line
with the Church’s exhortation to the clergy to start evangelizing the
“digital continent” – the internet.

A Missionary, Pro-poor and Pastoral CFC

For the second session, CFC International Director Joe Yamamoto
reminded CFC leaders about the concrete directions of CFC’s global
work. “The first responsibility of leadership is to define reality,”
Yamamoto said at the start of the session. He emphasized that it is
crucial for leaders not to forget where CFC is headed. CFC should
not be complacent about being present in 107 countries but should
desire to conquer more areas for Christ, citing a prophecy by CFC
Council wife Nina Ponte about CFC “winning the world for Christ”
decades before.
Yamamoto also reminded everyone that CFC’s Work with the Poor
program should not be Philippine-centric. “We do work with the
poor but we shouldn’t see it as happening only in the Philippines. International Missions Director Rouquel Ponte with delegates from abroad: (stand-
Where there is CFC, there is work with the poor,” he explained. ing from left) Fr. Bartholomew Ogumelu of the diocese of Onitsha, Nigeria, Jerry
Tanigue, country coordinator for Nigeria and Ghana, Rouquel and Lito Illescas of
Yamamoto also exhorted the country leaders to “strengthen our Qatar. Seated are: Tess Illescas and Lourdes Quiambao or Abu Dhabi.

CFC FAMILY MINISTRIES: Our love and our Life

By Dana Flores the talk centered on how families these days have order to put the vision
lost and forgotten the plan that God had for them, into reality. Again he
THE heat was no match for the vibrancy and as he illustrated very alarming statistics about used the acronym LIFE
excitement that filled the air on the afternoon families today. Alarming as it may seem, Melo to describe these:
of June 16,2010, when the Family Ministries assured everyone that there is still hope, as he Linkages between
Congress was held in the Marikina Convention pointed to the role of the CFC Family Ministries Ministries for Continu-
Center. All Family Ministries Heads, CFC in bringing the CFC Vision “Families in the Holy ity
International Council, Ministry Heads of Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth”, into real- Integration of all Min-
different areas, and ministry fulltime workers, ity. Melo pointed out that the spirit of LOVE is the istry strengths, efforts,
gathered driving force of our work. He used LOVE as an and potentials
together acronym to describe the essence of being a Family Forebearers of the
to cele- Ministries Head, which are: Message
brate and Leading and championing our overall mission Enabling and Empow-
embrace for families ering Ministry Heads
the beauty Oneness and Consistency with the CFC Vision, in leading their respec-
of the CFC Mission, and Directions tive ministry (through
vision. Vessels of Fullness training, and pastoral
T h e Exemplifying Christ in personal leadership and guidance)
congress family life Melo pointed out that
started The congress was also the venue for the launch- these responsibilities,
with a ing of the new Family Ministries Heads Handbook if fulfilled, will ensure
worship which explains the roles and responsibilities of that the Lord’s vision for
led by Goi Villegas, Youth for Christ pastoral family ministries heads. His people are put into
worker. A dance presentation by the Kids for The second session “Build My Family, Build My reality.
Christ, kicked off the first session for the day, Home” was also conducted by Melo Villaramon, An exuberant praise
entitled “Families in Fullness.” Given by CFC who explained in full detail the concrete things fest concluded the activ-
Family Ministries Director, Melo Villaroman, that Family Ministries Heads need to move in ity.

“….Where No One Is In Need”
By Layle Ancheta
IT was a great and joyful morning last
June 17, 2010, when the provincial,
Metro Manila and international leaders
of Couples for Christ gathered at the
Marikina Convention Center for the 1st
CFC ANCOP Congress. The theme of
the congress was taken from the verses
in Acts 4, emphasizing the phrase “…
where no one is in need.”
Mon Penalosa, provincial council
member of Negros Occidental, started
off the activity with a vibrant worship,
followed by Lito Tayag, CFC Interna-
tional Council member, who gave the
welcome remarks.
The two morning sessions inspired
the leaders. Joe Tale, CFC Chairman,
gave the first talk entitled “From AN-
COP to ANCOP,” while the second
session, entitled “Moving Forward with
ANCOP,” was given by Joe Yamamoto,
CFC Executive Director.
Joe Tale gave everyone a glimpse
of the journey of CFC’s work with the
poor through the years. ANCOP, an
acronym which means “Answering the
Cry of the Poor,” was the name given
to CFC’s work with the poor during the
early 1990s. Joe reminded everyone that
CFC Chairman Joe Tale, right, and CFC Executive Director Joe Yamamoto (with shovel), lead ground-
breaking rites at the San Mateo ANCOP site.
The First Couples for Christ ANCOP Congress
ANCOP was re-launched last December
8, 2010, a date specifically chosen to
honor the Blessed Mother, specifically
in her being Our Lady of Banneux, more
popularly known as the “Virgin of the
Poor.”
“Since its launch last year, the work
of ANCOP has been truly gaining
momentum,” Joe Tale said. “We have
seen groundbreaking of various sites
in the provinces of Batangas, now with
10 ANCOP village sites, building 1500
homes; in San Mateo, Rizal where 300-
400 homes will be built in the first “Our
Lady of Banneux” ANCOP village, and
in Tarlac and Quezon Province.”
Bernie Cuevas, the first fulltime
worker for ANCOP, shared her own
experience in the journey of serving
the poor. “Work with the poor of CFC
started with the work of the youth in
Bagong Silang sometime in 1994, mak-
ing a difference in the lives of the out
of school youth there. We started with
youth development, and eventually
the work with the poor expanded to
building homes and houses, then, we
were called to do the work of nation
building. Work with the poor expanded
and became very massive through these
years” she said.
Ricky Cuenca, ANCOP
Joe Tale announced that CFC is com- President, leads the two
mitted to continuing and embracing the Joes in shouting out the
work with the poor, and that we shall ANCOP slogan.
move as the Holy Spirit moves us, to
work hard and to give our best in this as an instru-
mission. He stressed that this work is ment of healing,
one with the Catholic Church. “CFC’s addressing their
work with the poor will continue for as relevant needs
long as we put the Lord at the center of (material, physical
it.” He asked everyone to attract others and emotional)
to do this work by example and witness- And fulfilling
ing, and by being our brother’s keeper. their yearning for
“Through ANCOP, may the work of a better future
bringing Christ to the poor give our Through per-
brothers and sisters a bit of the piece of sonal and family
heaven God has promised us all here transformation
on earth.” that leads to a
In the second session, Joe Yamamoto just and caring
exhorted CFC leaders to manage the society and a life
changes we face together in this mis- of dignity for all.
sion. He emphasized that the heart of
our work with the poor stems from the The long yet
heart of Christ. This means that CFC, very inspiring day
through our work with the poor, are ended with a pow-
called to proclaim the face of Jesus to erful closing exhortation led by Ricky service to others. With the grace of God,
the poor and to our individual and Cuenca, newly installed President of and guidance of the Holy Spirit, truly,
private partners, LGU’s, and/or non- CFC ANCOP. In his message to the we will soon have a society “…where
government organizations. With the leaders, he affirmed that the Lord is no one is in need”
expanding and massive work ahead of truly blessing us in this immense global This vision may seem far-fetched but
us, and now that CFC ANCOP has gone work. “We have truly been anointed by true to our ANCOP slogan, “SAGOT
full circle, Joe Yamamoto called all CFC God to “build the church of the home KITA DAHIL SAGOT TAYO NI LORD,”
leaders to respond to this work by lov- and build the church of the poor. We the Lord is assuring us that in this great
ing one another and by being connected are to truly answer the cry of the poor.” and massive work, He will always give
to the true source of this work which is Ricky said. us the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in-
CHRIST. Truly, it was a day to celebrate and spiration in the hope he gives, and the
The afternoon sessions highlighted be grateful for the immense work God driving force of love that He has for
the 4 basic programs of ANCOP. These has entrusted to Couples for Christ. all of us.
programs aim to address and provide Through ANCOP,
the basic needs and necessities of the our work with the
poor. The programs were simplified poor, God has given
with the acronym word “HEED” which us the great priv-
means: ilege to heed the
H- Health call of Christ to his
E- Education chosen disciples to
E- Economic Stability give all our love and
D- Developing Communities
Fr. Allen Aganon, far left,
The discussion of these four programs and Fr, Paul Uwemedi-
of ANCOP gave the leaders a head start mo, second from right,
on the work that is at hand. The day join Joemar Salumbides,
PAH of Southern Leyte
ended with a final session, inspiring and SFC volunteers in
everyone to heed the CFC ANCOP mis- providing service as
sion which was: “waiters” in the fundrais-
ing activity called “Ang
Answering the cry of the Poor by Cup” during the ANCOP
sharing Christ’s love, Congress.