CBCP Monitor Vol. 20 No. 10

8/20/2019 CBCP Monitor Vol. 20 No. 10

1/20

IN THIS ISSUE

CBCP

Guard kids vscyber porn,parents warnedBy Roy Lagarde

CATHOLIC bishopshave warned parentsof the dangers of the

internet with pornog-raphy becoming a dis-turbing trend in thePhilippines.

The prelates part icularlyurged parents to monitor theirchi ldren ’s ac t iv i t ies on theinternet so they won’t be exposedto cyber porn.

“Parents must be held responsiblein monitoring and supervising theirchildren’s access to the internet,”said Archbishop Socrates Villegas,president of the Catholic Bishops’

Conference of the Philippines.The CBCP made the statement

in its latest document titled“Created for Love, Created forChastity– A pastoral Response tothe Grave Evil of Pornography”,

and was released to the public onThursday, Feb 10.

The issue on pornography wasamong the pressing concerns thatthe bishops discussed during theirplenary assembly held in Cebu Citylast month.

T h e b i s h o p s d e s c r i b e dpornography as a “pervasive socialcancer” that has been on the rise onthe internet and has “wounded andcorrupted” many men, women, andchildren.

According to the 2015 Study of Word Internet Users and Population

Statistics, Filipino children areamong those with the highest accessto the internet in Asia.

In 2013, a study on the youthconducted by the University of thePhilippines Population Institute

showed that 56.5 percent of Filipinosaged 15-24 have been exposed topornographic videos, 35.6% have

been exposed to sexually explicitreading materials, and 15.5% have

viewed pornographic websites.“Given the all-pervasiveness of the

internet, it should not be surprisingthat pornography has invaded ourhomes, workplaces, schools, andchurches,” Villegas said.

Lucrative industryPope Francis earlier cautioned

Vatican official to world leaders:Look into migration’s human face A TOP Vatican ocial reminded worl d le ad er s th at mi gr an ts ,regardless of their legal status,are still human beings whose rightsand dignity should be respectedacross territorial borders.

Even before Pope Francis’ recent visit to Mexico and the hullabalooover papal remarks about the globalissue on migration, ArchbishopBernardito Auza, PermanentObserver Mission of the Holy Seeto the United Nations, reiterated

that the Church will not cease toplead before the internationalcommunity for a more humanetreatment of migrants.

Auza, who hails from Talibon,Bohol, pointed out that “migrationis no longer a choice for people,and that an overwhelminglyamount of migrants are forced toee their homes due to extreme

want and grinding poverty, naturalcatastrophes and environmentaldegradation, wars and conicts.”

Tragedies of migration“Migration has become almost

synonymous with misfortunes, violence , and loss of econ omic

gains. The negative narrative on

Condom – candy swap: Young

people say no to ‘hook-up’ culture

migration exacerbates the plightof migrants, making them faceracism, xenophobia, stereotypes,even [becoming] scapegoatsfor terrorism and economicdiculties,” the prelate told CBCPNews.

As Permanent Observer to theUN, Auza, represents the Holy See

and the Holy Father in the Family

VA LE NT IN E’ SDay in Manila hasalready becomeinfamous not justfor ubiquitoustraffic becauseof all the love-struck couplesl o n g i n g t oexpres s theirmutual devotion

but also becauseit has come tostand for “FreeCondom Day”.

The “tradition” ofgiving away condomson the day of hearts,particularly in theD a n g w a f l o w e rMarket in Manila,started decades ago

but the ass ump tionthat young and not-so-young lovers alike

believe love is be ste x p r e s s e d w h e nsomeone gets laidhas been consistentlychallenged by--whomelse--young people.

Valent ine ’s Day2016 was no dierent.

Right next to a stall

d i s p e n s i n g f r e e

condoms to haplesspassers-by was anassorted group ofcolegialas, seminarians,and yuppies who perkilyheld up signs to peoplethat said: ‘Exchange

yo ur co nd om s fo rcandies and real love’.Condoms returned

T h e s u p p o s e dgovernment response-- n o t t o m e n t i o nt h e c o m m e r c i a lo p p o r t u n i s m o fc o n t r a c e p t i v ec o m p a n i e s - - t o

y o u n g p e o p l e ’ s

u n c o n t r o l l a b l e

Valentine libidos may

actually be based moreon an imposed orfabricated abstraction.

“Actually we werereally happy..We werereally happy because

whe n the y saw tha t we were giving awaycandies, they actuallyeagerly gave up thecondoms that theyreceived and somepeople were eventelling us that theydidn’t really want toaccept the condomsthat were being givenaway,” said Filipinos

FEBRUARY 22 - MARCH 6, 2016, VOLUME 20, NUMBER 10MonitorPROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE [email protected]

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent ObserverMission of the Holy See to the United Nations.KRIS BAYOS

of Nations that is the UnitedNations.

The Filipino prelate added that within the problems associ ated with mas s mig rat ions lie eve ngreater tragedies.

“Take the case of humantrafficking, in particular thetrafficking of women and girlsfor sex, and other contemporaryforms of slavery spawned bymigration. Statistics suggest thatup to 35 million people are living

in conditions of slavery across theglobe, facing sexual exploitation,forced labor, and the denial oftheir basic rights. These modernforms of slavery are the oppositeof a globalization driven by theculture of encounter and the valuesof solidarity and justice. PopeFrancis arms that these forms ofmodern slavery are a crime againsthumanity and an open wound onthe body of our contemporarysociety,” he explained.

Only way Auz a cla ri fie d that the Hol y

See, despite its stance on globalmigration issue, is aware of the

Guard / A6

Migration / A6 Condom / A7

Tagle: Break

down ‘isolation’

of sick people

T H E h e a d o f t h e M a n i l a ’ sC a t h o l i c C h u r c h h a s a s k e dthe faithful to break down the“isolation” and “loneliness” thatfurther burden those who arephysically ill.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagleurged Filipinos to pray for the sickin need of constant care and helpand make them feel loved.

“When you are sick, especially when it’s contagious, you will beisolated and alone. And beingmaybe that is one of the hardest

Sick / A7

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. DOMINIC BARRIOS

A3

A6

A6

Pope Francis namesnew PermanentObserver to the UN inGeneva

SUPPLEMENT ISSUE

The Cross: THE SUPPLEMENT PUBLICATION

OF KCFAPI AND THE ORDER OF

THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Pope Francis

delighted with ‘LoloKiko’ doll gift

‘Love of shortcutsis from the devil’ -bishop

Pope appoints newAlaminos bishop

A8

Pastoral Exhortationon the PastoralCare and Protectionof Minors

B1

I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y B R O T H E R S M A T I A S

CBCP

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manilaenthrones the statue of Mary, Helpof Christians, at its original chapelat the Manila Cathedral on Feb. 20,2016. The statue was returned tothe cathedral after 74 years of beingstationed at Our Lady of LoretoChurch in Sampaloc, Manila when itwas brought there for safety duringWorld War II. MARIA TAN


2/20

A2 CBCP MonitorFebruary 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10NEWS

Vatican Briefing

■ Cardinal Pell strikes back at allegations of child abuse

Cardinal George Pell forcefully denied an alleged policeinvestigation’s claim of “multiple oenses” of child sexualabuse, calling the accusations patently untrue. “Theallegations are without foundation and utterly false,” a Feb.

19 statement from Cardinal Pell’s oce read. The timingof the media leak on the alleged investigation “is clearlydesigned to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and theCatholic Church and undermines the work of the RoyalCommission,” it said. Cardinal Pell is a member of the Councilof Cardinals advising Pope Francis and a past archbishopof the Sydney and Melbourne archdioceses. He is also theprefect of the newly formed Secretariat for the Economy,

which is overseeing Vatican nances. (CNA)

■ Pope Francis against the death penalty: criminals too

have the right to life

Christians must work to abolish the death penalty andimprove prison conditions, Pope Francis said on Sunday.

After praying the Angelus on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square,Pope Francis called on all Christians and people of good

will to work “not only for the abolition of the death penalty” but also to improve the conditions in prison. These eorts

would respect the human dignity of prisoners, he said.Heappealed to the consciences of government leaders to join“the international consensus for the abolition of the deathpenalty.” He asked Catholic leaders not to hold executionsduring the Year of Mercy. This would be as a “courageousand exemplary act,” he said Feb. 21. (CNA)

■ Pope Francis names new Permanent Observer to the

UN in Geneva

Slovenia-born Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic will be the HolySee’s next Permanent Observer to the United Nations inGeneva, a signicant appointment given his experience indiplomacy. Archbishop Jurkovic has served as nuncio toRussia and Uzbekistan since 2011. The announcement of hisnew role came on Feb. 13, just one day after Pope Francis andRussian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba for the historicrst encounter of a Pope and a Russian Patriarch. Given

Archbishop Jurkovic’s diplomatic experience, some believehis appointment aims to assist in the rapprochement betweenthe Catholic Church and Moscow. He will have several roles,including Permanent Observer to the Oce of the UnitedNations and Specialized Agencies in Geneva and PermanentObserver to the World Trade Organization. (CNA)

■ If mercy doesn’t reach your pockets, it’s not real, Pope says

For Pope Francis, mercy isn’t just spiritual, but is somethingthat ought to be expressed in concrete acts of service and insharing one’s goods with the poor, which was a key traditionduring Jubilee years throughout Scripture. Referring to thecurrent Holy Year of Mercy, the Pope explained that theJubilee is a time “for conversion, so that our heart can become

bigger, more generous, more like a child of God, with morelove.” “But I tell you that if the Jubilee doesn’t arrive to thepockets, it’s not a true Jubilee,” he said, adding that “this isin the Bible, it’s not the Pope who invented this.” Francisspoke to pilgrims present in St. Peter’s Square for his generalaudience on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning ofthe Church’s Lenten season. (CNA)

■ Father Lombardi steps down from Vatican Radio amid

media reform

As the process of reforming the Vatican’s communicationsis carried out, Fr. Federico Lombardi will step down asdirector of Vatican Radio at the end of the month, thoughhe will continue to serve as director of the Holy See pressoffice. A Feb. 22 communique from the Secretariat forCommunications announced the decision, and that AlbertoGasbarri, director of administration at Vatican Radio, willalso be leaving his post. Neither Gasbarri nor Fr. Lombardi,

who has served Vatican Radio for 25 years, will be replaced.Gasbarri had coordinated papal trips for 40 years. The headof the Secretariat for Communications appointed GiacomoGhisani, deputy director of the secretariat, as Vatican Radio’sinterim legal representative and director of administration.(CNA)

■ Synods should get more input from lay faithful, church

experts say

An assembly of bishops at the Vatican should have moreinput from the lay faithful, said church experts attendinga seminar hosted by the head of the Synod of Bishops. Arenewed understanding of the role of the people of God andtheir bishops “warrants considering not just the bishop ofRome (the pope) and the episcopate in the synodal process,

but also the lay faithful,” said a communique issued by thesynod’s secretary general, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri. Thecommunique, released by the Vatican press oce Feb. 17,provided a brief summary of the conclusions reached bya seminar held Feb. 6-9 at the Vatican. Sponsored by thesynod’s secretary-general, the gathering looked at the Synodof Bishops as being at the service of a “synodal church.”(CNS)

■ Vatican invites head of al-Azhar to meet with pope torestart dialogue

The Vatican’s interreligious council invited the headof a leading Muslim institution to meet with PopeFrancis as part of an effort to restart dialogue. CardinalJean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Councilfor Interreligious Dialogue, invited Ahmad el-Tayeb,the grand imam of al-Azhar University, to come to the

Vatican and meet with the po pe. The invitation came in aletter that was delivered by Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot,council secretary, and given to the imam’s representativeduring a meeting in Cairo Feb. 16. Talks between the

Vat ican and al-A zha r were susp ended by the Musl imuniversity in 2011. A decades-old dialogue between al-

Azhar and the Va tican started to fray in 2006, after now-retired Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech in Regensburg,Germany. Al-Azhar officials and millions of Muslims saidthe speech linked Islam to violence. (CNS)

Bishop challenges Catholics to combat

‘ugly tide of anti-Islamic bigotry’CALIFORNIA, February22, 2016—San DiegoB i s h o p R o b e r t W .McElroy is challenging

U.S. Catholics to take anactive role in combating“the scourge of anti-Islamic prejudice.”

“We are witnessingin the United States anew nativism, whichthe American Catholiccommunity must rejectand label for the religious

bigotry which it is,” hesaid in a keynote addressdelivered Feb. 17 in theUniversity of San Diego’sJoan B. Kroc Institute forPeace and Justice.

The evening eventtook place against the

ba ck dr op of th e fi rs tn a t i o n a l C a t h o l i c -Muslim dialogue, which

was held Feb. 17-18 at theCatholic university.

Last May, after more than 20 yea rs of regiona l dialogu es wit hrepresentatives of the U.S. Muslimcommunity, the Committee onEcumenical and Interreligious Aairsof the U.S. Conference of CatholicBishops established a nationalCatholic-Muslim dialogue.

Motivated by the call of “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’sdeclaration on the relationship

betw een the Catholic Chur ch andnon-Catholic faiths, the dialogue

seeks to foster understanding andcollaboration between Catholics andMuslims. Chicago Archbishop BlaseJ. Cupich has been named its rstCatholic co-chairman.

In addition to Bishop McElroy’sspeech, the evening also featured akeynote speech by Sayyid M. Syeed,national director of the IslamicSociety of North America’s Oce forInterfaith and Community Alliances,

who reected on the state of Catholic-Muslim relations from the Muslimperspective.

A discussion with both men wasconducted on stage by Ami Carpenter,an associate professor at the Joan B.Kroc School of Peace Studies, with

members of the audience invited toask questions.

In his remarks, Bishop McElroyexhorted Catholics “to recognizeand confront the ugly tide of anti-Islamic bigotry” in the United States,to actively seek relationships withMuslims on a personal level, toaccompany the Muslim communityas it wrestles with religious libertyissues, and to join with them “to

witness to and ght for” a Middle East where Christian, Muslim and Jewishcommunities can coexist peacefully.

Bishop McElroy said U.S. Catholicsshould view with repugnance the“repeated falsehoods” that Islam is

inherently violent, that Muslims seekto supplant the U.S. Constitution

with sharia law, and that Musli mimmigration threatens “the culturalidentity of the American people.”Such claims, he said, are strikinglyreminiscent of the anti-Catholic

bigotry that was once prevalent in theUnited States.

However, the bishop’s denunciationof prejudice does not signify a denialof the reality of terrorism.

“I want to underscore that it isnot bigotry to fear or to combat the

viol ence and terr or which some

Muslims in the world have unleashedin the name of faith,” he explained,

whil e ac kn ow le dg in g th at so meChristians also have attemptedto use their faith to justify acts of

violence.Bishop McElroy also challenged U.S.

Catholics to overcome the “patterns ofsocial segregation” that lead themto associate almost exclusively withpeople from similar backgrounds.Because of this trend, he said, many

Americans do not have a signicantfriendship with a single member ofthe Muslim faith.

“Religious bigotry thrives in anenvironment of social isolation,” he said.“Encounter, which leads to friendship

and, thus, deeper understanding, is themost important antidote to prejudiceand bigotry.”

Through such encounters, he said,Catholics may take inspiration fromthe rich spirituality of the Muslimpeople, which includes the centralityof daily prayer, a commitment toasceticism and an understanding of“the immensity and the richness” ofdivine mercy.

Bishop McElroy reflected on thedevelopment of Catholic doctrine onthe subject of religious freedom andnoted that it was once suggested that,“in a (John F.) Kennedy presidency,it would be the pope who would

ultimately govern the United States.”He said Catholics must speak outagainst “distortions of Muslimtheology and teaching on society andthe state, because these distortionsare just as devastating in the presentday as the distortions of Catholicteaching ... which were disseminatedin American society in the 19thcentury.”

He encouraged Catholics “to walk with the Muslim community” as itreects upon issues of religious libertyand the relationship between churchand state.

Before concluding his presentation,Bishop McElroy issued one lastchallenge: Catholics and Muslimsshould work together toward apeaceful future and an end toreligious conict. Praising Islam’srespect for “the peoples of the Book”-- its term for adherents of Judaism,Christianity and Islam, each of

which trace their lineag e back tothe patriarch Abraham -- the bishopacknowledged the fear and grief thathas been caused by religious violence

worldwide.He called it “a terrible wound

to the Christian community” thatChristians in the Middle East arefacing “extinction” in a region that

has been there home for more thana millennium, while it is “a greattragedy for the Muslim community”to see Muslim refugees denied safehaven in Europe.

“This f inal challenge to theCatholic community in the UnitedStates,” Bishop McElroy said, “isin reality a challenge to both theCatholic and Muslim communitiesto walk in solidarity, witnessing,strategizing and advancing publicpolicy within the U.S. and withinthe Muslim world to forge a securefuture for all of the ‘peoples ofthe Book’ in the Middle East andthroughout the world.” (CNS)

Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego and Muslim leader Sayyid M. Syeed discuss the “ugly tide of anti-

Islamic bigotry” in keynote speeches at the University of San Diego Feb. 17. Facilitating the discussion was Ami Carpenter, center, who is an associate professor at the Catholic university’s Joan B. Kroc School of PeaceStudies. CNS PHOTO/DENIS GRASSKA, THE SOUTHERN CROSS

Jakarta Catholics pledge support for environmentGov’t announces plan to limit the use of plastic bags

INDONESIA, February 22,2016—More than 1,000Catholics from Jakarta

Archdiocese took the streetsof the capital on Feb. 21 tosupport the government’snew push against plastic

waste.Earlier that day the

government began a trialpolicy requiring modernr e t a i l e r s t o c h a r g ecustomers 200 rupiah (lessthan US$1) for each plastic

ba g. The policy ai ms atreducing the use of plastic

bags and imp rov ing thepeople’s awareness onthe need to protect theenvironment.

“In Jakarta, one problemrelated to environmentaldestruction is waste. Wehave a responsibility inthis case,” Father Alexius

Andang List ya Binawan, w h o c oor di na te d t heCatholic response to thecountry’s National Waste

A w a r en es s D ay , to l ducanews.com.

During the four-hour

program, Catholics wearing

headbands that read, “Braveto Care,” walked the streetsaround the Hotel Indonesiatrac circle to collect waste.

“I hope they can transmittheir concern to others,”Father Binawan said.

“We w ant to makeCatholics aware of the

wa st e is su e. We wa ntthem to understand thathaving such a concern isan important part of theirCatholic faith,” he said.

He said the new policy wa s a go od mo ve . “W ecannot stop the use ofplastic bags indeed, but wecan reduce it.”

Charity Sister Gabrielasaid the program was areflection of the Lentenseason.

“We now have the Lentenseason. One thing we cando is to fast from the use ofplastic bags and Styrofoam.

W e c a n p r o t e c t t h eenvironment by reducing

waste,” she told ucanews.com.

Sandra Dewi, a Catholic

artist, said she was pleased

to get involved in theprogram. “If we don’t do it,then who will?” she asked.

Besides Catholics, atleast 800 communities alsotook part in the nationalcelebrat ion at tended

by s eve r al mini st ers,government officials andactivists.

I n h e r s p e e c h ,Environment and ForestryMinister Siti Nurbaya

Bakar encouraged local

governments to support thenew policy.

“To all local governments— districts, municipalitiesand provinces, let’s reduce[the use of plastic bags]and manage waste. Thisis an important message,”she said.

Data from the ministrysaid that the country’s

waste has reached 175,000tons per day or 64 million

tons per year. (UCAN)

Indonesian nuns call for protection of the environment. KATHARINA R. LESTARI/UCANEWS


3/20

A3CBCP Monitor February 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10 NEWS

Pope Francis names new PermanentObserver to the UN in Geneva VATICAN, Feb. 14, 2016–

Slovenia-born ArchbishopIvan Jurkovic will be theHoly See’s next PermanentObserver to the UnitedNat ions in Geneva, asignificant appointmentgiven his experience indiplomacy.

Archbi shop Jurkovic hasserved as nuncio to Russiaand Uzbekistan since 2011.The announcement of his newrole came on Feb. 13, just oneday after Pope Francis andRussian Orthodox PatriarchKirill met in Cuba for thehistoric rst encounter of aPope and a Russian Patriarch.

G i v e n A r c h b i s h o pJ u r k o v i c ’ s d i p l o m a t i cexperience, some believehis appointment aims toassist in the rapprochement

between the Catholic Churchand Moscow. He will haveseveral roles, includingPermanent Observer to theOce of the United Nationsand Specialized Agenciesin Geneva and PermanentObserver to the World TradeOrganization.

The archbishop was born inKocevje, Slovenia. He servedas a priest in Ljubljana for 24

years before beginning hisdiplomatic career.

He represented the Holy Seein Moscow from 1992-1996.Then in 2001 he was namedarchbishop and appointed asnuncio to Belarus. Just three

years later, in 2004, he was

appointed nuncio to Ukraine.He continued the legacy of

Archbishop Antonio Mennini,the former nuncio to Ukraine

who is now nunc io to theUnited Kingdom. ArchbishopMennini helped to normalizerelations between Russia and

the Holy See, up to the pointof the full establishment ofdiplomatic relations.

Ar ch bi sh op Ju rk ov ic ’snomination as nuncio toRussia and Uzbekistan tookplace immediately after theFebruary 2011 visit between

the then-president of Russia,Dmitry Medvedev, and PopeBenedict XVI.

In his role as nuncio toRussia, the archbishopparticipated in all of thesteps that culminated inthe historic Feb. 12, 2016

meeting between Pope

Francis and Patriarch Kirill.The two Christian leaderssigned a joint declaration atthe meeting.

Archbishop Jurkovich willnow take over for ArchbishopSilvano Maria Tomasi, who

wil l ret ire thi s yea r whe nhe turns 75. ArchbishopTomasi served as PermanentObserver to the Office ofthe United Nations andSpecialized Agencies inGeneva for more than 10

years. Arch bish op Toma si firs t

began his diplomatic servicein 1996 when he was named

archbishop and nuncio toEthiopia and Eritrea. In2000 he was named nuncioto Djibouti in the Horn of

Africa. In 2003 he was movedto Geneva.

On Saturday the Vaticanalso announced additionalresponsibil it ies for the

American priest MonsignorBryan Wells. He has now

been named as nuncio to thesouthern African countries ofLesotho and Namibia. He wasrecently appointed nuncio toSouth Africa and Botswana.(CNA/EWTN News)

New York City, New York - September 25, 2015. Pope Francis speaks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City about caring for the environment and the humanperson on September 25, 2015 during the Holy Father’s apostolic journey to the United States. CNA

‘Being pro-life begins in the family’ – faithful told

ILOILO City, Feb. 20, 2016--Asthe nation observes Pro-life Monththis month, a Catholic couple calledon the faithful to be more pro-life

beginning with the family.Sharing their married l ife

experience in Candle Light, theofficial publication of the NationalShrine of Our Lady Candles,Mike and Aida Gomez, bothmembers of the Jaro ArchdiocesanCommission on Family and Life,affirmed that being pro-life beginsin the family.

“Let us try to understand ‘pro-life’in our own simple way. Where do we

start being pro-life? If we eat to live,exercise to stay healthy, we likewiseneed the heart to give, share, build,and nurture life and that starts inour very own family,” explainedthe couples.

Pro-life behaviorThey also warned family members

about attitudes that are not life-giving.

“As parents, do we nag our kidstelling them day after day ‘you areno good’ … until they believe it’strue? As children, do we ignore ourparents ‘sermons’ even if we knowthat they are correct and good forus?”, they asked.

While admitting that no family isperfect, the Gomezes encouraged“pro-life behaviors” among parentsand children.

They added: “In our family when we praise more and criticize less,correct each other rather than sowmistrust, arm and appreciate eachother’s gifts and uniqueness, forgiveand heal wounds that we inflict,accept and embrace the person nomatter what, we experience whatlife and being life-giving truly is.”

The couple talked about howthe pro-life advocacy could bestrengthened particularly this

month, saying, “Every February isPro-life Month, reminding us how

we as a Church and God’s childrencan truly be pro-life.”

Not just an advocacy For the Gomezes being pro-life

is not just an advocacy, nor is it just an act of defending physicallife only but consists in “respectinghuman life in all its aspects--mental,emotional, and even ecological”.

“As a Church we defend, protect,nurture, sustain, and give life toeach other and to those livingaround us in a manner that is‘holistic’ and not like the ‘cafeteria’mentality--choosing to support

only those forms of life that suit or benet us,” explained the couple.

The couple underscored that life,especially human life, is a God-givengift that the faithful, as a Churchand as a community, have theresponsibility of protecting.

“God breathed life into us. Hegave us free will to enable us tochoose life. Any kind of destructionaects the balance of life, a balanceGod only can create and endow. So,a single action against any form oflife has a rippling eect on the restof society.”

More pro-life parishes, priestsThe couple pointed out that

Catholics, by being active in theirparishes, can help the rest of societylive the pro-life way.

“We, as Catholics, have seenthe struggles of our parishes to bemore life-giving: in their programsof formation, recollections,community services, projects forthe poor, etc. which encourage usto develop pro-life attitudes.”

“We wish our priests could preachmore often about the sanctity oflife and the evils of abortion andalso the consequences it entails,”added the couple. (Fr. MickeyCardenas / CBCP News)

Pope makes long-awaited visit to OurLady of Guadalupe

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 13, 2016--PopeFrancis fullled his much-desired

wish to pray in silence before themiraculous image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe.

After celebrating the rst Mass ofhis papal trip to Mexico Feb. 13, thepope made his way to the “camarin”(“little room”) behind the main altarof the basilica dedicated to Mary. Themiraculous mantle, which normallyfaces the congregation, can be turnedaround to allow a closer and moreprivate moment of veneration.

Laying a bouquet of yellow rosesin front of the image, the popesat down in prayerful silence witheyes closed and head bowed. Afterroughly 20 minutes, the pope stoodup, laid his hand on the image anddeparted from the small room.

About 12,000 people packed the basi lica for the papa l Mass andanother 30,000 were watchingon screens set up in the outercourtyard. Built in 1976, the Basilicaof Our Lady of Guadalupe is located

near Tepeyac hill, the site of Mary’sapparitions to St. Juan Diego in1531. With some 12 million people

visiting each year, it is Catholicism’smost popular Marian shrine.

In his homily, the pope reectedon the Gospel reading, whichrecalled Mary’s visit to her cousinElizabeth. Mary’s humility in saying“yes” to God’s will, he said, is aresponse “which prompted her togive the best of herself, going forthto meet others.”

That very humility also led her toappear to a poor indigenous man,he said. “Just as she made herselfpresent to little Juan, so too shecontinues to reveal herself to all of

us, especially to those who feel—like

him—‘worthless,’” the pope said.Recal l ing the miraculous

appearance of Mary’s image, PopeFrancis noted that through such amiracle, “Juan experienced in hisown life what hope is, what themercy of God is.”

The pope said that despite theindigenous saint’s feelings ofinadequacy, Mary chose him to“oversee, care for, protect andpromote the building of this shrine.”

“In this way, she managed toawaken something he did not knowhow to express, a veritable bannerof love and justice: no one could beleft out in the building of that othershrine: the shrine of life, the shrineof our communities, our societiesand our cultures,” he said.

God’s true shrine, he added, is thelife of his children, especially youngpeople without a future, the elderly

who are often unacknowledged andforgotten and families lacking eventhe most basic necessities.

“The shrine of God is the faces of

the many people we encounter eachday,” the pope said.

Pope Francis said that those whosuer do not weep in vain and theirsuerings are a silent prayer thatrises to heaven, “always nding aplace in Mary’s mantle.”

Like St. Juan Diego, Christians arecalled to be Mary’s ambassadors andconsole those who are overwhelmed

by trials and suerings, he said.“‘Am I not your mother? Am I not

here with you?’ Mary says this tous again. Go and build my shrine,help me to lift up the lives of mysons and daughters, your brothersand sisters,” the pope said. (Junno Arocho Esteves/Catholic News

Service)

Mexico City, Mexico - February 13, 2016. Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady ofGuadalupe on February 13, 2016. CNA

M ANIL A, Feb. 24 ,201 6 — A C athol icprelate has voicedconcern over pop divaMadonna’s concert inManila and warned hisflock against “subtleattacks of the evil one.”

Arc hbish op Ram on Argue lles of Lip a, ina statement sent toreporters, admonishedthe faithful againstgoing to occasions that

may cause sin.“Pinoys and all God-

loving people shouldavoid sin and occasionsof sin,” said the prelate.

The two-day concert which is pa rt of th esinger’s Rebel Heart tour

will be her rst in Asia’s biggest Catholic nation.

I n 2 0 1 2 , t h earchbishop also ledin denouncing thecontroversial concert

of Lady Gaga who isknown for her risquéoutts and music.

“Why is the CatholicP h i l i p p i n e s t h efavourite venue for

blasphemy against Godand the Holy Mother?”

Arguelles said.“Let us pray for our

country that the devil will not succeed to drawanyone from this Pueblo

Amante De Maria to his

evil ways,” he added.Madonna arrived in

Manila on Monday forher Feb. 24 to 25 concertat the MOA Arena inPasay City.

Madonna’s RebelH eart concert hasstirred controversyamong Christians inother countries for“blasphemous” lyricsand pole dancing on thecross. (CBCPNews)

Archbishop warns flock vs Madonna concert

Young ones attend the Grand Eucharistic Procession of the the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City. ANA PERUCHO


4/20

A4 CBCP MonitorFebruary 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10

FIFTEEN years ago, I taughta bird how to “pray”. Nowin the spirit of the NewEvangelization, I wonder ifteaching a bird how to “pray”is evangelization of somekind. Assisting me in thatendeavor were my nieces,Katarina and Florence, aged5 and 6, who were then

vacati oni ng with us. Tha ttime we had a mynah—yes,a black “talking” bird which

we’d had at home for a coupleof months. I had no idea ofits gender but I had named it“LILY”—a name I would have

wanted for myself because it’san acronym for “Lord, I Love

You”. Wanting to see if it was

time to teach Lily to “talk” Iasked the two little girls to“come have fun”, to stand

with me near Lily’s cage andalternately say to it “Lord, Ilove you!”

T h e g i r l s c o m p l i e d wi th gu st o, ex ch an gi ngdeclarations. After theseventh time it was uttered,

a third voice joined them—the mynah’s: Lord, I love you! Lord, I love you! Lord, Ilove you! Allelujah, we wereoverjoyed to hear Lily’s rst

words! And for the rest ofthe girls’ stay, the mynah’sejaculations would be thechief source of the girls’giggly entertainment.

But, long after the girls hadgone back home, the bird still

wouldn’t be stopped! It wouldin its little girl voice “declareits love for the Lord” on itsown, without any promptingfrom me whatsoever. Do

bir ds have “free will ”—I’dmuse—or was it because thismynah just couldn’t help

talking?Consider this: There weretimes I’d be too lazy to getup for my daily 6 a.m. Mass;then I’d hear “Lord…” Justone gentle word from the

bird, “Lord…” but it wouldprick my conscience and spurmy lazy bones to action. “Ok,ok, You win!” I’d talk back,

and the bird would burst intoa triumphant “Lord, I love

you! ” over and over agai n when I’d get up.

I’d heard a mynah (owned by a sociali te) greet guests w i th “ Wo w , s e x y! ” o r“Kumain ka na?” and another(in a seminary garden) say“Panget!” to all passersby,

but I’d never heard one thatsaid “Lord, I love you!” So youunderstand why I would be soproud of my accomplishmentthat I’d prompt my bird tospeak whenever we’d haveguests—yeah, like a proudmama urging her daughter toplay the piano for the guests.

WE shoul d never think that charity

is the odd man out in the field ofpolitics. Precisely because politics isfast becoming like a contact game,sportsmanlike charity should be themain character in it.

Charity and politics are not meant toght each other; they need each other.Charity should be the soul of politics.

And politics, given our social nature,should be one of the best occasions

where chari ty can be developed andlived fully. It provides an excellent testto see if charity is authentic.

Charity is what makes us real men and women, not human caricatures stretchedand warped by our petty shenanigans.It’s what we need to live and have, if we

want to keep our humanity, sanity, and

sanctity intact. It’s what leads us to truth

and objectivity, freedom, justice, fairness,

and mercy, especially in our politics.,And so we just have to learn how to

keep our emotions and judgments incontrol, and to be quick to rectify ourinstinctive or spontaneous reactions.Charity needs to spring rst from theheart, mind and will that should be

vitally linked to God, and then packaged with the best renement we are capableof. Again, especially in our politics.

We have to disabuse ourselves fromthe thought, sadly quite common thesedays, that in politics some exceptionsfrom charity can be tolerated and evenexpected. We can feel free to insult,attack, even make up charges, indulgein some below-the-belt gimmicks… No,that’s not true at all.

The real test to see if we are doing

politics truly proper to us is when we

manage to live charity even in the midstof the dizzying variety of possibilitiesand conicts politics can occasion. It’s

when the heat generated by politics alsofans the ames of love for God and forthe others.

One time, I felt so gratied when Ihappened to take dinner in a privatesetting with, among others, twopoliticians who were supposed to beat odds with each other, at least inthe papers. At that time, they werechummy and exchanging jokes, andthey refrained from talking politics inmy presence.

What we should do in politics, whether we are politicians or ordinary citizensand voters, is rst of all to pray and

THUS categorically speaks the Constitution of the Republic ofthe Philippines, specically as a democratic and republican state. Iteven categorically arms that all government authority emanatesfrom the people themselves. All these and more are even consideredprinciples and state policies. In other words, Filipinos are a freepeople. Theirs is a secular state. They choose and hire them as theirpublic ocials through elections. They pay them through their taxesin order to govern them as their public servants by rendering thempublic service and thus promote their public welfare.

But it is anything but a secret that the people usually do noteven really know whom to vote for--except through the generousself-praise of the candidates for election, generous promises theymake to the people, plus generous give-aways they hand out one

way or another, especially so during elections. But the truth isthat the people do not really even know if their votes are dulycounted. Worse, people do not really care to know the personalcharacter of the person they are voting to oce--such as theirable or disabled personality constitutions, their real individualattributions or liabilities, their capacity or incapacity to govern,to mention a few of their many unknown traits.

As some kind of key constitutional requirements or qualifyingfeatures, everyone of those aspiring for the highest oces in thegovernment should be a “natural born citizen” and should atleast be “forty” or “thirty-ve” years old plus should know howto “read and write”. It is understandable that the occupants of

the said oces should have such a citizenship requirement plusthe stipulated physical age. But that they should at least knowhow to “read and write”--this is not only insulting but also ratherridiculous. No wonder then that there is not really a few numberof high-ranking elected public ocials in the Republic of thePhilippines who denitely have all the above-said qualications--and that’s it. This is precisely one fundamental reason why thePhilippines is what it is now--still very much a “Third WorldCountry.” This maybe the reason why Filipinos are still aicted

with grossly disabled and blatantly corrupt governance, are still victimized by unchecked criminality from sun up to sun downand furthermore, and are still wallowing in misery.

Hence: Is it too much to require that the candidates for suchhigh public government oces should be at least a Bachelor inone academic course or another--instead of but simply knowinghow to read and write? Is it too much to ask that the samecandidates should manifest and certify how much they are worth,how much they can aord to nance their candidacy through theirown pockets, by their own money? Is it too much to demand thatthe said candidates should undergo their respective psychological

tests through much capable and well-known clinical psychologistsfor the knowledge and appreciation of voters?

Are such proposed agen da not simply rele vant but alsoreasonable so that the People of the Philippines--a sovereignpeople, etc., etc.--could have better political candidates, a bettergovernment, a better country?

Charity amid politicaldifferences and conflictsFr. Roy Cimagala

Candidly Speaking

MonitorPROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

CBCP

Pedro QuitorioEditor-in-Chief

Nirva’ana E. DelacruzAssociate Editor

Roy LagardeNews Editor

Kris BayosFeatures Editor

I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y B L A D I M E R U S I

Gender identity difficulty

The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by theAreopagus Communications, Inc. with editorial andbusiness offices at Ground Flr., Holy Face of JesusCenter & Convent, 1111 F. R. Hidalgo Street, Quiapo,Manila. Editorial: (632) 404- 2182. Business: (632) 404-

1612.; ISSN 1908-2940

Ronalyn ReginoDesign Artist

Gloria FernandoMarketing Supervisor

Mercedita JuaniteCirculation Manager

Marcelita DominguezComptroller

Oscar V. Cruz, D.D. Views and Points

OPINION

Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

And That’s The TruthThe evangelizing bird

Candidly Speaking / A7

And That’s the Truth / A6

The political scene

‘Sovereignty resides in the people’

POLITICS is–or ought to be–the art of government and publicservice. But sadly, in the Philippines, it has degenerated into anarena where the interests of the powerful and rich few are pittedagainst those of the weak and poor many. It interferes with theadministration of justice and the equal application of the law,heavily weighted as it most patently is on the side of the politicallyconnected. Political debts are paid with appointments to highoces of those to whom elected ocials are indebted, blindloyalty counting as the most important cri terion in the selectionof public ocials–even for government agencies mandated to beindependent by the Constitution.

The bureaucracy is packed with political protégés, many of whom do nothing except to collect their salaries on the middleand end of each month. Thus the well-intentioned among careerocials and employees in government become demoralized earlyor withdraw into silence or resign altogether. And those who optto continue despite disillusionment are only too often harassedor eventually coopted into the system.

When it comes to elections, the electoral process has beensystematically subverted with increasingly sophisticated methodsof tilting the playing eld or committing fraud with the resultthat elections are in danger of losing their credibility as a reliablemeans for eecting change. The machinery for cheating isplanned well in advance starting with the appointment of loyallieutenants to sensitive agencies and positions that have to do

with elections the audit of government funds or the enforcementof the Ethics Law. This is combined with an elaboratepropaganda machine, including government-controlled media,the purpose of which is to destroy the reputation of critics andpolitical opponents. This is also to manipulate public perceptionsof government performance or to simply promote the interestsof those in power and of their political protégés.

People have become so cynical of government, of Congressand of the electoral process itself, that often they lose sight ofthe relevance of their vote to their life or future and sell it formomentary nancial gain. Thus, despite the pleas of the Churchand other responsible groups, election after election, for citizensto be vigilant scalizers of government expenditures, many have

become indierent to corruption or themselves want to have “apiece of the action.” Despite too the guidelines regularly issuedfor the principled choice of candidates, many an undeserving manor woman still, just as regularly, gets voted into oce.

--CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, 1997

EDITORIAL

THE following are true in the realm ofsincerity and truth: The word alone“Homosexuality” for one reason oranother automatically carries demeaningand detestable if not ludicrous thoughts.Upon suspicion, if not actual knowledgeof homosexuality on the part of this orthat individual, the usual response islaughter, depreciation if not downrightscorn for the individual concerned.

In fact, as a matter of course, it ispractically automatic for the latter to be

the object of jokes and ridicule by peoplein general--irrespective of whether they just want to have fun or they deliberatelyintend to express their disgust if notdownright revulsion towards the object-individual. To say that this is inhumaneis an understatement.

Primarily on account of the abovesaid denigration, considering the innatedignity of every human person andtaking into account the ndings of soundreason, and furthermore attendingto objective information forwardedespecially by orthodox philosophy,psychology, and psychiatry, it appearsin good order to name the phenomenonanything else but what it is called longsince--viz., “homosexuality” primarily

because of the automatic pejorati vemeaning and implications of the

word. It is for this sober and soberingconsciousness that the said term ispractically taboo in updated behavioralscience--psychiatry in particular. In fact,sound and proper ndings about humansexuality--the latter’s nature, functions,and consequences--have done away withthe said pejorative word.

“Sexual Identity Difficulty” --this short, plain, and simple article

wherefore uses the aforesaid expressionin place of the previous degradingand even insulting title. And for goodreasons such as the following: One, theassumption akin to certitude that whilethere could be certain individuals whomight be comfortable and at ease whenthey are branded by the word, very muchmore are dismayed and feel insulted byit. Two, the term has acquired manyserious pejorative implications acrossdecades such that it can be said withcertainty that the word has not madethose concerned exactly proud and

jubilant for it. Three, while there can be certain personalities concerned whomight nd the word endearing--whichis strange--practically a big number of

all others nd the appellation not onlyoensive but also discriminatory. Theterm then “homosexual” can forwardanything but admiration and praise.

It thus appears more right and properto replace the taboo word with thephrase “Gender Identity Difficulty”.

Why? For the following more relevantreasons: Because it really is. Because itsays it right. Because it is not oensive.The truth of the matter is most of thosemen and women concerned have not

altogether chosen to be as they are--asif that is what they really want to be,that is what actually makes them happy.

In the event, however, that there arethose who want and prefer to be thusnamed or called, described or qualiedfor whatever reason, that is their personaloption - provided only that they should

behave as decently as they can. They shouldnot encourage people to belittle them.

All these are fair--along the line of“Live and let live.” After all, although allthose concerned with what they might

want to be called still by the pejorativeterm, the same can be presumed to

be still desirous of keeping their self-respect in society. Exceptions to this

would be relatively few.


5/20

A5CBCP Monitor February 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10

The Pacquiao apology

Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Duc In Altum

WOEs and WOWs of Life

OPINION

Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD

By the Roadside

Fr. Francis Ongkingco

Whatever

Preserving the PortaSancta and the Cultural

Heritage Sites

IF I were to make a choice between being with a nice, perfect person (usually inhis/her eyes) who cannot make a mistake

and being with a grumpy one who knowshow to say, “I’m sorry”, I’d choose thegrumpy one any time. At the risk ofdisproportionately provoking LGBTreaders, I say that Manny Pacquiao whorecently rubbed them the wrong wayhas the best of both worlds: He is onenice person (if testimonies of those whoknow him are to be believed) and he isalso a nice person who can apologize fora mistake. For it was truly a monumentalmistake for him to have comparedhomosexual persons with animals and

judged them worse. Surely no one butGod has the right to judge anyone. Still,for making an eort to apologize I takemy hat o to the Pacman. Those whodo not think the apology sincere shouldalso apply the same rule on themselves:Leave the judgment to God.

Apo log iz ing for a mis take, whe ndone with God as primary witness,is truly admirable. First, it can onlymean the person has humility or iscapable of humility. Even the Lord hasa special place for anyone who ts thisspecification. “Blessed are the poorin spirit,” the Master declares, “fortheirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt5:3). Humility characterizes the poorin spirit and this is what bends themmost to dependence on God ratherthan on wealth or on fellow creatures.This humility, in turn, disposes thepoor in spirit to obedience to God’s will.Second, to realize and accept a mistakeor wrongdoing is a mark of courage. Aperson who can say “I’m sorry” is notonly capable of humility but also of thecourage to do what he ought. Third,a person who apologizes for havingoended another shows that he/she hasconcern—call it care, call it love, as thecase may be—for the person(s) wronged.

For that alone the Pacman’s apologyshould be appreciated for its worth.

On the other hand, he has made

a firm stand not apologize for hisopposition to same sex marriage.Fortunately for the Pacman, he hasplenty of Scriptural ammunition tosupport his position. When the Inquirercame out with an editorial, partiallyexcoriating Manny Pacquiao for hisfundamentalist adherence to a literalistinterpretation of Biblical texts, I thoughtit had made a good point. Most watchersand experts on fundamentalism takethat to be one of their weak points.(Incidentally it should sadden us thatthe Pacman who was once declaredsome sort of a Bible ambassador bythe CBCP appears to have familiarizedhimself with Scriptures through non-Catholic, even fundamentalist, eyes.One wonders if any Catholic Biblicalmentor, at all, had been assigned toassist him, and if not, why not?) Buton second thought, I also asked myselfhow else but literally could one interpretthe rather unambiguous texts in theBible calling homosexual acts, in the

words of the Catechism of the CatholicChurch, “acts of grave depravity” (CCC2357)? The texts cited by the CCC alone,namely Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10, are too clear toadmit of any symbolic interpretation.I suggest all Catholics, homosexual orstraight, read them carefully. Or do wetake as changeable the declaration ofthe Congregation on the Doctrine of theFaith, Persona humana, no. 8 sayingthat “homosexual acts are intrinsicallydisordered”?

Ag ai n I sa y th at al l be li ev er s,specifically Catholics, straight orhomosexual, ought to draw from theresources of our faith for guidanceon a matter such as this. For thestraight among us, the Church counsels

understanding and compassion. “Thenumber of men and women who havedeep-seated homosexual tendencies

are not negligible. They do not choosetheir homosexual condition; for mostof them it is a trial. They must beaccepted with respect, compassionand sensitivity. Every sign of unjustdiscrimination in their regard should beavoided” (CCC 23 58). To the membersof the LGBT among us the followingchallenge, that applies basically to all, isparticularly summoned in their regard:“Homosexual persons are called tochastity. By virtues of self-mastery thatteach them inner freedom, at times bythe support of disinterested friendship,

by prayer and sacramental grace, theycan and should gradually and resolutelyapproach Christian perfection” (CCC2359).

Jesus sheds light on our rightresponse. “Be compassionate as yourFather is compassionate” (Lk 6:36).Jesus says “your Father”. He means thathe wants us to share his sonship; he alsomeans God himself is our model. TheFather is compassionate which means‘to suer with’ because in the Son hesuers with us the frailties of our humannature. That is why we should not judge.“Judge not and you will not be judged.Do not condemn and you will not becondemned; forgive and you will beforgiven” (Lk 6:37).

Let me take a dierent but relatedroute. Because Jesus is precisely the

very revelation of the Father, we mustlearn from him when he says to the

woman caught in adultery, “Neither doI condemn you” (Jn 8:11).

But, hey, that is not the completequotation. Those of us who appeal forcompassion and benet from it needalso to heed Jesus’ nal but rm counselto the adulterous woman: “Go, and sinno more.” (Jn 8:11).

T O G E T H E R w i t h m ysiblings and their respective

family, we had an 8-daytour of the religious andcultural heritage sites of thePhilippines in the South andNorth of the Philippines.I n t h e E x t r a o r d i n a r yJubilee Year of Mercy, we

vi si te d th e Po rt a Sa nc taor the Holy Doors of thePilgrim Churches. We alsotoured the United NationsEducational, Scientific andCultural Organization orUNESCO-declared WorldHeritage Sites and one of theNew 7 Wonders of Nature.T h e s e a r e t h e P u e r t oPrinces a Subterranean

River National Park, alsocalled the UndergroundRiver located in PuertoPrincesa, Palawan andthe famous Spanish OldColonial Houses along CalleCrisologo in Vigan, Ilocos

Sur.***

To avoid the worst trafficin Metro Manila and theinfamous air traffic, wetook the early morningflight to Puerto Princesa.First to visit was the HolyDoor or Porta Sancta of theImmaculate ConceptionCathedral. The city has manycultural, environmental,and historic places to offer,not only the city tour butalso firefly watching ands targ azing , the is landhopping of Honda Bay, theStarfish Island where onecan feed school of fish, Lu-Li Island or Lulubog-Lilitaw

(it is submerged in waterduring high tide and underthe water during low tide)and the Cowrie Island where

we had buffet lunch.Next was the boat ride

to the Puerto Princesa

Underground River (PPUR) which was proclaimed one

of the New 7 Wonders ofNature on Jan. 28, 2012. It islocated in St. Paul MountainRange, bordered by the St.Paul Bay to the north and theBabuyan River to the east.The park has a limestonekarst mountain landscape.History of the UndergroundRiver was narrated by ourtour guide Vince Lambanand the boatman guideinside the cave with theaudio narration, in Englishand other languages. “Agroup of environmentalistsand geologists discoveredthat the underground has a

2nd floor, which means thatthere are small waterfallsinside the cave. The caved o m e m e a s u r e d 3 0 0meters or 980 feet abovethe underground river,the major formations of

stalactite and stalagmite,the large bats, a deep water

hole in the river, more riverchannels, another deep caveas well as marine creaturesand more. The river windsthrough the cave beforeflowing directly into the

Wes t Phi lip pin e Sea. Thearea represents a habitat for

bio divers ity cons ervati on.Only 1.5 km inside the caveis allowed to be navigated.T h e e a s t m o n s o o n o r“amihan” caused some

wa te r tu rb ul en ce , ro ug hsea and high waves duringour boat ride from Sabang.This is my 3rd trip to theUnderground River (and

nth time in Palawan) butit never fails to amaze meevery time I visit.

***From the south of the

Philippines, we proceeded

Part 1 of 2

IN my few years dealing with young people (as well asnot-so-young), I have constantly imparted some adviceto help them in their spiritual and ascetical adventures.

I call one group the WOEs and the other the WOWs.The WOEs stand for Words Of Encouragement and the

WOWs for Words Of Wisdom.The both groups are intimately intertwined, but the

WOEs are more addressed to persons coming out ofsome diculty or obstacle in life. The WOWs are forindividuals who may be doing good but can be betterand more fruitful.

I have made very little eort in putting some order inthese lists. Perhaps, on some other occasion and withmore time at hand, I will be able to rene and improvetheir development and grouping.

For now, the WOEs and WOWs hope to give both young and not-so-young some inspiring light in their

short-comings, beginnings, and victories.In this rst part, let us see some of the WOEs:• Sin cannot have the last say in your day. Remember

that God’s mercy is more powerful and eective than oursinful condition. After a fall, you cannot sadly slouch andthink that there’s nothing more to do about it. Pray, askfor forgiveness, decide how to make up for one’s faults,ask for advice and go to confession if necessary.

• Be Cool, not Frozen. It’s fun to be cool and simplyhang loose. But make sure you don’t freeze yourself frompromptly doing what we ought to do for God, neighbors,and your civil duties.

• Don’t just do it…do it for Someone! Virtue isn’t justabout piling and lling up your day with things to do inorder to avoid doing something bad. There will usuallycome a time when you will exhaust your to-do list.Things will be more meaningful if you have someone youlove in mind (e.g. God, Pope Francis, parents, friends,

etc.) for whom you can oer everything you do.• The World is Round. Learn to schedule things your

digital indulgence by cutting down on screen time daily. You must constantly remember that the world isn’t your at screen but is made up of loving faces, hands,shoulders, and smiles we can interact with!

• Stragedize. The tragedy of your falls is rooted in that you never plan ahead or perhaps, you never have a planat all. Remember, the devil always has a plan. Either youhave a spiritual strategy or every day will be a tragedy.

• Don’t play Benchwarmer. No one wants to be a benchwarmer. After you experience the sad result of your faults, you may fear to launch yourself back intothe game. But there is no other way: to pass, assist andscore is only done by playing in the eld in real-time.

• Senseless and Sinless. By nature man can never besinless. But he often falls because of his senselessness orplain lack of common sense to learn from past mistakes.

Personal sincerity will help you to discern what things you must do in order to avoid getting o the trackrepeatedly.

• Purity isn’t a Career. Purity is important, but it’s notthe only virtue you have to live as a Christian. Makinga career out of it, that is, lopsidedly struggling to onlyavoid impure occasions will impoverish your spiritualgrowth because the playing eld of your spiritual life islimited to purity alone. Blaze a trail and discover newhorizons in your love for God.

• Say NO to OKAYtions of sin. To sin is bad, butsometimes it’s worse to think that there’s no big deal toslightly rub oneself with occasions of sin. That is neverOKAY. As St. Theresa of Avila once said, “There can beno genuine love [or love at all] in someone who belittlesa small fault against the beloved because it isn’t mortal.”

• My DeFAULT settings. It’s wise to know our defaultsettings, that is, what we are more inclined to when we

are not engaged with duties or commitments. Wheredoes the gravity of our ego pull us towards? If wesincerely confront ourselves, we can gradually struggleagainst it and place Christ as our center of gravity.

• Filling in the Gaps. The spiritual combat isn’t only aboutsystematically uprooting vice. You must focus more onplanting virtue with the help of grace. Moreover, you mustn’tleave the empty holes once occupied by vice to be later lled

by the devil’s suggestions when you are not vigilant.• Don’t take sin sitting down. The fact that sin happens

is sad, but it’s worse to simply take sin sitting down anddo nothing about it. With God’s grace and our sinceredesire to begin again, we can! Be contrite, make amends,sacrices, and go to confession.

• Don’t Think, Pray! Overthinking about one’s defects,mistakes, and sins is toxic. Overanalyzing only foments ahidden and disordered desire to appear good and pleasingto others without a sincere resolve to change. Prayer,

rather than thinking, does wonders and can truly changeour hearts. Prayer allows us to face God squarely andaccept ourselves humbly as we are before Him and others.

• Always Have a Say in your Day. Even if manyunexpected things happen during the day, we mustnever allow a day to pass without having fullled thesmall heartfelt resolution meant for our conversion.This will be a clear north star that gradually guides usaway from the dark, shallow, and dangerous reefs of sin,pride and discouragement.

• Don’t get sad, get even. Sadness, St. JosemaríaEscrivá warned, is an ally of the devil. Rather than beingsad or disappointed about one’s faults, strive to get evennot with sin or the devil (neither wise nor possible),

but with oneself. Apply personal discipline, sacrice,and think about the others. You give your ego andemotions less attention than they deserve, curbing theirdisordered inclinations and even lifting these up to God.

THE Jedis of Star Wars are known to be masters of themselves. They havelearned the art of ghting by knowingthe weaknesses of their enemies as wellas their own weaknesses.

If Star Wars have Jedis, God wantsus too to become Spiritual Jedis. Weshould be masters of ourselves – byconquering the evil within us and byovercoming our weaknesses. For toknow our weaknesses is to win half ofour battle against evil spirits.

But how could one become a SpiritualJedi? The answer is THROUGHFASTING.

Fasting is one of the pillars of Lent.Sad to say, many have yet to understandand appreciate the essence of fasting. Atthe surface level, fasting might simplymean “not eating” on Ash Wednesdayand Good Friday. But there is more to it.

The purpose of fasting is to TRAIN

OUR WILL to SAY NO to our selshdesire or carnal desire. Jesuits call it

AGERE CONTRA--going against our will. It’s a way of taming our carnaldesire, which most of the time, greatlyinuences our thoughts, decisions, andactions. As per experience, many of ourdecisions and actions motivated by ourselsh desires would always bring chaos,hurts, and sins.

But when someone learns the art ofsubduing his flesh or selfish desire,he becomes the master of himself--ASPIRITUAL JEDI. It becomes easierfor him to listen and obey the willof God.

We need to remind ourselves--whenGod asks us to do something, that it isnot for His benet and advantage. Godneeds nothing. It is solely for the benetof our souls and our happiness. For He

loves us much.

Today, let us pray that God will give usthe grace and strength to be the masterof ourselves. As Master Jedi Yoda said,“Train yourself to let go of everything

you fear to lose.”The Gospel passage about the three

temptations of Jesus leads us to considerhow Jesus earned his “Jedi position”?

What are his strengths? Where did heget his strength? How did he confrontevil and his temptations?

Conversely, we are brought to our own weaknesses. What are the usual sins you regularly confess? Are you tired ofcommitting the same sins?

Often it is our inordinate attachmentsthat hinder us from doing the will ofGod. Today, we beg God to give usspiritual freedom from the bondage ofevil and his temptations. What are yourfavorite sins? As a form of fasting, would

you like to say NO to your favorite sins?

Fr. Wilfredo Samson, SJ

Pitik-BulagThe Jedi in Me

Duc in Altum / A7


6/20

A6 CBCP MonitorFebruary 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10FEATURES

‘Love lock’ trend overtakesBaclaran Church

FOR Tony and Iza, the best way tocelebrate Valentine’s Day is to go tochurch and praying together.

After the Mass, the couple whodeclined to give their full names

chained their love to a fencearound a grotto of Saint Thérèseof Lisieux located right outside theRedemptorist Church in Baclaran

with a padlock.“For us, it’s a sign of our long-

lasting love. And we have a witness,Santa Teresita,” Iza said with asmile on her face.

Like Tony and Iza, cupid’s arrowcontinues to strike the hearts ofmany churchgoers to do the same,attracting more couples who wantsto profess their devotion through alove lock.

Redemptorist Bro. CiriacoSantiago III said the “love locks”trend only began early last year, and

has since gained popularity.He said it all started when a

church worker, while cleaning thechurch compound, found a padlockand fastened it to the fence aroundthe statue.

“In just after a week, we noticedmore padlocks attached to the fenceand then that’s it, it started there,”he said.

After three months, he said morethan 30,000 padlocks were already

covering the image of Santa Teresita. A s m i s s i o n a r i e s , t h e

Redemptorists built an image ofSt. Therese to remember her as oneof the patron saints of the missions,

not of romantic relationships ormarriage.

“So the love locks have no directrelationship with St. Therese, but we

just kept them there,” Ciriaco said. According to him, the love locks

are not exclusive to lovers as it hasalso been attracting many families.For others, it symbolizes theirstrong bond as friends.

Reaching the tipping pointtowards the end of 2015, he saidthe parish finally decided toremove thousands of padlocksover concerns that it might causethe fence to collapse.

“We removed around 50,000locks from one side of the fence,”

he added.He also said the remaining

ones will be removed within themonth and will be relocated toanother place within the church’scompound.

“So we are just going to transferthem all to a permanent home forlove locks because it’s obviouslysomething people [are] passionateabout ,” C ir iaco s aid . (Roy Lagarde / CBCPNews)

People stand near padlocks hanging from the fence around a grotto of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux at theBaclaran Church. ROY LAGARDE

Pope Francis delighted with ‘Lolo Kiko’ doll gift IN one of the lightermoments of Pope Francis’

visit to the Archbasilica ofSt. John Lateran in Rome,he smiled and receiveda look-alike doll from aFilipino priest.

Fr. Robert Young, apriest from the Prelatureof Batanes, said it was anow or never situation ashe took the chance to givehis gift to the Pope insidethe Rome’s cathedral.

“I thought I have to dosomething as I wouldn’thave another chance likethis,” Young, who is takingup a Doctorate in CanonLaw at the Pontifical

University of the HolyCross, told CBCPNews.

The pontiff paid a visit to the cathedral onThursday for his annual

meeting with the Romanclergy, and wherein he

also heard several priests’confessions.

After his brief speech,the Pope excused himself

because he had to prepare forhis trip to Mexico, skippingthe regular greetings andhandshaking with the

bishops and priests. When the Pope got down

from the platform, Youngcrossed security lines andran towards the Pope andshouted, “Santo Padre!”

When he reached thePope, Young told himin Italian, “Here’s a giftfor you, made in the

Philippines by a friend ofmine.”

He said the Pope smiledand said: “Oh, Lolo Kiko!Is it for me?”

“I said, ‘yes’ and hereplied, ‘grazie’. And thenI kissed his hand,” Youngrecalled.

It was a brief moment,

but for the Filipino priest,it was like “eternity.”

“The feeling is so lightand happy and it lingers asa lifetime memory,” said

Young, who is resi dingat the Ponticio CollegioFilippino.

He said the doll camefrom his friend in Manila

who made “Francis dolls”as souvenirs for the papal

vis it to the Phi lippine sin January 2015. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)

Filipino priest Fr. Robert Young surprises Pope Francis by handing him a“Francis doll” made in the Philippines. VATICAN RADIO

parents against thedangerous effectsinternet has on

children, particularlyon pornographicmaterial on the web.

I n h i s L e n t e nmessage for 2014, thePope also includedpornography amongthe many vices thatcan damag e thefamily.

The C BC P hasaddressed the issuein several statementssince 1999 but this isthe rst time that the

Guard / A1

bishops have put more emphasis oncyber pornography.

Easy access to pornography hasmade it one of the most lucrativeonline businesses, reportedlygeneratings up to US$100 billiona year.

Al ar mi ng ly , au th or it ie s sa idthe Philippines has become amajor producer and distributor ofpornography, especially of childpornography.

In 2014, the Philippine NationalPolice reported that the countryis among the top ten nations forthe production of online childpornography.

T h e b i s h o p s s a i d c h i l dpornography in the country isfueled by foreign and localperpetrators, who are exploitingpoor and vulnerable families andtheir children.

“These are Filipino children whoseinnocence has been consumed forthe pleasure of others,” they said.

The bishops then reiterated itscommitment to ght the problem,and tasked its Commission onFamily and Life to strengthen itsprograms against pornography.

They also reiterated the pressingneed for integral and coordinatedeffort among stakeholders tocombat the problem.

Heal woundsThe six-page letter also seeks to

promote further discussion andresources to help those harmed by

pornography.

The pontiff urged the world’s bishops to seek out and heal the wounded and the latest documentis the among the CBPC’s means todo such.

Pornography, the bishops said,does grave injury to the dignity ofall involved, performers, consumer,producers, and distributors, sinceeach is “dehumanized by an industrythat exists solely to objectify personsfor illicit prot.”

“ F o r a l l t h e s e r e a s o n s ,pornography is a grave evil thatattacks and undermines not onlythe individual person but also thecommon good,” they said.

“As such, producing, distributing,and using pornography are serioussins against chastity and humandignity that need to be confessed toobtain God’s pardon and mercy.”

According to them, pornographyhurts families, communities, andentire societies. “It makes prayerdicult,” they added

However, in this Year of Mercy,the bishops said the Church iscalled to arm and to proclaim the“healing power of Jesus, who is the“face of God’s mercy.”

“To thos e w ho have beenexploited and victimized by thepornography industry, nothingthat you have done to you canseparate you from the love of Godin Christ Jesus,” they also said.

They added: “You remain and willalways be a cherished and belovedchild of God created in his image

and likeness.”

legal implications of

migration. However, hesaid systematic and activecooperation betweenstates and internationalorganizations is the only

way to eectively regulateand manage migrationmovements.

“While fully awareof the complexities ofmigration, like its legalaspects, the Holy Seealways underlines thatover and above all otherconsiderations, it isnecessary always to see thehuman face of migration,to see the migrant as

a fellow human being,

endowed with the same

human dignity and rightsas ourselves. It is onlythen that we can respondto the globalization ofm i g r a t i o n w i t h t h eglobalization of solidarityand cooperation,” he said.

“It is in the awarenessof this fundamentalprinciple of love that

big and small mir acleshappen every day inthe high seas and in thedeserts where migrantsrisk their lives, and inunwelcoming cities wherethey face other sets oftragedies,” Auza added.

Earlier, Pope Francis

ended his six-day tour of

Mexico with a Eucharisticcelebration at the U.S.-Mexico boarder in El Pazo,Texas. The Holy Fatherprayed for migrants,especially those who losttheir lives or enduredliving far from theirfamilies in an attempt tocross the border in searchfor a better life.

Un-ChristianPope Francis likened

forced migration to ahumanitarian crisis forcingpeople to cross mountains,deserts, and hostile zones,

even to risk their lives.

Even before the papal

vi si t, US pr es id en ti alcandidate Donald Trumpassailed Pope Francisfor failing to understandthe dangers of keepingan open border withMexico. Trump and otherpresidentiables have been

blunt about their plans todeport illegal immigrantsacross the United States.

But the Holy Fatheronly said in reaction, “aperson who thinks onlyabout building walls,

wherev er the y may be,and not building bridges,is not Christian.” (Kris

Bayos / CBCP News)

Migration / A1

‘Love of shortcuts is fromthe devil’ – bishop

ALWAYS want the easy way? Hatehard work? According to a prelate,

this kind of thinking can only comefrom the evil one.

“Satan is good at shortcuts…instant wealth,” said CaloocanBishop Pablo David to thousands ofmarried couples, their children, andother attendees of the “Marriage isBeautiful” event on Feb. 14 at theSMX Convention Center.

According to the prelate, Satanis good at tempting people “not tofollow the normal process and toavoid struggle and eort… in life.”

Love of shortcutsTaking o from the Gospel for

the day, David said Jesus’ firsttemptation, when the devil told

him to turn stones into bread, is anexample of this love of shortcuts.

To make instant bread out ofstones because of hunger is atemptation because normally,making bread is a “long process”,explained the chairman of the CBCPEpiscopal Commission on Biblical

Apostolate.This temptation teaches “us

to avoid hardship and to prefershortcuts”, explained David.

This same scenario is played out

today, he said, when the faithfulare tempted to use their position toenrich themselves illegally.

“You’re in the position anyway…

[Let’s] grease some palms so theirprojects will go faster. You can

be rich instantly. Instant riches!”said David in Filipino and Englishmentioning how some peoplecontemplate giving in to thetemptation of bribery at work.

Not punishment According to the form er head

of the Diocese of San Fernando inPampanga, personally, he believesGod commanding Adam and Eve to

work after the fall was not really apunishment.

“For me, it’s not punishmentthat God required man to work,”

said David, explaining it was God’s way of teaching man the value ofsacrice and work.

Some 2, 628 people attended the“Marriage is Beautiful” event, which

was organized by Couples for Christ. After the holy Mass, simultaneous

workshops were held on “Leavinga Genuine Legacy”; “How to be the

best in-laws”; “Fostering the love ofreading”; Kids’ Academy; Workshopfor teens, among others.(Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz / CBCP News)

Thousands of couples renew their marriage vows during a Mass to celebrate the “Marriage is Beautiful”event at the SMX Convention Center on Feb. 14, 2016. NIRVA DELACRUZ

The thing is—my mynah wouldn’t be co ax ed ag ai ns t it s wi ll , itseemed. Without prompting it

woul d re peat seve ra l ti me s tothe carpenters repairing ourkitchen: “Lord, I love you!” Ofcourse, it excited the workers—“A praying bird!”—and the wholetime they’d be hammering away,the mynah would be tirelessly“adoring the Lord”. Same withour 60-year old laundry woman

who exclaimed upon he ari ng the bird: “Nungka sa bu ong lin tek na buhay ko a ko nakarinig ng ibongkumakausap sa Diyos! Milagro

yan! ” (Never in my blasted lifehave I ever heard a bird talkingto God! That’s a miracle!)

And so family and friends andstrangers would be amused. But

why would th e bi rd make oneexception? No matter how hardI tried to prompt it, it remainedtight-lipped. That was the day a

Protestant cousin visited us. I waseager to have her hear my “praying

bird”, because she likes talking (andarguing) about religion but, nada.The bird wouldn’t make a sound the

whole time despite my prodding,not even a respectful “Tao po!”(which it had learned on its own),or a erce “Woof, woof!” or a shy“Meeeow!” which it had picked upfrom my dog and my cat.

When my cousin left, I confrontedthe bird: “You embarrassed me.

Wh y we re yo u so qu ie t wh en you r ch att er w as most nee ded ?”T h e n i t b r o k e i t s s i l e n c e ,repeating “Lord, I love you!”several times. I reprimandedit, “You should have said thatand calmed down my cousin

whe n she was try ing to nit pic kabout Catholic confession andcelibacy!” But as I suspected,this mynah must have had a willof its own. Well, my speculations

notwithstanding, that incidenthas remained a mystery to me.

One morning I missed Lily’s“holy noise”. I found it woundedand stiff, dead in its cage. I wassad but thankful that in its shortlife Lily reminded me about thelove God has for me, or the love Ido not have for Him. But most ofall, Lily’s avian interjections wouldhaunt me when due to workingtoo late at night I’d be too lazyto get up for the Eucharist in themorning. Sometimes, I even wantto do an unusual portrait of the birdto match this story I like to recall.Most of the time, the Holy Spirit isdepicted in art and literature as a

white dove, but who can stop theHoly Spirit from choosing to comein the form of a black mynah? If God

would talk through an ass, why notthrough a bird? Mysteries are bestembraced, not scrutinized. Andthat’s the truth.

And That’s the Truth / A4

Members of the CBCP gather for Mass at the Cebu MetropolitanCathedral at the start of their plenary assembly in Cebu City, Jan. 22,2016. ROY LAGARDE


7/20

A7CBCP Monitor February 22 - March 6, 2016 Vol. 20, No. 10 FEATURES

offer sacrifices, to see to itthat our spiritual life is strongand healthy before we enterinto the intricacies of ourunavoidable politics. Neverignore this requirement. Theyare what will link our politicsto the very providence of God.

Then we have to know andstudy the issues well. In thisregard, we have to be open-minded and willing to listen toall sides as much as possible.

We sho uld try to mak e aconscious effort to reject

biases and prejudices that wend to have no good basis.

Dialogues are crucial inthis area. Thus, they should

be conduct ed in the most

charitable way, alwaysrespectful of everyone nomatter how much we disagree

with them. We should avoidinflammatory rhetoric, rash

ju dg me nt s, an d ta ct le ssstatements.

We should just stick to theobjective points of our views,letting them swim or sinkon their own merits in theocean of opinions that can

be oated by others. We needto be highly sportsmanlikehere, seeing to it that anatmosphere of civility andgood spirit pervades.

That the others carryout some anomalies is noexcuse for us to do the same.

Remember that charity“is patient, is kind, it doesnot envy, does not dealperversely, it is not puffedup, is not ambitious…it bearsall things, believes all things,hopes all things and enduresall things.” (1 Cor 13,4-7)

Then we have to know andstudy the politicians andcandidates. This is the mosttricky part, but we just haveto try our best to get a goodpicture, especially of theirintegrity and competence, thetwo basic elements to knowabout them.

Again her e, it’ s mor e ofestablishing the positiveaspects rather than the

n e g a t i v e s i d e o f t h epersonalities involved.

We ha ve to be careful todistinguish the traits that

we think can serve the needsof our political life, fromthe personal defects thatshould not be put out inpublic unless they have some

bearing in public life. Then we have to really

understand the essence offreedom which should infuseevery step of our politicalexercises. Freedom andcharity go together always, andthey give more importance tothe persons than to the issues.Our attitude to politics shouldhave this basic orientation.

Candidly Speaking / A4

Mindanao martyr’s beatificationprocess launched in DipologDIPOLOG City -- A recentMass in Dipolog’s Our

Lady of the Most HolyRosary Cathedral kickedoff the diocesan processfor the beatification andcanonization of Fr. FrancescoPalliola, SJ, an Italian Jesuitmissionary who served inMindanao.

Bishop Severo Caermareannounced the opening ofthe Cause of Fr. Palliolaon Jan. 9 with Fr. PatrickDalangin, parish priest ofthe Municipality of Ponot(Jose Dalman), Zamboangadel Norte appointed aspostulator. If declared asaint, Palliola, as an adoptedson, will be the Philippines’third saint, after St. LorenzoRuiz of Manila and St. PedroCalungsod of Cebu – and therst from Mindanao.

‘Truly Mindanaoan’The priest was martyred at

Ponot, now Jose S. Dalmantown, on Jan. 29, 1648 byTampilo, a converted nativeleader who had left the faith,and whom Palliola was trying

to bring back to theChurch. He died at 35.

Caermare said: “PadrePalliola may have beenNeapolitan, an Italian

by birth; but his love forGod, his great passionfor mission and caringfor the people of theZamboanga Peninsula,particularly the Subanonlumad, made him trulyMindanaoan.”

Born into a noblefamily, in the town ofNola in Naples, Italy onMay 10, 1612, Palliola

was part of a 40-manJesuit expedition to thePhilippines.

Investigative process Af te r tr av el in g fo r tw o

ye ar s, he fi na ll y la nd edin Iligan on Jan. 2, 1644,

be gi nn in g a mi ss io n inMindanao that would takehim to Dipolog, Dapitan, andthe rest of the ZamboangaPeninsula, spreading theCatholic faith to the locals,including the lumads.

The Bangko Sentral ng

Pilipinas archives houses apainting showing Palliola witha dagger piercing his throat.“Together with traditionspassed on since his death, and

written records of individuals who have been healed afterpraying to him, the paintingis a reminder of Fr. Palliola’slasting impact on the peopleof the Peninsula. His gravesite, marked by a modestmemorial, continues to beregularly visited by those who

seek his intercession,” reads apress release by the Diocese ofDipolog.

The investigative process“to ascertain the authenticityof his life, the renown of hissanctity, and the miraclesattributed to him” will beundertaken not just theDiocese of Dipolog, butalso the Jesuits and the

Au gu st in ia n Re co ll ec ts , who had worked in the area.(CBCP News)

The faithful visit the grave site of Fr. Francesco Palliola, SJ, an Italian Jesuit missionarywho served in and was martyred in Mindanao. DIPOLOG DIOCESE

Davao trains laity for voters’ education DAVAO City— The Archdiocese ofDavao has started the first leg ofpolitical education trainers’ training inpreparation for the upcoming May 2016elections with a rst session held on Feb.20, Saturday.

The Archdiocesan Social ActionCenter (ASAC) Davao spearheaded thetraining of 44 lay leaders who will alsotrain members in their respective BasicEcclesial Communities (BEC) to guidethem in choosing the next politicalleaders of the country.

The training was held at the St. Josephthe Worker Parish in Sasa, Davao City,

with participants coming from the dierentparishes of the Archdiocese of Davao.

Church in politics ASAC Director Fr. Leonardo Dublan,

Jr. said this political education trainers’training focuses on the understanding of

the role of the Church and the principlesof its involvement in the political arena,especially in the electoral process.

Dublan said lay leaders shouldparticipate in the political exercises ofthe country as this is not only their rightas Filipinos, but it is their Christianresponsibility and vocation.

“It is never optional and we cannotsay that politics is not part of our lifeas Catholics,” Dublan said during aninterview with CBCP News.

The ASAC Director outlined his input based on the principles from the socialteachings of the Church. The priestemphasized the dignity of the humanPerson; subsidiarity; the common good;and solidarity as guiding principlesin selecting leaders who deserve to beelected to government posts.

S u s a n T o r e n o , t h e v i c a r i a t ecoordinator of the Parish Social Action

Ministry of St. James Vicariate, said theChurch can do something to change thepolitical situation of the country, addingthat this will help voters become moreaware of the situation of the country.

Educated votersShe said: “The electorate is now

educated. They know that the countryis in need of leaders who will changethe current situation that poverty is stillthere. They just don’t allow politiciansto buy their votes.”

“In their hearts, voters are aware whoamong those running are only good inlip service and who among them candeliver the goods,” Toreno added.

Meanwhile, the training on politicaleducation will run up to three batchesand will be held in other parishes of the

Archdiocese of Davao. (John FrancesC. Fuentes/CBCPNews)

for Life Vice President for External Aairs Anna Cosio, who also joined agroup of 27 young people from mid-morning to noon for “candy-swapping.”

Of the hundreds who passed through thetunnel of volunteers, few refused the packof candies, leaving the group comprising

volunteers from Filipinos for Life, ProlifePhilippines, Love + Life Philippines,

YouthPinoy, University of Sto. TomasCentral Seminary, St. Paul University--Manila as well as individual volunteers

with a huge bag of condoms that had beenswapped for a sweeter pack of candies.

“It really made me happy…Myrealization is that we (

Documents

CBCP Monitor Vol. 20 No. 10