•A3 Bible can only be

understood with the •B1 ‘Faith in the Divine Initiative–

the Human Response’
•C1 UGNAYAN
The News Supplement
Church, Pope tells Message of the Holy Father for the 46th of Couples for Christ
scholars World Day of Prayer for Vocations

CBCP head expresses www.cbcpnews.com cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.net Church to tackle education

reservations on add’l solons issues among IPs
THE head of the Catholic bishops’ leadership EDUCATION issues among the country’s
is apprehensive of the ruling increasing the indigenous peoples (IPs) will be the center of
number of lawmakers in Congress might cause discussion at a gathering of Catholic Church
more problems than gains. leaders in Cagayan De Oro City next month.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philip- The CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on
pines (CBCP) president Archbishop Angel Indigenous Peoples’ (ECIP) 3rd National IPs
Lagdameo said in a country suffering from Education Convention will be held on May
political and economic crisis, the decision means 26 to 30.
additional burden to the public.
Lagdameo said it’s no other than the tax-
Protagonist of Truth, Promoter of Peace Organizers said the convention also seeks to
intensify the viewpoints and articulations of
payers who will be much affected by the new tribesmen on indigenous education, cultural
Supreme Court (SC) decision increasing the integrity and indigenous identity.
Solons / A6
April 27 - May 10, 2009 Vol. 13 No. 9 Php 20.00 Education / A6

Church says labor has priority over capital

AS the country marked Labor Day on
May 1, the head of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
urged employers and the government
to recognize the contribution of the
workers.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo la-
mented that workers in the Philippines
are oftentimes deprived of the just share
of the fruits of their work. be all the more meaningful if our labor “priority of labor over capital.” dence over acts of charity,” he added.
The archbishop said there should be force will feel more concretely and “We acknowledge the mutual depen- The church official also said the work
interdependence between labor and tangibly the care and concern of the dence of capital and labor. It has been force which is responsible in producing
capital to achieve economic progress. business sector, the government and well said ‘neither capital can do without the food and wealth of the country must
He noted that the protection of the civil society,” he said. labor, nor labor without capital,’” Lag- be provided with their just share of the
work force and justice of charity must The Second Plenary Council of the dameo said. fruits of their labors.
always be taken into account in the just Philippines, whose priorities included “This mutual dependence can exist Retirement benefits must likewise be
ordering society. transforming the local church into a only in the atmosphere of social and dis- part of the program for workers, Lag-
“The celebration of Labor Day would “church of the poor,” recognized the tributive justice. Acts of justice take prece- dameo said. (CBCPNews)

CBCP calls for spiritual

preparation for 2010 polls
By Pinky Barrientos, FSP and Roy Lagarde
THE Roman Catholic
bishops’ hierarchy called
for a year of “spiritual
preparation” as the coun-
try is set to face another
critical milestone—the
2010 national elections.
In a pastoral exhortation, the
president of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) and Jaro Archbishop
Angel Lagdameo declared June
2009 to June 2010 as a year of
Prayer and Work for Peace-
building and Lay Participation
in Social Change, dedicating it to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
“We invite the Filipino faithful
to start preparing spiritually for
another crucial transition in the
in Social Change,” Lagdameo
said in a pastoral exhortation
dated April 19.
“We challenge our Catholic la-
ity, in particular, to take the lead in
the task of moral renewal towards
a deeper and more lasting change
in the Philippine society. We chal-
lenge all lay people involved in
politics to renounce corruption
and bond together in the task of
evangelizing politics for effective
governance and the pursuit of the
common good,” he added.
Peace building
The prelate called on everyone to
actively participate in peace build-
ing, saying that from the wounded
heart of Jesus come grace of heal-
ing and reconciliation.
“Let this grace flow through
us, the community of Christ’s
© Ernest Ken Lagarde

life of our nation —namely, the disciples, into the bloodstream of

elections in May 2010. For this
purpose, we are declaring the
post-Pauline year (from June
2009 until June 2010) as a year
of Prayer and Work for Peace-
building and Lay Participation
our nation. Let it find a concrete
expression in serious advocacies
for peace and dialogue, heal-
ing and reconciliation amidst
conflict-situations in all possible The indigenous brothers around Bataan and Zambales, the Aetas, coached some 730 young boys on survival tactics during the First Philippine Tri-State Jamboree of
Preparation / A6 the Columbian Squires held at the Bataan Technological Park in Morong, Bataan last April 22-25.

Pray for more vocations,

earlier called on young men to consider
entering the priesthood amid shortage of
priests in the country. Extending CARP a matter of
bishops urged faithful
In 2004, the CBCP said that at least 25,000
more priests are needed to serve some 68
million Filipino Catholics.
Pabillo said the ideal ratio should be one
social justice, says prelate
priest per 2,000 parishioners. But in Manila CAGAYAN de
The priest’s mis- alone, he said, the ratio is one priest to 20,000 Oro Archbishop
sion is “irreplace- parishioners. Antonio Ledesma,
able,” said Catholic Novaliches Bishop-Emeritus Teodoro SJ, a member of the
Bishops’ Conference Bacani, for his part, said prayers are also Pontifical Coun-
of the Philippines needed not only for more vocations but for cil on Justice and
(CBCP) president sanctification of priests. Peace said agrar-
Archbishop Angel Bacani said the state of the Catholic priest- ian reform is need-
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Lagdameo in an in- hood in the country is “generally healthy” ed for social justice
terview during the but admitted there are also “some deficien- to prosper in the
ongoing “Theotokos cies at some point.” country.
1st National Conven- “We really need more priests but the most Speaking before
tion” in Iloilo City. important is not just the number but quality agrarian reform Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ
He said that despite priests,” he said. advocates led by former armed groups in the country-
the fact that there’s a Lagdameo and Bacani were guest speakers Comelec Chairman Christian side, including private armies
Archbishop Lagdameo talking to participants of the Theotokos 1st National need for more priests, of the 3-day convention attended by hundreds Monsod, House Agrarian Re- and groups with ideological
Convention in Iloilo City last April 26. “certainty must not of participants from across the country. form Committee Chairman agenda,” Ledesma said.
ROMAN Catholic bishops are appealing ignored that God will continue to inspire “The gathering is very religious and timely. Edcel C. Lagman, Professor He noted many agrarian
to all the faithful to intensify their prayer men who will dedicate themselves totally There is no member of the church that needs Virginia Dandan and repre- reform advocates have been
for vocations for a Church in need of more to pastoral ministry.” really more prayers than priests because they sentatives of various farmers’ killed in the process of the
priests and consecrated persons. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo Vocations / A6 organizations, the prelate struggle and “justice is still to
said the Second National be served their families and

Are homosexuals barred from seminaries?

DAGUPAN Archbishop Oscar
Cruz said that at the heart of the
church’s policy on homosexuals
and priesthood lies a significant
difference people often forget, or
maybe don’t think about at all.
Cruz said there is a distinc-
tion between what a person do
and who he really is. They cer-
tainly are linked, he said, but the
church is concerned more about
a person’s behavior.
He said there are only two
sexes—male and female, “hence,
anything else accidentally or
incidentally distinct about them,
are but psychical factors adverse
to their objective or ontological
sexuality.”
“They however still essentially
and constitutionally remain
either a man or a woman,” said
Cruz.
The archbishop, who served as
Rural Congress, sponsored communities.”
by the Catholic Bishops Con- The prelate said local farm-
ference of the Philippines and ers produce are threatened by
rector of San Carlos Seminary for pursuant action and reaction finality of the Sacred Orders as held last year was a product cheap imports along with the
10 years, said the church deeply patterns—all congruent with established by Christ through of a year-long consultation lack of rural infrastructure
respects homosexuals. the human and divine dimen- the Apostles (men) and as regu- at the diocesan, sub-regional, and government support for
Those who practice homo- sions, ecclesiastical and ecclesial Homosexuals / A7 regional and the national production and marketing.
sexuality present deeply rooted levels and has resulted into Agrarian reform beneficia-
homosexual tendencies or sup- the need for an extension of ries are deprived of appro-
port gay culture, however, are the Comprehensive Agrarian priate services to make their
not welcome in the priesthood, Reform Program with the ap- farms more viable, he said.
he said. propriate reforms. NRC II, according to the
The church leader added that Quoting from the results prelate, also noted the exis-
the issue is not being gay but of the NRC II, the prelate tence of corruption at vari-
the homosexual acts which the said rural poverty and land- ous levels of government
Christian tradition has always lessness are widespread and with the implementa-
seen as immoral. and small farmers and in- tion of the agrarian reform
He said the distinction be- digenous communities are program.
tween person and tendency displaced from their lands He, however, added “amid
or act was a great advance in because of land conversion, all the problems faced by
Catholic teaching, though it is agribusiness expansion as Filipino farmers, there have
often misunderstood. well as logging and mining been some success stories”
And to simplify the complex, operations. although the farmers/par-
Cruz cited basic criteria spe- “Human rights abuses are ticipants had a hard time
cifically in conjunction with the rampant because of milita- deliberating on what to do
Sacred Orders: “A man’s inten- rization and the presence of Social Justice / A6
tion, disposition and aptitude, Illustration by Bladimer Usi
 World News
CBCP Monitor
A2 Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

Benedict XVI may issue

social encyclical on June 29 ROME, Italy, April 24, 2009—The Italian

Envoys named to close media published statements Thursday by the

president of the Pontifical Council for Justice
and Peace, Cardinal Renato Martino, who

Pauline Year said Pope Benedict XVI would publish his

third encyclical—this time on social issues—
on June 29.
VATICAN CITY, April 27, 2009—Benedict XVI appointed seven cardinals to be his special “I believe June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter
envoys for the closing ceremonies of the Jubilee Year of St. Paul and Paul, will be the definitive date” for the
The ceremonies will take place at various Pauline sites June 29, the Vatican said. publication of the document, the cardinal
In Syria, the special envoy will be Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, archbishop of said during a congress on globalization at
Madrid, Spain, and in the Holy Land it will be Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. According to Vatican sources, the encyclical’s
Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, will preside title could be “Caritas in veritatis.” It will
at an event in Malta, and for Cyprus the Pope named Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, focus on social changes that have occurred in
president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. the world since Paul VI’s encyclical “Popu-
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dia- lorum Progressio” and since the advent of
logue will represent the Pontiff in Turkey, and Cardinal Jozef Tomko, retired prefect of the globalization.
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will represent Benedict XVI in Greece. Benedict XVI’s first two encyclicals were
In Lebanon, the Holy Father will be represented by Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, arch- “Deus caritas est,” published in 2006, and “Spe
bishop of Paris, France. (Zenit) salvi,” published in 2007. (CNA)

Prelate notes new opportunity to evangelize Europe

DUBLIN, April 23, 2009—The arch- countries, the archbishop reflected on munity spread across the continent in unity and solidarity.
bishop of Dublin is underlining the need the “solidarity that has existed among must be a focus on unity. As in the “As Irish Christians we cannot and
for European Christians to bring Gospel the people of Europe over the centuries, early Church, he added, “the Christian ought not to flee from the challenges
values to their countries, to foster unity despite political and religious differ- community which today lives and wit- of shaping the Europe of the future.
and solidarity as in the early Church. ences, despite war, aggression and nesses to the message of the resurrec- Christians make their contribution to a
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said intolerance.” tion can bring to Europe something of better Europe in a spirit of respect and
this Sunday at a Mass in Our Lady of He added, “Today we have the op- that spirit of sharing which marked the dialogue.”
Consolation Church in Donnycarney, portunity of strengthening those bonds early Church.” The archbishop affirmed that Euro-
Dublin, in which a Hungarian delega- in a Europe at peace but which still pean Christians must work together
tion from Gyor participated. needs solidarity and sharing.” Unity and solidarity with people of all faiths to overcome the
During the homily, the prelate ac- Archbishop Martin affirmed: “Europe “The future of European integration “divisions which egoism and narrow
knowledged the parish’s link to the city today needs a vision for its future. Rath- will not in the first place be the result of nationalism, greed and religious intol-
since the 1600s, when the Irish Bishop er than lamenting a lack of recognition a treaty or of new political structures,” erance have caused and which threaten
Walter Lynch, fleeing persecution, was of the Christian heritage of Europe in asserted the prelate. the individual nations of Europe and
welcomed to Gyor. In his flight from recent political documents and events, He continued: “Europe needs to be Europe itself.”
Ireland, he brought to the city an image European Christians have a new op- nurtured by that spirit of ‘unity of heart He added: “As a Christian commu-
© www.cccb.ca

of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted, portunity to bring to a Europe in search and soul’ of which the first reading nity in Europe we must feel ourselves
of which a copy was made and hung in of hope and vision a challenging way of spoke. Europe must become a Europe of called to foster growing contact and mu-
the Donnycarney parish. living the Christian message.” peoples; a Europe of peoples which are tual understanding among the peoples
In view of this bond between the He noted that the “Christian com- Archbishop Diarmuid Martin different yet capable of living together of Europe. (Zenit)

Masses canceled in Mexico City MEXICO CITY, April 26, 2009—
The Archdiocese of Mexico City
canceled all Masses Sunday in
accordance with the govern-
ment’s attempt to contain a
deadly outbreak of swine flu.
On Saturday, the nation’s
© www.flickr.com/photos/11347562@N04
bishop of Mexico City, asked
that priests suspend all Masses
without exception Sunday. The
move is without precedent
in the city and surrounding
municipalities, which has a
total population exceeding 22
of a global swine flu outbreak,
which is suspected to have
caused some 86 deaths since mid
April. Some 1,400 people have
been affected by the virus.
Several cases have been con-
firmed in the United States,
Archbishop Sheen’s cause
for beatification ‘on track’
PEORIA, Illinois, USA, April 24,
2009—The famous Catholic evange-
list Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s repu-
tation for holiness and his impact on
Catholics and non-Catholics alike
has led to his cause for beatification

Ministry of Health announced
school closings in three Mexi-
can states until May 6, and that
museums, libraries, movie the-
aters, restaurants and places of
worship in the mountain capital
would be closed until further
notice.
In a statement published
later in the evening, Cardinal
Cardinal Norberto Rivera Norberto Rivera, the arch-
million.
The cardinal also published a
prayer directed to Our Lady of
Guadalupe that asks for her in-
tercession to “quickly overcome
this epidemic that has come to
affect our nation.”
“Cover us with your cloak,”
the prayer pleads, “free us from
this illness.”
Mexico City is the epicenter
Canada, and New Zealand, but
no deaths have been reported.
Travel in and out of Mexico
has not been restricted, but sev-
eral governments have taken
precautions such as screening
travelers for flu-like symptoms.
The World Health Organiza-
tion has declared the outbreak
a “public health emergency of
international concern.” (Zenit)
being opened. Bill Engelbrecht, a
member of the Archbishop Sheen
Foundation’s board of directors, told CNA recently that the
cause is progressing “quite well.”
The foundation, Engelbrecht explained, is kept informed of the
beatification cause’s progress in Rome, and it is “on track.”
“The process is lengthy and it is undetermined. It can take
from a few years to a few hundred years. It’s very difficult to
actually assess one’s progress,” he said.
Engelbrecht related that several “significant” events had taken
place in New Jersey, Texas, and other states. Upcoming events
are planned for Georgia, Oklahoma City, and in Peoria, Illinois,

Bishops call on Venezuelan government

Sheen’s birthplace.
“Everything has been moving in the right direction,” he said,
adding that the foundation is promoting ways to make Arch-
bishop Sheen better known to clergy and to younger generations,

to respect election results

such as mp3 audio files, Facebook, the micro-blogging site Twit-
ter and other new media.
Asked how Catholics might participate in advancing Arch-
bishop Sheen’s cause, Engelbrecht said there would be a sig-
CARACAS, Venezuela, April 24, 2009—The ing the will of the people. Such actions call situations underscore the increasing blur- nificant event at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City in
bishops of Venezuela meeting for the Plenary into question the validity and effectiveness ring of lines between political parties, the December.
Assembly issued a statement calling on gov- of elections, they said. government and the state, and they lead “Simply go to the Archbishop Sheen Foundation website,” he
ernment officials to respect the will of the The bishops went on to explain that there to greater division and polarization in the said, explaining that there were opportunities to receive prayer
people and not seek to impose the govern- is growing criticism of the “arbitrary admin- country, putting the democratic system in cards, relic cards, information about the beatification process and
ment’s agenda on the country by force. istration of justice in which people are not crisis. “Democracy implies the separation of information about how to support his cause. (CNA)
The bishops lamented that the actions of treated equally before the law as citizens but powers, a plurality of thought and equality
the government have excluded some sectors
of the country from participating in the life of
rather based on their ideological position or
political militancy.”
for all. Beyond all the discourses, democracy
should be characterized, above all, by real Non-Church schools take on
saints’ names
the country and exercising their citizenship. They said it was “unacceptable that due interest in the people and in effective and just
“It is not possible to achieve understand- process is not followed for everyone and that solutions to daily problems,” they said.
ing or have peace in a nation in which the different measures are applied according to The bishops concluded their statement
government seeks to impose its agenda for the person or group in question, that people encouraging all Venezuelans to seek greater
the country by force, especially when such are condemned without a trial, that sentences understanding and consensus in order to DHAKA, Bangladesh, April 27, 2009—Several private schools
a pretention has been rejected by the voters, are handed down based on arguments that improve their country and to bring about in majority-Muslim Bangladesh have taken on the names of
as happened in the referendum of December have no direct relation to the accusations and the changes needed, despite the difficulties saints in a bid to capitalize on the good reputation of Church-
2, 2007,” they said. The bishops also pointed without proof, that disproportionate penal- and limitations. run schools.
out that influential Venezuelans have tried ties are imposed for the purpose of political “Venezuela has a future and we must all Azad Ullah Azim Kamal, a 60-year-old Muslim who studied at
to prevent or undermine the actions of retaliation.” take part in building it!” the bishops said. St. Gregory's High School in the 1960s, said he was so impressed
democratically elected officials, thus ignor- The bishops said that together all of these (CNA) by its teaching methods that he set up his St. Thomas English
Medium School nearby and tries to follow what he learnt at St.

Hanoi authorities renew their attack against

Gregory’s.
"There are about 9-10 English- and Bangla-medium schools
in the Luxmibazar area (of Dhaka) named after Christian saints

Thai Ha Redemptorists
HANOI, Vietnam, April 27,
2009—Tensions are boiling over
again between Redemptorists
which are not run by missioners, some are Muslim-owned," he
noted.
St. Gregory’s, established in 1882 by the Holy Cross congrega-
from Thai Ha parish and the fore various government agen- Fr Peter Nguyen Van Khai tion, has an outstanding academic record with famous alumni
authorities. The reason is the cies, stressing that the land was repeatedly summoned by including Amartya Sen, a Nobel Prize-winning economist.
same: Church property seized by belongs to the Church. police. Mohammed Jaman, 52, the Muslim founder and headmaster of
the authorities. After taking most In his application Fr Matthew Last Saturday the police sent St. Albert School with about 200 students, said in an interview:
of the land owned by the local Vu cited article 70 of the consti- three urgent summonses, call- "Parents and students think schools with names of saints are
parish church and the nearby tution of the Socialist Republic ing on the clergyman to appear good schools. They believe ‘saint’ means a great person and
Redemptorist monastery, using of Vietnam which says: “Public in person before the Hanoi that these schools teach students ideals of saints. That is why I
the court system and the law to places of religious worship are Criminal Investigation Depart- opened this school with a name of a saint.”
try and send to prison peaceful protected by law” to object to the ment to explain “a number of It is not hard to see why Catholic schools are so highly re-
protesters demanding justice invasion of the area and the start documents”. garded in the country with a recent survey showing a pass rate
through prayers, the authorities of construction. Fr Peter Nguyen replied by in public examinations of 90 percent.
now want more Church-owned In his appeal he called on the saying that he could not comply But entry is difficult. The Catholic Church in Bangladesh, a
land, namely 18,230 m2 along Dong Da District People’s Com- with the order because of his country with a population of about 150 million, runs just 287
Lake Ba Giang. mittee to order the suspension many week-end pastoral respon- schools and colleges in Bangladesh with 55 schools and four
A new development plan of the work underway and the sibilities. colleges in Dhaka archdiocese.
includes the area but is facing removal of all the machinery The police sent two more sum- In contrast, there are 84,000 government and private primary
opposition. Redemptorist mon- already there. mons, using a threatening tactic schools and 18,500 government and private high schools and
astery superior, Fr Matthew Vu After the complaint was to impose binding legal obliga- higher secondary schools, according to official data. (UCAN)
Khoi Phung, filed complaint be- filed Redemptorist spokesman tions upon him. (AsiaNews) Fr. Peter Nguyen Van Khai
 News Features
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
A3

Bible can only be understood with

the Church, Pope tells scholars
VATICAN CITY, April 23, 2009—On Thursday Church.
morning, Pope Benedict addressed representatives “This norm is essential in order to ensure a cor-
of the Pontifical Biblical Commission following rect and reciprocal exchange between exegesis and
their plenary assembly and said that a correct Church Magisterium,” the Pope stated.
understanding of Scripture does not come from But the Holy Father went further, offering a
“the individualistic illusion that biblical texts can corrective reminder to biblical scholars, saying,
be better understood outside the community of “Catholic exegetes do not nourish the individu-
believers” but rather rises from the Tradition of alistic illusion that biblical texts can be better
the Church. understood outside the community of believers.
“Inspiration and truth in the Bible,” the theme The opposite is true, because these texts were
of the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s plenary as- not given to individual scholars ‘to satisfy their
sembly, is one that touches on a topic that biblical curiosity or to provide them with material for
scholars have vigorously debated during the last study and research’. The texts inspired by God
century. Much of biblical scholarship, Catholic were entrusted to the community of believers, to
and non-Catholic, has developed into an academic the Church of Christ, to nourish the faith and to
study separated from the living memory of the guide the life of charity.”
Church. The Pontiff also summarized the Church’s un-
This morning the Pope received thirty represen- derstanding of Scripture and Tradition.

tatives of the Pontifical Biblical Commission who
just held their full assembly, under the leadership
of Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Benedict XVI began by underlining the impor-
tance of the chosen theme, which “concerns not
only believers, but the Church herself, because the
Church’s life and mission necessarily rest upon the
Word of God …”
Recalling that the Constitution ‘Dei Verbum’
(The Word of God) affirmed that God is the au-
thor of the Bible, and that in Sacred Scripture God
speaks to mankind in a human manner, the Holy
Father laid out the three criteria that the Second
Vatican Council prescribed for correctly interpret-
ing Scripture.
“For a correct interpretation of Scripture we must,
then, carefully examine what the hagiographers
really sought to say and what God was pleased to
reveal with their words,” he explained.
First, “Sacred Scripture is one by virtue of the
unity of God’s plan, of which Jesus Christ is the
center and the heart.”
Second, “Scripture must be read in the context
of the living Tradition of the entire Church. ... In
her Tradition the Church carries the living memory
of the Word of God, and it is the Holy Spirit Who
provides her with the interpretation thereof in ac-
cordance with its spiritual meaning.
“The third criterion concerns the need to pay
attention to the analogy of the faith; that is, to the
cohesion of the individual truths of faith, both with
one another and with the overall plan of Revelation
and the fullness of the divine economy enclosed
© www.netministry.com
“Sacred Scripture is the Word of God in that it
is written down under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit. Tradition, on the other hand, integrally
transmits the Word of God as entrusted by Christ
the Lord and by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and
their successors so that they, illuminated by the
in that plan.” Spirit of truth, could faithfully conserve, explain
The task of scholars, the Holy Father said, “is and spread it through their preaching.”
to contribute, following the above-mentioned Benedict XVI closed his address to the commis-
principles, to a more profound interpretation and sion by emphasizing the need to harmonize the
exposition of the meaning of Sacred Scripture.” Magisterium and academic scholarship. “Only
Pope Benedict, himself an academic, also warned within the ecclesial context can Sacred Scripture be
Catholic biblical scholars that the study of Sacred understood as the authentic Word of God which is
Scripture cannot be reduced to a purely academic guide, norm and rule for the life of the Church and
exercise but must involve a perception of “the the spiritual development of believers. This means
Word of God in these texts.” rejecting all interpretations that are subjective or
“The interpretation of Sacred Scriptures cannot limited to mere analysis [and hence] incapable
be a merely an individual academic undertaking, of accepting the global meaning which, over the
but must always be compared with, inserted into, course of the centuries, has guided the Tradition
and authenticated by the living Tradition of the of the entire people of God.” (CNA)

Mary Ann Glendon

declines Notre The economic crisis was born
Dame Award
from greed, Pope Benedict says
VATICAN CITY, April 22, 2009—Today “greed as the root of all evil,” explained
at his general audience in St. Peter’s Pope Benedict, highlighting how, “in
Square, the Pope focused his attention the light of the current world economic
on the monk Ambrose Autpert. Draw- crisis, this still has great relevance.
© insidecatholic.com

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, April 27,
2009—The former U.S. ambassador to
the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon, sent a
letter today to Notre Dame’s president,
declining to accept the university’s La-
etare Medal award.
Glendon, currently the Learned Hand
Professor of Law at Harvard Law School
and president of the Pontifical Acad-
emy of Social Sciences, wrote to Father
John Jenkins, that she was “profoundly
moved” when she was first informed of
the decision to award her the medal at
this year’s commencement ceremony.
She noted the enthusiasm with
which she began to write her accep-
tance speech last December, stating, “I
treasure the memory of receiving an
ing on the monk’s teachings, the Pope
pointed to greed as the root of the global
economic crisis.
Continuing his series of teachings
on the great writers of the Eastern and
Western Churches in the middle ages,
the Holy Father explained that Ambrose
Autpert “is a little-known author of the
eighth century.
Born to a high-ranking family in
Provence, France, Autpert was tutor to
the future emperor Charlemagne before
traveling to Italy to enter a Benedictine
monastery. He was ordained a priest in
761 and was elected abbot 16 years later.
He died on January 30, 784.
As a monk and abbot, he observed
“the lust for profit of the rich and
powerful members of the society of
his time,” and was moved to write
especially to them. In his letter, he
denounced, as did the Apostle Paul,
From this root, from greed, this crisis
was born.”
Autpert’s teaching also has relevance
to the wealthy, who “have the duty
to struggle against greed, against the
desire to possess, to show off, against
a false concept of freedom understood
as being able to dispose of everything
in accordance with one’s own will. The
rich must also discover the authentic
path of truth, love and a just life,”
Benedict said.
According to Pope Benedict, Ambrose
Autpert’s world was not unlike the
turbulent world today.
“In Ambrose Autpert we see a person
who lived in a time of great political
manipulation of the Church, a time face of the Church in Mary and the the mystery of the Mother of God. Let
in which nationalism and tribalism saints, and thus he understood what it us listen to this message and ask the
disfigured her face. Yet amidst these means to be Catholic, to be Christian, Lord to help us live the mystery of the
difficulties, which we too also experi- to live from the Word of God, to enter Church, also in our own time,” the Pope
ence, he was able to discover the true into its profundity and so experience concluded. (CNA)

Cardinal underscores important

honorary degree from Notre Dame in
1996, and I have always felt honored
that the commencement speech I gave RP sends aid to Filipina Nuns
role of Mary in history displaced by Italy earthquake
that year was included in the anthology
of Notre Dame’s most memorable com-
mencement speeches.”
Months later, Glendon said, she was
informed about the university’s deci- ROME, April 26, 20.09— The twenty-eight Filipina nuns and their fellow
sion to honor President Barack Obama religious members belonging to the Zelatrix Sisters of the Sacred Heart of
by inviting him to deliver the com- Jesus were deeply grateful to receive additional aid yesterday from the
mencement speech. Philippine Government and from other religious groups in Rome.
The former ambassador reported that This aid delivery was organized by the Philippine Embassy to the Holy
she knew she would have to rewrite her See in response to the urgent needs of the nuns who were displaced by the
speech, and “the task that once seemed earthquake that struck the city of L’Aquila, in Central Italy last April 6.
so delightful has been complicated by Ms. Lilibeth V. Pono, Charge d’Affaires of the Philippine Embassy to the
a number of factors.” Holy See led a group from Rome to deliver the packages of clothes and
She explained, “First, as a longtime other dry goods to the Filipina nuns relocated at the “Casa dell’Immacolata”
consultant to the U.S. Conference of in Giulianova.
Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be Pono was assisted by Embassy staff members Flor Icasiano, Peggy de Vita,
dismayed by the news that Notre Dame Jorge Pascua Glory and Restituto Surido. Msgr. Ruperto Santos (Rector),
also planned to award the president an Msgr. Wilfredo Andrey (Vice-Rector) of Pontificio Collegio Filippino and
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

honorary degree.
This was “in disregard of the U.S.
bishops’ express request of 2004 that
Catholic institutions ‘should not honor
those who act in defiance of our funda-
mental moral principles’ and that such
persons ‘should not be given awards,
honors or platforms which would sug-
gest support for their actions,’” she
pointed out.
Glendon noted, “That request, which
in no way seeks to control or interfere
with an institution’s freedom to invite
and engage in serious debate with
whomever it wishes, seems to me so
reasonable that I am at a loss to under-
stand why a Catholic university should
disrespect it.”
She added, “Finally, with recent news
reports that other Catholic schools are
similarly choosing to disregard the
bishops’ guidelines, I am concerned
that Notre Dame’s example could have
an unfortunate ripple effect.”
“It is with great sadness,” Glendon
concluded, “that I have concluded that
I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or
participate in the May 17 graduation
ceremony.” (Zenit)
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales led the opening mass of the 1st National Theotokos Convention.
ILOILO CITY, April 24, 2009— Manila
Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Ro-
sales underscored Friday the important
“role played by Mary, Mother of God and
Mother of the Priests in Church history as
she continues to have the highest recogni-
tion among God’s creatures on earth.”
In his homily during the concelebrat-
ed Eucharistic Celebration officially
opening the 1st Theotokos National
Convention at the Iloilo Grand Hotel,
the prelate said “nobody can ever sur-
pass the important role of Mother Mary
in Church history.”
The church official said there was a
time in Church history that theologians
debated on the “difference between
the Son of God and the Son of Mary as
if they were projecting two different
identities.”
Womanhood is not the weaker sex,
this writer also joined the Embassy staff to visit the Filipina nuns.
The Embassy group drove for three hours to reach Giulianova which
is around 195 kilometers from Rome. Luckily, the major roads around
L’Aquila and the surrounding provinces in the Abruzzo region were not
damaged during the earthquake which made it easier for emergency aid
to reach the affected communities.
The Filipina nuns and their Italian religious superior Sr. Rosa Fischione,
warmly welcomed the group and expressed appreciation for the aid.
Rosales said. He referred to woman- They were very pleased to point out the rice cooker and the sack of rice
hood as the “most privileged in Mary, included in the packages: “Salamat at makakain na tayo ng kanin” (thanks
in her capacity to blend divinity and we can now eat rice), commented the sisters.
humanity by saying yes and that yes Sr. Fischione shared how the earthquake has deeply affected the rhythm
was anticipated by God because it was of their religious community life and apostolate.
a choice, not given to any woman, from They could not return soon to L’Aquila where their major houses and
the time of Eve until the end.” works are located.
The cardinal added that “it was not But this difficult situation has not deterred the nuns to continue their
by chance nor coincidence that ‘Yes’ was pastoral care for the old and orphaned children in their temporary house
from eternity expected by God.” which has been a source of edification for all.
“When,” Mary said ‘Yes, let it be Before Pono and her group left Giulianova, they noted the contact infor-
done unto me according to your word’, mation of the Filipina nuns and their particular request for new Philippine
theologians believe at that moment, the passports since they were not able to recover their personal documents on
Word which is Divine, shared in the hu- the night of the earthquake.
man nature, in Mary and through Mary Twenty of the Filipina Zelatrix nuns come from the Visayas and Mindanao
the prelate further explained. and eight from Luzon. Their local religious house in the Philippines is located
The closeness between Jesus and Mary at 409 Maria Ferrari St., Summit Homes Bayanan, Muntinlupa City.
can only be compared with the closeness The Servant of God Maria Ferrari (29 March 1824-11 February 1896)
between mother and child, to extend life founded the Zelatrix Sisters of the Sacred Heart in L’Aquila, Italy. (Fr. Jose
to a daughter or a son,” he said. V.C. Quilongquilong, S.J.)
History / A6
A4
EDITORIAL
Caritas in Veritatis
NOT from the ecclesiastical grapevine or from the rumor mill
of the Vatican, but from the very president of the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace came the leak that the Holy
Father is releasing his third encyclical in June.
Last week the Italian media quoted Cardinal Renato Martino,
president of the aforementioned Council, as saying, “I believe
June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, will be the definitive
date.” He was presumably referring to the publication of
the document which, according to Vatican sources, may be
an encyclical entitled “Caritas in veritatis.”
Participants of the recent congress on globalization at
the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome believe that
Pope Benedict XVI’s third Encyclical may focus on the
recent social changes, particularly on issues surrounding
globalization. But this is still speculative.
What is certain though is since Rerum Novarum in 1891,
the Church has never failed, in the words of Pope Leo XII
(who authored Rerum Novarum), to speak “the words that
are hers” with regards to social concerns which have become
over just a century a very rich patrimony of Catholic social
teachings.
Building from the blocks of earlier social encyclicals as in
Mater et Magistra and Pacem in Terris, it was Pope John
Paul II who landmarked to become a prophet of social
doctrine with his Laborem Exercens, Sollicitudo Rei
Socialis, and Centesimus Annus. Admittedly, these social
encyclicals orchestrated the fundamental stages of modern
social philosophy.
The only rub, however, is, while the Catholic Church is so
rich in social teachings, it is still fledgling in praxis. On the
ground, Catholics may be tops in matters that are cultic and
in mouthing “praise the Lord” but with little participation,
if at all, in working for social change or in caring for the
marginalized.
The Political Scene
POLITICS is—or ought to be—the art of government and
public service. But sadly, in the Philippines, it has degenerated
into an arena where the interests of the powerful and rich
few are pitted against those of the weak and poor many. It
interferes with the administration of justice and the equal
application of the law, heavily weighted as it most patently
is on the side of the politically connected.
Political debts are paid with appointments to high offices of
those to whom elected officials are indebted, blind loyalty
counting as the most important criterion in the selection of
public officials—even for government agencies mandated
to be independent by the Constitution.
The bureaucracy is packed with political protégés, many
of whom do nothing except to collect their salaries on the
middle and end of each month. Thus the well-intentioned
among career officials and employees in government
become demoralized early or withdraw into silence or
resign altogether. And those who opt to continue despite
disillusionment are only too often harassed or eventually
co-opted into the system.
The constitutional principles of separation of powers and
of checks and balances among the three departments of
government are, on the one hand, abused to create deadlock
for political mileage; and, on the other hand, conveniently
set aside on occasion for reciprocal advantage.
Thus, for example, to entrench themselves in office or
to promote their political future, those in the Executive
Department cooperate with Congress in padding the
government budget with all kinds of pork barrel items—
the Countrywide Development Funds, for example,
congressional insertions, the special funds in the public works
bills—for the disposition of politicians and the discretionary
funds of the President.
On top of these, the resources or facilities of specialized
or autonomous organizations where there is little or no
public accountability—such as the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Organization (PCSO), the Bases Conversion
and Development Agency (BCDA) or sequestered
companies—are made to be easily accessible for political
ends. The system is shot through and through with
opportunities for corruption, influence-peddling and the
indiscriminate use of public funds for partisan or personal
purposes.
– Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, 1997
www.cbcpmonitor.com
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Pedro C. Quitorio
Editor-in-Chief
Pinky Barrientos, FSP Kris P. Bayos
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The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the CBCP Com-
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ISSN 1908-2940
Opinion CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
Oscar V. Cruz, DD
Party-list
Views and Points representatives
“The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the ents of the composite religious sector.
total number of representatives including those under the party-list. For
three consecutive terms after the ratification of this Constitution, one half of
This is neither meant to belittle the persons of the new Party-List
Representatives nor intended to question their competence and in-
the seats allocated to party-list representatives shall be filled, as provided by tentions. Judging, however from the immediately registered adverse
law, by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous reactions not only from some already incumbent Representatives but
cultural communities, women, youth and such other sectors as many be also from some common people, it can be said that their objections
provided by law, except the religious sector.” (Phil. Constitution 1986 can be grouped into three.
Art. VI, Section 5:1) First, it appears that some of them can be anything but marginal-
ized, much less are they peasants, poor or indigenous.
THE recent and surprising official release of a good number of ad- Second, it seems that they are already superfluous, considering
ditional new Party-List Representatives for congressional seats has the already long standing big number and composition of the pres-
brought to fore a likewise good number of questions in and out of ent Legislature.
the halls of the Legislative Department. Surprise was registered. Third, it gives the impression that they are by and large pro-
Eyebrows were raised. Rallies were even staged. Why them? Who administration, i.e., men and women who could help in the Mala-
are they? Where do they come from? Why are they so many? How cañang Cha-Cha move.
much public funds will they cost? Would that all the above objections were not only baseless but also
One thing is certain. The text and context of the constitutional senseless. The Administration has already done enough socio-moral
provision on party-list Representatives bring to fore their over-all iniquities, economic reversals and political havoc in the country to
identifying common denominator, viz., they represent the marginal- the disgust and discontent of majority of the people. It would be
ized sectors of Philippine Society. In other words, they are neither really adding insult to injury in the event that the newly named
wealthy nor powerful, much less notorious or influential. They Representatives would still contribute to national confusion and
should not be either a big block in the country such as the constitu- depression.
Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
Call Babes!
Love Life
A TRIP to Baguio is always refreshing. I was on the walls to keep those waiting busy and her family.
there a couple of days during Easter Week better informed of the pro-life issues, goals Sometimes, she is anxious and depressed
with our convent staff to cool off from the and services. when it seems the girl walks out of the Center
Manila heat. Babes is the “tagakulit” of the pro-life with the decision to abort. She says she has
Baguio for me is a time of bonding with Board officers and members for their month- done all she can to help her choose to give
our Good Shepherd Sisters assigned there ly meetings and activities. She keeps them birth but if that is her decision, all she can
(yes, the same Good Shepherd ube jam up to date with the latest announcements do is pray …and text the other pro-lifers to
group!), and “kumusta” time with the Pro- from Pro-life Philippines and international pray for that special someone to save her
life Baguio chapter group. groups, making sure they keep up their baby. And what a joy it is when she gets a
Babes Zapanta, the one and only staff commitment to Life Line Center since she call some months after from the same girl
member of the Life Line Center (Pro-life knows that they are very busy people in- announcing she has given birth, thanks for
Baguio) was there to meet us and to take our volved in other organizations besides their listening and guiding her that day!
convent staff sight-seeing around the city. full time jobs. Babes sometimes stays in the Center till
Babes has been giving much of her I listened to Babes relate how she handles late at night, waiting for a girl to come for
time to our mission, and even if there are the pregnant girls and women who go for her appointment after office hours. She
months when funds are not available for counseling. She guides them into under- accompanies them to the hospitals where
her allowance, she never misses a day with- standing their own situation, lessening their she has networked with through the years,
out reporting to work. She says she can’t panic and fear of the pregnancy, helping ensuring that they will be attended to. She
think of being absent as that might be the them discover their own resources—an aunt has traveled with them to their hometowns
day when someone calls or drops by the who will take her in during her pregnancy, to meet their parents, explaining to them the
Center needing counseling—a pregnant courage to reveal to her parents her condi- need to understand and accept the condition
girl considering abortion, a teenager being tion, getting back to her boyfriend to face his of their very contrite daughter and helping
pressured by her boyfriend to premarital responsibility, etc. If the girl seems helpless, to make the proper arrangements with the
sex, a battered woman, or a potential pro- she offers alternatives—financial assistance boyfriend or others involved.
life member. for the delivery, referral to a doctor or a Though not a social worker, I am sure that
A visit to the Center shows how she has hospital, arrangements for her to stay in a Babes has rendered so much service in our
diligently fixed up the place to make it attrac- Maternity Home or foster family during her life-saving mission that she deserves to be
tive and welcoming. Somehow, she has man- pregnancy and soon after delivery. What named as one of our Pro-life Heroes!
aged to solicit donations of a comfortable to do after delivery is not discussed too To our readers who are in the Baguio area,
couch for the visitors, nice chairs for her and lengthily during the first meeting even if do take down this number. Who knows
her counselee, filing cabinet that she keeps she mentions the possibility of adoption or when you will need to refer someone to
in order with small statues of the Sacred foster care. Very often, she says, the mother Babes for her compassionate and confidential
Heart, the Sto. Niño, and Mother Mary. She ends up deciding to take care of her own assistance! Life Line Center, Baguio: (074)
has displayed pro-life posters and brochures baby, especially if she gains the support of 444-2523 or 0920-787-2638.
Fr. Melvin P. Castro
Ubi Petrus Ibi
Speaking of Mary Ecclesia Est
THE Pope, better yet, the Popes have consistently preached the itself, many institutions taking care of them are run by the Catholic
Church teaching on the sacredness of the marriage act, that down Church. We do not condemn them, just as we do not condemn the
through the ages the Church has affirmed that only within the sac- homosexuals. But the solution proposed by the Church stems from
rament of Matrimony will the marriage act come to its fulfillment her consistent teaching: sexual intimacy is only within the sacrament
and noble end: procreation and the education of children. It also of Matrimony. And why is that? Because, simply put, intimacy is
means the marriage act, which nourishes and strengthens the mar- reserved for those who are committed. And commitment is best
riage union, is always open to procreation of new life; that the love (wholly and holy) expressed when the spouses enter into a covenant,
between the spouses is so great that it becomes a person, a new life. that covenant which we refer to as the Sacrament of Matrimony.
That human love is shared, and yes, it diffuses. The Church is not being simply legalistic when she insists on the
Unfortunately, in our time and age, when every teaching of the Sacrament of Matrimony. She, in fact, safeguards that love between
Church is put into bad light, the recent pronouncement of the present the spouses. She so safeguards that love, that she envelops it with
Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, while he was en route to Africa, God’s blessing through the Sacrament of Matrimony. And she so
that condom use is not actually a help in combating HIV-AIDS, zealously safeguards the sanctity and beauty of human love that she
many were up in arms. So much so that the Belgian Parliament even so insists in teaching that physical and sexual intimacy—consistent
condemned his words and demanded a retraction and apology. with the Gospel truth—finds its true meaning only within the Sacra-
The Church, in fact, takes care of the HIV-AIDS victims. In Africa Mary / A6
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
Opinion A5
Jose B. Lugay Rev. Euly B. Belizar, SThD

Laiko Lampstand From discernment to

THE two day session in the Archdiocese of
Cebu last April 20–21, was sponsored by the
DILAAB Foundation, Inc. Representatives
from 13 dioceses—3 Luzon, 5 Visayas and
5 Mindanao attended. The main topic of the
first day was a review of the state of Philip-
pine politics—a condensed version of the
60-pages Pastoral Statement of Philippine
Politics in 1997 delivered by no less than the
current CBCP President, Most Rev. Angel
Lagdameo, who represented the Archdiocese
of Jaro. It was clear to the participants that
Philippine politics described in 1997 has mor-
ally turned to the worse today
The main objective of the Cebu forum was
to train social action directors/trainers for
pastoral accompaniment using the technol-
ogy for Circles of Discernment, CiDE (pro-
nounced SIDE), a process that would identify
the qualifications of candidates for the 2010
election. Based on the criteria arrived at by
the CiDE process, the parishioners will en-
courage those who meet the criteria to run for
elective positions in 2010. The CiDE selected
candidates may choose to join any political
party. CiDE like NAMFREL and PPCRV
is non-partisan. Parishioners therefore are
encouraged to vote for candidates passing
the CiDE test regardless of the candidate’s
affiliation to any political party.
There were two processes for determin-
ing the criteria for political candidates. One
process was using the Nominal Group Tech-
nique, a quality management tool. All partici-
pants were asked to list at least 10 requisites
on what qualities should a political candidate
possess. Of course integrity, and good moral
conduct and concern for the common good
are always included as “must” criteria by
the participants. Through the process of
grouping related qualifications and through
a scoring system, the ten outstanding “must”
criteria is identified as the basis for selecting
candidates. Each diocese may come out with
unique criteria not present in others. Gener-
political action
ally, however, the CiDE process will give
results with a faith-impelled criteria. The
standard criteria for candidates using the
CiDE Nominal Group Technique process
are applicable to all candidates, whether
they are new candidates or those seeking
reelection.
The other discernment process is appli-
cable mostly to candidates for reelection or
for family members who will be potential
dynasty-builders. This is the LASER TEST
designed by Fr. Carmelo O. Diola, founder
of DILAAB Foundation. Fr. Diola describes
the LASER test as a series of sharp questions
meant to help in voters’ conscience forma-
tion as they make up their mind on who to
vote for. The questions are centered on the
candidate’s Lifestyle, Action, Supporters,
Election Conduct, Reputation. LASER is an
acronym for the five criteria being used for
qualifying a person to be voted upon by the
members of the parish.
The participants of the CiDE session
realize that this undertaking is only part of
the PASTORAL ACCOMPANIMENT origi-
nally stated by Pope Benedict XVI before
the Pontifical Council of the Laity in Rome
last November 16, 2008 wherein he stated:
“In a particular way, I confirm the necessity
and urgency of the evangelical formation
and pastoral accompaniment of a new
generation of Catholics working in politics,
that they be coherent with the professional
faith, that they have moral firmness, the
capacity of educated judgment, professional
competence and passion for service to the
common good.”
The recent meeting in Cebu was a result
of DILAAB-initiated planning workshop
of multi-sectoral groups last December 29,
2008 and a follow up meeting with specific
members of the group last January 1–3,
2009. This was preceded by the coming
together of faith-impelled groups last year
to form the HEARTS network. The result-
Fr. Francis B. Ongkingco
ing recommended pastoral accompaniment
would seek to:
1. Identify, encourage, and support lay
persons who have the vocation to run for an
elected position;
2. Provide continuing support to those
who make it to ensure they are people of
integrity for the common good;
3. Be engaged in a trans-partisan manner,
supporting people of integrity and parties.
Therefore, non-partisan.
4. Accompany the process and more
specifically, individuals (i.e., newcomers to
sustain idealism and patriotism and even
old-timers who are open to re-inventing
themselves) towards political maturity from
a strong faith-perspective.
The most nagging question asked after
accepting these pastoral accompaniment
moves, including CiDE, was, will the Church
endorse to the members of the lay organiza-
tions to vote for these candidates identified
and selected thru the CiDE process? The
answer was a clear NO. All lay groups
who are reporting to the Bishops which are
therefore classified as “public associations”
are prohibited by Canon Law to engage in
partisan politics.
The conclusion is that only the lay mem-
bers of PRIVATE ASSOCIATIONS may
campaign for the selected candidates using
the CiDE process. The candidates without
any party will have a bare chance of win-
ning. Another question posed was: “Is it all
right to endorse them to ANG KAPATIRAN
PARTY?” We did not expect an answer from
Fr. Melo.
The whole exercise titillated the lay mem-
bers to act immediately for the sake of the
nation—the most Catholic Nation in Asia
but also the most corrupt! We must plan
an alternative without violating Canon
Law while at the same time accepting the
process of pastoral accompaniment. Any
suggestions?
By the Roadside
‘Running the race…
fixing our eyes on
Jesus’: Reflections on
Heb 12:1-2 (Part 2)
4. “Fixing our Eyes on Jesus”: Discipleship as Christ-Centered
Living
I once had a conversation with a mother. Our topic was the
hard times that we call ‘global economic crisis’. I asked her
how she and her family were coping. She mentioned her fears
that her husband may lose his job and her children may stop
going to school. She has two children in college and that made
her extremely worried about their future. We had other topics
but I noticed that whatever things we talked about, she would
always relate them to her husband and her children. Then it
hit me. Her family is her center. When we speak of ‘fixing our
eyes on Jesus’ and on Christ-centered living, I propose that we
learn from her by bringing all the concerns, issues, nooks and
crannies of our life, personal, social, political etc. into the same
pattern: considering them always in terms of our relationship
with Jesus Christ our Master and our discipleship. The docu-
ment of the Hebrews unfolds to us three precious reasons why
our life must be centered on Jesus Christ. One, Jesus Christ is
the Word of God who reveals most perfectly the innermost be-
ing of God himself, deserving better attention than the Word
of God as spoken through angels, Moses or the prophets (Heb
1:1-4:13). Two, Jesus Christ is the eternal High Priest whose one
sacrifice has done away with sin once and for all, bringing about
a new covenant between God and humanity (Heb 4:14-10:31).
Three, Jesus Christ is our perfect model of faith because he gives
us insight into the heavenly world of reality, the object of our
pilgrimage of faith on earth (Heb 10:32-12:29). In Jesus Christ
we see the fulfillment of the Hebrews’ own definition of faith:
“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and being certain
of what we cannot see” (Heb 11:1).
5. “Enduring the Cross for the Joy Reserved for Christ”: Dis-
cipleship as Sharing in the Paschal Mystery
We are taught and are always endlessly reminded in the lit-
urgy that it is by the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ that you and I are saved. If Jesus didn’t suffer and die,
there wouldn’t have been any resurrection; and without the
resurrection, there wouldn’t have been any salvation for you

‘Risus Paschalis’
THE expression Easter Laughter (risus paschalis) caught my eyes
as I read Benedict XVI’s reflections on the symbolisms of Easter.
(Found in his book Behold the Pierced One: an Approach to a Spiritual
Christology, which is a collection of Christological meditations and
reflections, Ignatius Press. Quoted parts are italicized.) It amused
me to learn that in the Baroque period, the Easter homily had to
include something to deliberately make the faithful laugh. This was
done to invite them to literally express and share the joy of Jesus’
Resurrection.
The history of this unique and interesting tradition is found in
the Jewish reflection on the figure of Isaac. The name Isaac contains
various meanings which contains the root “laughter”. It refers to
the unbelieving laughter of Abraham and Sarah who doubted they
could still have a son in their old age, and also their happiness when
Isaac was born to them as God promised.
Later on this joyful response was applied to Isaac himself. Isaac
did not know that God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son.
When he asked his father what they would sacrifice, all he was told
was, “God will provide.” Once on the sacrificial pyre Isaac was filled
with sorrow. His sad plight, however, was turned to ‘laughter’ when
he escaped death after Abraham caught sight of the ram entangled
in the thistles and offered the animal instead.
The Church Fathers deepened the implications of these Jewish
reflections by applying it to the person of Christ. Jesus was the Lamb
caught in the brambles, and who was sacrificed for our sins. He was
also like Isaac when He suffered the agony before and during His
Passion, and experienced joy (laughter) in His Resurrection when
He conquered death, sin and the devil.
Benedict XVI further observes how this idea of being saved by the
image of the Lamb is reiterated in the fifth chapter of the Book of
Revelation. “And between the throne and the four living creatures
and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been
slain....” Our life, the Pope reflects, would be meaningless and sad
if we climb the “mountain of time” [his limited life] “bearing with us
the instruments of our own death” [his sinfulness] without any sight
to God. At first, man isn’t aware of the dangers that lurk within and
without, but as he journeys he then experiences his solitariness and
begins to doubt in God and exclude Him from his existence. “(…)
Nicolo F. Bernardo
Whatever
talk of ‘God’ is no longer believable, humor dies. In such a case man has
nothing to laugh about anymore; all that is left is a cruel sarcasm or that
rage against God and the world with which we are all acquainted.”
On the other hand, he says that “the person who has seen the Lamb—
Christ on the Cross—knows that God has provided. (…) But this sight
of the Lamb—the crucified Christ—is in fact our glimpse of heaven, of
what God has eternally provided for us. In this Lamb we actually do
glimpse heaven, and we see God’s gentleness, which is neither indiffer-
ence nor weakness but power of the highest order. It is in this way, and
only thus, that we see the mysteries of creation and catch a little of the
song of the angels—indeed, we can try to join with them, somewhat, in
singing the Alleluia of Easter Day. Since we see the Lamb, we can laugh
and give thanks.”
We also have to learn how to laugh with God while we live. A
man who laughs alone is a sad or a foolish man. Only in God, by
possessing Him and trusting in His designs—sometimes beyond
our comprehension—will we be able to capture a glimpse and enjoy
the divine comedy of our life. It is when we will experience a joyful
conversion in life.
Every person’s conversion is a spiritual resurrection in preparation
for the final one. This happens each time he turns his gaze at the
Lamb—at Christ Resurrected—as he experiences the joys, trials and
falls in life. Rising from one’s falls and miseries without seeking for
and looking at Christ would be simply a change rooted in personal
perfection and pride. It would be an empty and sad conversion.
Thus, Pope Benedict XVI says: “If we comprehend the message of the
Resurrection, we recognize that heaven is not completely sealed off above
the earth. Then—gently and yet with immense power—something of the
light of God penetrates our life. Then we shall feel the surge of joy for which,
otherwise, we wait in vain. Everyone who is penetrated by something of
this joy can be, in his own way, a window through which heaven can look
upon earth and visit it.”
By constantly having Jesus Christ as our point of reference our
daily beginnings to be “glimpses of heaven” which will fill our souls
with a “joy that the world cannot give”. This will be our source of
strength and purification. We shall become “windows of heaven”
here on earth through which others can encounter the love, peace
and laughter of Christ.
Anima Sana
and me. Salvation is crossing from the darkness and terror of sin
and death to the bright light of grace and life. When Jews ‘com-
memorate’ their passage from their slavery in Egypt to freedom
in the Promised Land through the crossing of the Red Sea, it is
remarkable how they understand and use the term ‘memorial’.
For them the Passover isn’t simply mentally recalling but actually
being with their ancestors as they experience God’s liberating
action leading them out of Egypt’s clutches. This sense is what
we Christians also embrace when we celebrate the liturgy “in
memory” of the Paschal Mystery of the suffering, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The past is being made present
and we are with Jesus in his suffering, in his dying and in his
rising. Why? Because through our Baptism we actually share in
the Paschal Mystery which is our real ‘Passover’ from darkness
and death to light and life. How? By the power and action of the
Holy Spirit who brings to us in this place and in this time the
very events of our salvation. But it is the suffering, death, resur-
rection and ascension of Jesus Christ that constitute the bridge
that has enabled you and me to make that crossing.
Paschal is a word that comes from ‘Pesach’ which means to
cross or pass over. The ‘Pesach’ experience of the Jews is made
perfect in the ‘Pesach’ experience of Jesus. On the other hand,
this ‘Pesach’ experience is not a dead thing of the past; it is very
much living and it is a reality in which Jesus the Master wants
us to share. St. Paul reminds us of this: “Are you not aware that
we who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4).
Paul only re-echoes what the Master himself says in the gospel:
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self
and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake
will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself” (Lk 9:23-25).
Self-denial, our old, almost endearing ‘short-cut’ term for
this gospel injunction includes making concrete the taking up
of the cross in our own everyday lives: a priest saying ‘yes’ to a
difficult assignment or transfer from a well-loved place or com-
munity or person(s); a husband saying ‘no’ to an ego-boosting
relationship with an attractive woman in order to be true to his
wife and keep his family intact; a wife setting aside personal
conveniences to respond to her family’s needs or to spend more
time with her husband and children; a politician saying ‘no’ to
personally beneficial ‘power extension’ political efforts to say
‘yes’ to the people’s true needs, and so on. The point is, there
are simply an unlimited number of ways to bring the Paschal
Mystery into our personal and social realities.

Lifeguard
A HEALTHY soul in a healthy body.
The Philippine Bible Society used to release
a special basketball bible issue. With inspiring
texts on sportsmanship, it has inserts on the
spiritual life of basketball players.
Whether you call this proselytizing, the re-
lation between sportsmanship and spiritual-
ity is one that goes back to the Old Testament.
It is a relation that, unfortunately, is not the
“game” these days.
In Wrestling with God, journalist Chad
Bonham notes the religious function of sport
matches as symbolic of the human struggle.
Significantly, the Chosen People started with
a sport. Jacob was named “Israel,” which
means, “he who wrestles with God.” The
Bible has Jacob, Bonham says, “the world’s
first recorded wrestler.”
In the New Testament too, St. Paul wrote
in Corpore Sano
ther, for an “imperishable” homerun.
St. Paul’s analogies are not strange in the
ancient world. He lived in a culture where
Olympics are dedicated to the god Zeus and
where gladiators fought under the banner of
their deities. The care of the body was called
by the Greeks as dieteia, which at the same
time was the cultivation of the soul.
The thought of juxtaposing the exercise
of the body with that of the soul may be
foreign to our current Western sports sys-
tem. Sports have certainly been secularized,
deprived of its spiritual-religious meaning.
The philosopher Umberto Eco thus writes in
Faith in Fakes how he once entertained athe-
ism while watching a soccer game! Games
are ultimately meaningless, he thought. So
maybe life is.
Unlike the Ancient and Renaissance ideal
man’s soul is inseparable from his body, then
whatever one does to one’s body affects his
soul. St. Paul hit it right: a man’s spirit may
drive him willing, but it can be stunted by a
flesh that is weak.
Holy Sports
Discipline, commitment, courage, endur-
ance, camaraderie, fairness, vision, accep-
tance of and redemption from defeat—these
are virtues one encounters from the game
field. As the Milo Sports clinic puts it: “Sports
molds character.” Indeed, cannot we think of
sports as a way to make one’s soul soar? Or to
healthily mortify the flesh? Or to praise and
serve one’s Creator with an able body?
The late John Paul II thought so. Here was
a pope-saint who played for a soccer team
in his teens, did hiking on the Italian Alps,
The sharing in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ is not be-
cause we love suffering and pain for their own sake, the docu-
ment to the Hebrews reminds us. It is for the sake of the “joy
reserved for Jesus Christ”. You and I know too well how easily
we can miss this one. And how easily for us to even think it a
bit naïve. But the reality of the Paschal Mystery is not complete
without a sense of joy even in the middle of suffering, pain and
crisis. Joy isn’t being immune to sadness or suffering, as Pope
Paul VI used to remind us Christians of today. It’s not having
a smiling face even when things are serious. It’s having a sense
of the presence of God, a sense of his victory over evil, over
darkness, over death from sin. Isn’t it tragic when we lose a
sense of the ‘eschaton’, of what the document to the Hebrews
considers the end-goal of faith: “certainty in the things we can-
not see” (Heb 11:1)?
Rene Voillaume has this to say to us: “By believing in Christ
we are believing in joy, by embracing the crucified Christ, we
are embracing joy without knowing it, and the Cross expands
within us our capacity for the happiness to come.”
St. Teresa of Calcutta has something more practical: “One
filled with joy preaches without preaching.”

Read the


analogies between the tribulations of the soul of a man who excels in body and soul, today swimming in the Skawa river, kayaking for
and the discipline of an athlete. That can be we pick our pigeonholes: brawns without his religious seminars, and skiing during pa-

daily church
expected. After all, this tireless missionary brains, flesh without soul, or vice versa. pal breaks. Here was a pope who exchanged
would not have made it from Jerusalem to On one hand there is the cult of the body signatures with boxing heavyweight Muham-
Rome without a sporty spirit. In his letters, and sports, and on another, the recurrent mad Ali, posed with basketball teams and car

news at
St. Paul used the idea of an athletic “race” Albigensian puritanism of despising bodily racers, and enjoyed watching break-dancers
seven times. care. in the Vatican. The sports world had reason to
Among which is 1 Corinthians 9: 25, where It makes sense that Jesus not only saved mourn his loss. Sports events in Europe had

he exhorts the people to “run as to win the
race.” Much as “athletes exercise discipline
in every way to win a perishable crown,” he
says, Christians should do the same, but fur-
souls but healed bodies, and made a sacra-
ment of it. After all, the body is the vessel
of the Spirit. The Word would not have
incarnated if the body’s value is trivial. If a
www.cbcpnews.com
been suspended and stadiums offered prayers
to commemorate the man who had just done
so much to live the message of a healthy mind
Lifeguard / A6
 Local News
CBCP Monitor
A6 Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

Hazards of BNPP revival for real,

say scientists, environmentalists
THE recent earthquake which shook the province of Zambales in “Our legislators in Congress should realize the grave consequence
Central Luzon is a “sign” of the times: the “dead” Bataan Nuclear
Power Plant must not be resurrected.
“Tuesday morning’s (April 21) earthquake near Iba, Zambales
of running a defective and dangerous nuclear plant and should not
be swayed by the strong influence of its proponents into making a
decision of blunder,” he said.
Church-based poll watchdog
is a reminder of the hazards that the Bataan Nuclear power Plant
(BNPP) revival is facing,” says Frances Quimpo of the Center for
Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC), in a statement.
Tapang is also the national chairperson of Agham, an organiza-
tion of scientists advancing people’s cause through science and
technology.
blasts ‘premature campaigns’
The statement came amidst the whole environmental and scientific Tapang believes that “running the BNPP will have more negative A CATHOLIC Church-based election watchdog lashed at
communities commemorating the Earth Day 2009. effects on the environment and the lives of the Filipino people than politicians for premature campaigning by taking cover behind
Quimpo is one of the co-conveners of the No to BNPP Revival! what is hyped to be its advantages, some of which are even sham commercial advertisements or personal advocacies.
or the Network Opposed to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant Revival propagated by those with interests in this energy business.” The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said
(NO to BNPP!), a broad coalition of organizations, institutions and Meanwhile, Ricarido Saturay Jr., a geologist from AGHAM and political ads on television, radio and other media outlets this
individuals opposing the reopening of the mothballed plant in also a co-convener of NO to BNPP Revival says, the BNPP revival early must be stopped.
Morong, Bataan. is being pushed by its proponents using climate change and the According to its chairperson, Henrietta de Villa, what some
“The earthquake which registered 5.3 in the Richter scale confirms promise of a clean technology as pretext. politicians are doing is a complete disregard on the rule against
the warnings of scientists that “The proponents are offer- early campaigning.
active faults lay within the ing false solutions to climate De Villa is worried that public funds may be used to finance
range of the proposed site change and even to our en- the so-called advocacies of several public officials.
of the nuclear power plant. ergy problems. Pro-nuclear The PPCRV official believes early media exposure of several
These may cause surface rup- lobbyists have created the politicians is obviously for the purpose of early campaigning
tures. Let us recall that the impression that nuclear en- for the 2010 polls.
earthquakes in 1990 and 1994 ergy production has zero She called on the public to show politicians that they are not
effected substantial damages carbon emission, making it tolerant of those who are violating the law.
to structures and properties, a perfect tool in combating “These politicians should know that we don’t tolerate their ut-
including people’s lives,” she global warming. But this is ter disregard of the law. It speaks of their characters… It should
explained. not completely true. If we in- be part of our selection process what are the core values being
Dr. Giovanni Tapang, a clude every stage of nuclear shown by these politicians,” de Villa said.
physicist from the University energy production, such as Asked whether this would mean translating these into no-
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

of the Philippines’ Institute the mining of uranium, and votes of those who are disregarding the law, the former ambas-
of Physics and currently the the processing and transport sador to Vatican answered affirmatively.
spokesperson of the No to of it, then you’ll have carbon “That could be part of the input… let’s inform them not only
BNPP Revival! said it will emissions already equal to by voicing disdain but also through actions,” de Villa said.
be a huge crime against the a third of what other power Several political ads have begun to proliferate since late last year
earth and the environment if plants emit,” he explained. and are expected to continue in the run-up to the 2010 elections.
BNPP will start to operate. (Noel Sales Barcelona) Among these political ads are those of senators Manuel “Mar”
Roxas and his “pedicab” and “cheaper medicines” advertise-
Preparation / A1 ments; Manuel Villar and his overseas Filipino worker and
circumstances of life,” he said. involved in mass communications to form (June 20) and end with the feasts of Two poverty commercials; Panfilo Lacson and his anti-corruption
Lagdameo asked all church entities across networks among themselves that can ar- Hearts on June 2010. ads; Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani
the country “to establish and form groups ticulate an authentic Christian ethics in their Lagdameo urged the faithful to recite the Fernando and his “metro orderliness” posters and bus stick-
that can effectively focus their ministry or practice of their profession. prayer to the Two Hearts every Sunday after ers; and Vice President Noli de Castro and his commercial on
apostolate on peace-building and genuine “We urge every Catholic lay person to Communion. government housing programs.
reconciliation through dialogue, drawing give a concrete expression to Christian dis- “May we ask that we start praying the The Commission on Elections had earlier said that it is power-
encouragement especially from St. Paul’s cipleship thorough responsible citizenship,” following prayer at least every Sunday after less over the early proliferation of political ads.
profound insights on these topics.” Lagdameo said. communion in all Catholic churches and The poll body said commercial ads of politicians cannot be
“Let us consciously lay the moral founda- The archbishop also called on all church chapels all over the country from June 2009 considered as premature campaign as the politicians have yet
tions on which we can build a more stable, organizations to intensely work on peace- to June 2010,” he said. to file their Certificate of Candidacies.
more mature Philippine society. Let this building and genuine reconciliation through The prayer reads: De Villa said it is saddening that the political culture has gone
foundation be not just a change of leaders dialogue. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, the reality of our to the point of making politicians look for ways to skirt the law
or a change of social and political structures, He pointed out that while pastors exercise deeply wounded and broken country impels us to only to advance their political interests.
but above all, a radical change of heart, com- spiritual and moral leadership, they cannot respond with new urgency to the most pressing She said they are going to include the said principle in their
mending ourselves to Jesus and his Blessed just extend that leadership in the spheres of problems of our times. ongoing voters’ education campaign since moral values are
Mother as we entreat them to ‘…make our politics and governance. We are a broken people; our hearts are frag- part of it. (CBCPNews)
hearts so like to (theirs) that we may holy Lagdameo said there had been calls for mented and we are discouraged. We need Your
be!’ ” said the prelate. “moral regeneration” in the country during Heart, O Lord, as we seek to be made whole. Solons / A1
the past few months, and hoped the laity Rooted in our faith in You and love for our number of party-list representatives in the lower House.
Laity’s role in social change would express more interest in the restora- country, we want to participate in Your work “The additional congressmen meant increase in the expense to
The CBCP head dared government officials, tion of morality. of transformation of persons, families, organiza- our country because they will have to be given salaries, allowances
law enforcers, traders, and those involved in “The participation of the laity in moral tions, and society. and even increase in pork barrel,” he said.
the media industry to do their part. leadership pertaining to every specific disci- Through the transforming power of the love of This year alone, Congress allocated for itself P9.665 billion in
He particularly called on the laypeople in- pline and institution in the Philippine society Your Heart, we draw a new dynamism, a strong pork barrel under the P1.425-trillion budget. The amount shows an
volved in legitimate business to organize them- is most essential, if we want the Gospel and inspiration, a fire, which can change and transfig- increase of about P2 billion from its pork barrel allocation in 2008.
selves and practice their trade with a strong the social teachings of the Church to have a ure our lives as individuals and as a nation. Each House member is usually allocated P70 million in Priority
sense of corporate social responsibility. tangible and positive impact on our life as a (please pause for a specific intention) Development Assistance Fund, commonly referred to as “pork bar-
Law enforcers were urged to form asso- nation,” he said. Love of the Heart of Jesus, give us courage and rel” yearly, while each Senator is allocated P200 million.
ciations among themselves that consciously patience. Wisdom of the Heart of Jesus, teach us However, lawmakers who earlier supported impeachment resolu-
renounce violence, respect basic human Year of Prayer to pray and to act with hope and charity at all tions were no longer given such funds.
rights, and truly work for genuine peace The “Year of prayer” will formally begin times. Amen. “The huge obligation goes to the public really,” the Jaro archbishop
and social order. on the feast days of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. said. “I hope that they (SC) have thought it carefully.”
The church leader then called on those (June 19) and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed last April
24 the additional winning party-list groups entitled to one or more
Mary / A4
seats, raising the number of sectoral members in the chamber from
ment of Matrimony. that the Church needs, living witnesses that the Christian Faith, that 22 to 51.
Amazingly but tragically, it was not the Africans that were pro- to follow Christ, is well worth living and even dying for. The move followed after the High Court reversed itself and ruled
testing the Holy Father’s words, it was the Europeans and North Courage, dearest followers of Christ, we can rise above our petty that all the vacant seats for the party-list system should be filled up
Americans who were condemning him. It is such a paradox that concerns and come to defend the teachings of Christ. And yes, let in keeping with the mandate of the Constitution.
African Church Health workers were even praising the Holy Father us be comforted, so long as we remain united with Peter and his The Constitution states that representatives from the under-
for his courage to tell the world that it is not condoms that Africa successor we are with the truth. For where Peter is, the Church is represented and marginalized should constitute 20 percent of the
needs but true acts of charity. there. Ubi Petrus ibi Ecclesia est. House membership. (CBCPNews)
One cannot help but be surprised and saddened as well in hearing May Mary, Mother of the Church, Mediatrix of All-Grace, come
and reading the news that one beauty contestant who was the front and help us in this hour of great battle. Ave Maria! Education / A1
runner for Miss USA lost the chance of being crowned because she In the strong indigenous movements across the country, the de-
had the guts to tell the audience and the judge that she believes that Social Justice / A1 mand for education played an important role.
marriage is only between a man and a wife. with the controversial Comprehensive Agrarian Reform. Yet effective education and the training of the native peoples, church
And another recent news item as well, again from the US, in a “One group was for the extension of CARP with the needed re- leaders involved in IP ministry said, still remains to be seen.
Congressional hearing participated in by the US Secretary of State, forms while the other group believes a Genuine Agrarian Reform The convention resulted from the growing concern among the IP
Hillary Clinton, she was taken to task about the turn-around policy Bill is needed,” the 61-year old prelate said. communities on the “abrasion” of indigenous education processes
of the US with regard to abortion-promotion around the world. And Ledesma added the groups converged on a common aspiration and the “ethnically insensible education of their youth.”
these were, among others, her words: “The land to the tiller principle,” and this is what every agrarian Expected participants of the gathering are school teachers, com-
We happen to think that family planning is an important part of reform program intends to do. munity elders, and indigenous apostolate workers concerned in their
women’s health and reproductive health includes access to abortion Agrarian Reform Committee Chairman Edcel Lagman said he particular dioceses’ indigenous education program.
that I believe should be safe, legal, and rare. (Emphasis mine). hopes to pass the needed resolution to extend the implementation Various resource speakers are scheduled to discuss the issues on
Well, there you have it. For all the denials that reproductive health of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with its appropri- education affecting the indigenous people.
does not include abortion, it comes from the biggest advocate and ate reforms. The ECIP said Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli
promoter of reproductive health; yes, our dearest Juan de la Cruz, Lagman said he has received instructions from Speaker Prospero Lapus will serve as the convention’s keynote speaker.
reproductive health does include abortion. Nograles to do everything possible and have the appropriate mea- The ECIP is at the forefront of the church’s efforts in promoting
What a world we are living in today, it is so secularized, that being sure passed before the end their session in June. the welfare of the country’s indigenous peoples.
an openly Christian faithful now becomes a stigma and something “As far as I know, this is the commitment of the House leadership, One of its main goals is to bring the IPs into the mainstream of
to be ashamed of. Christian persecution has returned, albeit not a to enact a law providing for five years additional period for land society. (Kate Laceda)
bloody one (not yet anyway). We are called to be martyrs of our acquisition and distribution,” he said. He added he wouldn’t even
Christian Faith. Martyros in Greek means someone who gives a tes- call it extension “because the program has already ended, so it could Vocations / A1
timony, a witness to the Faith. May we be the contemporary martyrs be called revival.” (Melo M. Acuna) are at the forefront of the many church activities,” Lagdameo said.
Other prelates who graced the gathering were Manila Archbishop
Lifeguard / A5 Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Pampanga Auxiliary Bishop Pablo
(and soul) in a healthy body. reminiscent of the legends of the Shaolin Tem- life-threatening gladiatorial counterparts. David, Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo and Jaro Auxiliary
Sports can make saints much as miracles ple. Aikido (“the way of harmonious spirit”) Again, we can look back at the time when Bishop Gerardo Alminaza.
happen in sports. Have you heard of Brenda too was conceived by Ueshiba Morihei as a the West spiritualized cavalieric training The Theotokos’ primary mission is to perpetually pray for the
Smith? Her spina bifida (split spine from spiritual exercise. Similarly, Tai Chi and the and tests, notwithstanding the risks. For the sanctification and perseverance of priests and religious.
birth) did not stop her from becoming a Yoga are practices for spiritual meditation. crusading knights, it was even indispens- The convention was the first after eleven years of existence as
bronze medalist freestyler in the 1992 Para- Thai kickboxing also kicks off with prayer- able for the defense of the faith; and for the prayer group in the Catholic Church.
lympic Games. Or how about Joni Dunn? ful chants and rituals. At the least, we should missionaries of old, for securing safety and The group was established in September 1997. It was previously
She suffered a crushed spine but she reha- credit our boxing legend Manny Pacquiao agility. Working out the body to its extremes composed of seven people in honor of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
bilitated herself to set a record in the Ironman for spiritualizing Western boxing. For all could mean the battle for the soul, a proof Supported by Fr. Troadio Delos Santos, OFMCap. and Fr. Jose Luis
Triathlon at 42. And there goes Curtis Pride. the world to see, Pacquiao starts and ends of its virtue. The less endowed pray to St. Arrieta, OFMCap., parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes National
Deaf but a Major League baseball player. his matches kneeling in prayer, bearing the Sebastian, the Roman soldier who became Shrine, Theotokos Prayer Mission grew to over a hundred members
Studies on the transformative value of rosary, and attending Masses. His ritual has the patron of sports. praying for 52 priests and brothers a year after.
sports as a healthy mysticism were noted in become iconic into a Nike ad “Give Us This In such a marriage of sports and spiri- Theotokos now has around 150 chapters nationwide under the leader-
Michael Murphy’s The Psychic Side of Sports. Day.” Like Muhammad Ali, he observes tuality, one can—unlike Eco’s dilemma— ship of its First National Missionary Sarita Geocadin. (CBCPNews)
He observed athletes who experienced the temporary celibacy with his month-long encounter God in the gym, in the field, or
“zone,” an exalted state of bliss during their sexual abstinence to concentrate his body in the court. It can lead both players and History / A3
games. Prayers are part of the preps. This and spiritual energy. spectators to pray and to hope. Maybe super- The conference themed “Woman, behold your son… Behold your
body-spirit retreat is also stressed in martial Although one may have qualms on as- ficially, maybe not. But if you look closely, mother” from John 19:26-27, was attended by hundreds of members
arts as initiated by Eastern spiritual masters. sociating benevolence with the apparent the designs and the feats of the body point from various parishes, dioceses and provinces across the country.
For instance, the Kung Fu was developed “violence” in boxing or some other hard to the marvels of its Creator, the Supreme Theotokos Prayer Mission was established on September 8, 1997,
by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma to cor- sports, these games are scientifically regu- Goalee. He in Whose Being we play. composed of seven people in honor of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
rect other monks who had become sluggish, lated and calculated, different from their Let His imperishable races begin. (Melo Acuna)
 Diocesan News
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
A7
News Briefs
Inter-faith experts hold retreat, dialogue with BUC
DAVAO CITY— Asian and European inter-faith experts and
practitioners recently held a retreat here and interacted with
Study belies ‘gains’ of
chemical agriculture
Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) leaders in a bid to enrich
ongoing peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts. Dubbed
“Talks on the Hill: The Future of the Dialogue of Cultures and
Civilizations,” the dialogue was hosted by the Davao-based re-
gional advocacy institution, Initiatives for International Dialogue
(IID). (Mark Ventura)

Farmers ask SC to protect environmental rights
DAVAO CITY—Farmers in Mindanao who attended the recent
“People’s March For Environmental Justice” here urged the
Supreme Court to help them protect their environmental rights
from corporate agribusiness plantations. The farmers pointed
out that corporate agriculture also supports the aerial spraying
of pesticides that can further lead to environmental degradation
brought about by toxic agriculture. (Mark Ventura)
People hopeful for peace in Malabang
MALABANG, Lanao del Sur—The religious sisters of the Mis-
sionary of the Assumption (M.A.) said that despite persecution
experienced by the local church here they are still hopeful that
peace will reign in Malabang. Sr. Cecilia Fonacier said even if
they are experiencing hardships especially in encouraging the
people to fully and actively participate in the parochial activities
they are also seeing some positive changes in the attitude of the
people. (Mark Ventura)
Catechism alive in Lanao
MALABANG, Lanao del Sur—Even if Catholics are considered
a minority here, the local church has made efforts to intensify the
teaching of basic catechism among Catholic children. Pacifico
Salva, Parish Pastoral Council member, said that teaching the basic
catechism is one of the top priority programs of the local Church.
“We want that our children will learn about the catechism of the
Catholic Church considering the challenges and problems brought
about by the modern world,” he said. (Mark Ventura)
Court’s decision on Smith, another blow to RP justice
system—LFS
MALABON CITY—The League of Filipino Students criticized
the Court of Appeals’ decision to acquit Lance Corporal Daniel
Smith of rape charges, saying the court’s acquittal was yet an-
other blow in the country’s justice system. The Court of Appeals
had recently cleared Smith of the rape charges filed by Nicole,
a.k.a. Suzette Nicolas. (Noel Sales Barcelona)
in Mindanao
DAVAO CITY—A recent international study has found that the
supposed benefits of chemical agriculture and corporate farming
in Mindanao are “myths.”
The study belied claims, in particular, that the corporate agricul-
ture will help solve the problem of hunger and poverty and it would
be beneficial to small farmers and the environment.
A coalition of organic agriculture practitioners and Go Organic
Mindanao advocates said that chemically-driven agriculture failed
to address hunger and poverty as confirmed by a recent scientific
assessment report prepared by the world’s experts and supported
by 58 governments across the globe.
Two Filipinos are involved in the report of the International As-
sessment on Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for
Development (IAASTD).
“The IAASTD report calls for fundamental changes away from
corporate-dominated and toxic agriculture to a sustainable ecological
farming with empowered small farming communities,” said toxi-
cologist and IAASTD bureau member Dr. Romy Quijano.
The IAASTD report emphasized that corporate agriculture is no
way a solution to the rising poverty in Mindanao.
It added 1.9 billion hectares and 2.6 billion people today are af-
fected by significant levels of land degradation.
Aside from Quijano, a member of the Pesticide Action Network-
Asia Pacific, the other Filipino in the study is Neth Dano of the Third
World Network.
The report which involved 400 experts from around the world, in
an international effort undertaken and approved in April last year
in Johannesburg, South Africa.
It recounted the failure of industrial farming as it reflects a grow-
ing consensus among the global scientific community and most
governments that the old paradigm of industrial, energy-intensive
and toxic agriculture is a concept of the past, that small-scale farmers
and agro-ecological methods provide the way forward to avert the
current food crisis and meet the needs of local communities.
IAASTD seeks to assess the impacts of past, present and future
agricultural knowledge, science and technology on the reduction
of hunger and poverty; the improvement of rural livelihoods and
human health; and the equitable, socially, environmentally and
economically sustainable development.
“The Green Revolution strategies of the past, with all their expen-
sive and toxic products, have left a trail of destruction. The report
essentially says it is time to clean up and move on,” Quijano said.
“A national government policy to develop two million hectares
(has.) into agribusiness lands where one million has. of which are
targeted for Mindanao will definitely not answer the call to end
hunger and poverty in the country,” said Dano.
“While this kind of agricultural system may have brought in-
creased employment opportunities especially for impoverished
farmers, its effect on food self-sufficiency, agrarian reform, rural
livelihoods, and ecology have been disturbing,” he also said.
Quijano urged “all concerned sectors to raise public awareness
on the issues raised by IAASTD and pressure policy makers and
stakeholders to implement measures to realize food sovereignty,
agro-ecology, social justice and equity.”
The IAASTD is under the co-sponsorship of the Food and Agri-
culture Organization, Global Environment Facility, United Nations
Development Program, United Nations Environment Programme,
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
the World Bank and the World Health Organization WHO. (Mark
S. Ventura)

CBCP conducts priests’ summer institute on catechesis

BAGUIO CITY—The CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Cateche-
sis and Catholic Education (ECCCE) has conducted a priests’
summer institute on catechesis on April 20-23 at the Sta. Cat-
alina Retreat House here. Organizers said inputs on Evangelli
Nuntiandi, Catechesi Tradendae and Deus Caritas Est focusing

Photo courtesy of CBCP-NASSA

on catechesis as tool for social engagement and transformation
were given to over 80 participants. (Kate Laceda)

Work hazards in the BPO industry, likely to rise

QUEZON City—The Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education
and Research, Inc. (Eiler) warns about the rise of occupational
health risks in the outsourcing industry as the Business Process-
ing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) announced that com-

Muslims, Christians to
panies may cut growth rates in 2010 due to the global economic
meltdown. Anna Leah Escresa-Colina, deputy executive director
of Eiler said the cut in growth rates among BPO companies mean
lower workforce while the amount of work remains the same.
(Noel Sales Barcelona)

Marbel diocese up in meet on moral renewal

arms vs coal-fired plant
KIDAPAWAN CITY—The Marbel diocese is strongly opposing the
proposed construction of the 200 Megawatt coal-fired power plant
in a remote village of Maasim town in Saranggani province.
In a statement, the Sta. Cruz Parish under Fr. Floro Litigio ex-
pressed fears the project will destroy the environment through emis-
sion of chemicals considered toxic both to humans and to animals.
The parish has since criticized the plan of foreign-owned Conal
Holdings Corporation (CHC) to construct the coal-fired power
plant.
The project assessment and evaluation has started in February
this year.
COTABATO CITY—Religious leaders
among Muslims and Christians constituting
the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) will
meet in Marawi City in July to push for moral
renewal as a “key solution” to the decades-
old “Mindanao problem,” local officials in
Lanao del Sur said.
Program facilitators said Lanao del Sur
Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr., who will
host the event, has invited President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo as the keynote speaker
to discuss the moral revival program she
launched through an executive order last
February.
“The summit is a relevant avenue for the
President to expound the context of her
moral revival program, which local peace
stakeholders consider as a vital element
in the quest for solutions to the Mindanao
problem,” said provincial information officer
Nasser Ganda.
Ganda said Adiong and key BUC lead-
ers believe that a robust moral reform is
the “antidote” to heavy political division
among local and national leaders, which is
bane to every effort geared toward resolving
all issues facing the nation, including the
Mindanao conflict.
“Too much politics undermine moral
concerns in the drafting of solutions to our
problems,” he quoted local church leaders
and ulama as saying.
He said Davao Archbishop Fernando Ca-
palla of the Catholic sector, Bishop Hilario
Gomez of the United Church of Christ in the
Philippines, and Judge Abu Ali Cali, Nation-
al Ulama League president, have confirmed
attendance alongside their members in the
two-day summit this coming July 2 and 3.
The event is set to be held at the gymnasium
of the Provincial Capitol complex in Marawi
City. (John Unson/Mindanao Cross)

Mobilize the people

In Manila, Marbel Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez said they will
mobilize the people for their Earth Day celebration on April 22 in
General Santos City to manifest their strong opposition to the pro-
posed coal-fired power plant.
“No way will we allow the establishment of the Alcantara-owned
power plant in our area,” he said.
“When carbon is burnt, it produces so many gases, carbon dioxide
though it is food for the trees it is also food for cancer cells in the
human body. There will also be sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide plus
lead, zinc, arsenic and other elements,” the bishop said.
Gutierrez said sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide will affect the
atmosphere and becomes sulfate and nitrate which becomes sulfu-
ric acid to nitric acid returning to earth, it is not just acid rain but
becomes acid deposition.
He said gases emitted by the power plant would endanger not
only the rivers and water tributaries but the rich flora and fauna
and marine life.
“While it is still in its planning stage, it would be good for the
proponents and the government to know our concerns,” the 70-year
old prelate said.
The consultation made in Maasim sometime ago was one-sided
according to Gutierrez.
He said known personalities opposing the planned coal-fired
power plant were not allowed to participate by the police and
military who secured the venue. Placards and streamers were not
allowed except those that agree with and approve the project.
However, Gutierrez remained optimistic the government will look
into the negative effects of the proposed coal-fired power plant soon.
(Jimmy Sta. Cruz/DxND/Melo M. Acuna)
Homosexuals / A1
lated by His Church.”
Therefore, Cruz said, any man—straight or gay—who do not meet
the said criteria—may and should not be admitted to the seminary,
much less admitted to the priesthood.
“Even honest to goodness men who however do not pass the same
said criteria, may and should neither be admitted to the seminary
and Sacred Orders,” he said.
The sex abuse scandals have forced an unprecedented introspec-
tion into the clergy and how to train future priests.
The Vatican has often visited the issue of homosexuality, reflect-
ing an unbending theological opposition but also an acknowledge-
ment that discrimination based on sexual preference is not justified.
(Roy Lagarde)
CBCP Communications Development Foundation, Inc. (CBCP Media Office)
Schedules of Training Seminars for 2009
1. Web design – Beginners’ course
(Learn how to conceptualize, design and maintain websites. This
module is tailored for catechists, pastoral workers and youth groups
interested in harnessing websites as a new avenue for catechesis
and evangelization.)
May 25-29 (Monday – Friday) - 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 participants
Registration fee: P800 (inclusive of snacks)
Venue: CBCPWorld Training Room, 3rd Flr., 470 Gen. Luna St.
Intramuros, Manila
(Note: This seminar-workshop is scheduled from May until August.
June-August seminar dates will be made available later.)
2. Web design 2
(Participants should have basic knowledge of MSQL and PHP)
September 21-25 (Monday-Friday)
1:00-5:00 p.m.
Minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 participants
Registration fee: P800 (inclusive of snacks)
Venue: CBCPWorld Training Room, 3rd Flr., 470 Gen. Luna St.
Intramuros, Manila
3. System Administration (SysAd) (for CBCPWorld clients only)
(A highly technical training course for Systems and Network Adminis-
trators, this program is offered especially to those administering local
area networks of Catholic schools. The training features bandwidth
and server management on a Linux platform.)
May 4-5 (tentative)
Participants: Laguna cluster
Venue: Laguna
May 11-12 (tentative)
Participants: Manila cluster
Venue: CBCPWorld Training Room, CBCP Building, Intramuros (This seminar-workshop features writing news stories from a distinc-
October, November 2009
Most of these training programs are conducted for free, especially to institutions that are members of the CBCPWorld Network. Trainings are
held either at the CBCPWorld Training Center in Intramuros, Manila or at local dioceses. Interested party may contact CBCP Media Office at
tel/fax 5274139 / CBCPWorld at tels. 404-2182; 404-1612.
4. Information Technology Awareness
(This seminar is an introduction to information technology. Participants
are taught the basic knowledge and skills in computer, internet and
multimedia. This is best for school administrators, nuns, priests and
bishops.)
No date yet (Thursday – Friday) - 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Maximum of 15 participants
Registration fee: P500.00 (inclusive of lunch and snacks)
Venue: CBCPWorld Training Room, 3rd Flr., 470 Gen. Luna St.
Intramuros, Manila
Watch for the schedule dates of the following:
5. Educational Technology (Ed Tech)
(This training module is intended for teachers of Catholic schools.
It teaches how to integrate computer/internet applications into the
academic subject/curriculum.)
July, August, September (or depending on the availability of cli-
ents)
Venue: On site
6. Multimedia for Catechists
(An introductory course to the amazing world of multimedia which
includes videography, video editing and online sharing. This is
best for catechists and pastoral workers.)
October 2009 (tentative)
7. PC Assembly/Hardware/Software Troubleshooting
(Intended for computer technicians, this training module teaches basic
skills in network management which includes hardware configurations,
IP addressing and network structuring.)
8. Newswriting
tively catholic perspective which CBCPNews calls “Catholic Journal-
ism.” This is especially intended for those involved in print media or
those contemplating on putting up one.)
 A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

Lipa launches 3rd

year centennial
jubilee activities

© www.archlipa.org
IN a well-prepared yet simple ceremonies recently before at the Javierada Hall of the parish. delegates would be formed into speakers’ bureau
held at St. Francis Xavier Parish of the Archdio- The introductory lecture of Archbishop Ar- for each vicariate for the purpose of propagating
cese’s Vicariate 1, Archbishop Ramon V. Arguelles guelles was followed by the Eucharistic sacrifice the life and mission of St. Joseph.
led the clergy, religious and the lay faithful in led by His Eminence, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosa- The delegates also heard the testimonies of two
formally opening the third and last part of the les, erstwhile Archbishop of Lipa. He tackled the male devotees of St. Joseph: Atty. Jose Pio Calin-
three-year preparation for the Centennial Jubilee theme, “St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer, gasan of Rosario, Batangas and Bro, Jun Lagos of

of Lipa archdiocese as local church on 2010.
Centered on Communion and Solidarity, the
theme was called “The Year of St. Joseph, the Faith-
ful Image of the Fatherhood of God”.
St. Joseph is the principal patron of Lipa since it
was made into a diocese in April 10, 1910.
“It is high time that the faithful of Lipa really get
to know well who St. Joseph is,” the Archbishop
stressed in his homily.
“Most of our problems in the world today ema-
© www.archlipa.org
Protector of the Universal Church and Patron of
the Archdiocese of Lipa”.
Other lecturers include Msgr. Alex Amante, a
priest of the Diocese of San Pablo, once a part of the
old diocese of Lipa, and Fr. Carmelo Calauag II.
Amante spoke on two topics, “St. Jospeh,
The official logo for the year was unveiled dur- Humble and Obedient to the Will of God like
ing the mass amidst cheers of the faithful, many Mary the Mother of Jesus” and “St. Joseph, man
of whom were clad in green, the color attributed of Prayer and Holiness,” while Calauag explored
to St. Joseph. the subject “St. Joseph, Husband
Nasugbu, Batangas.
Various Josephite hymn and prayers were also
introduced to the delegates, notably the Angelus
of St. Joseph and the St. Joseph Rosary.
The litany of St. Joseph was recited after the
Eucharistic celebration on the second day. Msgr.
Fred Madlangbayan, Vicar General and Parish
priest of Nasugbu handed out the certificates of
participation. (Fr. Nonie Dolor)

nates from our forgetfulness of the Father’s provi-
dence and love for us. St. Joseph, in his humble and
silent way, showed us how to emulate this father-
hood. Thus he was able to take care of the family
entrusted to him. He can really be a real example
and inspiration to us, especially those entrusted
with bringing up families,” he added.
Markings
Most of the green-clad devotees were from Vi- of Mary, Protector of the Sanctity
cariate IV, under the pastoral care of the Oblates of Marriage and Homes.”
of St. Joseph. Some 236 delegates from par-
Fr. Aurelio dela Cruz, OSJ, who was designated ishes and catholic schools in the
in-charge, planned and coordinated the activities Archdiocese attended the sym-
for the opening. posium.
A symposium on St. Joseph was held the day According to Fr. dela Cruz, the

Surigao celebrates Earth

C E L E B R AT E D .
Archdiocese of
Cebu, 75th an-
niversary of its

Day with ‘green economy’

IN support to the celebration of the World
Earth Day, the Panalipdan Tubig Kinabuhi
Surigao del Sur Farmers organized a march
and rally to start their Green Generation
Campaign on April 27.
Green Generation Campaign is a two-year
program initiating the establishment of a
new green economy that frees people from
poverty.
Organizers said that the event aims to
promote the significance of the watershed
to the livelihood of the people.
The march, dubbed as the “Alsa Martsa
Para sa Kinaiyahan,” will start from Madrid
to Cantilan.
A Eucharistic celebration was concel-
ebrated at 8 a.m. at the Immaculate Concep-
tion Parish Church in Cantilan presided by
Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar.
A victory rally followed after the mass
at the Cantilan Public Kiosk from 9:30 a.m
until 12 nn.
Meanwhile, a discussion on the impacts of
mining operations to the local environment
was conducted by the local and national anti-
mining networks at the Maalman Cultural
Center in Cantilan at 1 p.m.
Farmer delegates from the Surigao del Sur
Irrigators’ Federation Inc, Diocese of Tandag
Social Action Center, Immaculate Conception
Parish, Cantilan Parish Youth Apostolate,
CarCanMadCarLan (Carrascal, Cantilan,
Madrid, Carmen and Lanuza) BAYWATCH
Foundation Inc, and Lover’s of Nature Foun-
dation Inc. participated in the rally.
Organizers said the event was an expres-
sion of their gratitude to President Gloria
Arroyo for the approval of the Presidential
Proclamation 1747 “Declaring the portions of
the public domain of Alamio, Buyaan, Carac-
an, Panikian Rivers and Sipangpang Falls,
situated in the municipalities of Carrascal,
establishment as
an archdiocese,
April 28, 2009.
His Eminence,
Ricardo Cardinal
Vidal opened the
Holy Door of the
Cantilan and Madrid, Province of Surigao del Cebu Metropoli-
tan Cathedral to
Sur and in the municipalities of Jabonga, San- signal the start of
tiago, and Cabadbaran, Province of Agusan the year-long ju-
del Norte, as watershed forest reserves.” bilee celebration.
The proclamation specifies that any valid A Pontifical Mass
followed the opening of the Jubilee door during which the decree proclaim-
contract, permit, or license for the removal ing a jubilee year for Cebu was read. The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop
of natural resources which already existed Edward Joseph Adams read the message of Pope Benedict XVI for the
before the decree shall be of public interest occasion. The event was participated by delegates from parishes, Church
but areas under any agreement that are not and civil dignitaries. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and
possible for development shall be a part of CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo led the long list
of bishops, clergy and religious who attended the occasion. The opening
the watershed forest assets. events of April 28 kicked off a series of celebrations that will culminate on
It also orders that all properties under the April 28, 2010. The Archdiocese of Cebu was established by Pope Pius
watershed reserves shall be protected in ac- in 1934, with Msgr. Gabriel M. Reyes as first archbishop. The current
cordance with the law. archbishop, Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal, is the third to occupy the eccle-
siastical chair, succeeding the late Julio R. Cardinal Rosales, who led
The proclamation was believed to prevent the archdiocese from 1949 until his retirement in 1981. The archdiocese
the two permitted Mineral Product Sharing has four suffragans, with Tagbilaran and Talibon in Bohol, Dumaguete in
Agreements, Marcventures Mining and Negros Oriental and Maasin in Leyte.
Development Corporation (MMDC) and
AWARDED. Manila Archbishop Gau-
Caracand Development Corporation (CDC) dencio Cardinal Rosales, with Fr. Neri
from operating in Madrid, Carrascal and Satur Award for Environmental Heroism,
Cantilan. (Kate Laceda) April 18, 2009. Cited for his environmen-
tal activism, Cardinal Rosales is vocal

Int’l theologian to hold lectures in Baguio

A KNOWN professor at Oblate
School of Theology will be the
resource speaker of this year’s
Catholic Theological Society
of Northern Luzon (CTSNL)
convention.
Organizers said Fr. David
Power, OMI will deliver his
lecture at the San Pablo Ma-
jor Seminary in Crystal Cave
Road in Baguio City on May
5-6, 2009.
The event is expected to be
attended by bishops, priests,
religious and seminarians of the
Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
Fr. Power is a professor emeri-
tus of the School of Theology and
Religious Studies at the Catholic
University of America.
He also has taught in Ireland
and in Rome, has published sev-
on various environmental issues and a
strong supporter of the advocacies of
the Office of the Presidential Adviser on
Global Warming and Climate Change
(OPACC) and Earth Savers Movement.
eral books about theology. and the laity to provide a fo- The Cardinal has inspired the creation of
CTNSL aims to promote stud- rum for an exchange of views ecology desks in parishes and the use
ies and research in Catholic among theologians and other of the pulpit as an avenue to strengthen
theology and foster theologi- scholars. the awareness campaign on climate change. Held at the NBN 4 studio
in Quezon City, the awarding ceremony was one of the highlights of the
cal reflection on current socio- The group is open to the week-long Earth Day celebration of OPACC and Earth Savers Movement
economic, political, cultural and clergy and laity who possess a from April 19-25. The Fr. Neri Satur Award is given to individuals and
religious realities particularly in degree in theological or related groups from various sectors all over the country that have devoted their
Northern Luzon. studies, and who have been efforts in protecting the environment.
It also seeks to foster more actively engaged in teaching or CELEBRATED. Bishop-Emeritus Te-
effective theological education research in the sacred sciences. odoro Bacani, DD of the Diocese of
in the formation of the clergy (CBCPNews) Novaliches, 25th anniversary of Episco-
pal ordination, at the Santuario de San
Antonio, Makati City, April 16, 2009. Led

Columbian Squires hold 1st tri-state jamboree

by CBCP president and Jaro archbishop
Angel Lagdameo, the thanksgiving
mass was concelebrated by a crowd of
bishops, and some 30 priests from the
THE Columbian Squires held their “First members of the Knights of Columbus Archdiocese of Manila and the Dioceses
of Kalookan, Novaliches and Iba. Bishop
Philippine Tri-State Jamboree” last April in the fields of government service and Gregorio read the congratulatory mes-
22-24 at the Bataan Technopark in Mo- business. sages from the Apostolic Nunciature
rong town. Organizers added that the dialogue and Pope Benedict XVI through the
The unprecedented assembly gath- with state officers, KC priests, and Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio
Bertone. Bishop Bacani was ordained to
ered some 1,000 Catholic boys from the brother knights aimed to motivate and the episcopacy on April 12, 1884 at the
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao jurisdic- counsel squires through career and
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Manila Metropolitan Cathedral by then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines

tions of the youth sector of the Knights family life. Archbishop Bruno Torpigliani. A respected speaker and prolific writer who
of Columbus. The event also provided lectures for authored a good number of books, Bishop Bacani is considered one of
the luminaries of the Philippine episcopate.
Organizers said the gathering princi- the squires that focused on “home and
pally aimed to serve as a socialization family; squires and knights’ community CELEBRATED. Msgr. Vicente Catral, 60th anniversary of sacerdotal ordi-
venue among squires through various and country; and the church.” nation, April 12, 2009, Shrine of Sto. Niño, San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City.
activities like games and campfire. The Philippine Columbian Squires is Currently serving as parochial vicar of the Shrine of Sto. Niño, Msgr. Catral
was instrumental in the establishment of the parish which was elevated into
The theme of the first assembly was the youth arm of the Knights of Colum- a Shrine in 2000. He served as its first parish priest when it was inaugu-
“Columbian Squires in the Philippines: Dynamic Youth of Today, bus in the country. Members of this organization are aged 10 to 18 rated in 1996. Msgr. Catral now serves as Chancellor of the Archdiocese,
United in Helping Build up the Ecclesial Community.” as they are expected to join the brotherhood of knights by the age Chairperson of the Commission on Temporalities, Archdiocesan Director
The Columbian Squires also had the chance to mingle with of 19. (CBCP News) of the Apostleship of Prayer and a member of the Archdiocesan Board of
Consultors. He also renders his priestly services to St. Peter’s Cathedral,
Ermita de San Jacinto and to religious congregations. He acts as chaplain
to the Filipino Chinese Community of Tuguegarao.

CELEBRATED. Augustinian Recollect (AR)

Sisters Jubilee of religious profession. Sr. Ma.
Lucia Sagmit, Sampaloc, Manila; Mother
Ma. Josefa Borces, Mabolo, Cebu City,
60th anniversary of religious profession;
Sr. Fernanda Balaba, Initao, Misamis
Oriental; Sr. Ma. Teresita Aurigue, Mala-
bon, Metro Manila; Sr. Angelica Fuentes,
Clarin, Misamis Occidental; Sr. Maecelina
Diaz, Dumaguete City, Negros Occidental;
Sr. Gerarda de la Riarte, Lugait, Misamis
Oriental; Sr. Anastacia Fangon, Agoo, La
Union; 50th anniversary of religious profession;
Sr. Adelina Reyes, Malolos, Bulacan; Sr. Constacia
© Roy Lagarde / CBCP Media

Buchan, Moncayo, Davao del Norte; 25th anniversary of religious profes-

sion. The Thanksgiving Mass held at San Sebastian Basilica on April
24, 2009 was celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, His
Excellency Most Rev. Edward Joseph Adams, DD.

CELEBRATED. Msgr. Emeterio Chaves, 50th anniversary of sacerdotal

ordination, March 30, 2009. Now retired, Msgr. Chaves had served as
pastor in Alitagtag, Bauan, Sto. Tomas and Tanauan City. While assigned
in Sto. Tomas, he helped organize the parishes of Sta. Clara and St. Padre
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales (center, standing) acknowledges the support extended by Theotokos 2nd Diocesan Missionary Sr. Lourdes Palmares Pio, and Nuestra Señora dela Soledad in Tanauan which was dedicated
(seated at the wheelchair) and her family to the remarkable increase in parish chapters in the Archdiocese of Iloilo. Sr. Lourdes is the wife former Senator Rafael last March 25. He was also assigned as a seminary professor and as
Palmares. Also shown in photo are CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo (third from left) and other Theotokos members of the archdiocese. Oeconomus of the Archdiocese of Lipa.
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 – May 10, 2009
‘Faith in the Divine Initiative—
the Human Response’
Message of the Holy Father for the 46th World Day of Prayer for Vocations; 3 May 2009, Fourth Sunday of Easter
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate and in
the Priesthood, Brothers and Sisters,
On the occasion of the next World Day
of prayer for vocations to the priesthood
and to the consecrated life, which will
be celebrated on 3 May 2009, the Fourth
Sunday of Easter, I want to invite all the
People of God to reflect on the theme:
Faith in the divine initiative—the
human response. The exhortation of
Jesus to his disciples: “Pray therefore
the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38) has
a constant resonance in the Church.
Pray! The urgent call of the Lord stresses
that prayer for vocations should be
continuous and trusting. The Christian
community can only really “have
ever greater faith and hope in God’s
providence” (Sacramentum Caritatis,
26) if it is enlivened by prayer.
The vocation to the priesthood and to
the consecrated life constitutes a special
gift of God which becomes part of the
great plan of love and salvation that
God has for every man and woman and
for the whole of humanity. The Apostle
Paul, whom we remember in a special
way during this Pauline Year dedicated
to the Two-thousandth anniversary of
his birth, writing to the Ephesians says,
Pastoral Concerns B1
www.rcam.org
“Blessed be the God and Father of our demons” (Mk 3:14-15); they, in turn, difficulties and obstacles along the way, the divine initiative with unceasing
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us gathered other disciples around them we are sustained by the unshakable prayer. We must pray that the whole
in Christ with every spiritual blessing as faithful collaborators in this mission. certitude that the one who firmly guides Christian people grows in its trust in
in the heavenly places, even as he chose In this way, responding to the Lord’s her in the pathways of time towards the God, convinced that the “Lord of the
us in him before the foundation of the call and docile to the movement of the definitive fulfillment of the Kingdom is harvest” does not cease to ask some to
world, that we should be holy and Holy Spirit, over the centuries, countless he, the Lord, who freely chooses persons place their entire existence freely at his
blameless before him” (Ef 1:3-4). In the ranks of priests and consecrated persons of every culture and of every age and service so as to work with him more
universal call to holiness, of particular placed themselves totally at the service invites them to follow him according closely in the mission of salvation.
What is asked of those who are called,
for their part, is careful listening and
It is priests who are called to perpetuate this salvific mystery prudent discernment, a generous and
from century to century until the Lord’s glorious return, for they can willing adherence to the divine plan,
contemplate, precisely in the Eucharistic Christ, the eminent model of and a serious study of the reality that
is proper to the priestly and religious
a “vocational dialogue” between the free initiative of the Father and vocations, so as to be able to respond
the faithful response of Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist, it responsibly and with conviction.
is Christ himself who acts in those whom he chooses as his ministers; The Catechism of the Catholic Church
rightly reminds us that God’s free
he supports them so that their response develops in a dimension of initiative requires a free response on
trust and gratitude that removes all fear, even when they experience the part of men and women; a positive
more acutely their own weakness, or indeed when the experience of response which always presupposes
acceptance of and identification with
misunderstanding or even of persecution is most bitter. the plan that God has for everyone; a
response which welcomes the Lord’s
relevance is God’s initiative of choosing of the Gospel in the Church. Let us give to the mysterious plans of his merciful loving initiative and becomes, for the
some to follow his Son Jesus Christ thanks to God, because even today he love. one who is called, a binding moral
more closely, and to be his privileged continues to call together workers into Our first duty, therefore, is to keep imperative, an offering of thanksgiving
ministers and witnesses. The divine his vineyard. While it is undoubtedly alive in families and in parishes, in to God and a total cooperation with the
Master personally called the Apostles true that a worrisome shortage of movements and in apostolic associations, plan which God carries out in history
“to be with him, and to be sent out to priests is evident in some regions of the in religious communities and in all the (cf. n. 2062).
preach and have authority to cast out world, and that the Church encounters sectors of diocesan life this appeal to Vocations / B7
www.rcam.org
 B2
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
In the previous issue of CBCP Monitor,
we dealt with the Synod of Bishops, as a
way of helping the Pope in the shepherding
of the whole Catholic Church. Now we shall
continue with what is popularly known as
the Roman Curia, which constitutes the body
of offices that help the Roman Pontiff with
the business of the day-to-day running of the
Catholic Church from the Vatican.
THE Roman Curia is composed of the
various offices and related services,
which assist the Roman Pontiff in the
exercise of the supreme power in the
Church. The term Roman Curia seems to
have come in vogue in the 12th Century.
The term curia itself has unclear roots,
but in Church usage, the term can mean
a judgment, a major assembly, or the
hall used by Church leaders (bishop,
eparch, patriarch, etc.). In this case,
it has referred both to the building
and to the people who worked there.
Nowadays, the term is used in relation
to the capital offices—e.g., at the level
of the particular Churches (prelatic,
diocesan or archdiocesan) or universal
(Roman) Church.
1. Nature of the Roman Curia
Can.360—The Supreme Pontiff
usually conducts the business of the
universal Church by means of the Roman
Curia, which fulfills its duty in his name
and by his authority for the good and
the service of the churches; it consists
of the Secretariat of State or the Papal
Secretariat, the Council for the Public
Affairs of the Church, congregations,
tribunals and other institutions, whose
structure and competency are defined
in special law.
1) Exercise of Power of Jurisdiction —
The Roman Curia is capacitated by law
to make acts of the power of jurisdiction
that are canonically binding, within the
sphere of competence of the different
dicasteries. This includes:
a) Administrative — The dicasteries of
the Roman Curia exercise a prevalently
administrative function, through acts of
impulse, exhortation and assessment
directed to or petitioned by the different
segments of the universal Church.
b) Judicial — The tribunals of the Curia
exercise a judicial function.
c) Legislative — With the expressed
approval of the Pope, the dicasteries can
also dictate general decrees, which are
laws properly speaking (cf. cc.29-30).
2) Ordinary and Vicariate Power —
The power of the Curia is ordinary
and vicariate, because it presupposes
an organic participation in the power
of the Roman Pontiff. Some authors
have also used the notion of an organic
deconcentration of functions, although
the resultant reality is the same.
3) Principle of Legality — As Pastor
Bonus stipulates, the Roman Curia
should exercise its functions “according
to law, whether universal or special to
the Roman Curia, and according to the
norms of each dicastery, but always
with pastoral means and criteria, in
attention to justice as well as the good of
the Church, as well as the good of souls
above all” (PB, 15).
2. Organization of the Roman Curia
a. General Organization
As c.361 states, the Roman Curia
consists of the following:
1) Dicasteries — The generic term for
each of the organisms in the Roman Curia
is dicastery. Within this generic term are
included different colleges, specifically
called congregations, tribunals, pontifical
councils, commissions, offices and
institutes. The dicasteries are juridically
equal to each other, and the common
dispositions for their composition
and functioning are contained in the
General Regulations of the Roman Curia,
published in 4.II.1992. Each dicastery is
normally composed of:
a) Cardinal Prefect (or Archbishop
President) assisted by a Secretary — who
both cease upon reaching 75 years old.
b) Members —Cardinals, some
Bishops, some clerics or even laymen—
who all cease upon reading 80 years
old.
c) Consultors and Officials — who
help the members in their task.
2) Secretariat of State (or Papal
Secretariat) — This occupies a peculiar
position in the organization of the
Curia, given its immediate proximity
to the Pope. Organizationally, it would
appear as the chief middle manager in
the Curia, whose responsibilities include
the following:
a) Aid the Pope in his relationship with
the universal Church and with the other
departments of the Roman Curia, and
coordinate direct access to the Pope.
b) Coordinate the work of the different
curial offices and preside over the
regular meetings of the heads of the
different dicasteries.
c) Handle matters which are not
clearly within the competence of any
other dicastery.
d) Together with the Council for Public
Affairs of the Church, supervise the work
of the papal legates around the world and
take charge of the Pontifical Commission
for Social Communications.
e) Edit Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official
gazette of the Holy See (cf. c.8, §1).
3) Council for the Public Affairs
of the Church — This is the agency
responsible for diplomatic relations
with civil governments. It used to be a
Updates
section of the Secretariat of State, but was
spun off by Paul VI. Today, although
it is still headed by the Secretary of
State, there is a council of cardinals that
shares the responsibility for this office.
Together with the Secretariat of State, it
supervises the work of the papal legates
around the world and takes charge of
the Pontifical Commission for Social
Communications.
b. Sacred Congregations
The term sacred in the titles of these
dicasteries enjoy centuries of usage, and
is explained by the fact that they deal
with sacred—i.e., religious—matters.
They are not involved in civil governance
issues, not even of Church-State
relations—which are under the care of
the Council for the Public Affairs of the
Church, a dicastery that had never been
termed sacred. Of late, the adjective
At the service of the Holy See (Part II):
The Roman Curia
The term Roman Curia seems to have come in vogue in the 12th
Century. The term curia itself has unclear roots, but in Church usage,
the term can mean a judgment, a major assembly, or the hall used by
Church leaders (bishop, eparch, patriarch, etc.). In this case, it has
referred both to the building and to the people who worked there.
sacred has been dropped from the
terminology altogether. At the time the
1983 Code took effect, there were nine
congregations (more have been added
since then):
1) The Congregation for Bishops
— is responsible for the erection,
division, suppression or other changes
in ecclesiastical circumscriptions, i.e.,
dioceses, ecclesiastical provinces,
regions, military ordinariates and
personal prelatures. It is also in charge of
the process of selecting bishops, apostolic
vicars, prefects and administrators,
military ordinaries and other prelates
with personal jurisdiction. It receives
the 5-year report (c.399) submitted
by diocesan bishops, orders apostolic
visitations of dioceses, and deals with
anything else concerning bishops.
2) The Congregation for Catholic
Education — formerly called the S.C. for
Seminaries and Universities. It is now
comprised of three offices, two of which
retain the former identity:
a) The Office for seminaries — for
matters dealing with seminaries, except
for those seminaries under the S.C. for
the Oriental Churches and the S.C. for
the Evangelization of Peoples (i.e., those
in so-called mission territories).
b) The Office for institutes of higher
education — for matters dealing with
universities and other institutes of higher
education. These include ecclesiastical
institutions established by the Holy
See (cc.815-821), Catholic colleges and
universities (cc.807-814) and similar
institutions.
c) The Office for Catholic schools —
looks after matters affecting Catholic
schools, both parochial and diocesan,
except those subject to the S.C. for the
Oriental Churches and the S.C. for the
Evangelization of Peoples.
3) The Congregation for the Clergy
— which was formerly the S.C. of the
Council, established to implement and
interpret the decrees of the Council
of Trent. This explains the extensive
responsibilities of this congregation,
which go beyond what concerns the
clergy per se. Three offices comprise
this congregation:
a) Office on the life and ministry
of the clergy — dealing with matters
ranging from their holiness of life to
their continuing education and pastoral
ministry. It exercises vigilance over
pastors and other priests in pastoral
ministry, over presbyteral councils
and over pastoral councils (diocesan
and parish).
b) Office on preaching and catechetics
— which promotes and approves
pastoral and catechetical directories
prepared by difference episcopal
conferences, and indicates opportune
norms for the religious instruction of
children, youth and adults.
c) Office on temporal administration
— which handles matters related
to alienation of ecclesiastical goods
(c.1292, §2); pious foundations, wills and
legacies; condition of church buildings,
sanctuaries and artistic patrimony; taxes;
pensions and the proper support of the
clergy.
4) The Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith — was originally known
as the Inquisition and was responsible
for addressing the threats of heresy in
the 16th Century. Known also as the
Holy Office, its name was changed
by Paul VI in 1965 even prior to the
full reorganization of the Curia. This
dicastery is tasked with examining new
teachings and opinions, promote their
study and condemn—when necessary—
the unorthodox ones after hearing the
bishops of the region affected.
5) The Congregation for the Oriental
Churches — was renamed to the plural
Churches to reflect the teaching of
Vatican II regarding the equality of the
various Ritual Churches sui iuris that
form the worldwide communion of the
Catholic Church. Aside from the assigned
cardinals, the different patriarchs and
major metropolitans of the Eastern
Catholic Churches are ex officio members
of the congregation, together with the
President of the Secretariat for Promoting
Christian Unity.
6) The Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples — used to
be called S.C. for the Propagation of
the Faith or Propaganda Fide. A more
descriptive title was assumed, given the
pejorative connotation of propaganda
in the modern world. Its competence
is quite broad, including not only
specifically missionary activities but
also the development and governance of
www.destination360.com
www.csvfblog.org
pastoral life in the particular Churches
located in the territories subject to it.
7) The S.C. for Religious and Secular
Institutes — is often referred to by its
Latin abbreviation SCRIS. In addition
to the cardinals and diocesan bishops
assigned to it, three general superiors
of clerical religious institutes take part
in its plenary sessions. The congregation
has two sections:
a) Section for religious of the Latin
Church. Included are societies of
apostolic life (cc.731-746) and third
orders (cc.311, 312 and 317). Not
included are religious institutes founded
in mission territories and are working
principally there. This section processes
the permission to establish, suppress or
change an institute. It supervises matters
of government and safeguards the
specific purpose of each institute.
b) Section for secular institutes of the
Latin Church — which performs similar
functions for secular institutes, adapted
to their specific nature.
8) The Congregation for Sacraments
and Divine Worship — is the result of
the fusion in 1975 of two congregations,
the S.C. for Sacraments and the S.C. for
Divine Worship, the latter being in its turn
the result of the splitting in 1969 of the
older S.C. for Rites into the S.C. for Divine
Worship and the S.C. for Causes of Saints.
The present dicastery has two sections:
a) Section on sacraments — looks after
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
the discipline of the seven sacraments,
except for privilege of the faith cases and
dispensations from celibacy of priests
(which go to the S.C. for the Doctrine
of the Faith) and cases on the validity
of marriage (which go to the Roman
Rota).
b) Section on divine worship — looks
after pastoral and liturgical concerns. It
prepares liturgical texts and calendars
for the universal Latin Church, as well
as those proper to specific dioceses
and religious institutes. It approves,
dispenses and interprets texts and
translations, governs the veneration of
relics, confirms patrons (of dioceses, etc.)
and confers the title of minor basilica on
noteworthy churches.
9) The Congregation for Causes of
Saints — was formed when the Sacred
Congregation of Rites was reorganized
in 1969. It takes charge of the processes
for the beatification and canonization of
saints in the Latin and Eastern Catholic
Churches and is competent for the
authentication of relics. It works through
three offices:
a) Judicial Office — establishes
the procedures for beatification and
canonization and carries them out.
b) Office of the Promoter General of
the Faith — who acts as the so-called
Devil’s Advocate, investigating any
objections and assuring the integrity of
the procedure.
c) Historico-hagiographical Office —
investigates cases for which there are
no living witnesses and has to resort to
careful historical research to determine
the heroic virtue of persons whose causes
are presented long after their death.
c. Secretariats
Secretariats are organized along the
same lines as the congregations—i.e.,
cardinals and bishops from around the
world are appointed: a cardinal serves
as President (Pro-President if he is not
a cardinal), assisted by a Secretary,
Undersecretary and an appropriate
staff. Three permanent secretariats were
established in the 1960s:
1) Secretariat for Promoting Christian
Unity — has the competence specified
by its title, which it carries out in two
offices and a special commission:
a) An office for relations with Eastern
Christians — e.g., Orthodox Churches.
b) An office for relations with
Western Christians — e.g., Anglicans,
Protestants, etc.
c) A special commission for religious
relations with the Jews.
2) Secretariat for Non-Christians —
charged with developing relations with
non-Christian believers and promoting
greater esteem among Christians for
non-Christian believers. It has a special
office for religious relations with
Moslems.
3) Secretariat for Non-Believers —
which is charged with the study and
development of relations with atheists.
It has carried on dialogues with Marxists
and studies on the meaning of atheism
and religious indifferentism in the
modern world.
d. Tribunals
Can.1442—The Roman Pontiff is the
supreme judge for the entire Catholic
world; he tries cases either personally
or through the ordinary tribunals of
the Apostolic See or through judges
delegated by himself. Three tribunals
form part of the Roman Curia, each with
a specialized competence and its proper
organization.
1) The Apostolic Penitentiary — has its
roots in the medieval practice of naming
a cardinal to absolve censures reserved
to the Holy See. In time, his competence
has been reduced to the internal forum,
and today he functions at the level of the
universal Church in much the same way
as the canon penitentiary at the level of
the particular Church (c.508).
2) The Supreme Tribunal of the
Apostolic Signatura — is the supreme
court of the external forum in the
Church. It is composed of a panel of
cardinal judges, presided by one of
their number as Prefect and assisted by
a secretary, sub-secretary, promoter of
justice, defender of the bond, chancellor
and staff.
3) The Roman Rota — is the main
appellate court of the Roman Curia,
although it also tries some cases in the
first instance. It derives its name (rota
= wheel in Latin) from the method of
determining the composition of the
panels (called ternus) of rotal judges
(called auditores), who serve in panels
of three, five, seven or all together
(videntibus omnibus).
e. Other Institutions of the Roman
Curia
To round off this part of our
discussion, other institutions have arisen
in the Vatican:
1) Councils and Commissions —
Several of these carry on important
work in the Curia, of varying natures
and permanence:
a) Temporary — e.g., revision of the
Vulgate, and until recently revision of
canon law.
b) Scholarly — e.g., biblical studies,
sacred archeology, history and sacred
art.
c) Pastoral — e.g., Pontifical
Commission for Justice and Peace,
Pontifical Council for the Laity, Pontifical
Council for the Family.
2) Offices — These carry out operations
of the Roman Curia and services directly
connected with the papal household.

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
RIGHT: Most Rev. Leonardo Medroso, DD
ON BACKGROUND: Cathedral of St Joseph the Worker
Diocese of Tagbilaran
By Fr. Jose Cecil Lobrigas
THE Christian faith first
came to the province of
Bohol, the 10th largest island
in the Philippines located
in the center of the Visayas,
immediately after the coming
of the Spanish conquistador
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in
1565. Legaspi had entered
into a blood compact with the
local chieftain Datu Sikatuna
advancing friendship
between Spain and the
Sovereignty of the Island.
The first batch of missionaries
were members of the Society
of Jesus who established the
municipalities of Baclayon in
1595, Loboc in 1602 and Dauis
in 1697 as the first centers of
Catechism. The faith spread over
the island through friendship
and intermarriage between the
Spanish soldiers and the native
women. without a Bishop. The governance of the
Creation of the Diocese
The Diocese of Tagbilaran was
formally erected a diocese by
virtue of a Papal Bull by Pope
Pius XII on November 8, 1941
separating it from the Archdiocese
of Cebu. It originally comprised
the entire civil province of Bohol
with a total land area of 3,979
square kilometers.
Due to the outbreak of World
War II, the newly created Diocese
was without a Bishop. The
governance of the Diocese remained in
the hands of Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes,
D.D., the Archbishop of Cebu who acted
as Apostolic Administrator.
Bishops of Tagbilaran
Bishop Julio Rosales
On June 29, 1946, the Most Rev.
Julio R. Rosales, D.D. was named
the first Bishop of Tagbilaran, taking
canonical possession of the Diocese
on September 25, 1946. A gifted
organizer Bishop Rosales is credited
with initiating the process of setting
spiritual and material foundations of
the diocese through intensification of
the devotion to the Sacred Heart, the
Apostleship of prayer, the Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine, the Legion of
Mary, the Knights of Columbus, the
Catholic Women’s League, and the
establishment of diocesan high schools
in parishes with big conventos. In 1949,
he organized the first diocesan mission
team composed of the latest ordained
priests, Fr. Pelagio Dompor, Fr. Mariano
Gaviola, Fr. Pedro Namoc, Fr. Matias
Morgia, Fr. Gaudioso Sucre, Fr. Simeon
Daquipa, Fr. Saturnino Felicitas, and Fr.
Placido Cajoy, sending them in two-
pronged parish-to-parish mission that
culminated with the arrival of the image
of our Lady of Fatima. Most noteworthy
of the legacies of Bishop Rosales was
the founding of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary Seminary in 1950. He was later
transferred as the Archbishop of Cebu
on December 17, 1949 but remained
Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese
of Tagbilaran until November 16,
1951 when the Most Rev. Manuel M.
Mascariñas, D.D. then Bishop of Palo,
was appointed the second bishop of
Tagbilaran.
Bishop Manuel Mascariñas
A son of Antequera, Bohol and
erstwhile Bishop of Palo, Leyte, Bishop
Manuel Mascariñas ascended as
second bishop of Tagbilaran on
January 29, 1952 with his motto
“Confido in Domino”. Paternally
continuing the pastoral process
begun by Bishop Rosales, he
built two more buildings for the
rapidly expanding seminary,
introduced the 40 Hours Devotion,
established the For More Priests
Club (now St. Joseph Vocation
Society), founded more diocesan
high schools in the parishes, and
initiated the retreat movement.
He represented the diocese in
the Second Vatican Council and
started the Aggiornamento in the
diocese. Later in his term, he was
assisted by an auxiliary bishop;
Bishop Juan Nilmar, who initiated
the proper administration of the
temporal goods in the diocese and
introduced the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines
Pension Plan for the clergy. Due
to old age, Bishop Mascariñas
was succeeded by the Most Rev.
Diocese
Onesimo Gordoncillo, D.D., then the
Auxiliary Bishop of Dumaguete.
IMPORTANT FACTS
Bishop Onesimo Gordoncillo
Most Rev. Onesimo Gordoncillo, a
Bishop …………………………..……......
Priests:
1
Negrense, bearing the motto “Veritatem Diocesan ……………………..………… 157
Tuam Annunciabo,” took over in 1976, Religious ………………………....……… 8
as the third bishop of the diocese. Aside Brothers …………………………….…….. 3
from effectively pursuing the programs Sisters:
of his predecessors, he is credited with Filipino ………………………………...… 179
Foreign …………………………...........… 1
introducing the Parish Pastoral Council
Seminaries:
set up, elevating eight priests to the rank
of Honorary Prelate, while completing
Pre-College …………………………………. 1
College ……………………………………… 1
the auditorium and chapel of the Taloto Seminarians:
seminary. During his administration, Pre-College ……………………………. 21
the “Diocesan Thrust,” initiated by the College ……………………………..…… 39
Bohol Clergy, ushered the diocesan Theology ………………………..………. 34
focus towards the establishment of the Studying in the diocese:
Basic Christian Communities. After Pre-College/College …………...……… 60
45 years of existence as a diocese, the Studying outside the diocese:
Diocese of Tagbilaran was split into two Theologians ……………………….… 34
Seminarians On Regency ……………… 6
dioceses with the creation of the Diocese Diocesan Divisions:
of Talibon comprising half of the civil Vicariates ……………………………….... 7 created by the bishop that
province of Bohol. Parishes …………………………..……… 55
Chaplaincies …………………………. 2 outnumber the priests,
Visit of the Relic of St Therese
Chapels …………………………………… 37
Population ………………………….. 616,285
Catholics …………………….......... 546,275
Area ………………………….. 1,734 sq. kms.
Due to the outbreak of World War II, the
newly created Diocese of Tagbilaran was
Diocese remained in the hands of Most Rev.
Gabriel Reyes, D.D., the Archbishop of Cebu
who acted as Apostolic Administrator.
Bishop Felix Zafra
The Most Rev. Felix Zafra, D.D.,
then the Bishop of Dipolog, succeeded
Bishop Gordoncillo. He came to
serve the diocese as fourth bishop of
Tagbilaran on December 2, 1986. “Ut
Vitam Abundantius Habeant” (That
they may have life more abundantly)
The Elijah Spirituality Centre
B3
has been his guiding
motto. Early in his term
the Diocese of Tagbilaran
gave birth to the Diocese
of Talibon. It was also
during his term that
the diocese experienced
vigorous growth brought
about by ecclesiastical
landmarks like the
National Eucharistic
Year, the Ruby Jubilee of
the Immaculate Heart of
Mary Seminary, and the
Second Plenary Council
of the Philippines. The
term of Bishop Zafra
saw the proliferation of
the Perpetual Adoration
chapels in the parishes.
It was also through
the favorable climate
religious sisters who now
came to establish houses,
schools, and ministries in
the diocese. More parishes,
too, were erected.
Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak
Having reached the age of retirement,
Bishop Zafra was succeeded by the
Most Rev. Leopoldo S. Tumulak,
D.D., then Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu,
on January 1993. Ever mindful of his
motto, “Unitas in Caritate” (Unity in
Love), he steered the Diocese toward
convening the first ever Diocesan
Synod in 1997. The Synod articulated
among other things its vision of a
renewed local Church, a community
of disciples journeying in faith,
living out in earnest the vocation of
prophet, priest and king, with Mary
as model. Following the inspiration
of the Second Plenary Council of the
Philippines, the vehicle for this vision
of renewal was aptly identified as the
Gaymay’ng Simbahanong Katilingban
(Basic Ecclesial Communities). The
formation and enrichment of the
Basic Ecclesial Communities became
thereon the basic diocesan pastoral
thrust. Manifesting an important
component of the vision, the Synod
also decreed the implementation of
the New Financial System (NFS).
Under the NFS, motivated by the
experience solidarity and fraternity,
the standardization of the allowance of
the clergy and centralization of funds
were instituted.
Tagbilaran / B6
 Features
CBCP Monitor
B4 Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

May They Be One (Jn 17, 21)

By Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, DD
IT is undeniable that we are living in a world that is characterized by imbalances or so-called
“divides”. There is the well known economic divide between the North and the South, between
the “Haves” and the “Have-Nots, between the “First World” and the “Third World”. And
the gap between the rich and the poor is not getting any smaller; on the contrary, with all
our economic theories and the promises of globalization, the gap is getting wider. Modern
advances have also brought about inter-generational divides and gaps in our relationships,
even in such intimate circles as our families. There are more conflicts now within families
than before, or we do not know how to handle them better as before.
This is evidenced by so many broken
families in our midst. In our country at
the moment we keenly feel our political
divides. Politics naturally promotes
various parties. This makes democracy
lively. There is check and balance. But in
our case there is political disintegration.
There are no common goals, there is no
common good that the political parties
adhere to. Most use political parties
and machineries just for their own self
interest or those of their families. Then
there is the educational divide. In our
country more and more people are going
out of school without finishing even
the basic education. The gap in quality
of education is so glaring. Grade one
students in exclusive private schools
know more than grade five students
in many of our provincial public
elementary schools. This is exacerbated
by the electronic divide. While many
who are technological savvies possess
the latest gadgets, many, many more
have never even touched a computer.
This will be a great problem that our
“fully automated” election system will
meet this coming election. How on earth
can we reach millions in our rural areas to
teach them how to push electronic keys
within a year? All of these add up to the
great cultural divide among peoples.
There are different outlooks, different
ways of doing things, even different
judicial systems that globalization makes
painfully clear to us. The differences are
so great that some are speaking about the
Great Clash of Civilizations. Therefore
what was written during the Second
Vatican Council more than 45 years ago
aptly applies even up to our days:
“Never has the human race enjoyed
such an abundance of wealth, resources
and economic power, and yet a huge
proportion of the world’s citizens are
still tormented by hunger and poverty,
while countless numbers suffer from
total illiteracy. Never before has man had
so keen an understanding of freedom,
yet at the same time, new forms of
social and psychological slavery make
their appearance. Although the world
today has a very vivid awareness of its
unity and of how one man depends on
another in needful solidarity, it is most
grievously torn into opposing camps
by conflicting forces. For political,
social, economic, racial and ideological
disputes still continue bitterly, and with
them the peril of a war which would
reduce everything to ashes.” (GS 4)
These divides are not only found
among peoples. It is also found within
the human person himself. Again let
me quote:
“The truth is that the imbalances under
which the modern world labors are also on behalf of those who will believe
linked with that more basic imbalance
which is rooted in the heart of man. For in
man himself many elements wrestle with
one another. Thus, on the one hand, as a
creature, he experiences his limitations in
a multitude of ways; on the other he feels
himself to be boundless in his desires
and summoned to a higher life. Pulled
by manifold attractions he is constantly one, so that the world may know that
forced to choose among them and renounce
some. Indeed as a weak and sinful being, he
often does what he would not, and fails to
do what he would. Hence he suffers from
internal divisions, and from these flow so
many and such great discords in society.”
(GS 10)
This long litany of divides, gaps,
disunity, imbalances, or whatever we
may call them, points that we are living in
a world that is yet far from the vision that
God, our Creator and Lord, intends. He
is a God of Love—and unity, solidarity,
cooperation, collaboration, respect—are
all manifestations of love. We all know
that diversity and differences are no
reasons for disunity. This is why our God
is Triune God—one and three—ISANG
TATLO or better still ISATLO: Isa at
Tatlo. Being three does not prevent
them/him from being one. Though we
come from various persuasions, yet we
are one in this, so that we call ourselves
When the earth is full of the
knowledge of the Lord because
the word of the Lord is valued
and known by all, then will the
“divides” be overcome, so that
traditional enemies and
even natural opposites will
come together in peace.
Hence the MAY THEY BE
ONE project.
Bishop Broderick Pabillo delivered the keynote
speech at the 44th annual Membership Meeting of
Philippine Bible Society last April 18 at the PBS
Ministry Facility in United Nations Avenue.
Christians—that we believe in the
Trinity, in the Triune God. We are
called to imitate God!
How then can we keep our own
identity and yet become one? This is
a great concern and this had been the
great concern of Jesus just before he left
us. We listen consciously to the words of
a man who knows he is dying because
at this juncture of life he speaks only of
what is most close to his heart. At the
Last Supper Jesus was very conscious
that his time was up. In fact John tells
us when he introduced the Last Supper
narrative…. “Now before the festival of
the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had
come to depart from this world and go
to the Father. Having loved his own who
were in the world, he loved them to the
end.” (Jn 13,1) So in the Priestly Prayer
that Jesus expressed during the Last
Supper we can note clearly what his main
preoccupations were. Central among
them is unity among his disciples—not
only among the Twelve who were with
him then but also among us, those who
would come to believe because of the
testimony of the Twelve.
“I ask not only on behalf of these, but
in me through their word, that they may
all be one. As you, Father, are in me and
I in you, may they also be in us, so that
the world may believe that you have
sent me. The glory that you have given
me I have given them, so that they may
be one, as we are one, I in them and you
in me, that they may become completely
you have sent me and have love them
even as you have loved me.” (Jn 17,
20-23)
Jesus prayed: Ut unum sint: May they
be one. This already is a tall order. We
all know how difficult it is to be one, to
be in unity. But we must immediately
note that Jesus qualified this kind of
unity. He prayed to the Father “that
they may be one as we are one.” “As
you, Father, are in me and I am in you,
may they also be in us.” (Jn 17, 21) That
unity that Jesus dreams and wishes for
us is the unity of God himself! Wow!
The unity that is asked of us is not just
any functional unity, that we are united
in some action or some program. It is
a unity of being, as the unity in God
himself! Can we achieve it? We have to
achieve it because the stake
is high. On this oneness
depends the faith of the
world. “As you, Father,
are in me and I am in you, may they also
be in us, so that the world may believe
that you have sent me.” (Jn 17, 21) We are
all conscious of the Great Mandate of the
Lord Jesus before he went up to heaven.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always,
to the end of the age.” (Mt 28, 19-20) We,
in all our communities, do our best to be
faithful to this mandate. So we go out
of our way, collect money, train people,
make programs for evangelization or
evangelism. All of these efforts will
not bear the desired fruit until we are
one. The purpose of all evangelism is
to offer eternal life to all. This is the
Good News: that eternal life, real life is
open to all. And what is this life? Jesus
unequivocally points out, “This is eternal
life, that they may know you, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom you
have sent.” (Jn 17, 3) Evangelism then is
to bring people in touch with Jesus, that
they may accept him as the one sent by
God to be our Lord and Savior. But Jesus
says clearly: the world will believe that
Jesus is from God if we are one, just as
he and the Father are one! Ecumenism
then, the search for Christian unity, is
not just an option, a program that we
may or may not engage ourselves into.
It is an essential component of our effort
to make people accept Christ!
We go back to our unanswered
question: Can we do this? Can we arrive
at the unity that Jesus prayed for? Yes,
we can. Jesus prayed for it. Yes, we can.
Jesus has given us the means. Again we
go back to his prayer. “The glory that
you have given me I have given them,
so that they may be one, as we are one.
(Jn 17, 22) We have the glory of God
– the glory that Jesus shared with the
Father in the beginning. What is this
glory? Glory is a term that has many
nuanced meanings in the Scriptures.
It may mean praise, power, greatness,
holiness, uniqueness, etc. In all
its various connotations though,
there is something in common: it
is something that is specifically
of God. Something specifically of
God is given to us by Jesus so that
we may live the unity of God. So we
can do it, because God is operative in
us to bring this about.
Glory is connected with
the Word of God. Again
we read. “So now,
Father, glorify me
in your own
presence
with the
glory
that I had in your presence before the
world existed. I have made your name
known to those whom you gave me
from the world. They were yours, and
you gave them to me, and they have
kept your word. Now they know that
everything you have given me is from
you; for the words that you gave to me
I have given to them, and they have
received them and know in truth that I
came from you; and they have believed
that you sent me.” (Jn 17, 5-8) It is the
words that Jesus received from the
Father, the words that he gave to the
disciples that made them believe that
Jesus comes from the Father. These same
words, my dear friends, we find in the
Scriptures. These words will keep us
in unity. If all are just governed by the
Words of God, then indeed there will
be unity and peace. The prophet Isaiah
already foresaw of this: “The cow and
the bear shall graze, their young shall
lie down together; and the lion shall
eat straw like the ox. The nursing child
shall play over the hole of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put its hand on
the adder’s den. They will not hurt or
destroy on all my holy mountain; for the
earth will be full of the knowledge of
the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
(Is 11, 7-9) When the earth is full of the
knowledge of the Lord because the word
of the Lord is valued and known by all,
then will the “divides” be overcome,
so that traditional enemies and even
natural opposites will come together
in peace. Hence the MAY THEY BE
ONE project.
This is the dream, the project, the
campaign and the effort to produce
and distribute five million Bibles in
five years for the poor at a price that
is affordable to them. In our country,
which is predominantly Christian, the
great obstacles that keep our people
from reading the Bible and hence from
being guided by the Word of God in
their lives, are ignorance and poverty.
People are ignorant of the value of the
Bible so they don’t care. Many times
they are ignorant, because nobody has
shown them its importance, and anyway
they cannot afford to own a Bible. I have
to admit that many of the Christians in
these categories belong to the Catholic
tradition. The purpose of the MAY
THEY BE ONE campaign is to reach
these people. The MTBO Bible would
cost 50 pesos. They will be sold—not
given—to the poor at this price in any
part of the country. The only conditions
are: that they be poor so they cannot buy
the Bible at regular prices and that they
have undergone some kind of formation
that will lead them to read the Bible once
they have it. The MTBO Bible is available
in eight Filipino major languages. This
is one part of the campaign.
The other part is: how can we make
the Bible available at 50 pesos per copy
when the regular price of a Bible is 150
pesos? We look for sponsors who can
help us subsidize the Bible for the poor.
For every hundred pesos given, one Bible
is subsidized. This is a way of reaching
out to the poor. We are all concerned
about the deep situation of poverty in
our country. There are many efforts
to uplift them. The government even
resorts to dole-outs to subsidize some of
their expenses, like rice subsidies, or just
plainly giving them 1,500 pesos a month.
Many of us, on our own, also support
various charities for scholarship,
medical missions, livelihood programs,
micro-finance assistance, etc – all to
alleviate poverty. Some even go to
advocacy work, like lobbying for land
reform, fighting big mining activities
that destroy the habitat of the poor, going
against payments of immoral debts,
and so on and so forth. All of these are
praiseworthy causes but we must not
forget that poverty is not just the lack
of material means. It is not just even a
lack of education and skills. Deep down
poverty is also a lack of values, deep
values that are offered by our Christian
faith. Many times the poor are bypassed
in the passing on of the values of the
faith. They do not go to our sectarian
schools. Many of them do not regularly
attend our church services. They cannot
buy Bibles and other books of devotion.
So by providing them with affordable
Bibles and going out to help them read
the Bibles we are actually helping them
get out of the mire of poverty by allowing
the power of the Word to work among
them. We should not belittle the role of
the Bible in fighting poverty.
MTBO is not just a campaign done
in our country. It has already caught
the attention of the international
community. The United Bible Societies
(UBS) is fully supportive of it. It helped
in its conceptualization. In fact it is also
organizing an international campaign
May / B5

Bible society
divides that the world is experiencing now—
whether economic, political, educational and
cultural—and how the Word of God could unite
a divided world and help the poor get out of the
holds annual mire of poverty.
The bishop also stressed the unity that Jesus
dreams and wishes for is the unity of God Himself.
possible, effective and meaningful distribution of
the Holy Scriptures and to stimulate and assist in
spiritual transformation of people and nations.”
The meeting also saw the election of new
members to the Board of Trustees (BOT).
Bishop Renato Mayugba, DD, of Lingayen-
Dagupan, Dr. Natividad B. Pagadut, Consultor
Coordinator, TOPIC Philippines); and Mr. James
Tioco, member-at-large (Executive Director,
Sowers of the Word Ministries, Inc.).
Other Board Members include Bishop Cesar
Punzalan (Deputy National Director, PCEC); Mr.
Rene E. Cristobal (Owner-DCL Corporation);
Rev. Valentin C. Chaves (President, Foursquare

membership The world will believe that Jesus is from God if

we are one, just as he and the Father are one. He
exhorted his audience to support the May They
of the Episcopal Commission for the Biblical
Apostolate (ECBA) Consultant, and Former
Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban were elected to
Churches in the Philippines); Dr. Jonathan D.
Exiomo (President, Alliance Graduate School);
Mr. Albert S. Tanlimco (Church Administrator,

meeting be One Bible Campaign—the dream, the project

By Juliet Gimeno-Rivera
THE Philippine Bible Society (PBS) held its
44th annual Membership Meeting last April 18
at the PBS Ministry Facility in United Nations
Avenue.
The Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, Bishop
Broderick S. Pabillo, DD, who chairs the “May
They Be One” (MTBO) Advisory Committee,
delivered the keynote speech during the
gathering.
He gave a stirring message on the great
and effort to produce and distribute 5 million
Bibles in five years for the poor at a price that is
affordable to them.
The campaign is the concrete sign of common
efforts of all Christian groups to make the Bible
available.
The Chairman of Episcopal Commission for
the Biblical Apostolate (ECBA), Bishop Arturo
M. Bastes, SVD, presented a report on the MTBO
Campaign status and gave an appeal to the
members present to also contribute to this worthy
project of putting a Bible in every Filipino home.
A highlight of this year’s meeting was the
ratification of several proposed amendments on
the Articles of Incorporation and Amended By-
Laws. These amendments aim to strengthen PBS
in the pursuit of its purpose “to achieve the widest
represent the Roman Catholic Church.
Representatives of the Philippine Council of
Evangelical Churches are Ms. Emmaloisa M.
Salumbides, National Coordinator of Peace
Builders Ministry, and Dr. Philip Flores, the
National Coordinator of Trainers of Pastors
International Coalition (TOPIC)—Philippines. Atty.
Jose Villanueva, Founder and Chairman, Shekinah
Christian Unity Foundation, is representative for
the Independent Churches.
The new BOT is headed by NCCP Chairman
Bishop Nathanael P. Lazaro as president and
chairman. Working with him in the Executive
Committee are Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo, DD,
(Auxiliary Bishop of Manila) as Vice President and
Vice Chairman; Atty. Robinson A. Landicho, (Court
Atty. V, Supreme Court) as Corporate Secretary;
Dr. Philip C. Flores, member-at-large (National
Chosen Generation Christian Fellowship); Rev.
Marie Sol Sioco-Villalon (Program Coordinator,
Manila Episcopal Area United Methodist
Church); and Mrs. Myrna G. Cuejilo (Chairman,
Green Ladies Multi-Purpose Cooperative).
PBS gave Plaques of Appreciation to Bishop
Pabillo and retiring members of the Board:
Bishop Bastes, Ms. Amelita Herrera, General
Manager of UST Cooperative and Mr. Dante
Lanorio.
The PBS Board of Trustees is an 18-member
ecumenical team with five members each from
the Roman Catholic Church, the National
Council of Churches in the Philippines, the
Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, and
three members from independent churches.
Two hundred thirty-two people attended
the big event.
 Statements
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
B5

Year of the Two Hearts for Peace-Building

and Lay participation in Social Change
Labor Day Message 2009
ON the occasion of Labor Day 2009, we
gratefully salute the labor force on whom
depends the sustenance and development
of our country.
The celebration of Labor Day would be all the more
meaningful if our labor force will feel more concretely
and tangibly the care and concern of the business sector,
the government and civil society. The work force which is
responsible in producing the food and wealth of the country
must themselves be made to share the fruit of their labor
through just wages and well-deserved security for themselves
and their families. Retirement benefits must likewise be part
of the program for workers.
We acknowledge the mutual dependence of capital and
labor. It has been well said “neither capital can do without
labor, nor labor without capital.” This mutual dependence can
exist only in the atmosphere of social and distributive justice.
Acts of justice take precedence over acts of charity.

+ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO
Archbishop of Jaro
CBCP President
May 1, 2009
(A Pastoral Exhortation)
Beloved people of God, on peace-building and genuine reconciliation by the social teachings of the Church. We enjoin
As we conclude the year of St. Paul which through dialogue, drawing encouragement all Catholic law enforcers to form associations

‘Gifted By the Creator with a

the Holy Father inaugurated on June 29, 2008, especially from St. Paul’s profound insights on among themselves that consciously renounce
we invite the Filipino faithful to start preparing these topics. Let us consciously lay the moral violence, respect basic human rights, and truly
spiritually for another crucial transition in the foundations on which we can build a more work for the preservation of peace and social

Unique Capacity for the Other’

life of our nation—namely, the elections in May
2010. For this purpose, we are declaring the post-
Pauline year (from June 2009 until June 2010) as
a year of Prayer and Work for Peace-building
and Lay Participation in Social Change. By
way of transition, we can draw our inspiration
from St. Paul’s timeless reflections on “Christ
as Ambassador of Peace and Reconciliation” (2
Cor 5: 18-20 & Eph 2:12-18) in order to dispose
ourselves for the next thematic year.
Consecration of the Two Hearts
We will launch this new thematic year by
consecrating our country to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of
Mary when we celebrate their feast days on
June 19-20, 2009—a few days before the formal
closing of the Pauline Year on the feast of Sts.
Peter and Paul, June 29, 2009. This Year of
Prayer and Work for Peace-Building and Lay
Participation in Social Change will begin and
end with the feasts of the Two Hearts (June
2009- June 2010).
Peace-building
From the wounded Heart of Jesus flowed
the grace of healing and reconciliation. Let
this grace flow through us, the community
of Christ’s disciples, into the bloodstream of
our nation. Let it find a concrete expression
in serious advocacies for peace and dialogue,
healing and reconciliation amidst conflict-
situations in all possible circumstances of life.
Let us all actively pray and work for peace,
following the inspiration of that popular prayer
attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Lord, make
me an instrument of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let me bring love; where there is injury,
pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there
is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy,” seeking at each
time, not so much “to be consoled as to console,
to be understood, as to understand, to be loved
as to love…” and believing firmly that “It is in
giving, that we receive; …in pardoning, that
we are pardoned; …and in dying, that we are
born to eternal life.”
While we go on with our pastoral programs
in all Church units and organizations, basic
ecclesial communities, parishes, dioceses, and
regions throughout the country, we also ask
that all ecclesial entities all over the country
strive to establish and form groups that can
effectively focus their ministry or apostolate
stable, more mature Philippine society. Let this
foundation be not just a change of leaders or
a change of social and political structures, but
above all, a radical change of heart, commending
ourselves to Jesus and his Blessed Mother as we
entreat them to “…make our hearts so like to
(theirs) that we may holy be!”
Lay Participation in Social Change
For the past few months now, we have noted
a mounting call for “moral regeneration” in our
country. Not only do we welcome this; we your
pastors are encouraged by the fact that this call
has been coming mainly from the laity. You
know that we have sounded this call too many
times already in the past. Perhaps because this
task is expected of us, there has been a tendency
to take it for granted that we are also to carry
it out by ourselves. One journalist wrote in
a commentary recently, “The task of moral
regeneration is too big to entrust to religious
leaders alone.” We couldn’t agree more.
As your pastors, we exercise spiritual and
moral leadership as regards our communal
and ecclesial life in our parishes and dioceses
throughout the country. But we cannot just
extend that leadership into the spheres of
politics and governance, in business and
economics, in the sciences and the mass
media, etc., without running the risk of being
misconstrued as engaging in power-play or
over-extending our sphere of influence beyond
our offices. The participation of the laity in
moral leadership pertaining to every specific
discipline and institution in the Philippine
society is most essential, if we want the Gospel
and the social teachings of the Church to have
a tangible and positive impact at all on our life
as a nation.
We challenge our Catholic laity, in particular,
to take the lead in the task of moral renewal
towards a deeper and more lasting change in the
Philippine society. We challenge all lay people
involved in politics to renounce corruption
and bond together in the task of evangelizing
politics for effective governance and the pursuit
of the common good. We challenge the laity
involved in legislation to unite themselves and
consciously allow their actions to be guided by
the truth of the Gospel and the Christian faith.
We urge the Catholic lay people involved in
legitimate business to organize themselves and
consciously practice their trade with a strong
sense of corporate social responsibility informed
order. We call upon the Catholic laity involved
in social communications and the modern mass
media to form networks among themselves
that can articulate a genuinely Christian ethics
in their practice of their profession. We urge
every Catholic lay person to give a concrete
expression to Christian discipleship through
responsible citizenship.
Prayer
In closing, may we ask that we start praying
the following prayer at least every Sunday
after communion in all Catholic churches and
chapels all over the country from June 2009 to
June 2010:
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, the reality of our
deeply wounded and broken country impels
us to respond with new urgency to the most
pressing problems of our times.
We are a broken people; our hearts are
fragmented and we are discouraged. We
need Your Heart, O Lord, as we seek to be
made whole.
Rooted in our faith in You and love for
our country, we want to participate in Your
work of transformation of persons, families,
organizations, and society.
Through the transforming power of the love
of Your Heart, we draw a new dynamism, a
strong inspiration, a fire, which can change
and transfigure our lives as individuals and
as a nation.
(Please pause for a specific intention)
Love of the Heart of Jesus, give us courage
and patience. Wisdom of the Heart of Jesus,
teach us to pray and to act with hope and
charity at all times. Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
May Jesus, the Source of Divine Mercy,
and His mother Mary accompany us in our
work of peace-building, and social and moral
regeneration.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines,
+ANGEL N. LAGDAMEO, D.D.
Archbishop of Jaro
President, CBCP
April 19, 2009
Feast of Divine Mercy
(The message of Pope Benedict XVI sent to participants of the 1st
International Conference on Woman and Human Rights on the theme
“Life, Family, Development: The Role of Women in the Promotion
of Human Rights,” held at the Vatican on March 20-21, 2009)
To my Venerable Brother Cardinal Renato Raffaele
Martino,
I am pleased to extend cordial greetings to you and to all
those taking part in the International Conference on the theme
“Life, Family and Development: the Role of Women in the
Promotion of Human Rights.” This event, sponsored by the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, with the cooperation
of the World Women’s Alliance for Life and Family, the
World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations and other
associations, is an exemplary response to my predecessor Pope
John Paul II’s call for a “new feminism” with the power to
transform culture, imbuing it with a decisive respect for life
(cf. “Evangelium Vitae,” 98-99).
Every day we learn of further ways in which life is
compromised, particularly in its most vulnerable stages.
While justice demands that these be decried as a violation of
human rights, they must also evoke a positive and proactive
response. The recognition and appreciation of God’s plan
for women in the transmission of life and the nurturing of
children is a constructive step in this direction. Beyond this,
and given the distinctive influence of women in society, they
must be encouraged to embrace the opportunity to uphold
the dignity of life through their involvement in education
and their participation in political and civic life. Indeed,
because they have been gifted by the Creator with a unique
“capacity for the other,” women have a crucial part to play
in the promotion of human rights, for without their voice the
social fabric of society would be weakened (cf. Letter to the
Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men
and Women in the Church and in the World, Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, 13). As you reflect on the role
of women in the promotion of human rights, I invite you
to keep in mind a task to which I have drawn attention on
several occasions: namely, to correct any misconception that
Christianity is simply a collection of commandments and
prohibitions. The Gospel is a message of joy which encourages
men and women to delight in spousal love; far from stifling
it, Christian faith and ethics make it healthy, strong and truly
free. This is the exact meaning of the Ten Commandments:
they are not a series of “noes” but a great “yes” to love
Gifted / B7

May / B4

to match every peso that we
produce in our local campaign.
So if you give 300 pesos you will
actually be subsidizing six Bibles,
the other three Bibles coming
from the matching scheme from
outside of our country. In the 12th
Ordinary Synod of Bible in Rome
last October, incidentally whose
topic is the Word of God in the
Life and Ministry of the Church,
an MTBO Bible was given to Pope
Benedict XVI and the MTBO
campaign was presented in the
floor before the more than 250
Bishops from all over the world.
Presently the Bible Society of
Slovenia has given us a sizable
amount ($4,090.00) and the
American Bible Society has also
pledged to support it. Since the
campaign was launched at the
Manila Cathedral on September
30, 2008 we have gathered
P847,565.24 and distributed
11,755 Bibles. Total stock on hand
are 38,299 copies.
In the Philippines, the MTBO is
a joint campaign of the Philippine
Bible Society (PBS) and Episcopal
CommissionoftheBibleApostolate
(ECBA) of the CBCP. It is not
just a Catholic project though.
Although we are targeting many
Catholics, the campaign also aims
to subsidize Bibles among other
Christian groups who are helping
the poor. Spreading the Word of
God is good for everybody. We
believe that the Scriptures touch
and renew all who come to them
sincerely.
Why the title MTBO or MAY
THEY BE ONE? This is a very
apt title both for its purpose
and its means. The purpose is
to contribute to the fulfillment
of the great concern of Jesus at
the Last Supper. We believe that
the Word of God is a means that
help lessen, or altogether erase,
the divides in our world. First,
in the individuals. By taking
the Word of God seriously and
living by it, the wounds that sin
creates within us can be healed.
By keeping His word, Jesus
dwells in us as He promised.
Where Jesus is, there is healing
and peace. The Word of God also
heals relationships in families and
within communities. There people
learn the values of forgiveness,
solidarity and humility. When
people are governed by God’s will
that is imparted to us by His Word
then we would be considerate
to each other. Justice and peace
would then flow like a river. As
it has been pointed out many
times, the problem in our country
is as much a moral problem as
an economic or political one. No
amount of political and economic
reform would bring change if there
is no change in people’s hearts and
minds. It is the Word of God that
can penetrate hearts and minds.
“Indeed, the Word of God is
living and active, sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing until
it divides soul from spirit, joints
from marrow; it is able to judge
the thoughts and intentions of the
heart.” (Heb 4, 12) Imagine five
million people more reading the
Bible! We target the poor because
we believe that in Salvation History
God pays attention to the poor and
change comes from below. This
is very different from the present
economic models which believe in
the trickle-down effort, which has
never come about. Big businesses
are favored to lure investments.
Tax holidays are given. Some are
even planning to allow them 100%
ownership of land so that they will
invest in our country.
It is funny. There is great
resistance to allow poor Filipino
farmers to own small pieces of land
by land reform which is a social
justice mandate of the present
constitution and they want to
change the constitution to allow big
and rich foreign players to own our
land. This is how our globalized
world operates: favoring the big
and the powerful, as if they will
bring prosperity, when we all
know that they operate in order
to get profit and not to bring
development. In the Salvation
History Model, God hears the
cries of the poor and acts among
the poor. Then the structures
of power are gradually and
effectively changed—from below!
Moses came from the oppressed,
David was not considered by
Jesse, the Israelites were among
the least of the nations, Mary was
a lowly handmaid, Jesus came
from Nazareth where nothing
good was to be expected, the
Twelve Apostles were provincial
Galileans, etc. Thus the purpose
of our MTBO is the very desire of
Jesus; may they be one through
the glory of God that comes by
His Word that is offered to the
poor of the land.
The means too is echoed by
the MTBO campaign. This is
a campaign that is a concrete
sign of common efforts of all
Christian groups to make the
Bible available. This is a test case
that the other Bible Societies all
over the world are catching. For
the first time there is a major
campaign on Bible distribution
that is undertaken together by
the Catholics and the Protestant
denominations. Many expect it to
succeed so they can duplicate it
in other countries. If companies
and big businesses are merging
to survive in a globalized world,
should we not as Christian
Churches join our efforts that
God’s Word be spread? On
the Catholic side, we have
the blessings of the Pontifical
Commission on Christian Unity
under Cardinal Kasper. Who
knows, from this common
effort, the Lord may lead us to
great unity in other common
endeavors until full unity, which
is the work of God’s Spirit, will
come about so that the world may
know that Jesus Christ is sent by
the Father to bring eternal life to
all. Let us then be one in MAY
THEY BE ONE project!
(This piece was delivered at the
44th Annual Membership Meeting
of the Philippine Bible Society
themed “May They Be One”, held
at the PBS Ministry Center on April
18, 2009.)
 Ref lections
CBCP Monitor
B6 Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

Salvation in Jesus’ name alone

MORE than ever before, today 4th Sunday of Easter - B (John 10:11-18); May 3, 2009 What is of utmost importance, it is proposed,
is that one is sincere in one’s religious belief,
we realize that the world is and one can be saved in it.
characterized by a diversity Such an attitude, however, seems not
grounded in Christian faith, nor in the Sacred
of religions and sects. In the Scriptures. In the 1st reading, Peter’s apologia,
Philippines, we find a number of trying to explain the source of the power that
them: Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, healed the crippled man, points to the name of
Jesus apart from whom no one can be saved.
Christianity, and lately, New Age. “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there
And even in Christianity itself, we is no other name in the whole world given to
are aware of the various churches men by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12).
(“Name” here probably reflects a healing formula
and communities that claim to used by exorcists in the early Church; it does not
be the true Church founded by mean the word that identifies a person, but the
Christ: in addition to the Roman person of Jesus Christ himself, the risen One.)
Through his death and resurrection, God gave
Catholic Church, we have the Jesus power to heal and to save. In the Gospel,
various Protestant Churches, John presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who
the Iglesia ni Cristo, Ang Dating laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11,15b,
17a). In the Johannine literature, the “laying
Daan, Jesus the Healer and various down of one’s life” is associated with the image
fundamentalist and Pentecostal of the Lamb of God who was slain to take away
churches, movements and sects. the sins of the world (Rev 5:6; John 1:29). Precisely
because he was slain and was justified by God,
In face of this diversity of religious beliefs, the Lamb became a fountain of life (Rev 7:17;
there seems to be an attitude of many, even 22:1). In other words, since Jesus laid down his
Catholics, from one which is skeptical toward life for others, he was constituted the means
non-Christian religions and Christian sects to through which salvation is given.
one which accepts any form of religion. For What are we to make of this biblical teaching?
them, since all religions and sects are means Does this mean that there is no other means
to have contact with the divine world and to of salvation apart from Jesus, since it was

si
er U
salvation, it does not matter whether one is only he who underwent passion, death and

aldim
a Muslim or Christian, or whether one is a resurrection in obedience to the Father? If the
body of Jesus is the Church, does this imply

by B
born-again Christian or a Catholic. According
to this view, all religions are of equal value; that outside the Church there is no salvation,

ation
ours is not any better than any other religion. and therefore the individual attains salvation

Illustr
Salvation / B7

Fr. Roy Cimagala

Infected minds
RH includes abortion By Most Rev. Patricio H. Alo, DD

WE have to be wary when the proponents What we have in Congress is not an original and everyone who agrees with you should SO it’s true, they say in Latin, Ideae regunt mundum,
say that their Reproductive Health Bill does brilliant idea of some of our lawmakers. It’s a be free to do so, anywhere in the world. And translated: “Ideas rule the world.” But they can be wrong
not include abortion. Given the country’s handed down copy, at least in substance, of so are we.” too, and they can infect anyone, without exception. I mean
still Christian culture, they naturally would the Reproductive Health laws now blighting “We happen to think that family planning the divisive ideologies, the devil’s wiles as the Bible says:
not openly say so. many countries all over the world, all of them is an important part of women’s health “Now have salvation and power come, the reign of our God
They certainly would go on denial mode, including abortion. and reproductive health includes access to and the authority of his Anointed One. For the accuser of
and employ ambiguous words, much like a We can be sure that the RH bill is a part of abortion that I believe should be safe, legal our brothers is cast out, who night and day accused them
squid tactic. This has always been the pattern a worldwide lobby network that the liberal and rare.” before our God” (Rev. 12:10). So these divisive ideologies
of their campaign. But pieces of evidence to ideologues are trying to establish. In spite of If the thinking of the current US may even infect Church people who neglect prayer and the
the contrary are aplenty. its apparent popularity, based on their own administration is to include access to abortion spirit of obedience to Church authority to engage in divisive
In the first place, all this business of surveys, it does not spring from the objective under reproductive health, we have no and judgmental rallies that may even end in violence and
promoting Reproductive Health is a global needs of our people. It’s an imported and business saying our own version will not disturbance.
effort organized by some ideologues who contrived move, not a spontaneous one. include it. On the contrary, the fruits of the Spirit direct us towards
want to impose their ideas on the How can we resist legalizing unity, love and reconciliation, not division and enmity. “What
whole world. Bluntly put, what is The RH bill is touted to respect abortion when the fine print of the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience,
waged is a war between Christian the term “reproductive health” kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, self-control, and
faith and secularized ideology.
freedom, to allow people an informed already includes abortion? In chastity” (Gal. 5:22-23). Not all the ideas in our free society
Let’s not be deceived by their choice on family planning methods, many documents of NGOs and are truly inspired by God’s Spirit, especially if they stem from
strategy. They want us to believe to improve their quality of life, etc. even of the UN, the concern over human pride and disregard legitimate authority. Jesus made
that the issue involved is only a maternal mortality and unsafe it very clear and we must discern from His unmistakable
socio-economic matter, that it’s
These are tricks to sidetrack us abortion is actually a code for warning. “Beware of false prophets (false teachers) who
just a question of practicality. from the real issue. Paraphrasing legalizing abortion. come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous
The RH bill is touted to respect former US President Clinton, we can In countries where abortion is wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits... A sound
freedom, to allow people an now legalized, the road to it started tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit... I
informed choice on family
say: read my lips, it is morality, not with these altruistic-sounding repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits” (Mt. 7:15-
planning methods, to improve economics, stupid! affairs. 20). This sort of infection, characterized by disrespect towards
their quality of life, etc. These Give it a few more years, come legitimate authority and causing disunity and disruption
are tricks to sidetrack us from the real issue. With such context, the RH bill can include, out with more favorable surveys, then the in society is a kind of “lumang tugtugin,” as if we did not
Paraphrasing former US President Clinton, at least, implicitly, the possibility of abortion. natural ugliness of abortion will disappear recall past history when our world, our land was in chaos
we can say: read my lips, it is morality, not It just cannot stop at contraception. It has in the minds of our people, and abortion will because of the infection of false ideas, false theories under
economics, stupid! to go all the way. In fact, no less than Mrs. sooner or later be made part of the family the guise of reform that only brought the fruit of confusion
Making the RH bill into a law will enable Hillary Clinton says so. planning methods that everyone should be and violence.
the ideologues to use government resources In a recent hearing of the US House given an informed choice of. As St. Paul expresses above, the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit
and structure for their social engineering. It Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman This is precisely the pattern in their of love and peace and unity. In the text we cited above, Rev.
will use the government to reshape people’s Chris Smith asked Secretary of State Hillary campaign, their strategy to do some social 12:10, the devil is said to be the “accuser of our brothers.”
minds and ways according to their tenets. Clinton: engineering according to their principles. It Even the etymology of the word “devil” means slanderer or
Obviously, the RH bill proponents can “Does the United States’ definition of can skillfully use the democratic system, with accuser. Let’s not be judgmental but rather educate people in
count on a certain degree of popularity. the term 1) ‘reproductive health’ or 2) vast appeal to freedom and people’s rights, the right ideas and work rather as Jesus wants us to do, for
They also can bank on tremendous ‘reproductive services’ or 3) ‘reproductive but being vulnerable to abuses, they are reconciliation. St. Teresa, following Jesus’ way of thinking,
financial support. But when the bone of rights’, include abortion?” emptied of their real and original value. expressed it this way: “Much wrongdoing would be avoided
contention is on morality, these aspects Mrs. Clinton answered: “We have a very We have to expose the wolf in sheep’s if we realized our business is to be on guard, not against men,
should only play secondary, not leading fundamental disagreement. It is my strongly clothing that is the Reproductive Health Bill, but against displeasing the Lord.”
roles, in resolving it. held view that you are entitled to advocate, now waiting for approval in our Congress.

Bo Sanchez Tagbilaran / B3

Bishop Leonardo Medroso

In 2005 the See of Tagbilaran was rendered vacant following the
appointment and subsequent installation of Bishop Tumulak as

Make refocusing a habit

WHEN I enter a restaurant, I
immediately know who’s married
and who’s only engaged or
“steadies”. I’m sure you do, too.
The unmarried lovers are
seated very close to each other.
So close in fact, microbes will
have a difficulty passing between
them. Their hands are joined,
their fingers wedged, their legs
intertwined, their toes linked.
(Look beneath the tablecloth and
you’ll see a very sensual love
affair taking place right there.)
Most critically, you will also
notice that their eyes are fixed
on each other and nothing else.
Their mutual gaze is nailed,
glued, and cemented. Their
food is cold on the table, barely
touched. Because, nothing else
matters. The restaurant might
be burning, an asteroid might
come crashing through the roof,
and a nuclear warhead suddenly
lands on their table—and they
wouldn’t even notice it. Oooh-
la-la. Because they’re in luv.
Married couples act quite
differently.
The first thing you notice is that
they sit apart. A ten-wheeler can
pass through them quite nicely.
Both are busy eating, slicing,
forking, spooning, dipping, and
munching.
No sensual foreplay is taking
place beneath the tablecloth.
Happy couples make it a habit to
refocus. Because it’s quite normal
to be distracted. So they talk. They
get away for awhile. They pray. They
go on a marriage retreat. They take
a second honeymoon. Or a third, or
forth, or fifth…
Their eyes? Darting left and
right, scanning the architecture,
surveying the interior design,
counting the light bulbs,
critiquing the waiters, observing
the other customers.
Oh yes, every other customer in
the restaurant is cross-examined,
their fashion style denounced,
their hairdresser condemned,
their personal history conjured,
their financial worth assessed, and
their body weight ridiculed.
Sounds familiar?
In a word, married couples
tend to be unfocused. They no
longer see each other—for the
other gets lost in the minute
details of the background. Like
tuition fees. Toilet training. House
amortization. Terrible two’s.
Orthodontist’s bills. Wrinkles
and overlapping cellulite.
And then we complain that we
have fallen out of love! As though
we are victims to things we have
no control over. Baloney. (Too
unFilipino? Let me rephrase.
Longganisa.)
Happy couples make it a
habit to refocus. Because it’s
quite normal to be distracted.
So they talk. They get away for
awhile. They pray. They go on
a marriage retreat. They take a
second honeymoon. Or a third,
or forth, or fifth…
Our love relationship with God
suffers the same disease: We get
unfocused.
After some time, we lose our
first love for Jesus. We fall in love
with our spiritual community,
or with pastoral care, or with
spiritual knowledge, or with our
financial blessings, or with our
successful ministry… We start
losing our focus on God. We get
lost in the minute details of the
background.
We probably need to get away
with Him. Talk with our Lover.
Take a second honeymoon with
Him. Or a third, or forth, or
fifth…
Make refocusing a habit.
Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines. As Apostolic
Administrator, Bishop Tumulak continued at the helm of governance
until the canonical possession of the Diocese in December of 2006
by Bishop Leonardo Medroso, from the Diocese of Borongan, as the
sixth Bishop of Tagbilaran.
On October 2007, Bishop-Elect Crispin Varquez was consecrated
to the Episcopate by Bishop Medroso as the principal consecrator.
Bishop Varquez, is the 14th in the line of Boholano bishops since
Bishop Mascariñas was ordained bishop in 1938. November 2007
marked the 10th Anniversary of the First Diocesan Synod. One of
the highlights was the sending off of Bishop Varquez to take the
Canonical Possession of the Diocese of Borongan which had been
vacant since Bishop Medroso assumed as Bishop of Tagbilaran.
Visit of the miraculous relic of St. Therese
On February 2008, the history of the diocese was once again
marked by the three-day visit of the Miraculous Relic of St. Therese
of the Child Jesus at the Assumption of the Our Lady Shrine in Dauis
town. An unprecedented display of faith and prayer and for the
first time, a bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen for two nights on
the road leading to Dauis as devotees took the long line waiting for
their turn to venerate the relics.
Elijah Spirituality Center
Inspired by the concerns articulated in the documents of the First
Diocesan Synod, the Elijah Spirituality Center was inaugurated in
August 2008 aimed to be a venue for the renewal programs designed
to cater to the needs of the clergy, the religious, and the lay faithful
of the Diocese. In January 2009, some members of the clergy and
lay representatives of the different Commissions on Worship,
Education, Service, Family and Life, Youth, and Temporal Goods,
held a pastoral planning and workshop at the Elijah Spirituality
Center as a preparation for the coming Diamond Jubilee of the
Diocese of Tagbilaran on 2016. The workshop came up with five
yearly pastoral themes which will be put into the diocesan programs
starting November 2009.
 Social Concerns
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
B7

Saving the Earth

By Fr. Shay Cullen problem and harm their own health
too. Gardeners that unthinkingly
spray harmful pesticides don’t realize
“WHO could forget or harm a that they are killing microorganisms,
loving mother that has given insects and eliminating the food chain
of many creatures. Consider the great
life to each one of us, that loss among the butterfly, bee and bird
makes the dawn for all of us population of the UK alone. British
to see, sustains all creatures scientists say the evidence of these losses
is “strengthening the hypothesis that the
and gives us reason to care natural world is experiencing the sixth
for others”, these were the major extinction event in its history”.
words of a wise old man of (www.sciencemag.org).
For all who treasure the Earth as the
the Aeta indigenous people source of life and beauty there is much to
of the Philippines talking be done to preserve and protect it from
about Mother Earth. the destructive ways of human kind.
In the Philippines, there is a growing
He knew what he was talking about as environmental defense network that
his people lived in harmony with nature challenges the corrupt politicians
and preserved the former magnificent and government officials that allow
rains forests that covered these beautiful the destruction of the rain forests by
islands until the beginning of the business cronies. They have mobilized
century. There is so much for us to the responsible ones, the common people
live for, the breathtaking beauty of the and the church to take a determined
sunrise on the hills and valleys, the rush stand to stop the environmental disasters
of the mountain streams and rivers, due to logging, irresponsible mining and
the awe-inspiring variety of wild life the increased use of coal burning power
that still inhabit this planet and the stations. All these have contributed to
wonder of evolution observed in the global warming and climate change.
vast variety of species. Nothing can lift The Catholic Bishops Conference of the
the human spirit to praise the source Philippines focused on these three areas in
of life as can an ocean sunset. When a statement last November 5, 2008 titled
we leave the concrete jungle of the city “Upholding the Sanctity of Life”. It refers to
and immerse ourselves with nature, we their previous pastoral letter of 1988 on the
can be renewed and strengthened and environment that called on the people “to
come alive with a love of life on earth protect endangered ecosystems like our
in all its forms. forests, coral reefs and mangroves, and to
Last week, we celebrated Earth Day, establish just and humane communities.”
when we renewed our commitment to In the November letter the Bishops said:
protect the environment that sustains “The Church joins in the collective and
life on earth but which we humans are continuous call against the uncontrollable
destroying faster that it can possibly plunder of our natural resources. Above
recover. When we see and learn about all, it calls on a moratorium on mining
the destructive damage to plants and activities until the government and
animals and human beings by the the mining companies learn to uphold
chemical pesticides and industrial waste the right of the indigenous peoples,
that poisons the soil and food chain and compensate the affected communities
pollutes the atmosphere, we will realize for past damages, and ensure responsible
that these practices can bring on cancers mining practices.”

and diseases. Then we cannot remain
silent. This realization motivated me to
get Preda fair-trade to start a movement
to encourage small farmers to produce
organic mangoes and also to establish
our own organic training farm. There,
the young people rescued from prison
can recover and learn skills and grow
healthy food.
Even consumers that buy foods
produced with harmful pesticides and
chemical ingredients are part of the
www.blisstree.com
The Bishops’ letter among important
things calls for a total logging ban and
the immediate reforestation of destroyed
ecosystems and greater efforts to change
to renewable energy sources. “Earth
Day” has to be everyday, and we all need
Even consumers that buy foods produced with harmful pesticides renewed efforts to implement positive
and chemical ingredients are part of the problem and harm their own earth-saving life styles. The bishops ended
health too. Gardeners that unthinkingly spray harmful pesticides don’t their pastoral letter as they did in 1988
with these words; “There is an urgency
realize that they are killing microorganisms, insects and eliminating about this issue which calls for widespread
the food chain of many creatures. education and immediate action”.

Vocations / B1 Gifted / B5

Contemplating the mystery of
the Eucharist, which expresses in
a sublime way the free gift of the
Father in the Person of his Only
Begotten Son for the salvation of
mankind, and the full and docile
readiness of Christ to drink to
the dregs the “cup” of the will
of God (cf. Mt 26:39), we can
more readily understand how
“faith in the divine initiative”
models and gives value to
the “human response”. In the
Eucharist, that perfect gift which
brings to fulfillment the plan of
love for the redemption of the
world, Jesus offers himself freely
for the salvation of mankind.
“The Church”, my beloved
predecessor John Paul II wrote,
“has received the Eucharist
from Christ her Lord not as a
gift—however precious—among
so many others, but as the gift
par excellence, for it is the gift
of himself, of his person in his
sacred humanity, as well as the
gift of his saving work” (Ecclesia
de Eucharistia, 11).
It is priests who are called to
perpetuate this salvific mystery
from century to century until the
Lord’s glorious return, for they
can contemplate, precisely in the
Eucharistic Christ, the eminent
model of a “vocational dialogue”
between the free initiative of the
Father and the faithful response
of Christ. In the celebration of the
Eucharist it is Christ himself who
acts in those whom he chooses as
his ministers; he supports them
so that their response develops
in a dimension of trust and
gratitude that removes all fear,
even when they experience more
acutely their own weakness (cf.
Rm 8:26-28), or indeed when the
experience of misunderstanding
or even of persecution is most
bitter (cf. Rm 8:35-39).
The awareness of being saved
by the love of Christ, which
every Mass nourishes in the
faithful and especially in priests,
cannot but arouse within them
a trusting self-abandonment to
Christ who gave his life for us.
To believe in the Lord and to
accept his gift, therefore, leads
us to entrust ourselves to Him
with thankful hearts, adhering
to his plan of salvation. When
this does happen, the one who
is “called” voluntarily leaves
everything and submits himself
to the teaching of the divine
Master; hence a fruitful dialogue
between God and man begins, a
mysterious encounter between
the love of the Lord who calls
and the freedom of man who
responds in love, hearing the
words of Jesus echoing in his
soul, “You did not choose me,
but I chose you and appointed
you that you should go and bear
fruit and that your fruit should
abide” (Jn 15:16).
This intertwining of love
between the divine initiative
and the human response is
present also, in a wonderful
way, in the vocation to the
consecrated life. The Second
Vatican Council recalls, “The
evangelical counsels of chastity
dedicated to God, poverty and
obedience are based upon the
words and examples of the Lord.
They were further commanded
by the apostles and Fathers of
the Church, as well as by the
doctors and pastors of souls.
The counsels are a divine gift,
which the Church received from
its Lord and which it always
safeguards with the help of His
grace” (Lumen Gentium, 43).
Once more, Jesus is the model of
complete and trusting adherence
to the will of the Father, to whom
every consecrated person must
look. Attracted by him, from the
very first centuries of Christianity,
many men and women have left
families, possessions, material
riches and all that is humanly
desirable in order to follow
Christ generously and live the
Gospel without compromise,
which had become for them a
school of deeply rooted holiness.
Today too, many undertake this
same demanding journey of
evangelical perfection and realize
their vocation in the profession
of the evangelical counsels. The
witness of these our brothers
and sisters, in contemplative
monasteries, religious institutes
and congregations of apostolic
life, reminds the people of God
of “that mystery of the Kingdom
of God is already at work in
history, even as it awaits its
full realization in heaven” (Vita
Consecrata, 1).
Who can consider himself
worthy to approach the priestly
ministry? Who can embrace the
consecrated life relying only on
his or her own human powers?
Once again, it is useful to
reiterate that the response of men
and women to the divine call,
whenever they are aware that it
is God who takes the initiative
and brings His plan of salvation
to fulfillment, is never patterned
after the timid self-interest of
the worthless servant who, out
of fear, hid the talent entrusted
to him in the ground (cf. Mt
25:14-30), but rather expresses
itself in a ready adherence to
the Lord’s invitation, as in the
case of Peter who, trusting in
the Lord’ word, did not hesitate
to let down the net once more
even after having toiled all night
and catching nothing (cf. Lk 5:5).
Without in any sense renouncing
personal responsibility, the free
human response to God thus
becomes “co-responsibility”,
responsibility in and with Christ,
through the action of his Holy
Spirit; it becomes communion
with the One who makes it
possible for us to bear much fruit
(cf. Jn 15:5).
An emblematic human
response, full of trust in God’s
initiative, is the generous and
unmitigated “Amen” of the
Virgin of Nazareth, uttered with
humble and decisive adherence
to the plan of the Most High
announced to her by God’s
messenger (cf. Lk 1:38). Her
prompt “Yes” allowed Her to
become the Mother of God, the
Mother of our Savior. Mary,
after this first “fiat”, had to
repeat it many times, even up
to the culminating moment of
the crucifixion of Jesus, when
“standing by the cross of Jesus”
as the Evangelist John notes,
she participated in the dreadful
suffering of her innocent Son.
And it was from the cross, that
Jesus, while dying, gave her to
us as Mother and entrusted us
to her as sons and daughters (cf.
Jn 19:26-27); she is especially the
Mother of priests and consecrated
persons. I want to entrust to
her all those who are aware of
God’s call to set out on the road
of the ministerial priesthood or
consecrated life.
Dear friends, do not become
discouraged in the face of
difficulties and doubts; trust in
God and follow Jesus faithfully
and you will be witnesses of the
joy that flows from intimate union
with him. Imitating the Virgin
Mary whom all generations
proclaim as blessed because she
believed (cf. Lk 1:48), commit
yourselves with every spiritual
energy, to realize the heavenly
Father’s plan of salvation,
cultivating in your heart, like
her, the ability to be astonished
and to adore him who is mighty
and does “great things”, for Holy
is his name (cf. Lk 1:49).
From the Vatican, 20 January
2009
BENEDICT XVI
and to life (cf. Address to the
Participants at the Ecclesial
Convention of the Diocese of
Rome, 5 June 2006).
It is my sincere hope that your
discussions over these next two
days will translate into concrete
initiatives that safeguard the
indispensable role of the family
in the integral development
of the human person and of
society as a whole. The genius of
women to mobilize and organize
endows them with the skills and
motivation to develop ever-
expanding networks for sharing
experiences and generating new
ideas. The accomplishments
of WWALF and the UMOFC/
WUCWO are an outstanding
example of this, and I encourage
their members to persevere in
their generous service to society.
May the sphere of your influence
continue to grow at regional,
national and international levels
for the advancement of human
rights based on the strong
foundation of marriage and
family.
I once more extend best
wishes for the success of this
conference and my prayers for
the continuing mission of the
participating organizations.
Invoking the intercession of
Mary, “the symbol and the
most perfect realization of the
Church” (Catechism of the
Catholic Church, 570), I cordially
impart my Apostolic Blessing.
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Salvation / B6

only through his explicit membership in the Church, which is the

sole mediator of Christ’s salvation? Are we then to affirm that all

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other non-Christian religions are false, Christian sects are in error,
mere human attempts at coming in contact with the divine world
which is revealed in Jesus Christ? Are we then to propose that we
must bring everybody to the Church if all are to be saved? Can we
tell those outside the Church that they cannot partake of eternal life,
since the grace of salvation comes only through the Church?
Probably not. It does mean, however, that since it is only in the name
of Jesus that salvation is possible, persons can be saved only by the
grace of Christ. Admittedly, this grace is offered to all, even to those
who have not heard of him. When the Bible says that God has spoken
in Jesus and that salvation is possible through him, it teaches that he
is the constitutive mediator of salvation; without him, no salvation is
possible. As the readings today emphasize, precisely because Jesus laid
down his life for us, precisely because he suffered, died and rose from the
dead, salvation flows from him. Since Jesus is constitutive of salvation,
no one could be saved apart from his life, death and resurrection. It
is in this sense that we have to understand Peter’s claim that there is
no name in the world given to men by which we can be saved except
through Jesus. For this reason, it cannot be said that all religions are
of equal value. Because the Church is closely linked with Christ, the
sign of his presence among men, salvation is mediated through her.
Consequently, the grace of salvation is available to those outside the
believing community through the Church. One cannot just say that as
long as I do good works and not offend my neighbor, I am sure I will
be saved. It matters whether one belongs to the Church or not.
 B8
Two thousand years after
Piccolo (James Marsters) is
imprisoned when he attempted
to destroy the Earth, he escapes
and begins to search for the 7
dragonballs that will enable
him to summon the Shen Long
dragon and make a wish to
finally conquer Earth. In his
search, he kills Gohan (Randall
Duk Kim), grandfather of 18
year old martial arts master
Goku (Justin Chatwin).
Meanwhile, Goku seeks out
an old family friend Master
Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat) so he
can unlock the secret of the
dragonball and defeat Piccolo
and save the Earth before the
solar eclipse happens.
Dragonball Evolution is
a film remake of anime TV
series of the 90s. However,
despite using real characters
and hi end CGIs, the film falls
short compared to the original
cartoon. The movie is filled
with tacky actions sequences,
MAC en COLET
Buhay Parokya
Look for the chalice, holy water container, and Bishop’s staff. (Illustration by Bladimer Usi)
Entertainment
Moral Assessment
 Abhorrent
 Disturbing
 Acceptable
 Wholesome
 Exemplary
ghastly performances and
below average direction.
The slow-mo technique to
emphasize or style an action
sequence becomes tedious
and corny. Another problem
area is the characterization.
The translation from anime to
big screen real life comes to
nothing with mediocre acting
and weak dialogue. Fans of
the original TV anime will be
disappointed and first timers
will be bored.
The heart of the movie is
about “searching” – a search
for the talismans, a search for
victory, a search for one’s true
character, a search for heroes
and saviors. Life is a continuous
journey to search and discover
and to realize one’s worth and
mission.
The movie’s fight sequences
become more violent and
destructive after it was
translated to real life action.
Parents should take precaution
Ni Bladimer Usi
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 – May 10, 2009
Technical Assessment
 Poor
 Below average
 Average
 Above average
 E
xcellent
Title: Dragonball Evolution
Running Time: 85 min.
Cast: Justin Chatwin, YUn-Fat
Chow, Emmy Rossum, Ja-
mie Chung, James Marster,
Joon Park, Randall Duk Kim
Director: James Wong
Producer: Stephen Chow
Screenwriters: Ben Ramsey,
Akira Toriyama
Music: Brian Tyler
Editor: Matt Friedman, Chris G.
Willingham
Genre: Action
Cinematography: Robert
McLachlan
Distributor: Twentieth Century-
Fox Film Corporation
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Technical Assessment:  ½
Moral Assessment: ½
CINEMA Rating: For viewers
age 13 and below with
parental guidance
in allowing their young
children to watch the movie
unsupervised and unguided.
Si Clair (Maricel
Soriano) ay isang
ulilang lubos na may-
ari ng isang travel
agency at volunteer
sa Buklod Pamilya
Foundation na nagla-
layong bigyan ng
tahanan at pamilya
ang mga batang ulila.
Nagdaraan sa matin-
ding pagsubok ang
pagsasama ni Clair
at ng asawa nitong
si Jeremy (Derek
Ramsay). Malaking
problema nila na sila
ay hindi nabiyayaan
ng anak. Laking gulat
ni Clair nang isang
araw ay sabihin ni Title: T2
Jeremy na gusto nito Running Time: 100 min.
ng trial separation. Cast: Maricel Soriano, Mika dela Cruz,
Dahil nais makaiwas Derek Ramsay, Eric Fructuoso,
at makalimot ni Clair Tetchie Agbayani, Camille Pratts, K.
sa problema ay nag- Brosas, Mon Confiado
boluntaryo siyang Director: Chito S. Roño
ihatid ang isang ulila Producer: Tess V. Fuentes
sa pamilyang mag- Screenwriters: Chito S. Roño, Aloy
aampon sa kanya sa Adlawan
Samar kasama ang Editor: Manet A. Dayrit
driver na si Elias (Eric Genre: Horror
Fructuoso). Pabalik Cinematography: Eli Balce
ng Maynila ay maka- Distributor: Star Cinema Productions
karanas ng kakaiba Location: Philippines
sina Clair at Elias Technical Assessment:  ½
katulad na lamang Moral Assessment:  ½
ng pagkakaharang CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13
ng kalyeng kanilang and below with parental guidance
dinaraanan. Dahil
dito’y maaantala ang kanilang pag-uwi at mapapadpad sila
sa isang bahay-ampunan. Dito nila makikilala si Angeli (Mika
dela Cruz) na isa na ring ulila. Aakalain ng mga madre sa
bahay-ampunan na sinadya nila Clair ang pagpunta sa kanila
upang sunduin si Angeli at ihatid sa kanyang Auntie sa Maynila.
Gulat man ay pumayag na rin si Clair. Sa bahay-ampunan pa
lang ay marami ng makikita at mararanasang kakaiba si Clair
ngunit hindi siya nagsuspetsa ng anuman. Pauwi ay marami
ring mangyayari sa kanila kasama si Angeli. Mga bagay na
hindi maipaliwag. Pagdating sa Maynila ay matutunton nila
ang lugar na pagdadalhan nila kay Angeli. Ito ang Tenement
2. Dito na malalaman ni Clair ang tunay na paliwanag sa lahat
ng kakaibang karanasan niya kasama si Angeli.
Maraming bagong elemento na mapapanood sa T2. Ha-
latang pinagbuhusan ng hustong pananaliksik ang tungkol sa
mga engkanto, bagay na madalas lamang naririnig at nalala-
man sa mga kuwento ngunit hindi lubusang nauunawaan. Pati
ang special effects ay halatang ginastusan at pinagtuunan ng
masusing pansin. Maayos at malinaw ang direksiyon na nais
tahakin ng kuwento. Magagaling ang lahat ng mga tauhan at
talaga namang nakakadala ang karamihan ng eksena. Yun nga
lang ay nagkulang sa gulat at takot ang pelikula na nararapat
sana sa isang pelikulang katakutan. Pawang kulang sa hagod
ang pananakot at pawang hindi gaanong epektibo ang paraang
panggulat ng pelikula. Nasapawaan ng drama ang dapat sana’y
nakakatakot na kwento. Pero kung susumahin ay matagumpay
naman ito sa pagbibigay ng biswal na interpretasyon sa isang
mundong nanatili lamang sa guni-guni ng karamihan.
Ipinakita sa T2 ang dalawang klase ng mundo. Ang mundo
ng mga tao, na puno ng pagmamahal ngunit puno rin ng paghi-
hirap at pasakit, at ang mundo ng mga engkanto na pawang
walang paghihirap at walang hangganan ang kaligayahan
ngunit isa palang balatkayo lamang. Madalas ay nakasisilaw
ang kagandahan, ang yaman at karangyaan. Pero sinasabi
ng pelikula na hindi ito ang mahalaga kundi ang pagmamahal
at mga kaakibat pang emosyon at mga relasyon na parte ng
pagiging tao. Puno man ng sakit ang buhay ng tao ay nama-
mayani pa rin dito ang pagmamahal. Ito ang wala sa mundo
ng mga engkanto. Kahang a-hanga kung paanong ipinakita ng
pelikula na kayang talunin ng liwanag ang kapangyarihang itim.
Si Clair ay larawan ng isang babaeng malakas na sa gitna ng
kanyang kahinaan at kalungkutan ay nagmamalasakit pa rin sa
kapakanan ng iba maging ito ay hindi niya kaano-ano. Ipinakita
rin sa pelikula na ang pagmamahal at pagmamalasakit ay wala
sa dugo. Ito ay nasa pagnanais na magbahagi ng biyaya ng
buong puso. Masigasig man ang kapangyarihang itim, hindi
pa rin nito magagawang talunin ang mas makapangyarihang
kabutihan at dalisay na pagmamahal.
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
C1

The News Supplement of

Couples for Christ

YFC Aims High!

By Dana Flores
CEBU City, April 2009 ---- When you talk about the Lord’s work,
it always goes beyond ordinary. This year’s International Leader’s
Conference of CFC Youth for Christ was definitely not ordinary!
From April 3-5, 9,000 Youth for Christ made their voices heard
in Cebu, the Queen City of the South during the16th International
Leader’s Conference. The conference theme was “STEP UP,” in-
spired by Philippians 3:13-14, from which the community’s theme
of “Moving Forward in Christ” is taken.
This year’s conference had one goal – less talk, more impact. Thus,
the sessions were more dynamic, fresh, and innovative, creating
more recall among the youth.
Session 1, entitled “Journey to the Top,” which talked about
how the Lord has stepped up for us through our lives and com-
munity, was given in a “musicale” format. The points were de-
livered and processed through songs that were played live and
accompanied by dance performances. The songs were mostly
secular songs with customized lyrics appropriate to the talk
points given.
Session 2, entitled “Break the Record,” and Session 3, entitled,
“The Prize,” were also delivered in the non-traditional way, through
worship. Another first in YFC history was the exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament during the worship. Affirming that the prize
is being with Jesus, the youth knelt in prayer for five minutes, in
complete solemn silence.
Session 4, entitled “Step Up,” ended with a big rally of conviction
through the step up chant, performed by the whole crowd. CFC
Youth for Christ is clearly on the look out for the best ways to deliver
God’s message of love to its members.
A variety of parades was added to the event to commemorate the
community’s blessings over the past 16 years. Among these were
the Street Dance and the Bounty Parade where each province was
asked to present to the crowd their famous delicacy and share it
with everyone.
With the last day of the event falling exactly on Palm Sunday, the
lessons of Lent were not lost among the youth. On Saturday after-
noon, the youth went on the Way of the Cross, with each station
represented by different youths across the world.
The 16th YFC ILC: STEP UP Conference ended with a big cry of
conviction. The words “YFC, Come on STEP UP, move forward!”
resonated in Cebu City. The message? The youth may be young
in years but it doesn’t stop them from reaching and aiming higher.
YFC seeks to step up in all aspects of their lives.

The Lord’s Servants Say Yes to Mission
By Manny Catabas
EVANGELIZATION may be defined in many
ways but for the Servants of the Lord, it is plain and
simply a search and rescue mission – to search for
and rescue as many men from the snares of dark-
ness as possible, with Christ and for Christ.
This was the mission given to participants in
this year’s Servants of the Lord International
Conference held in Baybay, Leyte from March 27
to 29, 2009.
According to SOLD International Coordinator
Manny Garcia, morality and Christian values are
being subjected to a relentless
attack. Even the community
is not spared: there are mem-
bers who have lain low from
attending the community’s
services due to emotional
issues, pressures from work
and family, and most of all
because of the lures of a he-
donistic world.
The highlight of the confer-
ence were the team building
activities conducted on the
whole of Saturday. The al-
most five hundred delegates
were divided into twenty
teams regardless of their pro-
vincial or sectoral affiliations
or of age or of social status.
In the morning, the teams
were tasked to finish five missions in the shortest
time possible: raft relay, obstacle course, Takeshi
style water bomb, river treasure and an analytical
and deductive mental game called Who Owns the
Zebra. Since these activities required team effort
and building their own stratagems, they provided
opportunities to build close relationship and cama-
raderie among the team members.
“The team building activity proves that as men
of CFC, we can work together regardless of age,
province, dialect or ministry we serve in. In the
end it is still evangelization and our own personal
conversion that count. No one is too young or too [respective] areas,” Manny Garcia said.
old to serve God as long as we are one in spirit,” Aside from SOLD members, CFC male mem-
said Joemar Salumbides, the head of event. bers serving in other ministries were also present,
During the afternoon, two simultaneous work- among them three members of Tarlac’s provincial
shops were conducted. One workshop, moder- council as well as provincial council members of
ated by Willy Padida, was designed to show the three provinces from Visayas and Mindanao.
delegates how to conduct a proper Christian Life The message of the Servants of the Lord is loud
Program for every situation – whether a large one and clear; the ministry has evolved into an integral
composed of twenty or more participants or even part of the whole CFC community. Its ways and
a small one with only a few expected candidates. means in developing a true man of God must be
Another workshop, moderated by Jun Dujunco, adopted by all CFC men – from the members up
taught the participants how to write and develop to its top leaders.
their Pastoral Formation
(PFO) materials.
“The overall objective of
the ministry is to promote
it to the whole [CFC] com-
munity as a ministry for
men that would go across
all ministries. It would
not be age defined but
would be able to cater to
the needs of all men in the
community. There is no
single track or talk in CFC
that addresses the needs of
men and SOLD aims to fill
in this niche. We also hope
that the top leadership in
CFC will see this need and
help the SOLD ministry to
get off the ground in their

HOLD for the Gold

By Ira Manarang
“HOLD FOR THE GOLD” – This was the theme of the 16th Handmaids of the Lord International
Conference held at the Philsports Arena (ULTRA) in Pasig City from April 17-19, 2009. A total of 4585
delegates attended (4426 from Metro Manila and 69 provinces) and 159 from 21 countries (Australia, our life is to win the race,
Athens , Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, China, Dubai, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Netherlands, to reach the finish line and
Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Switzerland, Vienna, Vietnam.) claim the heavenly prize.
The main event of April 17 was the Mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Mar Barranda followed by a song Each of the talks was
and dance concert performed by participants from the provinces and other countries. punctuated by sharings
The whole day of Saturday was devoted to the talks. Talk 1: “ The Great Race” was delivered by from several HOLD mem-
Bernie Low, a HOLD Leader in Singapore. Here, she stressed that we are all racers and everyone bers. Among the most
is expected to win and help each other. And that in running the race, we must continually and powerful sharings were
consistently train and strain ourselves to develop spiritual muscles that will enable us to run the those by Odelia Helafu
whole stretch. from Papua New Guinea
In Talk 2, “Running Light,” Mercy Ariles, HOLD Regional Coordinator for Southern Tagalog, cited who narrated how she had
the need to be free of non-essentials such as vanity, comforts, luxuries, distractions and preoccupa- to walk miles and miles
tions, accumulations and possessions, which weigh heavily on us and prevent us from finishing and cross a river just to
the race.. conduct prayer meetings
Talk 3: “Gearing Up,” was delivered by Flor Victoriano, HOLD Regional Coordinator for Northeast- with her HOLD sisters and
ern Mindanao who stressed that preparation is of outmost important in any race. Thus, every HOLD how her HOLD meetings
member must have the following as part of her spiritual gear: (1) the belt of truth - - our conscience caused conflict between
is our “spiritual belt”, (2) righteousness as our breastplate – our spiritual clothing (3) feet shod in the her and her husband. An-
gospel of peace; (4) faith other powerful sharing
as a shield; (5) helmet of was delivered by Baby Estrada who spoke of being so poor that she earned a living as a street ven-
salvation – the salvation dor, but her faith saw her through –her children all finished their studies with honors and are now
that comes from God; and professionals.
(6) Sword of the Spirit – the Chee Mallonga was an atheist and a member of the National Democratic Front and thereafter the
Word of God. Communist Party. But when she was called to HOLD, her whole life changed. Now, she and her
Talk 4: “On Your Mark children are members of the CFC community.
… Get Set … Go …” was Kimberly Penaflor was detained for 2-1/2 years at Camp Karingal and her own mother caused her
delivered by Myra Respi- detention. But God’s plan was to meet Kimberly in prison, through a CLP. Since then her relation-
cio, Sector Coordinator for ship with God deepened with the support of HOLD sisters serving there. She began to realize that
North B in Metro Manila she is beautiful in the eyes of God. She was released late 2008 and is now living in peace, having
who cited the tribulations forgiven everyone who caused her pains.
we experience when we set A highlight of this talk was a very solemn ceremony where each delegate placed on the head of
out to run the race. another a golden crown of flowers as a symbol of God’s everlasting love and a promise of the gold
HOLD International Co- prize awaiting her at the finish line.
ordinator, Didi Galsim, de- Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao celebrated Mass on the third and final day. The bishop’s
livered the final talk, “Hold exhortation was taken from the GOLD part of the ICON theme – G or Gratitude for the past; O or
for the Gold.” She stated Optimism for the future; L for Loyalty to the Church tradition, Mama Mary and to Christ; and D
that the very purpose of for Daring to Dream.
 C2
By Joe Tale, CFC Executive Director
Moving Forward
With The
Risen Christ
THE Lenten season has come and gone. We are now in the Easter
season, traditionally and liturgically a time for rejoicing, for con-
tinuing reflection on the wonderful gift of salvation that has been
given to us freely.
Easter is a time of joy, yes, but together with our promises of re-
pentant lives and expectant faith, we should deepen our resolve to
love more and to serve more. The realizations we were privileged
to have during Lent now point us to one direction only – to make
those realizations come alive in our daily routines.
Our mission is clear – to build the Church of the Home and the
Church of the Poor. We need no further exhortations on how we,
as a community, will move forward in attaining this mission. We
are clear on the family dimension of our work and on the social
dimension of our being Christian.
A good Christian should also be a good citizen. Today, we are
only a year away from the elections of 2010 where we will be called
once again to exercise our right and sacred duty as citizens to elect
our local and national leaders. Are we as clear on our mission in
this area? Perhaps not. Many of us tend to avoid this aspect. But
the question must be asked. How do we respond to the current
socio-political situation? How can we move forward in this area of
politics and governance?
Oftentimes, we shy away from involvement in the very arena
that is supposed to ensure that we get good governance. We think
politics is a dirty word, that it is always associated with graft and
corruption. We are aware, as our Philippine bishops declared in
1997, that “Philippine politics – the way it is practiced – has been
most hurtful of us as a people. It is possibly the biggest bane in our
life as a nation and the most pernicious obstacle to our achieving
of full human development.” (Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine
By Joe Yamamoto, Philippine Missions Director, International Council Member
Fishers of Men
ONE of the most remarkable stories in the Bible is how Jesus re-
cruited unlikely men to be his apostles, men who helped change
the world. He called Peter and Andrew, James and John, all four
of them fishermen, to come and follow him. Apart from their lowly
occupation, consider also that they all came from Galilee which, at
that time, was considered a backward region compared of course to
the great city of Jerusalem, the city of David and his son Solomon.
Choosing poor fishermen for his first followers from a backward
region is contrary to the usual human wisdom. The Bible passage
tells us though how willingly the four came and how swiftly they
made their decision to follow. When Jesus said, ‘Come after me,
and I will make you fishers of men,’ they immediately left their nets
and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20).
The rest of the original twelve apostles were called in and were
trained at the foot of the Master over the next three years of Jesus’
public ministry. Jesus taught them spiritual lessons through dia-
logues, discourses, and parables. He showed them many miracles
and mentored them. On occasion, he rebuked and admonished them,
particularly to emphasize the power of prayers. For three years, they
were inseparable.
The four fishermen, perhaps, had some of the most unique lessons
on discipleship. Remember the time when they were disheartened
because they had caught nothing despite being out in the deep waters
for the whole night? They were instructed to get back to the waters,
and in the full light of a sunny day, were specifically instructed, by
a carpenter, to drop the net from the right side of the boat. Lo and
behold, they caught a whole lot of fish. Peter learned his lesson,
acknowledged his sinfulness and never again doubted Christ.
More than any other roles that the apostles were to perform, that
of being ‘fishers of men’ and shepherds of the flock were the roles
Jesus most often and strongly emphasized. Two encounters of Je-
sus with the apostles after His resurrection lent emphasis to these
particular missions given by the Lord.
Shortly after the post-Resurrection appearance of Christ to the
doubting Thomas, he showed himself to the seven disciples along
the Sea of Tiberias. Simon Peter said, “I am going fishing,” to which
the other six replied, “we also will come with you.” So they went out,
and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was
already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did
not realize it was Jesus. When he asked if they had caught any fish,
and they answered in the negative, Jesus said to them: “Cast the net
to the right side of the boat and you will find them.” They obeyed,
and now they were unable to draw it up for the great number of
fishes. Peter, to whom recognition dawns, cried out, “It is the Lord!”
and immediately threw himself into the water, in a great hurry to
be by Jesus’ side. (John 21:1-8)
The gospel emphasized important and noteworthy details -- the
net was full, it did not break, and 153 large fishes were caught. The
disciples recognized the Risen Jesus because of that encounter.
Ugnayan CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
Politics)
But politics per se is not dirty. As our bishops stated, it is the
CFC Executive Director
“practice” of it that has sullied our perceptions and given rise to the
twin evils of graft and corruption.
Our bishops further say: “The Christian Catholic has the call and
Visits California
the duty to transform politics by the Gospel. The Church, God’s
people, must evangelize politics. God’s call to the Church is to
preach the integral Gospel, with all its social dimensions, and ‘to
restore all things under Christ’ (Eph. 1:10). Politics has a religious
and moral dimension, which our Catholic faith is concerned with.
Being a human activity, politics has, therefore, a religious and moral By Sari Yoingco
dimension which our Catholic faith simply cannot ignore…”
When we, as CFC, declare that we are building the Church of the CFC Executive Director Joe Tale and his wife Babylou visited
Home and the Church of the Poor, that declaration includes building the CFC brethren in Southern California last March 1. Together
society, building a nation. The governance of a nation has a direct with CFC USA Coordinator Ricky Cuenca, they attended a GK
impact on the family and the poor. planning meeting and met with key leaders in the area.
So, what should we do as Christians and specifically as CFC? In his exhortation during the meeting, Joe spoke about CFC
Pope Benedict XVI also issued a clear clarion call in November being a “dynamic community,” and explained the refined and
15, 2008 in Rome: “In a particular way, I confirm the necessity and expanded vision and mission of CFC, which he enjoined every-
urgency of the evangelical formation and pastoral accompaniment one to take to heart. He also emphasized that although “Love
of a new generation of Catholics working in politics…” One Another” was last year’s theme and had been replaced by
In the next few months, let us all start the journey of discernment 2009’s “Moving Forward in Christ,” loving should still be our
of how we, individually and as a community, should specifically goal since love is the hallmark of every Christian.
respond to the clear pronouncements of our Pope and our bishops. Joe further shared how our CFC community has kept him
Just as we are called to evangelize the home and family, we are also inspired to continue to serve all these years. He reminded
called to evangelize the political culture. everyone to be in constant prayer as we are all called to be a
As we move forward in the Risen Christ in such spiritual journey, community of intercessors as commanded by Christ in John
we look not only at our own hearts and our families but at the wider 21:15-17.
community that surrounds us. Let us pray for our victorious risen
God to lead us in this challenging area of our national life!
Theological Institute
Towards the conclusion
of the gospel chapter, Jesus
Invites CFC to Give Retreat
INTERNATIONAL Council Member Joe Yamamoto conducted a
Lenten recollection for the faculty members and students of the In-
ternational Theological Institute, a Vatican-mandated organization
based in Austria last April 4.
The recollection was held in a monastery on top of a mountain in
asked Peter three times if he Sonntagberg, Austria, about two hours away from Vienna. About
loved Him. Peter answered 35 couples attended the seminar, including some Greek Catholic
affirmatively three times and priests.
with every answer, Jesus told Joe gave three talks touching on the core mission of CFC (evan-
Peter, “Feed my lambs. Feed gelization), on family life renewal and on discipleship. Joe’s wife,
my sheep.” Mila, Jorge and Joy Villanueva, Rene and Nelia Santayana and Ruben
Jesus, in that one crucial and Dolly Colon, all of whom are the Senior Regional Coordinators
encounter, stressed the two of CFC Europe, were the sharers.
important roles for the dis-
ciples -- to be “fishers of men”
Highway of Peace
and “shepherds of His flock.”
As fishers of men, along the
tradition of the apostles, we
Christians are to cast the net, no matter how uncertain or difficult
the circumstances. We are always expected to hold steadfast in
faith, to bring in those who do not yet know Christ. The other role,
as shepherds of the flock, we are to fulfill when we start to take care
and pastor those who are already in the fold.
Cuts Through
First, we are to fish, i.e. to proclaim the gospel to the non-evange-
lized, and invite them through the Christian Life Programs to come
into community. Second, once those called to be in CFC community
are in, we act as shepherds by caring, nurturing and mentoring them.
Mindanao
THE fifth Highway of Peace caravan kicked off last April 18, the
These are two roles that all disciples are expected to follow. Being culminating activity of the Build activities that began a week earlier
disciples of Christ, all CFC members are firmly enjoined and asked in Sulu and in Zamboanga.
to serve joyfully in performing these two roles. The caravan assembled at the Marian College grounds in the
I was reminded by the following story, narrated by a brother from town of Ipil in Zamboanga-Sibugay and converged at Tulongatong
Mindanao, of the uniqueness of our community. There is this one in Zamboanga City. International Council members Joe Yamamoto
coastal area where our members are predominantly fishermen. One and Melo Villaroman, who is also the President of Gawad Kalinga,
night, when their catch was poor, they decided to worship the CFC joined the caravan, leading scores of Couples for Christ leaders and
way and sang “Shine Jesus Shine.” A short while after putting out GK workers for the annual event.
to sea, they dropped their nets. Their simple faith was rewarded
with a good catch.
By way of contrast, I read this story about an old fisherman who
intently observed a young lad who went about his merry way of
fishing in a river one day. The old man noticed that the boy would
yank in fish after fish but oddly, he would throw back the bigger
fishes. Unable to control his curiosity, the old fisherman asked the
boy why he would throw back the bigger fishes that were bigger
than the span of the boy’s right hand. Confidently, the boy retorted,
“I only keep the fishes that fit my 6-inch frying pan.”
Are we, who claim to be fishers of men, like this young boy, who
would limit the “catch” despite the bountiful fish that surround us?
Are we so un-resourceful that we would go only to areas that “fit”
our ideas and expectations because we doubt our own capacities?
Or are we like the first group of fishermen,who claim in faith
the outcome of their fishing expedition, and are therefore amply
rewarded?
Enjoying cold popsicles to ward off the heat are (from left): Caloy Subang,
Regional Head of Western Mindanao, Deo Maranga, council member of
Zamboanga City, Sam and Melo Villaroman, Boie Sescon, Regional Head of
Northcentral Mindanao, Anthony Swanson, CFC Oregon, Joe Yamamoto and
Jimmy Amamio.
LAYOUT BY LAURENCE JOHN R. MORALES
Mindanao leaders take a respite from the caravan. From left: Bong Bautista,
Provincial Area Director of Agusan del Norte, Melo Villaroman, Jimmy Amamio,
GK Head of Agusan del Norte, Joe Yamamoto and Nonoy Dalman, Provincial
Area Head of Zamboanga.
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009
Ugnayan C3

A Solution to Hunger
Bayan-Anihan advocates wear their T-shirts with pride
By Richie Tolentino
WHY do we have hunger in the Philippines? That was the question
posed by John Marie Concepcion, managing director and CEO of
Unilever RFM Ice Cream Inc., when he addressed the CFC Mission
Core Group on April 21 at the Xavier Gym.
Perhaps it was this same question that led him to work toward the
food productivity program now known as BAYAN-ANIHAN.
Concepcion has been involved in the work of Gawad Kalinga since
2004 because, as he says, “Our company had become so focused on
business growth that we had neglected our relationships.” It was
his search for a program to help rebuild the relationships within the
company that eventually led him to GK.
A Greater Purpose
As one team, Concepcion, along with his employees and his fam-
ily, helped build a GK village in San Andres, Cainta, aptly named
after their ice cream brand Selecta. They have also raised funds for
GK through various activities, volunteered to help build a school in
the typhoon-ravaged Quezon province, and have been participating
annually in the GK 1MB since 2007.
The young executive admits that GK has transformed not just him
but his employees, the Concepcion clan, and his immediate family as
well. Through GK, he says, “we learned to appreciate our blessings
and recognize the responsibility that comes with these blessings.”
More importantly, working with the poor has made Concepcion
realize that building the nation is his company’s business. Work
with the poor, he adds, is not about corporate social responsibility.
It is a powerful human resource tool because it allows us to live out
the values we are taught.
This awakening to a greater calling and purpose drove Concep-
cion to take the next step after housing—the search for a solution
to hunger. He cites that more than 15 percent of total households in
the Philippines go hungry. That is equivalent to millions of Filipinos
starving. According to Concepcion, what is needed is a simple model
that can be replicated nationwide. The issue of rural hunger has to be
tackled in order to deal with the problem of urban hunger. In addi-
tion, both farm technology and value formation need to be addressed
to overcome the biggest challenge, which is sustainability.
In his quest for a way to eradicate hunger, Concepcion came up
with BAYAN-ANIHAN, a program to empower the poor so that
they may do what has seemed impossible for a long time: provide
food for their families. BAYAN-ANIHAN started out with the basic
the government. No single institution can address a problem that
has plagued our country for so long, he says. There are so many
goal of creating a 10-square-meter plot for GK residents to organi- people who want to help, but there are also so many advocacies in
cally grow vegetables, fruit trees, medicinal/culinary herbs, and root the Philippines. We split ourselves into small projects that address
crops. However, after pilot testing with 20 farms, most of which temporary needs and issues rather than the lingering problem of
failed, Concepcion realized implementing BAYAN-ANIHAN was poverty and hunger.
not as simple he thought. Unfazed by the failures, he and his team The strength of GK, according to Concepcion, is that it is a wholistic
of both GK and non-GK workers learned from the experience and program with CFC at the very center, bringing a greater sense of
moved on to bigger goals. purpose to the work because it is done for the Lord. In closing, he
urged everyone to support and help BAYAN-ANIHAN. He sug-
Goodbye, Gutom! gested that ways we can help are by being an advocate, by simply
In the next two years, BAYAN-ANIHAN aims to build 2,500 farms sharing the story and spreading the word about the program, or
to feed 500,000 people. This year alone, the program is targeting 500 volunteering to donate your time or become a trainer or coordina-
farms, beginning with communities that have available land and tor. Now that the seeds have been planted, let us work together for
water, are sufficiently organized, and have the greatest need. This a rich harvest.
means priority is given to the hungriest provinces. Toward this end, Postscript: In a text message to Executive Director Joe Tale right
the marketing campaign “Goodbye GUTOM!” was developed with after his talk, John Concepcion expressed elation at being invited to
the objective of empowering each and every Filipino to say “goodbye speak about Bayan-anihan before Couples for Christ leaders.
to hunger” and “goodbye to the hungry.” The three-pronged strategy Part of the message states: “...after the Luzon planting day, we
involves building multisectoral partnerships, effective rollout for learned many things which we are now fine-tuning in our proce-
sustainability, and creating a national movement. dures. One of the biggest learnings is the role of CFC in Gawad
By partners, Concepcion refers to government branches like the Kalinga and Bayan-anihan. Without CFC, our job will be difficult if
Department of Agriculture and local government units, which to- not impossible. Thank you for giving Bayan-anihan the opportunity
gether can provide the farm inputs (such as seeds) and infrastructure to speak in CFC. I hope you can continue to invite me and my team
(including land and water); agricultural universities, which can to other CFC events.”
serve as training centers and provide student trainers for the com-
munity; corporations and individuals, who can volunteer to adopt
a community or simply help out during planting and harvesting
days; and non-government or local government units, which can
serve as partners in the program implementation. The idea is that
everyone in society has something to give and something to gain
from the program.
In terms of sustainability, Concepcion and his team has come up
with a four-phase train-the-trainer strategy. They have developed a
45-minute video training module as part of the campaign to engage
and educate the community. Aside from providing training on farm-
ing techniques and technology, the campaign also aims to form the
beneficiaries in the BAYAN-ANIHAN guiding values of self-worth
(community empowerment), hard work (commitment despite chal-
lenges), excellence (adherence to the program), bayanihan (planting,
working, and harvesting together), and care for health and the envi-
ronment (organic farming and environment beautification).
Finally, to amplify the program into a national movement, the
BAYAN-ANIHAN team is launching a campaign targeted at the
youth. The objective is to inspire the young to join the fight against
hunger—to become “hunger warriors.”
Promising Harvest
The first seeds of the program have already been planted on
March 28, when simultaneous planting was conducted in 100 farms
throughout Luzon. In July, BAYAN-ANIHAN will be officially
launched to coincide with the Harvest Day of the 100 Luzon farms.
Pilot testing of farms in non-GK sites is slated in June to August,
while the Mindanao Planting Day is scheduled in August. Finally,
the youth campaign will kick off during the GK Expo in October.
In answer to the question he posed at the start of his talk, Concep-
cion says it is not because of lack of resources that there is hunger in
our country. After all, we have sun, land, water, and the technology.
Neither is it for lack of heart, for we are the third largest Catholic
country in the world. Why is there hunger in the Philippines? Con-
cepcion believes it is because of our tendency to rely too much on John Concepcion

Jesus Followers
By Clarke Nebrao
THE gospel verse last April 17 spoke of the appear-
ance of Jesus to the seven disciples, after He had
already risen from the dead. “Doubting Thomas”
was among them, he of so little faith that he de-
clared he would only believe tales of Jesus having
risen if he could touch the wounds at Jesus’ hands
and feet and his side. Thomas of course comes
to believe and goes on, together with the other
disciples, to proclaim Jesus’ message, even going
as far as India.
It seemed providential that it was on that date
that the CFC International Missions Office sent out
seven international missionaries (3 from the USA, 2
from the Caribbean, 1 from Seychelles, and 1 from
Thailand), after they had completed the Jesus Fol-
lower ’09 training for long term missions (missions
lasting for at least three months).
The send-off mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr.
Allen Cartagena, OSJ at the CFC Global Center
in Ortigas. He exhorted the trainees to indeed be
followers of Christ as they follow in His footsteps
of proclaiming God’s Word to all. He blessed the
missionaries and handed out mission rosaries as
tokens and reminders to be the bearer of Christ
to the world.
After the mass, Robert Ardiente, country co-
ordinator for Israel, gave the
missionaries authentic Roman
olive branches straight from
His Grace Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn, was visited by Youth for Christ Australia
Jerusalem that were taken from leaders in connection with the preparation for the CFC Youth for Christ Oceania Conference, which will be hosted by Couples
the 2,000 year-old olive trees in for Christ Canberra. Photo shows Erick Manrique, second from right with YFC Canberra leaders and the archbishop.
the Garden of Gethsemane on During this encounter, Archbishop Mark Coleridge offered his wisdom and support for CFC and its family ministries.
Mount Olives.
The missionaries are: Kath-
erine Ferreira (Florida, USA),
Abigail Hernandez (San Fran-
cisco, USA), Julius Rober-
CFC Timor-Leste blessed to
have ‘full-time’ priest-worker!
to (North California, USA),
Kalifa Romany (Trinidad &
Tobago),Gabriella Evertsz (St.
Maarten), Damien Houreau
(Seychelles) and Phornsinee
Thanara (Thailand).
By Anthony & Tina Rodriguez
REV. Fr. Alan Bondoc, SVD, an “adopted” member of the Timor Leste mission team household,

Rebirth in Christ
recently expressed his intent to serve full-time with and for CFC. Exposed to the Charismatic
movement since his college days through the Catholic Youth in Action (CYA) and with parents
who are Couples for Christ members back home in Pampanga, Fr. A, as he is fondly called, is
no stranger to how people in communities like CFC worship, have sharings about their faith
experiences, and do evangelization work.
And so it was that by God’s grace, during an advent retreat led by a Charismatic priest from
By Sky Ortigas Australia, Fr. Alan felt led by the Holy Spirit to write a letter to his superiors asking to be allowed
to work full-time for the Charismatic movement, specifically for CFC. Everyone was amazed since
THE whole community of Couples for Christ in Guangzhou, China had their annual lenten retreat it was common knowledge that Fr. Alan would actually be leaving Timor-Leste for his new mission
last March 29, 2009. The central theme of the retreat focused on “Rebirth in Christ” taken from John assignment – as formator for the SVD congregation in West Timor, Indonesia. The mission team
3: 1-21 had actually held a simple farewell party and given Fr. Alan a token of appreciation.
It was a day of prayer, reflection Upon returning to Timor-Leste in January 2009 from a brief visit home to the Philippines, Fr. Alan
and sharing on God’s perfect love to met with his superiors and was granted permission to serve with and for CFC, making him the
His people. At the same time, it was a first “full-
day of recognizing that as His people, time” priest-
we need to acknowledge our sinful- worker for
ness, confess our sins and return to CFC Timor-
Him. We need to experience rebirth Leste. It
so that the Holy Spirit can fully move just goes to
in our lives. sh ow t h a t
The retreat was attended by couples God really
and different members of the family provides
ministries. It ended with a confession so that His
and a Eucharistic celebration, attended work can
by the entire Catholic community in continue
Guangzhou. and flour-
The participants went home feeling ish! Hahi ba
the high of believing that Christ is fully Nai! Praise
working in all of us and that we need to the Lord! Fr. Alan with his co-“full-time” workers, during a brief pastoral visit
proclaim His name to the world.
 C4 Ugnayan CBCP Monitor
Vol. 13 No. 9
April 27 - May 10, 2009

GK Bayani Challenge Young GK Heroes

By Brenda Milan
LAST April 12,2009, two hundred volunteers / builders of Gawad
Kalinga Bayani Challenge 2009, composed mostly of members of
the Couples for Christ community from all over the Philippines,
together with a few foreign delegates, gathered at the Western
Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City for short prayers led by
International Council Member Melo Villaroman prior to boarding
the navy ship to Panglima Estino in Sulu. They brought along
construction tools, food and personal belongings. They were on a
mission – to build homes for the poor in Sulu. They left behind a
larger group of volunteers who were on the same build mission in
Zamboanga.
Two large bancas ferried the builders to Panglima Estino where
Mayor Munib Estino, Brig. General Natalio C. Ecarma III of the Phil.
Marines, municipal officials and a marching band were waiting.
Also waiting were Muslim brothers and sisters, the expected
beneficiaries, who were astounded at the large number of Christians
who had come to rebuild their homes.
Gracing the opening ceremony were Governor Abdursakur Tan,
Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, and other top
military officials in the area.
The building was assigned to different teams, among them: Team
Australia, composed mostly of Filipino-Australians, Team Bukid-
non, Team Leyte, Team Compostela Valley, Team Sultan Kudarat,
Team Negros, Team Survivors-Leyte, Team Samar, Team Pagadian,
Team Davao, Team SFC Manila, and a team composed of members
from different areas.
Each day, the team members did morning stretching exercises led
by Marine Officers before working on the houses .There were games
Step Up For
Their Nation
By Amid Lauro
OVER 400 young individuals from the different regions
of Philippines and from Kenya, Thailand, East Timor and
Singapore gathered in the GK sites of Minglanilla and
Mananga in Cebu for a 5-day Gawad Kalinga (GK) Youth
Build themed as “SULONG KABATAAN” from March 29 to
April 2, 2009.
The said event showcased the youth’s fervent love for God
and love for nation through actively involving themselves in
building houses for the poorest of the poor.
The enthusiastic builders were grouped into teams to do
build tasks such as digging the foundation of the house,
stacking up the hollow blocks, painting and landscaping the
surroundings of the GK site.
in between to encourage camaraderie between the builders and our
The build activity lasted for 5 days and 4 nights but it was
Muslim brothers and sisters who assisted us.
not all work. The build schedule included fun games in the
It rained daily during our entire stay in Panglima Estino. Mud
day and talks and entertainment at night. Chucky Garcia, the
clung to our shoes and clothes and made moving around difficult.
Youth Head of Event, exhorted and challenged everyone to do
We slept on the floor of classrooms and had to fetch water for our
more than just pittance for the poor but to really build a life for
cooking and bathing needs, but nobody complained. We just felt
them so that they could start hoping again.
sad that basic needs like potable water were not accessible to the
The Build experience was even more amazing as everyone
residents.
in the CFC (Couples for Christ) community of South Sector 1
The GK IMB ( Isang Milyong Bayani) forum was also launched,
of Cebu City supported the event.
participated by the builders and the Muslim youth of the area. Work-
shops were also conducted. It is interesting to note that the young
generation, both Christians and Muslims alike are interested to know
more about their roles and how they can be peacemakers. Each group
also shared their misconceptions/biases against each other before
the Bayani Challenge. But when given the chance to dialogue and
interact with each other, the issues were quickly resolved.
Mayor Munib, a famous Tausug warrior, three time Vice Gover-
nor of the Province of Sulu, two time Board Member and two time
Mayor of Panglima Estino was so touched by the presence of the
builders. He knew that they risked life and limb, and left family and
comfort zones behind to contribute what they can to the project. He
requested each builder to leave an imprint of his/her hand on the
wet cement that ringed the model home. The names of all who came
will also be part of the history of the place.
God’s spirit was strongly manifested in the area as both Christians
and Muslims alike interacted together - whether in building a house
or during programs and games. There was a genuine desire to under-
stand each other’s uniqueness and acknowledge that we may differ
in our religious beliefs and practices, but as long as there is love and
respect, which stem from our personal relationship with God, we
can move forward and tear down the walls that separate us.

Unblocking the Road to

Prosperity
mindsets.”
Fifth is that some people will always blame others. The bishop
drew from history, stating that “From our earliest history, we
have pointed the finger at others, blaming them instead of taking
responsibility for our actions.”
Sixth is impatience. Some people simply cannot wait. According
to Bishop Ongtioco, “A
By Arnel Santos lot of good things are ac-
tually achieved through
HIS Most Rev. Honesto suffering.” This is why
F. Ongtioco, DD, Bishop the word “patience”

Pinoys join international

of Cubao, facilitated the comes from the Latin
Lenten Recollection of word “patio,” which
the CFC Mission Core means, “to suffer.”

marathon in Vienna
Group on April 5, 2009, Seventh is greed. We
at the Xavier Gymna- must examine our pri-
sium. He spoke about orities. Bishop Ongtioco
“The Importance of a related the story of his
Recollection” and “The former classmate who NINETEEN Filipinos were among some 30,000 participants who
Hindrances and the instead of immediately joined the 26th Vienna City Marathon last April 18.
Positive Approaches to grabbing an offer for an Pinoy participants ran under the umbrella of Gawad Kalinga. The
Prosperity.” out-of-town job promo- group’s overall coordinator, Jorge Villanueva, dubbed the event as
The good bishop set tion, opted to heed the Gawad Kalinga European Heroes Run.
the tone for the recollec- plea of his kids to stay “Gawad Kalinga Europe Heroes run is about making a sacrifice for
tion by announcing that with his present job be- the country. It is about going out of the way to help the country move
he will not use any pow- cause, what they desire forward most especially in the poverty alleviation aspect. We run
erpoint presentation for is not “more money, because we want to show to the world that we are doing something
his recollection. He said, but their father’s pres- for the country,” Villanueva told ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau.
“The POWER of my talk ence.” Albert Manuel, together with four other Pinoys traveled all the
is in the Word of God. To overcome the ob- way from Ireland to join the marathon.
That is the POINT!” stacles, Bishop Ongtioco “We all came here to Vienna to run for Gawad Kalinga in the
For the main topic, Bishop Ongtioco enumerated the seven (7) enumerated the seven (7) approaches to prosperity, happiness Vienna City Marathon. We are very happy to be a part of this pres-
Hindrances to Prosperity. and freedom, as follows: tigious marathon. Through our participation, we are giving back
First is mediocrity. Citing a quip from his conversation with 1. Know who you are. What God said of Jesus: “This is my something to our country, ito ang taya namin, this is also in solidarity
Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, the bishop said, “God beloved Son…,” He says also to us. Our sonship is part of our to those who are in the Philippines, mga Gawad Kalinga workers na
gives us 24 hours a day. It is up to us what to do with that 24 identity, our royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart. As nagtatrabaho na walang pagod and this is also our way of honoring
hours.” Just like in the Parable of Talents, Bishop Ongtioco God’s children, we are “meant to fly. God wants us to be free,… them,” Manuel related.
exhorted all to “Strive for the best everyday. Opt for excellence to enjoy life even in this world.” During the kick-off program and presentation of the participants,
and the best.” 2. Set your goal. Be specific. If you have a plan, do something Philippine Embassy Consul General Maria Teresa Almojuela also
Second is that some people limit what God can do. According that is measurable and achievable. Know where your energies expressed her interest in joining next year’s relay-marathon.
to the good bishop, “Our imagination is the only limit of what we are and be focused. A number of Filipinos likewise joined thousands of fans who took
can hope for in the future.” It is thus good to have a wild imagi- 3. Strive to achieve your dreams. Like David fighting Goliath, long brisk walks and sprints just to be in strategic points to give full
nation. Just like in the feeding of the 5,000, the bishop noted that focus on your strength and make sure you attain your dreams. support to Pinoy runners.
God can give beyond what we imagine. Review your goals habitually. Jun Dano was also inspired by the experience. He committed
Third is that some people always speak of defeat. Some people 4. Believe and trust in God’s providence. himself to participate in the Gawad Kalinga marathon in Dublin
are bogged down by cynicism and pessimism. Bishop Ongtioco 5. Being in Gratitude. People who are grateful are happy this October.
related the story of Thomas Alva Edison who made around 500 people. Meanwhile, Villanueva asked for support and prayers when
attempts before he suc- 6. Keep moving the Gawad Kalinga Europe Heroes Run moves to Barcelona on
ceeded in producing the forward. Keep doing May 17.
light bulb. The bishop something to achieve “We can never rest on our laurels for the war against poverty.
said, “We should not let your dream. We must move forward with a total sense of urgency and commit-
defeat be an obstacle. It 7. Stay in God’s love. ment. We will not stop until there are no more slums! Therefore, we
should challenge us to No branch can bear fruit enjoined the different Filipino communities, organizations to run
do greater things.” if not attached to the with us to rebuild the nation, as we look forward to next year’s GK
Fourth is letting oth- vine. ”How much are Europe Heroes Run,” Villanueva said.
ers stop us from fulfill- we attached to Jesus, the
ing our dream. Bishop main vine?” If we are
Ongtioco recounted attached to the vine, the
his experiences as a life that God wants to
young priest during grow in our hearts will
which he dared to chal- grow, and the love that
lenge well-entrenched He has for His Son can
thought patterns and flow to us. “Stay with
mindsets which ham- the vine so that other
pered the people’s jour- people can also share,
ney to prosperity. He the same life, the same
emphasized that “God love.”
is power but not ruth- The Lenten recollec-
less. Ask the Lord that tion was capped by a
we be not imprisoned communal prayer led
by others’ and our own by Bishop Ongtioco.