Monitor

CBCP

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 4, 2018, VOL 22, NO. 4 CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

THE CROSS A3: NEWS A6: LOCAL NEWS B1: PASTORAL CONCERNS
A SUPPLEMENT PUBLICATION Pope says Paul VI will be declared a saint this year 1 priest dead, 1 injured in separate ‘Return without fear, to experience the healing and
OF KCFAPI AND THE ORDER OF road accidents in E. Samar reconciling tenderness of God.’
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Bishop chides Catholics

who favor drug killings
By Roy Lagarde
BISHOP Pablo
Virgilio David of
Kalookan lashed
out at Catholics who
agree that drug users
and pushers are not
part of humanity
and should be killed.
Speaking emphatically
during a Singles for Christ
gathering in Makati City
on Feb. 17, he lamented
the seeming apathy and
indifference of the general
public in the face of drug-
related killings.
“I hope you understand
why my heart bleeds when
I hear about Catholics who
agree that addicts are not
human,” he said in his homily
during Mass for the SFC
International Conference.
“My heart bleeds when there
are Catholics who agree that
criminals cannot be reformed,
that they deserve to die and be
exterminated if we are to have
a peaceful Philippine society,”
David said.
The prelate told the more
than 7,000 young people
present at the event, which
also marked the SFC’s 25th
anniversary, about the needs
for a different approach that
sees the drug problem as a
public health issue.
He emphasized that
intimidation and killings
will not stop the problem,
as he again chided the
government’s drug war that
has led to the deaths of over
12,000 Filipinos, mostly
urban poor.
The Church, according to
him, is not saying that the
drug problem should not be
fought. “But our question
is how are you fighting this
war?” David said.
“I know they have declared
a war. But my question is
war against whom? Before
declaring a war, are we not
supposed to identify first
who our enemies and allies
are? That’s all we are asking,”
he pointed out.
As bishop of a diocese
that has become a “killing
field,” David said he cannot
Killings / A6 Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan delivers his homily during Mass for the Singles for Christ International Conference in Makati City, Feb. 17, 2018. ROY LAGARDE

Bishop bewails indifference Ecumenical service marks world day

of prayer against human trafficking
on Ash Wednesday
AN official of the Catholic Church
called on Ash Wednesday to fight
indifference to extrajudicial killings
and corruption and even the bad
mouthing of government officials,
labeling it as a sin of omission.
Celebrating Mass to usher the
beginning Lent, Manila Auxiliary
Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that
“grave sin” is also when people turn
away from the needs of others or
when they grow indignant at evil Nuns hold lighted candles as they pray for victims human trafficking to mark the International Day of
Prayer and Awareness against Trafficking in Persons at the Plaza Ferguzon in Ermita, Manila on Feb.
but do nothing about it. 8, 2018. ROY LAGARDE
“One of our biggest sin of
omission is us neglecting our THE fourth international day of The event was organized by the
nation. We refuse to be vigilant,” prayer and awareness against Catholic Church with the Philippine
Pabillo said in his homily at the human trafficking was marked on Interfaith Movement (PIMAHT)
Manila archdiocese’s chapel in Thursday with a forum followed who called on everyone to work
Intramuros. by an ecumenical service at the together to end exploitation and
“It seems that it is okay for us that Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass at Manila archdioese’s chapel Plaza Ferguzon in Manila’s Ermita slavery.
Indifference / A6 in Intramuros, February 14, 2018. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC PAUL GUANLAO/RCAM-AOC district. Ecumenical / A6

Justice needed to stop impunity, Cardinal Tagle: ‘Consecrated life
bishops say
AT least two Catholic
bishops have welcomed
the International Criminal
Court’s commitment to
investigate President
Rodrigo Duterte over
the killings related to the
administration’s war on
drugs.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop
Broderick Pabillo said such
probe is necessary to bring
justice to the victims of
extrajudicial killings and to
show that nobody can abuse
human rights with impunity.
“All will be held accountable
for anything that they do
especially those in power.
The more power, the more
accountability,” he said.
is human ecology at its best’
The Hague-based court
have started a preliminary
investigation into Duterte’s
ruthless anti-drug campaign,
which has claimed thousands
of lives since it began in July
2016.
ICC prosecutors will
examine whether crimes
against humanity have been
committed and whether
there is enough evidence
that the case falls under its
jurisdiction.
Various human rights
groups said that the
government’s crackdown on
illegal drugs has given rise to
a culture of impunity.
Bishop Arturo Bastes of
Impunity / A7
THE consecrated life is
the epitome of how human
ecology should be. This was
one of the main messages
of Manila Archbishop Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle in
his keynote message during
the first-ever Laudato Si
Conference held by the
Ecclesiastical Province
of Manila, at De La Salle
University on Feb. 2.
“The consecrated people
through your poverty,
through your community
living, through the sharing of
your resources, through your
obedience, your chastity,
your life is supposedly the
most beautiful example of
human ecology in support
Bishop seeks probe into Mindanao flooding
of environmental ecology,”
explained the prelate to at
least 1,000 delegates from
12 dioceses.
According to Tagle, the
consecrated life is an example
of “how to live joyfully, fully
with respect also for the gift
of creation.”
‘Human ecology’
Aligning the Feast of the Uprooted trees and other debris litter the village of Babuyan in Carrascal, Surigal del
Presentation of the Lord Sur. PHOTO COURTESY OF IAN CORDITA GANAS
with the conference theme,
“Ugnayang-Buhay Para A CATHOLIC bishop has Bishop Nereo Odchimar
Kay Inang Kalikasan!” (The appealed for an investigation of Tandag said the disaster
Connectedness of Life For into the heavy flooding that caused “untold suffering” of
Mother Nature), he cited claimed at least five lives many people who lost their
various themes present in and displaced thousands of houses and farms.
Pope Francis’ encyclical families as storm “Basyang” “Many residents are calling
Ecology / A7 hit Mindanao recently. Flooding / A7
A2 WORLD NEWS February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 CBCP Monitor

Vatican Briefing Archbishop of Erbil: Christians in Iraq

Pope says he prays for those who call him a
are ‘scourged, wounded, but still there’
heretic WASHINGTON D.C.— countries to come and
Pope Francis said he tries to dialogue with those “Without an end to this step forward in helping by
who disagree with him in the hope that he will learn persecution and violence, rebuilding Christian villages,
something; but he just prays for those who call him a there is no future for Yazidis villages, to show some
heretic. “When I perceive resistance, I seek dialogue religious pluralism in Iraq or sign of solidarity,” Warda said.
whenever it is possible; but some resistance comes anywhere else in the Middle As an example of this, he
from people who believe they possess the true doctrine East for that matter,” said acknowledged the work of
and accuse you of being a heretic,” the pope told a Iraqi Archbishop Bashar the United Arab Emirates:
group of Jesuits during a meeting Jan. 16 in Santiago, Warda of Erbil in a speech “Since the ISIS attack,
Chile. The exchange was part of the usual question- at Georgetown University on they’ve been with us helping
and-answer session Pope Francis has with Jesuit Feb. 15. all -- Catholics, Yazidis,
communities during his papal trips abroad. With the The Chaldean Archbishop Muslims.”
pope’s approval, the Jesuit journal CiviltaCattolica spoke of the state of “There is a fundamental
publishes a transcript of the conversation several weeks Christianity in Iraq today crisis within Islam itself
later. The text from the January trip was released Feb. and what both Muslim and if this crisis is not
15. (Cindy Wooden/CNS) and Western leaders can acknowledged, addressed
Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil speaks at Georgetown University on Feb. 15. JONAH
do to help protect religious MCKEOWN/CNA and fixed then there can be
Lent is time to notice God’s work, receive God’s minorities and rebuild their no future for Christians in the
mercy, pope says communities. without properties, without us. We forgive them in the Middle East,” he said.
Lent is a time for Christians to get their hearts in sync “We Christian people, who monasteries, without the name of Christ.” “We’ve been hearing some
with the heart of Jesus, Pope Francis said. “Let the Lord have endured persecution in ability to participate in any of He said he believes that courageous voices from
heal the wounds of sin and fulfill the prophecy made patience and faith for 1,400 the things that give our lives this message of forgiveness Islamic leaders concerning the
to our fathers: ‘A new heart I will give you, and a new years now face an existential dignity,” Warda said. is something Christians can need of change and the need
spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your struggle. It is possibly the last “And, yet, we are still there, witness to their Muslim to address this issue openly. It
flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh,’” struggle that we will face in scourged, wounded, yet still neighbors in the Middle East. should be encouraged.”
the pope said Feb. 14, celebrating Mass and distributing Iraq,” said Warda at an event there,” he noted. “We say this to our Muslim He also stressed the
ashes at the beginning of Lent. In his homily, he said hosted by Georgetown’s “So few of us are left, some neighbors, learn this from us. importance of “honesty and
the church gives Christians the 40 days of Lent as a Berkley Center for Religion, estimate 200,000 Christians Let us help you heal. Your respect” in inter-religious
time to reflect on “anything that could dampen or even Peace and World Affairs. or less,” continued the wounds are as deep as ours dialogue between Christians
corrode our believing heart.”(Cindy Wooden/CNS) After an attack by ISIS Chaldean bishop. “While ...We pray for your healing. and Muslims.
displaced more than 125,000 it is true that our numbers Let us heal our wounded and Warda is working towards
Pope, Melkite patriarch formalize full Christians, Warda said that are small, the apostles were tortured countries together,” sustainable solutions to
communion there is a core of the faithful much smaller.” he said. rebuild his community
Formalizing their unity in the intimate setting of the who will not leave their When speaking of the Warda called on Muslim in northern Iraq. He sees
chapel of the papal residence, Pope Francis and Melkite ancestral homeland in the suffering of his people, the leaders to acknowledge that hope in the new Catholic
Patriarch Joseph Absi concelebrated Mass together Nineveh plains in Iraq. Archbishop also spoke of changes need to be made to University of Erbil, which
in the presence of members of the Melkite synod of In a single night, ISIS took forgiveness. protect religious minorities. recently opened its doors
bishops. Instead of giving a homily at the early morning nearly everything from the “We forgive those who “It is not enough to say, thanks to the financial
Mass Feb. 13, Pope Francis explained the special nature bishop’s flock, leaving them murdered us, who tortured ‘ISIS does not represent support from the Italian
of Patriarch Absi’s visit. “He is the father of a church, “without shelter, without us, who raped us, who sought Islam.’ We need more.” bishops conference. (CNA/
a very ancient church, and he comes to embrace Peter, refuge, without work, to destroy everything about “I would encourage Muslim EWTN News)
to say, ‘I’m in communion with Peter,’” Pope Francis
said during the Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
The Melkite church, one of the many Eastern churches
in full union with Rome, “has its own theology within
Respect freedom of speech, Kenyan bishops say
Catholic theology, it has a marvelous liturgy and a
people of its own.” (Cindy Wooden/CNS) after media restrictions
Only sin can make one impure, pope says at NAIROBI, Kenya— Kenya’s
Angelus government has shut down several
No disease makes a person impure; only sin does TV stations after the leader of an
that, Pope Francis said. While being sick can impact a opposition political party declared
person’s whole being, “it in no way impairs or impedes himself the “people’s president”
one’s relationship with God. In fact, a sick person can in January. The country’s bishops
be even more united to God,” the pope said Feb. 11, condemned the actions of both parties
commenting on the day’s Gospel reading about Jesus and insisted on the importance of free
healing a leper. “Sin is what makes us impure,” the pope speech and respect for law and order.
said. “Selfishness, pride,” corruption -- “these are the “As a Church whose mandate is
diseases of the heart which must be purified by turning to promote justice and peace, we
to Jesus like the leper did, ‘If you wish, you can make are categorically concerned with
me clean.’” Speaking to an estimated 30,000 people acts of both the government and the
gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis asked them opposition that are unconstitutional
to take a moment in silence and think about “your own and a bridge to law and order,” the
impurities, your own sins,” and then, in silence, tell bishops wrote in a Feb. 2 statement.
Jesus, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” (Cindy The situation follows a disputed
Wooden/CNS) August 2017 election. President
Uhuru Kenyatta was re-elected Aug. Kenyan bishops at a meeting with Pope Francis in Nairobi, Nov. 26, 2015. MARTHA CALDERON/CNA
Church’s legal procedures for abuse cases need 11, but it was nullified and a new
changing, expert says election was ordered by the Supreme stations did “not augur well for the large.”
Even though the Catholic Church has all the necessary Court, which said the vote wasn’t freedom of expression and press in Citing the fact that “no state agency
norms and laws in place to safeguard minors from transparent. the country.” or individual is above the law,” they
abuse by clergy, the problem continues to be a lack in Raila Odinga, Kenyatta’s challenger, “This is in itself is retrogressive called on all state agencies and all duty
understanding or caring about those rules and guidelines boycotted the October re-run, claiming and deliberate effort toward eroding bearers to respect and adhere to the
and applying them effectively, said one Jesuit expert. it would also be neither free nor fair, the positive steps the Country and tenets and spirit of the Constitution,
But what must change, “without a doubt,” are church and Kenyatta won overwhelmingly, her people have laid down in the respect human rights and the
procedures for handling accusations of abuse, said Jesuit with only 39 percent turnout. Constitution as a social contract.” fundamental freedoms.”
Father Hans Zollner, head of the Pontifical Gregorian Odinga then held an unofficial The bishops encouraged the As an organization committed to
University’s Center for Child Protection. The legal process swearing-in ceremony in Nairobi government to resume the proper peaceful solutions, the bishops offered
“must be more transparent and more transparent for Jan. 30 where he called himself the media functions, as Kenya’s their support to help facilitate dialogue
everyone,” including the victims, the accused and his “people’s president.” constitution allows. The statement and encouraged Kenyans to join a 2018
or her superiors, Fr.Zollner told reporters Feb. 9 at a Kenyatta’s government then shut also emphasized the responsibility of Lenten campaign for peace.
ceremony awarding 18 people -- religious and laity— down several TV channels so as to journalists “to inform and educate the About 50 people have reportedly
diplomas for completing a specialization course in prevent coverage of the swearing-in. public.” been killed in violence related to
safeguarding minors. (Carol Glatz/CNS) The stations were still able to live- Additionally, the bishops insisted protests following the August 2017
stream online, however. Only two that “both opposition and the election.
2 ex-managers of Vatican bank ordered to pay stations have now been allowed to government should desist from any Kenya’s 2007 elections resulted in
damages for mismanagement resume broadcasting to subscribers. acts that can incite the public and nationwide ethnic violence that killed
A Vatican court found two former top managers The Kenyan bishops responded cause deeper divisions among the 1,300 people and displaced as many
of the Vatican bank liable for mismanagement and saying that the restrictions on the TV people of Kenya and the Country at as 700,000. (CNA/EWTN News)
ordered an injunction for them to pay damages. The
sentence was announced Feb. 6 by the bank, formally
known as the Institute for the Works of Religion, or IOR It’s a miracle: Lourdes healing officially declared supernatural
in Italian. It did not specify the amount it is seeking in
damages, but the Italian news agency ANSA said the LOURDES, France— A rendered her wheelchair- and pain medications. miraculous healings. It is the
damages the bank incurred totaled about 47 million miracle was officially bound and fully disabled Moriau’s case was site where young Bernadette
euro (about $58 million). Paolo Cipriani, the former recognized at the Marian since 1980. She also said she brought to the attention of Soubirous witnessed Marian
director, and Massimo Tulli, the former deputy director shrine of Our Lady of had been taking morphine to the International Medical apparitions, beginning on
of the Vatican bank, had offered their resignations “in Lourdes in France this week, control the pain. Committee of Lourdes, Feb. 11, 1858. The shrine also
the best interest of the institute and the Holy See” in the 70th Lourdes miracle When Sister Moriau who extensively researched holds a spring of water which
July 2013. (Carol Glatz/CNS) recognized by the Catholic visited the Lourdes Shrine the nun’s recovery. They is said to have miraculous
Church. almost a decade ago, she eventually found that healing properties.
Palestine asks Vatican to defend Jerusalem’s The miracle was officially said she “never asked for a Moriau’s healing could not While there have been
status quo declared by Bishop Jacques miracle,” according to the be scientifically explained. more than 7,000 miraculous
The Palestinian Foreign Affairs minister, Ryadh Benoit-Gonin of Beauvais, Associated Press. After a healing is recoveries attributed to the
al Maliki, met officials of the Vatican Secretariat of France on Feb. 11, the World However, after attending recognized by the Lourdes intercession of Our Lady
State Feb. 16, asking the Holy See to amplify its voice Day of the Sick and the a blessing for the sick at the committee, the paperwork of Lourdes at the French
defending the status quo in Jerusalem. It is important feast day of Our Lady of shrine, something began to is then sent to the diocese shrine, only 70 cases have
to understand that the situation of Jerusalem also Lourdes. During Mass at change. of origin, where the local been officially recognized
deals with Christians,” the minister told CNA after the shrine’s basilica, Bishop “I felt a [surge of] well- bishop has the final say. by the Catholic Church. A
the meeting, during a short briefing with journalists Nicolas Brouwet of Lourdes being throughout my body, After the bishop’s blessing, a miraculous recovery must
in the State of Palestine’s recently opened embassy announced the miracle. a relaxation, warmth…I healing can then be officially generally be a complete,
to the Holy See. “We would like the Holy See lead a The miraculous event returned to my room and recognized by the Church as spontaneous, and immediate
conference of Christians in the Middle East, in order involved a French nun, Sister there, a voice told me to ‘take a miracle. healing from a documented
to make their voice stronger.”Minister al Maliki met Bernadette Moriau, who off your braces,’” recalled the The shrine of Our Lady of medical condition.
with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, went on a pilgrimage to now 79-year old nun. Lourdes in southern France The last official miracle
and then with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the shrine of Our Lady of “Surprise. I could move,” is a popular pilgrimage attributed to the intercession
the Vatican “minister for foreign affairs. (Andrea Lourdes in 2008. She had Moriau said, noting that she destination for individuals of Our Lady of Lourdes was
Gagliarducci/CNA) been suffering from spinal instantaneously walked away with special devotions to declared in 2013. (CNA/
complications which had from her wheelchair, braces, Mary and for those seeking EWTN News)
CBCP Monitor
Pope says Paul VI will be
declared a saint this year
A mosaic of Blessed Paul VI is seen in the Trinity Dome at the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. He visited the shrine as an
archbishop in 1960. TYLER ORSBURN/CNS
It’s a miracle: Lourdes healing officially declared supernatural
LOURDES, France— A miracle was
officially recognized at the Marian
shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France
this week, the 70th Lourdes miracle
recognized by the Catholic Church.
The miracle was officially declared
by Bishop Jacques Benoit-Gonin of
Beauvais, France on Feb. 11, the World
Day of the Sick and the feast day of
Our Lady of Lourdes. During Mass at
the shrine’s basilica, Bishop Nicolas
Brouwet of Lourdes announced the
miracle.
The miraculous event involved a
French nun, Sister Bernadette Moriau,
who went on a pilgrimage to the shrine
of Our Lady of Lourdes in 2008. She had
been suffering from spinal complications
which had rendered her wheelchair-
bound and fully disabled since 1980. She
also said she had been taking morphine
to control the pain.
When Sister Moriau visited the
Lourdes Shrine almost a decade ago,
she said she “never asked for a miracle,”
according to the Associated Press.
However, after attending a blessing
for the sick at the shrine, something
began to change.
“I felt a [surge of] well-being
throughout my body, a relaxation,
warmth…I returned to my room and
there, a voice told me to ‘take off your
braces,’” recalled the now 79-year old
nun.
“Surprise. I could move,” Moriau said,
noting that she instantaneously walked
away from her wheelchair, braces, and
Vatican denies report Pope Benedict has degenerative disease
VATICAN— The Vatican
denied that retired Pope
Benedict XVI has a
degenerative neurological
disease or paralyzing
condition after his brother,
94-year-old Msgr. Georg
Ratzinger, told a
magazine that Pope
Benedict had a debilitating
disease.
In an interview published
Feb. 13 in the German
weekly entertainment
magazine, Neue Post,
Msgr. Ratzinger said Pope
Benedict suffered from
a nerve disease that was
slowly paralyzing him.
“The greatest concern
is that the paralysis could
eventually reach his heart
and then everything
could end quickly,” Msgr.
Ratzinger was quoted as
saying.
“I pray every day to ask
God for the grace of a good
death, at a good moment,
for my brother and me. We
both have this great wish,”
he added.
Although news about
the interview also was
February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 NEWS FEATURES A3
From North Korea to Catholicism:
Mi Jin’s answered prayer
VATICAN— Pope Francis baby and helping her reach
told pastors in the Diocese full term. The baby’s mother,
of Rome that Blessed Paul VI who was told she had a very
would be canonized this year. high risk of miscarrying the
The pope’s announcement baby, had prayed for Blessed
came at the end of a question- Paul’s intercession a few days
and-answer session with the after his beatification by Pope
priests Feb. 15; the Vatican Francis in 2014. North Korean defector Mi Jin Kang, with the Korean sisters who taught her about the
released the text of the The theological commission Catholic faith. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
exchange three days later. of the Congregation for
Archbishop Angelo De Saints’ Causes had voted in SEOUL, South Korea— life,” Mi Jin said.
Donatis, papal vicar for December to recognize the During her childhood in When Pope Francis visited
Rome, had told the priests intercession of Blessed Paul North Korea, Mi Jin Kang South Korea in 2014, Mi Jin
that they would be receiving in the healing. never believed in the was invited by the Korean
a book of “meditations” Although Pope Francis existence of God, until one bishops to see Pope Francis
about priesthood drawn from announced the upcoming person began to spark her face-to-face, in the front row
speeches from each pope, canonization, he still has not curiosity. of the beatification Mass for
from Blessed Paul VI to Pope formally signed the decree “From school education, 124 Korean martyrs. She also
Francis. recognizing the miracle nor I learned that religion is attended to Pope’s Mass in
That prompted Pope held a consistory -- a meeting a drug,” Mi Jin told CNA, Seoul’s historic Myeongdong
Francis to comment, “There of cardinals -- to set the date “However, I heard the story Cathedral.
are two (recent) bishops for the ceremony. of God from a girl that I met “I got to experience the
of Rome who already are La Voce del Popolo, the in North Korea before my glory of a Mass close to the
saints,” Sts. John XXIII and newspaper of Blessed Paul’s escape. This was the first step Pope,” said Mi Jin.
John Paul II. “Paul VI will be home diocese, the Diocese of to belief.” Mi Jin now works as a
a saint this year.” Brescia, Italy, had reported “Before escaping North journalist in South Korea at
The sainthood cause of in December that it is likely Korea, the story of God was the Daily NK, helping others
Pope John Paul I is open, Pope Francis will celebrate a curiosity and miraculous,” to understand what life is
he noted, before adding, the canonization Mass in said Mi Jin who decided to like inside the world’s most
“Benedict (XVI) and I are on October, during the meeting escape North Korea in 2009, opaque country.
the waiting list; pray for us.” of the world Synod of Bishops, at the age of 40. Mi Jin told CNA that
The cardinals and bishops an institution Pope Paul had “When I escaped from American Catholics can
who are members of the revived. North Korea, I prayed with help North Koreans. “I
Congregation for Saints’ Blessed Paul, who was born my two hands,” remembered think it is necessary to
Causes reportedly voted Feb. Giovanni Battista Montini, Mi Jin, “When my prayer to provide humanitarian
6 to recognize as a miracle was pope from 1963 to 1978. God at the moment of escape assistance for people who
the healing of an unborn (Cindy Wooden/CNS) was answered, I decided to be are in need in North Korea.
a child of God.” I also hope that support
“It was especially this for organizations who are
prayer to God at the moment
of escaping from North Korea
broadcasting to reach out
to residents in North Korea,
that led me to be a believer such as Daily NK, can help
during the process of settling it go smoothly.”
in South Korea.” Mi Jin especially
Though she did not share encouraged prayer for North
details of her escape, many Korea. “I hope that Kim
North Korean defectors are Jong Un’s regime in North
helped to South Korea by Korea realizes economic
a network supported by democratization for North
Chinese Christians. Korean’s true freedom and
In South Korea, an order life by giving up nuclear
of Korean religious sisters weapons.”
taught Mi Jin and other North She also “hopes to see
Korean defectors about the the unification Korea as
Catholic faith. Mi Jin learned the relationship between
about Saint Therese the Little North and South Korea has
Flower from the sisters. developed in a positive way
At her baptism, Mi Jin like recently.”
took a new Christian name, Mi Jin told CNA that
Our Lady of Lourdes grotto, Lourdes, France. ELISE HARRIS/CNA
as is the custom for Korean she has been watching
pain medications. miraculous healings. It is the site where Catholics. She became the Pyeongchang Olympic
Moriau’s case was brought to young Bernadette Soubirous witnessed Teresa. Games everyday. Her favorite
the attention of the International Marian apparitions, beginning on Feb. “I wanted to be like Saint event to watch is skiing.
Medical Committee of Lourdes, who 11, 1858. The shrine also holds a spring Teresa, who lived a faithful (Courtney Grogan/CNA)
extensively researched the nun’s of water which is said to have miraculous
recovery. They eventually found
that Moriau’s healing could not be
healing properties.
While there have been more than
Here’s why same sex-attracted
scientifically explained.
After a healing is recognized by the
7,000 miraculous recoveries attributed
to the intercession of Our Lady of
persons are called to chastity
Lourdes committee, the paperwork is Lourdes at the French shrine, only 70 MAKATI City – While many everything we do with
then sent to the diocese of origin, where cases have been officially recognized view the Catholic Church’s our body has eternal
the local bishop has the final say. After by the Catholic Church. A miraculous call to chastity to persons consequences,” he said.
the bishop’s blessing, a healing can then recovery must generally be a complete, with same sex attraction as Valles also connected the
be officially recognized by the Church as spontaneous, and immediate healing impractical if not downright demands of chastity to love.
a miracle. from a documented medical condition. impossible, a speaker “Charity or love is to give
The shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in The last official miracle attributed to reminded the faithful that of ourselves to others. Are
southern France is a popular pilgrimage the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes chastity is for all believers. we okay to give or receive a
destination for individuals with special was declared in 2013. (CNA/EWTN “What the Church is gift that is sloppily wrapped
devotions to Mary and for those seeking News) saying is very simple, all or has been used already?
are called to lead a chaste Chastity ensures that the gift
life. Homosexual persons
are called to chastity as
of ourselves is pure, valuable,
and wrapped beautifully,” he
published on the German well,” said Edwin Valles explained.
edition of the Vatican News president of Courage –
website, the Holy See press Philippines, a Catholic ‘Law of gradualism’
office said in a statement apostolate that supports Valles stressed, however,
Feb. 15 that “the alleged persons with same sex that the Church understands
news reports of a paralyzing attraction (SSA), during that chastity will not come
or degenerative illness are the “Courageous Love: overnight for persons with
false.” Helping persons with same SSA.
“In two months, Benedict sex attraction” Singles “…It’s not like suddenly,
XVI will turn 91 years old for Christ International they (persons with SSA) will
and, as he himself recently Conference (SFC ICON) do a 180 degree change.
said, he feels the weight of 2018 workshop at the Our The Church understands
years, which is normal at this Lady of La Paz church. that. In fact, the concept
age,” the statement said. He quoted the Catechism of the Church is the law of
In a letter to an Italian of the Catholic Church 2348, gradualism. You have to be
newspaper dated Feb. 5, which says that all Christians realistic that this will take
Pope Benedict said that are time. This work requires
“with the slow diminishing “called to lead a chaste apostolic endurance,” he
of my physical strength, life in keeping with their added.
inwardly I am on a particular states of life.” As persons with SSA
pilgrimage toward Home.” struggle to live out chastity,
“It is a great grace in Integrity of the person meaning they do not engage
this last, sometimes tiring According to Valles, in homosexual acts, Valles
stage of my journey, to nothing less is expected of said the Sacrament of
be surrounded by a love persons with SSA. Reconciliation continues to
and kindness that I never By stressing the “integrity be “open for everyone.”
could have imagined,” Pope of the human person,” he Some 7,000 SFC delegates
Benedict wrote. challenged the modern view from the Philippines as well
He had announced that divorces the body’s as countries like Singapore,
his retirement from the significance from that of the the U.K., Japan, China, the
papacy Feb. 11, 2013, and soul. U.S. attended SFC ICON
stepped down Feb. 28, “Everything we do to our 2018, which also marked the
2013. (Junno Arocho Retired Pope Benedict XVI attends the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica at body, we do to our soul, and silver anniversary of SFC.
Esteves/CNS) the Vatican in this Dec. 8, 2015, file photo. STEFANO SPAZIANI/CNS since the soul is eternal, (CBCPNews)
A4 OPINION February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

Not human
MAYBE worse than the problem of drugs or any other
prevailing social ills such as the ubiquitous graft and
corruption in all levels of government is the degeneration of
the Filipino psyche. One of the clearer symptoms of this is
the growing conviction that drug addicts are not human and
therefore they do not deserve to live, they must be liquidated.
This point of view, or state of mind if you may, does not only
flood social media—it maybe be traced upwards to the highest
level of government. There is no arguing to prove this.
History is laden with horrible incidents where a national
state of mind has become a collective behavior that triggered
genocide such the case in Rowanda or even the Nazi Germany
in the early 1940s. God forbid that such will happen to this
country. But who can tell whether the killing of thousands of
people suspected of drug use or trade is not an upshot of a sick

ILLUSTRATION BY BLADIMER USI

mind? Or who disputes that in order to cleanse the country
of illegal drugs which is flaunted to be the worse scourge this
country has ever had, it is legitimate for operatives to kill
and kill all pushers and users even if the bigtime suppliers
remained unscathed to this day? None, of course, because of
massive machination into public opinion.
History is witness of how propaganda and the twisting of
public opinion through fake info have been employed to warp
a collective national behavior. In modern history, legislation Church: Community Living Mission
and public policy are easily delivered in the platter of the
contemporary tools of propaganda and disinformation. Social
media is fast, enormous and highly efficient.
of renewed sinners Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM
“I hope you understand why my heart bleeds when I hear
about Catholics who agree that addicts are not human…
my heart bleeds when there are Catholics who agree that THIS month of March 2018 is repentance and reparation…. May are sanctified’ (cf. CCC 1534).”
criminals cannot be reformed, that they deserve to die and be memorable because it marks the Fifth our Priests and Consecrated Persons, Our Bishops note: “Let us pray that
exterminated if we are to have a peaceful Philippines society.” Anniversary of the election of Pope in their weakness and woundedness, we may remain ever closely united to
These are heavy words coming for Kalookan bishop Pablo Francis to lead the Church. After Pope continue to serve and guide fellow Jesus as he is in constant communion
Virgilio David whose ecclesiastical jurisdiction is touted to be Benedict XVI resigned on February 11, sinners with the joy of the Gospel that with the Father! We pray that all
a “killing field,” in a recent homily delivered to about 7,000 2013, Francis was chosen on March 13, leads to the fullness of life.” the Clergy and Consecrated Persons
young people. 2013. Pope Francis, who constantly The Bishops accurately note that continue to abide in Jesus and become
But then again whose heart will bleed if most of it has been asks us to pray for him, is seeking a “renewal of the Church requires the perfect disciples of the Lord for the
hardened by disinformation? profound renewal of the Church, a “new renewal of the Clergy and Consecrated New Evangelization.”
chapter of evangelization” (Evangelii Persons.” We agree, and, at the same Mutual Support and Service.
Let’s welcome Lent Gaudium 1), “a missionary impulse time, personally accept that this same In addition to friendship with Jesus,
WITH Ash Wednesday, we enter a new season of Lent. In spite capable of transforming everything” conversion is asked of each of us. an authentic community is marked by
of the gloom and austerity usually associated with it, there’s (EG 27). Similarly, our Church here in Especially during this Lenten Season, we the signs of brotherly and sisterly love
actually something new and bright to it. That’s because Lent the Philippines is on a nine-year journey sincerely strive to become “rehabilitated and compassion. At the Last Supper,
involves a certain dying to ourselves so we can be born again to 2021; through a series of yearly sinners”! How is this possible? Jesus said: “By the love you have for
in Christ. That’s the plain truth about Lent. All the sacrifices, focused themes, a profound renewal— A Relationship with God. The one another, everyone will know that
mortifications and penance, the fasting and abstinence, are conversion—is envisioned for the local Gospels portray Jesus as someone who you are my disciples” (Jn 13:35). The
meant to cure us of our old man so we can be a new man in Church. had a deep and personal relationship CBCP pastoral letter for 2018 asks us to
Christ. (cfr Eph 4,22-24) The Vatican II document on the with his Father. As noted in the CBCP practice such fraternal love.
Lent should put our full attention to the necessity of the Church, Lumen Gentium, notes that Pastoral Letter, “Jesus never lost that “My dear People of God, please
Christ’s Cross in our life. It is what re-creates us. It perfects “the Church, embracing in its bosom unity with his heavenly Father while continue to support our clergy and
the precarious condition of our first creation, when we only sinners, [is] at the same time holy and he lived on earth. His communion consecrated persons in their journey as
knew how to enjoy the good but would not know what to do always in need of being purified, always and intimacy with the Father moved ‘servants to the servants of the Gospel.’
when we get into the ways of evil. follows the way of penance and renewal” him to reach out to sinners and the As shepherds to the Lord’s flock, may
The Cross brings us to Christ. “If any man will come after me, (LG 8). This same perspective (the dual needy.” they ‘take on the odor of their sheep.’
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt condition of holiness and sinfulness in “As Lay, Clergy and Consecrated As vulnerable ‘lovely feet’ of the New
16,24) This is actually a formula we should always engrave in the Church) is expressed in the CBCP Persons, we are invited to share in this Evangelization, may they encourage
our hearts. The Cross teaches us the true and complete ways Pastoral Letter for the year 2018. ‘communion’ and ‘intimate relationship’ others to mission by serving with
of love. We often have our own ideas of love that are usually Philippine Bishops’ Voice. Our between Jesus and the Father. The humility, by loving in action, and by
sweet and sugary, but actually incomplete, even twisted and bishops speak of “some dismal shadows, Clergy and Consecrated Persons are strengthening the poor, the hopeless,
detached from its true source and pattern. The Cross extends brought about by some of our Clergy and united with Christ…. That is why they the victims of injustice and oppression
the dimensions of our life, going beyond our natural limits so Consecrated Persons themselves. There are called ‘alagad ng Diyos,’ men and (cf. Is 52:7; Rom 10:15).” Let us become
it can merge with God’s own life. We are meant for this. We were occasions of frailty and scandals women ‘of God’ or even more accurately, a renewed and converted Church,
have been designed for this. that sadden us. Such misconducts ‘servants of God.’ It is through their very truly the community of Jesus’ serving
Lent reminds us that we need to weep and mourn somehow. call for sincere reflection and humble ministry of sanctification that they too disciples!
We tend to get so absorbed with our earthly affairs and
concerns, dancing to their twists and turns, that we forget we
need to be with God. We have to acknowledge our need for
And That’s The Truth Clean our souls
purification and conversion. That is why in the first reading
of the Mass for Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
Lent, we are told, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with
your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning…”
(Joel 2,12)
Yes, we have to remember this invitation of God to us. We HEALTH is wealth—it is true. appetites, reasoning that “Me still hoping for healing. Like the leper we ask Jesus
have to go back to him with our whole heart that would first
Ask those who have lost it, gamotnaman eh!” (There are The healing of the leper to “clean me”. Unlike the
need to be purified through fasting, weeping and mourning.
and you’ll know how sickness medicines anyway!). by Jesus(Mark 1: 40-45) is leper, our skin may be clean
And the second reading, from the Second Letter of St. Paul
reduces one to a pathetic level This attitude afflicts a story with many layers to but our souls may not be.
to the Corinthians, tells us “now is the acceptable time, now
of poverty that’s worse than many people whether they it. Usually, we see only the Perhaps the leper’s skin is
is the day of salvation.” (6,2)
mere economic want. That is are learned or not, rich or level that is readily visible, filthy but his soul is pure—
This liturgical season of Lent highlights a basic need, that of
why when we are blessed with poor, male or female, clergy and that’s the kind of miracle who can say? Note how he
conversion, from the inmost part of our being, our heart and
good health we should do our or consecrated persons. people are wont to pray recognizes the Lord’s power,
mind, to the most social and global dimension of our life. This
is the be-all and end-all of Lent, supposed to be a permanent best to preserve it by using Then, when science or their for—instant healing. But aware of his own deplorable
feature in our consciousness, not to serve as a wet blanket, moderation in everything doctors give up on them, isn’t it rather disrespectful condition. And so the leper
but rather as a stimulus for us to return to the orbit proper to we do: no overeating, over- they run to Padre Pio, or buy to live carelessly—apart says, “If you wish, you can
us. It’s like a corrective maintenance for us. drinking, overworking, over- a pilgrimage to Lourdes, or from Jesus—and then to make me clean.” Humble in
We have to be wary of the many factors, especially in our playing, over-worrying—no light candles in some other ask Him to free us from the his helplessness he leaves it
current culture and world environment, that tend to weaken over-anything. But there are popular shrine—begging for disastrous consequences entirely up to Jesus to make
our awareness of this need, and even to distort and annul it. those who—over confident miracles. I actually know of of our carelessness? It is, him whole again.
We have been warned so many times before by saints and of their “great health” and a few terminally ill persons of course, unjust, but we When we ask God to heal
Church leaders that our sense of sin down the ages has been “fantastic immune system”— who zealously did so, only Christians are taught that our bodies, why not first
quite skewed and left out of sync with our faith in God’s plan dismiss sound health advice; to die without receiving the there is also God’s mercy to implore Him to help us clean
for us. when they finally fall ill and miracle they prayed for. It is beg for, and so we go down our souls? And so we humbly
Directly said, we need conversion because we have fallen are put on a diet they would sad to see them die with eyes on our knees and try to feel say, as the leper does, “If you
away from our God, our Creator and Father. Yes, it’s time to continue indulging their open and mouth gaping wide, sorry for our sins. wish…”
remind ourselves that we come from God, not just from dust,
and that we are meant to live our life with him and to return
to him. Sharpening our Candidly Speaking
combat skills
Monitor
Fr. Roy Cimagala
CBCP

THE season of Lent is meant for passion, death and resurrection is the evil should begin with a vibrating love
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE sharpening our skills in spiritual warfare. best occasion to learn and improve in our for God and for others. Without this, we
This should be foremost in our mind as skills in dealing with our weaknesses, make ourselves easy prey to the enemies
Pedro Quitorio we go through the highly-recommended temptations and sins. of our soul.
Editor-in-Chief acts of penance and mortification during As we pass through another year of And this love for God and others can
these days of Lent. trying to be faithful to God, we must be nourished every time we pray or we
Nirva’ana E. Delacruz Ron Ramos, Sky Ortigas We cannot deny that our life here on have gained more insights, lessons and make acts of faith, hope and charity,
Associate Editor Design Artists
earth is an endless struggle between experiences regarding our weaknesses or when we carry out the duties of our
good and evil, between obeying God’s and failures. We should consider them state in life, our profession and other
Roy Lagarde Mercedita Juanite
News Editor Circulation Manager will and following our own will, etc. Our in God’s presence and see what we can positions we have in society, with gusto.
freedom is such that we can choose to do to tackle them more effectively. We need to see to it that at any given
Christine Paguirigan Marcelita Dominguez be God-like, as God our Creator wants One thing for certain is that all this time, we are at least conscious that all
Managing Editor Comptroller us to be and has endowed us with all need for spiritual struggle is first of all we are doing is really out of love for God
the means, or we can prefer to be by a matter of growing in our love for God and for others. We should not take this
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the
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This 40-day period that leads to the mainly on this requirement. Everything clear and strong, then we are giving an
ISSN 1908-2940. commemoration of Christ’s supreme else that we need to do opening for our enemies—our own flesh,
act of loving us by saving us through his to protect ourselves from all forms of Candidly Speaking / A5
CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 OPINION A5

By the Roadside Total deployment Spaces of Hope

Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD ban on humanity Fr. Carmelo O. Diola

“Our humanity were a poor thing but for

the divinity that stirs within us” (Bacon)
RECENTLY the leader of the republic
ordered a total deployment ban of
OFWs to Kuwait. This followed a series
of horrific deaths of mostly household
workers, many with signs of physical
and other forms of abuse. The act has
jolted that Middle Eastern country’s
leaders. Its foreign minister came out
with a condemnation of the Philippine
president’s action, insisting that many
other Filipino workers in his country
are enjoying the benefits of its relative
prosperity and that they are in close
coordination with high Philippine officials
on the results of the investigations related
to the deaths. The Philippine government
countered that the Kuwaiti government’s
response is essentially too little, too
late. But they are not closing the door
to a lifting of the ban should conditions
change in favor of protecting OFWs’
human rights and dignity.
I am no fan of the current Philippine
government nor of its leaders. But,
together with many others, I applaud its
decisiveness on this issue. I do so not to
curry favor with anyone in power. My real
reason is that, as a priest, the exercise
of the prophetic ministry does not only
mean “criticizing, condemning, doing all
it (clergy) can to lessen what is bad” in
“Philippine society” but also “enhancing,
encouraging, supporting what is good”
in it (PCP II 346-347). The CBCP itself
has lately upheld the “principle of
human dignity and human rights” as
primary in the moral discernment of the
country’s charter change efforts. It is,
incontrovertibly, a twin good we cannot
give up nor compromise on.
In fact, the Church has always stood
firm on her competence as well as right
and duty “to pass moral judgments even
in matters relating to politics, whenever
the rights of man and the salvation of
souls requires it” (Gaudium et Spes,
n. 76). The majority of Filipinos being
Catholic, the Church’s teaching on the
St. Therese of Lisieux,
inviolability of human life, human dignity
and human rights deserves at least a
hearing from this government.
That seems like a no-brainer. But the
fact that this same government scarcely
pays any respect to any word from the
Catholic Church seems contrary to its
avowed adherence to democracy which
gives weight to the views of the majority.
But then, again, the question is whether
or not the Catholic majority is even
knowledgeable of, or faithful to, the
Catholic faith. This alone invites plenty
of soul-searching and examination of
conscience among the hierarchy and
the laity.
It seems a touch of irony. The Church
has been unequivocally condemning
the deaths that many see as EJKs in
connection with the government’s anti-
ilegal-drug war. Should she now support,
just as unequivocally, this government’s
moves to protect OFWs’ human dignity
and rights? At first blush, it is highly
unlikely, considering the history of verbal
abuse the Church often gets from the
chief executive. But to do so is only being
consistent with her identity and mission.
She is, after all, “a communion”, “a sign
and instrument of the intimate union with
God, and the unity of all the human race”
(LG 1). Clearly any abuse or oppressive
behavior, systems and structures preying
on human dignity and human rights
hinders the unity of the human race. The
Church cannot, therefore, stand idly by
when poor OFWs are deprived of basic
human rights. Malacañang’s spokesman
insisted that Filipinos do not want to be
treated differently; they simply desire
to be treated, under international law,
the way the Kuwaiti government treats
its own citizens. In addition, the CBCP
teaches: “Men and women are all created
in the image of God. The human person
is sacred, bearing the Imprint of the
Divine” (CBCP Pastoral Guidelines
for Discerning the Moral Dimension
of the Present-day Moves for Charter
Change, p. 1). To be from one race or
another is immaterial; the basic human
dignity and rights of all human beings is
their common bond with the Church as
communion. It is why government and
Church must work together.
Though admirable, the president’s
defense of OFWs’ interests may be
less religious in origin and more
due to emotional, patriotic and
political considerations. This seems
understandable. After all, the OFW vote
figured prominently in his election to
the highest office. Like contemporary
politicians, he seems to espouse
human dignity and human rights when
convenient to his political interests, apart
from a clear conviction of their sacred
faith-inspired character.
Still, and here lies a reason for hope, it
indicates some common ground between
him and the Church. And indeed it is a
ground the Church should not be afraid
to tread for the Gospel’s sake. This surely
represents grain from the chaff that she
has been so familiar with, since this
administration’s inauguration. Rather
than simply watch the government
take the cudgels singlehandedly for the
oppressed OFWs, the Church needs to
re-affirm her own teaching with positive
action.
It is a rare opportunity. But it is always
worth our every while to aim, together
with any government, for the total
deployment ban of inhumanity by humans
towards humans, our OFWs included.
On the other hand, the inhumanity that
this government condemns in other
countries is the same inhumanity it
should condemn in its own acts, such
as inhuman language and acts against
its perceived enemies, misperceiving
human rights and advocates as inimical
to Filipino interests, depreciating human
life in perceived drug and other law
offenders, mischaracterizing women by
their genitality and willfully seeking not
to listen to, but to put down, critics and
conscientious oppositors.
We all must make a stand for a total
deployment ban of all inhumanity in
others and in ourselves.
Cold and Hot
A VERY good number of parishioners from all over the
Archdiocese of Cebu attended a concert by a well-known
singer on Feb. 10. This was a fund-raiser for the St. John Paul
II home for retired priests. While the sultry singer herself was
certainly a strong draw, I suspect the intended beneficiaries
were an even greater reason why many people came and
shelled out money that would have been dinner for three at a
fancy restaurant. It felt good to see that people have a special
place in their hearts for their priests.
A priest-friend from India once told me: “Carmelo, if ever
I would be reborn, I would like to be a Filipino priest since
Filipinos love their priests.” Although he said this tongue in
cheek, the comment was not mere flattery nor bereft of truth.
My friend may have seen how OFWs care for their priests
who celebrate Sunday Masses for them.
Yet, reality is not so straightforward. Warm welcome is not
always the rule. Sometimes the Church is met with a cold
stare. Or does so itself.
In my last column, I quoted the haunting words of the
great theologian, Romano Guardini: “Loneliness in faith will
be terrible. Love will disappear from the face of the public
world (Matt. 23:12), but the more precious will that love be
which flows from one lonely person to another, involving a
courage of the heart born from the immediacy of the love of
God as it was made known in Christ.”
Loneliness. Disappearance of love. In his 2018 Lenten
message, Pope Francis chose a theme from Matthew 24:12:
“Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will
grow cold”. He then compares Matthew’s image of deep
cardiac freeze to a scene from hell in Dante’s Divine Comedy
picturing “the devil seated on a throne of ice in frozen and
loveless isolation.”
Pope Francis then asks how love can grow cold in us.
He cites “greed for money” which is soon followed by the
“rejection of God and his peace”. Then comes “violence
against anyone we think is a threat to our own ‘certainties’:
the unborn child, the elderly and infirm, the migrant, the
alien among us, or our neighbor who does not live up to our
expectations.” This then leads to the destruction of creation
when “the earth is poisoned by refuse, discarded out of
carelessness or for self-interest”.
Even our Christian communities can grow cold. Here
Pope Francis recalls his insights in Evangelii Gaudium
82: “Selfishness and spiritual sloth, sterile pessimism, the
temptation to self-absorption, constant warring among
ourselves, and the worldly mentality that makes us concerned
only for appearances.” These douse the living flame of love
in us and weaken our missionary zeal, if I may paraphrase
the Pope’s concerns.
Pope Francis is not satisfied with generalities. He gives
specific examples of how love grows cold in our Christian

Pray for us!
THE visit of the Pilgrim Relics
of St. Therese of Lisieux or of
the Child Jesus to the Diocese
of Kalookan in a very short
period of time proved that
thousands of parishioners
are devotees of St. Therese.
Many more became her
devotees, including this
author. I realized that it is
not how long St. Therese
stayed, what matters is how
her stay changed the life of
the persons she touched.
As soon as I learned about
the visit, I felt the excitement of
seeing again the relics. The first
and last time I had touched the
relics was several years ago at
the Manila Cathedral, together
with my mother and my
brother. As one of the Media
Group of the Diocese, I was
contented to cover the Arrival
and Welcome Rites of the
relics at San Jose de Navotas
Church. However, the day
before the arrival, Fr. James
Anthony Del Rosario, the
priest in-charge of the pilgrim
relics’ visit, told me that I will
be one of those who will fetch
the relics from St. Francis of
Assisi in Meycauayan City
and will ride in the same van
which will carry the pilgrim. I
got goose pimples, wow, this is
a rare opportunity.
Duc in Altum
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago
So, early in the morning on
Day 1, we went to St. Francis of
Assisi, joined its parishioners
in the Farewell Mass, queued
the long lines to venerate
the relics, touched the fiber-
glass encasing the reliquary
which contains the pilgrim
relics and said a little prayer.
I considered myself truly
blessed because I rode with
the relics from Meycauayan
City to Navotas City, and got
the rare opportunity to again
touch for a long time the fiber-
glass encasement during our
trip. I also got the chance to
meet Msgr. Albert Songco
of the Military Ordinariate
and Executive Director of St.
Therese Pilgrim Center.
I thought it would be
enough for me, but no. Upon
arrival at San Jose de Navotas
Church, after the Welcome
and Arrival Rites, I cannot
help myself but still venerated,
touched, kissed and prayed
by the relics. I found myself
telling people all about the
relics and about the life of St.
Therese, encouraging them
to bring out their hankies and
religious articles, press them
on the glass encasement of
the reliquary of the first class
relics, which will make those
Duc in Altum / A7
communities. He uses the words “selfishness and spiritual
sloth” to describe common realities in parishes. For example,
he writes: “The problem is not always an excess of activity,
but rather activity undertaken badly, without adequate
motivation, without a spirituality which would permeate
it and make it pleasurable.” This may describe a knee-jerk
response to certain social and pastoral realities. Are we just
reacting to them or do we pause—prayerfully discern—before
we say or do things? Or have we become just part of the noise
in the public space? Are we really helping emerge a spirituality
of social transformation that is not only faith-impelled but
inspired by God’s love?
An antidote to this noise-driven activism may be found in
the wise words of the late Gerald May, author of the landmark
book Addiction and Grace, in another one of his works trying
to blend psychology and spirituality:
“We are so busy, so occupied with many little things,
that we are blind to the one great thing. Only in the pauses
between things, in the brief contemplative spaces of just
being, can we catch a glimpse of love itself. Even then,
we often feel so unfree that we think we are unworthy of
love…Time and time again we ignore the invitations and
fill the spaces immediately, dulling our consciousness with
drivenness. But love continues, hoping to catch us in a willing
moment. Thousands of little spaces come each day. They exist
between each choice we make and the next, after each thought
is completed and before the next begins, between each

Whatever Ash Valentine breath and the next, in every hunger or wanting, whenever
something wakes us up to presence…” (The Awakened Heart:
Opening Yourself to the Love You Need).
Fr. Francis Ongkingco Yes, we need these pauses to warm us with the living flame
of God’s love. Without them, “work becomes more tiring
than necessary, even leading at times to illness. Far from a
content and happy tiredness, this is a tense, burdensome,
“FATHER! Father!” Sid rushed out of one day die and return to the ashes we “But the cross cannot remain on our dissatisfying and, in the end, unbearable fatigue…” (Evangelii
his classroom. came from, and second, by repenting foreheads. We must strive to apply it to Gaudium 82)
“Wuzzup, Sid!!!?” I asked. and believing in the Gospel, we can our every thought, word and deed,” I It is no surprise that one of the three key elements of New
“It’s almost Ash Wednesday,” he said. overcome sin.” then traced a cross before Sid. Evangelization is “new ardor”.
“You seem excited about it. Most Sid just gave me an empty stare. He “Apply…?” Candidly Speaking / A4
people aren’t so fond of a day marked by didn’t quite get it. “For the cross to become a symbol
penance, fasting and abstinence,” I said. “Okay, let me ask you something,” I of love, we must embrace sacrifice the alienated world and time or a state where we can
“Because mom said Valentine’s Day tried another approach. generously. That is why Ash Wednesday the devil himself—to take be exempted from all these.
is the same as Ash Wednesday,” he “What does the priest draw on your is marked by practicing fasting and advantage of us. Then we have to learn
explained. forehead on Ash Wednesday?” abstinence. Fasting for those who are 18 Perhaps, one concrete way how to deal with the world
“Uh-huh,” I couldn’t see where he was “A cross!” Sid answered. up to 59, and abstaining for those who to handle this requirement and the devil himself. With
coming from. “And what does it stand for?” I have turned 14.” well is to pause from time the world, we have to be
“Aren’t you also sad about this, continued. “I’m not yet 14, Father. What can I to time during the day to most prudent by learning to
Father?” “Jesus died for us!” do?” recover our proper spiritual distinguish between what
“About what?” “Correct! And why did He die for us?” “There is no age requirement to offer and supernatural bearing, is inherently good in it and
“About having ashes on Valentine’s?” “To save us from sin and because He up something to God and neighbor. All seeing to it that it is real love what is already corrupted
Sid clarified. loved us!” you have to do is think of giving up or that motivates and drives us by sin and therefore can
“Why should I be sad, dude?” I “That’s it! Don’t you see! For Jesus, moderating the use of the things you into action. be dangerous. We have
challenged him. the shape of His love is a cross,” I traced like or enjoy.” Having said that, we should to make the appropriate
“‘Coz ashes is death and Valentines a heart in the air. “Like what, Father?” do the consequences and plans and strategies for
is ‘bout love,” he smiled proudly at his “So the cross and the heart are the “Video games, soft drinks, candies, implications of such love. this.
answer. same?” dessert, etc. It may also include fixing We have to discipline our With the devil, Pope
“You clearly snitched that from mom, “For non-Christians they aren’t the your bed, cleaning your room and wounded flesh that is so Francis recently advised us
right?” I winked at him. Sid kept silent same. But for us, they are actually two more.” inclined to concupiscence. not to argue with him, since
but couldn’t help blushing. sides of the same coin.” “Suuuper!!!” Sid seemed so excited to This concupiscence can be in he is much more clever than
“With Valentine’s Day falling on Ash “Two sides?” Sid was lost again. begin Lent. the form of the lust of the eye, us. We just have to avoid him,
Wednesday, we could actually explain “It means that the Cross reminds us “Oh, Father?” he added. the lust of the flesh and the cutting any dialogue with him
why Ash Wednesday is about love.” of how our sins made Jesus suffer and “Yes?” pride of life. We have to realize as soon as possible. Truth
“How, Father?” die, but is also a symbol of His love for “On Ash Wednesday, can you also that this will be a lifelong is we hardly have any good
“Ash Wednesday reminds us of two us. One event, two lessons!” draw a heart around the cross on my struggle. We should banish resistance to his apparently
things: first, because of sin we will “I totally get it, Father.” forehead?” the myth that there can be a convincing sophistries.
A6 LOCAL NEWS February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 CBCP Monitor

Cardinal Tagle: ‘Lent time to reflect on sins against nature’

AS the Lenten season started
on Feb. 14, a prelate stressed
the need to recognize one’s
sins against the environment
as sins that need to be brought
before God.
“It will be Lent again, there
will be a lot of people going
to Confession again. How
many will actually confess, ‘I
threw trash just any where I
please’? Do we even look at
that act as something against
our faith?”, said Manila
Archbishop Luis Antonio
Cardinal Tagle, D.D during
his keynote message for
the Ecclesiastical Province
of Manila’s Laudato Si
conference held at the De La
Salle University on Feb. 2.
Speaking before more
than 1,000 delegates from
the suffragan dioceses of
Manila, the prelate focused
on a Laudato Si’s theme, “the
interconnectedness of all.”
Not an extra-curricular
activity
“Sometimes we see our
behavior, our actions that
affect ecology as something
not linked to our faith,
that it’s not linked to our
discipleship – our following
of Christ. It’s as if ecological
concern is an extra-curricular
activity,” he stressed.
The Caritas Internationalis
president explained that
when Laudato Si speaks of
the interconnectedness of
all created things, it pertains
to “the worth of every
creature” and means that
“the foundational source of
all connectedness is our faith
vision.”
“If we go to the Book of
Genesis, interpreted by
Laudato Si, leading to the
New Testament, everything
is related to one another,”
he said, “What are our
fundamental relationships?
Our relationship with
God, our relationship with
people—other people, our
relationship with the earth—
the world of creation, and—I
want to add—our relationship
with ourselves.”
He suggested how the
faithful should start repenting
of the habit of buying
unnecessary things they want
to have simply for bragging
rights. He said this is the
reason “why Laudato Si invites
specially Christians to recover
this interconnectedness of
relationships”.
Relationship with God,
relationship with others
According to the prelate,
the relationship with God
cannot be separated from
one’s relationship with others.
“My relationship to God and custodian, or steward…,”
other people is connected concluded Tagle.
to my relationship with the The Ecclesiastical Province
earth. And my relationship of Manila’s Laudato Si
with them also determines Conference focused on the
the way I relate to myself,” theme “Ugnayang-Buhay Para
stressed Tagle. Kay Inang Kalikasan!” (The
This all-encompassing Connectedness of Life For
relationship with God, Mother Nature). Coming from
he said, is the reason for 12 dioceses, delegates included
caring for creation. “So church volunteers and
this relationship with God ministers. The conference also
is important. I am not the expounded on various themes
owner and so I humbly of Laudato Si through various
take care of God’s creation tracks given by resource
knowing that I have been persons ranging from bishops
created with intelligence, to environmental advocates
with responsibility, with self- and experts. (Minnie
knowledge so that I could Agdeppa / CBCPNews)
be a trustworthy caretaker,

Youth leaders hit human
trafficking, abuse
IN line with the celebration of the
feast of St. Josephine Bakhita,
youth leaders across the diocese
of Malolos gathered at the Bahay
Pangarap Women’s Center in
Guiguinto, Bulacan, Saturday, Feb.
10, to publicly denounce human
trafficking and abuse.
Coinciding with the International
Day of Prayer against Human
Trafficking, the event was organized
by the Diocesan Commission
on Youth to increase awareness
among young church leaders and
to collectively denounce all forms
of human trafficking and abuse,
especially among women and
children.
Nestle Anne de Vega, DCY
coordinator for human trafficking
in persons, discussed the different
forms of human trafficking,
modern-day slavery and how it
affects society.
Meanwhile, Fr. Gener Garcia,
DCY chairman and Bahay Pangarap
executive director, explained that
the healing process of trafficked
and abused children can be difficult.
Bishop doubts Caloocan police survey
BISHOP Pablo Virgilio David of
Kalookan has questioned a survey
which revealed that the Caloocan
City Police Stations (CPS) is the
“most trusted” station in the
country.
The prelate said the result is
unthinkable considering the many
cases of killings in the city as a result
of the government’s ruthless war
on drugs.
“Most trusted by whom? By those
who gauge the trustworthiness of
the police by the number of drug
suspects killed during Tokhang
operations?” asked David.
It’s also unbelievable, he said,
considering that the National
Capital Region Police Office has
relieved the entire 1, 200-strong
police force in Caloocan last year
due to alleged involvement killings
and robbery.
Killings / A1
remain silent on issues affecting
his pastoral territory which has
the biggest population of informal
settlers in Metro Manila.
Slum dwellers, he added,
experience environmental and
psychological adversity that
increases their vulnerability to
depression “that’s why they need to
cope but I’m not justifying it.”
“It’s a spiritual and a psychological
disease. In their struggles with fear,
with insecurities, with depression,
and isolation many people resort to
the negative way of coping and they
become enslaved,” David added.
If only to stop the drug trade, he
said the government must go after
the manufacturers or syndicates
rather merely prey on poor addicts
and small-time pushers.
“It is those who victimize the sick
Indifference / A1
there are still corrupt officials out
there, that there are several killings,
that there are people uttering foul
words. We do not say anything and
just allow it to continue,” he said.
The prelate said the season of Lent
offers an opportunity for Christians
to reflect and repent on their sins,
particularly their failure to exercise
their social responsibilities.
“We have a social responsibility,
which if we fail to do, is a grave sin.
So let us open our minds and hearts
during this time of repentance,” said
The physical wounds may heal, he
said, but the emotional, spiritual,
and psychological effects of the
experience remain.
“We must continue praying for
the victims,” Garcia said. “We
may not be able to combat the
persecutors on ourselves, but our
untiring efforts to promote the
awareness against modern-day
slavery and other abusive acts
among our women and fellow youth
can go a long way.”
The program included a film
showing about the life of St.
Josephine Bakhita, a presentation
by the Bahay Pangarap children,
and holy Mass.
Established by the Diocese of
Malolos in 2005, Bahay Pangarap
Women’s Center provides temporary
shelter and rehabilitation assistance
to women who fell victim to
trafficking, battery, and other forms
of abuse. For more information,
interested parties may contact their
office: (044) 760-0645 or 0917-
243-2656. (Myraine Carluen
Policarpio / CBCPNews)
A survey by the National Police
Commission (Napolcom) showed
that the CPS earned the highest
public trust rating among police
stations in Metro Manila in 2017.
“If they were ‘most trusted’
for 2017, then why did General
Albayalde sack the whole police
force of Caloocan last Sept 2017?
Just wondering,” said David.
Nevertheless, the bishop still
hopes that the survey will serve
as inspiration to the new batch of
Caloocan cops.
“I am still hoping and praying
that the new police force will behave
differently, confident that there are
enough decent ones among them who
will perform their duties according
to law and are also concerned
about protecting the integrity of the
whole police institution,” he added.
(CBCPNews)
whom this government should run
after,” he said.
The prelate also said that drug
addicts need help, not scorn and
hateful revenge from the public,
as Christians are called to follow
the way of the Lord which “is not
avoidance”.
“It’s not going to be easy. We took
a stand and our advocacy is to stop
the killing and start the healing and
now we are in bad company because
we are trying to save the addicts,
the people you are told to avoid,”
David said.
“But please do not forget that the
Eucharist is not bread only for the
righteous. It’s precisely because
we are sinners that we need the
Eucharist. The Eucharist is bread
broken for broken people like you
and me,” he said.
Pabillo.
But the bishop said concern for
other people and the society goes
beyond the Lenten season.
“We hope the period of repentance
will not just last for one or two
weeks, or while we are inside the
Lenten Season only,” he added.
Ash Wednesday is a day when the
Catholic faithful receive ashes on
their foreheads, which begins the 40-
day period of fasting and repentance
for Christians before the Holy Week
and Easter. (CBCPNews)
Church officials chide bounty offer for NPA rebels
A CATHOLIC bishop,
along with other church
officials, denounced
President Rodrigo
Duterte’s reward offer
to Lumads for every
communist rebel killed,
saying it promotes “the
culture of violence” in the
country.
Joke or not, Manila
Auxiliary Bishop
Broderick Pabllo said
such statements not only
promotes a culture that
normalizes violence but
also attacks the dignity of
and sanctity of life
“Those statements,
it somehow promotes
a culture of violence. It
encourages people to
take the law into their
own hands, which we Council of the Laity of the Philippines president Julieta Wasan and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo during
a recent press conference to announce the Feb. 24 Walk for Life in Manila. CBCPNEWS
are against,” he said in a
recent press conference in Malacañang, the armed conflict. and NPA rebels should
to announce the Walk for President told soldiers “We need justice for not just be killed off like
Life in Manila on Feb. 24. to shoot female rebels this and respect since that, because we have the
In a speech in Davao “in the vagina”, drawing they are also women,” she courts,” the prelate added.
City last Friday, Duterte anger from human stressed. Tony Abuso, program
offered to pay Lumads rights organizations and Pabillo urged the coordinator of the
Php 20,000 bounty for women’s groups. President to promote bishops’ Commission on
every member of the New Council of the Laity of respect of the law, instead Indigenous Peoples, also
People’s Army (NPA) they
kill.
the Philippines president
Julieta Wasan denounced
of resorting to such
statements.
warned that indigenous
communities are
Two days before, in Duterte for encouraging “That is against the more likely to suffer if
a meeting with former state forces to commit sacredness of life. There Lumads are urged to kill.
communist insurgents sexual violence during should be due process (CBCPNews)
Reach out to the poor, says bishop in Lenten message
THE season of lent provides
opportunity for Catholics to focus
attention on the poor and the needy,
a Catholic bishop said.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of
Kalookan said the Church cannot
ignore suffering and urged the
people to do “concrete actions of
charity”.
He said that it’s clear in the
Gospel that fasting and penance
goes beyond giving something up
during Lent.
“Our faith must be matched with
concrete expressions of charity and
love for others,” said David, who
is also the Vice President of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines.
On Ash Wednesday, the prelate
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan blesses the new relocation site for about 40 urban poor families
has chosen to spend the day with in Malabo City’s Santulan village on Ash Wednesday, February 14. ROY LAGARDE
the underprivileged and often
overlooked population in Metro about 40 families will build their Bishop David said the informal
Manila: the informal settlers. new homes. settlers are among the country’s
It was a solemn celebration According to the David, a huge most vulnerable people and helping
where he put ashes on foreheads of number of parishioners under the them is one way for Christian
churchgoers at a new relocation site diocese, which covers the cities of believers to live out their faith.
for urban poor families in Malabon Caloocan, Navotas and Malabon, “It’s right that we should help
City’s Santulan village. are informal settlers. each other,” he said, adding that the
After the Mass, the bishop led “It’s worrying that until now diocese’s urban poor ministry will
the blessing and inauguration many people can’t afford a decent continue to assist the beneficiaries
of the site, which came from house,” he said. “Why? Because of of the small-scale resettlement
anonymous donors, on which poverty!” project. (CBCPNews)
Ecumenical / A1
It is estimated that 40 the Church has been Church’s efforts include based organizations to
million people are victims closely working with organizing a campaign help combat the illegal
of trafficking and slavery concerned government to raise awareness of industry.
around the world every year. agencies in the fight human trafficking and The world day of
About 150,000 of these are against human trafficking. expanding its network prayer falls each year on
said to be Filipinos, with At least four CBCP to various dioceses and February 8, the feast day
many of them suffering agencies—Commissions parishes to combat the of St. Josephine Bakhita,
abuse and violence. on Youth, Social Action, illegal industry. who is the patron saint
The Philippines has Women and Migrants— “In our ministry against of human trafficking and
been a fertile ground for have been leading the human trafficking, we slavery victims.
human traffickers with Church’s response to focus on 4 Ps: prevention “We at CBCP-ECMI
most of their victims end all forms of modern of humans being pray that through
coming from poor slavery in the country. trafficked, protection for intercession of St.
families. Bishop Ruperto the victims, providing Josephine, our migrants
With the advent of social Santos, chairman of help and legal assistance, experience fair and just
media and technology, the CBCP Commission and to prosecute human welcome to receiving
human traffickers also for the Pastoral Care of traffickers,” Santos said. countries, gracious and
have become innovative— Migrants and Itinerant Recent CBCP efforts good employers and be
with online sexual People (ECMI), said that also include expanding strong and resilient to
exploitation complicating among their priorities is its network to various bear their cross and follow
efforts to fight the problem education, outreach and dioceses and parishes faithfully Jesus,” Santos
For several years now, policy programs. and other church- said. (CBCPNews)
CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 DIOCESAN NEWS A7

1 priest dead, 1 injured in separate Nursing board topnotchers shares

road accidents in E. Samar volunteer experience in Marawi
MANILA— A Catholic priest died
and another was injured on Feb.
13 in separate road accidents in the
southern part of Eastern Samar
province amid inclement weather
brought about by storm “Basyang”.
Fr. Moses Campo, parish priest
of Guiuan town, died on the spot on
suspicion of hit-and-run after the
vehicle he was driving was rammed
by a truck at around 3:30pm along
Brgy. Naparaan in Salcedo town. Volunteers coming from different schools in Davao City join the medical mission and gift-giving
Police are still in the process organized by the Archdiocesan Social Action Center of Davao for Muslims and Christian minorities who
of officially identifying the truck were evacuated during the Marawi siege. PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. ARVIN BELEN
driver.
Borongan Bishop Varquez views the remains of Fr. Campo during Mass in Guiuan Church, Feb. 15,
Meanwhile, in separate accident 2018. ALREN BERONIO/ESTE NEWS
DAVAO City— 2017’s top 10 nursing siege, as well as that of the Christian
few minutes earlier, Campo’s licensure exam-taker shared about minorities, who also sought medical
assistant priest was rushed to a Motorists pulled Fr. EdmelRaagas back to Guiuan after attending their joining a medical mission together assistance.
hospital in Tacloban City after he from his blazing car where he clergy meeting and recollection with other full-fledged nurses in “For every smile I gave to the
crashed his car into a light pole sustained burns in some parts of in the province’s capital city of Marawi, which was the center Maranao people, it was returned
along Brgy. Anuron in Mercedes his body. Borongan, roughly 111 kilometers of violence and conflict between tenfold. We may have different
town. Both priests were on their way north of Guiuan. (CBCPNews) terrorist rebels and the military for religious beliefs, but it should not
close to a year since May 2017. cause any division,” she stressed.
Lipa Carmel offers Chinese Masses for ‘vocations for China’ “If I would be asked to go for
another mission, I would,” said
“After all, we serve the same God.”
All women joining the mission
LIPA City— For over 30 explained Sr. Fides that one day we will make Chinese Lunar New Year, Dewey Rose Escueta, who garnered wore a head scarf or hijab during their
years, Carmel of our Lady, Realubit, a Carmelite nun a foundation in mainland offering its first Chinese the 10th highest score in last year’s stay in respect of Muslim women’s
Mary Mediatrix of All in this city. [China],” she added. Mass back in 1986. nursing licensure exam. practice of covering the head.
Grace has been offering One way of increasing Rillo met the SVD Chinese Today, Feb. 16, Fr. Dale Upon receiving the invitation
Masses in Chinese to pave vocations for China priest when she was helping Baretto-Ko will celebrate from her alma mater San Pedro DuyogMarawi
the way for an increase of according to the SVD out Our Lady of Mt. Carmel a 5:30 p.m. English Mass College of Davao to join the med The mission was in close
vocations, specifically for priest, added Realubit, is Monastery Church in Laoag, with songs in Mandarin mission with other new nurses from coordination with DuyogMarawi,
the conversion of China. to have Chinese Masses in Ilocos Norte, which used to and Fookien. Jan. 26 to 28, she didn’t think twice. a group that was created after
“An SVD Chinese priest the Philippines. celebrate a Chinese Mass According to Realubit, According to the freshly-minted the Marawi siege, with mostly
encouraged our Sr. Mary Aside from an increase on Oct. 10, the national day after Mass there will be nurse, she would never let fear nor Maranaos as members. They served
Grace [Rillo] to have a in vocations, the of the Republic of China offering of incense as evil hinder her from serving others. as guides and interpreters for the
Chinese Mass because Carmelites also hope to that marks the start of part of the prayers for mission in Balindong in Lanao del
when the time comes, [he bring the congregation to the Wuchang Uprising of ancestors in a Christian Understanding their plight Sur and KampoRanaoDatu Saber in
said], that China open its Chinese shores. 1911, which brought about context. There is also a She and her fellow passers also Marawi City.
doors we should be ready “Over 30 years there’s the collapse of the Qing plan to make the Chinese invited friends from other schools According to their team
for vocations for China a thanksgiving Mass here Dynasty. traditional ancestral under the Davao Association of leader RemartMortalla, they did
and they mainly accept for the Lunar New Year. Lipa Carmel, on the tablet. (Nirva’ana Ella Catholic Schools (DACS) to join, not encounter any difficulty in
Filipino missionaries,” It is our Carmel’s dream other hand, chose the Delacruz/CBCPNews) bringing the number of volunteers recruiting the volunteers because
to least 26 nurses and other doctors they were “very eager” to join the
Churches need good sound systems, says veteran broadcaster in the said medical mission, which
was the second one initiated by
mission, which also offered optical
and dental services.
BALIUAG, Bulacan— Some parish short and simple,” said Soho. Jesus, that you’re full of love with Archdiocesan Social Action Center Fr. Leonardo Dublan, Jr., ASAC
churches suffer from poor acoustics She also hopes that priests Jesus. This should be reason why of Davao (ASAC), the first one held director lauded the participation of
and it doesn’t have to be that way, become aware of the common you want to be a priest… because from July 15 to 17, 2017. the nurses and all the volunteers,
said a veteran broadcaster. people’s plight. there’s God who loves you,” he Escueta shared that the medical saying the mission was their share
Speaking at a gathering of “You should always get to know stressed. mission experience helped her not only in the rebuilding of Marawi
seminarians in BALIUAG town the pulse of the community,” Soho The Catholic lay preacher further understand the plight of the but also in the peace-building efforts
on Feb. 10, GMA news anchor added. “You should not be detached admonished the seminarians to Maranaos, who left their homes of the Church.
Jessica Soho said that proclaiming from the people”. make sure they connect with the during the height of the Marawi
the Gospel requires a practical people when they preach.
consideration: making sure people ‘A love affair with Jesus’ “Sometimes we tend to impress Impunity / A1
hear it clearly. Meanwhile, lay Catholic the people and sometimes they
“Even if a priest delivers a good evangelist and bestselling author don’t understand [what we Sorsogon said it’s high time that the life and the great crime of murder,”
homily [but the sound system is Bo Sanchez reminded seminarians are talking about],” explained increasing drug-related violence be he said.
bad], it will be difficult understand,” that “priesthood is not a job” but a Sanchez. investigated, including the cases of In October last year, several
she said. vocation that must be rooted in the He also advised them not “to use killings in Davao when Duterte was policemen sought the Church’s
Soho was among the speakers experience of a loving God. their own vocabulary” when they mayor. protection and offered to
during a conference for this year’s “If it is only a job for you, then preach but “the people’s language” “The ICC should include the testify against Duterte’s war
“Kapatiran”, an annual gathering of don’t become a priest,” he said. “It so they can be better understood. alleged crimes committed by on drugs.
theology seminarians from across must come from a love affair with Hosted by the Immaculate President Duterte when he was Archbishop Socrates Villegas
the country. this person, with Jesus.” Conception Major Seminary of mayor Davao,” said Bastes. of Lingayen-Dagupan said the
Sanchez then challenged everyone the Diocese of Malolos, this year’s “These extrajudicial killings potential witnesses whom he
Short and simple to nourish and cultivate an intimate gathering saw more than 500 must stop now! We hope that the declined to identify have come
Asked about her wish for future relationship with Jesus. seminarians assembled for a day of conscience of this administration forward because they were
priests, she said, among others, “I want you to be so rooted in your “learning and fellowship”. (Roel will realize the dignity of human bothered by their consciences.
short yet good homilies. “Keep it intimate personal relationship with Joe Abonal/CBCPNews) persons, the value of God’s gift of (CBCPNews)

Ecology / A1 Flooding / A1

Laudato Si and explained the context
of “the human meaning of ecology”.
“There is environmental ecology, but
[the encyclical asks us], ‘Do not forget
human ecology,’ [that is,] the care of
man should not contradict with the care
for nature,” he explained.
Tagle then cited how nowadays the
best and more expensive meals are given
to pets while the nearly spoiled food is
sometimes given to the household help.
He also noted how carefully a flower vase
is handled because of its fragility but at
times words are not chosen well so as
not to crush another’s heart.
He linked this to another theme
mentioned in Laudato Si, “the value
proper to each creature”.
“Every creature of God is important,”
he said, “This is why Pope Francis
chose the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi,
‘Laudato Si Mi Senore’ ”
According to the cardinal, the
other themes recurring in the Pope’s
encyclical are (1) the relationship
between the poor and the fragility
of the planet, (2) the conviction that
everything in the world is connected,
(3) the critique of new paradigms
and forms of power derived from
technology, and (4) the call to seek
other ways of understanding the
economy and progress.
Celebrating consecrated life
He explained the Feast of the
Presentation of the Lord is “also the
day to celebrate consecrated life”.
“So we greet our consecrated persons
here–the religious men and women and
the consecrated lay. Thank you very
much for offering your lives to God, the
Church, and society,” said Tagle.
The Ecclesiastical Province of Manila’s
Laudato Si Conference addressed the
urgent call raised by Pope Francis “for a
new dialogue about how we are shaping
the future of our planet” through his
encyclical Laudato Si released on
June 18, 2015. More specifically, the
conference aimed to bridge the gaps
in information, understanding, and
translation of the encyclical in the daily
life of Christians, especially Filipino
Catholics.
Other speakers included Kalookan
Bishop Pablo David, Manila’s Auxiliary
Bishop Broderick Pabillo, and Br.
Raymundo Suplido, FSC. While the
Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) Assistant Regional
Director Region 3 Atty. Arthur Salazar;
Atty. Antonio Orosa, Jr., environmental
law expert; Dr. Antonio Lavina, a
climate change expert; and Senators
Cynthia Villar and Heherson Alvarez
provided political and legal perspectives
on the encyclical. (Minnie Agdeppa
/ CBCPNews)
for an investigation into the
reasons why the flood came
so fast,” he said in a statement
on Feb. 17. (See full text of
the statement in page B5)
The prelate noted that in
some areas, a number of logs
and felled trees were swept
downstream, particularly
on the much-affected parts
of Carrascal and Cantilan
towns.
“Could the reason be
due to massive mining
operations that denuded the
natural forested mountains
and critical watersheds of
Cantilan and Carrascal?” he
said.
Odchimar lamented that
the provincial government
of Surigao del Sur, in their
report, made no mention on
the extent of the devastation,
“let alone its root cause”.
Instead, the bishop said it
only mentioned its relief and
rescue operations with the
help of mining companies.
“Some of which are allegedly
owned by the high-ranking
government officials of the
province,” he added.
The former president of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines urged
the concerned government
agencies to organize a “multi-
stakeholder and multi-
disciplinary” team that will
look into the matter.
“We continue to pray for the
victims of the calamity. We
seek justice for the economic
wreckage on agriculture,” he
said. (CBCPNews)

Duc in Altum / A5

articles third class relics. I also took
their pictures with the relics.
From San Jose Church, we
transferred the relics to San
Bartolome Church in Malabon City
via motorcade and welcome by the
drum and lyre band and “caracol”
dances by the parish youth. After the
welcome rites, there were catechesis
and Eucharistic Celebration by the
Vicariate Clergy and Taize by the
Diocesan youth. As in Navotas,
thousands of people queued up to
midnight to venerate the relics.
On Day 2, after the Farewell Mass,
the relics were transferred to San
Roque Cathedral via a motorcade
and procession. The Welcome
Rites was led by the Diocese’s Vicar
General Fr. Jerome Cruz, Fr. Ricky
Omol and Fr. Tony Nopasa. The
Knights of Columbus honor guards
saluted the relics with their swords.
The Eucharistic Celebration was
led by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S.
David, Bishop of Kalookan, and the
Kalookan Clergy. Again, thousands
of worshippers attended the Mass,
afterwards, they form an orderly
queue, touched or kissed the fiber-
glass encasement, said a prayer in
the presence of the mortal remains of
St. Therese, believed to be the patron
saint of aviators, florists, aids sufferers
and missionaries. A military crew
secured the safety of the relics. This
author venerated, touched and prayed
by the side of the relics and stayed
up to the wee hours of the morning,
knowing that the relics will leave the
Diocese early in the morning.
On Day 3, after the early morning
Farewell Mass at San Roque
Cathedral, the relics were ready to
be transferred to Good Shepherds
Cathedral, Diocese of Novaliches.
This author, touched and prayed
by the relics, took her car and,
together with other Diocesan Media
volunteers, joined the motorcade to
Novaliches, renewed acquaintance
with its Parish Priest, Fr. Mario
Sanchez, formerly assigned at Christ
the King Parish, Filinvest II, attended
the Welcome Rites, said their good
bye to the relics, hoping to have
another encounter with St. Therese.
The pilgrim relics of St. Therese
consist of her right leg, a thigh
bone and a bit of a foot sealed
inside a 21 stone silver container
in a huge jacaranda casket called
a reliquary. It requires 8 to 10
policemen to carry her up to the
altar. The policemen from the three
cities carried he relics to the Altar.
Research reveals that Most of St.
Therese’s body is in the Basilica in
Lisieux, while her head is in the
neighboring Carmelite Convent,
one foot is on permanent tour in
France, a vertebra is also housed
in another travelling reliquary
and the rest of her bones are on
international duty. There is also a
small bone fragment somewhere
in outer space. In 2008, a U.S.
astronaut took a tiny relic with him
on the Discovery space shuttle and
left it up there, making St Therese
the first saint to orbit the earth.
The world came to know St.
Therese through her autobiography,
“Story of a Soul”. She wrote “What
matters in life is not great deeds, but
great love. I will spend my heaven
doing good on earth. I will let fall
a shower of roses.” Millions have
been touched by her intercession
and imitate her “little way.” She
has been acclaimed “the greatest
saint of modern times.” There were
always showers of rose petals during
her visit to the Diocese of Kalookan.
***
Happy Birthday to Fr. Rufino Yabut,
Fr. Romy Tuazon, Fr. Tim Guarin,
Fr. Dennis Salise, Marie Masangkay,
Bea Lim, Tess Lara of the Diocese of
Kalookan and my niece Resi Imperial.
A8 PEOPLE, FACTS, AND PLACES February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 CBCP Monitor

Nat’l Migrants
Sunday: Bishop urges
gov’t to enhance
protection of OFWs
THE Catholic Church
offered prayers for overseas
Filipino workers on National
Migrants’ Sunday, reiterating
its call for better treatment
and protection of OFWs in
their host countries.
Bishop Ruperto Santos,
chairman of the CBCP’s
Commission on Migrants
and Itinerant People, said the
government must boost the
welfare of OFWs especially
domestic workers under
vulnerable conditions.
“Our migrant workers
should be safe. They
should not be threatened
or exploited. Their rights
must be protected and their
dignity respected,” Santos
said.
“A migrant is a person. He
has feelings, emotions, and a
history. He is created by God,
gifted by God with specific
talents and individual skills.
Thus, he is not a tool for
profits nor an instrument for
pleasure,” he said.
The prelate’s appeal
comes on the heels of a
deployment ban imposed by
the Philippine government to
Kuwait due to the many cases
of abuses against OFWs.
There is currently an
estimated 10 million
Filipino workers in different
countries, most of them
Cardinal Rosales to seminarians:
Mirror God’s goodness
are in Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, Hong Kong,
Kuwait, and Qatar.
These OFWs have
contributed to the economic
growth of the country through
their foreign remittances that
saved the Philippines from
financial crisis in previous
years.
The Church is also hopeful
that host countries will
welcome Filipinos into their
communities, and step up
efforts to combat intolerance
and discrimination against
migrants.
“When migrants go to
another community, it is
not only for labor but also to
share their knowledge, skills,
and expertise,” Santos added.
“Let them live fully and
fruitfully with one another.
There should be no attempts
to eradicate their ethnicity.
This calls for their adoption
by or absorption into the
community. It is communion
with all, in contrast to
exclusivity or isolationism,”
he also said.
The Catholic Bishop
Conference of the Philippines
declared in 1987 every first
Sunday of Lent the “National
Migrants Sunday” to honor
the sacrifices and heroism
of OFWs and their families.
(CBCPNews)
Pope names new
archbishop, bishops
LAZO
POPE Francis has given Jaro new
archbishop and appointed bishops for
the dioceses of Mati and Iba, filling three
important positions in the Church with
churchmen known for their skills in
priestly formation.
Francis on Feb. 14 named Bishop Jose
Romeo Lazo of San Jose de Antique to
replace the retiring Jaro archbishop,
Angel Lagdameo, who served the
archdiocese for 18 years.
The archbishop-elect, who just
turned 69 last Jan. 23, will be the
13th archbishop of one of the largest
archdioceses in the country with more
than three million Catholic population.
In the meantime, the pope has named
Lagdameo, a former president of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines, as Apostolic Administrator
“sedevacante” of Jarountil Lazo takes
canonical possession.
Lazo was born on Jan. 23, 1949 in
San Jose Buenavista, Antique. He was
ordained a priest on April 1, 1975.
On Nov. 15, 2003, Pope John Paul
II appointed him bishop of Kalibo. Six
years later, Pope Benedict XVI named
him fourth bishop of San Jose de
Antique.
Mati diocese’s new bishop is
Msgr. Abel Apigo of the clergy in the
Archdiocese of Davao, currently the
APIGO
rector of the St. Francis Xavier Regional
Major Seminary.
Appointed on Feb. 10, the bishop-
elect is the first Filipino to receive
appointment from the pope this year.
Apigo will be the second bishop of
Mati since the retirement of former
Mati Bishop Patricio Alo due to health
reasons.
Born in Calinan, Davao City on May
21, 1968, the bishop-elect was ordained
a priest on April 18, 1994.
He served in various capacities at the
Regional Seminary of St. Francis Xavier
of Davao: pastoral director (1996-1997),
professor (2000-2001), coordinator
(2001-2002), vice rector and dean
(2002-2006), before becoming its rector
in 2006.
Apigo obtained a licentiate in Church
history from the Pontifical Gregorian
University in Rome, in 2000.
In 2014, Apigo was appointed
episcopal vicar for the clergy of the
diocese.
Monsignor Bartolome Santos, Jr. of
the Diocese of Malolos, meanwhile, will
take over the Diocese of Iba which has
been vacant for almost four years now.
Santos, 50, will succeed Archbishop
Florentino Labaras who was appointed
to head the Archdiocese of San Fernando
in Pampanga in 2014.
SANTOS
The bishop-elect is currently the Vicar
General and Moderator of the Curia of
the Malolos diocese in Bulacan.
Since 2009, Santos has also been
serving as the rector of the National
Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in
Valenzuela City.
Santos was born in Santa Maria,
Bulacan on December 1, 1967. After his
philosophy and theology studies at the
University of Santo Tomas in Manila, he
was ordained priest on August 27, 1992.
Subsequently he served as vicar in the
San PascualBaylon parish of Obando
town from 1992 to 1994 and at the San
Isidro Labrador Parish in Pulilan from
1994 to 1995.
He also served as the spiritual director
and professor at the Immaculate
Conception Minor Seminary of Malolos
from 1995 until he left the country for
further studies in Rome in 1996.
In 2009, he obtained a Licentiate in
Biblical Theology from the Pontifical
Gregorian University.
Returning home after his studies, he
first continued his service in the same
roles at the minor seminary, and then
he became Rector from 2005 to 2009.
From 2005 to 2013, he also served as
Episcopal Vicar for Religious. (Roy
Lagarde with reports from John
Frances Fuentes/CBCPNews)

Daily missal for Holy Week features Cardinal Tagle’s reflections

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales presides over the opening Mass of this year’s “Kapatiran”
at the Saint Augustine Parish Church in Baliwag, Bulacan, February 10, 2018. EUGENE
PARAYAOAN
ADDRESSING more than
500 seminarians from all
over the country, a cardinal
reminded them about the
basic and fundamental
vocation in this world— to
mirror God’s goodness.
In his homily during
opening Mass of “Kapatiran
2018” at the Saint Augustine
Parish Church in Baliuag,
Bulacan on Satuday, Cardinal
Gaudencio Rosales exhorted
the seminarians and priests
to become mirrors of God’s
goodness to all the people
they encounter.
The retired Manila
archbishop said that even
those who are in married life
and in other vocations are
called to the same challenge.
Rosales then admonished
the seminarians to always
remember that God’s calling
has already been there.
“God chose you already
even before,” he said.
“Priests and seminarians
should mirror and share the
goodness of God. Remember,
you will be judged by that.”
“God gives us
understanding because it
allows us to be able to freely
respond to His call to mirror
His goodness to people. It is
as if God is telling you: ‘You
have to repeat my goodness
to people,’” he said.
When times of feeling
unworthy comes in, the
cardinal told them that God
knows how much weak and
sinful humanity is.
“God knows we are weak.
God knows we are sinners.
Yet are we willing to submit
ourselves to Him? Are we
ready to be humiliated in
God’s presence? We should
experience humiliation
because that is the Cross,”
he said.
Like Jesus’ Paschal Mystery,
that is His suffering, death
and resurrection, the cardinal
said that such experience of
death and shame must also
be undergone especially by
those who are to become
priests.
“We are at a time when
the experience of the Paschal
Mystery is being lost in the
seminary. Yet this experience
of ‘Verbum Aeternum in
Christo Incarnato’ (the Eternal
Word in Christ Incarnate) is
important for it is the center
of the spiritual life. We need
to experience dying to our sins
so that God can raise us up,”
added Rosales.
He said that acknowledging
one’s own unworthiness
helps one to find intimacy
with God. “God wants to talk
to us,” said Rosales.
The Kapatiran is an annual
event that gathers theology
seminarians all over the
Philippines. It is one of the
activities of the Diocesan
Seminarians’ Network of the
Philippines (SemNet).
Founded in 1991, SemNet
was primarily aimed to
bring focus on socio-
political awareness as well
as the integral formation
of seminarians in theology.
(Roel Joe Abonal/
CBCPNews)
WITH the aim of making the According to him, the daily “It’s a grace to work with the on His way to Jerusalem, to
Eucharist and God’s Word missal published monthly Cardinal. know Him and to love Him
the focus of the faithful aims to form “better disciples” He is a lover of the Bible. more.” Interested parties
during the Lenten season, by giving the faithful access to He is a marvelous story- may subscribe or order
Bayard Assumption Media the texts of the liturgy and to teller, bringing us closer to “Living with Christ” by bulk
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by Manila Archbishop Luis French priest. of acknowledging people, Media Foundation, Inc.,
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“’Living with Christ’ helps ‘The center of our lives’ nice words, asking them Varsity Hills, Loyola Heights,
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of the Augustinians of the recognizable personalities in season, he noted how Lent Center. (Nirva’ana Ella
Assumption, said. the Church in the Philippines. “is a time to accompany Jesus Delacruz/CBCPNews)
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CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4 PASTORAL CONCERNS B1

‘Return without fear, to

experience the healing and
reconciling tenderness of God.’
(Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis at the Holy Mass, Blessing and Imposition of the Ashes,
Basilica of Santa Sabina, Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2018)

Pope Francis places ashes on the head of a cardinal during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, Feb. 14, 2018. PAUL HARING/CNS

THE season of Lent is a favorable time
to remedy the dissonant chords of our
Christian life and to receive the ever new,
joyful and hope-filled proclamation of the
Lord’s Passover.  The Church in her maternal
wisdom invites us to pay special attention to
anything that could dampen or even corrode
our believing heart.
We are subject to numerous temptations.  compassion and reverence for the encounter
Each of us knows the difficulties we have to
face.  And it is sad to note that, when faced
with the ever-varying circumstances of our
daily lives, there are voices raised that take
advantage of pain and uncertainty; the only
thing they aim to do is sow distrust.  If the
fruit of faith is charity—as Mother Teresa
often used to say—then the fruit of distrust is
apathy and resignation.  Distrust, apathy and
resignation: these are demons that deaden and
paralyze the soul of a believing people.
Lent is the ideal time to unmask these and
other temptations, to allow our hearts to beat
once more in tune with the vibrant heart
of Jesus.  The whole of the Lenten season
is imbued with this conviction, which we
could say is echoed by three words offered
to us in order to rekindle the heart of the
believer: pause, see and return.
Pause a little, leave behind the unrest and
commotion that fill the soul with bitter feelings
which never get us anywhere.  Pause from this
compulsion to a fast-paced life that scatters,
divides and ultimately destroys time with family,
with friends, with children, with grandparents,
and time as a gift… time with God.
Pause for a little while, refrain from the need
to show off and be seen by all, to continually
appear on the “noticeboard” that makes us
forget the value of intimacy and recollection.  See  the face of our families who continue
Pause for a little while, refrain from haughty
looks, from fleeting and pejorative comments
that arise from forgetting tenderness,
with others, particularly those who are
vulnerable, hurt and even immersed in sin
and error.
Pause  for a little while, refrain from  the
urge to want to control everything, know
everything, destroy everything; this comes
from overlooking gratitude for the gift of life
and all the good we receive.
Pause  for a little while, refrain from the
deafening noise that weakens and confuses
our hearing, that makes us forget the fruitful
and creative power of silence.
Pause  for a little while, refrain from
the attitude which promotes sterile and
unproductive thoughts that arise from
isolation and self-pity, and that cause us to
forget going out to encounter others to share
their burdens and suffering.
Pause  for a little while, refrain from the
emptiness of everything that is instantaneous,
momentary and fleeting, that deprives us of
our roots, our ties, of the value of continuity
and the awareness of our ongoing journey.  to bring us hope, his hand held out to those
Pause in order to look and contemplate!   who feel crucified, who experience in their
See  the gestures that prevent the
extinguishing of charity, that keep the flame
of faith and hope alive.  Look at faces alive
with God’s tenderness and goodness working
in our midst.
striving, day by day, with great effort, in order
to move forward in life, and who, despite many
concerns and much hardship, are committed
to making their homes a school of love.
See  the faces of our children and young
people filled with yearning for the future
and hope, filled with “tomorrows” and
opportunities that demand dedication and
protection.  Living shoots of love and life that
always open up a path in the midst of our
selfish and meager calculations.  and your Father (cf. Jn 20:17).  It is the time
See our elderly whose faces are marked by
the passage of time, faces that reveal the living
memory of our people.  Faces that reflect God’s
wisdom at work.
See the faces of our sick people and the many
who take care of them; faces which in their
vulnerability and service remind us that the
value of each person can never be reduced to
a question of calculation or utility.  of those who are forgiven.
See the remorseful faces of so many who try
to repair their errors and mistakes, and who
from their misfortune and suffering fight to
transform their situations and move forward.  the prophecy made to our fathers: “A new
See and contemplate the face of Crucified
Love, who today from the cross continues
lives the burden of failure, disappointment
and heartbreak.
See and contemplate the real face of Christ
crucified out of love for everyone, without
exception.  For everyone?  Yes, for everyone. 
To see his face is an invitation filled with hope
for this Lenten time, in order to defeat the
demons of distrust, apathy and resignation. 
The face that invites us to cry out: “The
Kingdom of God is possible!”
Pause, see and return.  Return to the house
of your Father.  Return without fear to those
outstretched, eager arms of your Father, who
is rich in mercy (cf. Eph 2:4), who awaits you.
Return without fear, for this is the favorable
time to come home, to the home of my Father
for allowing one’s heart to be touched…
Persisting on the path of evil only gives rise
to disappointment and sadness.  True life is
something quite distinct and our heart indeed
knows this.  God does not tire, nor will he tire,
of holding out his hand (cf. Misericordiae
Vultus, 19).
Return without fear, to join in the celebration
Return without fear, to experience the
healing and reconciling tenderness of God. 
Let the Lord heal the wounds of sin and fulfill
heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put
within you; and I will take out of your flesh the
heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”
(Ezek 36: 26).
Pause, see and return!
B2 UPDATES
What makes a Catholic school:
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ST. JOHN INSTITUTE-HUAMING CONTROVERSY (PART 2)
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
My attention was recently called
by two friends—separately—on
what apparently is a scandalous
controversy raging in the diocese
of Bacolod. Before the Christmas
break, an old friend from my UP
years approached me regarding
the conflict between the Board
of Trustees of the SJI-Huaming
School in Bacolod and the Diocese.
With the Christmas break and
my teaching engagements in the
interim, I had temporarily shelved
this matter. But as soon as I got
back, my attention was called, this
time by a fellow canon lawyer,
regarding the position paper of the
President of the CEAP regarding the
aforementioned controversy. As a
judicial vicar, he had been asked by
the catholic school community in his
own diocese regarding that paper.
I would like to contribute towards
the resolution of this matter, since
obviously the only one benefiting
from the conflict is the devil, who
foments division in the Mystical
Body of Christ.
1. Was St. John Institute (SJI)
a Catholic School?
As we had previously seen,
given a Catholic educational content,
an educational institution can
formally (officially) use the name
Catholic only with the permission
of the competent Catholic authority
(cf. cc.216 & 803, §3), which is
only given when the Hierarchy is
in some way committed in such an
institution.
These can be of two different types
(cf. c.803, §1):
1) Those e s t a bl is h e d and
directed by the Hierarchy or by a
public ecclesiastical juridic person.
2) Those recognized as Catholic
by the competent authority through
a written document.
SJI was neither erected by the
Catholic Hierarchy nor directed by
a public ecclesiastical juridic person.
In fact, it is to the credit of the school
that with the passage of time, it had
matured into an excellent center of
learning quite on its own, by hiring
qualified lay academic professionals.
Despite a brief collaboration with
the Lorenzo Ruiz Mission Society—
which was really undermanned and
insufficiently trained for the task—
the SJI had operated as a private
school of undoubtedly Catholic
inspiration, as it was envisioned by
its priest founders.
Hence, the only possible
ground for it to be officially
called Catholic would have been
its recognition as such by the
competent authority, and despite
all the arguments to this end, the
simple fact is that such an official
recognition, through a written
document, does not exist. That such
recognition is implied is beyond
Masses on Saturday evenings
(Father Edward McNamara,
professor of liturgy and dean of
theology at the Regina Apostolorum
university, answers the following
query:)
Q: Kindly clarify whether a
Mass celebrated on a Saturday
evening (say, at or after 6 p.m.)
in Ordinary Time must be
that of the Sunday, or is there
the option of celebrating the
Saturday Mass or a votive Mass
of the Virgin Mary? — R.H.,
Jos, Nigeria
A: Actually, the best reply I can offer
is, it all depends on where you are.
With respect to this theme canon
law says the following:
“Canon 1247. On Sundays and
other holy days of obligation, the
faithful are obliged to participate
in the Mass. Moreover, they are
to abstain from those works and
affairs which hinder the worship to
be rendered to God, the joy proper
to the Lord’s day, or the suitable
relaxation of mind and body.
“Canon 1248 §1. A person
who assists at a Mass celebrated
question, but the juridic world does
not deal with implications but with
documented facts.
Hence, we can categorically say
that SJI-Huaming was not officially
a Catholic school.
2. Is St. John Institute Catholic?
As we saw previously, the so-called
Catholic identity of a school can be
verified—according to the criteria set
by Ex corde Ecclesiae—by four
essential characteristics:
1) The Christian inspiration
not only of the individuals
therein, but of the entire academic
community as such. In this regard,
a simple argument might suffice:
by their fruits you will know them.
The Christian inspiration of the SJI
academic community must have
been quite strong for it to develop
to the point that the school chapel
would be erected into a parish!
2) Continuing reflection
in the light of the Catholic
faith upon the growing treasury
of human knowledge, to which
it seeks to contribute by its own
academic activity. This pretension is
repeatedly expressed in the Mission-
Vision Statement of the school and
further articulated in its General
Objectives.
3) Fidelity to the
Magisterium—i.e., to the
Christian message as it comes to us
through the Church. Although I have
no way of verifying this, I defer to the
assessment by the President of the
Catholic Educational Association
of the Philippines (CEAP), Fr. Joel
Tabora, S.J., who in his appeal to
the Local Ordinary of Bacolod last
5.I.2018, referred to SJI as “one of
our esteemed schools, delivering
Catholic Education in the Diocese
of Bacolod for over half a century.”
As far as the above-mentioned
criteria are concerned, one can
tentatively say that indeed SJI-
Huaming is Catholic—i.e., it had
a Catholic identity. So strong, in
fact, was this Catholic identity that
it proclaimed itself, in speech, in
print, in programs and action plans.
Nevertheless, there is a fourth
characteristic that should also be
essential to the Catholic identity.
4) Institutional commitment
to the service of the People of
God and of the human family in
their pilgrimage to the transcendent
goal which gives meaning to life.
This, to my mind, is the key to
unraveling the real core of the
present controversy.
3. Catholic means Universal
In a letter dated 14.II.2017—a day
traditionally dedicated to human
love, but in the Church devoted to
Our Mother of Fair Love—the then
relatively newly-installed Ordinary
of Bacolod, Bp. Patricio Buzon,
in what can only be qualified as a
manifestation of his prophetic role
as Pastor, identified the “guiding
anywhere in a Catholic rite either on
the feast day itself or in the evening
of the preceding day satisfies the
obligation of participating in the
Mass.”
There are two distinct, albeit
related, questions. One regards
the Mass formula to be used on
Saturday evening, the second the
time when a celebration covers the
Sunday precept.
With respect to the first question,
according to Canon 1248.1 any
Catholic Mass celebrated on a
Saturday evening would fulfill the
Sunday obligation even if it were not
the actual Sunday liturgy.
Thus, if one attends a Saturday
evening Mass in the extraordinary
form or an Eastern Catholic liturgy,
this fulfills the Sunday obligation
even though the celebration follows
a different liturgical calendar.
Also, if one assists at a wedding
or funeral on Saturday evening,
one would not be obliged to attend
Sunday Mass. If the Mass coincided
with a regular parish Mass, then
usually the Sunday liturgy would
be followed. If the Mass did not
coincide with a parish celebration,
St. John’s Institute - Hua Ming. PHOTO FROM SJI-HUA MING FACEBOOK PAGE
principle and framework” of his
discernment and judgment of the
case. He said:
“By far, after all has been said and
done, I am personally convinced
that going back to the ‘initial
inspiration’ of the founding fathers
of the Chinese apostolate in Bacolod
(one which started in 1956 with
the cooperation of the Church
hierarchy and the lay people of
goodwill) ultimately provides the
‘hermeneutic key’ to the better
understanding of the present
controversy (…). The facts clearly
show that from the beginning the
construction of the church, the
recreational facilities and the later
establishment of the school were to
serve only one purpose, the mission
of the Church—i.e., the propagation
of the Catholic faith among the
Chinese residents of Bacolod.”
When one looks impartially at the
particulars of the controversy, one
cannot help but be saddened by how
well-meaning people have allowed
the material and the mundane—what
I would better call as anecdotical—to
cloud the greater picture. In effect,
we see the poles of the controversy:
On the one hand the Board of
Trustees, understandably focused on
the particular good of the academic
community of SJI, are insisting on
what they have unfortunately called
the “dis-parishing” of the hitherto
Queen of Peace Parish Church to
revert to a simple School Chapel, to
service the needs of the school for
which it was originally built. The
operative word here is originally, but
as the good Bp. Buzon would point
it would be most recommendable
from the spiritual point of view to
incorporate the elements of Sunday
Mass such as three readings and the
creed.
Likewise, the members of a
religious community that habitually
celebrates its daily Mass in the
evening would not be obliged to
celebrate the Sunday Mass twice
and could celebrate the Mass of the
day or a votive Mass of Our Lady.
Canonically speaking, anybody
attending this Mass would fulfill the
obligation to attend Sunday Mass
although most would not be aware
of this fact and would attend Mass
on a Sunday.
This is because universal liturgical
law does not oblige the celebration
of Sunday Mass on a Saturday
evening, although in most cases it
would be the right thing to do.
There are, however, some bishops’
conferences which have legislated on
this subject so as to avoid conflicts
and to ensure that the majority of
the faithful benefit from the full
treasure of the Sunday liturgy.
These are usually countries
where a common national rule
February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4
out, the foundational inspiration
transcends that immediate purpose.
On the other hand, we have the
parish community and what I could
only surmise as the minds in the
parochial structure, also focused
on assuring terra firma—i.e., all the
questions regarding land ownership
and control of the physical structures.
But a parish is not the parish church:
it is the community of Christ’s
faithful, gathered under the care
of the parish priest, who—united
to the Bishop and never without
him—are provided the means of
salvation and sanctification (the
Word and the Sacraments). The
materiality of the parish church is a
convenient feature—one could even
say a matter of praxis—but not by a
long shot an indispensable one. One
can effectively run a parish without
owning a parish church and its
attendant facilities. The only thing
necessary is the stable use of such
structures for the parish activities.
The early Church did not have such
structures; the houses of the first
Christians—the domus ecclesiae—
were enough, and wanting that, even
just the catacombs.
Nihil sine Episcopo
The Church is intrinsically
monarchical, because it stems from
Jesus Christ and his Vicar on Earth
the Pope: Thou art Peter (Rock) and
upon this rock I shall build my Church
(Mt. 16, 18). The sacra potestas
(sacred power of jurisdiction) was
invested on Peter, capacitating
him to structure and organize the
Church, as a way of structuring
was deemed necessary since they
have an abundance of convents,
monasteries, shrines and other
chapels with regular Masses with a
wide variety of practice.
In countries where there is no
national rule each bishop could
decide what is best and could decree
binding rules for his diocese. The
bishop can also dispense in concrete
cases from the general rule.
In Italy, for example, the bishops’
conference has decreed that all
Saturday evening Masses must be
the Masses of the Sunday. In the
norms it states that if it is necessary
to celebrate weddings and funerals,
they should preferably begin no later
than around 3 p.m.
Should celebration in the early
evening prove impossible, the
general liturgical norms for ritual
Masses celebrated on Saturday
evening would apply. The possibility
of celebrating these ritual Masses
would depend on the liturgical
season, and in all cases the elements
proper to Sunday Mass would be
included.
This is because in Italy the time
when the Mass would begin to fulfill
CBCP Monitor
and organizing the delivery of the
means of salvation and sanctification
(the Word and the Sacraments).
Peter deconcentrates this power to
the other Apostles—the Pope his
successor to the other bishops—
erecting particular Churches
(ecclesiastical circumscriptions),
each one a community of believers
around a bishop who is a successor
of the Apostles. There can be no
Church unless grafted to this life-
giving vine.
Hence, in the case of a school
purporting to be Catholic in heart
and mind, it can only do so if it is
effectively grafted to that vine—not
just in name, or even by protestation,
but through an effective communion
with the hierarchy. To my mind,
the minimum requirement for
this to happen is for that school
to have a Catholic chaplaincy,
under the authority and tutelage
of someone with episcopal function
(in other words a subject of the
sacra potestas). Anything short
of that would be a do-it-yourself
Catholicism.
I think this is what has
happened with SJI-Huaming.
The understandable desire of the
Board of Trustees for autonomy
on the one hand, and the equally
understandable desire of the Queen
of Peace parochial community for
material stability on the other,
has forced a situation—ill-defined
to begin with—to its absurd
consequence. A wise man had said
that for something to be fixed, it
first has to get messy. The less-
Catholic / B7
the Sunday obligation would usually
be after 4 p.m. Canonists are divided
on this topic, and some argue that
any Mass after noon would be
sufficient.
All agree, however, that bishops
have the authority to validly
establish either option.
In Spain the norms are even
stricter. All Masses after noon on
Saturday must be the Sunday Mass,
although allowing for ritual Masses
according to the general rules.
Indeed, to comply with this norm,
several religious communities that
celebrate daily evening Mass now
make an exception on Saturday and
have Mass in the morning.
Where no explicit rule exists, I
think that as a general pastoral rule
all public Masses celebrated after 4
p.m. should be Sunday Masses.
There could be precise exceptions,
such as the daily celebrations in
religious communities that are not
open to the faithful in general, or a
priest who celebrates alone or with
one minister due to a just cause such
as travel or illness.
In such cases the daily Mass may
be celebrated.
CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4 Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons B3

The Religious
(Lifted from the Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, par 448-469)

Nuns from different religious congregations attend Mass to mark to celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Life at the Manila Cathedral, February 2, 2018. ROY LAGARDE

IN the evangelizing and liberating
mission of the Church in the Philip-
pines, consecrated men and women,
more generally known as “Reli-
gious,” are playing an indispens-
able role. How are we to consider
their call from the Lord in the light
of renewed evangelization? Their
apostolic work in undoubtedly evan-
gelizing and liberating. But is their
work the only evangelizing factor in
their consecrated life? Responding
to this leads us to a deeper reflection
on the religious life of thousands of
Filipino men and women who have
consecrated themselves totally to the
service of the God and their fellows
here and abroad.
of Christ’s light of our evangelizing
task as a Church and in the context of
our history. We need to understand
this new focus more deeply.
Our starting point as the follow-
ing words: “Religious, for their
part, find their consecrated life a
privileged means of effective evan-
gelization. At the deepest level of
their being they are caught up in the
dynamism of the Church’s life, which
is thirsty for the divine Absolute and
called to holiness. It is to this holi-
ness that they bear witness. They
embody the Church in her desire to
obedience, can become an eloquent
witness capable of touching also
non-Christians who have good will
and are sensitive to certain values.
(Evangelii Nuntiandi, 69).
Religious holiness as radical
discipleship
Christian life is essentially an ex-
plicitation of the basic commitment
made at baptism; holiness is giving
the fullest possible expression and
effect to baptismal grace. All Chris-
tians are called to radical disciple-
ship, to grow in the experience of
sanctification and salvation. Their
discipleship does not set them apart
from other Christians. Life all other
Christians, the religious are called
to serve the world and the Church,
to be immersed in the world even
as they live as signs of the coming
kingdom.
God has given religious men and
women a particular gift. It consists
in a life of consecration by profession
of the vows. It must testify to the
values of the kingdom by which all
Christians are invited to life (LG 43)
in an exemplary and public fashion.
undivided love for Christ alone, the
absolute dedication to the growth of
his kingdom places religious life at
the center of the Church’s mission
(LG, 43), helping make the Church
a concrete sign of the Spirit’s pres-
ence among us. It is the one Spirit
who creates his Church ever anew
by calling forth individuals who
respond both to his love as well as
to the needs of human beings of dif-
ferent times (LG 46).
Both the Eucharist and the
Blessed Virgin Mary are integral
for the religious life. The Eucharist

Basic considerations
As Vatican II renewed our un-
derstanding of the Church, so it did
our understanding of religious life.
The evangelical counsels of “chaste
self-dedication to God, of poverty
and obedience” constitute “a gift of
God.” (Lumen Gentium, 43). Reli-
gious life embodies this gift and to
that life God calls some Christians,
both clerical and lay, for the building
up of the Church and for its saving
mission. Religious life is thus a dis-
tinct form of discipleship whereby
persons consecrate themselves to
living Christ’s life radically, publicly
and in community, in order thereby
to devote themselves exclusively to
the mission of Christ. That is a gen-
eral meaning of religious life.
We need to re-affirm the truth that
“consecration is the basis of religious
life.” (Sacred Congregation for Re-
ligious and for Secular Institutes,
Essential Elements in the Church’s
Teaching as Applied to Institutes
Dedicated to Works of the Aposto-
late, 1983, no. 5). Rooted in bap-
tism, this consecration transforms
the relationship between the person
and God profoundly into “a covenant
of mutual fidelity, of communion
and mission.” (Loc. cit.) The vows
express that transforming consecra-
tion and their essential enduring
Priests join Mass during the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, Bulacan. ROY LAGARDE
significance has been enshrined in
the documents of the Church.
In the light of the cleavage be- give herself completely to the radi- God the way Jesus did. For if it is clear that the challenge to is the primary source of renewal and
tween faith and life in our country, cal demands of the beatitudes. By But even if all are equally called to discipleship is issued to all, it is also the center of community. Mary is a
religious life has to be seen addition- their lives they are a sign of total become more and more life Christ, clear that not all will feel themselves paradigm for those who have conse-
ally as prophetic. That it is a form availability to God, the Church and there are various forms of disciple- called to commit themselves to it in crated their lives to God, especially
of service is evident in such service the brethren… At the same time as ship. In following the call of Jesus a way that is radical and explicit, as the voice of the poor and lowly
institutions as schools, clinics and being a challenge to the world and to perfection (Cf. Eph 4:13), the formal and public, institutional and and as one who welcomed the word
hospitals, parishes and socio-pas- to the Church herself, this silent wit- religious choose one way of becom- collective. Religious, however, have of God into her heart and put it into
toral agencies. But that religious ness of poverty and abnegation, pu- ing a Christian, one way of becom- been called by God to do so. practice.
Religious / B7
life is also prophecy in the manner rity and sincerity, of self-sacrifice in ing a disciple of Jesus, one way of The constant search for God, the
B4 FEATURES
OUR FIRST HARVEST
(Homily delivered by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas during the presbyteral ordination
of Rev. Christopher T. Quimo and Rev. Jake J. Rovillos on 27 December 2017, at the
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Dagupan City.)
THE first Pangasinense priest was
a twenty four year old man from
Lingayen named Father Eustaquio
Benson ordained in 1783. He studied
at Colegio de San Juan de Letran and
was valedictorian of his class. He was
ordained by Archbishop Sancho for
the Diocese of Nueva Segovia and
was described as an intellectual,
competent and highly qualified and
at the same time, very humble and
faithful to the gift of the priesthood.
He received his doctorate in canon
law from the University of Santo
Tomas and became the first Filipino
doctor of canon law. Bishop Ruiz
wrote about him in these words: He
is a very good priest but still very
young because he is only twenty
seven years old. He is the only one I
have here who could serve as provi-
sor and the next Vicar General.” He
served the bishop’s secretary and
became parish priest of Vigan.
Bishop Blaquier wrote to the King
of Spain about Father Benson and de-
scribed him as talented, prudent and
above all quite efficient in his tasks.
Father Eustaquio Benson first
Pangasinense priest, first Filipino
doctor of canon law. First and
outstanding. First in excellence, in
devotion and piety.
Today two hundred thirty four
years later, four years after we
opened the first theology seminary
in Pangasinan, we are marking a
historic milestone in the ordination
of Christopher Kenneth Quimo and
Jake Rovillos. We have twin first
born. Christopher and Jake will go
down in Pangasinan church history
as the first harvest of the Mary Help
of Christians Theology Seminary.
Six years ago, when we started the
construction of our seminary, we
declared that this seminary will
be a legacy that will transcend our
lifetime.
Today, we are seeing the legacy
unfolding and the future arriving
right before our doorsteps. Christo-
pher and Jake are our first with hope
for many more to come!
They are like Adam the first man;
Absent fathers in OFW families
Filipino seafarers at work in the West African country of Cameroon. PHOTO COURTESY OF VON JAY BALEÑA
By Bernardo M. Villegas
OFW remittances are once again
delivering the goods for 2018. As
has been true over the last ten
years, through all the crises and
turbulence brought about by the
Great Recession and the political
troubles in the Middle East,
remittances in dollar terms during
2018 will definitely grow at the
annual rate of 3 to 5% and at more
than 10% in peso terms because of
the peso depreciation. This sector
is the largest engine of growth of
the economy, accounting for close to
From left, newly ordained Fr. Jake J.Rovillos and Fr. Christopher T. Quimo. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANDA PASCUA
like Jesus the first born; like Peter
the first Pope; like Stephen the first
martyr; like King Humabon the first
Filipino Christian; like Lorenzo Ruiz
the first Filipino martyr; like Agui-
naldo the first Philippine President;
like Bishop Jorge Barlin the first
Filipino bishop; like Bishop Cesar
Maria Guerrero our first bishop;
like Cardinal Santos the first Fili-
pino Cardinal; like Father Eustaquio
Benson our first priest.
What an honor to be first but what
I great responsibility too!
Because you are our first ordina-
tion from the seminary, you must
also be first in many others.
You must be the first to preach the
Gospel; first in the reverent offering
12% of GDP. The good news is that
we can expect this trend to continue
for at least the next years because
we still have a young, growing and
English speaking population. The
bad news is that it is being paid for
with very high social costs in the
harm done to millions of children
who suffer the psycho-sociological
harm inflicted on them by the
absence of their fathers. This is a call
for both the government and civil
society to look for ways and means
to minimize this malaise, not only
for humanitarian reasons, but also
to make sure that future generations
of the Mass; first in studying the
Word of God; first to go to confes-
sion; first in praying the Liturgy
of the Hours; first to live a recol-
lected and pious life. Being the first
is a great honor that will go down in
history pages but to whom much is
given much is also expected.
You must be the first to show
charity to those who need counsel;
first to visit the elderly and the im-
prisoned, first to visit the bed ridden
and the handicapped; first to love the
children who need to be catechized;
first in devotion to Mary Help of
Christians. You must be first to obey
your Archbishop without question;
first in modesty of dress and first in
simplicity of life.
of Filipinos among the Generation
Z (those born after 2000) will not
be psychologically handicapped
for having grown up without their
respective fathers close at hand.
Let us first consider what
Pope Francis said in one of his
Wednesday audiences in Rome back
in 2015. Reflecting on the figure of
the father in the family, he said: “The
first need then, is precisely this: that
a father be present in the family.
That he be close to his wife, to share
everything, joy and sorrow, hope
and hardship. And that he be close
to his children as they grow: when
February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4
You must the first in courage to
defend the Church, first in self-
sacrifice; first to say no to mediocrity
and pride; first in penance for your
sins and for others; first in attending
clergy meetings and first to attend
the clergy retreats; first to listen to
your brother priests in need; first to
answer when the poor call for help;
first to smile and console.
You must be first in openness,
patience and kindness; first to give
and constantly give; first in friendli-
ness and care for the people; first to
stoop down to wash the feet of your
brethren; first in holiness; first in
love, first in hope; first in faith and
first to trust in the Lord.
But not all is first with you Christo-
they play and when they strive, when
they are carefree and when they are
distressed, when they are talking
and when they are silent, when they
are daring and when they are afraid,
when they take a wrong step and
when they find their path again; a
father who is always present. To say
‘present’ is not to say ‘controlling’!
Fathers who are too controlling
cancel out their children, they don’t
let them develop.”
Pope Francis elaborates on this
topic in his Apostolic Exhortation
“The Joy of Love.” In paragraph 176
of this document, he wrote: “We hear
CBCP Monitor
pher and Jake. Because you are our
twin first, you must also be the last
in many things.
You must be the last to last to
forget the goodness of the Lord; the
last in anger and revenge; the last to
withdraw from standing up for the
Lord; the last to give up and the last
to get discouraged.
Because you are the first helper
priest of the Mary Help of Christians
Seminary, you must be the last in the
line for the buffet table; the last to ask
for a discount in the store; the last to
receive rewards and awards; the last
to receive gratitude and applause.
You must be the last to complain
that life is unfair; the last to criticize
the bishops and the Pope; the last to
gossip about priests and seminar-
ians; the last to grumble and whine;
the last with privileges and entitle-
ments.
Remember that Christ who calls
you to follow Him is God who is the
first and the last and everything.
You may have the honor to be the
first harvest of our seminary but
your calling is neither to be the first
nor to be the last. You are called by
Christ to be like Him. Be the first as
Christ is first. Be at the last and find
Christ in the last too. In everything,
do all for the glory of Christ and for
love of Him.
So Father Christopher and Father
Jake? Who are you?
You are first not through yourself
but through God. God first; not you!
You will be written in our history
books for the next generations as
the first harvest of our seminary,
not through yourself but through
God. God is the Immovable Mover,
not you!
You are first to love therefore you
must be last to turn cold.
Who are you? You are nothing
called to be everything. You are first
even if you are nothing.
You are our first gift to God and
God’s first blessing to us. This is too
much to understand. What a grace!
What a blessing! Praise to you Lord
Jesus Christ! Now and forever.
that ours is a society without fathers.
In Western culture, the father figure
is said to be symbolically absent,
missing or vanished. Manhood
itself seems to be called into
question. The result has been an
understandable confusion. ‘At first,
this was perceived as a liberation:
liberation from the father as master,
from the father as the representative
of a law imposed from without,
from the father as the arbiter of his
children’s happiness and an obstacle
to the emancipation and autonomy
of young people. In some homes,
authoritarianism once reigned and,
at times, even oppression.’ Yet, ‘as
often happens, one goes from one
extreme to the other. In our day,
the problem no longer seems to
be the overbearing presence of the
father as much as his absence, his
not being there. Fathers are often
so caught up in themselves and their
work, and at times in their own self-
fulfillment that they neglect their
families. They leave the little ones
and the young to themselves.’ The
presence of the father, and hence
his authority, is also impacted by
the amount of time given over to the
communications and entertainment
media. Nowadays authority is
often considered suspect and adults
treated with impertinence. They
themselves become uncertain and so
fail to offer sound solid guidance to
their children. A reversal of the roles
of parent and children is unhealthy,
since it hinders the proper process
of development that children need
to experience, and it denies them
the love and guidance needed to
mature.”
We must find ways of helping the
children affected by this absence of
their respective fathers to overcome
the serious handicap they face as
they grow up. We may base our
optimism on the observed fact that
Filipinos are a resilient people. But
Absent / B7
CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4
A call for responsibility
“I have heard the cry of my people…I am concerned about their suffering. (Ex.3:7)
THE recent tropical storm, Basy-
ang, that hit Surigao del Sur last
February 13, 2018 brought untold
suffering among the people, espe-
cially in the areas of Cantilan and
Carrascal where a flash flood swept
a few houses, destroyed several
hundred hectares of ricelands and
caused death with the initial count
of 5 people including children, and
injured many others. There is no
doubt that the typhoon with waning
signal number 2 was the immediate
cause of the devastation.
However, many residents whose
lives and livelihood have been se-
verely affected, are calling for an
investigation into the reasons why
the flood came so fast, and that in
some areas, a number of logs and
felled trees were swept downstream,
destroying houses and other physical
structures along the way.
There are claims that siltation
ponds have collapsed in some
mining sites, causing the rush of
floodwaters downstream. Social
media is now filled with pictures
showing the extent of devastation in
several barangays, especially Baran-
gay Babuyas, Gamuton, and Panikian
in Carrascal and Barangay Buntalid,
Cabas-an and Parang in Cantilan.
Some sectors have also pointed out
that the flooding in Cortes, Lanuza,
Carmen and Madrid were qualita-
tively different from the inundation
that devastated Cantilan and Carras-
cal. The downpour during Basyang
was way below compared to the
people’s experience of walo-walo
AMRSP’s statement on Uphold democracy,
Federalism and Charter change sovereignty, social
“The wisdom from above is first pure… open to reason, full of mercy and
good fruits… impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)
WE as a Filipino nation are again
at a crossroads. We are facing a big
challenge to change or not to change
our form of government from pres-
ent unitary system to federalism.
We in the Association of Major
Religious Superiors in the Philip-
pines (AMRSP) call on all concerned
Filipino citizens to discern well the
will of God for us and for the genera-
tions to come. Reckless decisions will
surely lead our nation into chaos and
a bleak future.
On January 29, 2018 at the In-
stitute for Religious Formation and
Studies (IRFS), forty two religious
superiors and one hundred conse-
crated men and women with their
lay and mission partners reflected
on these questions: Why the rush to
have a federal form of government?
Why now? Why change the 1987
Philippine Constitution which is a
product of the people’s long struggle
for democracy, good governance and
social justice?
The train of Charter Change and
Federalism is gathering speed at
the congress and threatens to ram
through the shift to federalism even
without widespread, thorough, sane,
and sober discussion and debates on
the issue.
We are deeply bothered by the par-
tisanship that has now taken over the
reins of charter change and federal-
ism. A shameless proposal to extend
or eight (8) days of raining without
letup.
Could the reason be due to
massive mining operations
that denuded the natural for-
ested mountains and critical
watersheds of Cantilan and
Carrascal?
The Provincial Government of Su-
rigao del Sur, in their press release,
made no mention on the extent of
the effect of the calamity; let alone
its root cause. It only mentioned
its relief and rescue operations with
the help of mining companies some
of which are allegedly owned by the
high-ranking government officials of
the province.
For this reason, we call for an im-
mediate and independent investiga-
tion on the flooding in CARCAN-
MADCARLAN, particularly on the
much-affected parts of Cantilan and
Carrascal. We therefore call on
the DENR, regional and nation-
al offices, Civil Society groups
and organizations, and other
relevant institutions and government
agencies to organize a multi-stake-
holder and multi-disciplinary team
that will look intently into the matter.
We continue to pray for the victims
of the calamity. We seek justice for
the economic wreckage on agricul-
ture. We seek the constant interven-
tion of Mary the Mother of God in all
our prayers.
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, DD. JCD,
MBA
Bishop of Tandag
terms of office has been inserted
to the legislative draft at the lower
house. Threats have been lured at
local government units who will not
toe the line. This does not augur well
for a free and informed discussion on
the issues at hand.
We are concerned that the push
for charter change and federalism
train will divert our legislators and
people’s attention from the more
pressing problem of poverty and
humane quality of life; of empow-
erment and entrenched political
dynasties; of integrity of creation in
the midst of a murderous rampage
to pillage and desecrate the environ-
ment; of the continuing diaspora of
our fellow Filipinos to distant lands
and the wholeness and well-being
of the family; of the assaults on our
national sovereignty and the need to
safeguard what is rightfully ours; the
systematic massacre of alleged drug
addicts and pushers and our right
to life; the defiance of the rule of law
and the weakening of our democratic
institution; and the insidious attacks
on human dignity and human rights.
We are one with our bishops in
declaring that “the solution we seek
is ultimately the transformation of
our political culture… Without con-
version of mindsets, the new political
wine of Charter change will remain in
old political wine-skins, and merely
end up bursting the hope for a new
STATEMENTS B5
A nickel mining site in Surigao del Sur. JUN SANTIAGO III, CSsR
justice and human
rights! No to
political culture.”
We therefore, during this Year
of the Clergy and Consecrated Per-
Charter change!
sons, call on all the members of our
congregations to help facilitate the
discernment of the citizenry, mak-
ing use of our school, convent and
church facilities and premises, to A unity statement of the No to Cha-cha Coalition*
make a wise collective decision in
this historic moment. As prophets
WE, individuals, groups and institutions of freedom-loving Filipinos;
and mystics of our times, we en-
RECOGNIZING that the Constitution, while not perfect nor
courage all Filipino people, with
unchangeable, is the result of our people’s historic struggle against
their hearts and minds purified,
dictatorship and for freedom, democracy, social justice and human
to engage in a lively discussion to
rights;
ensure that it is us, not just a few,
ALARMED that the current efforts to revise the Constitution are
who are charting the future of our
inimical to our cherished freedoms and aspirations, among them
nation. To wit,
proposed amendments that:
1. Create and widen Circles of
Conversations on the current situ-
• are patently self-serving for incumbent officials, such as
ation and to amplify awareness on
postponing the 2019 elections, extending their terms of office, and
the 1987 Philippine Constitution,
enshrining the discredited pork barrel system in the Constitution
human rights, human dignity, jus-
itself;
tice and peace for an informed and
• break up the country into regional states that will add a new layer
enlightened faithful.
of bureaucracy, red tape and political largesse while expanding
2. Disseminate the CBCP Pastoral
the powers of entrenched political dynasties and warlords;
Statement to our communities and
• establish a dictatorship, with immense powers given to the
encourage discussions and reflec-
President during the transition period;
tions from our fellow religious,
• delete or water down progressive and protectionist provisions
consecrated persons, lay partners
on the national economy and patrimony, including limits on
and students and all who take part
foreign ownership of land, public utilities, media and educational
in our ministries.
institutions, and preference for Filipino enterprises and
3. To prepare our communities
professionals;
for calls to action when we are
• delete or water down provisions on social justice and human
called upon to defend dignity and
rights, particularly the right to security of tenure and a living
democracy.
wage, agrarian reform, and urban land reform and housing;
• limit the exercise of the people’s sovereign will to suffrage, and
Knowing our limitations as ser-
the freedom of the press, free expression, assembly and redress
vant leaders, political or religious,
of grievance to its “responsible” exercise;
we pray for guidance,
• delete or water down provisions prohibiting foreign bases, troops,
“God of our ancestors, Lord of
facilities as well as nuclear weapons;
mercy, you who have made all
things by your Word and in your
AFFIRMING that the legitimate issue of the uneven distribution of
wisdom have established human-
wealth and power between the national and local governments can be
kind to rule the creatures produced
effectively addressed without resorting to Charter change;
by you, and to govern the world in
OUTRAGED that Congress has opted for a constituent assembly
holiness and righteousness, and
that leaves out citizens in the crafting of a new charter on which rests
to render judgment in integrity of
the essential aspects of Philippine democracy;
heart, give us Wisdom, the consort
AWARE that in the past, such self-serving, undemocratic and
at your throne, and do not reject
unpatriotic plots at Charter change were defeated by widespread public
us from among your children, for
outcry manifested in sustained protests and timely legal actions;
we are your servants, the children
HEREBY RESOLVE to oppose—utilizing all democratic means
of your maidservant, persons weak
possible—the current efforts to amend or revise the Constitution;
and short-lived and lacking in
WE LIKEWISE RESOLVE to form ourselves into a Coalition
comprehension of judgment and of
with a nationwide constituency in order to consolidate and intensify
laws.” (adapted from Wisdom 9,1-5)
our efforts to oppose Charter change at this time;
FINALLY, WE CALL ON OUR PEOPLE to remain vigilant and
Signed this 31st day of January
be involved, to participate in various activities including mass actions
2018, for the Association of Major
against Cha-cha and dictatorship, and stand for democracy, sovereignty,
Religious Superiors in the Philip-
social justice and human rights.#
pines:
*Adopted during the Anti-Cha-cha Assembly and launching of the
Fr. Cielito Almazan, OFM
Coalition on February 13, 2018 at the UP College of Law, Diliman,
Sr. Regina Kuizon, RGS
Quezon City.
Co-Chairpersons
B6 REFLECTIONS
How can we eternalize Peter’s Transfiguration: the call
experience of Jesus at the mountain? to bring out the best in us
2nd Sunday of Lent B (Mark 9:2-10)
February 25, 2018
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
WHEN we are with people we admire,
it is our wish that we could remain
with them longer than is possible.
A very close encounter with Pope
Francis, the President of America or
a celebrity is such an example. But we
know that such an encounter is too
brief. That is why we take pains that
in events like that, pictures are taken
to capture those moments. Pictures
are useful not simply to recall the
event, but also to allow us to relive
the experience. Human nature is such
that we wish to eternalize our present
happy experiences.
Those of us who understand this
will easily sympathize with Peter in
the Gospel today. It may be recalled
that in Mark, from the beginning of
Jesus’ ministry (Mark 1:14) until the
episode in Caesarea Philippi where
Jesus asked the disciples who he was
(Mark 8:27-29), nobody seemed to
know the mystery of Jesus. Even Pe-
ter who described him the Messiah
(Mark 8:30) seemed ignorant of the
title he gave him. He could not un-
derstand a crucified Messiah (Mark
8:31-32). But in today’s Gospel
(Mark 9:2-10), Peter had a glimpse
of the mystery that shrouded Jesus.
He was overwhelmed with awe by
what he saw—a transfigured Jesus-
-and he wanted to eternalize his
experience. So he said, “Rabbi, how
good it is for us to be here! Let us
erect three booths on this site, one
for you, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah” (Mark 9:5).
But there is more to this. When he
saw Jesus, Peter recognized that his
Master acquired a new kind of life
which the Jewish people have been
longing for. That life is symbolized
Where can we encounter God?
3rd Sunday of Lent B (John 2:13-25)
March 4, 2018
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
IN all world religions, there is a
universal belief that God, however
he is conceived, is far distant from
all of us. He is transcendent and
incomprehensible. He is the wholly
Other. “For I am God, not man”
(Hos 11:9b). But the discovery that
God loves and cares for us, that we
cannot exist without him makes
all of us long for his presence.
Whatever might be our reason, we
seek him, we want to be with him.
But where are we to find him? And
how are we to encounter him?
How are we to participate in the
realm of the divinity? Of course,
for some, God is thought to reside
in the church. Accordingly, they
spend hours praying in the church
rather than under the tree. For
others, he is encountered through
intermediaries. This explains why
devotion to the saints, often in
the form of novena, litany, and
celebrations of their feasts, is
popular: one has a sure access to
the Father through the blessed in
heaven. Still others would insist
by the white garment—“his clothes
became dazzlingly white, whiter
than the work of any bleacher could
make them” (Mark 9:3)—which is
a symbol of the life of resurrection
(Rev 3:4; 7:9). Because that has
dawned on Jesus, Peter seemed to
think that the new age has dawned
for all. For this reason, he offered to
build three tents as a way of saying
that he wanted Jesus to anticipate
the future when God will dwell
with men. This object of hope is
echoed by Paul: “Indeed, we know
that when the earthly tent in which
we dwell is destroyed we have a
dwelling provided for us by God, a
dwelling in the heavens, not made by
hands but to last forever. We groan
while we are here, even as we yearn
to have our heavenly habitation
envelop us” (2 Cor 5:1-3; see also
Rev 21:1-3).
But God did not allow Peter to
eternalize his peak experience at the
mountain: it was not yet the parou-
sia, but simply its foretaste. Thus,
speaking from the clouds, he said
to the disciples, including Peter of
course, that they have to listen to Je-
sus (Mark 9:7). And what words of
Jesus they are to listen to? In Mark’s
theology, it is this: “If a man wishes
to come after me, he must deny his
very self, take up his cross, and fol-
low me. Whoever would preserve
his life will lose it, but whoever loses
his life for my sake and the gospel’s
will preserve it. What profit does
a man show who gains the whole
world and destroys himself in the
process? What can a man offer
in exchange for his life? If anyone
in this faithless and corrupt age is
that God is encountered in the poor.
And so, they take up the cause of the
underprivileged. To work for them
is in a sense to worship God.
For the Jews in the Old Testament,
however, God was encountered in
the Temple. He was thought to have
made his dwelling there: “When
the priests left the holy place, the
cloud filled the temple of the Lord
so that the priests could no longer
minister because of the cloud, since
the Lord’s glory had filled the temple
of the Lord. Then Solomon said,
‘The Lord intends to dwell in the
dark cloud; I have truly built you
a princely house, a dwelling where
you may abide forever” (1 Kgs 8:10-
13). Through the Temple, the Jews
made some contact with the divinity.
This consisted principally in the
performance of sacrifice, which
took various forms: holocaust, peace
offerings, sacrifices of expiation,
cereal offerings, and the showbread
and perfume offerings (Lev 1-7). It
was also in the Temple that they
prayed (Ps 5:8) and performed
ashamed of me and my doctrine, the
Son of Man will be ashamed of him
when he comes with the holy angels
in his glory… I assure you, among
those standing here there are some
who will not taste death until they
see the reign of God established in
his Father’s glory” (Mark 8:34-9:1).
But in listening to Jesus, we have
to do so like Abraham, who gave
up human assurance (Gen 22:1-2)
because we can rest assured in God
(Rom 8:38-39).
What assurance? It is that if we
wish that God dwell with us, if we
wish to be dressed in white, then we
have to follow Jesus in his suffering
(Mark 8:34-35). The sharing and
the eternalizing of Peter’s experience
at the mountain is given to those
who deny their very self, and take up
their cross. Indeed, if we do, we will
not even taste death, and we shall
attain that experience even here on
earth (Mark 9:11).
In view of this, and in the light of
the transfiguration of Jesus, the suf-
ferings and failures in our life with
Jesus are thus given a new perspec-
tive. If we suffer and fail with him,
we do not experience simply bad
moments that we could have avoid-
ed all the better. No, they are rather
part and parcel of Christian life, of
discipleship. They are, so to speak,
constitutive elements of the experi-
ence of God’s glory (1 Pet 4:14). In
our sufferings and failures for and
in Christ, God is already pitching his
tent among us, and we are already
wearing the white garment, even
as Jesus himself was recognized as
the Messiah as he hung on the cross
(Mark 15:39).
various rituals of purification. A sign
of their election as God’s people, the
Temple was the privileged venue of
encountering God and worshipping
him.
But even in the Old Testament,
the sacrificial system in the Temple
was already subjected to severe
criticism. According to the prophets,
God does not like burnt offerings
(Ia 1:11-17), and is not pleased with
them (Hos 8:13). He is not found
through them, either (Hos 5:6).
For what really pleases God is not
sacrificial offerings, but a contrite
heart and spirit (Ps 51:16; Isa 66:2).
Accordingly, Isaiah stressed the
importance of reforming one’s life
(Jer 7:3-4). True worship cannot
consist in superficialities; for this
reason, the prophets emphasized
that the people of Israel needed
spiritual worship. Since the Temple
was the place where sacrifices were
offered, it was quite logical that
Isaiah denied its necessity: “The
heavens are my throne, the earth is
Encounter/ B7
February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4
2nd Sunday of Lent B (Mark 9:2-10)
February 25, 2018
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
THE transfiguration was a
momentous event in the life of
Jesus and his disciples because it
revealed to them his divine identity
as well as a very important aspect of
his mission.
All those who had met him, but
especially the closest among his
disciples were the first to realize it.
They had begun to wonder who that
man could be who had the power to
quell storms and cast out devils. (See
Mk 4:31 and 1:27.) In the episode
of the Transfiguration, the
radiant aspect of Jesus’ whole
person revealed the divinity
hidden in him, and the voice
of the Father confirmed that
visual revelation: “This is my
Son, my beloved.” (Mk 9:7).
The Voice revealed that Jesus was
no ordinary man. He was not just an
extra-ordinary man. He was not just
another Moses or the greatest of the
prophets Israel had ever known. He
was no less than GOD’S BELOVED
SON!
But that time the Voice added
another important message:
“Listen to Him!” That short
command was full of meaning and
implications, for it concerned not
only Jesus’ MISSION but also the
way his disciples should relate
to him: they should learn from
him.
The world is like an immense
“learning center.” All of us are
learners because we have plenty
to learn, both from formal and
informal teachers. But the best
The call to keep God’s
temple holy
3rd Sunday of Lent B (John 2:13-25)
March 4, 2018
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
FOR centuries, the Temple of
Jerusalem had been the pride of
all Jews, the heart of the nation,
the foundation of their firm trust in
God’s protection against all enemies.
Like all pious Jews, Jesus loved
the Temple. In it he prayed
to the Father with all the
sincerity of a devoted Son.
There he preached the Good
News of the Kingdom. And
when he saw that the “house of
prayer” had been turned into a “den
of thieves,” he flared up with the
indignation of the Son who sees the
Father’s House desecrated. (See Jn
2:15-16 and parallels.)
But the Temple, like all other
religious structures and characters
in the life of Israel, was only a
provisional arrangement, a symbol
of the reality that was to come. The
real and definitive temple of
God is Jesus Christ himself.
He is the “New Temple”—a
Temple not made of stones or by
human hands, but by God Himself.
His loving heart is the pure altar
on which the perfect sacrifice of an
unreserved filial commitment is
offered unceasingly to the glory of
the Father, and in atonement for the
sins of all mankind.
Made one with Christ at our
baptism, we also have become
part of this living temple. The
Holy Spirit has consecrated us to
God’s service in Christ and through
Christ. The sanctifying presence
of the Spirit makes us more
precious temples than the
finest ones in the world.
But even non-baptized persons
CBCP Monitor
and most trustworthy of them
all is JESUS CHRIST, the only
one who deserves the title
TEACHER. (See Mt 23:10.) He is
the teacher given to us by the
Father, to teach the truths that
really matter in life. His teaching
is a call to bring out the best in us as
a constant aspiration.
Jesus, the Teacher of all men, is
different from all other teachers.
He is different in what he teaches,
and in the way he teaches it. Being
the only one who knows the
Father perfectly, he has come
to reveal Him to all men. (See
Jn 1:18.) Jesus’ words are filled with
divine wisdom, a wisdom he wants
to share with us to make our joy
full. (See Jn 16:24.) That is why the
Father enjoins his disciples: “Listen
to him!”
Jesus is also different from the
teachers of his time who “bind up
heavy loads on people’s shoulders,
while they themselves will not lift
a finger to budge them” (Mt 23:4).
Jesus is a teacher who teaches
by example, even before
teaching by words. His whole
life is his most impressive
lesson.
Through it and through his
preaching, Jesus introduces us
to the mysterious wisdom of
the cross and injects in us the
hope of the Resurrection. His
message is essentially one
of love and life. How fortunate
we are to be numbered among his
disciples!
have a great dignity and sacredness
of their own, for the simple reason
that they, too, are created in the
image and likeness of God. Though
in a lesser degree than the baptized,
they, too, then, are temples of God,
and as such should be respected and
treated well.
Like the Jews of old, however,
we are continuously in danger of
forgetting the sacredness of our
own person, as well as of others.
And from forgetfulness or lack of
appreciation to profanation, there
is but one step. From temples
of the All-Holy God, our own
persons, as well as that of
others, may become shrines
of false gods and idols. Our
lives and/or theirs may be turned
into a deadly liturgy to pride, lust,
selfishness, aggressiveness, greed
. . . This saddens our Lord much
more than the sight of the traders
and money changers he chased away
from the Temple of Jerusalem.
This Lent, in our quest for a new
and fuller life, we are invited to re-
acquire or sharpen our awareness of
the sacredness of every human being
especially the baptized.
This is the time for a thorough
purification from all profanations
and the unbecoming presence
of “idols” in our lives. This is
the time for a restoration of the
masterpiece of God’s love to its
original splendor. This is the time
for a re-dedication of ourselves to
the Source of all Holiness, in order
that everything that is in us may
become a hymn of glory and praise
to the Triune God.
CBCP Monitor February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4 SOCIAL CONCERNS B7

The Churches of Oriental Mindoro and the Moriones of Pola

By Msgr. Bernie Pantin found of beautiful white beach cove with plenty
of people. This was indeed a popular beach in
this area. Not content with just watching, we
THE first church that we visited in Oriental found ourselves dipping into the seawaters of
Mindoro coming from Occidental Mindoro Buktot Beach.
was that of Bulalacao. Founded in 1952, the After that refreshing swim at the Buktot
church is dedicated to Sts. Peter & Paul as Beach, we passed by the St. Joseph Parish
its patron saints. The church was not that Church of Bongabong. Along the way, we
passed by some Moriones, men
dressed up like Roman soldiers
parading around the town.
Then we reached Pinamalayan
and made a courtesy call first to
the pastor Fr. Arnold Magboo who
gave us snacks. We booked at the
Super M Pension house that was
near the market. We were told
later that the parish priest called
up the Pension house and told the
staff that he was the one going to
pay our lodging. I concelebrated at
the Lord’s Last Supper mass at it
was already a Holy Thursday. We
had dinner at the convent after the
mass. After dinner, we went for a
Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro
visita Iglesia just going to the next
town of Socorro.
impressive and found it small for such a local- The following day, we again passed by the
ity. Being on a corner, the second floor of the parish church of Pinamalayan to thank the
church facing the roadside had a balustrade parish priest for taking care of our accom-
surrounding it which extended to the front modation. We were asked to take some light
of the church which formed as a
canopy to the main entrance.
Since it was already noontime,
we took lunch in one of the restau-
rants near the market place and
jeepney station. We saw tarpaulin
signs advertising a FastCat, a kind
of a fastcraft which departs from
Bulalacao to Caticlan four times a
day and vice versa. The travel time
is three hours.
As we were driving from Bu-
lalacao to the next town of Mansa-
lay, we saw along the road a signage
for a Buktot Beach. We were curi-
ous to see this beach and decided to
make a detour and follow the road
inland leading to the beach. We St. Joseph Parish in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro
The following day after breakfast we
went to Talipanan to the best Italian res-
taurant in Puerto: Luca Cucina Italiana.
It’s at the end of the highway in Puerto
Galera. Was told that Pnoy was there re-
cently to formally open the road construc-
tion which would connect Puerto Galera
to Abra de Ilog. Then we decided that we
go first to the White Beach for a swim then
just go back to Luca’s in time for lunch as
Fely invited us to join them there. Stayed
behind after lunch as Fely and family went
ahead. Went for a swim until five in the
afternoon when we returned to the house
to prepare for the Easter Vigil at seven.
St. John the Baptist Parish in Pola, Oriental Mindoro Carried the blessed candle to the church
after the blessing. Thought that not all the
breakfast since it was a day of fasting. readings will be read as the pastor was sickly.
Then we proceeded to Pola which was an Was wrong. The readers were in pairs as they
out of the way town after Socorro to see the read in dialogue form. Was asked to give a
Moriones. Visited first the church of Pola. Like
other churches in Mindoro most of
the main doors are not used. It is
the side door that becomes the main
entrance to the church. Went for a
walk in the town and noticed many
old two storey houses. We were
about to leave when the Moriones
came along the streets for a parade.
Got the opportunity to take pictures
with them.
From Pola we proceeded to Puer-
to Galera. Noticed that the road
from Calapan to Puerto Galera was
mountainous and zigzag. Reached
the house of Fely Calupaz, the sister
of Fr. Vic Japson, a good priest-
friend from Naval. We were given Men in Roman soldier costumes roaming the streets of Pola, Oriental Mindoro
one of their guesthouse.
At three pm I concelebrated with short sharing after communion. Mass over in
Fr Willie Villas SVD, pastor of Puerto Galera three hours.
for the Good Friday celebration. I Joined the After the Easter vigil, we went to the house
procession around town after the liturgy. Then of the sister of Veem where they were having
we drove to the White Beach which was almost the vigil for the deceased mother of Veem. Had
ten kilometers away from the house we were supper and went back home at past midnight.
staying. Went for a walk at the beach. Then After breakfast on the Easter morn, we bid
after going back, Fely brought us to an Italian adieu to our host Fely and drove to Calapan in
resto in the town. Veem, the husband of Fely order to take the ferry back to Batangas.
joined us. We were informed that Veem’s (Visit: https://beachanatic.blogspot.com)
mother just died that very morning.

Catholic / B2 Religious / B3

than-canonically sound erection of
the Queen of Peace Parish, taking
for granted the real ownership of the
land and temple structure, without
defining the relationship between
the SJI academic community and the
parish structure, has gotten messy.
But this does not mean that it
cannot be now juridically defined,
and operationally articulated into a
clear memorandum of agreement, to
best serve the purpose and original
inspiration for its existence: the
evangelization of the Chinese
community in Bacolod.
Epilogue
For whatever it is worth,
following—in broad strokes—is what
I envision to be a win-win solution
for this sad turn of events.
Re-establish the Queen of Peace
Parish, with the actual temple
(owned by SJI-Huaming), as Parish
Church. The school leases the land
Absent / B4
we need certain interventions from
the Government, business and
especially civil society to build on
this resilience. One of the possible
initiatives of civil society in tandem
with UNICEF Philippines and
the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) is The
Resilience Program (REPRO)
of RMT-CEFAM, founded by
Fr. Ruben M. Tanseco, SJ. The
REPRO serves troubled teens from
marginalized communities: center-
based adolescents rescued from the
streets, children in conflict with the
law (CICL), unwed teen mothers,
sexually abused teenage girls and
community-based out-of-school
youth (OSY)—adolescents treading
a new and affirming environment, as
they are accompanied to the road to
resilience. I hope that the REPRO
Encounter / B6
my footstool. What kind of house
can you build for me; what is to be
my resting place?” (Isa 66:1). Micah
was even more radical: he predicted
the destruction of the Temple: “Zion
shall be plowed like a field, and
Jerusalem reduced to rubble, and
the mount of the temple to a forest
ridge (Mic 3:12; see Jer 26:18).
In today’s Gospel, we have the
Johannine version of the so-called
cleansing of the Temple. But what
is really involved here is not the
cleansing but rather, in John’s view,
the replacement of the Temple.
When Jesus said that he would
destroy it, he was simply bringing
to fulfillment what the prophets
and the structure to the Parish
of Queen of Peace for a nominal
amount, setting the parish territory
apart from the school for the security
of the academic community and the
independence of parish activities.
As a Parish, it is an ecclesiastical
entity, totally dependent on the
Local Ordinary, catering to the
evangelization of the Chinese
community of Bacolod.
In exchange, the Queen of Peace
Parish commits itself to take care
of the Chaplaincy of SJI-Huaming,
a commitment that will consist of:
Celebrating regular Mass for the
school community at an agreed
frequency and timetable;
Hearing the confession of the
different levels of the school
community, such that all students
have the chance to go the Sacrament
of Divine Mercy at least once a
month;
Take care of First Communion and
team will consider extending
the concept of the marginalized
communities to the families of
the OFWs who may no longer be
economically challenged but still
face the psychological problems of
children growing up without the
presence of their fathers. In fact,
as Ms. Maria Dolores del Rosario
of the REPRO team told me, even
those children of OFWs who have
already been admitted to the host
countries, like in Canada, still face
the difficult problem of adapting to
the new environment which they
face, with their parents still hardly
present at home because of their
work. Intervention is still needed
in these cases of family integration.
In the words of its Founder,
Fr. Tanseco, “It is precisely in this
regard that I want to emphasize the
earlier prophesied. For John, Jesus
is the new Temple, the place of God’s
presence and man’s encounter with
him (John 2:21). This means that
God is to be adored through Jesus.
Since God is encountered in Jesus’
risen body, his body is the source of
the waters of life (John 19:34; 7:38).
He draws all (John 12:32). In this
understanding, worship takes on
a new meaning. To worship God
is not primarily to do something
for him, as, for example, doing the
commandments or offering various
sacrifices, but to be united with
Jesus in faith. This is accomplished
through sharing in Jesus’ risen body
(John 6:51), since it is the center
Confirmation of the students;
Oversee Catholic instruction in
the school.
To assure that their respective
particular interests are taken into
consideration, SJI-Huaming should
have a seat in the Parish Pastoral
Council of the Queen of Peace
Parish, while the Parish Priest of
said parish (or his representative)
should have a seat in the Executive
Body of SJI-Huaming.
As an academic community,
SJI-Huaming is a private school,
albeit of Catholic identity, whose
management and direction is totally
under the care its own Board of
Trustees and School Management
team.
Further details of the relationship
between the Queen of Peace Parish
and the SJI-Huaming academic
community shall be articulated
in a Memorandum of Agreement
between the two. *
value of our Resilience Program or
REPRO. There is a growing number
of street children and teenagers
who are suffering from a lack or
absence of care and guidance in
their lives and future destiny. And
this is where REPRO comes in. To
reach out to them with compassion
and guide them were their future
needs to go to give them what
their own families are not able to
do.” I would suggest that the many
organizations promoting the welfare
of the OFWs consider soliciting
advice and actual help from the
REPRO team to address this most
important dimension of the welfare
of OFWs: how to minimize the
harm done to their children by the
absence of their respective fathers.
For comments, my email address is
bernardo.villegas@uap.asia.
of the new worship. This implies,
among others, that we ought to
offer our life for others (cf Heb 7:27;
Mark 10:45). One cannot encounter
Jesus in his risen body without
having to share in his suffering and
death. Consequently, to worship
him always implies the offering of
our selves. St Paul expresses it this
way: “I beg you through the mercy of
God to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice holy and acceptable to
God, your spiritual worship. Do not
conform yourselves to this age but be
transformed by the renewal of your
mind, so that you may judge what
is God’s will, what is good, pleasing
and perfect”(Rom 12:1-2)
Witness value of religious life
and the vows
The sacred bonds by which reli-
gious commit themselves are signs,
meaningfully only to the extent
that they witness to the realities
they profess. Without that radical
authenticity, there is no prophetic
sign; God’s gift to them is wasted,
his will for them is frustrated, his
promise of the Kingdom unfulfilled.
The specific witness of radical
authenticity in religious life flows
from the fact that persons commit
themselves to organize their lives
through medication of sacred bonds
(the three vows of evangelical pov-
erty, consecrated chastity, and apos-
tolic obedience) within an institute
at the service of the Church. Vows
are prophetic only if they are lived
as concrete ways of following Jesus
and, as such, as a demonstration
of love and faith in the triune God.
Vows are prophetic when they
effectively challenge the obstacles
to the arrival of the kingdom, either
really or symbolically. They counter
the chief perversions linked with
possessions, affectivity, and power.
They are ways of integrating the
evangelical dimension into the
struggle to convert society, ways of
allowing the values of the kingdom
to transform the world into a human
and ultimately holy habitation for
human being.
Hence, in the Philippines as in
many parts of the Third World, the
vows can acquire particular signifi-
cance when:
Poverty witnesses against the
exploitation of material resources,
against a greed that leads to the im-
poverishment of millions, by dem-
onstrating responsible stewardship
in a finite universe, by its detach-
ment from material possessions,
and its call for simplicity, poverty
urges the Church to trust entirely in
God and to place all its resources in
the service of the Kingdom;
Chastity witnesses against a so-
ciety where sex is divorced from
love, commitment and responsibil-
ity, where women and children are
abused and exploited; it witnesses
by its ability to universalize our
affectivity, directing it towards all
God’s people, especially through
compassion;
Obedience witnesses against a
social order characterized by the
imposition of will by force and vio-
lence, by the domination of the weak
by the strong; it witnesses by the
openness of consecrated people to
the loving will of the Father, by the
religious community’s commitment
to freedom and justice for all.
Vows are prophetic when lived
communally, vis-à-vis other com-
munities. Groups that visibly ex-
emplify the values of the Kingdom
in contrast to the surrounding cul-
ture—much as Jesus’ own commu-
nity did—effectively witness to the
Kingdom. It is this communitarian
witness of a committed Christianity
that religious seek to embody; they
try to signify what it means to be
church in our present-day world.
Indeed the vows which direct them
to bring the values of the kingdom
within our world are also meant
to help their own growth process
towards authentic community and,
therefore, Christian life.
What moved Jesus to announce
the kingdom and to gather a com-
munity of disciples was his intimate
relationship with Abba, Father.
Abba cared for people. Jesus did
the same. The disciples can do no
less. Abba was merciful and com-
passionate; so was Jesus. So must
the religious. The vows are both
expressions of our faith in Jesus
and our Abba as well as our chan-
nels to greater intimacy with them.
This is so when we understand that:
Chastity expresses faith in a God
whose ineffable love manifested it-
self especially for the little ones, for
all those without power or merits.
It leads us to commit ourselves to
fashioning a community capable of
loving as Christ loved, committed
to a generous and universal love.
It is a total commitment to Jesus
and the Kingdom, the things of
the Lord;
Obedience expresses faith in the
God of history, who has revealed
himself to us through his word. It
enables us to make common cause
for the kingdom. It is a continual
willingness to go forth to discern
and obey God’s word, so that we
might entrust ourselves entirely
to his will;
Poverty expresses faith in a God
who has a love of preference for the
poor and listens to their cry. It leads
us to create communities of sharing.
It brings us into a deep relationship
with the poor, a relationship that
must shape the life and witness of
religious, both as regards life-style
and apostolate.
A communal discipleship in vows
cannot but be a countersign to a so-
ciety that is increasingly materialis-
tic, alienating and secularized. It is
a sign of authentic faith, of undying
hope, of gracious love. Religious
bonds, as vows, as self-imposed,
as communally lived, remind us
that faith must be renewing in the
community, that the community
renewed can renew the world. (To
be continued)
B8 ENTERTAINMENT February 19 - March 4, 2018 Vol. 22 No. 4 CBCP Monitor

Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Lolo Kiko Bladimer Usi

DIRECTOR: Jake Kasdan STARRING: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart,

Buhay Parokya FIND 3 MISSING THINGS:
1. SAINT ANDREW
2. SAINT PETER
3. SAINT TERESA
Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Bobby Cannavale, Nick Jonas, Rhys Darby;
SCREENPLAY: Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg, & Jeff Pinkner;
STORY: Scott Rosenberg BASED ON: the book “Jumanji” by Chris
Van Allsburg BASED ON: the film “Jumanji” screen story/screenplay
by Greg Taylor; PRODUCED BY: Matt Tolmach, William Teitler, Ted
Field, Mike Weber EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Dany Garcia, David
B. Householter, Jake Kasdan; GENRES: Action, Adventure, Comedy,
Fantasy; MUSIC BY: Henry Jackman; EDITED BY: Steve Edwards,
Mark Helfrich; CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gyula Pados; PRODUCTION
COMPANIES: Columbia Pictures, Matt Tolmach Productions, Radar
Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions; DISTRIBUTED BY: Sony
Pictures Entertainment; COUNTRY: United States; LANGUAGE:
English RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 59 minutes
Technical Assessment: Moral Assessment:
Cinema Rating: A14 MTRCB Rating: PG

Back in 1996, an old board never a dull moment in the

game, Jumanji, is found
on a beach, taken home,
and magically turns into a
live game. In present day,
in this brand new Jumanji
adventure, four high school
teenagers Spencer, Fridge,
Martha, and Bethany (Alex
Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain,
Morgan Turner and Madison
Iseman) discover the old
video game console while
serving school detention and
are sucked into the game’s
jungle setting, literally
becoming the adult avatars of
the game characters (Dwayne
Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen
Gillian and Jack Black) they
chose. What they discover
is that they don’t just play
Jumanji—they must survive
it. To win the game and return
to the real world, they’ll have
to go on the most dangerous
adventure of their lives, and
change the way they think
about themselves—or they’ll
be stuck in the game forever.
Jumanji: Welcome to
the Jungle is fun-filled,
entertaining spectacle. The
premise may be quite worn-
out given that it’s no longer
original but the tweak of the
story focusing on teenage
issues has worked well to
make the entire feature an
interesting adventure. Central
to the film’s overall comedic
appeal are the charismatic
actors who enthusiastically
portrayed complex,
juxtaposed characters. The
real-life simulation of the
game remains to be an
interesting handle although
the Jumanji games seen from
the point-of-view of a gamer
may be a mediocre one, but
the heart of the story keeps
the movie afloat. The twists
and the climaxes provide
enough thrills and there is
Paddington 2
DIRECTOR: Paul King LEAD CAST: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant,
Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson SCREENWRITER: Paul King,
Simon Farnaby PRODUCER: David Heyman EDITORS: Jona-
than Amos, Mark Everson MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Dario Marianelli
GENRE: Animation, Adventure, Comedy CINEMATOGRAPHER:
Erik Wilson DISTRIBUTOR: Captive Cinema Distribution, Studio
Canal LOCATION: England, Ireland RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes
Technical assessment:
CINEMA rating: V13
film.
Jumanji: Welcome to the
Jungle is a coming of age
film with the adventures of a
real-life game simulation as
its backdrop. The teenagers’
issues on identity, acceptance
and peer pressure are all
tackled in the film. It’s good
that somehow the movie
gives a sensible take on
these matters that concern
mostly the youth. There are
realizations here and there—
of one’s worth not relative
to looks and popularity, of
one’s identity not dependent
on others’ approval, and of
friendships not dependent
on benefits. When the conflict
of survival comes in, the film
goes even deeper and more
meaningful. The challenge
after the game—the real
life being actually more
challenging and the bond that
is built on trust and genuine
care—all these somehow
tell that there is hope in the
youth only that they should
be given a platform to bring
out the best in them. The film
also shows that the avatar
game characters are neither
immortal nor perfect—they
die and they have weaknesses.
But the focus must be on the
strengths, and weaknesses
can be an opportunity in
disguise. Real-life lessons
are learned in the game—the
world of the young. And so
the film is also talking to
the experienced ones that to
teach the young, they must
enter into their world. The
film however still exhibits
some portrayals of violence
and insinuations of sexual
awakening that may not fit
the very young. So CINEMA
recommends the film as
suited to audiences aged 14 Paddington 2 brings back the (Sally Hawkins) and the rest Thanks to Ben Whishaw nearly drowns, and there’s
and up.—RRP
adorable bear Paddington of the family discover a link (of the critically-acclaimed the brutishness of life—
(voiced by Ben Whishaw),
now happily settled with
between the stolen book, a
missing chest of dazzling
Perfume and The Danish
Girl) voicing for Paddington.
are all within the context
of the story and there is
the Brown family in a small jewelry, and a man with His voice moves us to tears redeeming value. Conflict
London neighborhood. He many faces. and his naivete earns is resolved in the end, to the
thinks often of his Aunt Lucy This live-action/ guffaws from children point, in fact, of being too
who raised him. For her 100th animated film occupies us and adults in the cinema. explicit about it. CINEMA
birthday, he works several with its CGI, convincingly Paddington 2 is a skillful considers Paddington 2 a
odd jobs to get her a pop- merged with breathtaking mix of technology, direction, clean wholesome film, well-
up book of famous London cinematography of nature script, plot development made, with outstanding
landmarks. But the book and urban outdoors. Then that holds our attention with lessons to impart: manners-
is stolen, and Paddington there’s live action and the its suspense, and a bucket of manners-manners,
is sent to prison when no lead actors’ good acting. We lessons of disarming good- gratitude, believe in the
one—not even eyewitness can overlook how the adult naturedness. goodness in people, unearth
Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh actors eclipsed the Brown The re is how e ve r one them and stubbornly believe
Grant)—can corroborate his children’s characterization, point in the story that needs in them even if the people
story that a heavily bearded who should have been given adult guidance: Paddington themselves don’t, because
man stole the book. In prison, a more prominent role in this and friends’ prison break eventually people have a way
Paddington befriends the movie meant for children. But is uncomfortably glorified. of redeeming themselves.
terrifying cook Knuckles all is well, because the screen The rest of the plot— The movie draws us in, and
McGinty (Brendan Gleeson) is undeniably redeemed by including Paddington we leave the cinema with
who later helps him escape the rest of the cast, especially being suffused with grief an overwhelming sense of
Moral assessment: to go after the real thief. Paddington himself, who thinking the Brown family goodness, and the world
MTRCB rating: PG Meanwhile, Mary Brown is created entirely on CGI. has abandoned him, later he bending to receive it.
 THE CROSS
A Supplement Publication of the Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI
CBCP Monitor Vol. 22, No. 4 February 19 - March 4, 2018

K of C Philippine awardees join

the Council of Honor Awards trip

ON THE 135th Supreme
Convention that happened last
August 2017, the Pinnacle Award
was given to the Philippine State
Deputies. From February 11-17
2018, Pinnacle Award Honorees
and their wives were the guests
of the Supreme Knight and the
Board of Directors at JW Marriot,
Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort
and Spa in Arizona in an event
graced by Deputy Supreme Knight
Patrick Kelly and Senior Vice
President for Fraternal Mission
Mark McMullen. In photo from
left to right: Past British Columbia
and Yukon Deputy Arcie Lim;
Former Mindanao Membership
Director and KCFAPI Agency
Unit Manager Adrian Boston;
Visayas Deputy and KCFAPI
Corporate Secretary Anthony
P. Nazario; Supreme Director,
Luzon North Deputy and KCFAPI
Chairman Jose C. Reyes, Jr.;
Luzon North Membership
Director Jose Cuaresma; Luzon
South Membership Director and
KCFAPI Area Manager Conrado
Dator, Jr. and Former Visayas
Membership Director Danilo
Martinez. Luzon South Deputy
and KCFAPI President Ramoncito
A. Ocampo was also a Pinnacle
Awardee.

Knights of Columbus Philippines Update:

PONDO PARA SA KONSEHO. The Luzon North Jurisdiction led by its State Deputy Jose C. Reyes, Jr. held its 2nd raffle draw at the RELIEF GIVING OPERATIONS. In response to the needs of our fellowmen affected by the ongoing eruption of Mayon Volcano in the
KC Luzon North Jurisdiction office, KCFAPI Center, Intramuros, Manila last February 14, 2018. Present during the draw were Luzon Province of Albay, the Luzon South Jurisdiction led by its State Deputy Ramoncito A. Ocampo initiated a relief giving operations within
North State Secretary Pascual C. Carbero, FDD Butch Teodolfo Manzano, State Ways and Means Chairman Alejandro Alvaira and the three evacuation centers in Tabaco City. Each evacuation center received 300 bags of relief goods. KC Philippines Foundation,
KCFAPI Area Manager Reynaldo Valencia. Inc. donated P100,000 to the KC Luzon South Jurisdiction to help in their relief operations.

DIOCESAN CONFERENCE. In photo is Visayas State Deputy Anthony P. Nazario receiving

his Certificate of Appreciation for being the guest speaker of the Diocesan Conference
with the theme “In Solidarity with the Clergy and Consecrated Persons” held at the
Diocese of Tagbilaran last January 27, 2018 at JJs Native Hall, Tagbilaran City.

DISTRICT DEPUTIES MIDYEAR EVALUATION MEETING. The Mindanao State Jurisdiction

with its Acting State Deputy Cesar V. Dangazo (seated in the middle) held the meeting
of 4 Ecclesiastical Regions: Region 10 - CAMAL, Region 11 - DADITAMA, Region 12 -
KIDMACO & Region 13 – BUSTAN at Amontay Beach Resort, Nasipit, Butuan City last
Jan. 26-28, 2018 attended by KCFAPI VP for FBG Gari M. San Sebastian, Mindanao State
Officers and their respective district deputies.
C2 February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 THE CROSS
Ramoncito A. Ocampo Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

President’s Chairman’s Message

Message
Preparing for Lent

“The more you live, the less you die”- THIS year, February 14 is shall return. one meal. Abstinence, on of pride.
not just Valentine’s Day. Ash Wednesday is one of the other hand, is another Fast with a smile. Not
Janis Joplin It is also Ash Wednesday, the days throughout Lent form of sacrifice done by showing off to others.
the beginning of Lenten that we are obliged to fast depriving ourselves from Fast with consistency. Fast
WE tend to define our life based on the current situation or preparation for the Easter (ages 18-59) and abstain eating meat. and be good to others.
circumstance we are in. You keep on asking questions like: Am Triduum. Through the from meat (age 14 and up). Allow me to share the Let us try to do these
I happy with my marriage and family life? Is this the kind of Cross made of ash marked Fasting is a form of sacrifice suggestions of Pope Francis suggestions even beyond
job or position I desire? At my age, shouldn’t I have more in on our foreheads, we are done by eating less than on what true fasting is all Lent, and pass it on to other
life? And the list goes on. While we keep comparing our life to reminded that we came what we eat during other about: brother Knights and their
that of our co-workers, colleagues or even friends, have you from dust and to dust we days. We can also miss Fast humbly. Strip oneself families.
ever considered other people that are hoping they are living
the life you kept complaining about? Ma. Theresa G. Curia
Living a happy life, does not necessarily mean you don’t
have failures, heartbreaks or shortcomings. It is just a matter
of accepting things you cannot change and learning to be Curia Settings
contended with the things or people that are making your life
worth living. As they say, we can control 90% of our reaction
which means that there will always be a choice as to how to
All About Love
respond to your world when your reality seems less than ideal.
If you can train yourself to respond with hope, excitement,
positivity and genuine expectation that the ‘sign’ just put you
closer to your dream, you will find it easier, more elegant and FEBRUARY is celebrated as the month It shows in our eyes and tone of voice, or higher level of existence. Being able to
more fun to consciously create your world. of love. Love that is now celebrated body language; the way we slightly lean love another unconditionally seems to be
Living is loving. Love isn’t simply choosing to spend your not only on the level of lovers but on a towards another to listen, our touch and an ultimate proof of being truly human.
life with someone. It is waking up every day and making the wider sphere. Today, families go out look that we love, or we don’t. Look at mothers, and fathers, especially
daily choice to spend the rest of your life with them. Love isn’t to celebrate heart day. Friends, office We are not talking about actors or those who have children with disabilities.
passive, it’s an action—a daily choice. It’s perpetual.On the mates, batch mates – they already go liars or traitors here. So if we fake love, Parenting, which evokes unconditional
other hand, the most important kind of love is the kind we out in groups and on this day, celebrate or pretend to be loving, then we are love, brings out the best in parents.
most often neglect—self-love and the rest will follow. affection, connection, bonding, and any lying. Then that’s not the love that we Parents accept that this is their mission
Loving by acts and deeds not just with words. By simply form of relationship day. are talking about. We are talking about in life to bring up their children well.
talking yet unaccompanied with action, words become useless. This of course goes very much into the love that comes from honest, good, And bringing them up well rests on
As we commemorate February 11, 2018 as the World Day of the heart of the Christian ethos. Are not authentic, genuine people. being able to love them unconditionally.
the Sick, may we be good news for them so as to the ones that Christians supposed to be people known Love is a Miracle Not because parents are looking for
are caring for them. for love, charity, compassion, sharing, It is a miracle in the sense that investment in their old age, but because
Vivat Jesus! and sacrifice? sometimes we don’t feel like being good it gives them infinite delight in being able
I like to reflect on the reality of love or showing a compassionate feeling to give birth to a new life. It is heavenly
Arsenio Isidro G. Yap from different points of view: As towards others. But if we try our best, to see how their genes are passed on.
Mystery, sometimes as Miracle, and even if we want to be good to them even if it Have you seen how parents look so
A Brother’s Insight in the context of Unconditional Love.
Love is a Mystery
does not feel so natural, then sometimes
we just feel that the resentment lessens,
amazed when they see themselves in the
faces of their kids? In their kids, they
By mystery I mean on the level which eventually diminishing significantly, see themselves extended, and they feel
seems to be bigger than ourselves. It is a and then it is gone. Perhaps we do like they will live forever in them. That
mystery because we are saying that love not suddenly get thrilled to see the must be a taste of what it means to be
comes from our spiritual genes. person who wronged us, nor feel strong co-creators, sharers of God’s mission.
This is the heart of the mystery of affection towards them. But at least The greatest sense of fulfilment
love. It is indeed God’s gift to us. We with forgiveness, there is no more happens when parents see their children
My Mother : were made to the image and likeness of repugnance, no resentment, we don’t live meaningful lives. When they turn out
CARLITA G. YAP (1927-2018) God, and since God is love, I think it is feel like running away. We do not wish to be adults who are secure emotionally
imbedded in our genes to be able to love. them harm; we do not avoid them; we do and service oriented. When they turn out
MANY a mother is like three persons in one. Not only is she a Part of our being tends towards the need not get disturbed when others like them. to be loving persons too.
mother, she is also a housewife and the most powerful force to love, to want to love, to need to love I consider it a miracle that just when We also see unconditional love also
that keeps the family whole. Without the likes of her, there and be loved. We feel in our bones that we think we cannot have an attitude of among spouses, among deep friends,
could be very few homes which could boast of a family. My if we do not love we will never be happy. love to people who did us wrong; just siblings and children for parents.
mother is no exception. She was a mother to us four siblings, I suspect that if we are not loving when we thought it is impossible not to Look at children who take care of their
became our mother and father when our father was paralyzed persons, it might be because we refuse hate, then it happens. We can get out of parents. They are ready to do anything
and I was only seventeen then. She was the very strong to love or that, we do not accept God’s a hate mode to a no hate mode. Then to anytime for the aging parents. Children
driving force that keeps us together in the trying moments offer of the ability to love. Love is second a peaceful acceptance of the person and eventually realize why things happened
of our family, to face the many challenges beseeching us. nature to us. So that if we do not connect end up even praying for the person or or did not happen in their lives because
Not that we are individually weak but we siblings were still with others through love, we will not wishing him well. A force or energy or of the role they are now doing for their
very young. Being the eldest, I still feel like a child, not yet be fully ourselves. Our nature is to be positive wave comes to us, dawns on us parents.
an adult able to care for himself financially. More so of my loving men and women. So if we do not which seems to be a work of the Spirit. Testimony of children who take care of
younger brother at sixteen and my two sisters at twelve and love, perhaps we will never be happy. At Perhaps we prayed for the gift. Perhaps aging parents go this way. But they could
ten. But our mom was always there, not showing any sign of least we will not be at peace. other people prayed for us. very well be also testimony of parents
weakness or emotion that would give her true feelings away. But although it is a gift from God, That might be what “Love your taking care of their children. ------
Had she done so, would devastate us and we would probably that gift becomes real to us more easily enemies” means. That is love enough. They bring out the best in us. They
have not grown up as we did. only if we receive it from others. Some Definitely we cannot retrieve the former make us patient, humble, committed,
Everyone would like to tell the whole world that their people have to make this love real to us. warm feeling before the breakup dedicated, not thinking of ourselves
mother is the best mother of all. I’m no exception. I would Someone or some people have to give skin happened. But at least there is no more but of others. It saves us from being
like to tell a short story about my mom who passed away at to love in order for us to know and feel aversion, hatred, desire for revenge, selfish, from just going around in
age ninety just this January 10, 2018 which coincidentally it. Strange, but even from our mother’s curses, repugnance, and we do not wish circles about our own needs. Before,
fell on the birthday of our youngest sister Yoly. womb we seem to feel how people are them evil or harm. Eventually we can our time was for us alone, and we
Our mom is just like so many moms. They are sometimes excited to welcome us. Similarly, if our pray for them. We even wish them well. would spend it anywhere we like,
called the supermoms. What makes our mom a little bit mother is stressed while we are in the Then I guess, that is proof that we have with anybody, with no time limit for
different is the way she led her life throughout from the time womb, we sort of feel that also. And as forgiven, and that it means this kind of going out with friends, no limit to
she met our father. soon as we see the light of day, we imbibe love exists for those who did us wrong. expenses, thinking only of our own
They were living comfortably, gainfully employed, receiving it from all the people around us. Unconditional Love pleasure, interest. Now, we think
compensations which are way above and were able to give It is also a mystery to me because I Our greatest experience is having twice before we splurge because there
in to their likes when she asked my father to resign and to realize that whether we like it or not, been loved unconditionally. It definitely is medicine to buy, diapers to store,
do it on their own. It was difficult for both of them as they we like to love and be loved. That need makes us feel important, confident, not food and clothes to provide , toiletries
struggle to keep their heads afloat. In those challenging years to love and be loved seems to be an fearful, not doubtful, trusting, inspired, to stock, trips to plan and to have some
of their lives as business owners our parents kept their faith ontological reality. It belongs to the very empowered, driven, motivated. It makes things for the rainy days. Nothing is
strong which keeps them brave to face any adversities in their core of our existence as humans. We our life meaningful because we want to planned anymore for the self. Time,
day-to-day business dealings. Despite the difficulties, they cannot deny this. do the same for others too. resources, energy, dreams, hopes for
still were able to manage to join church organizations, the Isn’t it also equally true that we cannot But if being loved unconditionally is self are bracketed off to give room for
Knights of Columbus for my father and the Mother Butler force love out from us or from another; dignifying, the experience of doing so the people we love. And we are happy.
Guild for my mother. Not only were they members in name neither can we fake it or pretend to do so. for another seems to put anyone to a Unconditional Love, this is.
but they were members in the truest meaning of the word.
They actively participated in most of the activities, are regular Karlo Serviento Erwin John Mallari
contributors to the many activities of both organizations and
are supporters also to the many church activities.
According to Msgr. Martin G. Guballa, our parish priest at
Pondering EJ’s Corner
the Most Holy Redeemer, my mom was one of the earliest the Words
devotees to the Blessed Sacrament. She prays in front
A Brother’s Insight / C3

THE CROSS The Glory of Lent

ONE of the major highlights
A Supplement Publication of the of our Christian Faith has
Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI come, the Lenten Season.
Editorial Board On the Liturgy of the
Hours, during this season,
Jose C. Reyes, Jr. a morning hymn goes this
Chairman way, “The glory of these
forty days, we celebrate with
Ramoncito A. Ocampo songs of praise. For Christ by
President
whom all things were made,
Ma. Theresa G. Curia Himself has fasted and has
Executive Vice President prayed.” With this hymn, we
can have a synopsis on what
Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III Lent is all about. That this
Spiritual Director season is not merely seen
by having the ashes on our
Mary Magdalene G. Flores
Editor-in-Chief
foreheads, attending prayer
vigils, Stations of the Cross
Erwin John B. Mallari, Jerome P. De Guzman, Juan Karlo Serviento and other services seen
Contributors externally as our practices.
Prophet Hosea in the
Old Testament once called
out, “Come, let us return
to the Lord; for it is He
who has torn, and He will
heal us.” Lent, as we know,
is a forty-day journey to
Christ’s triumph over death.
Forty, in biblical view, even
means transformation and
liberation through the mercy
of God. These can be attained
through fasting, praying and
almsgiving.
FASTING. Even Jesus
has fasted. Fasting cleanses
our bodies and even our
souls because through this
act, we realize that the
food of the soul is more
important than the food of
Pondering the Words / C3
From ashes to ashes, dust to dust
ASH Wednesday marks
the beginning of the season
of lent. It takes place 46 days
before Easter Sunday, wherein
40 of those days (Monday to
Saturday) represent the 40
days Jesus Christ spent fasting
in the desert. Sundays are
excluded since it represents
the commemoration of
Christ’s resurrection.
Ash Wednesday’s name
comes from the act of blessing
the ashes that are from the
palm branches of the previous
year’s Palm Sunday. These
ashes are then used to mark
a cross on a participants’
forehead while being told
the words: “Remember you
are dust, and to dust you
shall return.” The ashes
symbolize many things such
as penance and contrition
and also grief that we have
sinned and caused us to be
apart from God. Once a priest
administers the ashes upon
your forehead, it becomes a
visible symbol of penance.
The spoken words of :
“Remember you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
comes from a part of the verse
from Genesis 3:19 which were
the words spoken to Adam
and Eve after their sin. This
is to remind us of our sinful
ways and our limited time
on this world so that we may
choose to repent in time.
EJ’s Corner / C3
THE CROSS February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 C3

Knights of Columbus Insurance Agents play a central role in the Order’s growth and charitable work
By Supreme Knight
Carl A. Anderson
I RECENTLY gave a
presentation to our general
agents regarding the Order’s
insurance program and our
principles of charity, unity
and fraternity. I’d like to share
excerpts of those remarks
with you here.
Charity, unity and fraternity
have guided us so far on our
journey, and they will carry us
successfully into the future. I
will say again what I have said
every year at this meeting.
Thank you for giving us our
best sales year ever — this
year about $8.8 billion in
new sales.
As Patrick Henry once
remarked, “I know no way of
judging the future but by the
past.” And what has our past
shown?
Since the year 2000, our
insurance in force has grown
from $40 billion to nearly
$110 billion. Our assets have
increased from $8.5 billion
Something More
to nearly $25 billion. During
these years we have paid
out more than $5.3 billion
in dividends and more than
$4.3 billion in death benefits.
That’s right — nearly $10
billion in dividends and
benefits.
During the same time, our
membership has grown every
year, from 1.6 million to nearly
2 million members today. And
with this greater number has
come greater action.
Each year, we have
increased the hours and the
dollars donated to charity.
Since 2000, we have given
more than $2.5 billion. We
have also volunteered more
than 1.1 billion hours, and
the value of that service is
estimated at more than $23
billion.
So, during the years in
which we faced 9/11 and a
global war on terrorism, the
greatest recession since the
Great Depression, and some
of the worst natural disasters
in history, the Knights of
Columbus provided more
than $35 billion in value to
our members, their families
and our neighbors.
Growth is good — and
certainly we have seen good
growth. Our sales growth has
outpaced the industry. Our
charitable work is a marvel to
other organizations.
This past can be
prologue. But success is
never guaranteed, nor is it
automatic. Our growth will
continue — as we continue
to offer outstanding products
and service and continue our
commitment to charity, unity
and fraternity.
Our insurance agents
are our greatest fraternal
advantage. Your technical
competence is important.
But what puts you in a
different category from our
competition is your fraternal
commitment to your brother
Knights. What is decisive is
your commitment to charity,
unity and fraternity.
You know that our brother
Knights are neither an
abstraction nor a statistic. They
are the men who are with you
in the council meetings, who
are in the pew next to you on
Sunday and who volunteer with
you in our charitable projects.
They are the men who listen to
your advice because they trust
you. We have the responsibility
to do the best we can to live up
to that trust.
Pope Francis has asked
Catholics to “live in fraternity”
and to show “a fraternal love”
toward our neighbors. Of provided more than 800 that banner, Queen Isabella
course, it is a high standard. mental health consultations had written, “Ne plus ultra,”
I am proud of what you have many with women escaping meaning “nothing more
accomplished and of what sexual slavery and with beyond” — because at that
you have enabled others to children traumatized by the time, there was no territory
accomplish. murder of their parents. In known to exist west of her
Last December, I received December, we also provided kingdom. When Columbus
an email from Iraq wishing a Christmas food supplement returned, the queen had the
me a Happy New Year from a for 12,000 families there. word “ne” removed from her
medical clinic in Erbil that we These are only a small flag, for now they knew there
financially support. percentage of the lives that was something more beyond.
Because of our support, we have changed. There will always be a “more
they have treated more When Christopher beyond” for us — more records
than 50,000 patients and Columbus set sail on his to set, more neighbors to help,
performed over 32,000 voyage of discovery, he flew more families to serve.
laboratory tests. They’ve the banner of Castile. On Vivat Jesus!

The Gentle Warrior An INVITATION to become a

FR. GEORGE J. WILLMANN, SJ FELLOW

By James B. Reuter, SJ
CHAPTER THREE : Boot Camp
ACCOUNTING came easy to George,
because he always loved math. Even
when he was a boy, at Brooklyn Prep,
his average in math over three full years
was 97. George tried to put order into
the accounts of the missionaries. The
priests liked the way he did it. He
was never threatening. He was always
trying to help. And in his reports to the
Superior he always started with all the
things about the Mission that were good.
Then his observations on what could be
improved.
At the Ateneo de Manila, where he
was the Treasurer, they were losing
funds. They knew that there was a hole
in the bottom of the boat, somewhere,
but they could not discover where that
hole was. George found it within two
months. In the office of the Treasurer
there was an old employee who was
trusted, implicitly. He had been working
for the Jesuits, for many years. George
discovered that he was a thief. He was
siphoning off funds, from the Ateneo,
systematically. He had been doing this,
constantly, through the long years. He
was apprehended, tried in court, and
sentenced to jail in the New Bilibid
Prison, in Muntinlupa.
George visited him, in prison. He
liked George, and respected him. He
had been able to out-think all the other
Jesuits, but he could not out-think this
one. They remained friends, in spite of
the agony of discovering his crime, the
confrontation in court, and the sentence
to prison.
Of all the jobs that were given to
George Willmann at the Ateneo, the
hardest was being Dean of Discipline.
George had a strong sense of justice, but
he was soft-hearted. He found it difficult
to impose the penalties, prescribed by
the regulations of the school, on the
juvenile delinquents he was handling
at the Ateneo.
The saving grace was the ancient
Ateneo tradition that, after a punishment,
the boy who was punished and the
Prefect of Discipline who punished him
would shake hands, and part as friends.
This was the ritual, even when the boy
THE “Fr. George J. Willmann Fellows” was launched by the Knights
of Columbus Father George J. Willmann Charities, Inc. last June
29, 1997 during the Centennial Birth Anniversary celebration of Rev.
Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J. This fund-raising campaign finances
the theological research expenses necessary to possibly raise Fr.
Willmann to the honors of the altar. Last December 7, 2015, Manila
chose “wack Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle has officially opened
wacks”. the Archdiocesan Process for the Causes of Beatification and
For some Canonization of Fr. George J. Willmann and monthly Ecclesiastical
crimes, the inquiries are being held at the Manila Metropolitan Tribunal.
Membership to the Fr. Willmann Fellows is open to all Knights of
student could Columbus councils, members, their families, friends and even to
choose either business institutions. As of August 2017, more than 1,100 individuals
post, or jug, and 36 institutions all over the country have already joined this
or wack fellowship. Father Willmann Fellows serve as co-sponsors in the
wacks. Post work of spreading the good news about Fr. Willmann’s life, works and
meant that he holiness. Their donation is a lifetime subscription to the initiative of
would march the Knights of Columbus of promoting awareness on Father Willmann
in order that authentic devotion to him may be encouraged among the
up and down, faithful, especially those who need his intercession for God’s grace.
on the parade We therefore cordially invite you and your loved ones to join the Fr.
ground, in Willmann Fellows. Aside from being an advocate in spreading the
the sun, for sanctity of Father Willmann and the graces that come with it, each
an hour or Fellow is entitled to receive the following items as memorabilia: (1) a
two hours or Certificate of Membership, (2) a lapel pin and (3) a pamphlet entitled “A
Quest for a Cause of Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J.”. We further urge
three hours,
you to fervently seek Fr. Willmann’s intercession in all your petitions
on a Saturday for God’s graces and to report to the Foundation all blessings you
morning. may have received with the intercession of Fr. Willmann.
Jug meant
that he would KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
be kept in FR. GEORGE J. WILLMANN CHARITIES, INC.
the study Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila
Tel. Nos. 527-2223 local 221 & 527-2244 (Fax)
hall during
the normal APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
hours for to FATHER GEORGE J. WILLMANN, S.J. FELLOW
recreation,
and write 1. Name of Applicant (individual or institution):
100 or 200 _________________________________________________
or 500 times 2. Address: _________________________________________
Tel. Nos. ______________________________________
what the broken the training rules. They were in 3. Office Name & Address: ______________________________
prefect prescribed. For instance, the office of the Dean of Discipline, alone. Tel. Nos. __________________________________________
“Knowledge maketh a bloody The athlete was emotionally upset, angry, 4. K of C Council Number and Location: ____________________
entrance”. Or he could choose and he said to Father Hurley: “You are 5. Enclosure: _________________________________________
“wack wacks”. This meant that he hiding behind that Jesuit soutana!” [ ] Cash P ____________ [ ] PMO/check No.___________
would be whacked on the seat of his Father Hurley understood this. He (Note: Please make check payable to KC Fr. George J. Willmann
rose from his desk, and said: “Well, I Charities, Inc.)
pants 5 or 10 or 15 times, with a bamboo
rod. The boys preferred wack wacks, shouldn’t do that! If I am hiding Date: ______________________________________________
because that punishment was faster. behind this soutana, I better take Signature: __________________________________________
But after wack wacks, sometimes with it off!” He took off the soutana, and he
tears in their eyes, the little boys would and the boy went at it — bare fists. When
shake hands with the Prefect of Discipline, the athlete went down for the fifth time, he EJ’s Corner / C2
and walk out like a man. No hard feelings. stayed down. But before he left the office,
When the Prefect of Discipline met these he shook hands with Father Hurley. It is important to remember that Ash Wednesday is not just
boys, later, in the school yard, he would When he was back in the dormitory, about receiving the cross mark on your forehead. It is a day
always call them by their first names, and and his best friend was putting a patch for praying and fasting. And although the Ash Wednesday
smile. They were friends. on the little cut under his eye, the athlete for 2018 falls on the same day as Valentine’s day, it would be
As the boys grew bigger, this tradition said, with some reverence: “You know…. inappropriate to dine out, shop, and feast during this day. As
became harder to keep. When Father that’s not the first time Father Hurley the season of lent begins, it is a time for penance, reflection
John F. Hurley was Prefect of Discipline, did that! He’s done that before! … .He’s and fasting. These acts bring us to be closer to God and prepare
he was forced to suspend an athlete — to good!” (to be continued on the next us for his Resurrection on Easter Sunday, wherein we attain
bar him from the team — because he had issue) redemption.

A Brother’s Insight / C2 Pondering the Words / C2

of the Blessed Sacrament
everyday for about ten to
fifteen minutes. She was
already a devotee long before
an Adoration Chapel was
built in our church.
She was the President of
the Mother Butler Guild at
our parish and became the
National Treasurer of the
Mother Butler Guild for more
than twenty years until her
retirement at age eighty five.
As a Mother Butler, she had
taken it her tasked to have
chasubles and stoles very
affordable and most of the
times, she gives them away as
gifts. Her stoles were simple
in designs but became so
popular that most priests
have at least one which came
from her one way or the
other.
When I joined our
business at seventeen, I
didn’t realize that we were
not as rich as I thought we
were. Our bottom line was
mostly in the red and was
barely black whenever it’s
on the black. Our mom was
just so generous in giving
us our school allowances,
giving us comfortable lives
and sending us to catholic
schools. But despite the
financial difficulties, our
mom never wavered in giving
her due to charity. Whether
we are on the black or in the
red, her contributions to
charity is regular and very
constant. Even on threats of
bankruptcy brought about by
several devastating flooding
in our premises, she still
gave to charity especially to
those who are relying on her
contributions.
Such is our mom. She was
never afraid to give even when
there’s practically nothing
to give. This sets my mom
apart from the many other
supermoms. Her devotion
to the Blessed Sacrament
was well rewarded when she
was able to manage to cope
up with the many financial
challenges that our business
had to undergo.
I know, a lot would
challenge my statement
about my mom being better
than most supermoms, but
this piece is for her and for
her alone. This is my tribute
to her, the “Best Mother
in the World” – Carlita
Generoso Yap, November 4,
1927-January 10, 2018. May
she rest in peace? May she
receive her eternal reward in
heaven?
our bodies. Fasting heals
our woundedness. The food
of the soul refreshes us,
nourishes us, purifies our
intentions and prepares us to
receive Christ in our lives for
in emptiness, the Lord fulfils
His promise of eternal life.
PRAYING. During His
forty days of fasting, prayer
is the only thing the Lord
Jesus has. In His journey,
prayer gave him shelter and
shield that even the powers
of darkness do not overcome.
In our solitude, in the course
of prayer, we can feel and
see how the Lord moves in
His own ways for us to be
holy and righteous in His
sight all the days of our
life as His true sons and
daughters as the flock He
shepherds. Prayer will also
be our strength that no one
can defile. As we open our
hearts in prayer, we also
open our hearts to the glory
of Lent.
ALMSGIVING. As the
pilgrim church, journeying
as a Christ’s family, we are
being asked to lend our
hands to our fellowmen.
The time of Lent, is a time
lend to us to embrace the
untouchable and to reach
the unreachable, the least
of our brethren. Even a
portion of what we have is
the whole of what others
need. In return, the Lord
will give us what our soul
needs, our total redemption
from the eternal damnation
because the whole thing of
the season is Love.
We are asked to be
Christlikes. In our daily
lives this Lenten season,
let us fast, pray and give
alms. Let us show to the
whole word that the Spirit
of God rests upon us. Let
us live in accord with the
inspiration of the journey of
Christ that we may see the
beauty of these forty days.
As seeds sown in the right
soil, the soil of discipleship,
we will be nurtured by our
Divine Master that on the
day of harvest, our fruits will
also be blessed, broken and
shared, as Christ has been
the Bread that was blessed,
broken and shared for His
people, His anointed one.
That in the day of judgement,
we will hear the voice of the
Merciful Saviour calling us,
“Come, faithful and humble
servant in My vineyard, to
the place I have prepared
for you.”
C4 February 19 - March 4, 2018, Vol 22, No. 4 THE CROSS

KC Philippines Foundation, Inc. donates P300,000.00 to

KC Luzon South, Visayas and Mindanao Jurisdictions
AS part of the Order of the
Knights of Columbus’ virtue,
“Charity”, the KC Philippines
Foundation, Inc.,the corporate
social responsibility arm of the
Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines,
Inc. donated P100,000.00 each
to the KC Luzon South, Visayas
and Mindanao Jurisdictions
to be distributed to the areas
stricken by the Mayon Volcano
eruption in Bicol and by the
typhoons Urduja and Vinta
that hit the country in the
Visayas and Mindanao.
Photo of relief operations
done by the KC Luzon South
Jurisdiction is found in C1.
Typhoon Vinta (international
name: Typhoon Tembin)
hit the Southern Part of the
country last December 2017.
Such affected areas are parts
of Cagayan de Oro City,
Zamboanga del Norte and
Misamis Oriental. With this the
KC Philippines Foundations,
Inc. has provided funds to be
allocated on the said areas. Led
by the Mindanao Acting State
Deputy Cesar V. Dangazo, gift
givings and relief operations
were held at (January 19, 2018)
Guinles, Polanco, Zamboanga
del Norte, (January 23, 2018)
Concolacion, Cagayan de Oro
City and (January 30, 2018)
Sta. Ines, Talisayan Misamis
Oriental.
On the other hand, with an
international name Tropical
Storm (TS) Kai-tak, TS Urduja
hit the Visayas Region during
December 2017. It has affected
Eastern Samar, Samar and
Biliran. To give pecuniary aid
to the families affected, the
KC Philippines Foundations,
Inc. has provided funds to be
allocated on the said areas.
Early this year, Eastern Samar
has been granted the aid
through Rev. Mons. Pedro
C. Quitorio III. The Visayas
Jurisdiction led by its State
Deputy Anthony P. Nazario
initiated the distribution of
construction materials, kitchen
utensils, relief goods and
clothing to the affected areas
in the Diocese of Naval, Biliran.
Inspired by the acts and
heroic virtue of charity by the
Order of the K of C’s Founder,
Venerable Fr. Michael J.
McGivney and the Father of
the Order of the K of C in the
Philippines, Servant of God,
Fr. George J. Willmann, the KC
Philippines Foundations, Inc.
and the Knights of Columbus
Fraternal Association of
the Philippines, Inc. will
pursue in accomplishing its
vision of making the KofC
Family, always Our Concern.
(JSServiento) The relief operations in Mindanao and Visayas Jurisdictions.

JANUARY 31, 2018 – A Joint Opening Salvo of Cordillera Braves led by its Area Manager Salvador Aspuria and the Northwestern
Luzon Thunders with its Area Manager Benedicto Burgonio with VP for FBG Gari M. San Sebastian was held at Jack’s Restaurant
at KM 4, La Trinidad, Benguet.

JANUARY 24, 2018 – Mindanao Fraternal Benefits Managers’ contract signing and Fraternal Counselors Opening Salvo held at Deluxe
Hotel Cagayan de Oro City with VP for FBG Gari M. San Sebastian.

FST 1. Newly accredited Fraternal Counselors had their Fraternal Services Training 1 commenced by VP for FBG Gari M. San Sebastian
last February 13-14, 2018 at the KCFAPI Center, Intramuros, Manila.