1DECEMBER 2014

YEAR X NO. 12 DECEMBER 2014OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LIPA

PAPAL INTENTION

FOR JANUARY 2014

Work for Peace

VATICAN CITY - Following papal

tradition at the start of a new

civil calendar year, the Holy Fa-

ther, Pope Francis, has for his

universal intention “that those

from diverse religious traditions

and all people of good will may

work together for peace.”

As for his evangelization/

mission intention, the

Apostleship of Prayer an-

nounced that the Pope will pray

“that in this Year of Conse-

crated Life, religious men and

women may rediscover the joy

of following Christ and strive to

serve the poor with zeal.”

“Hindi

i t o

bas ta

naging

kaugalian;

bahagi ito

ng kalikasan ng ating

pagkapari, ng ating pakiki-isa

sa pagkapari ni Kristo!”

Ito ang dahan-dahang

pagpapaliwanag ni Rdo. P.

Carlos Vincent Estrada, Re-

gional Vicar ng Opus Dei sa

Pilipinas sa kanyang panayam

sa mga pari sa ginawang recol-

lection noong ika-11 ng

Disyembre. Tinalakay at

ipinaliwanag niya ang paksang

“Contemplation of Jesus in the

Eucharist: Holy Hour in the

Life and Ministry of the Priest”,

matapos ang naunang Holy

Hour sa karaniwang buwanang

rekolesyon ng mga pari. Ayon

kay P. Carlos Vincent, ang holy

hour ay bahagi ng pagtulad ng

isang pari kay Kristo na laging

nananalangin. Ang paring

�HOLY HOUR... P. 2

PAALALA NG ARSOBISPO...

Mga Relihiyoso’t Relihiyosa,

Dapat Babad sa Buhay ng Parokya“Ang mga relihiyoso at relihiyosa, pati na rin

ang mga paaralan na kanilang pinamamahalaan

ay dapat na ma-involve sa buhay ng lokal na

simbahan. Ipaalala ninyo ito sa kanila!”

Fraternity, the Foundation

and Pathway to Peace

(Message of Pope Francis for World Day of Peace, January 1, 2015)

�FRATERNITY, THE FOUNDATION... P. 7

Naging matagumpay ang unang

taon ng on-going formation

tinatawag na 5-5-5 (limang taon-

limang modules-limang grupo o

life groups) ng Lipa Clergy na

ipinalabas na ng Komisyon ng

Klero (Commission on Clergy) ang

bagong iskedyul para sa taong

2015.

Ayon kay Rdo. P. Cecilio Arce,

chairman ng ComCler, bagamat di

pa sila gumagawa ng isang pormal

na evaluation, base naman sa mga

feedbacks, mas marami ang

nagpahayag ng kanilang pagkasiya

sa nasabing on-going formation na

ginagawa sa pakikipag-ugnay ng

Komisyon sa Growth Alternatives

for Managing On-going Transfor-

mation Resources, Inc. (GAMOT

Resources, Inc). Ang GAMOT ay

nakabase sa Arsidiyosesis ng Jaro

(Iloilo). Ang ganito ring

�5-5-5 MATAGUMPAY... P. 2

KSFS Goes to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas: with the Archbishop Emeritus of Manila,

Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales; the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor, Armando

Tetangco, our Seminary Fathers, our Theological seminarians and the KSFS Lay Repre-

sentative, Chibbs Maralit at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last 5 December 2014.

�MGA RELIHIYOSO’T... P. 2

5-5-5 Matagumpay,

Ipagpapatuloy ng Komisyon

1. In this, my first Message for the World Day of Peace, I wish to

offer to everyone, individuals and peoples, my best wishes for a life

filled with joy and hope. In the heart of every man and woman is the

desire for a full life, including that irrepressible longing for frater-

nity which draws us to fellowship with others and enables us to see

them not as enemies or rivals, but as brothers and sisters to be ac-

cepted and embraced.

Fraternity is an essential human quality, for we are relational be-

ings. A lively awareness of our relatedness helps us to look upon and

to treat each person as a true sister or brother; without fraternity it is

impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace. We

should remember that fraternity is generally first learned in the fam-

ily, thanks above all to the responsible and complementary roles of

each of its members, particularly the father and the mother. The fam-

ily is the wellspring of all fraternity, and as such it is the foundation

and the first pathway to peace, since, by its vocation, it is meant to

spread its love to the world around it.

The ever-increasing number of interconnections and communica-

tions in today's world makes us powerfully aware of the unity and

common destiny of the nations. In the dynamics of history, and in the

diversity of ethnic groups, societies and cultures, we see the seeds of

a vocation to form a community composed of brothers and sisters

who accept and care for one another. But this vocation is still fre-

quently denied and ignored in a world marked by a "globalization of

indifference" which makes us slowly inured to the suffering of oth-

ers and closed in on ourselves.

In many parts of the world, there seems to be no end to grave

offences against fundamental human rights, especially the right to

life and the right to religious freedom. The tragic phenomenon of

2 DECEMBER 2014NEWS & EVENTS

nananalangin ay nakakatulad ni

Kristo, aniya.

“Ang mga tao ay natutuwa na

makita nila ang kanilang pari na

nananalangin sa harapan ng Ba-

nal na Santisimo. Dito nila

nakikita sa kanyang katauhan si

Kristo,” patuloy pa niya.

Binanggit niya ang eksena sa

hardin ng Getsemane, na kung

saan siya na-ukol ng panalangin

na kasama pa ang tatlong mga

alagad. Nang makita niya umano

ang mga itong natutulog, sinabi

Niya na magbantay kahit isang

oras man lamang kasama Niya.

Ito umano ang pinagmulan ng

isang oras na pagsama kay Hesus

sa pananalangin.

HOLY HOUR... P. 1 Bukod dito, ipinaliwanang din

niya na ang mahalaga sa holy hour

ay ang tahimik na pagninilay (con-

templation) at hindi ang mga salita

o dasal (vocal prayer). Ganoon

din, sabi niya na huwag mag-alala

kung makatulog sa pananalangin.

Maging ito ay pwedeng tawaging

panalangin. Ang mahalaga ay ang

naroon sa presensyang kasama ni

Hesus. Dahil dito, di dapat gawin

ng isang pari na dahilan ang mga

gawain sa hindi pag-uukol ng

isang oras na pananalangin araw

araw.

“Dito tayo kumukuha ng ating

lakas sa ating mga gawain bilang

pari, sa ating mga apostolado, sa

ministeryo,” diin ni P. Carlos Vin-

cent.

Isa ito sa mga tagubilin ng

Lubhang Kgg. Arsobispo

Ramon C. Arguelles sa mga

pari sa kanilang huling

pagtitipon sa taong

kasalukuyan. Ito ay bunga ng

naging pagtatalaga ng taong

2015 bilang “Year of the Con-

secrated Life”, ayon na rin sa

naging dekreto ni Papa Fran-

cisco.

“Bahagi sila ng lokal na

simbahan at dapat makita ang

kanilang presensya sa

parokya,” pagbibigay-diin niya.

Ayon sa kanya, ang mga

relihiyoso at relihiyosa ang may

malaking misyon na magbigay

patotoo sa kung paano

nabubuhay ang mga

nakatalaga sa Diyos.

“Di lamang ang mga

relihiyoso’t relihiyosa ang mga

“consecrated”; tayong lahat na

binyagan - layko at pari - ay

“consecrated” din. Sila lamang

ang binigyan ng biyaya at

misyon na isabuhay ang

pagtatalaga sa Diyos dito pa

man sa lupa,” dugtong pa niya.

Ayon pa rin sa kanya,

susulatan niya muli ang mga

relihiyoso’t relihiyosa sa

Arsidiyosesis upang ipaalala sa

kanila ang layunin ng Santo

Papa sa pagdedeklara na ang

taong ito ay para sa “Conse-

crated Life”.

Samantala, muling binigyan

ng pansin ng Arsobispo na hindi

masasabing hindi magkaka-

uganay ang tatlong mga paksa

na bibigyan-pansin sa taong

nagsimula na noong matapos

ang Taon ng mga Dukha.

Ayon sa kanya, ang “Year of

Consecrated Life” ay pagtugon

sa itinakda ng Santo Papa para

sa Simbahan sa buong mundo

(Universal Church).

Ang “Year of the Poor”

MGA RELIHIYOSO’T... P. 1 naman ay ayon sa itinakda ng

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of

the Philippines (CBCP), bahagi

na siyam na taong paghahanda

para sa ika-500 taon ng

Kristiyanismo sa Pilipinas. Ito

ay ikatlong taon: Taon ng

Pananampalataya (2013), Taon

ng mga Layko (2014) at ngayon

ay Taon ng mga Dukha (2015).

Ang kanya namang

pagdedeklara na ang taon ding

ito ay gawin sa buong

Arsidiyosesis na “Taon ng

Eucharistiya” ay bilang buong

paghahanda sa gagawing Inter-

national Eucharistic Congress

sa taong 2016. Ito ay gagawin

sa Cebu City. Ayon sa

Arsobispo, ang Arsidiyosesis ng

Lipa pa lamang ang nalalaman

niyang nagdeklara ng isang

buong taong paghahanda sa

mahalagang magaganap sa

Cebu sa 2016.

Ipinaliwanag niya kung

paano ang mga ito ay magkaka-

ugnay at di dapat sabihing

nagkakasalungat. Maging sa

mga gawain ay makikita na ang

lahat ay patungo sa pagiging

“Eucharistic” ng lahat, bilang

indibidwal at bilang

sambayanan. Ang mga gawain

para sa at kasama ng mga

dukha ay gawain ng mga

nakatalaga sa Diyos.

Maalala na noong ika-23

ng Nobyembre, sa Basilica ni

San Martin sa Taal, Batangas,

winakasan ang Taon ng mga

Layko at binuksan ang mga

Taon ng Buhay Nakatalaga,

Taon ng mga Dukha at Taon

ng Eukaristiya. Bagamat may

mga relihyoso’t reliheyosa na

dumalo, pinansin ng Ama ng

Arsidiyosesis na parang hindi

nabigyan-pansin ng mga ito

ang kahalagahan ng

nasabing okasyon para sa

kanila. #UB

palatuntunan ay syang sinusunod

ng ilang mga Arsi/diyosesis sa

bansa tulad ng Gumaca, at San

Fernando (Pampanga), at iba pa.

Ang klero ng Arsidiyosesis ay

nahahati sa limang grupo o life

groups: Young Clergy, Juniors

and Early Mid-Life, Midlife and

Late Midlife, Early Seniors, at

Mid-Seniors and Seniors. Halos

100% ang mga nakatapos ng unang

taon ng patuloy na paghubog na

nakatuon sa human development

ng mga pari. Ang mga paksa ay

naayon sa pangangailangan ng

iba’t ibang life group.

Sa Pebrero 9-13, 2015

nakatakda ang Young Clergy na

ang magiging paksain ay “Sexual-

ity and Celibacy”; Hulyo 27-31

para sa nasa Junior and Early Mid-

Life “Masculinity and Intimacy”;

Setyembre 21-25, Midlife at Late

Midlife, “Breakdown to Break-

5-5-5 MATAGUMPAY... P. 1 through (Persona and Shadow)”;

Oktubre 19-23, Early Seniors,

“Re-view of Life”; at Nobyembre,

Mid-Seniors and Seniors, “God’s

Story in My Story”.

Tulad noong nagdaang taon,

pangungunahan ni Gng. Cynthia

Baga ang GAMOT Staff na

magpapadaloy ng mga gawain at

panayam sa on-going formation na

tawag ay 5-5-5. Ang schedule na

ito ay ipinaalam ng maaga at

pinagbibigyan ng kopya bawat isa

upang maaga pa ay mailagay na ng

mga pari sa kanilang mga

kalendaryo.

Ayon din sa nasabing anunsyo,

ang mga lugal na pagdarausan ng

on-going formation ay ipaaalam

kaagad kung may pagbabago sa

itinakdang lugal na unang

ipinahayag. Sa Tagaytay ang

venue ng lahat ng mga gawaing ito,

bagamat sa iba't ibang mga retreat

houses sa nasabing lungsod.

Inihayag na rin ng nasabing

Komisyon ang petsa ng taunang

Banal na Pagsasanay o Retreat.

Itinakda ito sa Agosto 24-28 sa

Carmelite Missionaries Center of

Spirituality sa Tagaytay City.

Kung hindi magkakaroon ng

pagbabago, pumayag na umano si

Bp. Broderick Pabillo na siyang

maging facilitator. Magiging

paksa niya ang Taon ng mga

Dukha. Si Bp. Pabillo ang dating

puno ng NASSA, ang Social Ac-

tion arm ng CBCP. Siya ngayon

ang namamahala sa Public Affairs

ng CBCP.

Bahagi ng kalatas na

ipinalabas ng Komisyon ng

Klero sa pagtatapos ng taon ay

ang dalawang updating sessions

sa darating na taon, pati na rin

ang mga paksa at mga speakers.

Agn mga ito ay sa Capuchin Re-

treat Center sa Lipa City

gagawin. #UB

Nagbigay din siya ng mga

pointers kung paano kakaharapin

ang mga distractions kapag

nananalangin ng tahimik sa

harapan ng Banal na Santisimo.

Bukod sa mga pagbanggit niya

mula sa Banal na Kasulatan,

ipinakita din niya ang turo ng

katesismo at ng mga sulat mula sa

mga Santo Papa tungkol sa

kahalagan ng holy hour.

Ang rekoleksyong nabanggit

at ang panayam ay siyang huli sa

taong 2014, ayon na rin sa

palatuntunang itinakda ng Com-

mission on Clergy, sa pamumuno

ni Rdo. P. Cecilio Arce. Si Rdo.

P. Eugene Dominic Hechanova

ang nagpakilala sa tagapagsalita.

#UB

Isang mabiyayang araw

para sa mga PCCD Board Of-

ficers ng iba’t-ibang parokya

ng Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa ang

ika-4 na araw ng Disyembre,

2014, sapagkat ginanap ang

advent recollection o banal

na pagsasanay nila sa kapilya

ng Nuestra Señora de los

Remedios, Concepcion,

Banaybanay, Lipa City. Sa

kabila ng pagbabadyang

pagdating ng bagyo , kulang-

kulang na dalawang daan pa

rin ang nakadalo sa

pagtitipon.

Ang nagpadaloy ng banal

na pagsasanay ay si Reb. P.

Jojo P. Mendoza, na

masasabing suking

tagapagsalita rin ng mga

katekista. Pinasimulan ni Pa-

dre Jojo ang kanyang

pagbabahagi sa pamama-

gitan ng pagbibigay

kahulugan sa salitang

Advent Reco ng mga PCCD Board, Isinagawa

"adbiyento". Wika nga niya,

mas magandang pagnilayan

ang simpleng kahulugan ng

abiyento o paghahanda sa

pagdating ng Mesiyas.

Ang banal na pagsasanay

ay pinalalim sa pamamagitan

ng pagbabahagi ni P. Jojo ng

8 R ng adbiyento, ang mga ito

ay ang mga sumusunod: Rec-

ollect, Repent, Reform, Rec-

oncile, Recharge, Reunion,

Rejoice and Resolution. Sa

bawat pagpapaliwanag ni P.

Jojo sa 8 R ng adbiyento ay

mas lalong lumalim ang

pagkaunawa ng bawat isa sa

tunay na kahulugan ng

adbiyento at tamang

paghahanda sa pagdating ng

Panginoong Hesukristo.

Pagkatapos ng tanghalian ay

ginanap na rin ang simpleng

Christmas party. Nagkaroon ng

mga palaro at raffles na siyang

nagpasaya sa bawat isa.

Nagtapos ang pagdiriwang sa

pamamagitan ng huling

panalangin na pinamunuan ni

Sr. Ma. Linda C. Balmes, ACCD

Coordinator. #UB

(Sto. Tomas, Batangas) - Nagkatipon- tipon ang halos 600

na mga kabataan mula sa iba’t ibang panig ng Arsidiyosesis

sa ginanap na Archdiocesan Youth Day sa St. Thomas Acad-

emy noong ika- 29 ng Nobyembre. Bukod sa youth month

celebration ang Nobyembre, ang pagsasama-sama ay kaugnay

din sa pagsasara ng Taon ng mga Layko kung kaya ang tema

ng pagdiriwang ay “Young Laity: Choose to be Brave.”

Sinimulan ang buong araw na aktibidad sa pamamagitan

ng Banal na Misa na pinangunahan ni Bishop Salvador

Quizon. Tatlong pangunahing panayam ang itinampok

kabilang ang talk ng pangulo ng Archdiocesan Council of

the Laity, Bro. Loreto Guinhawa na sumentro sa paghamon

sa mga kabataan kung paano magiging matapang at matatag

na layko. Ang ikalawang panayam ay may temang “Called

to be Saints” na pinadaloy ng pinakabagong pari ng

Arsidyosesis, Rdo. P. Raeson Limbo. Si Rdo. P. Faiq

Edmerson Quinto, OSJ naman ang nakasama ng mga kabataan

sa pagninilay sa ikatlong paksa na may titulong “Sent Forth

as Heroes”.

Naging bahagi ng youth gathering ang worship concert na

pinamunuan ng grupo ni Michael Caiga mula sa Youth for

Family and Life (YFL Batangas). Nagsagawa rin ng Exposi-

tion of the Blessed Sacrament na pinangasiwaan ng direktor

ng komisyon, Rdo. P. Ephraim Cabrera.

Samantala, ang pinakatampok na yugto ay ang pagdiriwang

ng closing mass na pinangunahan naman ni Lubhang Kgg.

Arsobispo Ramon Arguelles. Nagpaabot ng pasasalamat si

Bb. Milleth Kasilag, pangulo ng AYC sa lahat ng mga dumalo,

tumulong at naging bahagi ng isa na namang paglalakbay ng

mga kabataan ng Lipa. #UB

� ETHEL ROBLES

Sa Pagtatapos ng Year of the Laity...

Idinaos, Archdiocesan

Youth Day 2014

3DECEMBER 2014

Balitang Bikariya Dos

� ETHELIZA ROBLES, Chief, UB News Bureau

NEWS & EVENTS

Sta. Teresita, Batangas - Nahalal na bagong secre-

tary ng Association of Catholic Shrines and Pilgrimages

of the Philippines (ACSP) si Rdo. P. Joseph Rodem

Ramos, kura paroko at rektor ng Dambana ni Sta.

Teresita ng Batang si Hesus at ng Banal na Mukha.

Isinagawa ang eleksyon ng bagong pamunuan ng

samahan makaraang idaos ang 19th

Annual General

Assembly sa Bahay Pari, San Carlos Seminary sa

lungsod ng Makati noong Disyembre 1 -2. Bukod kay

P. Rodem, nahalal din si Rdo. P. Joselin Gonda, kura

paroko at rektor ng Dambana ni Sto. Padre Pio sa

Sto. Tomas bilang bagong pangulo ng asosasyon at

si Elizabeth Quinto mula sa Basilica ni San Martin sa

Taal bilang Lay Secretary. Enero 2015 magsisimula

ang isang taong termino ng 3 bagong opisyales ng

ASCP mula sa Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa. Samantala, higit

naman sa 20 mga delegado na kasapi ng Association

of Shrine Promoters and Rectors of the Archdiocese of Lipa

(ASPRAL) ang nakadalo sa 2 araw na pagtitipon na

may temang “Religious Tourism and Its Socio Eco-

nomic Development Influence in the Community”.

Taal, Batangas - Kasama ang higit sa 30 kaparian,

pinamunuan ni Lubhang Kgg. Arsobispo Ramon

Arguelles ang pagdiriwang ng misa konselebrada

kaugnay sa kapistahan ng Mahal na Birhen ng

Caysasay sa Basilica ni San Martin ng Tours noong

ika-9 ng Disyembre. Bagamat masama ang panahon

ng araw na ito bunsod ng bagyong Ruby, tuloy ang

selebrasyon sa Basilica. Muling ipinaalala ng

Arsobispo na ang pagdiriwang ng piyesta ng

Inmaculada Concepcion ay napakahalaga sa mga

Batanguenyo sapagkat siya ang reyna ng

Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa. Bahagi ng Banal na Misa ang

pagbigkas ng luwa parangal sa Birhen ng Caysasay

na ginampanan ni Bb. Vanessa Estacio. Kaugnay nito,

ika- 8 naman ng Disyembre nang magdaos ng

selebrasyon sa Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay sa Labac,

Taal kaugnay sa kapistahan ng Mahal na Ina. Dahil

malakas din ang ulan at hangin, by land na lamang

ang isinagawang prusisyon mula sa dambana

patungo sa Basilica at pansamantalang hindi itinuloy

ang fluvial procession sa Ilog Pansipit kung saan

natagpuan ang birhen noong 1603.

Lemery, Batangas - Patuloy na sumasailalim sa

iba’t ibang pormasyon ang mg kabataan mula sa

Parokya ni San Roque sa Lemery. Ayon kay

Michael Piol, isa mga aktibong lider kabataan, may

programa para sa mga kabataan na tinatawag na

“Path of Holiness”. Aniya, tinatalakay at

pinagninilayan dito ang landas na inaasahang

magpapabanal sa bawat isang kabataan. Ito ay

naglalayong magabayan ang mga kabataan tungo

sa simpleng kabanalan at maiwasan ang mga

bagay o pangyayari na maaaring magdulot ng

panghihina o pananamlay ng pananampalataya ng

mga kabataan sa kasalukuyang henerasyon.

Sinimulan ang aktibidad na ito ng parokya sa

pamamagitan ng isang formation activity na may

temang I Love You God kung saan ipinamulat sa

bawat isa ang tungkol sa pagmamahal. Susundan

pa ito ng iba pang mga paksa kabilang ang

pagtuturo ng mga panalangin, Ten Commandments,

7 Deadly Sins, Mga Buhay ng mga Santo, tungkol

sa Bibliya, values at marami pang iba. Kasama sa

proyektong ito sina Rdo. P. Armando Lubis, kura

paroko at Rdo. P. Quini Magpantay, direktor ng

Parish Youth Council na nagbibigay rin ng kanilang

mga talks o paksa. Tuwing Linggo naman idinaraos

sa parokya ang aktibidad na dinadaluhan ng mga

kabataang may edad 11 pataas. Samantala,

Oktubre pa sinimulan ang programang ito na

ipinagpapatuloy hanggang sa kasalukuyan. #UB

16th Bukluran, matagumpay na naidaos

sa San Carlos Seminary

� SEM. JUMEL JOHN VALERO

Muling nagkatipon-tipon

noong ika-29 ng Nobeyembre

taong ito ang ilan sa mga

seminaryo ng Timog Luzon at

Kalakhang Maynila para sa

taunang Bukluran na may

temang, “Ignis: Keep the Fire

Burning.”

Itinatag noong 1997, ang

Bukluran ay isang inter-semi-

nary meet kung saan

nagkakasama-sama ang mga

seminarista mula sa iba’t ibang

mga diyosesis upang isabuhay

ang diwa ng pagkakaisa at

pagkakapatiran ng mga susunod

na pari ng Inang Simbahan. Sa

loob ng isang araw, pinapalalim

pa ang pakikipag-ugnayan at ang

mga bokasyon ng mga kabataang

sama-samang tumutugon sa

tawag ng Diyos sa pamamagitan

ng mga patimpalak sa larangan

ng palakasan at iba pang mga

gawaing sumasalamin sa apat na

pangunahing pormasyon sa

seminaryo - Spiritual, Pastoral,

Academic at Human.

Siyam na seminaryo ang

kabilang ngayon sa

pinakaaabangan na Bukluran

2014. Ito ay ang mga

sumusunod: mula sa

Arsidiyosesis ng Maynila, Uni-

versity of Sto. Tomas Central

Seminary, Lorenzo Mission Insti-

tute at ang host, San Carlos

Seminary; St. Peter’s College

Seminary ng Diyosesis ng San

Pablo sa Laguna; Mt. Saint

(photos attached in the email are courtesy of SFS Reels and Stills Documentation Co.)

Nakadalo ang mga kasapi

ng PASAMPA (Pamparokyang

Samahan ng Migranteng

Pampamilya) tulad nina Hydie

Arguelles, Dhel Buno, at

Raquel Mission sa naganap na

symposium sa Sacred Heart

College, Lucena City. Ang

tema, “Human Trafficking:

Makabagong Pang-aalipin,

Dapat Sugpuin.” Maliwanag

ang mensaheng ipinaabot ni

Sr. Aubrey D.C. on solutions

to human trafficking: preven-

tion, protection, prosecution,

partnership, and PRAYER.

Masiglang pinadaloy ni

Rdo. P. Ramil Esplana ng

B a l i t a n g B a s i l i c a

� BB. VIOLY ECHAGUE

Aloysius College Seminary ng

Diyosesis ng Gumaca at Our

Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Seminary ng Diyosesis ng

Lucena sa Quezon; Our Lady of

Pillar Seminary ng Diyosesis ng

Imus sa Cavite; at ang Oblates

of St. Joseph (OSJ) at St. Francis

de Sales Major Seminary (SFS),

ng Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa.

Pinamunuan ng Kanyang

Kabunyian, Luis Antonio Cardi-

nal Tagle, Arsobispo ng Maynila,

ang Votive Mass of the Holy

Spirit, kasama ang ilang mga par-

ing tagahubog mula sa iba’t

ibang mga seminaryo. Matapos

ang misa, nagkaroon ng team

building at sharing ang mga

magkakagrupong seminarista

mula sa siyam na seminaryong

dumalo. Pagkapananghalian,

sinimulan naman ang mga in-

door at outdoor games na

ginanap sa Colegio de Sta. Rosa

- Makati, Holy Apostles Senior

Seminary Compound at sa Palm

Village-Makati Volleyball Court.

Nagkamit ng tagumpay ang

mga seminarista mula sa

Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa matapos

iuwi ng mga manlalaro mula sa

St. Francis de Sales Major Semi-

nary, sa pamumuno ng kanilang

coach na si Rdo. P. Anthony

Carlo A. Esteron ang

kampeonato para sa basketball.

Di rin naman nagpahuli ang Ob-

lates of St. Joseph (OSJ) na

nagkamit ng ikatlong puwesto.

Ikatlong pwesto rin ang nakamit

ng SFS para sa volleyball.

Marami ring awards ang nakamit

ng OSJ para sa indoor games.

Kung tutuusin, panalo ang

lahat sapagkat umuwi ang bawat

isa na may nag-aalab na apoy ng

bokasyon para sa pagpapari at

mga bagong karanasang

babaunin nila para sa hinaharap.

Ang susunod na Bukluran ay

gaganapin sa St. Peter’s College

Seminary sa Diyosesis ng San

Pablo sa Laguna. #UB

Human Trafficking Symposium Dinaluhan ng Pasampa

Pinangunahan ni Reb. P.

Dado Castillo ang pagdiriwang

ng Banal na Misa para sa mga

mananampalatayang may mga

natatanging pangangailangan o

handicap noong ika-30 ng

Nobyembre, unang linggo sa

adbiyento. Pagkatapos ng Ba-

nal na Misa ay nagkatipon ang

mga 300 katao (persons with

special needs at kanilang mga

guardian) sa Basilica Gym para

sa programang inihanda. Ang

mga bilang ay mula sa mga

special children tulad pag-awit

ni Shaira Cena ng Batangas

RCC ang programang

pinagtuwangan ng mga

panayam mula sa

tagapagsalita ng IJM (Interna-

t ional Just ice Mission) at

PIMAHT (Phil ippine

Interfaith Movement Against

Human Traff icking) na

itinataguyod ng CBCP (Catho-

lic Bishops Conference of the

Philippines), NCCP (National

Council of Churches in the

Philippines) at PCEC (Philip-

pine Council of Evangelical

Churches). Maraming mag-

aaral ang nakadalo mula sa

iba’t ibang paaralan ng Lucena

para magkaroon ng kamalayan

sa mga kalagayan ng human

trafficking. Sa kasalukuyan,

ang kanilang hanay ang

malimit na nalinlinlang at

naaabuso dala ng kawalan ng

kaalaman. Ipinaalala rin na

mula Nobyembre 25 -

Disyembre 12, 2014, muling

itinataguyod ang 18 araw na

kampanya upang wakasan ang

lahat ng anyo ng karahasan sa

mga kababaihan.

Ang palatuntunan ay

itinaguyod ng Quezon Ecu-

menical Movement a t ng

STREAM (Southern Tagalog

Region Ecumenical Affairs

Movement). #UB

Handicapped Sunday, Inalala

East Elementary School,

pagsayaw mula sa Batangas

East Elementary School at

Batangas South Elementary

School.

Nabusog ang lahat sa

pagkaing inihanda ng upisina

ng parokya at ng mga kasapi ng

St. Jude Thaddeus. Nag-uwi rin

ang panauhin ng mga regalo

mula sa Parish Pastoral Coun-

cil at mga kasapi ng St. Martin

de Porres.

Sa matagumpay na gawain

nagkatulungan sa paghahanda

at pag-aasikaso ang mga

magulang ng LPPCI (Lingap),

mga kabataan ng Parish Youth

Ministry, mga katekista, at

mga Laykod. Ayon kay Marivic

Arguelles, guro ng BaNaHis

SPED, pinaglilingkuran nila

ang mga batang may mga spe-

cial needs: hearing impaired,

mentally challenge, Down Syn-

drome, autistic, with learning

disability, visually impaired.

Natutuwa siyang nabibigyan

ito ng higit na pansin ng

pamahalaan at nang

pagkakaroon ng programang

tulad nito ang simbahan. #UB

4 DECEMBER 2014OPINION

� Most Rev. Ramón Argüelles, DD, STL

ED I T OR I A L

E D I T O R I A L S T A F F

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LIPA

For your comments, submission of articles, and/or subscriptions

email us at ulatbatangan@yahoo.com

Visit us at Ulat Batangan in www.archlipa.org

SUBSCRIPTION RATE: P200 FOR 12 MONTHS OR P20.00 PER MONTH.

Fr. Nonie C. Dolor

Editor-in-Chief

Jesusa D. Bauan

Circulation Manager

Fr. Eric Joaquin Arada

Fr. Nonie C. Dolor

Photographers

Niño Balita

Cartoonist

Atty. Mary Antoniette E. Arguelles

Legal Counsel

Archdiocese of Lipa

Publisher

Fr. Oscar L. Andal

Managing Editor

Contributors:

Msgr. Ruben Dimaculagan

Mrs. Norma Abratigue

Fr. Bimbo Pantoja

Fr. Manny Guazon

Fr. Oscar Andal

Emma D. Bauan

Mrs. Elsie A. Rabago

Sis. Divine Padilla

Ms. Ethel Robles

Lenny D. Mendoza

Lay-out Artist

Printer: Pater Putativus Publishing House

� Msgr. Fred Madlangbayan

Straight

from the Heart

( ITUTULOY)

Pansinin ninyo ang aming pagbati - mas una ang

pagbati para sa bagong taon. Para kasi sa Simbahan,

ang unang taon nito ay nagsisimula sa Unang Linggo

ng Panahon ng Adbiyento (kaya noon pang Nobyembre

30 nagsimula ang Bagong Taon ng Simbahan). Ang

Pasko ng Pagsilang (Disyembre 25), kung saan ito ang

itinalagang birthday ni Kristo ay isa lamang sa mga

kapistahan sa Simbahan at hindi pa ito ang pinaka-

tampok na piyesta sa Simbahan. Ang karangalan ay sa

Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay. Ang taon naman ng

Simbahan ay “nagtatapos” sa Linggo ng Kapistahan ni

Kristong Hari.

Marahil sa kapakanan ng mga layko na di pa

gaanong nauunawaan ang mga ito, ang bagong taong

karaniwang ipinagdiriwang ay sa kalendaryong sibil.

Ito nga ay nagsisimula sa Enero at natatapos sa

Disyembre.

Ang solemnidad na ipinagdiriwang sa Enero 1 ay

hindi bagong taon ng simbahan, kundi ang

pagpaparangal at pagkilala kay Maria bilang Ina ng

Diyos. Sa Pilipinas, bukod dito ang isa pang

pagpaparangal kay Maria na “holy day of obligation”

para sa mga Katoliko ay ang paglilihi sa kanya, kilala

sa tawag na “Immaculate Conception”. Bukod sa Pasko

ng Pagsilang kay Kristo, ang mga Linggo o Araw ng

Panginoon ay mga “holy days of obligation”.

Ang pagdiriwang ng kapistahan ni Maria, Ina ng

Diyos, sa unang araw ng taong sibil ay may lohika. Sa

pagsisimula ng taong sibil, inilalagak natin ang lahat

sa pagkakandili ng ating Ina. Ang buhay, bagamat

galing sa Diyos, ay laging nag-uumpisa sa sinapupunan

ng isang ina, isang babae. Si Hesus ay di exception sa

prosesyong ito. Pumili muna ang Ama ng isang babae

upang siyang maglihi at magsilang ng Kanyang Anak.

Tayo sa pagsisimula ng bagong siglo ng buhay natin,

nagsisimula ito sa pagkilala sa Ina.

Nawa’y sa gabay at tulong ng Mahal na Ina, madala

tayo at marating natin ang yugto na si Kristo na unang

sumilang bilang sanggol, ay masamahan at makiisa

tayo sa kanyang paghahari sa atin at sa ating

pamayanan.

Adbiyento (paghahada sa pagdating Niya ulit bilang

hari/hukom) patungo sa Pisyesta ng Kristong Hari (na

darating na maringal bilang Hukom sa pagpasok ng

Buhay na walang hanggan) - ito ang buod ng taon ng

Simbahan. Sana sama-sama tayo sa pagsisikap na ma-

isabuhay natin ito. Sama sama tayong maglakbay

patungo sa sukdulan ng ating kaganapan ng buhay -

ang pakikipisan sa Dakilang Santatlo, ang ating Simula

at Hantungan.

Sa pagitan nyan, malaking hamon sa ating lahat

kung paano natin maisasagawa at kung paano

palalalimin ang katotohanan ito.

Muli, Manigong Bagong Taon at Maligayang Pasko!

#UB

Manigong Bagong Taon

at Maligayang Pasko

Minamahal kong mga

kapatid, ngayong nagtapos na

ang TAON NG MGA LAYKO at

nagsimula na ang TAON NG

MGA DUKHA, maganda

nating pag-usapan ang

dalawa, sapagka’t sila’y tunay

na magkaugnay. Bakit? Sino

ba ang mga dukha? Hindi ba

Layko? At sino naman ang

mga tutulong at dadamay sa

mga dukha? Hindi ba Layko?

Sariwa pa sa ating alaala

kung sino ang mga Layko. Sila

ay ang bahaging simbahan na

bininyagan. At bunga ng

kanilang binyag, sila'y nagging

mga “Pari, Hari at Propeta.”

Dahil sa pagiging pari, sila’y

malapit at madaling

makalalapit sa Diyos.

Sakatunayan, sila’y naging

mga anak ng Diyos. At

sapagka’t ang Diyos na

kanilang Ama ay pag-ibig

sang-ayon kay San Juan,

gayundin naman, ang misyon

ng mga Layko ay ang umibig:

“Ibigin ang Diyos nang higit sa

lahat at ang kapwa tulad ng

sarili”. Kaya kung mayroong

dapat ibigin ang mga Layko ng

higit sa lahat, ito’y ang mga

dukha.

Dahil sa pagiging Propeta,

ang mga Layko ay inaasahang

magpahayag ng Mabuting

Balita sa ibang mga tao. At

kung mayroong dapat silang

pagpahayagan ng Mabuting

Balita, alalaumbaga’y “Mahal

tayo ni Hesus”, higit sa lahat,

ito’y ang mga dukha. At bilang

Hari, inaasahan na gagamitin

ng mga Layko ang kanilang

makaharing kapangyarihan sa

paglilingkod, pagdamay at

pagtulong sa kanilang mga

kapwa. At kung mayroon

silang dapat tulungan,

damayan at paglingkuran,

higit sa lahat, ito’y ang mga

dukha.

Sumakatuwid, sa kabuuan,

ang pagiging Pari, Hari at

Propeta ng mga Layko, ay

magaganap at maisasaka-

tuparan sa mga dukha at mga

nangangailangan. Ito ang

hinihingi ng panahon natin

ngayon at gayundin ng

pagkakataon! #UB

Quo vadis NTC? Where are you

going, National Transformation

Council? Since the time the expres-

sion National Transformation

Council was heard and spread,

people have been querying, where

do we go from here? What are we

aiming after? The present leader-

ship must step down, we say. The

illegitimate government must fade

away. What should happen next

then? Where must the nation head

for? A very valid question, indeed;

by no means easy to answer. In ret-

rospect at the facets characteristic

of all five past summits of the NTC,

a very clear direction for the NTC

becomes obvious needing only fur-

ther pondering on, concrete plans

proffered and elucidations set

down for all to grasp what NTC is

about and how its ends must be

achieved.

The first NTC assembly took

place in Lipa, the city of the

Blessed Virgin Mary, famous for

the Mediatrix of All Grace. Even

our Moslem brothers and sisters

deeply involved in the National

Transformation project show great

respect and love for the Mother of

Jesus Whom they regard as distinc-

tive before God and gifted espe-

cially in Her being viewed as the

Immaculate Conception. Protes-

tants too, so disposed to work with

us for societal transformation

through a return to moral princi-

ples, grasp the Catholic high regard

for the Mother of Christ. They un-

derstand our religious fervor to-

wards the Blessed Virgin Mary

being the Mother of the same Je-

sus Whom all Christians love and

who loves us all. The Lipa gather-

ing took place on August 27, 2014,

feastday of St. Monica, a great

mother who prayed all her life for

her children, chiefly St. Augustine,

to be converted. Her prayers did

not remain unheeded. The conven-

tion on St. Monica's feastday in

Lipa City underscored that the

NTC cannot ignore the importance

of the family, the sublimity of

motherhood and the eminent value

QUO VADIS, NTC?

of life. My profound immersion in

the NTC reached a decisive point

when the present government av-

idly promoted the wicked policies

imposed by powerful western na-

tions. They have fallen into irre-

versible decadence and are on the

way to ruin when they adopted

measures that are against the will

of God and the future of mankind.

At the same time that government

campaigned for the "tuwid na

daan", the RH Bill was deviously

passed and became law, not be-

cause of strength of reason, nor

because of normal principled proc-

ess but because of bribery. They

have done something totally op-

posed to what they vowed to do:

eradicate corruption. The present

regime corrupt public officials by

misusing millions of taxpayers'

money to pass a law detrimental to

the common good and unasham-

edly against the will of the major-

ity of people. That was August 27,

feast of St. Monica, the day exalt-

ing motherhood, life and the unity

of all mankind called to partake in

the same life of God.

The second gathering took place

in Cebu, seat of the Sto. Nino. The

date was October 1, 2014, the feast

of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

and the Holy Face. The Sto. Nino

of Cebu is very much associated

with all the saints particularly St.

Therese of the Child Jesus. What

is the doctrine of St. Therese of the

Child Jesus and the Holy Face?

The Child Jesus is the icon of hu-

mility, of choosing to be nothing,

being docile to human parents in

spite of His being divine. The Holy

Face is the mark of supreme sacri-

fice. St. Therese of the Child Jesus

teaches the world about littleness,

humility, total self-giving, suffer-

ing love. She is the doctor of the

little way. St. John Paul II called

her "Doctor Divini Amoris

Scientiae", Teacher of the Knowl-

edge of Divine Love. We believe

in God's love. The one who really

knows the depth of God's love is

�TINIG PASTOL... P. 5

5DECEMBER 2014 OPINION

Office of the Archbishop

Archdiocese of Lipa

San Lorenzo Drive

4217 Lipa City, Philippines

� (043) 756-2573 • Fax (043) 756-2964

E-mail: bparguelles@milsaint.org

� SERAPIO & GAVINA HUELGAS

Magbalik tanaw tayo kung ano ang

nangyari halos dalawang dekada ang

nakaraan. Noong 1995, mahigit na

300 million na kababaihan ang

nakatanggap ng Tetanus toxoid dito sa

Pilipinas. Ang karamihan sa mga

nakatanggap ng bakunang ito ay

nalaglag ang batang dinadala sa

sinapupunan at hindi na nagkaroon ng

anak, taliwas sa sinasabi na ito ay

mangangalaga sa ina at sa bata.

Narito ang pahayag ni Dr.

Reynaldo Echavez:

DR. REYNALDO ECHAVEZ: We in

the Philippine Medical Association

doesn’t believe in what the govern-

ment is saying. The test that were

made in both big medical centers were

all positive for hCG (hormone human

chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), Beta

hCG, and they claim that this is insig-

nificant. To me this could not be insig-

nificant because it can produce anti-

hCG antibodies. At the moment there

is a presence of hCG in the vaccine. It

can produce anti-hCG and this can

now neutralize the HCG that a woman

will produce during pregnancy and

abortion will set in. MALIWANAG NA

ANG BAKUNA NA IBINIGAY NOON

ANG NAGING SANHI NG

PAGKALAGLAG NG MGA SANGGOL

AT DI PAGKAKAROON NG ANAK NG

MGA BABAENG NAKATANGGAP

NITO. Sa ngayon, mag-ingat tayo sa

pagtanggap ng mga “libreng” bakuna

na ibinibigay sa atin.

A recent study conducted by the

Philippine Medical Association on be-

half of the Philippine Department of

Health revealed that almost 20 percent

of the tetanus vaccine sampled posi-

tive for the hormone human chorionic

gonadotrophin (hCG), according to

Human Life International. Vaccines

containing the hormone immunize

women not only against tetanus but

Ang Katotohanan Tungkol sa Bakuna

also against pregnancy by inducing the

body's immune system to attack the

hormone needed to bring an unborn

child to term.

Ang mga ulat na ito ay mula sa HLI

reports.

Dagdag na ulat:

• Nagkaroon ng pagtitipon ang mga

lider ng Family & Life Commission na

ginanap sa San Luis Batangas. Sa

halip na congress, nagkaroon ng Holy

Hour na sinundan ng Banal na Misa

na gimanpanan ni Rev. Fr. Eugene

Peñalosa III. Napakaganda ng

kanyang ibinahagi sa homily tungkol

sa Year of the Poor. May kwento siya

tungkol sa Indian native na may

kasamang Americano. Pinatigil ng

Indian ang American at sinabi may

naririnig siyang tunog ng kuliglig, pero

sabi ng American paano may maririnig

na kuliglig ay nasa siyudad sila. Pero

may dinampot ang Indian at ipinakita

ang kuliglig, kaya humanga ang

Americano sa Indian at sinabing may

super hearing power ang Indian. Pero

umiling ang Indian at nag-itsa ng isang

pirasong coin at kumalansing,

maraming tao ang lumingon sa

pinanggalian ng ingay. So, ang aral

nito, malimit na nagpaparamdam sa

atin ang Diyos subalit di natin

napapansin. “Let us turn to God”.

Dumating si Elias, di natin nakilala,

dumating ang Diyos di natin

napapansin, sapagkat hindi tayo naka

tune-in sa Diyos.

Ang paanyaya sa atin, lalo na

ngayon na simula na ng TAON NG

MGA DUKHA, sama-sama tayong

magkaisa sa pagtulong. FAMILY IS

THE WAY OF AND FOR THE POOR.

Nakakalungkot na marami sa atin ay

di napapansin na tayo man ay

maaaring dukha. Kung hindi man

tayo mahirap, maramdaman natin na

may mahirap.

May mga kategoriya ng mahirap:

1. Sang-ayon sa kita (monetary) -

kaunti lang ang kita

2. Sang-ayon sa kakayanan - walang

sapat na kakayanan

3. Social exclusion - isang proseso na

kung saan ang individual o komunidad

ay isinasaisantabi o hindi isinasangkot

4. Deprived to participate - maraming

tao na hindi binibigyan ng

pagkakataon na maisali

May higit na mahirap: ang mga

sinasabing “Poor in Spirit”.

Ang hamon sa atin: Mamuhay ng

simple, sa pamamagitan ng Holy Hour,

Misa, patuloy na panalangin, tayo ay

lagging makakaugnay sa Diyos.

Nais naming ipaalaala na sa Octo-

ber 18, 2015 ay apatnapung (40) taon

na ang Commission on Family and

Life, paghandaan natin ito.

“ANG LAHAT AY INAAYAYAHAN NA

IPAGDIWANG ANG KAPISTAHAN NG

BANAL NA PAMILYA SA NAZARETH SA

IKA 28 NG DISYEMBRE. ANG

KAPISTAHAN NG BANAL NA PAMILYA

AY IPINAGDIRIWANG SA ARAW NG

LINGGO PAGKATAPOS NG PASKO AT

SA TAONG ITO ANG DECEMBER 25

AY HUWEBES KAYA ANG

PAGDIRIWANG SA KAPISTAHAN AY

DECEMBER 28. KUNG MAGKATOAN

NA ANG PASKO AY ARAW NG

LINGGO, ANG KAPISTAHAN NG BA-

NAL NA PAMILYA AY

IPINAGDIRIWANG SA DECEMBER 30.

Sa Paokya ng Santo Niño,

Marawoy, Lipa City, ang Novena ay

nagsimula ng Dember 19, sa

kapistahan ay may pursisyon sa

ganap na ika-5:30 ng umaga na

susundan ng Banal na Misa. Sa bawat

Misa ay gagawin ang pagsasariwa ng

Pangako sa Kasal ng mga mag-

asawa. Sa ganap na ala-una ng

hapon ay magkakaroon ng

pagsasama-sama ang mga pamilya at

lahat na mga opisyales ng BLC at iba

pang mga samahan upang

ipagdiwang ang diwa ng kapaskuhan.

Sa ganap na ika-3 ng hapon ay

isasagawa ang pagbola sa raffle na

ang premyo ay isang WIGO car.

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT

MASAGANANG BAGONG TAON SA

LAHAT.

MAGSAMA-SAMA TAYO SA

PAGSASABUHAY NG EUKARISTIYA

SA PAMILYA BILANG PAGTUGON SA

PANAWAGAN NG SIMBAHAN. #UB

To the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Batangas:

Thank you for your November 27 communication which I received

only yesterday, December 11. As I have already expressed during

the November 25 meeting between the priests and the City Council,

(1) I had always thought that the topic to be discussed was the repair

of the Calumpang Bridge and possible added bridges hopefully in

the near future; (2) that I did not have the Coal Power Plant in mind

nor did I think it a priority topic to be discussed with the Council. I

heard about it only when on November 19 Mr. Rey Amparo invited

me to visit the power plant in Iloilo City. I was also surprised that on

November 20 Councilor Kristine Balmes was told earlier that AMEn

and the archbishop had already approved the Coal Plant.

I can understand that no decision can be made regarding the said

Coal Power Plant until a proposal be submitted. However, I am

alarmed at the expression that the Sangguniang Panlungsod will

make “a thorough study and review all the required documents…

consultation with the concerned citizens and technology experts

will be done to erase doubts and apprehensions… come up with a

well-balanced decision, which will be beneficial to all stakeholders

concerned”. That the Sanggunian had been brought already to Iloilo

means that the study had already started but from the vantage view

of the project proponent. On the other hand, even before the con-

sultation of concerned persons is made, the priests of Vicariate 3 (I

suppose echoing the sentiments and fears of the people under their

care) are already volunteering the consultation part from the side of

the people who are the overwhelming majority of the so-called

‘stakeholders’. In spite of this, the Sanggunian thinks that a study

should take place in a later time supposedly “as soon as we have

received such application”. I repeat that the Coal Power Plant

issue was not my priority until I heard the priests’ point of view

during the November 25 meeting. But I am sure now that the needed

consultation result is already being expressed by the priests of the

area and a “well-balanced decision which will be beneficial to all

stakeholders concerned” appears to be far from being balanced. If

there is anything I respectfully but urgently request the Sangguniang

Panlungsod is to listen right now to the views of the so-called

“stakeholders” meaning to say the majority of the people before

even an application be made. I emphasize this especially in the

background that JG Summit has still to explain many issues regard-

ing what they already have at this very moment that up to now are

unclear. Giving the said project proponent another opening for a

controversial matter does not reflect a pro-people city council. May

I also respectfully and humbly beg the council to attend to the prob-

lem of Calumpang River. The need of the people is urgent and the

council’s urgent attention is extremely crucial.

I earnestly pray that the City Council clearly manifest a pro-people

stance. The moment is important. The future will judge today’s

leaders if they have truly been faithful to their avowed commitment

to serve the best interests of our citizens.

Respectfully and humbly yours in Jesus and Mary,

Archbishop Ramón C. Argüelles, DD

December 12, 2014

the little one, the child, the inno-

cent. Children and innocents know

that they could only come from

God. They understand that life is

in the hands of God. We associate

children with trust in the Father.

These days we especially think of

the little ones. We consider princi-

pally the poor. The year 2015 is

dedicated to the poor, as per deci-

sion of the Church in the Philip-

pines. That means the little ones,

those who have only God to put

their trust in. Spiritual poverty is

really this: complete trust in God.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus who

died at the very tender age of 24,

after spending all nine years in the

cloister, having entered Carmel at

the age of 15, understood what God

called her to proclaim to all, to us

in particular and to the people of

the years ahead: complete trust in

God. The last words of her autobi-

ography are "confiance et amour",

confidence and love, to have con-

fidence, total confidence in God;

to believe in his love. That is what

the National Transformation Coun-

cil desires to inject in everyone's

heart and mind. National Transfor-

mation, like any other good and

worthy effort cannot be without

God. God is at the center of this

great endeavor; we are the little

ones who must fully trust in his

power. "Some trusts in horses, oth-

ers in chariots, but we trust in the

name of the Lord our God." When

we are humble and little, God will

perform His mighty deeds in us.

We cannot miss calling to mind the

Blessed Virgin Mary's declaration:

'the Lord has done marvels for Me,

because He has looked at the noth-

ingness of His Handmaid'.

Butuan City was the site of the

third NTC assembly on Novem-

ber 11, Feastday of St. Martin of

Tours, a soldier who used to be a

pagan, who came to know Christ

when he divided and shared his

cloak with poor man. Perhaps it

was just one of the poor around,

but Jesus' words was very visibly

fulfilled in that incident: 'whatever

you do to the least of my breth-

ren, you do it to Me'. The gallant

soldier of Imperial Rome became

a monk, then a priest and finally a

bishop. Like St. Ignatius of

Loyola, almost thirteen centuries

later, a soldier serving a human,

finite and earthly sovereign turned

out to be a soldier of God, the

everlasting King. Even up to the

present time, more than 1600

years later, many still know him,

revere him and regard him as an

example, a model for following

Christ absolutely, a soldier trans-

formed into a saint, a model for

all who should boldly defend the

rights of the little ones and strug-

gle tirelessly to protect the integ-

rity of the environment, to bring

true progress to everything around

us, and to trust only in the power

and wisdom of God. St. Martin of

Tours, the soldier saint, on his

feast day, 2014, demonstrated the

significance of the Butuan confer-

ence. Most soldiers are first of all

men and women of God. They

strive to have high moral ascend-

ancy.

Clark played host to the fourth

NTC Conference on the feast of

St. Francis Xavier. A zealous dis-

ciple and faithful companion of St.

Ignatius of Loyola, St Francis

Xavier was a very talented person

who stood out at the University of

Paris, one of the esteemed learn-

ing centers at that time. After

achieving academic distinction, he

heeded the papal request to go to

and evangelize the east, the Asian

continent. He missed the Philip-

pines but reached Japan, the

Moluccas, etc. and died at the very

young age of 46 in the shores of

China. National Transformation

Council understands that this

country plays a key role in the plan

of God. The joint effort of seri-

ous, God-fearing, God-loving and

well meaning Filipinos can cer-

tainly lead to the birth of a new

beginning, a new fervor whose in-

fluence transcends our borders.

Our people is challenged to influ-

ence countless others who live

distant from our islands. The so-

called 'modern heroes' sacrifice

their lives to provide not only eco-

nomic help to our cash-strapped

country; they inspire their hosts to

return to the embrace of God and

discover new meaning for life.

Filipinos everywhere proclaim the

joy of the Gospel (Evangelii

Gaudium) and share the culture of

holiness and joy to many. St

Francis Xavier can really inspire

Filipinos who have truly become

a missionary people, the Third

Milllennium evangelizers. A great

mission is ours.

The fifth and largest NTC gath-

ering took place in Davao on De-

cember 15, 2014, a First Friday, a

day consecrated to the Sacred

Heart. The majority of the con-

venors were Muslims. There were

also protestants. It did not bother

anyone at all when I cited what

happened on the first Good Fri-

day. All present, Catholics, Prot-

estants, Muslims, are people who

believe in God's love. Christians

believe that Christ gave His life

for us. He invites us to a life of

sacrifice. The National Transfor-

mation Council cannot achieve its

ends without sacrifice, without

humility, without endless love. We

wholeheartedly follow Christ

Who gave us the dictum that

"greater love no one has than he

who lays his life for his friends".

Leadership in the future should be

wield by people willing to sacri-

fice their very lives and everything

therein in order to gain life for

other people. In so doing we fulfill

God's will and we reach fullness

of life that is God's. #UB

(end of Part 1)

TINIG PASTOL... P. 1

6 DECEMBER 2014NEWS & (IN)FORMATION

Ang Mga Pangunahing Gawain ng AMEn sa Taong 2014

Isang makakalikasang taon ang

lumipas. Ating balikan ang mga

pangyayari sa ministeryong

pangkalikasan. Sa pangunguna ng

Direktor na si Rdo. P. Dakila Ramos

matagumpay na naidaos ang mga gawaing

pangkalikasan. Dalawa ang naiplanong

malaking gawain. Ito ay ang #Paraisong

Batangas, Ecological Concert at ang

Panglalawigang Pagtatanim ng Puno.

Sa patnubay ng Lubhang Kgg.

Arsobispo Ramon Arguelles,

Gobernadora Vilma Santos

Recto, mga Paring Batangas at

mga opisyales ng ibat ibang

bayan, mga pribadong kumpanya

naganap ang patuloy na

pagpapalaganap ng gawaing

pangkalikasan.

Sa unang araw ng Agusto

nagkaroon ng #Paraisong

Batangas Ecological Concert.

Layunin ng pagtatanghal na ito

na ikintal sa isip ng mga

Batangueño na ang lalawigan ng

Batangas ay tunay na Paraiso

Pangalawa ay ang

Panglalawigang pagtatanim ng

Puno kung saan lahat ng

parokya paaralan ay naging

bahagi ng gawaing ito. Kasama

ng mga pribadong kumpanya na

nagsusulong ng pangangalaga

sa kalikasan. Ito ay ginanap

noong ika- 19 ng Setyembre.

Hindi naging hadlang ang

malakas na ulan noong araw na

iyon para magdiwang ng misa

ang Arsobispo Ramon

Arguelles sa Fernando Air Base

kung saan nakasentro ang

panla lawigang pagta tanim.

Bagamat marami sa mga

nakatakdang magtanim noong

araw na iyon ay nagdesisyon na

i l ipa t sa ibang araw ang

nasabing gawain, maituturing

na matagumpay na proyekto ito

dahi l may dokumento ang

bawat parokya at paaralan ng

kung ilan ang kanilang naitanim

na puno. It ay sinundan ng

i t inakdang sama-samang

pagdidilig.

Tatlong prayer rally din ang matagumpay na naganap sa taong ito una ay ang Prayer Rally sa Mt.

Makulot Cuenca noong ika 11 ng Abril, Lobo noong ika- 19 ng Mayo at ang Prayer Rally sa Mabini

noong ika - 16 ng Setyembre.

Gayundin ilang mga dialogo at mga memorandum of agreement ang

ginanap sa taong ito. Noong Agusto 26, nagkaroon ng pakikipag-usap

ang mga Industriya sa Calaca at mga residente dito. Ito ay pinamunuan

din ng director ng AMEn. Nagkaroon din ng mga memorandum of agree-

ment sa ilang kumpanya, at ang Arsidiyosesis ay laging kinakataawan

ng Lubhang Kgg. Arsobispo Ramon Arguelles.

PAGKABANAL AT PAGPAPALALIM NG TIPAN PARA SA KALIKASAN

PATIKARAN PARA SA KALIKASAN 2014

PRAYER RALLY PARA SA KALIKASAN NG TAON 2014

Kasama din sa naging layunin ng grupo ng AMEn ay ang pagkakaroon ng Ecological Pilgrimage. Para sa

unang taon ang ecological pilgrimage at ay naganap sa Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan. Dito ang grupo ng AMEn

nagkaroon ng Banal na Pagbabahiganan at pagtuklas na rin ng magandang tanawin at mga maaring maging

karanasan sa nasabing lalawigan.

Nakiisa rin ang

AMEn sa isang

a d b o k a s i y a n g

pangkalikasan ang

Climate Walk ito ay

ang paglalakad

pamula sa Luneta,

Manila hanggang

sa Tacloban. Ang

mga sumali dito ay

nagpahinga sa

Parokya ng Santo

Tomas Aquino. Ito

ay sa

pakikipagtulungan ng Saint Thomas Academy at

LASAC. Ang pagdaan sa Arsidiyosesis ay noon ika-

4 at 5 ng Oktubre.

CLIMATE CHANGE WALK

Gayun din patuloy ang pag-uulat at

pagninilay ng AMEn sa radyo tuwing

Miyerkules sa Oras ng Kalikasan alas 3:30

hanggang 4:30 ng hapon kung saan ibat - ibang

panauhin may kinalaman sa Kalikasan ang

nagbabahagi. Kasunod nito ay ay lingguhang

pagpupulong ng ministeryo.

ORAS NG KALIKASAN

Ang palagiang paglilinis ng Tingga Falls ay lagi ring dinadaluhan

at pinangungunahan ng AMEn. Aktibong nakikilahok dito Sanguniang

Panglungsod ng Batangas. Kungsaan ang bawat Konsehal ng lungsod

ay may kanya kanyang nakatakdang lugan na paglilinisan kasama

ang ibat - ibang organisasyon at indibidual.

CLEAN UP DRIVE

Sumama rin ang AMEn sa mga pagtitipon ng mga grupo at ang

organisasyon upang mangalap ng pondo at pagalabin ang makakalikasang

diwa ng bawa isa gaya ng mga Run for a cause Save Calumpang River.

Ito ay ginanap noong ika-24 ng Hunyo.

MGA DAYALOGO PARA SA KALIKASAN NG TAONG 2014-12-13

7DECEMBER 2014 V AT I C A N

human trafficking, in which the unscru-

pulous prey on the lives and the despera-

tion of others, is but one unsettling ex-

ample of this. Alongside overt armed

conflicts are the less visible but no less

cruel wars fought in the economic and

financial sectors with means which are

equally destructive of lives, families and

businesses.

Globalization, as Benedict XVI

pointed out, makes us neighbours, but

does not make us brothers. The many

situations of inequality, poverty and in-

justice, are signs not only of a profound

lack of fraternity, but also of the absence

of a culture of solidarity. New ideologies,

characterized by rampant individualism,

egocentrism and materialistic consum-

erism, weaken social bonds, fuelling that

"throw away" mentality which leads to

contempt for, and the abandonment of,

the weakest and those considered "use-

less". In this way human coexistence in-

creasingly tends to resemble a mere do

ut des which is both pragmatic and self-

ish.

At the same time, it appears clear that

contemporary ethical systems remain in-

capable of producing authentic bonds of

fraternity, since a fraternity devoid of ref-

erence to a common Father as its ulti-

mate foundation is unable to endure.

True brotherhood among people presup-

poses and demands a transcendent Fa-

therhood. Based on the recognition of

this fatherhood, human fraternity is con-

solidated: each person becomes a

“neighbour” who cares for others.

“Where is your brother?” (Gen 4:9)

2. To understand more fully this human

vocation to fraternity, to recognize more

clearly the obstacles standing in the way

of its realization and to identify ways of

overcoming them, it is of primary impor-

tance to let oneself be led by knowledge

of God's plan, which is presented in an

eminent way in sacred Scripture.

According to the biblical account of

creation, all people are descended from

common parents, Adam and Eve, the

couple created by God in his image and

likeness (cf. Gen 1:26), to whom Cain

and Abel were born. In the story of this

first family, we see the origins of society

and the evolution of relations between

individuals and peoples.

Abel is a shepherd, Cain is a farmer.

Their profound identity and their voca-

tion is to be brothers, albeit in the diver-

sity of their activity and culture, their way

of relating to God and to creation. Cain's

murder of Abel bears tragic witness to

his radical rejection of their vocation to

be brothers. Their story (cf. Gen 4:1-16)

brings out the difficult task to which all

men and women are called, to live as

one, each taking care of the other. Cain,

incapable of accepting God's preference

for Abel who had offered him the best of

his flock - "The Lord had regard for Abel

and his offering; but for Cain and his of-

fering he had no regard" (Gen 4:4-5) -

killed Abel out of jealousy. In this way,

he refused to regard Abel as a brother,

to relate to him rightly, to live in the pres-

ence of God by assuming his responsi-

bility to care for and to protect others.

By asking him "Where is your brother?",

God holds Cain accountable for what he

has done. He answers: "I do not know.

Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9).

Then, the Book of Genesis tells us, "Cain

went away from the presence of the

Lord" (4:16).

We need to ask ourselves what were

the real reasons which led Cain to disre-

gard the bond of fraternity and, at the

same time, the bond of reciprocity and

fellowship which joined him to his brother

Abel. God himself condemns and re-

proves Cain's collusion with evil: "sin is

crouching at your door" (Gen 4:7). But

Cain refuses to turn against evil and de-

cides instead to raise his "hand against

his brother Abel" (Gen 4:8), thus scorn-

ing God's plan. In this way, he thwarts

his primordial calling to be a child of God

and to live in fraternity.

The story of Cain and Abel teaches

that we have an inherent calling to fra-

ternity, but also the tragic capacity to

betray that calling. This is witnessed by

our daily acts of selfishness, which are

at the root of so many wars and so much

injustice: many men and women die at

the hands of their brothers and sisters

who are incapable of seeing themselves

as such, that is, as beings made for reci-

procity, for communion and self-giving.

“And you will all be brothers” (Mt

23:8)

3. The question naturally arises: Can the

men and women of this world ever fully

respond to the longing for fraternity

placed within them by God the Father?

Will they ever manage by their power

alone to overcome indifference, egoism

and hatred, and to accept the legitimate

differences typical of brothers and sis-

ters?

By paraphrasing his words, we can

summarize the answer given by the Lord

Jesus: "For you have only one Father,

who is God, and you are all brothers and

sisters" (cf. Mt 23:8-9). The basis of fra-

ternity is found in God's fatherhood. We

are not speaking of a generic fatherhood,

indistinct and historically ineffectual, but

rather of the specific and extraordinarily

concrete personal love of God for each

man and woman (cf. Mt 6:25-30). It is a

fatherhood, then, which effectively gen-

erates fraternity, because the love of

God, once welcomed, becomes the most

formidable means of transforming our

lives and relationships with others, open-

ing us to solidarity and to genuine shar-

ing.

In a particular way, human fraternity

is regenerated in and by Jesus Christ

through his death and resurrection. The

Cross is the definitive foundational locus

of that fraternity which human beings are

not capable of generating themselves.

Jesus Christ, who assumed human na-

ture in order to redeem it, loving the Fa-

ther unto death on the Cross (cf. Phil

2:8), has through his resurrection made

of us a new humanity, in full communion

with the will of God, with his plan, which

includes the full realization of our voca-

tion to fraternity.

From the beginning, Jesus takes up

the plan of the Father, acknowledging its

primacy over all else. But Christ, with his

abandonment to death for love of the Fa-

ther, becomes the definitive and new

principle of us all; we are called to re-

gard ourselves in him as brothers and

sisters, inasmuch as we are children of

the same Father. He himself is the Cov-

enant; in his person we are reconciled

with God and with one another as broth-

ers and sisters. Jesus' death on the

Cross also brings an end to the separa-

tion between peoples, between the peo-

ple of the Covenant and the people of

the Gentiles, who were bereft of hope

until that moment, since they were not

party to the pacts of the Promise. As we

read in the Letter to the Ephesians, Je-

sus Christ is the one who reconciles all

people in himself. He is peace, for he

made one people out of the two, break-

ing down the wall of separation which

divided them, that is, the hostility be-

tween them. He created in himself one

people, one new man, one new human-

ity (cf. 2:14-16).

All who accept the life of Christ and

live in him acknowledge God as Father

and give themselves completely to him,

loving him above all things. The recon-

ciled person sees in God the Father of

all, and, as a consequence, is spurred

on to live a life of fraternity open to all. In

Christ, the other is welcomed and loved

as a son or daughter of God, as a brother

or sister, not as a stranger, much less as

a rival or even an enemy. In God's fam-

ily, where all are sons and daughters of

the same Father, and, because they are

grafted to Christ, sons and daughters in

the Son, there are no "disposable lives".

All men and women enjoy an equal and

inviolable dignity. All are loved by God.

All have been redeemed by the blood of

Christ, who died on the Cross and rose

for all. This is the reason why no one

can remain indifferent before the lot of

our brothers and sisters.

Fraternity, the foundation and path-

way to peace

4. This being said, it is easy to realize

that fraternity is the foundation and path-

way of peace. The social encyclicals

written by my predecessors can be very

helpful in this regard. It would be suffi-

cient to draw on the definitions of peace

found in the encyclicals Populorum

Progressio by Pope Paul VI and

Sollicitudo Rei Socialis by John Paul II.

From the first we learn that the integral

development of peoples is the new name

of peace. From the second, we conclude

that peace is an opus solidaritatis.

Paul VI stated that not only individu-

als but nations too must encounter one

another in a spirit of fraternity. As he says:

"In this mutual understanding and friend-

ship, in this sacred communion, we must

also… work together to build the com-

mon future of the human race. In the

first place, this duty falls to those who

are most privileged. Their obligations are

rooted in human and supernatural fra-

ternity and are manifested in three ways:

the duty of solidarity, which requires the

richer nations to assist the less devel-

oped; the duty of social justice, which

requires the realignment of relationships

between stronger and weaker peoples

in terms of greater fairness; and the duty

of universal charity, which entails the pro-

motion of a more humane world for all, a

world in which each has something to

give and to receive, without the progress

of the one constituting an obstacle to the

development of the other.

If, then, we consider peace as opus

solidaritatis, we cannot fail to acknowl-

edge that fraternity is its principal foun-

dation. Peace, John Paul II affirmed, is

an indivisible good. Either it is the good

of all or it is the good of none. It can be

truly attained and enjoyed, as the high-

est quality of life and a more human and

sustainable development, only if all are

guided by solidarity as "a firm and per-

severing determination to commit one-

self to the common good." This means

not being guided by a "desire for profit"

or a "thirst for power". What is needed is

the willingness to "lose ourselves" for the

sake of others rather than exploiting

them, and to "serve them" instead of op-

pressing them for our own advantage.

"The 'other' - whether a person, people

or nation - [is to be seen] not just as some

kind of instrument, with a work capacity

and physical strength to be exploited at

low cost and then discarded when no

longer useful, but as our 'neighbour', a

'helper'".

Christian solidarity presumes that our

neighbour is loved not only as "a human

being with his or her own rights and a

fundamental equality with everyone else,

but as the living image of God the Fa-

ther, redeemed by the blood of Jesus

Christ and placed under the permanent

action of the Holy Spirit",[9] as another

brother or sister. As John Paul II noted:

"At that point, awareness of the common

fatherhood of God, of the brotherhood

of all in Christ - 'children in the Son' -

and of the presence and life-giving ac-

tion of the Holy Spirit, will bring to our

vision of the world a new criterion for in-

terpreting it" for changing it.

Fraternity, a prerequisite for fighting

poverty

5. In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate,

my predecessor reminded the world how

the lack of fraternity between peoples

and men and women is a significant

cause of poverty. In many societies, we

are experiencing a profound poverty of

relationships as a result of the lack of

solid family and community relationships.

We are concerned by the various types

of hardship, marginalization, isolation

and various forms of pathological de-

pendencies which we see increasing.

This kind of poverty can be overcome

only through the rediscovery and valu-

ing of fraternal relationships in the heart

of families and communities, through the

sharing of joys and sorrows, of the hard-

ships and triumphs that are a part of

human life.

Moreover, if on the one hand we are

seeing a reduction in absolute poverty,

on the other hand we cannot fail to rec-

ognize that there is a serious rise in rela-

tive poverty, that is, instances of inequal-

ity between people and groups who live

together in particular regions or in a de-

termined historical-cultural context. In

this sense, effective policies are needed

to promote the principle of fraternity, se-

curing for people - who are equal in dig-

nity and in fundamental rights - access

to capital, services, educational re-

sources, healthcare and technology so

that every person has the opportunity to

express and realize his or her life project

and can develop fully as a person.

One also sees the need for policies

which can lighten an excessive imbal-

ance between incomes. We must not

forget the Church's teaching on the so-

called social mortgage, which holds that

although it is lawful, as Saint Thomas

Aquinas says, and indeed necessary

"that people have ownership of goods",

insofar as their use is concerned, "they

possess them as not just their own, but

common to others as well, in the sense

that they can benefit others as well as

themselves".

Finally, there is yet another form of

promoting fraternity - and thus defeat-

ing poverty - which must be at the basis

of all the others. It is the detachment of

those who choose to live a sober and

essential lifestyle, of those who, by shar-

ing their own wealth, thus manage to

experience fraternal communion with

others. This is fundamental for following

Jesus Christ and being truly Christian. It

is not only the case of consecrated per-

sons who profess the vow of poverty, but

also of the many families and responsi-

ble citizens who firmly believe that it is

their fraternal relationship with their

neighbours which constitutes their most

precious good.

The rediscovery of fraternity in the

economy

6. The grave financial and economic cri-

ses of the present time - which find their

origin in the progressive distancing of

man from God and from his neighbour,

in the greedy pursuit of material goods

on the one hand, and in the impoverish-

ment of interpersonal and community

relations on the other - have pushed man

to seek satisfaction, happiness and se-

curity in consumption and earnings out

of all proportion to the principles of a

sound economy. In 1979 John Paul II had

called attention to "a real perceptible

danger that, while man's dominion over

the world of things is making enormous

advances, he should lose the essential

threads of his dominion and in various

ways let his humanity be subjected to

the world and become himself something

subject to manipulation in many ways -

even if the manipulation is often not per-

ceptible directly - through the whole of

the organization of community life,

through the production system and

through pressure from the means of so-

cial communication."

The succession of economic crises

should lead to a timely rethinking of our

models of economic development and

to a change in lifestyles. Today's crisis,

even with its serious implications for peo-

ple's lives, can also provide us with a

fruitful opportunity to rediscover the vir-

tues of prudence, temperance, justice

and strength. These virtues can help us

to overcome difficult moments and to

recover the fraternal bonds which join us

one to another, with deep confidence that

human beings need and are capable of

something greater than maximizing their

individual interest. Above all, these vir-

tues are necessary for building and pre-

serving a society in accord with human

dignity.

Fraternity extinguishes war

7. In the past year, many of our brothers

and sisters have continued to endure the

destructive experience of war, which

constitutes a grave and deep wound in-

flicted on fraternity.

Many conflicts are taking place amid

general indifference. To all those who live

in lands where weapons impose terror

and destruction, I assure you of my per-

sonal closeness and that of the whole

Church, whose mission is to bring

Christ's love to the defenceless victims

of forgotten wars through her prayers for

peace, her service to the wounded, the

starving, refugees, the displaced and all

those who live in fear. The Church also

speaks out in order to make leaders hear

the cry of pain of the suffering and to put

an end to every form of hostility, abuse

and the violation of fundamental human

rights.

For this reason, I appeal forcefully to

all those who sow violence and death

by force of arms: in the person you to-

day see simply as an enemy to be

beaten, discover rather your brother or

sister, and hold back your hand! Give up

the way of arms and go out to meet the

other in dialogue, pardon and reconcili-

ation, in order to rebuild justice, trust, and

hope around you! "From this standpoint,

it is clear that, for the world's peoples,

armed conflicts are always a deliberate

negation of international harmony, and

create profound divisions and deep

wounds which require many years to

heal. Wars are a concrete refusal to pur-

sue the great economic and social goals

that the international community has set

itself".

Nevertheless, as long as so great a

quantity of arms are in circulation as at

present, new pretexts can always be

found for initiating hostilities. For this rea-

son, I make my own the appeal of my

predecessors for the non-proliferation of

arms and for disarmament of all parties,

beginning with nuclear and chemical

weapons disarmament.

We cannot however fail to observe

that international agreements and na-

tional laws - while necessary and greatly

to be desired - are not of themselves suf-

ficient to protect humanity from the risk

of armed conflict. A conversion of hearts

is needed which would permit everyone

to recognize in the other a brother or sis-

ter to care for, and to work together with,

in building a fulfilling life for all. This is

the spirit which inspires many initiatives

of civil society, including religious organi-

zations, to promote peace. I express my

hope that the daily commitment of all will

continue to bear fruit and that there will

be an effective application in international

law of the right to peace, as a fundamen-

tal human right and a necessary prereq-

uisite for every other right.

Corruption and organized crime

threaten fraternity

8. The horizon of fraternity also has to

do with the need for fulfillment of every

man and woman. People's legitimate

ambitions, especially in the case of the

young, should not be thwarted or of-

fended, nor should people be robbed of

their hope of realizing them. Neverthe-

less, ambition must not be confused with

the abuse of power. On the contrary,

people should compete with one another

in mutual esteem (cf. Rm 12:10). In disa-

greements, which are also an unavoid-

able part of life, we should always re-

member that we are brothers and sis-

ters, and therefore teach others and

teach ourselves not to consider our

neighbour as an enemy or as an adver-

sary to be eliminated.

Fraternity generates social peace be-

cause it creates a balance between free-

dom and justice, between personal re-

sponsibility and solidarity, between the

good of individuals and the common

good. And so a political community must

act in a transparent and responsible way

to favour all this. Citizens must feel them-

selves represented by the public authori-

ties in respect for their freedom. Yet fre-

quently a wedge is driven between citi-

zens and institutions by partisan inter-

ests which disfigure that relationship, fos-

tering the creation of an enduring climate

of conflict.

An authentic spirit of fraternity over-

comes the individual selfishness which

conflicts with people's ability to live in

freedom and in harmony among them-

selves. Such selfishness develops so-

cially - whether it is in the many forms of

corruption, so widespread today, or in the

formation of criminal organizations, from

small groups to those organized on a

global scale. These groups tear down

legality and justice, striking at the very

heart of the dignity of the person. These

organizations gravely offend God, they

hurt others and they harm creation, all

the more so when they have religious

overtones.

I also think of the heartbreaking

drama of drug abuse, which reaps prof-

its in contempt of the moral and civil laws.

I think of the devastation of natural re-

sources and ongoing pollution, and the

tragedy of the exploitation of labour. I

think too of illicit money trafficking and

financial speculation, which often prove

both predatory and harmful for entire

economic and social systems, exposing

millions of men and women to poverty. I

think of prostitution, which every day

reaps innocent victims, especially the

young, robbing them of their future. I

think of the abomination of human traf-

ficking, crimes and abuses against mi-

nors, the horror of slavery still present in

FRATERNITY, THE FOUNDATION... P. 1

�FRATERNITY, THE FOUNDATION... P. 10

8 DECEMBER 2014NEWS & (IN)FORMATION

� Rev. Fr. Manuel Luis R. Guazon

� TITA A. NERY

PB NEWS

Ang Pasko ay Sumapit dahil si Jesus ay Dumating,

Kaganapan ng Buhay Alay Niya sa Atin, Ito naman

ang Pinagsisikapan nitong Ating Pondong Batangan

Isa na namang Pasko ang ipinagdiriwang natin ngayong

2014. Subalit alalahanin natin na ito ay nagaganap sa

itinalagang Taon ng Dukha ng mga obispo ng Pilipinas.

Kaya naman lalong dapat maging makahulugan at

mabiyaya ang ating pagdiriwang kaugnay na rin ng ating

patuloy na pagtataguyod sa Pondong Batangan.

Ang mga dukha ay mahal ng Diyos, sila ang mga

tinatawag na mga “maliit” na lubos na kinagigiliwan ng

Diyos. Sa pagkasilang ni Maria kay Jesus, Siya ay hindi

lamang nagkatawang-tao katulad natin, Siya ay ganap

na nakiisa sa mga dukha. Hindi lamang Niya tinanggap

ang kalikasang tao, niyakap Niya ang kahinaan at

karukhaan ng tao.

Ang Dukha sa Paningin at Puso ng Simbahan

Sa pagdaraos ng Taon ng Dukha, makabuluhang alamin

ang nararapat na maging pagtingin at saloobin ng

Simbahan sa mga dukha. Kaugnay nito ay makakatulong

namang mabatid ang sinasabi ni Papa Francisco sa

kanyang Apostolic Exhortation na pinamagatang

EVANGELII GAUDIUM. Sa mga bilang na 198 - 200,

binibigyang pansin ng Santo Papa ang mga dukha at ang

kaugnayan ng Simbahan sa kanila. Maliwanag na

ipinamamanhikang ang mga dukha ay kalingain at

pagmalasakitan ng Simbahan. Ito ay magaganap kung

sa mga gawaing pastoral at sakramental ay ipinagpauna

sila. Higit pa sa pagtulong sa kanila, hangad ng Santo

Papa na ang Simbahan ay maging malapit at kaisa ng

mga dukha. Ipinapahayag pa niya na marapatin sana ng

Simbahan na siya ay pagpapahayagan ng Mabuting Balita

ng mismong mga dukha. Magandang pagnilayan ang mga

mensahe o pangaral na ito.

Matagal nang panahon na ang mga dukha ay nasa

“laylayan” ng lipunan. Hindi sila pansin o mababang

mababa ang pagtingin sa kanila. Subalit ang Santo Papa

na rin ang nagsabi na silang mga dukha ay dumaranas

lalo’t higit ng diskriminasyon sa Simbahan. Hindi ba

nangyayari nga ito? Maunawaan at pahalagahan sana

natin ang kanyang pahayag: “Hangad ko ang isang

dukhang Simbahan para sa mga dukha.

Ang mga Dukha sa Puso ng Pondong Batangan

Sa nalalapit na pagdiriwang ng ika-15 Taon ng Pondong

Batangan, masasabi na ang mga dukha ay siyang buhay

nito at sila naman ay nasa kanyang puso. Kaya’t sa

pagdaraos ng Taon ng Dukha ito ay dapat lalong

maitampok ang kaugnayang ito.

Taong 2000 nang ilunsad ang Pondong Batangan dito

sa Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa. Sa pagdaraan ng panahon, hindi

kamalian ang sabihing ito ay itinaguyod ng karamihang

mga Batangueño na payak kung hindi man ay kapos din

sa buhay. Hindi naman nila ipinagdamot itong beinte

singko kahit pa sabihing may halaga ito para sa kanila.

Buong lugod nila itong inialay sa Pondong Batangan.

Kaya’t ang istorya ng mahirap na balo na pinuri ni Jesus

sa kanyang pag-aalay ng ilang sentimo sa templo ay

angkop na angkop sa mga dukhang Batangueno na

nagpo-Pondong Batangan.

Sa kabilang dako, masayang ibalita ang mga kuwento

ng mga natulungan ng Pondong Batangan sa

pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang programa. Andiyan ang

istorya ng isang nagtapos na Dunong Batangan scholar

na sa kasalukuyan ay napapaunlad niya ang buhay ng

kanilang pamilya. May maipagmamalaki rin ang isang

Galing Batangueño na sa natutuhan niyang kasanayan

ay nagtatrabaho na ngayon sa ibang bansa. Iba’t iba ang

mga kuwento, masaya at matagumpay na pag-ahon sa

karukhaan sa tulong nitong Pondong Batangan. May

puso ito at pagmamalasakit sa mga dukhang mahal ng

Diyos. #UB

Noong ika-13 ng Disyembre ay

ginanap ang isang munting

pagpupulong ng dalawang pro-

duction teams ng PB CARES mula

sa mga Parokya ni San Rafael sa

Calaca at Parokya ni San Juan

Bautista sa Lian. Ang

pagpupulong ay ginanap sa par-

ish hall ng Parokya ni San Juan

Bautista. Ito ay pinamunuan ni Fr.

Manny Guazon kasama si Ms.

Monina Villanueva ng opisina ng

Pondong Batangan.

May tatlong bahagi ang naging

daloy ng pulong: pangungumusta,

pag-alaala at pagtukoy - pasaan.

Isang Bagong Hakbang

para sa PB Cares Social Enterprise

Disyembre 1, 2014 nang

ganapin ang meeting ng Board of

Trustees sa Archbishop’s Resi-

dence. Ito na ang huli nilang

pagpupulong para sa kasalukuyang

taon subalit makabuluhan naman

ito sapagkat dito pinagtibay ang

plano ng Pondong Batangan Com-

munity Foundation, Inc. para sa

dumarating na Taong 2015, ito ang

ika-15 Taon ng Pondong Batangan

at nagkataon ding Taon ng Dukha

sa Simbahan sa Pilipinas.

Ang naturang pulong ay

dinaluhan nina: Archbishop

Ramon Arguelles, Fr. Edgardo

Pagcaliuangan, Fr. Donaldo

Dimaandal, Fr. Juan

Sa unang bahagi ay nailahad kung

ano na ang nagaganap sa kanilang

paggawa at pagbebenta ng PB

Cares homecare products at sa

ikalawang bahagi naman ay

binalikan ang

p a s i m u l a

n i t o n g

nabanggit na

social enter-

prise na

itinaguyod ng

P o n d o n g

Batangan para

sa kanila. Dito

ay nalinaw

kung anu-ano ang mga dapat

pahalagahan at bigyang pansin

para sa mabungang pagpapatuloy

ng PB Cares.

Sa ikatlong bahagi ay hiningi

ang kanilang pagtatalaga ng sarili

para sa mas maayos at kapaki-

pakinabang na PB Cares social

enterprise. At upang madagdagan

ang tulong ng Pondong Batangan,

ang dalawang production teams

ay pinagkalooban ng tulong

pinansyal na Php20,000,00.

Inaasahang sa tulong na ito ay

lalong magiging aktibo ang

dalawang production teams sa

paggawa at pagbebenta ng PB

Cares para na rin sa kanilang

kapakinabangan. #UB

Plano para 2015, Ika-15 Taon ng Pondong Batangan,

at Taon ng Dukha sa Simbahan, Pinagtibay sa BOT Meeting

Nepomuceno Fruto, Fr. Wilfredo

Rosales, Fr. Ildefonso Dimaano,

Fr. Edilberto Ramos, Jr., Fr.

Manuel Guazon, Fr. Jayson

Siapco, Msgr. Ruben

Dimaculangan, Ms. Lourdes

Mendoza, Ms. Melba Mendoza,

Ms. Gloria Delizo, Mr.

Emmanuel Munda, at Ms.

Marcelina Jelen Mosca.

Bukod sa mga karaniwan nang

nagaganap sa bawat pulong na

mayroong Reading and Approval

of the Minutes, Updates and Re-

ports, at iba pa, ang mahalagang

binigyang pansin ay ang 2015

Strategic Plan nitong Pondong

Batangan. Dahil nga ito ay Taon

ng Dukha, at ika-15 Taon ng

Pondong Batangan, may ilang

kaganapan na masusing inalam ng

mga dumalo sa pulong. Ito ay ang

“Adopt a Poor Family Chal-

lenge”, ang Forum: “The Poor in

the Heart of the Church” at ang

Conference: “PB Engages the

CSOs of Batangas”. Ngunit

pinag-usapan din naman ang mga

malalaki subalit taon-taon nang

ginaganap tulad ng PBCFI Gen-

eral Assembly. Napagkaisahan na

sa darating na taon, ang Bikariya

6 ang magiging host nitong 2015

GA. Isang makahulugang taonang

totoong kinakaharap ng Pondong

Batangan. #UB

Sa unang pagkakataon ay

nagsama-sama ang mga kapamilya

ng Social Action Workers sa isang

payak, masaya at taunang Christ-

mas Party na ginanap noong ika -

13 ng Disyembre sa LAFORCE.

Tatlo ang naging layunin ng

nasabing aktibidad. Una ay upang

makilala ng bawat empleyado ang

pamilya ng bawat isa. Pangalawa,

upang ito ay maging daan din

upang maipakilala sa miyembro ng

lahat ng pamilya na naroroon kung

ano nga ba ang LASAC upang higit

nilang maintindihan ang natura ng

ng trabaho ng kanilang mga

magulang, kapatid at anak. At huli

sa naging layunin ay ang

magkaroon ng pagkakataon na

Mga Kapamilya Nagsama-sama para sa LASAC Christmas Party

magkasama-sama ang lahat sa

isang simpleng salu-salo kanilang

inihanda.

Ganap na ika-10 ng umaga nang

pormal na simulan ng LASAC Di-

rector ang programa sa

pamamagitan ng isang talk tungkol

sa LASAC. Malayang nagkaroon

siya ng interaksyon sa bawat

kapamilyang naroroon. Matapos

ang iisang oras na pananalita,

sumunod naman ang isang banal na

misa.

Sumapit ang ika-12 ng tanghali

nang magsalo ang lahat sa isang

masarap na pananghalian. Hindi

pa man tumatagal matapos silang

kumain ay sinundan naman ito ng

isang production number ng mga

manggagawa ng LASAC Child

and Community Development

(LCCDP) kung saan nag-alay sila

ng isang tula at awitin para sa

lahat.

Hindi makukumpleto ang

masayang programa kung

mawawala ang ilang parlor games

na talaga namang kinaaliwan ng

lahat maging bata man o matanda.

Napuno ng malakas na tawanan ng

lahat ng nagsidalo ang Mariano

Gaviola Hall kung saan idinaos

ang Christmas Party.

Ilang production numbers pa

ang nasaksihan ng lahat handog ng

iba pang empleyado ng LASAC,

LAFORCE at Tubig Batangan. Di

rin nagpahuli ang mga estyudante

ng St. Bridget College at Batangas

State University - Alangilan na

kabilang sa Internship Program ng

LASAC na tinanghal na best in

production number.

Nagsara ang programa matapos

ang pagbibigayan ng regalo sa

kanilang mga monito at monita ng

mga empleyado. Pormal din na

binigyan ng rekognisyon ang

tatlong manggagawa ng Self-Help

Approach (SHA) na magtatapos

ang hinahawakang proyekto

ngayong buwan ng Disyembre.

#UB

9DECEMBER 2014 NEWS & (IN)FORMATION

May Dupikalang Kampana

Kamanyang sa Mahal na Birhen� LAMBERTO B. CABUAL

Ang paglisan ng Nobyembre

At pagdating ng Disyembre

Ay may salik-kasiglahang nadarama ang sarili;

Ang masipag ay lalo pang sumisipag na lalaki,

Sinisinop ang tahanan ng masinop na babae…

(May makisig na binata at mahinhing binibini,

Na sasalubong sa pasko, Birheng Ina ng Pagkasi.)

Kailangang paghandaan,

Kung ang pasko'y dumaratal,

Pagka't ito ang liwanag ng dakilang pagmamahal;

Ang masukal na landasin ay hawanin ngayon pa man,

Sa pagsilang ng Mesiyas na Hari ng sanlibutan…

(Sa Batangas, ang nalugsong tulay sa ilog-Calumpang,

Ay itindig, nang ang pasko'y makatawid sa Pallocan!)

Yaong buhay sa pighati

Ay palitan ng pagngiti,

Nang mapawi, Inang Birhen, ang ulap ng pagkasawi;

Mga luha ng lumipas ng kahapong nauns'yami

Ay papahirin ng panyong may pasko ng pagbubunyi…

(Magdarayang pulitiko: ngayo'y dapat na magsimpi,

At magsisi sa ginawang daya at pagkukunwari.)

Hindi dapat malimutang

Tuwing pasko'y magbigayan,

Upang dukha kahi't pa'no'y mahango sa kahirapan;

Ang maykayang mahabagin at may budhing mayayama'y

May bunton ng aginaldo sa limahid na lipunan

(Nawa'y laging pasko, Ina, itong buong daigdigan,

Nang ang diwa ng pag-ibig ay lumaging nabubuhay!)

Ang ugaling magmataas

Ay itakwil na banidad,

Pagka't pagpapakumbaba itong pasko ng pagliyag;

Munting Sanggol sa sabsaban, aba man nang ipanganak,

Naging Haring Hesukristong Panginoon nating lahat…

(Inang mapagpakumbaba, Birheng kadluan ng habag,

Naging Ina ka ng Diyos at ng mundong nagagalak!)

May dupikal ang kampana,

At sa langit ay may tala

Na patnubay sa pagtungo sa simbahang mapayapa;

Ang dulo ng simbang-gabi'y kapaskuhang masagana

Ng mag-anak na may piging sa hapag ng talinghaga…

(O! ang pasko ngayon, Ina, ay may tanglaw ng hiwaga

Na tulad sa unang paskong Amang Diyos ang nagpala.)

Bawa't isa ay may lugod,

Sumisinta nang mataos

Sa harapan nitong Belen na sinilangan ni Hesus;

Maraming mang naglipanang suliraning salimoot

Ay may pasko ng pangako na lulutas sa himutok…

(O! salamat, Inang Birhen, sa aginaldo mong handog,

Sa tunay na pagmamahal at pananalig na lubos!)

� Fr. Bimbo Pantoja

Kwentong Pasko

“Pasko na naman, o kay tulin ng

araw... Paskong nagdaan tila ba

kung kailan lang...” Isa na yan sa

mga madalas kong marinig na

kinakanta ng mga batang mahilig

mag-caroling sa may amin. Kung

tutuusin, ang kinakanta nila ay

dalawa o tatlong uri ng kanta lang

tapos, paulit-ulit na lang nila itong

kakantahin na para bang mga

sirang plaka. Parang Pasko, paulit-

ulit na lang ginugunita, taun-taon.

Parang mga birthday natin. Kada

taon na lang isineselebra natin ito?

Bakit nga ba? Di ba kayo

nagsasawa? Di ba kayo

napapagod? Pasintabi na lang po

sa mga “die-hard” mag-Pasko pero

gusto kong hanapan ng kasagutan

ang mga katanungan ko. At

pakiusap po, huwag ninyong tigilan

ang pagbabasa ng isinulat kong ito.

Maaring sa mga susunod na

mababasa ninyo, eh, sabay-sabay

nating matuklasan at malaman

kung bakit nga ba kailangan pang

ulit-ulitin ang pagdiriwang ng

kapaskuhan. Ang mga sumusunod

ay kuwento na maaring nangyari na

o maaring mangyari sa tunay na

buhay. Ang tauhan at mga

pangyayari ay hango lamang sa

imahinasyon at ang iba ay mula sa

mga obserbasyon ng manunulat na

ito.

Si Mang Temyong

Madalas, makikita sya sa may

tapat ng simbahan. Gumagawa ng

parol. Abalang-abala siya lagi na

para bang laging minamadali ang

bawat parol na kayang ginagawa. Ni

hindi niya alintana ang mga taong

labas-masok sa simbahan. At

pagkatapos ay mapapahinto sa

kanilang paglalakad at titingin sa

matanda sa kanyang paggawa ng

makukulay na parol. Minsan, may

nakita pa akong mga turista na

kinukunan siya ng litrato at video

habang sya ay nagtatrabaho. Kasi

naman, kahit hindi Pasko, at kahit

malayo pa ang Pasko o kahit tapos

na ang Pasko, ay walang tigil sa

paggawa ng kanyang mga parol ang

matandang si Mang Temyong.

Minsan, dala ang aking kuryusidad,

hindi ko na napigilan ang aking sarili

na lumapit at makipag-kuwentuhan

sa matanda. Umuulan noon, kaya

sa ayaw man o sa gusto ni Mang

Temyong ay napilitan siyang tumayo

at buhatin ang kanyang mga

kagamitan at mga parol para

sumilong upang hindi siya mabasa.

Saka ko siya nilapitan. Noong una,

matipid ang kanyang mga sagot,

Minsan walang isinasagot sa tanong

ko, at mapapabuntung-hininga lang

siya. Pero talagang makulit ako kaya

nagawa kong makuha ang mga

sagot sa aking mga katanungan.

“Bata pa lang ako, mahilig na

akong gumawa ng parol. Tinuruan

ako ng tatay ko. Ito kasi ang isa sa

mga pinagkakakitaan ng aking ama

para buhayin kaming

magkakapatid,” pagbabalik-tanaw

ng matanda. “Noon, kahit madaling

araw na, hangga’t di pa ubos ang

gaas sa gasera namin, sige par rin

sa paggawa ang tatay ko. Tuwing

buwan ng Nobyembre at Disyembre

lang kasi lumalaki ng husto ang kita

� JOY REBANAL-LAYGO

ng tatay ko. Dinarayo pa kasi siya

ng mga parokyano na taga-Maynila

para magpagawa ng mga parol na

ititinda nila.” Patuloy nito sa

kanyang kuwento. “Kaya pala

gamay na gamay na ninyo ang

paggawa, Mang Temyong. Kahit

siguro nakapikit kayo, makakagawa

kayo ng parol.” Puri ko sa matanda.

“Tinuruan niya kasi ako, para may

makatulong siya sa paggawa. Ako

lang kasi ang maaasahan niya. Ang

iba kong mga kapatid, abala sa pag-

aaral. Kaya hindi sila pinapayagan

ng tatay ko na gumawa ng parol.

Kasi ang gusto niya, mag-aral silang

mabuti.” May lungkot sa kanyang

tinig habang sinasabi niya ito. “Eh,

kayo ho, di ba kayo pinag-aaral ng

tatay ninyo?” Nagtatakang tanong

ko. “Naku, bobo daw ako sabi tatay

ko. Mas mabuti na lang daw,

tulungan ko siya kaysa sa magsayang

pa ako ng pera,” sinasabi iyon ni

Mang Temyong ng nakangiti ngunit

sa kanyang mga mata, nakikita ko,

na kahit siya ay hindi kumbinsido sa

paniniwalang iyon. “Eh, nakatapos

naman ba ang inyong mga kapatid?”

“Iyong panganay, nagtanan. Kaya

hindi nakatapos. Naku, lalong

naigng istrikto ang tatay ko. Konting

pagkakamali ko lang sa ginagawa

kong parol, may palo ng patpat sa

kamay ko. Minsan nga kahit

namamaga na ito, gawa pa rin ako

ng gawa,” may pait sa kanyang tinig.

Saglit siyang tumigil na para bang

sinariwa muli ang bawat pangyayari

sa kanyang buhay. “Tapos, iyong

pangalawa, nang makatapos ng pag-

aaral, umalis at di na muling

bumalik. Iyong sinundan ko naman,

pagkatapos ng kursong guro, eh

nag-asawa kaagad kaya lumipat na

ng ibang bayan,” patuloy ni Mang

Temyong. “Bunso ho pala kayo. Eh

ang nanay ho ninyo? Parang wala

kayong nababanggit?”

Sa itinanong kong iyon,

napatingin sa kawalan si Mang

Temyong. “Namatay ang aking ina

sa panganganak sa akin. Maraming

dugo ang nawala sa kanyan sa

panganganak.”

Binitiwan ni Mang Temyong ang

kawayan na hawak saka napailing.

“Alam mo, buong buhay ko noon,

sinisisi ko ang sarili ko. Kasi kung

hindi dahil sa akin, hindi sana

namatay ang Nanay ko. Noon, lagi

kong sinasabi, sana ako na lanag ang

namatay at hindi ang Nanay. Sana,

hindi naging malupit si Tatay. Sana

hindi naging malungkot ang buhay

ng aking mga kapatid. Sana hindi

ako nahihirapan. Sana....... ang

daming sana....”, at unti-unting

namasa ang kanyang mga mata.

Natigilan ako. Di ko malaman kung

ano ang aking sasabihin. “Pero,

alam mo, kahit na minsan, hindi ako

nagalit sa tatay ko. Kahit sa mga

kapatid ko. Pinilit kong intindihin

kung bakit naging malulungkutin si

Tatay. Kung bakit isinubsob niya ang

kanyang ulo sa trabaho. At kung

bakit siya naging malupit sa amin.

Sabi ko sa sarili ko, para sa amin ito.

At sa bawat, palo na inaabot ko sa

kanya, iniisip ko, pagmamahal iyon,”

pilit siyang ngumiti.

“At iyong mga kapatid ko na

kinalimutan ako, mahal ko pa rin

sila. Inaalala ko pa rin si la

hanggang sa ngayon. Kahit ni

minsan, hindi nila ako dinadalaw.

Mahal ko sila kasi kapatid ko sila.”

Buong pusong sinasabi ni Mang

Temyong.

“Alam mo, bago namatay ang

aking ama, gumawa siya ng isang

napaka-gandang parol. Sabi niya,

iyon daw ang pinakamagandang

parol na ginawa niya at hindi niya

iyon ipagbibili,” ngumiti siya ng

napakatamis. “Alam mo kung

bakit?” May pagmamalaki sa

kanyang mga mata. “Kasi daw,

para sa akin iyon. Habang

ginagawa daw niya iyong parol na

iyon, ako ang iniisip niya”,

lumuluha si Mang Temyong

habang sinasabi ang mga salitang

iyon.

“Humingi na ng tawad ang Tatay

ko sa akin bago siya namatay. Sa

lahat ng latay na inabot ko sa kanya,

pinagsisihan niya. Bawat,

pagmamalupit niya, inihingi niya ng

tawad sa akin. Pati iyong hindi niya

pagbibigay ng pagkakataon sa akin

para makapag-aral, pinagsisihan

niya,” tuluyan nang napahagulhol

ang matanda. “Ineng... mahal ako

ng tatay ko...”, masayang sambit ni

Mang Temyong habang patuloy

ang kanyang pagluha. “Eh, bakit po

ba hanggang sa ngayon eh

gumagawa pa rin kayo ng parol?”,

kahit hindi Pasko, gawa pa rin kayo

ng gawa? Pinagtitinginan tuloy

kayo ng lahat ng taong pumupunta

dito sa simbahan. Akala nila

nasisiraan na kayo ng bait,” nasabi

ko rin ang matagal ko nang iniisip.

Napatawa siya. “Eh, pakialam

ba nila,” tawa ulit. “Alam mo, ang

Pasko, di dapat tumitigil. Dapat

paulit-ulit ito. Araw-araw dapat

nararamdaman mong Pasko para

hindi ka mahirapang magpatawad

at humingi ng tawad. Ganun din

sa pagmamahal. Dapat lagi kang

nagmamahal. Kung tuwing

Disyembre mo lang gugunitain ang

Pasko, tuwing Disyembre mo lang

din mauunawaan ang tunay na

halaga at mensahe nito.” Sabay

tapik niya sa balikat ko. Maya-

maya, tumigil na ang ulan. Muling

naglabas-masok sa loob ng

simbahan ang mga tao. Ang iba,

hihinto sa tapat ni Mang Temyong

at titingnan ito ng para bang

nababaliw na ang matanda dahil sa

walang tigil niyang paggawa ng

parol kahit na napakalayo pa ng

Pasko.

Isa lamang si Mang Temyong sa

maraming kuwento ng

pagpapatawad at pagmamahal.

Kathang-isip nga lamang pero

puno ng katotohanan ang

mensaheng ipinaabot ng kuwento

niya. At sa pagtatapos ng aking

kuwento, naisip ko, may dahilan

kung bakit paulit-ulit na inaalala

ang Pasko. Hindi lang dahil sa

masasarap na pagkain,

magagandang damit, o walang

katapusang kasayahan. Bukod sa

mga mababaw na dahilan na ito,

ang paulit-ulit na paggunita sa

Kapaskuhan ay naglalarawan ng

paulit-ulit na mensahe ng

pagpapatawad, pagmamahal at

kaligtasan na alay sa atin ng

Diyos. Paulit-ulit na ipinaalala sa

atin na hindi dapat magsawa o

mapagod sa pagpapatawad at

pagmamahal dahil ito ang susi sa

ating kaligtasan.

Sana, araw-araw natin gunitain

ang kapaskuhan. Sana, araw-

araw, handa ang ating mga puso

para magpatawad at magmahal.

Maligayang Pasko sa ating lahat!

Salamat Joy sa napakagandang

kwento at paalala. Maligayang

Pasko! #UB

10 DECEMBER 2014NEWS & (IN)FORMATION

Taong 2000 nang pormal na pasyahan ng Provincial Social Wel-

fare Development Office (PSWDO) sa pagpapatibay ng dating

Gobernador Hermilando I. Mandanas kaagapay ang Pamilyang

Huwaran sa Lalawigan ng Batangas Inc. (PHLBI) na kilalanin at

gawaran ng parangal ang Pamilyang Batangueno. Isa sa mga

nagtaguyod nito ay ang naging kura paroko ng St. Mary Euphrasia

Parish, Reb. P. Monching Manalo at inangking proyekto nina Gob.

Arman Sanchez at sa kasalukuyan Gob . Vilma Santos Recto. Ang

pamunuan ng PHLBI ay nasa pangunguna ni G. Sotero Olfato

(pangulo), Reb. Catalino Samonte, (pang. pangulo), Gng. Mely

Guihawa (Ingat-Yaman), Joy Montalbo (kalihim) at kasamahang

nasa Board of Trustees : Reb. Gregorio Aguila Jr., Ret. Col. Leopoldo

Marquez, Rodolfo Romulo, Corazon Hornilla, Thelma Panganiban,

Glen Berania, Cesar de Castro, Rogelio Talag at Violeta H. Echague.

Nagsimula ang ebalwasyon noong Hulyo, 2014 at sa

pagsangguni ni Gng. Mely Guinhawa kay Reb P. Dakila Ramos,

(Huwarang Pamilya 2013) kanyang naimungkahing Concert for

a Cause upang magbigay aliw sa palatuntunan at magkapondo

ang PHLBI sa kanyang gawain. Sa huling bahagi ang inilaan sa

Gawad Parangal. Donasyong P500 halagang iniuukol sa bawa’t

upuan ng auditorium na magmumula sa pagtataguyod ng mga

napiling Huwarang Pamilyang mga nakaraang taon ganun din

ang mga nagmamalasakit sa gawaing ito.

Nagsimula ang programa ala una ng hapon sa pamamagitan ng

Banal na Misa ng pasasalamat at naibahagi rin ang pagpapahalagang

ito ni Fr. Daks sa pagdiriwang ng kanyang ika-9 na taon sa pagkapari.

Ang tema ng pagdiriwang para sa pamilyang Batangueno:

PAMILYANG BATANGUENO: MATATAG AT MAPAGKALINGA.

Kinilala ang pagtulong ni Reb. P. Daks Ramos sa kanyang pakiki-

ugnay sa mga paaralang nagtanghal ng mga sayaw. Si G. Amado Ariel

Hagos ng St. Bridget College Performing Arts Office ang naging over-

all director ng concert. Makulay at masigla ang naiambag na sayaw

ng BSU Dance Company, Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe ng Lyceum

of the Philippines, Repertory Brigid at UB Dance Company. Binigyang

diin ni Riza Rodelas, tagadaloy ng concert ang mga pinahahalagahan

ng pamilyang Batangueñong pinasigla ng mga naaangkop na awit

nina Reb. P. Johannes Arada (kura paroko ng SMEP), Reb P. Oscar

Andal, at dalawahang tinig nina Reb. P. Joden Tenorio at Reb. P. Rich-

ard Hernandez. Humanga at nasiyahan ang nakadalo sa alay na handog

para sa mga pamilyang kinilala.

Nagpaabot si Gob. Vilma Santos Recto ng kanyang pagbati at

mensahe sa pamamagitan ng kanyang kinatawan G. Vic Reyes.

Katulong niya ang mga Board of Trustees sa pagbibigay ng

gantimpala.

Ang huling bahagi ng palatuntunnan ay ang Gawad Parangal

para sa mga pamilyang nairekomenda ng Kagawaran ng Pagtuturo

at dumaan sa ebalwasyon ng screening committee sa pamumuno ni

G. Roger Talag.

Para sa Handog Pagkilala, katibayan at halagang P 5,000 mula sa

Panglalawigang Pamahalaan:

1. Pamilya nina G. Raymundo- Gng. Efrenila Fajardo ng Inosluban,

Lipa City

2. Pamilya nina G. Crestituto-Gng. Fortunata Tenorio ng Talisay,

Batangas

3. Pamilya nina G. Eulalio-Gng. Charisma Anillo ng Lemery,

Batangas

4. Pamilya nina G. Marcelo -Gng. Rosita Adarlo ng Banaba, San

Pascual, Batangas

5. Pamilya nina G. Eusebio-Gng. Nora Magnaye ng Lungsod ng

Batangas

Para sa Gawad Pagkilala:

1. Natatanging Pamilyang Pang-apat sa 2014: plake at halagang

P7,000 mula sa Panglalawigang Pamahalaan ng Batangas

• Pamilya nina G. Avelino-Gng. Virginia Estoye ng Putingkahoy,

Rosario, Batangas

2. Natatanging Pamilyang Pangatlo sa 2014: plake at halagang P

10,000 mula sa Panglalawigang Pamahalaan ng Batangas

• Pamilya nina G. Eduardo -Gng Pacita Narvacan ng Trapiche,

Tanauan, Batangas

3. Natatanging Pamilya Pumangalawa sa 2014: plake at halagang

P15,000 mula sa Panglalawigang Pamahalaan ng Batangas

• Pamilya nina G. Pedro -Gng. Juliana Ramirez ng Talumpok

West, Batangas City

4. Natatanging Pamilyang Nangunguna sa 2014: plake at halagang

P20,000 mula sa Panglalawigang Pamahalaan ng Batangas

• Pamilya nina G. Antonio - Gng. Eulogia Espineda ng Sto.

Tomas, Batangas

Ang Huwarang Pamilyang Batangueno 2014 ay tumanggap ng

halagang P 30, 000 mula sa Panglalawigang Pamahalaan ng Batangas.

Ipinagkaloob rin ang plake Gawad Parangal sa Pamilya nina G.

Mario- Gng. Lilia Reyes ng San Antonio, San Pascual, Batangas,

ang daan ng buhay ay inspirasyon sa sambayanan, mula sa pagtanggap

ng tawag ng Diyos na mabuklod sa pag-ibig, maging isa sa

mapanagutang paglikha, nangangalaga at nagtataguyod sa buhay,

nakikilahok sa pagsusulong at pagpapa-unlad ng lipunan at bilang

Kristiyanong pamilya ay nakapaglilingkod sa pag-aangat ng

kalagayan ng komunidad. #UB

Gawad Parangal:

Huwarang Pamilyang Batangueño 2014

� BB. VIOLY ECHAGUE

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Even though physically far

away because of my service to the

universal Church, I feel profoundly

united to all consecrated men and

women at the beginning of this

year, which I wish to have dedi-

cated to consecrated life.

I greet affectionately all the

members of the Congregation for

Institutes of Consecrated Life and

Societies of Apostolic Life, and all

those present in the Basilica of

Saint Mary Major, under the ten-

der gaze of the Blessed Virgin,

Salus Populi Romani, for this Vigil

of Prayer. With you I also greet all

the consecrated men and women

who live and work in the world.

My first words, on this occa-

sion, are of gratitude to the Lord

for the precious gift of consecrated

life to the Church and to the world.

May this Year of Consecrated Life

be an occasion for all members of

the People of God to thank the

Lord, from whom every good

comes, for the gift of consecrated

life, appreciating it appropriately.

To you equally, dear brothers and

sisters, goes my gratitude for what

you are and what you do in the

Church and in the world. May this

be an "intense time" to celebrate

with the whole Church the gift of

your vocation and to revive your

prophetic mission.

I repeat to you today what I have

said at other times: "Awake the

world! Awake the world!" How?

Put Christ at the center of your

Pope’s Message at the Start of the Year of Consecrated Life

existence. The essential norm of

your life being to "follow Christ

as taught by the Gospel"

(Perfectae Caritatis, 2), conse-

crated life consists essentially in

personal adherence to Him. Seek

Christ constantly, dear conse-

crated, seek his Face, may He oc-

cupy the center of your life in or-

der to be transformed in "living

memory of Jesus' way of living

and acting, as Incarnate Word be-

fore the Father and before broth-

ers" (Vita Consecrata, 22). Like

the Apostle Paul, let yourselves be

conquered by Him, assume his

sentiments and his way of life (cf.

Ibid.,18); let yourselves be

touched by his hand, led by his

voice, sustained by his grace (cf.

Ibid., 40).

It is not easy; let yourselves be

touched by his hand, led by his

voice, sustained by his grace.

And, with Christ, begin always

from the Gospel! Assume it as a

way of life and translate it into

daily gestures marked by simplic-

ity and coherence, thus overcom-

ing the temptation to transform it

into an ideology. The Gospel will

keep your life and mission

"young," and it will render it timely

and attractive. May the Gospel be

the solid terrain where you advance

with courage. Called to be "living

exegesis" of the Gospel, may that

be, dear consecrated, the founda-

tion and ultimate reference of your

life and mission.

Come out of your nest to the

fringes of the man and woman of

today! Therefore, let yourselves be

encountered by Christ. The en-

counter with Him will drive you to

encounter others and will lead you

to the neediest, to the poorest.

Reach the fringes that await the

light of the Gospel (cf.Evangelii

Gaudium, 20). Inhabit the fron-

tiers. This will require your vigi-

lance to discover the novelties of

the Spirit; lucidity to recognize the

complexity of the new frontiers;

discernment to identify the limits

and the appropriate way to pro-

ceed; and immersion in reality,

"touching the suffering flesh of

Christ in the people" (Ibid., 24).

Dear brothers and sisters: pre-

sented before you are many chal-

lenges, but these exist to be sur-

mounted. "Let us be realistic, but

without losing joy, audacity and

dedication full of hope! Let us not

be robbed of the missionary force!"

(Ibid., 109).

May Mary, woman in contem-

plation of the mystery of God in

the world and in history, diligent

woman in helping others with haste

(cf. Luke 1:39) and, therefore,

model of every missionary-disci-

ple, accompany you in this Year of

Consecrated Life, which we put

under her maternal gaze.

To all of you, participants in the

Vigil of Prayer at Saint Mary Ma-

jor, and to all consecrated men and

women, I impart my heartfelt

Blessing, and I ask you, please, to

pray for me.

May the Lord bless you and may

Our Lady protect you. #UB

many parts of the world; the frequently

overlooked tragedy of migrants, who are

often victims of disgraceful and illegal

manipulation. As John XXIII wrote:

"There is nothing human about a soci-

ety based on relationships of power. Far

from encouraging, as it should, the at-

tainment of people's growth and perfec-

tion, it proves oppressive and restrictive

of their freedom". Yet human beings can

experience conversion; they must never

despair of being able to change their

lives. I wish this to be a message of hope

and confidence for all, even for those

who have committed brutal crimes, for

God does not wish the death of the sin-

ner, but that he converts and lives (cf.

Ez 18:23).

In the broad context of human social

relations, when we look to crime and

punishment, we cannot help but think of

the inhumane conditions in so many pris-

ons, where those in custody are often

reduced to a subhuman status in viola-

tion of their human dignity and stunted

in their hope and desire for rehabilita-

tion. The Church does much in these en-

vironments, mostly in silence. I exhort

and I encourage everyone to do more,

in the hope that the efforts being made

in this area by so many courageous men

and women will be increasingly sup-

ported, fairly and honestly, by the civil

authorities as well.

Fraternity helps to preserve and cul-

tivate nature

9. The human family has received from

the Creator a common gift: nature. The

Christian view of creation includes a posi-

tive judgement about the legitimacy of

interventions on nature if these are

meant to be beneficial and are performed

responsibly, that is to say, by acknowl-

edging the "grammar" inscribed in na-

ture and by wisely using resources for

the benefit of all, with respect for the

beauty, finality and usefulness of every

living being and its place in the ecosys-

tem. Nature, in a word, is at our disposi-

tion and we are called to exercise a re-

sponsible stewardship over it. Yet so of-

ten we are driven by greed and by the

arrogance of dominion, possession, ma-

nipulation and exploitation; we do not

preserve nature; nor do we respect it or

consider it a gracious gift which we must

FRATERNITY, THE FOUNDATION... P. 1 care for and set at the service of our

brothers and sisters, including future

generations.

In a particular way, the agricultural

sector is the primary productive sector

with the crucial vocation of cultivating and

protecting natural resources in order to

feed humanity. In this regard the continu-

ing disgrace of hunger in the world

moves me to share with you the ques-

tion: How are we using the earth's re-

sources? Contemporary societies should

reflect on the hierarchy of priorities to

which production is directed. It is a truly

pressing duty to use the earth's re-

sources in such a way that all may be

free from hunger. Initiatives and possi-

ble solutions are many, and are not lim-

ited to an increase in production. It is well

known that present production is suffi-

cient, and yet millions of persons con-

tinue to suffer and die from hunger, and

this is a real scandal. We need, then, to

find ways by which all may benefit from

the fruits of the earth, not only to avoid

the widening gap between those who

have more and those who must be con-

tent with the crumbs, but above all be-

cause it is a question of justice, equality

and respect for every human being. In

this regard I would like to remind every-

one of that necessary universal destina-

tion of all goods which is one of the fun-

damental principles of the Church's so-

cial teaching. Respect for this principle

is the essential condition for facilitating

an effective and fair access to those es-

sential and primary goods which every

person needs and to which he or she

has a right.

Conclusion

10. Fraternity needs to be discovered,

loved, experienced, proclaimed and wit-

nessed to. But only love, bestowed as a

gift from God, enables us to accept and

fully experience fraternity.

The necessary realism proper to poli-

tics and economy cannot be reduced to

mere technical know-how bereft of ide-

als and unconcerned with the transcend-

ent dimension of man. When this open-

ness to God is lacking, every human

activity is impoverished and persons are

reduced to objects that can be exploited.

Only when politics and the economy are

open to moving within the wide space

ensured by the One who loves each man

and each woman, will they achieve an

ordering based on a genuine spirit of fra-

ternal charity and become effective in-

struments of integral human develop-

ment and peace.

We Christians believe that in the

Church we are all members of a single

body, all mutually necessary, because

each has been given a grace according

to the measure of the gift of Christ, for

the common good (cf. Eph 4:7,25; 1 Cor

12:7). Christ has come to the world so

as to bring us divine grace, that is, the

possibility of sharing in his life. This en-

tails weaving a fabric of fraternal rela-

tionships marked by reciprocity, forgive-

ness and complete self-giving, accord-

ing to the breadth and the depth of the

love of God offered to humanity in the

One who, crucified and risen, draws all

to himself: "A new commandment I give

to you, that you love one another; even

as I have loved you, that you also love

one another. By this all will know that you

are my disciples, if you have love for one

another" (Jn 13:34-35). This is the good

news that demands from each one a step

forward, a perennial exercise of empa-

thy, of listening to the suffering and the

hopes of others, even those furthest

away from me, and walking the demand-

ing path of that love which knows how to

give and spend itself freely for the good

of all our brothers and sisters.

Christ embraces all of humanity and

wishes no one to be lost. "For God sent

the Son into the world, not to condemn

the world, but that the world might be

saved through him" (Jn 3:17). He does

it without oppressing or constraining any-

one to open to him the doors of heart

and mind. "Let the greatest among you

become as the youngest, and the leader

as one who serves" - Jesus Christ says

- "I am among you as one who serves"

(Lk 22:26-27). Every activity therefore

must be distinguished by an attitude of

service to persons, especially those fur-

thest away and less known. Service is

the soul of that fraternity that builds up

peace.

May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, help

us to understand and live every day the

fraternity that springs up from the heart

of her Son, so as to bring peace to each

person on this our beloved earth.

From the Vatican, 8 December 2013

11DECEMBER 2014 NEWS & (IN)FORMATION

� Rev. Fr. Oscar Andal

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Coffee Table Book of the Archdiocese of Lipa entitled

“A CENTURY OF FAITH”

is still available at the Archdiocesan Chancery

for Php 3,300.00.

To order, please call 043.756.2572 / 043.981.3023.

BIRTHDAYS:

• Fr. RusselL B. Matuloy (January 10)

• Fr. Godofredo Mendoza (January 12)

• Fr. Antonio Mendoza (January 14)

• Fr. Pablito Malibiran & Fr. Virgilio Hernandez (Janu-

ary 15)

• Fr. Leo Edgardo Villostas (January 17)

• Fr. Antonio Platon Tolentino (January 21)

• Fr. Ericson Tio & Fr. Carmelo Gozos (January 23)

• Fr. Mateo Orario & Fr. Timoteo Gameline Balita (Janu-

ary 24)

• Fr. Hermes Los Bañes (January 25)

• Fr. Dexter Mojares & Fr. Jaime Cunanan (January 29)

SACERDOTAL ANNIVERSARY:

• Most Rev. Ramón C. Argüelles D.D.

SACERDOTAL ANNIVERSARY:

• Fr. Ernesto Mandanas, Jr. (January 26)

FIESTAS:

• Sto. Niño Parish, Pinagtongulan, Lipa City (January 2)

• Immaculate Conception Parish, Malvar (January 10)

• Holy Family Parish, Alupay, Rosario (January 12)

• Immaculate Conception Parish, Batangas City (Janu-

ary 16)

• Sto. Niño Parish, Marawoy, Lipa City (January 18)

• San Sebastian Parish, Poblacion, Lipa City (January

20)

• Holy Family Flight into Egypt, Luyos, Tanauan City

(January 22)

• Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, Lodlod, Lipa

City (January 24)

DEATH ANNIVERSARY:

• Msgr. Domingo Librea (January 5)

• Msgr. Emilio Mendoza (January 6)

• Fr. Justo delos Reyes (January 12)

• Msgr. Clemente Yatco (January 26)

FOR YOUR INFO:

• Ordination to the Diaconate of Seminarians Marco

Paulo R. Lajara of San Isidro , Lipa City and Jamester

A. Arandia of Lemery, Batangas on 06 January 2015

at the Chapel of St. Francis de Sales Theological Semi-

nary, 9AM.

• Clergy Monthly Recollection on 26 January 2015 with

Dr. Josephine Altura as invited guest speaker with the

theme "A Hard Look at the Face of Poverty in the

Archdiocese of Lipa (Poverty Incidence in the Arch-

diocese of Lipa)

• St. Francis de Sales Feast Day on 24 January 2015

at St. Francis de Sales Minor Seminary.

• New Members of the Board of Directors of Pater

Putativus Publishing House:

- Fr. Oscar L. Andal

- Fr. Jesse Lucas A. Balilla

- Msgr. Ruben M, Dimaculangan

- Fr. Antonio C. Mendoza

Their appointment takes effect on December 4, 2014.

• Archdiocesan First Communion at the Shrine of St.

Joseph the Patriarch, San Jose, Batangas on 30 Janu-

ary 2015 , 9 AM.

43. Various Fathers underlined

the necessity to make the recogni-

tion of cases of nullity more acces-

sible and flexible. Among the

propositions were the abandon-

ment of the need for the double

conforming sentence; the possibil-

ity of establishing an administra-

tive means under the responsibil-

ity of the diocesan bishop; a sum-

mary process to be used in cases

of clear nullity. According to au-

thoritative propositions, the possi-

bility should then be considered of

giving weight to the faith of those

about to be married in terms of the

validity of the sacrament of mar-

riage. It needs to emphasized that

in all these cases it is about the as-

certaining of the truth over the va-

lidity of the obstacle.

44. As regards matrimonial

suits, the speeding-up of the pro-

cedure, requested by many, as well

as the preparation of a sufficient

number of operators, clerics and

lay people, dedicating themselves

to this, requires an increase in the

responsibilities of the diocesan

bishop, who in his diocese might

charge a specially trained priest

who would be able to offer the par-

ties advice on the validity of their

marriage.

45. Divorced people who have

not remarried should be invited to

find in the Eucharist the nourish-

ment they need to sustain them in

their state. The local community

and pastors have to accompany

these people with solicitude, par-

ticularly when there are children

involved or they find themselves

in a serious situation of poverty.

46. In the same way the situa-

tion of the divorced who have re-

married demands a careful discern-

ment and an accompaniment full

of respect, avoiding any language

or behavior that might make them

feel discriminated against. For the

Christian community looking after

them is not a weakening of its faith

and its testimony to the indissolu-

bility of marriage, but rather it ex-

presses precisely its charity in its

caring.

47. As regards the possibility of

partaking of the sacraments of Pen-

ance and the Eucharist, some ar-

gued in favor of the present regu-

lations because of their theologi-

cal foundation, others were in favor

of a greater opening on very pre-

cise conditions when dealing with

situations that cannot be resolved

without creating new injustices and

suffering. For some, partaking of

the sacraments might occur were

it preceded by a penitential path -

under the responsibility of the di-

ocesan bishop -, and with a clear

undertaking in favor of the chil-

dren. This would not be a general

possibility, but the fruit of a dis-

cernment applied on a case-by-

case basis, according to a law of

gradualness, that takes into consid-

eration the distinction between

state of sin, state of grace and the

attenuating circumstances.

48. Suggesting limiting them-

selves to only "spiritual commun-

ion" was questioned by more than

a few Synodal Fathers: if spiritual

communion is possible, why not al-

low them to partake in the sacra-

ment? As a result a greater theo-

logical study was requested start-

ing with the links between the sac-

rament of marriage and the Eucha-

rist in relation to the Church-sac-

rament. In the same way, the moral

dimension of the problem requires

further consideration, listening to

and illuminating the consciences of

spouses.

49. The problems relative to

mixed marriages were frequently

raised in the interventions of the

Synodal Fathers. The differences

in the matrimonial regulations of

the Orthodox Churches creates se-

rious problems in certain contexts

to which have to be found suitable

responses in communion with the

Pope. The same applies to inter-

religious marriages.

Welcoming homosexual persons

50. Homosexuals have gifts and

qualities to offer to the Christian

community: are we capable of wel-

coming these people, guaranteeing

to them a fraternal space in our

communities? Often they wish to

encounter a Church that offers

them a welcoming home. Are our

communities capable of providing

that, accepting and valuing their

sexual orientation, without com-

promising Catholic doctrine on the

family and matrimony?

51. The question of homosexu-

ality leads to a serious reflection

on how to elaborate realistic paths

of affective growth and human and

evangelical maturity integrating

the sexual dimension: it appears

therefore as an important educative

challenge. The Church furthermore

affirms that unions between peo-

ple of the same sex cannot be con-

sidered on the same footing as mat-

rimony between man and woman.

Nor is it acceptable that pressure

be brought to bear on pastors or

that international bodies make fi-

nancial aid dependent on the intro-

duction of regulations inspired by

gender ideology.

52. Without denying the moral

problems connected to homo-

sexual unions it has to be noted that

there are cases in which mutual aid

to the point of sacrifice constitutes

a precious support in the life of the

partners. Furthermore, the Church

pays special attention to the chil-

dren who live with couples of the

same sex, emphasizing that the

needs and rights of the little ones

must always be given priority.

The transmission of life and the

challenge of the declining birth-

rate

53. It is not difficult to notice

the spread of a mentality that re-

duces the generation of life to a

variable of an individual's or a cou-

ple's plans. Economic factors

sometimes have enough weight to

contribute to the sharp drop in the

birthrate which weakens the social

fabric, compromising the relation-

ship between generations and ren-

dering the view of the future less

certain. Being open to life is an

intrinsic requirement of married

love.

54. Probably here as well what

is required is a realistic language

that is able to start from listening

to people and acknowledging the

beauty and truth of an uncondi-

tional opening to life as that which

human life requires to be lived to

Synod 14: Full Text of the Relatio Post Disceptationem

LAST PART

its fullest. It is on this base that we

can rest an appropriate teaching

regarding natural methods, which

allow the living in a harmonious

and aware way of the communica-

tion between spouses, in all its di-

mensions, along with generative

responsibility. In this light, we

should go back to the message of

the Encyclical Humanae Vitae of

Paul VI, which underlines the need

to respect the dignity of the person

in the moral evaluation of the meth-

ods of birth control.

55. So help is required to live

affectivity, in marriage as well, as

a path of maturation, in the ever-

more profound welcoming of the

other and in an ever-fuller giving.

It has to be emphasized in this

sense the need to offer formative

paths that nourish married life and

the importance of a laity that pro-

vides an accompaniment consist-

ing of living testimony. It is un-

doubtedly of great help the exam-

ple of a faithful and profound love

made up of tenderness, of respect,

capable of growing in time and

which in its concrete opening to the

generation of life allows us to ex-

perience a mystery that transcends

us.

The challenge of education and

the role of the family in evangeli-

zation

56. The fundamental challenge

facing families today is undoubt-

edly that of education, rendered

more difficult and complex by to-

day's cultural reality. What have to

be considered are the needs and ex-

pectations of families capable of

testifying in daily life, places of

growth, of concrete and essential

transmission of the virtues that pro-

vide form for existence.

57. In this Church can carry out

a precious role in supporting fami-

lies, starting from Christian initia-

tion, through welcoming commu-

nities. What is asked of these, to-

day even more than yesterday, in

complex as well as mundane situ-

ations, is to support parents in their

educative undertaking, accompa-

nying children and young people

in their growth through personal-

ized paths capable of introducing

them to the full meaning of life and

encouraging choices and respon-

sibilities, lived in the light of the

Gospel.

CONCLUSION

58. The reflections put forward,

the fruit of the Synodal dialog that

took place in great freedom and a

spirit of reciprocal listening, are in-

tended to raise questions and indi-

cate perspectives that will have to

be matured and made clearer by the

reflection of the local Churches in

the year that separates us from the

Ordinary General Assembly of the

Synod of bishops planned for Oc-

tober 2015. These are not decisions

that have been made nor simply

points of view. All the same the col-

legial path of the bishops and the

involvement of all God's people un-

der the guidance of the Holy Spirit

will lead us to find roads of truth

and mercy for all. This is the wish

that from the beginning of our work

Pope Francis has extended to us,

inviting us to the courage of the faith

and the humble and honest welcome

of the truth in charity. #UB