Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila

enthrones the statue of Mary, Help

of Christians, at its original chapel
at the Manila Cathedral on Feb. 20,
2016. The statue was returned to
the cathedral after 74 years of being
stationed at Our Lady of Loreto
Church in Sampaloc, Manila when it
was brought there for safety during
World War II. MARIA TAN

Monitor
CBCP

CBCP

FEBRUARY 22 - MARCH 6, 2016, VOLUME 20, NUMBER 10

Guard kids vs
cyber porn,
parents warned
By Roy Lagarde

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. DOMINIC BARRIOS

THE head of the Manilas

Catholic Church has asked
the faithful to break down the
isolation and loneliness that
further burden those who are
physically ill.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
urged Filipinos to pray for the sick
in need of constant care and help
and make them feel loved.
When you are sick, especially
when its contagious, you will be
isolated and alone. And being
maybe that is one of the hardest
Sick / A7

CATHOLIC bishops
have warned parents
of the dangers of the
internet with pornography becoming a disturbing trend in the
Philippines.
The prelates particularly
urged parents to monitor their
childrens activities on the
internet so they wont be exposed
to cyber porn.
Parents must be held responsible
in monitoring and supervising their
childrens access to the internet,
said Archbishop Socrates Villegas,
president of the Catholic Bishops

Conference of the Philippines.

The CBCP made the statement
in its latest document titled
Created for Love, Created for
Chastity A pastoral Response to
the Grave Evil of Pornography,
and was released to the public on
Thursday, Feb 10.
The issue on pornography was
among the pressing concerns that
the bishops discussed during their
plenary assembly held in Cebu City
last month.
The bishops described
pornography as a pervasive social
cancer that has been on the rise on
the internet and has wounded and
corrupted many men, women, and
children.
According to the 2015 Study of
Word Internet Users and Population

Vatican official to world leaders:

Look into migrations human face
A TOP Vatican official reminded
world leaders that migrants,
regardless of their legal status,
are still human beings whose rights
and dignity should be respected
across territorial borders.
Even before Pope Francis recent
visit to Mexico and the hullabaloo
over papal remarks about the global
issue on migration, Archbishop
Bernardito Auza, Permanent
Observer Mission of the Holy See
to the United Nations, reiterated
that the Church will not cease to
plead before the international
community for a more humane
treatment of migrants.
Auza, who hails from Talibon,
Bohol, pointed out that migration
is no longer a choice for people,
and that an overwhelmingly
amount of migrants are forced to
flee their homes due to extreme
want and grinding poverty, natural
catastrophes and environmental
degradation, wars and conflicts.
Tragedies of migration
Migration has become almost
synonymous with misfortunes,
violence, and loss of economic
gains. The negative narrative on

CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM

Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer

Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.
KRIS BAYOS

migration exacerbates the plight

of migrants, making them face
racism, xenophobia, stereotypes,
even [becoming] scapegoats
for terrorism and economic
difficulties, the prelate told CBCP
News.
As Permanent Observer to the
UN, Auza, represents the Holy See
and the Holy Father in the Family

of Nations that is the United

Nations.
The Filipino prelate added that
within the problems associated
with mass migrations lie even
greater tragedies.
Take the case of human
trafficking, in particular the
trafficking of women and girls
for sex, and other contemporary
forms of slavery spawned by
migration. Statistics suggest that
up to 35 million people are living
in conditions of slavery across the
globe, facing sexual exploitation,
forced labor, and the denial of
their basic rights. These modern
forms of slavery are the opposite
of a globalization driven by the
culture of encounter and the values
of solidarity and justice. Pope
Francis affirms that these forms of
modern slavery are a crime against
humanity and an open wound on
the body of our contemporary
society, he explained.
Only way
Auza clarified that the Holy
See, despite its stance on global
migration issue, is aware of the
Migration / A6

Statistics, Filipino children are

among those with the highest access
to the internet in Asia.
In 2013, a study on the youth
conducted by the University of the
Philippines Population Institute
showed that 56.5 percent of Filipinos
aged 15-24 have been exposed to
pornographic videos, 35.6% have
been exposed to sexually explicit
reading materials, and 15.5% have
viewed pornographic websites.
Given the all-pervasiveness of the
internet, it should not be surprising
that pornography has invaded our
homes, workplaces, schools, and
churches, Villegas said.
Lucrative industry
Pope Francis earlier cautioned
Guard / A6

IN THIS ISSUE
SUPPLEMENT ISSUE

The Cross:

THE SUPPLEMENT PUBLICATION

OF KCFAPI AND THE ORDER OF
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

A3

Pope Francis names

new Permanent
Observer to the UN in
Geneva

A6

Love of shortcuts
is from the devil bishop

A6

Pope Francis
delighted with Lolo
Kiko doll gift

A8

Pope appoints new

Alaminos bishop

B1

Pastoral Exhortation
on the Pastoral
Care and Protection
of Minors

Condom candy swap: Young

people say no to hook-up culture
VALENTINES
Day in Manila has
already become
infamous not just
for ubiquitous
traffic because
of all the lovestruck couples
longing to
express their
mutual devotion
but also because
it has come to
stand for Free
Condom Day.
The tradition of
giving away condoms
on the day of hearts,
particularly in the
Dangwa flower
Market in Manila,
started decades ago
but the assumption
that young and notso-young lovers alike
believe love is best
expressed when
someone gets laid
has been consistently
challenged by--whom
else--young people.
Valentines Day
2016 was no different.
Right next to a stall

ILLUSTRATION BY BROTHERS MATIAS

Tagle: Break
down isolation
of sick people

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

dispensing free
condoms to hapless
passers-by was an
assorted group of
colegialas, seminarians,
and yuppies who perkily
held up signs to people
that said: Exchange
your condoms for
candies and real love.
Condoms returned
The supposed
government response-not to mention
the commercial
opportunism of
contraceptive
companies--to
young peoples
uncontrollable

Valentine libidos may

actually be based more
on an imposed or
fabricated abstraction.
Actually we were
really happy..We were
really happy because
when they saw that
we were giving away
candies, they actually
eagerly gave up the
condoms that they
received and some
people were even
telling us that they
didnt really want to
accept the condoms
that were being given
away, said Filipinos
Condom / A7

A2 NEWS

Vatican Briefing
Cardinal Pell strikes back at allegations of child abuse
Cardinal George Pell forcefully denied an alleged police
investigations claim of multiple offenses of child sexual
abuse, calling the accusations patently untrue. The
allegations are without foundation and utterly false, a Feb.
19 statement from Cardinal Pells office read. The timing
of the media leak on the alleged investigation is clearly
designed to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and the
Catholic Church and undermines the work of the Royal
Commission, it said. Cardinal Pell is a member of the Council
of Cardinals advising Pope Francis and a past archbishop
of the Sydney and Melbourne archdioceses. He is also the
prefect of the newly formed Secretariat for the Economy,
which is overseeing Vatican finances. (CNA)
Pope Francis against the death penalty: criminals too
have the right to life
Christians must work to abolish the death penalty and
improve prison conditions, Pope Francis said on Sunday.
After praying the Angelus on Sunday in St. Peters Square,
Pope Francis called on all Christians and people of good
will to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty
but also to improve the conditions in prison. These efforts
would respect the human dignity of prisoners, he said.He
appealed to the consciences of government leaders to join
the international consensus for the abolition of the death
penalty. He asked Catholic leaders not to hold executions
during the Year of Mercy. This would be as a courageous
and exemplary act, he said Feb. 21. (CNA)
Pope Francis names new Permanent Observer to the
UN in Geneva
Slovenia-born Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic will be the Holy
Sees next Permanent Observer to the United Nations in
Geneva, a significant appointment given his experience in
diplomacy. Archbishop Jurkovic has served as nuncio to
Russia and Uzbekistan since 2011. The announcement of his
new role came on Feb. 13, just one day after Pope Francis and
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba for the historic
first encounter of a Pope and a Russian Patriarch. Given
Archbishop Jurkovics diplomatic experience, some believe
his appointment aims to assist in the rapprochement between
the Catholic Church and Moscow. He will have several roles,
including Permanent Observer to the Office of the United
Nations and Specialized Agencies in Geneva and Permanent
Observer to the World Trade Organization. (CNA)
If mercy doesnt reach your pockets, its not real, Pope says
For Pope Francis, mercy isnt just spiritual, but is something
that ought to be expressed in concrete acts of service and in
sharing ones goods with the poor, which was a key tradition
during Jubilee years throughout Scripture. Referring to the
current Holy Year of Mercy, the Pope explained that the
Jubilee is a time for conversion, so that our heart can become
bigger, more generous, more like a child of God, with more
love. But I tell you that if the Jubilee doesnt arrive to the
pockets, its not a true Jubilee, he said, adding that this is
in the Bible, its not the Pope who invented this. Francis
spoke to pilgrims present in St. Peters Square for his general
audience on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of
the Churchs Lenten season. (CNA)
Father Lombardi steps down from Vatican Radio amid
media reform
As the process of reforming the Vaticans communications
is carried out, Fr. Federico Lombardi will step down as
director of Vatican Radio at the end of the month, though
he will continue to serve as director of the Holy See press
office. A Feb. 22 communique from the Secretariat for
Communications announced the decision, and that Alberto
Gasbarri, director of administration at Vatican Radio, will
also be leaving his post. Neither Gasbarri nor Fr. Lombardi,
who has served Vatican Radio for 25 years, will be replaced.
Gasbarri had coordinated papal trips for 40 years. The head
of the Secretariat for Communications appointed Giacomo
Ghisani, deputy director of the secretariat, as Vatican Radios
interim legal representative and director of administration.
(CNA)
Synods should get more input from lay faithful, church
experts say
An assembly of bishops at the Vatican should have more
input from the lay faithful, said church experts attending
a seminar hosted by the head of the Synod of Bishops. A
renewed understanding of the role of the people of God and
their bishops warrants considering not just the bishop of
Rome (the pope) and the episcopate in the synodal process,
but also the lay faithful, said a communique issued by the
synods secretary general, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri. The
communique, released by the Vatican press office Feb. 17,
provided a brief summary of the conclusions reached by
a seminar held Feb. 6-9 at the Vatican. Sponsored by the
synods secretary-general, the gathering looked at the Synod
of Bishops as being at the service of a synodal church.
(CNS)
Vatican invites head of al-Azhar to meet with pope to
restart dialogue
The Vaticans interreligious council invited the head
of a leading Muslim institution to meet with Pope
Francis as part of an effort to restart dialogue. Cardinal
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council
for Interreligious Dialogue, invited Ahmad el-Tayeb,
the grand imam of al-Azhar University, to come to the
Vatican and meet with the pope. The invitation came in a
letter that was delivered by Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot,
council secretary, and given to the imams representative
during a meeting in Cairo Feb. 16. Talks between the
Vatican and al-Azhar were suspended by the Muslim
university in 2011. A decades-old dialogue between alAzhar and the Vatican started to fray in 2006, after nowretired Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech in Regensburg,
Germany. Al-Azhar officials and millions of Muslims said
the speech linked Islam to violence. (CNS)

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

CBCP Monitor

Bishop challenges Catholics to combat

ugly tide of anti-Islamic bigotry
CALIFORNIA, February
22, 2016San Diego
Bishop Robert W.
McElroy is challenging
U.S. Catholics to take an
active role in combating
the scourge of antiIslamic prejudice.
We are witnessing
in the United States a
new nativism, which
the American Catholic
community must reject
and label for the religious
bigotry which it is, he
said in a keynote address
delivered Feb. 17 in the
University of San Diegos
Joan B. Kroc Institute for
Peace and Justice.
The evening event
took place against the Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego and Muslim leader Sayyid M. Syeed discuss the ugly tide of antibackdrop of the first Islamic bigotry in keynote speeches at the University of San Diego Feb. 17. Facilitating the discussion was
n a t i o n a l C a t h o l i c - Ami Carpenter, center, who is an associate professor at the Catholic universitys Joan B. Kroc School of Peace
Studies. CNS PHOTO/DENIS GRASSKA, THE SOUTHERN CROSS
Muslim dialogue, which
was held Feb. 17-18 at the
inherently violent, that Muslims seek ultimately govern the United States.
Catholic university.
to supplant the U.S. Constitution He said Catholics must speak out
Last May, after more than 20 with sharia law, and that Muslim against distortions of Muslim
years of regional dialogues with immigration threatens the cultural theology and teaching on society and
representatives of the U.S. Muslim identity of the American people. the state, because these distortions
community, the Committee on Such claims, he said, are strikingly are just as devastating in the present
Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs reminiscent of the anti-Catholic day as the distortions of Catholic
of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bigotry that was once prevalent in the teaching ... which were disseminated
Bishops established a national United States.
in American society in the 19th
Catholic-Muslim dialogue.
However, the bishops denunciation century.
Motivated by the call of Nostra of prejudice does not signify a denial
He encouraged Catholics to walk
Aetate, the Second Vatican Councils of the reality of terrorism.
with the Muslim community as it
declaration on the relationship
I want to underscore that it is reflects upon issues of religious liberty
between the Catholic Church and not bigotry to fear or to combat the and the relationship between church
non-Catholic faiths, the dialogue violence and terror which some and state.
seeks to foster understanding and Muslims in the world have unleashed
Before concluding his presentation,
collaboration between Catholics and in the name of faith, he explained, Bishop McElroy issued one last
Muslims. Chicago Archbishop Blase while acknowledging that some challenge: Catholics and Muslims
J. Cupich has been named its first Christians also have attempted should work together toward a
Catholic co-chairman.
to use their faith to justify acts of peaceful future and an end to
In addition to Bishop McElroys violence.
religious conflict. Praising Islams
speech, the evening also featured a
Bishop McElroy also challenged U.S. respect for the peoples of the Book
keynote speech by Sayyid M. Syeed, Catholics to overcome the patterns of -- its term for adherents of Judaism,
national director of the Islamic social segregation that lead them Christianity and Islam, each of
Society of North Americas Office for to associate almost exclusively with which trace their lineage back to
Interfaith and Community Alliances, people from similar backgrounds. the patriarch Abraham -- the bishop
who reflected on the state of Catholic- Because of this trend, he said, many acknowledged the fear and grief that
Muslim relations from the Muslim Americans do not have a significant has been caused by religious violence
perspective.
friendship with a single member of worldwide.
A discussion with both men was the Muslim faith.
He called it a terrible wound
conducted on stage by Ami Carpenter,
Religious bigotry thrives in an to the Christian community that
an associate professor at the Joan B. environment of social isolation, he said. Christians in the Middle East are
Kroc School of Peace Studies, with Encounter, which leads to friendship facing extinction in a region that
members of the audience invited to and, thus, deeper understanding, is the has been there home for more than
ask questions.
most important antidote to prejudice a millennium, while it is a great
In his remarks, Bishop McElroy and bigotry.
tragedy for the Muslim community
exhorted Catholics to recognize
Through such encounters, he said, to see Muslim refugees denied safe
and confront the ugly tide of anti- Catholics may take inspiration from haven in Europe.
Islamic bigotry in the United States, the rich spirituality of the Muslim
This final challenge to the
to actively seek relationships with people, which includes the centrality Catholic community in the United
Muslims on a personal level, to of daily prayer, a commitment to States, Bishop McElroy said, is
accompany the Muslim community asceticism and an understanding of in reality a challenge to both the
as it wrestles with religious liberty the immensity and the richness of Catholic and Muslim communities
issues, and to join with them to divine mercy.
to walk in solidarity, witnessing,
witness to and fight for a Middle East
Bishop McElroy reflected on the strategizing and advancing public
where Christian, Muslim and Jewish development of Catholic doctrine on policy within the U.S. and within
communities can coexist peacefully.
the subject of religious freedom and the Muslim world to forge a secure
Bishop McElroy said U.S. Catholics noted that it was once suggested that, future for all of the peoples of
should view with repugnance the in a (John F.) Kennedy presidency, the Book in the Middle East and
repeated falsehoods that Islam is it would be the pope who would throughout the world. (CNS)

Jakarta Catholics pledge support for environment

Govt announces plan to limit the use of plastic bags
INDONESIA, February 22,
2016More than 1,000
Catholics from Jakarta
Archdiocese took the streets
of the capital on Feb. 21 to
support the governments
new push against plastic
waste.
Earlier that day the
government began a trial
policy requiring modern
retailers to charge
customers 200 rupiah (less
than US$1) for each plastic
bag. The policy aims at
reducing the use of plastic
bags and improving the
peoples awareness on
the need to protect the
environment.
In Jakarta, one problem
related to environmental
destruction is waste. We
have a responsibility in
this case, Father Alexius
Andang Listya Binawan,
who coordinated the
Catholic response to the
countrys National Waste
Awareness Day, told
ucanews.com.
During the four-hour
program, Catholics wearing

headbands that read, Brave

to Care, walked the streets
around the Hotel Indonesia
traffic circle to collect waste.
I hope they can transmit
their concern to others,
Father Binawan said.
We want to make
Catholics aware of the
waste issue. We want
them to understand that
having such a concern is
an important part of their
Catholic faith, he said.
He said the new policy
was a good move. We
cannot stop the use of
plastic bags indeed, but we
can reduce it.
Charity Sister Gabriela
said the program was a
reflection of the Lenten
season.
We now have the Lenten
season. One thing we can
do is to fast from the use of
plastic bags and Styrofoam.
We can protect the
environment by reducing
waste, she told ucanews.
com.
Sandra Dewi, a Catholic
artist, said she was pleased

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

to get involved in the

program. If we dont do it,
then who will? she asked.
Besides Catholics, at
least 800 communities also
took part in the national
celebration attended
by several ministers,
government officials and
activists.
In her speech,
Environment and Forestry
Minister Siti Nurbaya
Bakar encouraged local

governments to support the

new policy.
To all local governments
districts, municipalities
and provinces, lets reduce
[the use of plastic bags]
and manage waste. This
is an important message,
she said.
Data from the ministry
said that the countrys
waste has reached 175,000
tons per day or 64 million
tons per year. (UCAN)

CBCP Monitor

NEWS A3

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

Pope Francis names new Permanent

Observer to the UN in Geneva
VATICAN, Feb. 14, 2016
Slovenia-born Archbishop
Ivan Jurkovic will be the
Holy Sees next Permanent
Observer to the United
Nations in Geneva, a
significant appointment
given his experience in
diplomacy.
Archbishop Jurkovic has
served as nuncio to Russia
and Uzbekistan since 2011.
The announcement of his new
role came on Feb. 13, just one
day after Pope Francis and
Russian Orthodox Patriarch
Kirill met in Cuba for the
historic first encounter of a
Pope and a Russian Patriarch.
Given Archbishop
Jurkovics diplomatic
experience, some believe
his appointment aims to
assist in the rapprochement
between the Catholic Church
and Moscow. He will have
several roles, including
Permanent Observer to the
Office of the United Nations
and Specialized Agencies
in Geneva and Permanent
Observer to the World Trade
Organization.
The archbishop was born in
Kocevje, Slovenia. He served
as a priest in Ljubljana for 24

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

years before beginning his

diplomatic career.
He represented the Holy See
in Moscow from 1992-1996.
Then in 2001 he was named
archbishop and appointed as
nuncio to Belarus. Just three
years later, in 2004, he was

appointed nuncio to Ukraine.

He continued the legacy of
Archbishop Antonio Mennini,
the former nuncio to Ukraine
who is now nuncio to the
United Kingdom. Archbishop
Mennini helped to normalize
relations between Russia and

the Holy See, up to the point

of the full establishment of
diplomatic relations.
Archbishop Jurkovics
nomination as nuncio to
Russia and Uzbekistan took
place immediately after the
February 2011 visit between

Being pro-life begins in the family faithful told

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

ILOILO City, Feb. 20, 2016--As

the nation observes Pro-life Month
this month, a Catholic couple called
on the faithful to be more pro-life
beginning with the family.
Sharing their married life
experience in Candle Light, the
official publication of the National
Shrine of Our Lady Candles,
M ike and Aid a Go me z, both
members of the Jaro Archdiocesan
Commission on Family and Life,
affirmed that being pro-life begins
in the family.
Let us try to understand pro-life
in our own simple way. Where do we
start being pro-life? If we eat to live,
exercise to stay healthy, we likewise
need the heart to give, share, build,
and nurture life and that starts in
our very own family, explained
the couples.
Pro-life behavior
They also warned family members
about attitudes that are not lifegiving.
As parents, do we nag our kids
telling them day after day you are
no good until they believe its
true? As children, do we ignore our
parents sermons even if we know
that they are correct and good for
us?, they asked.

While admitting that no family is

perfect, the Gomezes encouraged
pro-life behaviors among parents
and children.
They added: In our family when
we praise more and criticize less,
correct each other rather than sow
mistrust, affirm and appreciate each
others gifts and uniqueness, forgive
and heal wounds that we inflict,
accept and embrace the person no
matter what, we experience what
life and being life-giving truly is.
The couple talked about how
the pro-life advocacy could be
strengthened particularly this
month, saying, Every February is
Pro-life Month, reminding us how
we as a Church and Gods children
can truly be pro-life.
Not just an advocacy
For the Gomezes being pro-life
is not just an advocacy, nor is it
just an act of defending physical
life only but consists in respecting
human life in all its aspects--mental,
emotional, and even ecological.
As a Church we defend, protect,
nurture, sustain, and give life to
each other and to those living
around us in a manner that is
holistic and not like the cafeteria
mentality--choosing to support

may cause sin.

Pinoys and all Godloving people should
avoid sin and occasions
of sin, said the prelate.
The two-day concert
which is part of the
singers Rebel Heart tour
will be her first in Asias
biggest Catholic nation.
In 2012, the
archbishop also led
in denouncing the
controversial concert

only those forms of life that suit or

benefit us, explained the couple.
The couple underscored that life,
especially human life, is a God-given
gift that the faithful, as a Church
and as a community, have the
responsibility of protecting.
God breathed life into us. He
gave us free will to enable us to
choose life. Any kind of destruction
affects the balance of life, a balance
God only can create and endow. So,
a single action against any form of
life has a rippling effect on the rest
of society.
More pro-life parishes, priests
The couple pointed out that
Catholics, by being active in their
parishes, can help the rest of society
live the pro-life way.
We, as Catholics, have seen
the struggles of our parishes to be
more life-giving: in their programs
of formation, recollections,
community services, projects for
the poor, etc. which encourage us
to develop pro-life attitudes.
We wish our priests could preach
more often about the sanctity of
life and the evils of abortion and
also the consequences it entails,
added the couple. (Fr. Mickey
Cardenas / CBCP News)

of Lady Gaga who is

known for her risqu
outfits and music.
Why is the Catholic
Philippines the
favourite venue for
blasphemy against God
and the Holy Mother?
Arguelles said.
Let us pray for our
country that the devil
will not succeed to draw
anyone from this Pueblo
Amante De Maria to his

Pope makes longawaited visit to Our

Lady of Guadalupe

ANA PERUCHO

Archbishop warns flock vs Madonna concert

MANILA, Feb. 24,
2016 A Catholic
prelate has voiced
concern over pop diva
Madonnas concert in
Manila and warned his
flock against subtle
attacks of the evil one.
Archbishop Ramon
Arguelles of Lipa, in
a statement sent to
reporters, admonished
the faithful against
going to occasions that

the then-president of Russia,

Dmitry Medvedev, and Pope
Benedict XVI.
In his role as nuncio to
Russia, the archbishop
participated in all of the
steps that culminated in
the historic Feb. 12, 2016

meeting between Pope

Francis and Patriarch Kirill.
The two Christian leaders
signed a joint declaration at
the meeting.
Archbishop Jurkovich will
now take over for Archbishop
Silvano Maria Tomasi, who
will retire this year when
he turns 75. Archbishop
Tomasi served as Permanent
Observer to the Office of
the United Nations and
Specialized Agencies in
Geneva for more than 10
years.
Archbishop Tomasi first
began his diplomatic service
in 1996 when he was named
archbishop and nuncio to
Ethiopia and Eritrea. In
2000 he was named nuncio
to Djibouti in the Horn of
Africa. In 2003 he was moved
to Geneva.
On Saturday the Vatican
also announced additional
responsibilities for the
American priest Monsignor
Bryan Wells. He has now
been named as nuncio to the
southern African countries of
Lesotho and Namibia. He was
recently appointed nuncio to
South Africa and Botswana.
(CNA/EWTN News)

evil ways, he added.

Madonna arrived in
Manila on Monday for
her Feb. 24 to 25 concert
at the MOA Arena in
Pasay City.
Madonnas Rebel
Heart concert has
stirred controversy
among Christians in
other countries for
blasphemous lyrics
and pole dancing on the
cross. (CBCPNews)

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

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 13, 2016--Pope

Francis fulfilled his much-desired
wish to pray in silence before the
miraculous image of Our Lady of
Guadalupe.
After celebrating the first Mass of
his papal trip to Mexico Feb. 13, the
pope made his way to the camarin
(little room) behind the main altar
of the basilica dedicated to Mary. The
miraculous mantle, which normally
faces the congregation, can be turned
around to allow a closer and more
private moment of veneration.
Laying a bouquet of yellow roses
in front of the image, the pope
sat down in prayerful silence with
eyes closed and head bowed. After
roughly 20 minutes, the pope stood
up, laid his hand on the image and
departed from the small room.
About 12,000 people packed the
basilica for the papal Mass and
another 30,000 were watching
on screens set up in the outer
courtyard. Built in 1976, the Basilica
of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located
near Tepeyac hill, the site of Marys
apparitions to St. Juan Diego in
1531. With some 12 million people
visiting each year, it is Catholicisms
most popular Marian shrine.
In his homily, the pope reflected
on the Gospel reading, which
recalled Marys visit to her cousin
Elizabeth. Marys humility in saying
yes to Gods will, he said, is a
response which prompted her to
give the best of herself, going forth
to meet others.
That very humility also led her to
appear to a poor indigenous man,
he said. Just as she made herself
present to little Juan, so too she
continues to reveal herself to all of
us, especially to those who feellike

himworthless, the pope said.

Recalling the miraculous
appearance of Marys image, Pope
Francis noted that through such a
miracle, Juan experienced in his
own life what hope is, what the
mercy of God is.
The pope said that despite the
indigenous saints feelings of
inadequacy, Mary chose him to
oversee, care for, protect and
promote the building of this shrine.
In this way, she managed to
awaken something he did not know
how to express, a veritable banner
of love and justice: no one could be
left out in the building of that other
shrine: the shrine of life, the shrine
of our communities, our societies
and our cultures, he said.
Gods true shrine, he added, is the
life of his children, especially young
people without a future, the elderly
who are often unacknowledged and
forgotten and families lacking even
the most basic necessities.
The shrine of God is the faces of
the many people we encounter each
day, the pope said.
Pope Francis said that those who
suffer do not weep in vain and their
sufferings are a silent prayer that
rises to heaven, always finding a
place in Marys mantle.
Like St. Juan Diego, Christians are
called to be Marys ambassadors and
console those who are overwhelmed
by trials and sufferings, he said.
Am I not your mother? Am I not
here with you? Mary says this to
us again. Go and build my shrine,
help me to lift up the lives of my
sons and daughters, your brothers
and sisters, the pope said. (Junno
Arocho Esteves/Catholic News
Service)

A4 OPINION

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

CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

THUS categorically speaks the Constitution of the Republic of

the Philippines, specifically as a democratic and republican state. It
even categorically affirms that all government authority emanates
from the people themselves. All these and more are even considered
principles and state policies. In other words, Filipinos are a free
people. Theirs is a secular state. They choose and hire them as their
public officials through elections. They pay them through their taxes
in order to govern them as their public servants by rendering them
public service and thus promote their public welfare.
But it is anything but a secret that the people usually do not
even really know whom to vote for--except through the generous
self-praise of the candidates for election, generous promises they
make to the people, plus generous give-aways they hand out one
way or another, especially so during elections. But the truth is
that the people do not really even know if their votes are duly
counted. Worse, people do not really care to know the personal
character of the person they are voting to office--such as their
able or disabled personality constitutions, their real individual
attributions or liabilities, their capacity or incapacity to govern,
to mention a few of their many unknown traits.
As some kind of key constitutional requirements or qualifying
features, everyone of those aspiring for the highest offices in the
government should be a natural born citizen and should at
least be forty or thirty-five years old plus should know how
to read and write. It is understandable that the occupants of
the said offices should have such a citizenship requirement plus
the stipulated physical age. But that they should at least know
how to read and write--this is not only insulting but also rather
ridiculous. No wonder then that there is not really a few number
of high-ranking elected public officials in the Republic of the
Philippines who definitely have all the above-said qualifications-and thats it. This is precisely one fundamental reason why the
Philippines is what it is now--still very much a Third World
Country. This maybe the reason why Filipinos are still afflicted
with grossly disabled and blatantly corrupt governance, are still
victimized by unchecked criminality from sun up to sun down
and furthermore, and are still wallowing in misery.
Hence: Is it too much to require that the candidates for such
high public government offices should be at least a Bachelor in
one academic course or another--instead of but simply knowing
how to read and write? Is it too much to ask that the same
candidates should manifest and certify how much they are worth,
how much they can afford to finance their candidacy through their
own pockets, by their own money? Is it too much to demand that
the said candidates should undergo their respective psychological
tests through much capable and well-known clinical psychologists
for the knowledge and appreciation of voters?
Are such proposed agenda not simply relevant but also
reasonable so that the People of the Philippines--a sovereign
people, etc., etc.--could have better political candidates, a better
government, a better country?

The political scene

POLITICS isor ought to bethe art of government and public
service. But sadly, in the Philippines, it has degenerated into an
arena where the interests of the powerful and rich few are pitted
against those of the weak and poor many. It interferes with the
administration of justice and the equal application of the law,
heavily weighted as it most patently is on the side of the politically
connected. Political debts are paid with appointments to high
offices of those to whom elected officials are indebted, blind
loyalty counting as the most important criterion in the selection
of public officialseven for government agencies mandated to be
independent by the Constitution.
The bureaucracy is packed with political protgs, many of
whom do nothing except to collect their salaries on the middle
and end of each month. Thus the well-intentioned among career
officials and employees in government become demoralized early
or withdraw into silence or resign altogether. And those who opt
to continue despite disillusionment are only too often harassed
or eventually coopted into the system.
When it comes to elections, the electoral process has been
systematically subverted with increasingly sophisticated methods
of tilting the playing field or committing fraud with the result
that elections are in danger of losing their credibility as a reliable
means for effecting change. The machinery for cheating is
planned well in advance starting with the appointment of loyal
lieutenants to sensitive agencies and positions that have to do
with elections the audit of government funds or the enforcement
of the Ethics Law. This is combined with an elaborate
propaganda machine, including government-controlled media,
the purpose of which is to destroy the reputation of critics and
political opponents. This is also to manipulate public perceptions
of government performance or to simply promote the interests
of those in power and of their political protgs.
People have become so cynical of government, of Congress
and of the electoral process itself, that often they lose sight of
the relevance of their vote to their life or future and sell it for
momentary financial gain. Thus, despite the pleas of the Church
and other responsible groups, election after election, for citizens
to be vigilant fiscalizers of government expenditures, many have
become indifferent to corruption or themselves want to have a
piece of the action. Despite too the guidelines regularly issued
for the principled choice of candidates, many an undeserving man
or woman still, just as regularly, gets voted into office.
--CBCP Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Politics, 1997

Monitor
CBCP

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

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Sovereignty resides in the people

Views and Points

Gender identity difficulty

Oscar V. Cruz, D.D.

THE following are true in the realm of

sincerity and truth: The word alone
Homosexuality for one reason or
another automatically carries demeaning
and detestable if not ludicrous thoughts.
Upon suspicion, if not actual knowledge
of homosexuality on the part of this or
that individual, the usual response is
laughter, depreciation if not downright
scorn for the individual concerned.
In fact, as a matter of course, it is
practically automatic for the latter to be
the object of jokes and ridicule by people
in general--irrespective of whether they
just want to have fun or they deliberately
intend to express their disgust if not
downright revulsion towards the objectindividual. To say that this is inhumane
is an understatement.
Primarily on account of the above
said denigration, considering the innate
dignity of every human person and
taking into account the findings of sound
reason, and furthermore attending
to objective information forwarded
especially by orthodox philosophy,
psychology, and psychiatry, it appears
in good order to name the phenomenon
anything else but what it is called long
since--viz., homosexuality primarily

because of the automatic pejorative

meaning and implications of the
word. It is for this sober and sobering
consciousness that the said term is
practically taboo in updated behavioral
science--psychiatry in particular. In fact,
sound and proper findings about human
sexuality--the latters nature, functions,
and consequences--have done away with
the said pejorative word.
Sexual Identity Difficulty -this short, plain, and simple article
wherefore uses the aforesaid expression
in place of the previous degrading
and even insulting title. And for good
reasons such as the following: One, the
assumption akin to certitude that while
there could be certain individuals who
might be comfortable and at ease when
they are branded by the word, very much
more are dismayed and feel insulted by
it. Two, the term has acquired many
serious pejorative implications across
decades such that it can be said with
certainty that the word has not made
those concerned exactly proud and
jubilant for it. Three, while there can
be certain personalities concerned who
might find the word endearing--which
is strange--practically a big number of

The evangelizing bird

all others find the appellation not only

offensive but also discriminatory. The
term then homosexual can forward
anything but admiration and praise.
It thus appears more right and proper
to replace the taboo word with the
phrase Gender Identity Difficulty.
Why? For the following more relevant
reasons: Because it really is. Because it
says it right. Because it is not offensive.
The truth of the matter is most of those
men and women concerned have not
altogether chosen to be as they are--as
if that is what they really want to be,
that is what actually makes them happy.
In the event, however, that there are
those who want and prefer to be thus
named or called, described or qualified
for whatever reason, that is their personal
option - provided only that they should
behave as decently as they can. They should
not encourage people to belittle them.
All these are fair--along the line of
Live and let live. After all, although all
those concerned with what they might
want to be called still by the pejorative
term, the same can be presumed to
be still desirous of keeping their selfrespect in society. Exceptions to this
would be relatively few.

And Thats The Truth

Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

FIFTEEN years ago, I taught

a bird how to pray. Now
in the spirit of the New
Evangelization, I wonder if
teaching a bird how to pray
is evangelization of some
kind. Assisting me in that
endeavor were my nieces,
Katarina and Florence, aged
5 and 6, who were then
vacationing with us. That
time we had a mynahyes,
a black talking bird which
wed had at home for a couple
of months. I had no idea of
its gender but I had named it
LILYa name I would have
wanted for myself because its
an acronym for Lord, I Love
You. Wanting to see if it was

time to teach Lily to talk I

asked the two little girls to
come have fun, to stand
with me near Lilys cage and
alternately say to it Lord, I
love you!
The girls complied
with gusto, exchanging
declarations. After the
seventh time it was uttered,
a third voice joined them
the mynahs: Lord, I love
you! Lord, I love you! Lord, I
love you! Allelujah, we were
overjoyed to hear Lilys first
words! And for the rest of
the girls stay, the mynahs
ejaculations would be the
chief source of the girls
giggly entertainment.

Candidly Speaking
Fr. Roy Cimagala

WE should never think that charity

is the odd man out in the field of
politics. Precisely because politics is
fast becoming like a contact game,
sportsmanlike charity should be the
main character in it.
Charity and politics are not meant to
fight each other; they need each other.
Charity should be the soul of politics.
And politics, given our social nature,
should be one of the best occasions
where charity can be developed and
lived fully. It provides an excellent test
to see if charity is authentic.
Charity is what makes us real men and
women, not human caricatures stretched
and warped by our petty shenanigans.
Its what we need to live and have, if we
want to keep our humanity, sanity, and
sanctity intact. Its what leads us to truth

But, long after the girls had

gone back home, the bird still
wouldnt be stopped! It would
in its little girl voice declare
its love for the Lord on its
own, without any prompting
from me whatsoever. Do
birds have free willId
museor was it because this
mynah just couldnt help
talking?
Consider this: There were
times Id be too lazy to get
up for my daily 6 a.m. Mass;
then Id hear Lord Just
one gentle word from the
bird, Lord but it would
prick my conscience and spur
my lazy bones to action. Ok,
ok, You win! Id talk back,

and the bird would burst into

a triumphant Lord, I love
you! over and over again
when Id get up.
Id heard a mynah (owned
by a socialite) greet guests
with Wow, sexy! or
Kumain ka na? and another
(in a seminary garden) say
Panget! to all passersby,
but Id never heard one that
said Lord, I love you! So you
understand why I would be so
proud of my accomplishment
that Id prompt my bird to
speak whenever wed have
guestsyeah, like a proud
mama urging her daughter to
play the piano for the guests.
And Thats the Truth / A6

Charity amid political

differences and conflicts

and objectivity, freedom, justice, fairness,

and mercy, especially in our politics.
,And so we just have to learn how to
keep our emotions and judgments in
control, and to be quick to rectify our
instinctive or spontaneous reactions.
Charity needs to spring first from the
heart, mind and will that should be
vitally linked to God, and then packaged
with the best refinement we are capable
of. Again, especially in our politics.
We have to disabuse ourselves from
the thought, sadly quite common these
days, that in politics some exceptions
from charity can be tolerated and even
expected. We can feel free to insult,
attack, even make up charges, indulge
in some below-the-belt gimmicks No,
thats not true at all.
The real test to see if we are doing

politics truly proper to us is when we

manage to live charity even in the midst
of the dizzying variety of possibilities
and conflicts politics can occasion. Its
when the heat generated by politics also
fans the flames of love for God and for
the others.
One time, I felt so gratified when I
happened to take dinner in a private
setting with, among others, two
politicians who were supposed to be
at odds with each other, at least in
the papers. At that time, they were
chummy and exchanging jokes, and
they refrained from talking politics in
my presence.
What we should do in politics, whether
we are politicians or ordinary citizens
and voters, is first of all to pray and
Candidly Speaking / A7

CBCP Monitor

OPINION A5

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

By the Roadside

The Pacquiao apology

Fr. Eutiquio Euly Belizar, Jr. SThD

IF I were to make a choice between being

with a nice, perfect person (usually in
his/her eyes) who cannot make a mistake
and being with a grumpy one who knows
how to say, Im sorry, Id choose the
grumpy one any time. At the risk of
disproportionately provoking LGBT
readers, I say that Manny Pacquiao who
recently rubbed them the wrong way
has the best of both worlds: He is one
nice person (if testimonies of those who
know him are to be believed) and he is
also a nice person who can apologize for
a mistake. For it was truly a monumental
mistake for him to have compared
homosexual persons with animals and
judged them worse. Surely no one but
God has the right to judge anyone. Still,
for making an effort to apologize I take
my hat off to the Pacman. Those who
do not think the apology sincere should
also apply the same rule on themselves:
Leave the judgment to God.
Apologizing for a mistake, when
done with God as primary witness,
is truly admirable. First, it can only
mean the person has humility or is
capable of humility. Even the Lord has
a special place for anyone who fits this
specification. Blessed are the poor
in spirit, the Master declares, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt
5:3). Humility characterizes the poor
in spirit and this is what bends them
most to dependence on God rather
than on wealth or on fellow creatures.
This humility, in turn, disposes the
poor in spirit to obedience to Gods will.
Second, to realize and accept a mistake
or wrongdoing is a mark of courage. A
person who can say Im sorry is not
only capable of humility but also of the
courage to do what he ought. Third,
a person who apologizes for having
offended another shows that he/she has
concerncall it care, call it love, as the
case may befor the person(s) wronged.

TOGETHER with my
siblings and their respective
family, we had an 8-day
tour of the religious and
cultural heritage sites of the
Philippines in the South and
North of the Philippines.
In the Extraordinary
Jubilee Year of Mercy, we
visited the Porta Sancta
or the Holy Doors of the
Pilgrim Churches. We also
toured the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization or
UNESCO-declared World
Heritage Sites and one of the
New 7 Wonders of Nature.
These are the Puerto
Princesa Subterranean
River National Park, also
called the Underground
River located in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan and
the famous Spanish Old
Colonial Houses along Calle
Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos

Fr. Francis Ongkingco

For that alone the Pacmans apology

should be appreciated for its worth.
On the other hand, he has made
a firm stand not apologize for his
opposition to same sex marriage.
Fortunately for the Pacman, he has
plenty of Scriptural ammunition to
support his position. When the Inquirer
came out with an editorial, partially
excoriating Manny Pacquiao for his
fundamentalist adherence to a literalist
interpretation of Biblical texts, I thought
it had made a good point. Most watchers
and experts on fundamentalism take
that to be one of their weak points.
(Incidentally it should sadden us that
the Pacman who was once declared
some sort of a Bible ambassador by
the CBCP appears to have familiarized
himself with Scriptures through nonCatholic, even fundamentalist, eyes.
One wonders if any Catholic Biblical
mentor, at all, had been assigned to
assist him, and if not, why not?) But
on second thought, I also asked myself
how else but literally could one interpret
the rather unambiguous texts in the
Bible calling homosexual acts, in the
words of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, acts of grave depravity (CCC
2357)? The texts cited by the CCC alone,
namely Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1
Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10, are too clear to
admit of any symbolic interpretation.
I suggest all Catholics, homosexual or
straight, read them carefully. Or do we
take as changeable the declaration of
the Congregation on the Doctrine of the
Faith, Persona humana, no. 8 saying
that homosexual acts are intrinsically
disordered?
Again I say that all believers,
specifically Catholics, straight or
homosexual, ought to draw from the
resources of our faith for guidance
on a matter such as this. For the
straight among us, the Church counsels

Preserving the Porta

Sancta and the Cultural
Heritage Sites
Sur.
***
To avoid the worst traffic
in Metro Manila and the
infamous air traffic, we
took the early morning
flight to Puerto Princesa.
First to visit was the Holy
Door or Porta Sancta of the
Immaculate Conception
Cathedral. The city has many
cultural, environmental,
and historic places to offer,
not only the city tour but
also firefly watching and
stargazing, the island
hopping of Honda Bay, the
Starfish Island where one
can feed school of fish, LuLi Island or Lulubog-Lilitaw
(it is submerged in water
during high tide and under
the water during low tide)
and the Cowrie Island where
we had buffet lunch.
Next was the boat ride
to the Puerto Princesa

understanding and compassion. The

number of men and women who have
deep-seated homosexual tendencies
are not negligible. They do not choose
their homosexual condition; for most
of them it is a trial. They must be
accepted with respect, compassion
and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust
discrimination in their regard should be
avoided (CCC 23 58). To the members
of the LGBT among us the following
challenge, that applies basically to all, is
particularly summoned in their regard:
Homosexual persons are called to
chastity. By virtues of self-mastery that
teach them inner freedom, at times by
the support of disinterested friendship,
by prayer and sacramental grace, they
can and should gradually and resolutely
approach Christian perfection (CCC
2359).
Jesus sheds light on our right
response. Be compassionate as your
Father is compassionate (Lk 6:36).
Jesus says your Father. He means that
he wants us to share his sonship; he also
means God himself is our model. The
Father is compassionate which means
to suffer with because in the Son he
suffers with us the frailties of our human
nature. That is why we should not judge.
Judge not and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn and you will not be
condemned; forgive and you will be
forgiven (Lk 6:37).
Let me take a different but related
route. Because Jesus is precisely the
very revelation of the Father, we must
learn from him when he says to the
woman caught in adultery, Neither do
I condemn you (Jn 8:11).
But, hey, that is not the complete
quotation. Those of us who appeal for
compassion and benefit from it need
also to heed Jesus final but firm counsel
to the adulterous woman: Go, and sin
no more. (Jn 8:11).

Duc In Altum
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Underground River (PPUR)

which was proclaimed one
of the New 7 Wonders of
Nature on Jan. 28, 2012. It is
located in St. Paul Mountain
Range, bordered by the St.
Paul Bay to the north and the
Babuyan River to the east.
The park has a limestone
karst mountain landscape.
History of the Underground
River was narrated by our
tour guide Vince Lamban
and the boatman guide
inside the cave with the
audio narration, in English
and other languages. A
group of environmentalists
and geologists discovered
that the underground has a
2nd floor, which means that
there are small waterfalls
inside the cave. The cave
dome measured 300
meters or 980 feet above
the underground river,
the major formations of

stalactite and stalagmite,

the large bats, a deep water
hole in the river, more river
channels, another deep cave
as well as marine creatures
and more. The river winds
through the cave before
flowing directly into the
West Philippine Sea. The
area represents a habitat for
biodiversity conservation.
Only 1.5 km inside the cave
is allowed to be navigated.
The east monsoon or
amihan caused some
water turbulence, rough
sea and high waves during
our boat ride from Sabang.
This is my 3rd trip to the
Underground River (and
nth time in Palawan) but
it never fails to amaze me
every time I visit.
***
From the south of the
Philippines, we proceeded
Duc in Altum / A7

The Jedi in Me

Pitik-Bulag
Fr. Wilfredo Samson, SJ

THE Jedis of Star Wars are known to

be masters of themselves. They have
learned the art of fighting by knowing
the weaknesses of their enemies as well
as their own weaknesses.
If Star Wars have Jedis, God wants
us too to become Spiritual Jedis. We
should be masters of ourselves by
conquering the evil within us and by
overcoming our weaknesses. For to
know our weaknesses is to win half of
our battle against evil spirits.
But how could one become a Spiritual
Jedi? The answer is THROUGH
FASTING.
Fasting is one of the pillars of Lent.
Sad to say, many have yet to understand
and appreciate the essence of fasting. At
the surface level, fasting might simply
mean not eating on Ash Wednesday
and Good Friday. But there is more to it.
The purpose of fasting is to TRAIN

Whatever

OUR WILL to SAY NO to our selfish

desire or carnal desire. Jesuits call it
AGERE CONTRA--going against our
will. Its a way of taming our carnal
desire, which most of the time, greatly
influences our thoughts, decisions, and
actions. As per experience, many of our
decisions and actions motivated by our
selfish desires would always bring chaos,
hurts, and sins.
But when someone learns the art of
subduing his flesh or selfish desire,
he becomes the master of himself--A
SPIRITUAL JEDI. It becomes easier
for him to listen and obey the will
of God.
We need to remind ourselves--when
God asks us to do something, that it is
not for His benefit and advantage. God
needs nothing. It is solely for the benefit
of our souls and our happiness. For He
loves us much.

Today, let us pray that God will give us

the grace and strength to be the master
of ourselves. As Master Jedi Yoda said,
Train yourself to let go of everything
you fear to lose.
The Gospel passage about the three
temptations of Jesus leads us to consider
how Jesus earned his Jedi position?
What are his strengths? Where did he
get his strength? How did he confront
evil and his temptations?
Conversely, we are brought to our own
weaknesses. What are the usual sins
you regularly confess? Are you tired of
committing the same sins?
Often it is our inordinate attachments
that hinder us from doing the will of
God. Today, we beg God to give us
spiritual freedom from the bondage of
evil and his temptations. What are your
favorite sins? As a form of fasting, would
you like to say NO to your favorite sins?

WOEs and WOWs of Life

Part 1 of 2

IN my few years dealing with young people (as well as

not-so-young), I have constantly imparted some advice
to help them in their spiritual and ascetical adventures.
I call one group the WOEs and the other the WOWs.
The WOEs stand for Words Of Encouragement and the
WOWs for Words Of Wisdom.
The both groups are intimately intertwined, but the
WOEs are more addressed to persons coming out of
some difficulty or obstacle in life. The WOWs are for
individuals who may be doing good but can be better
and more fruitful.
I have made very little effort in putting some order in
these lists. Perhaps, on some other occasion and with
more time at hand, I will be able to refine and improve
their development and grouping.
For now, the WOEs and WOWs hope to give both
young and not-so-young some inspiring light in their
short-comings, beginnings, and victories.
In this first part, let us see some of the WOEs:
Sin cannot have the last say in your day. Remember
that Gods mercy is more powerful and effective than our
sinful condition. After a fall, you cannot sadly slouch and
think that theres nothing more to do about it. Pray, ask
for forgiveness, decide how to make up for ones faults,
ask for advice and go to confession if necessary.
Be Cool, not Frozen. Its fun to be cool and simply
hang loose. But make sure you dont freeze yourself from
promptly doing what we ought to do for God, neighbors,
and your civil duties.
Dont just do itdo it for Someone! Virtue isnt just
about piling and filling up your day with things to do in
order to avoid doing something bad. There will usually
come a time when you will exhaust your to-do list.
Things will be more meaningful if you have someone you
love in mind (e.g. God, Pope Francis, parents, friends,
etc.) for whom you can offer everything you do.
The World is Round. Learn to schedule things your
digital indulgence by cutting down on screen time daily.
You must constantly remember that the world isnt
your flat screen but is made up of loving faces, hands,
shoulders, and smiles we can interact with!
Stragedize. The tragedy of your falls is rooted in that
you never plan ahead or perhaps, you never have a plan
at all. Remember, the devil always has a plan. Either you
have a spiritual strategy or every day will be a tragedy.
Dont play Benchwarmer. No one wants to be a
benchwarmer. After you experience the sad result of
your faults, you may fear to launch yourself back into
the game. But there is no other way: to pass, assist and
score is only done by playing in the field in real-time.
Senseless and Sinless. By nature man can never be
sinless. But he often falls because of his senselessness or
plain lack of common sense to learn from past mistakes.
Personal sincerity will help you to discern what things
you must do in order to avoid getting off the track
repeatedly.
Purity isnt a Career. Purity is important, but its not
the only virtue you have to live as a Christian. Making
a career out of it, that is, lopsidedly struggling to only
avoid impure occasions will impoverish your spiritual
growth because the playing field of your spiritual life is
limited to purity alone. Blaze a trail and discover new
horizons in your love for God.
Say NO to OKAYtions of sin. To sin is bad, but
sometimes its worse to think that theres no big deal to
slightly rub oneself with occasions of sin. That is never
OKAY. As St. Theresa of Avila once said, There can be
no genuine love [or love at all] in someone who belittles
a small fault against the beloved because it isnt mortal.
My DeFAULT settings. Its wise to know our default
settings, that is, what we are more inclined to when we
are not engaged with duties or commitments. Where
does the gravity of our ego pull us towards? If we
sincerely confront ourselves, we can gradually struggle
against it and place Christ as our center of gravity.
Filling in the Gaps. The spiritual combat isnt only about
systematically uprooting vice. You must focus more on
planting virtue with the help of grace. Moreover, you mustnt
leave the empty holes once occupied by vice to be later filled
by the devils suggestions when you are not vigilant.
Dont take sin sitting down. The fact that sin happens
is sad, but its worse to simply take sin sitting down and
do nothing about it. With Gods grace and our sincere
desire to begin again, we can! Be contrite, make amends,
sacrifices, and go to confession.
Dont Think, Pray! Overthinking about ones defects,
mistakes, and sins is toxic. Overanalyzing only foments a
hidden and disordered desire to appear good and pleasing
to others without a sincere resolve to change. Prayer,
rather than thinking, does wonders and can truly change
our hearts. Prayer allows us to face God squarely and
accept ourselves humbly as we are before Him and others.
Always Have a Say in your Day. Even if many
unexpected things happen during the day, we must
never allow a day to pass without having fulfilled the
small heartfelt resolution meant for our conversion.
This will be a clear north star that gradually guides us
away from the dark, shallow, and dangerous reefs of sin,
pride and discouragement.
Dont get sad, get even. Sadness, St. Josemara
Escriv warned, is an ally of the devil. Rather than being
sad or disappointed about ones faults, strive to get even
not with sin or the devil (neither wise nor possible),
but with oneself. Apply personal discipline, sacrifice,
and think about the others. You give your ego and
emotions less attention than they deserve, curbing their
disordered inclinations and even lifting these up to God.

A6 FEATURES

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

Love of shortcuts is from

the devil bishop
ALWAYS want the easy way? Hate
hard work? According to a prelate,
this kind of thinking can only come
from the evil one.
Satan is good at shortcuts
instant wealth, said Caloocan
Bishop Pablo David to thousands of
married couples, their children, and
other attendees of the Marriage is
Beautiful event on Feb. 14 at the
SMX Convention Center.
According to the prelate, Satan
is good at tempting people not to
follow the normal process and to
avoid struggle and effort in life.
Love of shortcuts
Taking off from the Gospel for
the day, David said Jesus first
temptation, when the devil told
him to turn stones into bread, is an
example of this love of shortcuts.
To make instant bread out of
stones because of hunger is a
temptation because normally,
making bread is a long process,
explained the chairman of the CBCP
Episcopal Commission on Biblical
Apostolate.
This temptation teaches us
to avoid hardship and to prefer
shortcuts, explained David.
This same scenario is played out

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

today, he said, when the faithful

are tempted to use their position to
enrich themselves illegally.
Youre in the position anyway
[Lets] grease some palms so their
projects will go faster. You can
be rich instantly. Instant riches!
said David in Filipino and English
mentioning how some people
contemplate giving in to the
temptation of bribery at work.
Not punishment
According to the former head
of the Diocese of San Fernando in
Pampanga, personally, he believes
God commanding Adam and Eve to

work after the fall was not really a

punishment.
For me, its not punishment
that God required man to work,
said David, explaining it was Gods
way of teaching man the value of
sacrifice and work.
Some 2, 628 people attended the
Marriage is Beautiful event, which
was organized by Couples for Christ.
After the holy Mass, simultaneous
workshops were held on Leaving
a Genuine Legacy; How to be the
best in-laws; Fostering the love of
reading; Kids Academy; Workshop
for teens, among others. (Nirvaana
Ella Delacruz / CBCP News)

Pope Francis delighted with Lolo Kiko doll gift

IN one of the lighter
moments of Pope Francis
visit to the Archbasilica of
St. John Lateran in Rome,
he smiled and received
a look-alike doll from a
Filipino priest.
Fr. Robert Young, a
priest from the Prelature
of Batanes, said it was a
now or never situation as
he took the chance to give
his gift to the Pope inside
the Romes cathedral.
I thought I have to do
something as I wouldnt
have another chance like
this, Young, who is taking
up a Doctorate in Canon
Law at the Pontifical
University of the Holy
Cross, told CBCPNews.
The pontiff paid a
visit to the cathedral on
Thursday for his annual

meeting with the Roman

clergy, and wherein he
also heard several priests
confessions.
After his brief speech,
the Pope excused himself
because he had to prepare for
his trip to Mexico, skipping
the regular greetings and
handshaking with the
bishops and priests.
When the Pope got down
from the platform, Young
crossed security lines and
ran towards the Pope and
shouted, Santo Padre!
When he reached the
Pope, Young told him
in Italian, Heres a gift
for you, made in the
Philippines by a friend of
mine.
He said the Pope smiled
and said: Oh, Lolo Kiko!
Is it for me?

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

I said, yes and he

replied, grazie. And then
I kissed his hand, Young
recalled.
It was a brief moment,
but for the Filipino priest,
it was like eternity.
The feeling is so light
and happy and it lingers as
a lifetime memory, said

Young, who is residing

at the Pontificio Collegio
Filippino.
He said the doll came
from his friend in Manila
who made Francis dolls
as souvenirs for the papal
visit to the Philippines
in January 2015. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCPNews)

And Thats the Truth / A4

The thing ismy mynah wouldnt

be coaxed against its will, it
seemed. Without prompting it
would repeat several times to
the carpenters repairing our
kitchen: Lord, I love you! Of
course, it excited the workers
A praying bird!and the whole
time theyd be hammering away,
the mynah would be tirelessly
adoring the Lord. Same with
our 60-year old laundry woman
who exclaimed upon hearing the
bird: Nungka sa buong lintek na
buhay ko ako nakarinig ng ibong
kumakausap sa Diyos! Milagro
yan! (Never in my blasted life
have I ever heard a bird talking
to God! Thats a miracle!)
And so family and friends and
strangers would be amused. But
why would the bird make one
exception? No matter how hard
I tried to prompt it, it remained
tight-lipped. That was the day a

Protestant cousin visited us. I was

eager to have her hear my praying
bird, because she likes talking (and
arguing) about religion but, nada.
The bird wouldnt make a sound the
whole time despite my prodding,
not even a respectful Tao po!
(which it had learned on its own),
or a fierce Woof, woof! or a shy
Meeeow! which it had picked up
from my dog and my cat.
When my cousin left, I confronted
the bird: You embarrassed me.
Why were you so quiet when
your chatter was most needed?
Then it broke its silence,
repeating Lord, I love you!
several times. I reprimanded
it, You should have said that
and calmed down my cousin
when she was trying to nit pick
about Catholic confession and
celibacy! But as I suspected,
this mynah must have had a will
of its own. Well, my speculations

notwithstanding, that incident

has remained a mystery to me.
One morning I missed Lilys
holy noise. I found it wounded
and stiff, dead in its cage. I was
sad but thankful that in its short
life Lily reminded me about the
love God has for me, or the love I
do not have for Him. But most of
all, Lilys avian interjections would
haunt me when due to working
too late at night Id be too lazy
to get up for the Eucharist in the
morning. Sometimes, I even want
to do an unusual portrait of the bird
to match this story I like to recall.
Most of the time, the Holy Spirit is
depicted in art and literature as a
white dove, but who can stop the
Holy Spirit from choosing to come
in the form of a black mynah? If God
would talk through an ass, why not
through a bird? Mysteries are best
embraced, not scrutinized. And
thats the truth.

Migration / A1

legal implications of
migration. However, he
said systematic and active
cooperation between
states and international
organizations is the only
way to effectively regulate
and manage migration
movements.
While fully aware
of the complexities of
migration, like its legal
aspects, the Holy See
always underlines that
over and above all other
considerations, it is
necessary always to see the
human face of migration,
to see the migrant as
a fellow human being,

endowed with the same

human dignity and rights
as ourselves. It is only
then that we can respond
to the globalization of
migration with the
globalization of solidarity
and cooperation, he said.
It is in the awareness
of this fundamental
principle of love that
big and small miracles
happen every day in
the high seas and in the
deserts where migrants
risk their lives, and in
unwelcoming cities where
they face other sets of
tragedies, Auza added.
Earlier, Pope Francis

ended his six-day tour of

Mexico with a Eucharistic
celebration at the U.S.Mexico boarder in El Pazo,
Texas. The Holy Father
prayed for migrants,
especially those who lost
their lives or endured
living far from their
families in an attempt to
cross the border in search
for a better life.
Un-Christian
Pope Francis likened
forced migration to a
humanitarian crisis forcing
people to cross mountains,
deserts, and hostile zones,
even to risk their lives.

Even before the papal

visit, US presidential
candidate Donald Trump
assailed Pope Francis
for failing to understand
the dangers of keeping
an open border with
Mexico. Trump and other
presidentiables have been
blunt about their plans to
deport illegal immigrants
across the United States.
But the Holy Father
only said in reaction, a
person who thinks only
about building walls,
wherever they may be,
and not building bridges,
is not Christian. (Kris
Bayos / CBCP News)

CBCP Monitor

Love lock trend overtakes

Baclaran Church

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

FOR Tony and Iza, the best way to

celebrate Valentines Day is to go to
church and praying together.
After the Mass, the couple who
declined to give their full names
chained their love to a fence
around a grotto of Saint Thrse
of Lisieux located right outside the
Redemptorist Church in Baclaran
with a padlock.
For us, its a sign of our longlasting love. And we have a witness,
Santa Teresita, Iza said with a
smile on her face.
Like Tony and Iza, cupids arrow
continues to strike the hearts of
many churchgoers to do the same,
attracting more couples who wants
to profess their devotion through a
love lock.
Redemptorist Bro. Ciriaco
Santiago III said the love locks
trend only began early last year, and
has since gained popularity.
He said it all started when a
church worker, while cleaning the
church compound, found a padlock
and fastened it to the fence around
the statue.
In just after a week, we noticed
more padlocks attached to the fence
and then thats it, it started there,
he said.
After three months, he said more
than 30,000 padlocks were already

covering the image of Santa Teresita.

As missionaries, the
Redemptorists built an image of
St. Therese to remember her as one
of the patron saints of the missions,
not of romantic relationships or
marriage.
So the love locks have no direct
relationship with St. Therese, but we
just kept them there, Ciriaco said.
According to him, the love locks
are not exclusive to lovers as it has
also been attracting many families.
For others, it symbolizes their
strong bond as friends.
Reaching the tipping point
towards the end of 2015, he said
the parish finally decided to
remove thousands of padlocks
over concerns that it might cause
the fence to collapse.
We removed around 50,000
locks from one side of the fence,
he added.
He also said the remaining
ones will be removed within the
month and will be relocated to
another place within the churchs
compound.
So we are just going to transfer
them all to a permanent home for
love locks because its obviously
something people [are] passionate
about, Ciriaco said. (Roy
Lagarde / CBCPNews)

Guard / A1

parents against the

dangerous effects
internet has on
children, particularly
on pornographic
material on the web.
In his Lenten
message for 2014, the
Pope also included
pornography among
the many vices that
can damage the
family.
The CBCP has
addressed the issue
in several statements Members of the CBCP gather for Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan
since 1999 but this is Cathedral at the start of their plenary assembly in Cebu City, Jan. 22,
2016. ROY LAGARDE
the first time that the
bishops have put more emphasis on
The pontiff urged the worlds
cyber pornography.
bishops to seek out and heal the
Easy access to pornography has wounded and the latest document
made it one of the most lucrative is the among the CBPCs means to
online businesses, reportedly do such.
generatings up to US$100 billion
Pornography, the bishops said,
a year.
does grave injury to the dignity of
Alarmingly, authorities said all involved, performers, consumer,
the Philippines has become a producers, and distributors, since
major producer and distributor of each is dehumanized by an industry
pornography, especially of child that exists solely to objectify persons
pornography.
for illicit profit.
In 2014, the Philippine National
For all these reasons,
Police reported that the country pornography is a grave evil that
is among the top ten nations for attacks and undermines not only
the production of online child the individual person but also the
pornography.
common good, they said.
The bishops said child
As such, producing, distributing,
pornography in the country is and using pornography are serious
f u e l e d b y f o r e i g n a n d l o c a l sins against chastity and human
perpetrators, who are exploiting dignity that need to be confessed to
poor and vulnerable families and obtain Gods pardon and mercy.
their children.
According to them, pornography
These are Filipino children whose hurts families, communities, and
innocence has been consumed for entire societies. It makes prayer
the pleasure of others, they said.
difficult, they added
The bishops then reiterated its
However, in this Year of Mercy,
commitment to fight the problem, the bishops said the Church is
and tasked its Commission on called to affirm and to proclaim the
Family and Life to strengthen its healing power of Jesus, who is the
programs against pornography.
face of Gods mercy.
They also reiterated the pressing
To those who have been
need for integral and coordinated exploited and victimized by the
effort among stakeholders to pornography industry, nothing
combat the problem.
that you have done to you can
separate you from the love of God
Heal wounds
in Christ Jesus, they also said.
The six-page letter also seeks to
They added: You remain and will
promote further discussion and always be a cherished and beloved
resources to help those harmed by child of God created in his image
pornography.
and likeness.

CBCP Monitor

FEATURES A7

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

Mindanao martyrs beatification

process launched in Dipolog
DIPOLOG City -- A recent
Mass in Dipologs Our
Lady of the Most Holy
Rosary Cathedral kicked
off the diocesan process
for the beatification and
canonization of Fr. Francesco
Palliola, SJ, an Italian Jesuit
missionary who served in
Mindanao.
Bishop Severo Caermare
announced the opening of
the Cause of Fr. Palliola
on Jan. 9 with Fr. Patrick
Dalangin, parish priest of
the Municipality of Ponot
(Jose Dalman), Zamboanga
del Norte appointed as
postulator. If declared a
saint, Palliola, as an adopted
son, will be the Philippines
third saint, after St. Lorenzo
Ruiz of Manila and St. Pedro
Calungsod of Cebu and the
first from Mindanao.
Truly Mindanaoan
The priest was martyred at
Ponot, now Jose S. Dalman
town, on Jan. 29, 1648 by
Tampilo, a converted native
leader who had left the faith,
and whom Palliola was trying

to bring back to the

Church. He died at 35.
Caermare said: Padre
Palliola may have been
Neapolitan, an Italian
by birth; but his love for
God, his great passion
for mission and caring
for the people of the
Zamboanga Peninsula,
particularly the Subanon
lumad, made him truly
Mindanaoan.
Born into a noble
family, in the town of
Nola in Naples, Italy on
May 10, 1612, Palliola
was part of a 40-man
Jesuit expedition to the
Philippines.

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

Investigative process
After traveling for two
years, he finally landed
in Iligan on Jan. 2, 1644,
beginning a mission in
Mindanao that would take
him to Dipolog, Dapitan, and
the rest of the Zamboanga
Peninsula, spreading the
Catholic faith to the locals,
including the lumads.
The Bangko Sentral ng

Pilipinas archives houses a

painting showing Palliola with
a dagger piercing his throat.
Together with traditions
passed on since his death, and
written records of individuals
who have been healed after
praying to him, the painting
is a reminder of Fr. Palliolas
lasting impact on the people
of the Peninsula. His grave
site, marked by a modest
memorial, continues to be
regularly visited by those who

seek his intercession, reads a

press release by the Diocese of
Dipolog.
The investigative process
to ascertain the authenticity
of his life, the renown of his
sanctity, and the miracles
attributed to him will be
undertaken not just the
Diocese of Dipolog, but
also the Jesuits and the
Augustinian Recollects,
who had worked in the area.
(CBCP News)

Davao trains laity for voters education

DAVAO City The Archdiocese of
Davao has started the first leg of
political education trainers training in
preparation for the upcoming May 2016
elections with a first session held on Feb.
20, Saturday.
The Archdiocesan Social Action
Center (ASAC) Davao spearheaded the
training of 44 lay leaders who will also
train members in their respective Basic
Ecclesial Communities (BEC) to guide
them in choosing the next political
leaders of the country.
The training was held at the St. Joseph
the Worker Parish in Sasa, Davao City,
with participants coming from the different
parishes of the Archdiocese of Davao.
Church in politics
ASAC Director Fr. Leonardo Dublan,
Jr. said this political education trainers
training focuses on the understanding of

the role of the Church and the principles

of its involvement in the political arena,
especially in the electoral process.
Dublan said lay leaders should
participate in the political exercises of
the country as this is not only their right
as Filipinos, but it is their Christian
responsibility and vocation.
It is never optional and we cannot
say that politics is not part of our life
as Catholics, Dublan said during an
interview with CBCP News.
The ASAC Director outlined his input
based on the principles from the social
teachings of the Church. The priest
emphasized the dignity of the human
Person; subsidiarity; the common good;
and solidarity as guiding principles
in selecting leaders who deserve to be
elected to government posts.
Susan Toreno, the vicariate
coordinator of the Parish Social Action

Ministry of St. James Vicariate, said the

Church can do something to change the
political situation of the country, adding
that this will help voters become more
aware of the situation of the country.
Educated voters
She said: The electorate is now
educated. They know that the country
is in need of leaders who will change
the current situation that poverty is still
there. They just dont allow politicians
to buy their votes.
In their hearts, voters are aware who
among those running are only good in
lip service and who among them can
deliver the goods, Toreno added.
Meanwhile, the training on political
education will run up to three batches
and will be held in other parishes of the
Archdiocese of Davao. (John Frances
C. Fuentes/CBCPNews)

Candidly Speaking / A4

offer sacrifices, to see to it

that our spiritual life is strong
and healthy before we enter
into the intricacies of our
unavoidable politics. Never
ignore this requirement. They
are what will link our politics
to the very providence of God.
Then we have to know and
study the issues well. In this
regard, we have to be openminded and willing to listen to
all sides as much as possible.
We should try to make a
conscious effort to reject
biases and prejudices that we
find to have no good basis.
Dialogues are crucial in
this area. Thus, they should
be conducted in the most

charitable way, always

respectful of everyone no
matter how much we disagree
with them. We should avoid
inflammatory rhetoric, rash
judgments, and tactless
statements.
We should just stick to the
objective points of our views,
letting them swim or sink
on their own merits in the
ocean of opinions that can
be floated by others. We need
to be highly sportsmanlike
here, seeing to it that an
atmosphere of civility and
good spirit pervades.
That the others carry
out some anomalies is no
excuse for us to do the same.

Remember that charity

is patient, is kind, it does
not envy, does not deal
perversely, it is not puffed
up, is not ambitiousit bears
all things, believes all things,
hopes all things and endures
all things. (1 Cor 13,4-7)
Then we have to know and
study the politicians and
candidates. This is the most
tricky part, but we just have
to try our best to get a good
picture, especially of their
integrity and competence, the
two basic elements to know
about them.
Again here, its more of
establishing the positive
aspects rather than the

negative side of the

personalities involved.
We have to be careful to
distinguish the traits that
we think can serve the needs
of our political life, from
the personal defects that
should not be put out in
public unless they have some
bearing in public life.
Then we have to really
understand the essence of
freedom which should infuse
every step of our political
exercises. Freedom and
charity go together always, and
they give more importance to
the persons than to the issues.
Our attitude to politics should
have this basic orientation.

Condom / A1

for Life Vice President for External

Affairs Anna Cosio, who also joined a
group of 27 young people from midmorning to noon for candy-swapping.
Of the hundreds who passed through the
tunnel of volunteers, few refused the pack
of candies, leaving the group comprising
volunteers from Filipinos for Life, Prolife
Philippines, Love + Life Philippines,
YouthPinoy, University of Sto. Tomas
Central Seminary, St. Paul University-Manila as well as individual volunteers
with a huge bag of condoms that had been
swapped for a sweeter pack of candies.
It really made me happyMy
realization is that we (those who
swapped their condoms for candies)
have the same values. Marriage before
sex is important Its not ok for them
to use contraceptives and all. So Im
also assuming that theyre pro-life,
said Lanie Layo, an accountant staff at
a fabrics manufacturing company.
Safety from what?
While some like Singles for Christ-West B leader Jem Reginaldo did
experience having their condom-candy
swap offer rebuffed, the entire exercise
turned out exactly how it was meant to

be: an active rejection of the image of

young people as sexually irresponsible
and uncontrollable.
Reginaldo described his encounter
with a young man who seemed hesitant
to exchange his condoms for the candy
pack as both comic but sad.
I was smiling while he looked unsure
as if the exchange [was] going to be a
great loss. And so I asked, Para saan
yan? (What is that for?) To which
he replied, for safety. Then I smiled
asking, Safety from what? he shared.
Clash of values
The head-to-head clash of two distinct
sets of values was not lost on Filipinos
for Life president AJ Perez, who has
been joining the special V-Day ops for
5 years now, ever since the late Fr. Vic
Cajilig OP thought of a way of countering
the free condom gimmicks.
This activity called for a certain
amount of brazenness from our
volunteers; the guts to go against a
culture of hook-ups and a culture where
they will laugh at you and insult you
for promoting chastity, said Perez in a
Facebook post after the event.

For him, the fact that so many

Catholics passively go with the flow
and accept the twisting even of public
perception is the worst part.
A laid-back kind of Catholicism no
longer cuts it in this day and age. Gone
are the days when all you had to do was
go to church every Sunday. Nowadays,
all Catholics need to be informed of the
issues that will affect them and their
children. Silence is the worst kind of
response, akin to raising the white flag to
the enemies of our souls, stressed Perez.
For UST seminarian Br. Anthony Koa,
who also joined the activity, at the end
of the day, the true litmus test of love
points beyond skin-deep sex.
You know, brother, the one who
truly loves waits for that someone who
will bring them to the altar not to some
random place Love is charity. Love
is God and if God is not there [in what
youre doing], love is not there, he
explained in Filipino in an interview on
the sidewalks of Dangwa.
Deep inside, maybe the Filipino youth
are really listening. (Nirvaana Ella
Delacruz with reports from Roy
Lagarde)

Duc in Altum / A5

to our Ilocos Pilgrimage.

Our first stop is the Holy
Door of the historical
Saint Augustine Church
or known as the Paoay
Church and Bell Tower
in Ilocos Norte. It was
completed in 1710 and is
famous for its enormous
buttresses on the sides
and back of the building.
It was declared a National
Cultural Treasure by the
Philippine government in
1973 and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site under the
collective group of Baroque
Churches of the Philippines
in 1993.
Then, we proceeded to St.
Williams Cathedral and its
Sinking Bell Tower (belfry)
in Laoag City. The Spanish
era St. Williams Cathedral
(or San Guillermo) is one the
largest in the Philippines.
The foundations for the
cathedral were laid in 1612
by Augustinian friars. It
has Italian Renaissance
style and its Sinking Bell
Tower is sinking at about
an inch per year as it is
so heavy and was built on
sandy foundations which
are too soft. The Church
features windows that are
made from capiz along with
wrought iron screens. The
cathedral also has timber
double doors along with
the signs Alpha y Omega.
Next is Sta. Monica
Parish Church or
commonly known as the
Sarrat Church in Sarrat,
Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
It was built in 1779 and
was originally known as
San Miguel Church. It is
renowned as the largest
church in the whole Ilocos
Norte, most especially the
length of the nave. The
church, belfry, convent,
and the curillo or bridge
staircase connecting
the church and convent
was simultaneously
constructed and finished in
1779, and is made from red
bricks built in Earthquake
Baroque and Neoclassical
architecture. Presidential
daughter Irene MarcosAraneta was married here
and it also appears in
the movie Heneral Luna
as the stand-in for the
parish church of Arayat,
Pampanga.
We also visited the Marcos
Mausoleum & Museum;
Malacaang of the North;
La Paz Sand Dunes;
Pasuquin Salt-Making;
Burgos Lighthouse;
Bangui Wind Mills Farm;
Patapat Viaduct; Blue
Lagoon; Timmatang
Rock; Bantay Abot Cave;
Dos Hermanos Rock
Formation; Kapupurawan
Rock Formation; running
tour of Batac Church or the
Immaculate Conception
Church.
***
The Saint Augustine
Parish Church, known as
Bantay Church, in Bantay,
Ilocos Sur. It is also known

as the Shrine of Our

Lady of Charity housing
the miraculous image of
Virgin Mary as Our Lady
of Charity, crowned as
the patroness of Ilocandia
on Jan. 12, 1956. The old
historic belfry of the church
known as the Bantay
Tower, which served as a
watchtower for pirates back
in the Spanish colonial era,
gave the town its name-bantay (meaning to guard).
Established in 1590, the
church is one of the oldest
in the Ilocos Region. The
restored faade is of NeoGothic design mixed with
pseudo-Romanesque
materials and elements.
The belfry sits on a hilltop
overlooking a green pasture
and the province of Abra. It
was used as a watchtower
for invading enemy forces
during World Wars I and
II because of its strategic
location.
Then we proceeded to
St. Paul Metropolitan
Cathedral, one of the
oldest churches in Ilocos
region, known as Vigan
Cathedral. It features a
Neo-Gothic and pseudo
Romanesque motifs. The
baroque-styled church has
thick buttresses to support
it through earthquakes and
typhoons. It only became
a cathedral when the seat
of the Diocese of Nueva
Segovia was transferred
from Cagayan to Vigan in
1758. The church bell tower
(belfry) stands separately
in Plaza Burgos, 10 meters
south of the cathedral.
The bell tower is about
25 meters high and it is
surmounted by a large
bronze weathercock that is
said to symbolize St. Peter.
Another cultural
heritage, established in
the 16th century is the
best-preserved Spanish
colonial houses in Calle
Crisologo, Vigan, Ilocos
Sur. It is well known for
its cobblestone streets
and unique architecture
that fuses Philippine
and Oriental building
designs and construction,
with colonial European
architecture. The only way
to visit the Old Colonial
Houses is by taking a ride
in horse-drawn carriages.
These are available in
the city and we rented it
for Php 50.00 to tour the
area for 3 passengers. In
May 2015, Vigan City was
officially recognized as one
of the New 7 Wonder Cities
together with Beirut, Doha,
Durban, Havana, Kuala
Lumpur, and La Paz.
We also visited the
Syquia Mansion, the
ancestral home of Doa
Alicia Syquia-Quirino, the
wife of former Pres. Elpidio
Quirino, Baluarte Mini Zoo
and a running tour of Sinait
Church or the Shrine of
Sto. Cristo Milagroso de
Sinait and Virgen Milagrosa
de Badoc

Sick / A1

feelings a sick person could

have loneliness, Tagle
said.
Now, what the Church
wants is to break down the
isolation of the sick through
our health ministry, he said.
Loving presence
Tagle made the statement
in his homily during a Mass to
celebrate World Day of the Sick
at the Manila Cathedral, Feb 11.
Aside from medical care,
the cardinal also called
on health workers and
volunteers to prove the sick
with assurance of loving
and caring presence.
And that is the healing
that God also wants to give,
breaking the isolation of
the sick and those with the

disability, said the prelate.

Our Lady of Lourdes
Hundreds of elderly and
sick people gathered at the
cathedral for the yearly
celebration of the feast of
Our Lady of Lourdes.
The cardinal also
administered the sacrament
of the anointing of the sick
using holy oil.
The anointing is reserved
for people whose health
is seriously threatened by
sickness or old age.
Established by Saint John
Paul II in 1992, World Day of
the Sick is a special time of
prayer for those who suffer
from illness and for their
caregivers. (Roy Lagarde
/ CBCPNews)

A8

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

Pope appoints
new Alaminos
bishop
POPE Francis on Saturday, Feb.
20 appointed Bishop Ricardo
Baccay Lingan the new Bishop of
Alaminos.
Born on on April 3, 1961 in
Tuguegarao, he had previously
been the titular Bishop of Gabala
and Auxiliary of Tuguegarao.
Ordained a priest on April 10,
1987 and ordained a bishop on
April 10 2007, Lingan will oversee
the Diocese of Alaminos, which was
erected on Jan 12, 1985.
Some 420,000 residents comprise
the diocese, 83 per cent of whom are
Catholic.
Lingan, a member of CBCP Office
on Bioethics since 2011, studied
theology at the Pontifical Central
Seminary, University of Santo
Tomas in Manila. (CBCP News)

Alaminos Bishop-elect Ricardo Baccay

Lingan

Pinoys join Pope in

praying for Asia
IN line with Pope Francis recent
intention for evangelization,
Catholics in the Philippines
have vowed to pray for more
opportunities for dialogue with
Asias non-Christian majority.
Dialogue is a concrete weapon
[that will enable us to embrace]
not only our differences, but most
especially our similarities. As one
Asian Church, we join the Holy
Father in praying for unity and
evangelization, said Br. Angel Ace
Cortez, OFM, in an interview.
Noting that the future of the
Church is in Asia, the Franciscan
urged Catholics to open their hearts
and minds to people of other faiths.
Church in Asia
JM Tuazon, an accountant from
Meycauayan, Bulacan, could not
agree more, saying dialogue can
indeed work wonders in terms
of bringing together followers of
various religions.
Dialogue is what the pontiff
pushes on the issue of climate change.
May we always pray and grab every
opportunity to talk with those outside
the Church and to continue to bring
the Good News to Asia, he said.
Meanwhile, religious educator
Nestor Limqueco of Manila pointed
out Filipinos, being the most
Christian nation in Asia, have
a prominent role to play in the
evangelization of the continent.

We are spearheading the spread

of the Gospel. We have a duty
to introduce Jesus to our Asian
brothers and sisters, not necessarily
to convert them, but to invite them
to listen to us and to dialogue
by sharing each others faith
experiences, he explained.
Listening, praying
According to Limqueco,
proselytization is only secondary
given that what is more important
is gaining understanding.
We engage with them not convert
them, but to show solidarity by
listening and praying with them.
The call of today is not to debate
who is better, but for dialogue of life.
Listening, praying, and sharing of faith
experiences will enhance and enrich
the commonalities and uniqueness
of every religion without showing
arrogance but more on fraternal
charity and concern, he added.
The Holy Fathers prayer intention
for evangelization on February
reads: That opportunities may
increase for dialogue and encounter
between the Christian faith and the
peoples of Asia.
Moreover, for his universal
intention, he prays that we may
take good care of creationa
gift freely givencultivating and
protecting it for future generations.
(Raymond A. Sebastin /
CBCP News)

Marian seminar on
Year of Mercy set
THE Missionaries of Mary, a lay
Marian community, joins the
Catholic Church in celebrating the
Jubilee Year of Mercy and the Year
of the Eucharist by highlighting the
theme in a Marian seminar on Feb.
28 at the University of Sto Tomas
Tan Yan Kee Student Center from
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Mary and the Church in the
Marian Encounter Seminar (Module
1) will feature the following talks:
Mary, Virgin Most Merciful to be
given by Msgr Sabino Vengco, Jr.,
President of the Kadiwa sa Pagpapari
Foundation; Mary, Model Disciple
will be presented by Msgr. Claro
Matt Garcia, parish priest of St.
Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Parish
in Magallanes Village, Makati City;
and finally, Mary and the Church
will have Fr. Benjo Fajota, Parochial
Vicar of the Most Holy Redeemer
Parish, Balic balic, Sampaloc as the
resource person.
The Seminar will be concluded
with the celebration of the Holy
Eucharist by Fr. Manny Zagada
of the Nuestra Sra. del Perpetuo
Socorro Parish in Calamba St.,

CBCP Monitor

Kidapawan hosts 40th Mindanao

clergy confab
MINDANAOS diocesan
priests gathered here for
their annual convention
which is now on its 40th
year.
The Diocese of
Kidapawa hosted some
500 Diocesan Clergy of
Mindanao (DCM) from
21 dioceses in Mindanao
from February 15 to 17.
Auxiliary Bishop of
Cotabato Jose Collins
Bagaforo officiated the
opening Mass at the Mary
Mediatrix of All Grace
Cathedral with Orlando
Cardinal Quevedo,
Archbishop of Cotabato
as homilist.
Families nourished
by Jesus
In his homily, the
cardinal said the Holy
Eucharist nourishes the
families who are under the
care of diocesan priests in
their parishes and in Basic
Ecclesial Communities
(BEC).
No family is strong
without nourishment from
the Eucharist, Quevedo
said.
The cardinal also said,
like the lay faithful, every

priest comes from their

respective families and he
hopes that their families
are also nourished by the
Eucharist, especially that
they have offered their
sons to serve the Lord
through the celebration of
the Holy Eucharist.
The Clergy of Diocese of
Tagum join the Diocesan
Clergy of Mindanao
(DCM) from February
15 to 17. (Photo: Brenda
Milan)
The cardinal led
the diocesan priests in
pondering on the theme:
DCM: Reflecting on the
Family as nourished by the
Word and the Eucharist.
The Archbishop of
Cotabato also asked the
priests if they remain true
to their priestly duty or if
they are celebrating the
Eucharist as a routine.
40 years a priest
Let us be true to our
vocation. Be true to God
who calls us and true to
our people, said Bishop
Patricio Buzon, SDB, the
bishop of Kabankalan,
who served as speaker
during the conference on

Some 500 Diocesan Clergy of Mindanao (DCM) from 21 dioceses in Mindanao

gather for the Diocesan Clergy of Mindanao Convention in Kidapawan City
from February 15 to 17. BRENDA MILAN

the second day at the JC

Complex in Kidapawan
City.
The bishop also
encouraged the priests to
be humble and to submit
themselves to assist
programs of the Catholic
Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP)
that aim to help them in
their ongoing formation
as priests.
For 40 years, the
Diocesan Clergy of
Mindanao Convention
has been gathering priests
from all parts of Mindanao
every year and they have
been growing in number
and growing in age
together.
We enjoy the whole
convention. We grow
together as priests, said

Msgr. Abel Apigo, the

president of the Diocesan
Clergy of Mindanao upon
welcoming the more than
400 delegates during the
opening Mass.
Apigo lauded the
number of diocesan
priests attending the
yearly convention,
especially those who have
been with DCM since it
startedthose who have
been in the ministry for
more than 40 years and
those who have reached
their 50th year.
He also congratulated
those priests who have
been ordained recently
like those priests who
received the sacrament of
holy orders in 2015. (John
Frances C. Fuentes /
CBCP News)

Confab features building Church the Dominican way

IN celebration of the 800th
anniversary of the Orders
foundation, the UST Center for
Religious Studies and Ethics
(CRSE) and UST Faculty of Sacred
Theology (FST), held a three-day
conference on Building the Church
the Dominican Way from Feb. 9
to 11.
The Conference featured ten
lectures, which all aimed to explore
particular Dominicans valuable
contributions to the Church,
especially those who served in the
Philippines.
Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner,
III, OP, the Prior Provincial of
the Dominican Province of the
Philippines, and a member of
the International Theological
Commission, delivered the keynote
address.
Dominicans and Marian
devotion
Fr. Roland Mactal, OP, Prior
of Santo Domingo Convent and
Associate Professor of UST Faculty of
Sacred Theology gave the following
lecture on the Dominicans and
Marian Devotion. Mactal traced the
beginnings of Marian devotion and
the Dominican role in its spread.
He also spoke of Dominican-run
Marian shrines in the Philippines
and their roles in the promotion
of current-day devotions to the
Blessed Virgin.
The lectures of the second day
began with the presentation of Fr.
Emilio Platti, OP, the Italian-Belgian
Dominican who also works at the
Dominican Institute for Oriental
Studies in Cairo, Egypt. Also a
professor emeritus at the Catholic
University of Leuven, Belgium,
Platti traced the historical evolution
of Islam, and its relationship with
Christianity. He admitted that
dialogue with Islam was never
easy, but this is no reason to
abandon the efforts for peaceful and
harmonious collaboration. During

the open forum, Platti pointed

out that Islam needs to resolve
a particular crisis of identity
that has also been responsible for
the emergence of many extremist
groups nowadays.
Fr. Jos Antonio E. Aureada, OP
and Assoc. Prof. Augusto de Viana,
Ph.D. Fr. Aureada talked about the
contribution of Fr. Francisco Marin
Sola, OP, also called Pare Quicoy,
who earned his Theology degrees
from the University of Santo Tomas,
Manila and taught at the Catholic
University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Aureadas talk was followed by
the presentation of Assoc. Prof.
Augusto de Viana, Ph.D., Chair
of UST Department of History,
who focused his lecture on the
contributions of Fr. Fidel Villaroel,
OP as a Dominican historian, and a
prolific saint-maker.

preachers. He also laid down helpful

principles that would help preachers
develop and improve their craft.
Fr. Quirico T. Pedregosa, OP,
present Rector of UST Central
Seminary and former Prior
Provincial of the Dominican
Province of the Philippines,
delivered the last lecture. Pedregosa
talked about the missionary
impulse of preaching to the
peripheries. He ended his lecture
with a moving narration of the lives
and ministry of two Dominicans:
Fr. Anthony Leo Hofstee, OP, who
spent his life with the lepers of
Tala Leprosarium, Philippines, and
Bishop Pierre Claverie, OP, who
offered his life for the poor of Oran,
Algeria. These Dominicans, the
priest emphasized, lived the path
of downward mobility exemplified
by Christ in the Gospels.

Downward mobility
Fr. Virgilio Ojoy, OP, Associate
professor of dogmatic theology at
UST Faculty of Sacred Theology,
and Fr. Rodel E. Aligan, OP, former
Dean and current Assoc. Professor
of the same faculty, delivered the
afternoon lectures of the second day.
Ojoy talked about the contributions
of Fr. Pedro Salgado, OP in the
area of social justice, and Aligan
spoke about the significant efforts
of Bishop Leonardo Legaspi, O.P.,
D.D. in the area of Ecclesiology.
The last day started with the
talk of Fr. Michael Sherwin, OP,
professor of Moral Theology at the
University of Fribourg, Switzerland,
who spoke about the works of Fr.
Servais-Theodore Pinckaers, OP in
the renewal of moral theology.
He was followed by Fr. Rolando
V. de la Rosa, O.P., Dean of UST
Faculty of Sacred Theology, who
shared about the importance of
preaching in the ministry of the
Dominicans. de la Rosas lecture
challenged the Dominicans, and
the participants, to become better

For publication
Part of the Research Fortnight
activity of the Universitys Office of
the Vice Rector for Research and
Innovation (OVRRI), taking the
place of the bi-annual Theology
Week Conference of the Faculty
of Sacred Theology, the event was
organized in collaboration with the
Office for Grants, Endowments, and
Partnerships in Higher Education
and the UST Theological Society
and convened by Fr. Jannel N.
Abogado, OP, Director of CRSE, and
Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP, Dean
of the Faculty of Sacred Theology
The conference lectures will be
published in the Philippiniana
Sacra, an academic journal of the
University of Santo, that is also
currently celebrating its fiftieth
anniversary.
The conference participants were
composed of priests, religious
sisters, Dominican laity, catechists,
theology teachers, and members of
the laity who sought to learn more
about their potential contributions
to the Church. (CBCP News)

Relics of Saints Padre Pio, Leopold go on display

An image of the Blessed Virgin is brought out in

procession. FILE PHOTO

Sampaloc, Manila.
The Mariology series is conducted
in coordination with Radio Veritas
(846 AM). The seminar fee is Php
150.00. For more information,
interested parties may contact Imee
at telephone numbers (02) 7412830. (CBCP News)

FIRST class relics of Saint

Pius of Pietrelcina--better
known as Padre Pio--and
Saint Leopold Mandic
were on display in Quezon
City from Feb. 15 to 20.
As a special initiative for
the Jubilee of Mercy, the
relics of the saints, known
for their holiness and for
their dedication to the
Sacrament of Confession,
were exhibited at Radio
Veritas station.
Pope Francis has
designated Padre Pio
and St. Leopold as

saint-confessors for
Extraordinary Jubilee of
Mercy to inspire people to
become reconciled to the
Church and to God, by the
confession of their sins.
Leopold is the apostle of
unity and a forerunner of
todays ecumenism, and of
confession. His feast day
is commemorated every
May 12, the day he was
born. He was canonized
by Pope John Paul II in
1983.
Meanwhile, Padre Pio is
the patron of civil defense

volunteers, adolescents,
and the village of
Pietrelcina. His feast day
is commemorated every
Sept. 23.
Padre Pio was a friar,
priest, and mystic famous
of bearing the stigmata for
most of his life.
Pope John Paul II
declared him a saint in
June 2002 in one of the
largest of such ceremonies
in history, reportedly
attended by more than
300,000 pilgrims who
filled the Vaticans St.

Peters Square.
The relics were
enthroned at Our Lady
of Veritas Chapel for one
week, from Feb. 15 to 20,
and were open for public
veneration.
Devotees seeking
healing and other
petitions visited the
images and relics from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the
Veritas Chapel located at
the second floor of Veritas
Tower, 162 West Avenue
corner EDSA in Quezon
City. (CBCP News)

CBCP Monitor

PASTORAL CONCERNS B1

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

You did it to me!

(Matthew 25:40)

BELOVED People of God:

Among the crimes that cry the
loudest to heaven for justice, hardly
is any more heinous than the abuse
of children, no matter the form such
abuse may take. The despoliation of
the young already jolts us in its offensiveness. We are rightly overcome
by revulsion at the painful paradox
that while nature has made the young
dependent on their parents and on
caring and nurturing elders, the very
same persons to whom they look for
protection and succor turn into their
assailants and molesters. While this sad
phenomenon cannot and should not
be generalized, it will be found with
disturbing frequency in our midst and
in such grievousness as to warrant the
particular attention of your bishops.

Data gathered some years ago by the

National Statistics Coordination Board
reveal that the most common forms of
child abuse are: sexual abuse, neglect,
physical abuse or maltreatment and
abandonment.[2]
If these are the prevalent forms of
child abuse in the Philippines, it should
not be too difficult to understand that
no single category or class of persons
can be singled out as the provenance
of perpetrators. While undoubtedly,
one will find the stereotypical predator
among them, it is also true that family
members and relatives, teachers and
superiors, work supervisors and even
those who might appear friendly and
caring, members of the clergy among
them, will count exploiters and abusers in their number. And this is one of

not admit of mitigation.

The Forms of Child Abuse
Republic Act No. 7610 that the
Philippines enacted in compliance with
the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child identifies the forms of child
abuse. Child abuse is statutorily defined to include:
Psychological and physical abuse,
neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment;
Any act by deeds or words which
debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as
a human being;
Unreasonable deprivation of his
basic needs for survival such as food
and shelter;
Failure to immediately give medical

While undoubtedly, one will find the stereotypical predator

among them, it is also true that family members and
relatives, teachers and superiors, work supervisors and
even those who might appear friendly and caring,
members of the clergy among them, will count exploiters
and abusers in their number.
With sadness, shame and contrition, we must acknowledge that some
members of the clergy have committed
these offenses, not only in egregious
violation of the sacred promises of
their Ordination, but in most blatant
contravention of the Lord Jesus own
strict command that children are not
only to be welcomed with affection,

the most hurtful dimensions of child

abuse: the erosion of trust and the dilution of solicitude with exploitation! It
most grievously hurts those whose trust
was betrayed, but it also hurts those
who are supposed to be trusted. Those
who trust find their trust betrayed.
Those who are supposed to be trusted
no longer enjoy the unqualified confidence of those who once trusted them!
One brochure distributed in the
United States by cause-oriented groups
and made available online attempts to

treatment to an injured child resulting

in serious impairment of his growth
and development or in his permanent
incapacity or death.[1]
The positive side to this legal definition of the offense of child abuse is
the legislative envisagement of what a
child needs and what we, as a society,
owe our children.Given the gamut of

mention precisely because it is hardly

paid any heed: the exclusion of children, by which we mean the treatment
of children as an appendage to the
society of adults. It is the fallacy of
thinking of human society as a society
of adults, with children occupying
some kind of second class membership, while awaiting full membership
as adults. Effectively, this means that
children are not seriously listened
to, nor are their concerns considered
worthy of serious consideration, nor
does their condition as children get
factored into different forms of human
and social planning.
Family decisions are made by adults,
childrens views set aside as insignificant and deserving scant attention. Put
most succinctly, children are not taken
seriously at all!
In the life of the Church, we find
this disturbingly verified. Few priests
relish an apostolate with and for children. Even the opportunities offered
by liturgies for children are hardly
optimized in the Philippine church.
In most parishes, there is often hardly
anything that differentiates childrens
Masses from adult Masses, except perhaps for children serving at Mass and
doing the readings.
Nurturing and Protecting Children
Of the nurturing of children and
their protection, the Second Vatican
Council taught:
Christian husbands and wives are
cooperators in grace and witnesses of
faith for each other, their children, and
all others in their household. They are
the first to communicate the faith to
their children and to educate them by
word and example for the Christian
and apostolic lifeIt has always been
the duty of Christian married partners
but today it is of the greatest part of

Roy Lagarde

Pastoral Exhortation on the Pastoral Care and Protection of Minors

If we, as pastors, are to address

the dreadful challenge of child abuse
effectively, we must recognize its
complications. In this respect, what
the Second Vatican Council teaches
about the responsibility of parents
and of families becomes particularly
relevant in the light of expert analysis
of the dynamics of child-exploitation.
One thorough study busts myths and
demolishes stereotypes.
Society seems to have a problem
addressing any sexual-victimization
case in which the adult offender is not
completely bad or the child victim
is not completely good. The idea
child victims could simply behave like
human beings and respond to the attention and affection of offenders by
voluntarily and repeatedly returning to
an offenders home is a troubling one. It
confuses us to see the victims in child
pornography giggling or laughing.
At professional conferences on child
sexual abuse, child prostitution is rarely
discussed. It is the form of sexual victimization of children most unlike the
stereotype of the innocent child victim.
Child prostitutes, by definition, participate in and sometimes initiate their
victimization but often do so rather
than face subsequent consequences
such as abuse at home, homelessness,
and violence at the hands of those
manipulating them to participate in
this illegal activity.[5]
A victimized child is not necessarily one against whose will atrocities
have been visited. A victimized child
is not necessarily the passive partner
in an exploitative relation. Children,
therefore, can learn and acquire conduct that may contribute to their own
exploitation. And when cases of child
abuse of this kind eventually surface,
one must, perforce ask, how parents
and families failed these children!

PREDA

In seminaries and houses of formation, those who have

engaged in the exploitation of others or who have
physically abused classmates or juniors should not be
promoted, much less admitted for candidacy to
Holy Orders.

but that every care must be taken to

put no stumbling block in their way.
The universal condemnation of the
abuse of children by any adult is one of
the strongest refutations of that brand
of relativism that is pervasive today. No
matter ones race, ethnicity, culture or
religion, there is no way of justifying,
excusing much less defending the abuse
of children and the assault on vulnerable sectors in our society. The abuse
and molestation of children is intrinsically wrong, and its repulsiveness does

the different forms of child abuse, it

should be clear that any meaningful
response by the Church should include
members of the clergy and of the laity alike.And while the investigation
of offenders and the prosecution of
abusers, whether clergy or lay, will be
a pressing concern, more important
by far is the immediate and perennial
challenge of meeting the needs of the
child, particularly in settings of dysfunctional families.
The Facts

provide a profile of the child molester

and also offers useful information on
this dreadful social malady. Interestingly, but equally disturbingly, in classifying sexual offenders it becomes
clear that categories cover the entire
swath of human society: males and
females, young adults, middle-aged
adults and seniors, upper class, middle
class and disadvantaged, all races and
ethnicities, vocationally diverse.[3]
The fact, therefore, is that no single
sector can be identified as the source
of molesters and predators. There is
no such thing as the typical molester
or abuser.
Exclusion: The Broader Context
One form of neglect needs special

their apostolate to manifest and prove

by their own way of life the indissolubility and sacredness of the marriage
bond, strenuously to affirm the right
and duty of parents and guardians to
educate children in a Christian manner, and to defend the dignity and
lawful autonomy of the family.[4]
There is hypocrisy then when the
parents of abused and exploited children readily judge others--though these
may, in fact, be deserving of judgment-when they, as parents, have failed to
do what the Church teaches to be their
obligation in respect to children. The
parent who has failed in his duties as a
parent should be wary about accusing
others of neglecting their obligations
towards children.

What is often taken for a doctrinal

pronouncement is actually a very practical guide--an indispensable first step
in the prevention of child abuse.
The fruitfulness of the conjugal
love extends to the fruits of the moral,
spiritual and supernatural life that
parents hand on to their children by
education. Parents are the principal
and first educators of their children.
In this sense the fundamental task
of marriage and family is to be at the
service of life.[6]
Where spouses live the reality of the
sacrament of matrimony and cooperate
with the grace of that same sacrament,
they are enabled to provide their children with that kind of education that
Minor, B4

B2 PASTORAL CONCERNS

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

CBCP Monitor

The Slowness of Marriage Nullity Processes

Mitis Iudex in the Philippine Setting (Part III)

Q: In the seminary I was taught that the corporal is meant

to catch any pieces or drops of the Precious Body and Blood
which might go astray on the altar. I was also taught that valid
consecration of the bread and wine did not depend on whether
they were situated upon the corporal. The odd other priest that I
meet takes no special care of the corporal because he believes that
its function is only to make valid the consecrated species that rest
upon the corporal. Some even leave the corporal opened upon
the altar from day to day, and at least one that I know of uses
various colored corporals according to the colors of the liturgical
season. Related to this subject is the use of the corporal within the
tabernacle, below the monstrance, and upon the credence table.
Are there other occasions when it should or should not be used?
Your clarifications upon the use and care of the corporal would
be greatly appreciated. S.W., Ucluelet, British Columbia
A: The corporal is a square piece of linen or other fine fabric
sometimes starched so as to be fairly firm. It is customarily folded
into nine sections and hence stored flat. A larger corporal or
more than one corporal might be required for concelebrations
and other solemn celebrations.
Before use, the corporal is usually left on top of the chalice
and, while no longer obligatory, it may be kept in a flat, square
case called a burse.
Before the present reform, hosts were placed directly upon the
corporal and although this is rarely the case today, as our reader
points out, it might gather fragments that fall from the host
during the celebration, although these mostly fall into either the
ciborium or chalice or paten.
However, any visible fragments remaining on the corporal
should be removed and placed in the chalice for purification. Yet,
liturgical practice has generally considered that the careful folding
and opening of the corporal is sufficient and that no disrespect is
shown by carefully keeping the corporal in the sacristy.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) mentions the corporal in several places, first of all in describing the
preparation of the gifts, in No. 73: [T]he Lords table, which
is the center of the whole Liturgy of the Eucharist, is prepared
by placing on it the corporal, purificator, Missal, and chalice.
No. 118 says
that the corporal
should be on the
credence table before Mass. Other
indications require
that a chalice or
ciborium should
be placed on a corporal whenever it is
left on the altar or
credence table for
purification.
It is also used
whenever the Eucharist is placed
upon the altar or
some other worthy place. Thus a
corporal is always
used under the
monstrance or ciborium.
With respect to our readers queries, it is indeed a bad habit
in some places of leaving the corporal unfolded upon the altar
between Masses and even for days on end. The norms require
that the corporal be unfolded during the presentation of gifts
and properly folded again after communion.
All the same, extra corporals may be placed on the altar before
solemn Masses in which more sacred vessels are used than can
fit on the corporal directly in front of the priest.
The GIRM does not require a new corporal for each Mass; it is
sufficient for the corporal to be opened and folded with due care
to avoid any mishaps. For this reason a corporal should be opened
one section at a time while lying flat and never shook open.
A corporal is washed in the same manner as a purificator
although less frequently. It is first soaked in water; this water is
then poured either down a sacrarium or directly upon the earth.
Afterward, the corporal may be washed in a normal fashion.
Trimelonis preconciliar 1,000-page compendium of practical
liturgical norms recommended a monthly wash for corporals
and that at a time when hosts were placed directly upon the
corporal itself.
With respect as to how a corporal is folded, I defer to the
indications provided by Monsignor (now Bishop) Peter J. Elliott
in his practical ceremonies manual:
a. Take the corporal (from the burse, if used) with your right
hand, and place it flat at the center of the altar, still folded,
approximately 15 cm. (5 inches) from the edge of the altar, or
further if a large corporal is being unfolded.
b. Unfold it, first to your left, then to your right, thus revealing three squares.
c. Unfold the section farthest from you, away from yourself,
thus making six squares visible.
d. Finally, unfold the crease that is nearest to you, towards
yourself, thus making all nine squares visible. Adjust the corporal
so that it is about 3 cm. (an inch) from the edge of the altar.
If there is a cross embroidered on one of the outer center
squares, move the corporal around so that the cross is nearest
to you.
Although Hosts no longer rest directly on the corporal, it
is still useful in the event that fragments may fall on it at the
fraction or during the purifications, etc. Therefore, never flick a
corporal open or shake it open in midair. Such an action would
also show a lack of respect for the most sacred altar linen, which
must always be used wherever a Mass is celebrated.
To fold a corporal, reverse the above steps. Therefore fold
the front three squares away from you, then fold the back three
squares towards you and finally bring the right square and the left

Before use, the

corporal is usually
left on top of
the chalice and,
while no longer
obligatory, it may
be kept in a flat,
square case called
a burse.

Corporal, B7

How the Bishop-Judge Reaches Moral

Certitude
Asked about how a bishopwho may not be
trained in canon law, much less on matrimonial
law or procedural lawcan reach a sentence
regarding the nullity of a marriage, Card. Coccopalmerio (the head of the PCLT) had this
to say in a lecture in Salamanca in 2015: The
answer to this question depends on a fundamental presupposition: it is the diocesan bishop
who has to reach, in a personal and convinced
manner, moral certitude about the nullity of
the marriage so that he can give, in a personal
and convinced manner, the sentence of nullity
of that marriage. Once this principle has been
established, the nature of the specific help given
to the diocesan bishop by the instructor and the
assessor follows:
It cannot consistCoccopalmerio continuesin offering him, so to speak, the moral
certitude which they have arrived at, thus avoiding the need for him to reach the same moral
certitude personally. If that were the case, it
would falsify and render useless all the bishops
activity and the whole of the briefer process.
On the contrary, their help should consist
in presenting to the diocesan bishop all the
elements of the case, explaining the different
aspects and allowing him in this way to come
to a personal and sure conviction about the
nullity of that marriage; and thus to be able to
give a sentence.
The head of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts concluded that if things work in
that way, it will be easy or possible, even for
diocesan bishops who do not have canonical
expertise, to fulfill this sensitive ministry in a
suitable fashion. 1
That is quite a big IF, which brings me to
the final consideration in this second look at
the briefer process.
Danger of A Possible Prejudice in the Briefer
Process
The second requirement for a marriage
nullity case to be coursed through the briefer
process is the following:
Can.1683, 2 circumstances of things and
persons recur, with substantiating testimonies and
records, which do not demand a more accurate
inquiry or investigation, and which render the
nullity manifest.
The Procedural Rules included in MI attempt to clarify this further:
Art.14, 1. Among the circumstances of things
and persons which can allow a case for nullity of
marriage to be handled by means of the briefer
process according to cc.1683-1687, are included,
for example: the defect of faith which can generate simulation of consent or error that determines
the will; a brief conjugal cohabitation; an abortion procured to avoid procreation; an obstinate
persistence in an extra-conjugal relationship at

Signatura decreed that the List of Presumptions

of Nullity used in American tribunals was not
acceptable.

Technical Imperfections of the New
c.1683, 2 and MI Art.14, 1.
The aforementioned possibility of a liberal
interpretation of such an important aspect of
the Processus brevior leads one to wonder why
such a redaction could enter a document of such
importance in the first place. One explanation
could arise from a cursory look at the composition of the Special Commission that crafted MI,
a good number of whom were experts neither in
Matrimonial Law nor Procedural Law. Add to
this the celerity with which MI was craftedas
stated in the introduction of the document
itselfand one can only suspect of a possible
technical imperfection in its redaction.
In a country with a prevailing culture of
divorcee.g., USA and Canada the above
imperfection of c.1683, 2 and MI Art.14,2
may indeed be abused to give declarations of
nullity that are tantamount to divorcei.e.,
the dissolution of an otherwise valid marriage,
just because any one of such presumptions
of nullity is verified. It is to be hoped, however,

pro validitate. 2) If it were a list of presumptions of nullity, it could not have ended in
etc.which makes the list open-ended.
This was the position of Prof.Paolo Moneta,
a member of the Special Commission that
redacted MI, in a paper delivered in Rome
(30.X.2015). 2
b. A List of Presumptions of Nullity. The
above-mentioned misreading of the norms
contained in c.1683, 2 and MI Art.14, 1
would be something akin to what happened
with the initial wrong application of the norm
of c.1095, 3[they are incapable of contracting marriage] those who, because of causes of a
psychological nature, are unable to assume the
essential obligations of marriagewhen it was
adopted as Art.36 of the Family Code of the
Philippines. In effect, the civil courts, without
the ecclesiastical jurisprudence behind c.1095,
3, started misreading the canonical norm in
the sense that any psychological anomaly would
automatically be indicative of the incapacity to
assume the essential obligations of marriage
and therefore a proof of the nullity of the marriage. This opened the floodgates for marriage
annulments and separation, with psychological

that in a country like the Philippines, such an

abuse would not happen. It would be better of
course if that imperfection were correctedor
at least given an authentic interpretation by the
PCLTin the near future.

Mark Eusebio

(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of

theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:)

AFTER tackling possible problems with the

first novelty in Part I of this article, and two possible sources of difficulties for the briefer process
in Part II, let me now conclude this second look
by looking at a third source of difficulties for
the so-called processus brevior or briefer process.

suggestive of using the briefer process, for what

appears prima facia as a case of relatively easy
proof. We have to remember that the process
is barely inchoate at this moment. Thus, the
redaction of c.1683, 2 in finei.e., which
render the nullity manifestto my mind is quite
unfortunate (for not to say a lapse in procedural
law). To admit that certain circumstances and
things render the nullity manifest even before the
bishop-judge has even seen the case is to admit
of a prejudice whichif present in the mind
of the Judicial Vicar and is transmitted to the
instructor and the assessorwould make the
whole exercise moot and academic. That would
be tantamount to admitting a presumption pro
nullitate, which is totally contrary to canonical
doctrine, not only on the matter of marriage
(which enjoys a favor iuris pro validitate) but of
the whole judicial process.

The correct interpretation of MI
Art.14, 1 would be to consider the list as a
mere orientationi.e., by way of examplesto
judge whether a case can be routed to the briefer
process, but not indicative of the nullity of the
marriage itself. The following arguments bear
this out: 1) There can be no presumption of
nullity of marriage: the presumption is always

Yen Ocampo

Use of the
Corporal

By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.

the time of the wedding or immediately following

it; the deceitful concealment of sterility, or grave
contagious illness, or children from a previous
relationship, or incarcerations; a cause of marriage
completely extraneous to married life, or consisting
of the unexpected pregnancy of the woman, physical violence inflicted to extort consent, the defect
of the use of reason which is proved by medical
documents, etc.
Here is where the danger comes in: depending on ones reading of the two norms stated
abovec.1683, 2 and Art.14., 1two different senses follow.
a. A List of Scenarios suggesting the use
of the Briefer Process. The proper reading of
the above-mentioned norms is to consider the
open-ended list contained in Art.14, 1 as a list
of scenarios which suggest to the Judicial Vicar
who receives the petition to open a process for
the declaration of nullity as per cc.1676, 1;
1685to course the case through the briefer
process with the bishop as judge.
At this point, we have to make an important
observation: This list of scenarios are only

incapacity becoming the most common ground

for the more than 25 cases of such civil annulments filed per day. The rich jurisprudence
behind c.1095, 3 would have shown that the
issue at bar is the incapacity to assume the essential obligations of marriage, and the causes of
psychological nature are just explanatory of the
existence of such incapacity to assume, which
had to be proven. In other words, the causes of
psychological nature do not constitute proof of
the incapacity to assume: the latter just explain
the former, once the former had been proven
by other evidences.
Because of this redaction of c.1683, 2 in fine,
the open-ended list presented in MI Art.14,
1 might be misread as a list of presumptions of
marriage nullity! As one Northamerican canonist observed, the very list of examples proposed
by the legislator in Art.14, 1 of the Ratio
procedendim, while not establishing new capita
nullitatis, gives one the impression that nullity
can occur in a way heretofore unanticipated. 3
This was actually the spirit of a set of norms
used in the U.S. Tribunals since 1970,4 which
the Signatura Apostolica rejected in 1994: the

Conclusion of the Briefer Process

According to c.1687, 1, there are only two
possible conclusions of the briefer process:
(1) If the Bishop-Judge reaches moral certitude
as regards the nullity of the marriage in question, he pronounces such sentence. The full text
of the sentence, with the reasons expressed, is to be
communicated to the parties as swiftly as possible
(c.1687, 2). MI Procedural Rules, Art.20, 2
further specifies that ordinarily the parties are
notified within one month of the day of the decision.
(2) If the Bishop-Judge does not reach moral
certitude as regards the nullity of the marriage in
question, he refers the case to the ordinary process
(c.1687, 2).
We have to note that the Bishop does not
have the faculty to make a negative sentence
i.e., for the validity of the marriagefor the
simple reason that such validity already has
the favor of the law and does not have to be
declared.
Final Recommendations
At the end of this long article, several recommendations come to mind:
1) There is a need to constitute a diocesan
Marriage Counseling Office, to do all the prejudicial or pastoral investigation of the separated
or divorced faithful, mentioned in Procedural
Rules, Art.1-4.
2) There is a need to form a pool of Advocates, who need not be canon lawyers, but
equipped with specific training on Church
Matrimonial Law and Church Procedural Law.
A 1-Yr diploma course can be offered for this
purpose.
The involvement of such advocates in the
Marriage Counseling Office mentioned above
should make it possible to make a thorough
pre-judicial work that gathers all the elements
necessary for the filing of a proper libellus or
petition for the declaration of marriage nullity.
3) There is also a need to form a pool of
Instructors (Auditors), who can be laypersons
trained for this purpose. A special course, focusing on the grounds for nullity (so as to know
what questions to ask), can be offered for this
purpose. I think 1-3 months should be enough.
4) There is likewise a need to identify the
possible Assessors: They need to be canon
lawyers, well formed in Matrimonial Law and
with a good theological formation on Church
doctrine on Family and Marriage. A former
Judicial Vicar makes a likely candidate of course.
Without an Assessor, the Bishop will most probably consult the Judicial Vicar.
5) Finally, every diocese must have a Judicial
Vicar who has at least a Licentiate in Canon
Law, specialized in Procedural Law or Matrimonial Law.
1 Francesco Coccopalmerio, The Reform of the Canonical
Process for the Declaration of Nullity of Marriage: Commentary on the Motu proprios of Pope Francis Mitis Iudex
Dominus Iesus and Mitis et misericors Iesus of 15 August
2015, (Pro Manuscripto. The original Italian version will

Nullity, B7

DEAR Brothers,
I am pleased to have this opportunity of meeting you the
day after my arrival here in this
country, which, following in the
footsteps of my predecessors, I
also have come to visit.
How could I not come! Could
the Successor of Peter, called
from the far south of Latin
America, deprive himself of seeingla Virgen Morenita?
I thank you for receiving me
in this Cathedral, a larger casita (little home) and yet
alwayssagrada(sacred), as the
Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe
had requested. I also thank you
for your kind words of welcome.
I know that here is found the
secret heart of each Mexican,
and I enter with soft footsteps as
is fitting for one who enters the
home and soul of this people;
and I am deeply grateful to you
for having opened your doors to
me. I know that by looking into
the eyes of the Blessed Virgin
I am able to follow the gaze of
your sons and daughters who,
in her, have learned to express
themselves. I know that no other
voice can speak so powerfully to
me of the Mexican heart as the
Blessed Mothercan; she guards
its highest aspirations and most
hidden hopes; she gathers its joys
and its tears. She understands
its various languages and she
responds with a Mothers tenderness because these men and
women are her own children.
I am happy to be with you
here, nearCerro del Tepeyac, in a
way close to the dawn of evangelization in this continent. Please
allow laGuadalupanato be the
starting point of everything I
will say to you. How I wish She
herself would convey to you all
that is dear to the Popes heart,
reaching the depths of your own
pastoral hearts, and through
you, to each of the particular
Churches present in this vast
country of Mexico.
The Pope for some time has
nourished a desire to seela Guadalupanajust as St Juan Diego
did, and successive generations
of children after him. And I
have desired, even more, to be
captured by her maternal gaze.
I have reflected greatly on the
mystery of this gaze and I ask
you to receive in these moments
what pours forth from my heart,
the heart of a Pastor.

FEATURES B3

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

can soul; and modern rationality

of the European kind, which
wanted so much to exalt independence and freedom (John
Paul II, Address, Welcoming
Ceremony, 22 January 1999).
And in this history, the maternal place of rest which continually brought life to Mexico,
although sometimes seeming like
a net of a hundred and fiftythree fish (cf. Jn 21:11), was
never without fruit, was always
able to heal the divisions which
threatened.
For this reason I invite you to
begin anew from that need for
a place of rest which wells up
from the spirit of your people.
The restful place of the Christian
faith is capable of reconciling a
past, often marked by loneliness,
isolation and rejection, with a
future, continually relegated to a
tomorrow which just slips away.
Only in that place of faith can
we, without renouncing our own
identity, discover the profound
truth of the new humanity, in
which all are called to be children
of God (John Paul II,Homily,
Canonization of Juan Diego, 31
July 2002).

plicated. And even the proud

notion of cogito, which at least
did not deny that there was a
rock on the sand of being, is
today dominated by a view of
life which, now more than ever,
many consider to be hesitant,
itinerant and lawless because it
lacks a firm foundation. Frontiers so passionately invoked and
upheld are now open to the irony
of a world in which the power of
some can no longer survive without the vulnerability of others.
The irreversible hybridization of
technology brings closer what is
distant; sadly, however, it also
distances what should be close.
And it is in this very world,
as it is, that God asks you to
have a view capable of grasping
that plea which cries out from
the heart of your people, a plea
which has its own calendar day,
theFeast of Crying Out. This cry
needs a response: God exists and
is close in Jesus Christ. God is
the only reality upon which we
can build, because, God is the
foundational reality, not a God
who is merely imagined or hypothetical, but God with a human
face (Benedict XVI,Addressto

tomb. Finally, they may be words

that are incapable of preventing
this world of ours from being
abandoned and reduced to its
own desperate power.
I think of the need to offer a
maternal place of rest to young
people. May your vision be capable of meeting theirs, loving
them and understanding what
they search for with that energy
that inspired many like them to
leave behind their boats and nets
on the other side of the sea (Mk
1:17-18), to leave the abuses of
the banking sector so as to follow the Lord on the path of true
wealth (cf. Mt 9:9).
I am concerned about those
many persons who, seduced by
the empty power of the world,
praise illusions and embrace
their macabre symbols to commercialize death in exchange
for money which, in the end,
moth and rust consume and
thieves break in and steal (Mt
6:19). I urge you not to underestimate the moral and antisocial
challenge which the drug trade
represents for the youth and for
Mexican society as a whole, as
well as for the Church.

zocharacteristics, God has woven

and revealed inlaMorenitathe
face of the Mexican people. God
does not need subdued colors to
design this face, for his designs
are not conditioned by colors
or threads but rather by the
permanence of his love which
constantly desires to imprint
itself upon us.
Therefore, be bishops who are
capable of imitating this freedom
of God who chooses the humble
in order to reveal the majesty
of his countenance; capable of
reproducing this divine patience
by weaving the new man which
your country awaits with the
fine thread made of the men
and women you encounter. Do
not be led by empty efforts to
change people as if the love of
God is not powerful enough to
bring about change.
Rediscover the wise and humble constancy that the Fathers
of faith of this country passed
onto successive generations with
the language of divine mystery.
They did this by first learning
and then teaching the grammar
needed to dialogue with God; a
God concealed within centuries

CNA

CBCP Monitor

mission.
For others, the Church in
Mexico is also regarded as being
either condemned to suffer the
inferior position to which it was
relegated in some periods of its
past, as for example when its
voice was silenced and efforts
were made to eradicate it; or condemned to venture into expressions of fundamentalism thus
holding onto provisional certaintiesas that famous cogito
while forgetting to have in its
heart the thirst for the Absolute
and be called in Christ to unite
everyone and not just a portion
(cf.Lumen Gentium1:1).
On the other hand, never
cease to remind your people of
how powerful their ancient roots
are, roots which have allowed a
vibrant Christian synthesis of
human, cultural and spiritual
unity which was forged here. Remember that the wings of your
people have spread on various
occasions to rise above changing
situations. Protect the memory
of the long journey undertaken
so farbe deuteronomicaland
know how to inspire the hope
of attaining new heights because the future will bear a land
rich in fruit even if it involves
considerable challenges (Num
13:27-28).
May your vision, always and
solely resting upon Christ, be
capable of contributing to the
unity of the people in your care;
of favoring the reconciliation of
its differences and the integration of its diversities; of promoting a solution to its endogenous
problems; of remembering the
high standards which Mexico
can attain when it learns to
belong to itself rather than to
others; of helping to find shared
and sustainable solutions to its
misfortunes; of motivating the
entire nation to not be content
with less than what is expected
of a Mexican way of living in the
world. A third thought:
A vision that is close and
attentive, not dormant
I urge you to not fall into that
paralyzation of standard responses to new questions. Your past is
a source of riches to be mined
and which can inspire the present and illumine the future. How
unfortunate you are if you rest
on your laurels! It is important
not to squander the inheritance

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Bishops of Mexico

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption, Mexico City
February 13, 2016

A gaze of tenderness
Above all, la Virgen Morenitateaches us that the only power
capable of conquering the hearts
of men and women is the tenderness of God. That which delights
and attracts, that which humbles
and overcomes, that which opens
and unleashes, is not the power
of instruments or the force of
law, but rather the omnipotent
weakness of divine love, which is
the irresistible force of its gentleness and the irrevocable pledge
of its mercy.
A rather inquisitive and famous literary figure of yours,
Octavio Paz, said that in Guadalupe great harvests and fertile
lands are no longer prayed for,
but instead a place of rest where
people, still orphaned and disinherited, may seek a place of
refuge, a home.
With centuries having gone by
since the founding event of this
country and the evangelization
of the continent, it may be asked:
has the need been diluted or even
forgotten for that place of rest so
ardently desired by the hearts of
Mexicans entrusted to your care?
I know the long and painful
history which you have gone
through has not been without
much bloodshed, impetuous
and heartbreaking upheavals,
violence and incomprehension.
With good reason my venerable
and saintly predecessor, who
felt at home here in Mexico,
wished to remind us: Like rivers
that are sometimes hidden and
plentiful, converge at times and
at others reveal their complementary differences, without
ever merging completely: the
ancient and rich sensitivity of
the indigenous peoples loved by
Juan de Zumrraga and Vasco de
Quiroga, whom many of these
peoples continue to call fathers;
Christianity, rooted in the Mexi-

Bow down then brothers,

quietly and respectfully, towards
the profound spirit of your
people, bow down with care
and decipher its mysterious face.
The present, so often mixed with
dispersion and festivity, is it perhaps not for God a preparatory
stage, for him who alone is fully
present? Familiarity with pain
and death, is it not a form of
courage and pathway to hope?
And the view that the world is
always and uniquely in need of
redemption, is this not an antidote to the proud self-sufficiency
of those who think they can do
without God?
Naturally, for this reason it

CELAM, 13 May 2007).

Observing your faces, the
Mexican people have the right
to witness the signs of those
who have seen the Lord (cf.
Jn 20:25), of those who have
been with God. This is essential. Therefore, do not lose time
or energy in secondary things,
in gossip or intrigue, in conceited schemes of careerism, in
empty plans for superiority, in
unproductive groups that seek
benefits or common interests.
Do not allow yourselves to be
dragged into gossip and slander.
Introduce your priests into a
correct understanding of sacred
ministry. For us ministers of God

The magnitude of this phenomenon, the complexity of

its causes, its immensity and
its scope which devours like a
metastasis, and the gravity of
the violence which divides with
its distorted expressions, do not
allow us as Pastors of the Church
to hide behind anodyne denunciations forms of abstract
thinking. Rather they demand
of us a prophetic courage as
well as a reliable and qualified
pastoral plan, so that we can
gradually help build that fragile
network of human relationships
without which all of us would be
defeated from the outset in the
face of such an insidious threat.

of searching and then brought

close in the person of his Son
Jesus Christ, who is our future
and who is recognized as such
by so many men and women
when they behold his bloody and
humiliated face. Imitate his gracious humility and his bowing
down to help us. We will never
comprehend sufficiently how,
with themestizothreads of our
people, God has woven the face
by which he is to be known. We
can never be thankful enough
for this bowing down, for this
sincatbasis.
I ask you to show singular tenderness in the way you regard indigenous peoples, them and their

On many occasions, much has been said about a supposedly

failed future of this nation, about a labyrinth of loneliness in
which it is imprisoned by its geography as well as by a fate
which has ensnared it.
is necessary to have an outlook
capable of reflecting the tenderness of God. I ask you, therefore,
to be bishops who have a pure
vision, a transparent soul, and
a joyful face. Do not fear transparency. The Church does not
need darkness to carry out her
work. Be vigilant so that your
vision will not be darkened by
the gloomy mist of worldliness;
do not allow yourselves to be
corrupted by trivial materialism
or by the seductive illusion of
underhanded agreements; do not
place your faith in the chariots
and horses of todays pharaohs,
for our strength is in the pillar
of fire which divides the sea in
two, without much fanfare (cf.
Ex 14:24-25).
The world in which the Lord
calls us to carry out our mission
has become extremely com-

it is enough to have the grace to

drink the cup of the Lord, the
gift of protecting that portion
of the heritage which has been
entrusted to us, though we may
be unskilled administrators. Let
us allow the Father to assign
the place he has prepared for us
(Mt 20:20-28). Can we really be
concerned with affairs that are
not the Fathers? Away from the
Fathers affairs (Lk 2:48-49) we
lose our identity and, through
our own fault, empty his grace
of meaning.
If our vision does not witness
to having seen Jesus, then the
words with which we recall him
will be rhetorical and empty figures of speech. They may perhaps
express the nostalgia of those
who cannot forget the Lord, but
who have become, at any rate,
mere babbling orphans beside a

Only by starting with families,

by drawing close and embracing
the fringes of human existence
in the ravaged areas of our cities
and by seeking the involvement
of parish communities, schools,
community institutions, political communities and institutions
responsible for security, will
people finally escape the raging waters that drown so many,
either victims of the drug trade
or those who stand before God
with their hands drenched in
blood, though with pockets
filled with sordid money and
their consciences deadened.
Returning to the gaze of Mary
of Guadalupe, I want to add a
second consideration:
A constructive vision
In the mantle of the Mexican
spirit, with the thread ofmesti-

fascinating but not infrequently

decimated cultures. Mexico
needs its American-Indian roots
so as not to remain an unresolved
enigma. The indigenous people
of Mexico still await true recognition of the richness of their
contribution and the fruitfulness
of their presence. In this way
they can inherit that identity
which transforms them into a
single nation and not only an
identity among other identities.
On many occasions, much has
been said about a supposedly
failed future of this nation, about
alabyrinth of lonelinessin which
it is imprisoned by its geography
as well as by a fate which has
ensnared it. For some, all of this
is an obstacle to the plan for a
unified face, an adult identity,
a unique position among the
concert of nations and a shared

you have received by protecting

it through constant work. You
stand on the shoulders of giants:
bishops, priests, religious and
lay faithful unto the end, who
have offered their lives so that
the Church can fulfill her own
mission. From those heights you
are called to turn your gaze to
the Lords vineyard to plan the
sowing and wait for the harvest.
I invite you to give yourselves
tirelessly, tirelessly and fearlessly
to the task of evangelizing and
deepening the faith by means
of a mystagogical catechesis
that treasures the popular religiosity of the people. Our times
require pastoral attention to
persons and groups who hope
to encounter the living Jesus.
Only the courageous pastoral
conversionand I underline
pastoral conversionof our
communities can seek, generate
and nourish todays disciples of
the Lord (cf. Aparecida, 226,
368, 370).
Hence it is necessary for us
Pastors to overcome the temptation of aloofnessand I leave it
up to each of you to list the kinds
of aloofness that can exist in this
Episcopal Conference; I do not
know them, but it is important
to overcome this temptation
and clericalism, of coldness and
indifference, of triumphalism
and self-centredness. Guadalupe
teaches us that God is known,
and is closer to us, by his countenance and that closeness and
humility, that bowing down and
drawing close, are more powerful
than force.
As the wonderfulGuadalupana tradition teaches us, la Morenitagathers together those who
contemplate her, and reflects
the faces of those who find her.
It is essential to learn that there
is something unique in every
Mexico, B5

B4 PASTORAL CONCERNS

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

CBCP Monitor

Rediscovering the Church as Mercy

ONCE a year,for the last thirty
years, I have had the good fortune
of attending a spiritual retreat. A
traditional annual practice of
piety highly recommended for
every Christian, good retreats
help those who make them
replenish their spiritual--at times,
even physical--strength, as they
reflect on the eternal truths and
see life in its proper perspective.
Oftentimes, its not a matter of
discovering new things but of
seeing old ideas in a new light.
This year, for example, one of
the maininsights I received was
this: belonging to the Church is
both blessing and responsibility.
Old message, I know, even
hackneyed. Yet it came in the
fresh, new form of mercy, in
circumstances that can only be
described as dramatic, and
suddenly, everything was totally
new.
The time and venue of the
retreat surely had something to
do with it. Just in time for Lent,
my retreat was held in a quaint,
little Italian town north of Rome
called San Felice dOcre. Its a
beautiful place where tall and
erect pine trees surround the
retreat house, and from which
one sees a majestic range of
mountains partly covered with
snow. It was then early February,
but it seemed that winter had
left, the first two days being quite
sunny and pleasantly cool.
But in the morning of the
third day, I woke up with my
room much colder. In fact,
I desisted from opening the
bedroom window. On my way
to the chapel, looking out the
corridor windows, I saw that it
was snowing. But it wasnt the
snowfall of anyones dreams,
unless one refers to a nightmare.
Its not one of those that end
up in a soft white mound from
which one would make a jolly
Frosty, the Snowman. Instead,
this was a swirling confusion
that looked like it was belched
by the gray, angry-looking clouds
above. Or the leavings of a
tepid, indecisive winter that
was rushing to the bathroom
on its way out but didnt quite
make it. What ended up on the
red concrete was messy slush,

the perfect representation of

everything that was outside that
morning: cold, wet, and gloomy.
How different it is inside, I
thought, as I entered the chapel.
The low, curved ceiling that
smoothly made its way down
and eventually became the wall,
made one feel like one was in
a catacomb but a warm and
pleasant one.The warmth came
mainly from the very efficient
heating system, of course, yet
I felt there was more to that
here. It was definitely not a cozy
place, as no place of worship
should be, and the heavy, brown,
wooden benches, made less
austere only by the thin, green
seat and kneeling cushions,
were there to tell you that. But
one immediately felt that in this
place ones soul could rest. It was
a place like home.
The general color of the whole
chapel was off-white and beige,
brought about by the clean
walls, ceiling, and floor made
of marble, and white-painted
cement. But what could have
been very drab walls was given
life by a charming salmon and
sea-green, ginkgo-leaf pattern.
From the ceiling hung two
gigantic bronze chandeliers with
yellow LED lights ensconced in
transparent sea-green diffusers.
H o w e v e r, e v e n a t t h e
threshold of the heavy, oaken
door, ones eyes were invariably
riveted to the sanctuary, as if
by necessity. One had to be
unconscious for ones attention
not to be immediately caught
by the spectacular and massive
gold-leafed reredos. Scenes
from the life the Blessed Virgin
were woven, as it were, into
this wooden tapestryof red,
blue, and gold with elegant
splashes of green. Exquisitely
integratingthem into a whole
was the imposing figure of Our
Lady, Seat of Wisdom, in the
middle. And right below the
painting, was the real focal
point of the chapel: a golden
tabernacle lined across the
middle with semi-precious
stones, holding within it the
Lord of Heaven and Earth. This
was the hearth of this home.
The sheer beauty of this small
church reminded me once
more what a beautiful home the
Church is. As a cradle Catholic,

I realized, my good fortune has

been that not only have I had
a home which I never left, but
also that this home has been
(and will continue to be) kept

Church can afford: beauty in

its liturgy, consolation in its
sacraments, certitude of truth
in its doctrine, and the sublime
example and intercession of

that the Church is only to be

enjoyed. Or say with Peter as
he stood still, stupefied by the
beauty of the Transfiguration,
It is good for us to be here. Let

warm by a Flame that neither

burns nor dies out. Moreover,
from my childhood, I have
been surrounded by graces
and benefits that only the

Her saints. All that came

together here.
Yet in such beauty and
warmth, one can very easily stop
there and be satisfied, thinking

us build three tents--and

remain inside. Or, as St. John
Paul II said, to fold in upon
oneself. But Pope Francis has
reminded us that the Church

CNA

By Robert Z. Cortes

is a field hospital. This means

that Church troops--that's
you and I--must go out there
in the messy slush, where it is
cold, wet, and gloomy. Out of
ourselves, that is, to encounter
souls and bring to them the
mercy of Christ.
Where to go, and as what?
Each of us has a specific position
and mission, one designed for
him or her that no one else can
replace: a calling. A professional
is sent to his colleagues and
place of work; the student to
his classmates; Mother Teresa's
Missionary of Charity to the
poorest of the poor; the mother
to her husband and children; the
bishop and priest to their flock;
the politician to his constituents;
the cloistered nun and monk,
in their prayers and work, to
the whole Church. And the
encounter with each soul is not
a matter of converting him
or her, but of being available to
them as Christ was to that blind
man. He asked, What would
you have me do? to suggest
to us that in the Christian
apostolate it is the other person
who matters, not our plans.
So this is the challenge to us
who belong to the Church in
this age of Francis: to show
how much we appreciate the gift
of the Faith given to us by Christ
by being the authentic image
of his mercy to those whom
we encounter. This certainly
needs a lot spiritual calories.
One needs to prepare interiorly
before launching out, otherwise
one falls either into the folly of
activism or the ditch of despair.
The good news is that this is not
impossible to do. Pope Francis
reminds us that these spiritual
calories are nothing but the
mercy we have in our soul, and
to prepare interiorly really
just means that one experience
mercy oneself so that he or she
can give it.
Lent is arguably one of the
best moments to do that. By
going confession or maybe
attending a retreat, one opens
himself or herself to experience
Gods mercy. And although your
eventual divine encounter may
not have the dramatic backdrop
of snow-covered mountains, as
with everything that God does,
it is bound to surprise you.

Minor, B1

awakens in them the realization that

while dangers that befall them may
come from causes external to them-such as the malice of others--they may
come as well from bad habits acquired,
dangerous inclinations carelessly cultivated, deleterious and unhelpful company forged and kept.
Clerical Abuse
In an address to the International
Catholic Church Bureau, made available to the public in its entirety by Vatican Radio, Pope Francis articulated the
sentiments of the Church on the sad
fact of abuses committed by members
of the clergy.
I feel compelled to personally take
on all the evil which some priests, quite
a few in number, obviously not compared to the number of all the priests,
to personally ask for forgiveness for
the damage they have done for having
sexually abused children. The Church
is aware of this damage, it is personal,
moral damage carried out by men of
the Church, and we will not take one
step backward with regards to how
we will deal with this problem, and
the sanctions that must be imposed.
On the contrary, we have to be even
stronger. Because you cannot interfere
with children[7]
Clearly, the victims of abusive members of the clergy need all the compassion, the solicitude and the care of all
of us in the Church. Molestation and
exploitation by members of the clergy
has done them so grievous a wrong.
The local church in the Philippines
will solicitously attend to the needs
of victims of clerical abuse, and it has
done so already in many ways. More
needs to be done by way, particularly,
of institutionalizing the assistance given
victimized children.
On July 7, 2014, Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist with some victims
of clerical abuse in the chapel of the
Domus Sanctae Marthae. There, he uttered what we, your bishops, now echo:
Sins of clerical sexual abuse against
minors have a toxic effect on faith
and hope in God. Some of you have
held fast to faith, while for others the
experience of betrayal and abandonment has led to a weakening of faith

in God. Your presence here speaks of

the miracle of hope, which prevails
against the deepest darkness. Surely
it is a sign of Gods mercy that today
we have this opportunity to encounter
one another, to adore God, to look in
one anothers eyes and seek the grace
of reconciliation.[8]
As to the relationand the differencebetween civil and canonical
procedures in dealing with allegations
of child abuse, the Holy See, in a letter
to the Government of the Republic of
Ireland, explained:
The sexual abuse of children is a
crime. It is a crime in civil law; it is
a crime in canon law. Sexual abuse
perpetrated by clerics has two distinct
aspects. The first is concerned with
the civil and criminal responsibility of
individuals, and this, being a matter
for the civil authorities, is regulated by
the laws of the State where the crime is
committed. As has already been stated,
all citizens, including members of the
Church, are subject and accountable to
these laws. It is the States responsibility to legislate in order to protect the
common good and adopt measures to
deal effectively with those who infringe
its laws. The State has the duty to investigate allegations of crime, to ensure
due process and the presumption of
innocence until guilt is proven and
to punish wrongdoers, without favor
or distinction, in accordance with the
principles of justice and equity.
The second aspect is religious in
nature and as such comes under the
internal responsibility of the Church,
which, in this regard, applies her own
legal or canonical system. Divine laws
are binding on all, and positive ecclesiastical laws are binding on all those
who were baptized in the Catholic
Church or received into it, and who have
a sufficient use of reason and, unless the
law expressly provides otherwise, who
have completed their seventh year of age
(Code of Canon Law, canon 11). It is
evident that the Church, in accordance
with her own nature and internal
organization, has the duty to punish
wrongdoers for the grave and grievous
damage done to the community of the
Church. With regard to those areas of
responsibility for which the Church

has competence, her canonical system

stipulates the norms, procedures and
penalties which the relevant Church
authority is to apply, without interference from any outside body. When
cases arise of child sexual abuse committed by clerics or by religious or lay
people who function in ecclesiastical
structures, Church authorities are to
cooperate with those of the State, and
are not to impede the legitimate path
of civil justice.[9]
We cannot pass over in silence,
however, the theme of forgiveness for
priests who have erred. They should
never be allowed to molest children
again, they must not be given the
chance and the opportunity to do so,
and they must do what the law exacts
of them. But they cannot be excluded
from the mercy of which the Church
is the sign and the sacrament for
all. Christ calls his priests in the full
knowledge of their frailties. He has
not called angels to minister to men
and women; he has, instead, called
men apart, weighed down by their
own infirmities, to attend to others
who, like themselves, are wounded by
sin. Of pardon, the famous French
religious philosopher, Paul Ricoeur,
has very instructive insights:
Pardon is a kind of healing of memory, the end of mourning. Delivered
from the weight of debts, memory is
freed for greater projects. Pardon gives
memory a futureAs the horizon of
the sequence sanction-rehabilitationpardon, pardon constitutes a permanent reminder that justice is the justice
of human beings and that it must not
set itself up as the final judgment.[10]
We come full circle then when
the indictment of the offender, the
appropriate action against him, the
atonement and the satisfaction lead to
the healing both of a wounded child,
a wounded church and a wounded
offender!
But the Church has also been unjustly wronged, for the faults of a few
have cast a pall of suspicion on the
many who remain true to the promises
of their Ordination and zealous in the
ministry. Priests have been unjustly
slurred as predators in a most unjust
form of generalization. What is so

often conveniently forgotten is the fact

that, throughout history and throughout the world, among the foremost
defenders of children and advocates of
their rights have been priests. They too
have led in the field of the education
and the schooling of children and of
the young.

token number of catechists handling

big classes, one day a week!
Finally, we have failed to include
children in the life of the Church. Our
parish activities are for adults and so
are our liturgies!
After the foregoing reflections, we
must be resolute about what to do.

Our Sins of Commission and Omission

In recognizing the sin, we discern,
in docility to the Spirit, how we are
to make amends and do better in the
future.
At the top of the list of sins of commission are crimes of sexual abuse and
molestation in various forms and degrees. Among these, we must include
different forms of sexual harassment
that include coarse, indecent and offensive language that create a hostile
environment for the child.
As grievous is the cruelty that takes
the form of physical and psychological
abuse.While some would have us draw
a distinction between acts of physical
violence that inflict serious harm from
those that do not, there is no justification for an ordained minister ever to
lay his hands abusively on a child nor
is there ever really a reason to hurt a
childs feelings by harsh, unkind and
unpriestly words!
Then, there are also those children
we exploit in different forms of work
situations, especially when we have
among our convent boys and sacristans or altar servers, children who
labor long and difficult hours at our
service and are paid a pittance if any
at all, badly nourished and ill-clothed.
Among our sins of omission we must
count as most serious, failing to pay
heed to complaints of abusive conduct
by members of the clergy, and our failure to act decisively against the errant
and protectively towards their victims.
Equally serious has been the practice of
many to deny the sacraments, including the Sacraments of Initiation, to
those children who, through no fault
of theirs, are born to irregular if not
immoral unions.
We have also lagged in sustained
efforts at the proper Catholic education of children, especially in public
schools, usually resting content with a

Pastoral Guidelines and Norms:

1. The current canonical and disciplinary provisions both for the
universal church and for the church
in the Philippines remain in place and
demand strictest compliance. Bishops
will not pre-empt investigations by
declaring innocence or pronouncing
exoneration until after a thorough, impartial and credible evaluation of facts
as established by competent evidence.
2. No priest who is under preliminary investigation by the authorities
of State for offenses having to do with
child abuse, such as sexual harassment,
the violation of Republic Act No. 7610
and other crimes either punished by
the Revised Penal Code or defined
and penalized by special laws shall
be allowed to leave the diocese. The
bishop, rather, shall take him under his
supervision in the bishops residence
to guarantee his availability for the
process of investigation. The same
rule applies in respect to priests already
facing trial. The dioceses will respect
the decision of the parents, relatives
or relevant state agencies whether to
prosecute or not before the organs and
institutions of State, but bishops are
not excused from communicating the
case to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith when their dioceses
or religious institutes come, through
established canonical processes, into
possession of reliable information on
clerical misconduct of this kind.
3. Child-victims of clerical abuse
are to be attended to, the bishop seeing to the medical, psychological and
spiritual care that they need. Claims
for financial assistance, damages or
indemnity should await the proper
disposition of the courts. Both for the
protection of the child-victim and the
good name of the priest whose guilt
has not yet been established, access to
Minor, B7

CBCP Monitor

STATEMENTS B5

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

Truth with Love and Mercy

to two important moral precepts: First,
there may be circumstances that invite a
re-evaluation of the judgment on artificial means of contraception; second, the
prodding of conscience should always
be heeded, as long as every effort is made
to form conscience properly.
These positions are not in any way
new. They have always formed part of
Catholic moral theology and belong to
the treasury of the Churchs heritage in
health-care ethics.
Once more, the Pope has shown his
sensitivity to complex human situations,
allowed the world see the merciful face
of the Churchthe sacrament of a
Merciful Lordas he has remained
the faithful steward of the message of
the Gospel.
From the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, February 20,
2016
+ SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
CBCP President

CNA

POPE Francis is reported to have given

a press conference while en route to
Rome after his historical trip to Cuba
and to Mexico. He was apprised of
the Zika virus and the possibility that
pregnant women afflicted by the disease
would seek abortion.
The Holy Father was very clear and
uncompromising about the evil of abortion. And we, your bishops, reiterate
Church teaching: No matter that the
child in the womb may be afflicted with
some infirmity or deformity, it can never
be moral to bring a deliberate end to
human life. It is never for us to judge
who should live or die!
He then proffered the view that the
evil of contraception was not of the
same magnitude as the evil of abortion.
Clearly, this was sound moral reasoning.
The evil of stealing a few pesos cannot be
compared with the evil of plunder. The
Pope was in no way changing church
teaching on the unacceptability of artificial means of contraception.
He however usefully called attention

Aboard the Papal Plane - January 15, 2015: Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the papal flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines on Jan. 15, 2015.

Message of sympathy
WE have been informed that six policemen were killed in an encounter with
members of the New Peoples Army.
More were wounded, some needing
surgery. We, your bishops, are deeply
saddened and we extend to the bereaved
families of our departed brothersall of
whom were Police Officers 1, hence new
recruits into the police forceas well as
to the anxious members of the families
of the wounded our assurances of prayer
and solidarity in this dark hour.
The Sufferings of the Innocent
It is part of the information furnished
us that the attacks were preceded by acts
of destruction by which the New Peoples
Army burned heavy equipment owned
by a contractor engaged by the National

Irrigation Administration. Obviously,

apart from the moral evil of willfully
destroying property is the injury visited
on farmers who would otherwise benefit
from the irrigation projects.
Our fallen policemen gave their lives
in defense of our democratic way of
life. We reprove strongly the posturing
of a group that holds itself out as the
defender of peoples rights but has no
compunctions about what are essentially
acts of pillage, brigandage, extortion and
murder.
Peace Based on Justice
If negotiations and attempts at settlement are to prosper they must rest on
the commitment on the side of the
Government of the Philippines as well

as the NDF-CPP-NPA to respect fundamental human rights and the clearly

expressed option of our people to enjoy
constitutional freedoms, including the
freedom of religion.
Prayer
May eternal light shine on our departed brothers, and may their families
find consolation in the promise of the
Resurrection, and also in the thought
that their kin died for a noble cause.
For the Catholic Bishops Conference
of the Philippines, February 17, 2016
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan
President, CBCP

Mexico, B3

person who looks to us in their

search for God. We must guard
against becoming impervious
to such gazes but rather gather
them to our hearts and guard
them.
Only a Church able to shelter
the faces of men and women who
knock on her doors will be able
to speak to them of God. If we
do not know how to decipher
their sufferings, if we do not
come to understand their needs,
then we can offer them nothing.
The richness we have flows only
when we encounter the smallness of those who beg and this
encounter occurs precisely in
our hearts, the hearts of Pastors.
And the first face I ask you
to guard in your hearts is that
of your priests. Do not leave
them exposed to loneliness and
abandonment, easy prey to a
worldliness that devours the
heart. Be attentive and learn
how to read their expressions
so as to rejoice with them when
they feel the joy of recounting all
that they have done and taught
(Mk 6:30). Also, do not step
back when they feel humiliated
and can only cry because they
have denied the Lord (cf. Lk
22:61-62), and, why not also offer your support, in communion
with Christ, when one of them,
already disheartened, goes out
with Judas into the night (cf.
Jn 13:30). As bishops in these
situations, your paternal care for
your priests must never be found
wanting. Encourage communion
among them; seek the perfection of their gifts; involve them
in great ventures, for the heart
of an apostle was not made for
small things.
The need for familiarity abides
in the heart of God. Our Lady
of Guadalupe therefore asks for
a casita sagrada, a small holy
home. Our Latin American
populations know well the diminutive forms of expression
acasita sagradaand use them
willingly. Perhaps they need to
use the diminutive forms because
they would feel lost otherwise.
They have adapted themselves
to feeling small and have grown
accustomed to living modestly.
When the Church congregates
in a majestic Cathedral, she
should not fail to see herself as a
small home in which her children can feel comfortable. We
remain in Gods presence only
when we are little ones, orphans
and beggars. The actors in the
history of salvation are beggars.
A small home, casita, is
familiar and at the same time

holy, sagrada, for it is filled

by Gods omnipotent greatness.
We are guardians of this mystery.
Perhaps we have lost the sense of
the humble ways of the divine
and are tired of offering our own
men and women the casita in
which they feel close to God.
On occasion, a disregard for the
sense of omnipotent greatness
has led to a partial loss of reverential fear towards such great
love. Where God lives, man cannot enter without being invited
in and he can only enter taking
off his shoes (cf. Ex 3:5), so as to
confess his unworthiness.
Our having forgotten this
taking off our shoes in order to
enter: is this perhaps not the root
cause of that lost sense of the
sacredness of human life, of the
person, of fundamental values, of
the wisdom accumulated along
the centuries, and of respect for
the environment? Without rescuing within the consciences of
men and women and of society
these profound roots and the
generous efforts to promote legitimate human rights, the vital
sap will be lacking; and it is a sap
that comes only from a source
which humanity itself cannot
procure. And, always without
eyes on Mary, I conclude with a

Christs Church. You have been

entrusted with the mission of
enrobing the Mexican nation
with Gods fruitfulness. No part
of this ribbon can be despised.
The Mexican episcopate has
made significant strides in these
years since the Council; it has
increased its members; it has
promoted permanent formation
which is consistent and professional; there has been a fraternal
atmosphere; the spirit of collegiality has matured; the pastoral
efforts have had an influence on
your local Churches and on the
conscience of the nation; the
shared pastoral initiatives have
been fruitful in vital areas of
the Churchs mission, such as
the family, vocations, and the
Churchs presence in society.
While we are encouraged by
the path taken during these
years, I would ask you not to
lose heart in the face of difficulties and not to spare any
effort in promoting, among
yourselves and in your dioceses,
a missionary zeal, especially
towards the most needy areas
of the one body of the Mexican
Church. To rediscover that the
Churchismissionis fundamental for her future, because only
the enthusiasm and confident

seeking the truth.

The mission is vast, and to
carry it forward requires multiple
paths. I strongly reiterate my
appeal to you to preserve the
communion and unity that exist among you. This is essential,
brothers. These words are not in
my text but come spontaneously:
If you must argue, argue; if you
have to say things, say them; but
say them as men, face to face,
and as men of God who then go
to pray together and discern together. And if you have gone too
far, then ask for forgiveness, but
always maintain the unity of the
episcopal body: communion and
unity among yourselves. Communion is the essential form of
the Church, and the unity of her
Pastors offers proof of its truth.
Mexico and its vast, multifaceted
Church, stand in need of bishops
who are servants and custodians
of that unity built on the Word
of God, nourished by his Body
and guided by his Spirit who
is the life-giving breath of the
Church.
We do not need princes,
but rather a community of the
Lords witnesses. Christ is the
only light; he is the well-spring
of living water; from his breath
comes forth the Spirit, who fills

National Consultation on
Pastoral Responses to the XIV
Ordinary General Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops
Post-Synodal Conference on the Family
Bacolod City, 15-19 February 2016
Resolution
HEAVENLY Father, in the spirit of the Year of the Eucharist and Family and the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, we
thank you for gathering us (252 men and women, couples
and consecrated, priests and bishops), to discern the signs
of the times1 and to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the
Church2 in the Philippines with regard to our families, the first
school of humanity and, for most of us, missionary disciples3
of the Eucharist.
Responding to the results of the Synods on the Family,
we commit:
to walk the path of pastoral accompaniment that is
founded on truth and charity, proceeds with discernment and
discretion, and seeks integration and full participation in the
life of Christ and his Church;4 and,
to build pastoral networks that will equip all those you
call to promote your will for marriage and family5 so that we
may bring the Gospel of the Family to all levels of society and
of the Church, especially those in the existential peripheries.6
Invoking the intercession of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary
and Joseph, and looking up to them as the model of every
human family vulnerable and wounded yet called to become
healers, broken yet called to mercy and reconciliation we
make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium
et spes, n. 4.
2 Revelation 3:13.
3 Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, n. 24.
4 XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Relatio finalis,
nn. 69-86.
5 Mark 10:1-32; St. John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio,
nn. 11-16.
6 Evangelii gaudium, n. 20.

verdant pastures and crystal

clear streams. She does not
trust those companions of the
Bridegroom who, sometimes
out of laziness or inability, lead
the sheep through arid lands
and areas strewn with rocks.
Woe to us pastors, companions
of the Supreme Pastor, if we allow his Bride to wander because
we have set up tents where the

I ask you to witness together that the Church is the custodian of a

unifying vision of humanity and that she cannot consent to being
reduced to a mere human resource.
final thought:
A holistic and unified vision
Only by looking at la Morenitacan Mexico be understood
in its entirety. And so I invite you
to appreciate that the mission,
which the Church today entrusts
to you, demands, and has always
done so, a vision embracing the
whole. This cannot be realized in

admiration of evangelizers has

the power to attract. I ask you,
therefore, to take great care in
forming and preparing the layfaithful, overcoming all forms of
clericalism and involving them
actively in the mission of the
Church, above all making the
Gospel of Christ present in the
world by personal witness.
Of great benefit to the Mexi-

the sails of the ecclesial barque.

In the glorified Christ, whom
the people of this country love to
honor as King, may you together
kindle and be filled by the light
of his presence which is never
extinguished; breathe deeply the
wholesome air of his Spirit. It
falls to you to sow Christ in this
land, to keep alive his humble
light which enlightens without

Bridegroom cannot be found!

Allow me a final word to
convey the appreciation of the
Pope for everything you are
doing to confront the challenge
of our age: migration. There are
millions of sons and daughters
of the Church who today live
in the diaspora or who are in
transit, journeying to the north
in search of new opportunities.

We do not need princes, but rather a community of the

Lords witnesses. Christ is the only light; he is the well-spring
of living water
an isolated manner, but only in
communion.
La Guadalupana has a ribbon around her waist which
proclaims her fecundity. She is
the Blessed Virgin who already
has in her womb the Son awaited
by men and women. She is the
Mother who already carries the
humanity of a newborn world.
She is the Bride who prefigures
the maternal fruitfulness of

can people will be the unifying

witness of the Christian synthesis
and the shared vision of the identity and future of its people. In
this sense, it is important for the
Pontifical University of Mexico
to be increasingly involved in
the efforts of the Church to
ensure a universal perspective;
for without this, reason, which
tends to compartmentalize, will
renounce its highest ideal of

causing confusion, to ensure that

in his living waters the thirst of
your people is quenched; to set
the sails so that the Spirits breeze
may fill them, never allowing the
barque of the Church in Mexico
to run aground.
Remember: the Bride, the
Bride of each of you, the Mother
Church, knows that the beloved
Pastor (cf. Song 1:7) will be
found only where there are

Many of them have left behind

their roots in order to brave the
future, even in clandestine conditions which involve so many
risks; they do this to seek the
green light which they regard
as hope. So many families are
separated; and integration into a
supposed promised land is not
always as easy as some believe.
Brothers, may your hearts be
capable of following these men

and women and reaching them

beyond the borders. Strengthen the communion with your
brothers of the North American
episcopate, so that the maternal
presence of the Church can
keep alive the roots of the faith,
the faith of that people, and the
motivation for their hope and
the power of their charity. May
it never happen to them, that,
hanging up their lyres, their
joys become dampened, they
forget Jerusalem and are exiled
from themselves (cf. Ps 136). I
ask you to witness together that
the Church is the custodian of
a unifying vision of humanity
and that she cannot consent to
being reduced to a mere human
resource.
Your efforts will not be in vain
when your dioceses show care by
pouring balm on the injured feet
of those who walk through your
territories, sharing with them
the resources collected through
the sacrifices of many; the divine
Samaritan in the end will enrich
the person who is not indifferent
to him as he lies on the side of
the road (cf. Lk 10:25-37).
Dear brothers, the Pope is
sure that Mexico and its Church
will make it in time to that rendezvous with themselves, with
history and with God. Perhaps
some stone on the way may
slow their pace and the struggle
of the journey may call for rest,
but nothing will make them lose
sight of the destination. For how
can someone arrive late when it
is their mother who is waiting?
Who is unable to hear within
themselves that voice, am I not
here, I who am your Mother?
Thank you.

B6 REFLECTIONS

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

CBCP Monitor

The call to conversion and fruitfulness

3rd Sunday of Lent (C), Lk 13:1-9; February 28, 2016

FIG trees planted in vineyards receive

preferential treatment--well-tilled soil,
good manure, protection from vandals
and animals. If for one year they do not
bear fruit, they are without excuse. The
decision of the owner of the vineyard
in todays Gospel passage to have the
barren fig tree cut down is more than
justified. Its poor performance over
three years had definitely been very
disappointing. (See Lk 13:7.)
But barrenness is not a defect that
can be found only in trees. It can also
be found in people. Spiritual and
moral barrenness means the absence
of those dispositions and actions
which God has a right to expect from
us. In spite of the much care and love
we have received from Him, our response is often disappointing.
In most cases, it is not a matter of
laziness. We are very active. We do
many things. We may even give the
impression that we are achieving a lot
. . . . Many of our actions, however,
are just like pompous leaves which
suck most of our vital energies. We
are constantly in danger of forgetting

Henryk Siemiradzki

By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB

that what matters is not how many

things we do, but rather, WHAT we
do, HOW and WHY we do it. We
are expected to bear fruits of holiness
by doing our duty to the best of our

ability and out of love for God and

neighbor.
The Lord, God of course, is usually
patient. But His patience should not be
taken to mean that He is either indif-

ferent to what we do, or that He has

become unable to check our misbehavior. It simply means that, in His love,
and thanks to the intercession of Jesus,
He gives us another chance. But a day

will come when we will have to account

even for these additional signs of love.
These are days of grace in the Jubilee
Year of Mercy. They are also days for an
honest evaluation of our performance
in the light of Gods patience and generosity, as well as of His expectation.
If we discover that our life is so full of
leaves but lacks the fruits of piety,
gratitude, honesty, generosity, purity,
sense of responsibility, faith, hope,
love . . . we have only one thing to do:
UNDERGO CONVERSION and
REFORM. In the first part of todays
Gospel, Jesus uses the word repent
twice, not only as an exhortation but
also as a warning, for no one should
abuse Gods mercy and patience with
impunity. (See vv. 3 and 5.)
But he does more than just exhort
and warn us. He also intercedes for us
with the Father, and offers us his help
that we may become fruitful trees.
His teaching, his example, and his grace
will produce the miracle, if only we
allow him to work in us and cooperate
with him.
This might be our last chance to finally start producing the long-awaited
fruits which will delight our divine
Master.

The merciful Father, always

ready to welcome us back
4th Sunday of Lent (C), Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
March 6, 2016
THE young man had reached
a dead end a situation of humiliation he never thought he
would find himself in. Ending
up as a guardian of pigs was
surely the last thing he could
have envisioned on the day he
left the house of his father with
an unquenchable yearning for
freedom and happiness.
That was a long time ago!
Gone were the days when he
had found himself surrounded
by swarms of friends, cheering
noisily at his prodigality. For
a time, he really thought that
money and friends would have
lasted for ever, and that they
would have made him happy . .
. . Then, gradually he had come
to realize how dear (expensive!)
friends can become, and how
selfish their closeness can be.
When there is nothing more to
be sucked, they vanish into the
nothingness from which they
had unexpectedly emerged in the
days of abundance . . . .
Betrayed, cheated, humiliated, abandoned by all and
disgusted with himself, the
young man was on the verge of
despair. But the compassion-

ate and merciful figure of his

father and the thought of the
tranquil atmosphere of his home
dawned on his mind. That was
like the piercing of rays of light
through thick, dark clouds .
He realized that there could still
be hope for him.
The young man rose and staggered homeward, famished and
covered with tattered rags, at
times running, at times crawling . . . sometimes hesitating,
gripped by the fear that he might
be rejected as he had rejected his
father the day he had left home.
Many of those he met on the
road sneered at him or shouted
to his face what a fool he was if he
imagined that his father would
still take him back . . . .
But every time, hope had prevailed, and he had kept inching
his way homeward, till he finally
experienced the fondest and
most sincere embrace in his life.
He was back home, happy in
his fathers arms. He was there
to stay, and not as a servant but
as a son. The bondage of a life of
sin, alienation, shame, and fear
was over!
There may be a good deal of
the prodigal son in each one of
us. Often victims of our own unwisdom, ambitions and pride,

we may have found ourselves

broke and without friends, rejected by all (after having been
exploited by all), a shadow of
what we used to be, tempted to
conclude that we had reached a
point of no return . But there
is always hope, for as long as
there is a merciful Father waiting for our return and eager to
embrace us.
Todays parable should remind us that the Father is
always ready to embrace us
with love. For his part, our Kuya
Jesus unlike the elder son in the
parable, does not feel jealous or
grumble. Actually, he is the one
who volunteers to look for us to
make us come to our senses,
break the chains of the enslavement to sin, and lead us back
home--back to Him where we
belong.
With Jesus by our side, all
temptation to lose courage and
all fear to be rejected by the Father should vanish. In fact, is
it possible that He who did not
spare His own Son, but handed
him over for the sake of us all,
will not grant us all things besides (Rom 8:32). Certainly
not! He will surely and gladly
welcome us back as His beloved
children.

Bo Sanchez

SOULFOOD

Bishop Pat Alo

ENCOUNTERS

Specify what you want

Luca Rossetti da Orta

The Lord is kind and merciful

(Ps. 103: 8)

GODS extraordinary mercy continues to

haunt His lost and wayward children who
clamor for more assurance that they are not
alone in lifes darkness, amidst the trials and
battles for justice, respect and equality. Yet
God remains the Forgiving and Compassion-

Lambert Lombard

By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB

ate Father patiently awaiting the return of the

Prodigal Son.
Gods face is the face of a merciful father
who is always patient. That is his mercy. He
always has patience with us, He understands
Encounter, B7

I LOVE talking to kids. Especially tiny ones.

When I ask kids age 3, 4, or 5,
What do you want to be when
you grow up? the most common
answer I get is, I dont know.
Which is understandable. Theyre
still figuring out what they want
in life. (But I keep asking this
question anyway to help them
start envisioning their future.)
But when I ask adults in their
30s, 40s and 50s what they want
in life, the most common answer
I get is still, I dont know.
Half of their life is over and
they still dont know what they
want.
Heres the problem: If you want
nothing, you get nothing.
Oftentimes, when I ask single
women what they want, the
answer is, To get married! Ive
met many single women whos
simple prayer is, Lord, give me
a husband.
So I ask them, Any husband?
Isnt that too general? And with a
laugh, they answer, Yes, Bo. Im
desperate. Any husband will do.
And thats what they get: Any
husband.
Which is pretty dangerous if
you ask me.
You Get What You Settle For
One the craziest e-mails Ive

ever received was from a single

woman who wrote, Brother Bo,
I caught my boyfriend cheating
on me twice with another girl.
What should I do? Should I
break up with him? But the thing
is, hes really a good person.
I wrote back, But he was unfaithful to you twice!
In another e-mail, a single
woman asked me, Brother Bo,
my boyfriend is a drunkard.
When he gets drunk, he gets
violent and beats me up. What
should I do? Because when hes
not drunk, hes a really good
person.
For some people, Good
means someone who doesnt kill
you with a butcher knife.
When you pray for a spouse,
dont just ask for a good husband or a good wife. Because
good can mean so many things.
Be specific!
Say, I want a husband who
is faithful. A husband who is
responsible. A husband who
is financially stable. A husband
who is free from addictions and
alcoholism
I can hear you now: But Bo,
youve just scratched off 99% of
the men I know!
Then that simply means youre
hanging out with the wrong
crowd.

Heres my message: Dont settle!

Because you get what you settle
for. (I discuss this more fully in
my new book which will come
out this February, How To Avoid
Jerks And Jerkettes.)
How Much Do You Want?
Hey, I found that this works
with money as well.
Heres my belief: God has
programmed His entire creation
to give us what we clearly and
specifically ask for.
So if you ask, Give me money, Gods creation will be asking,
How much?
The universe could deliver to
you 25 centavos or P25 Million.
Both are money. So be specific.
Each year, I write down a financial
goal. In fact, I know how much Ill
be earning every single year for the
next 20 years. I pray for it every day.
From my experience, Gods
universe responds to someone
who passionately knows what he
wants and wants it with specificity. Dont ask in ignorance. Ask
with knowledge.
Know what you want.
Define it.
Be specific.
And dont settle.
Many people ask for nothing.
And consequently, they end up
getting it.

CBCP Monitor

SOCIAL CONCERNS B7

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

The

By Fr. Shay Cullen, MSSC

SPOTLIGHT

on crimes against children

PREDA

THERE is a time when the truth has to

be revealed, when the secrecy of crimes
can no longer be contained, denied,
and when the guilty must be held to
account. History shows that secrecy and
cover-up keep that day of reckoning at
bay, but one day the truth will come out.
That is the story of Spotlight, a film
about the Spotlight team of investigative
reporters at the Boston Globe newspaper that exposed the sex crimes against
children by priests and the Church
cover-up of the crimes.
It is an award-winning film that will
shine in the Oscars this year for the
pure strength of its powerful and honest
story-telling of a most painful subject in
the Catholic Church.
This truth-telling film has won
the prestigious and coveted Catholic
SIGNIS Jury Prize of the Venice Film
Festival. Vatican Radio said that in
this film the Globe reporters made
themselves examples of their most
pure vocation, that of finding the
facts, verifying sources, and making
themselvesfor the good of the community and of a citypaladins of the
need for justice.
The film reveals that when the secret
cover-up of crimes against children by
the powerful leaders of the institutional
Church in Boston, US where as many
as 90 members of the Boston clergy
were involved, the powerful citizens
and Archbishop Law tried to stop the
investigating journalists from pursuing
the truth. They failed.
The subsequent media revelations
shocked the world because of the extent
of the cover-up and the stories opened
the flood gates of protests and complaints against the clergy.
The number of offending priests eventually reached a total of 159, according
to Bostons Cardinal OMalley who in
2011 made a complete list public.
Similar revelations had come to light
in the early 1990s in Canada, Australia, Ireland, UK, and Germany. It has
not yet broken out in the Philippines
as cover-up is the practice and private
cash settlements are common in secular
society and in church circles.
The Globe had its own guilt, admitted
to in the film. Years previously, writers and editors of the Globe had been
informed many times by victims and
their family of the child sexual abuse
by priests and had buried the stories or
ignored them. The Spotlight investigative team continued despite harassment
and threats. Only one lawyer had the
courage to take up the cases of the
victims, Mitchell Garabedian, played
by Stanley Tucci.
The Boston Globe courageously published 13 reports about the crimes and
their cover-up from June to December
2002 culminating in the resignation of
Cardinal Law as Archbishop of Boston
on Dec. 14, 2002. He who now lives

in Rome.
Catholic Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean OMalley said, The Spotlight film depicts a very painful time in
the history of the Catholic Church in
the United States and particularly here
in the Archdiocese of Boston.
The medias investigative reporting
on the abuse crisis instigated a call for
the Church to take responsibility for
its failings and to reform itselfto deal
with what was shameful and hidden
and to make the commitment to put
the protection of children first, ahead
of all other interests.
We have asked for and continue
to ask for forgiveness from all those
harmed by the crimes of the abuse of
minors.
The love of power and prestige by
some church leaders of the institutional
church and their loss of faith and practice in the message of Jesus of Nazareth
in Matthew 18: 1-8 led to the spread
of this obnoxious and toxic sex crimes
against children by those sworn and
entrusted to protect and help them. The
offenders ignored the words of Jesus of
Nazareth.
When asked by the Jewish leaders and
elders of his day who were the most important, Jesus shocked them by placing
a child in front of them. A child had no
rights or standing in society at the time.
He told them bluntly unless they
became as innocent as the child, they
cannot enter Gods Kingdom and
whoever accepts a child accepts me,
he said. And he added that whoever
abuses a child should have a millstone
tied around his neck and be drowned
in the deepest ocean. He made enemies
that day.
Jesus equates himself with the innocent child and abusing a child is to abuse
Him. That is what is so outrageous and
obnoxious, the hurt and pain inflicted
on the child and the sacrilegious blasphemy of the crime.
We need to have a dedication and
commitment to protecting and healing
child abuse victims, reporting abuse,
and taking a stand for justice for them.
It is always the powerful abusers over the
weak. They need champions; guardians,
and adults must be there for them. No
excuse, no exemption, no cop-out is
acceptable. If we are not against them
we must be for them. That is something
to think about and act upon.
It ought to make us cringe with shame
to think of such terrible child abuse and
to be as angry as Jesus was when he saw
his disciples pushing the children away
from Him. They did not accept His
words either.
What we Christians need is a righteous
Godly anger at the criminal betrayal
of all that is pure and beautiful in the
world: childhood. Our faith is primarily
rooted in the words and practice of Jesus
Christ and embedded in our conscience
to decide what is right and what stand
to take. It can only be one thing: justice
for the child victims.

Minor, B4

complaints, depositions, declarations and other documents in

canonical proceedings whether administrative or judicial is
limited to the parties and to
their advocates or counsel as
well as to the church officials
tasked with the investigation
and disposition of the case. Records of proceedings before the
organs of State remain subject
to the provisions of the laws of
the Republic and the relevant
administrative rules.
4. The pendency of criminal
action against a priest shall
not prejudice appropriate canonical processes against him.
Exoneration before the organs
and agencies of State does
not dispense the bishop from
conducting a thorough investigation of allegations and,
either through administrative or
judicial proceedings, meting out
the appropriate penalty, when
warranted on the erring priest.
In like manner, a resolution or
judgment of civil forums dismissing or acquitting a member
of the clergy shall not preclude
a complementary and separate
investigation through the ap-

propriate ecclesiastical forum

for the purposes of addressing
church discipline, undertaken
with full canonical respect for
the office and the rights that a
priest may enjoy. At the same
time, the bishop shall see that
the priest receives appropriate
spiritual guidance and that he
receives the benefit of legal representation and counsel.
5. In no case should an attempt be made to settle amicably or by compromise criminal
cases involving child abuse filed
against priests. On the other
hand, if after prudent and diligent inquiry, the bishop is convinced, having obtained counsel
from both civil and canon law
experts, that the charges against
a priest are spurious or maliciously trumped up, the bishop
should do everything allowed
by law for the protection of the
good name of the priest.
6. The prohibitions found in
Republic Act No. 7610 apply
to priests as well and to children in their conventos or
rectories or residences. Only
adults should be employed
as kasambahays, laborers and

handypersons in parishes and

rectories. Children whose
schooling is paid for by priests
should not live in the rectories
and residences of priests, nor
should their priest-benefactors
require of them their company
except when there are other
adults with them. Bishops
are therefore encouraged to
include, among the items of
their pastoral visit, a personnel
audit to determine whether or
not a priest has any children in
his employ and if any live with
him in his residence.
7. Children in all Catholic
schools are to be given express
and adequate instruction by
properly trained and oriented
teachers on what behavior to
accept from adults and what to
reject. They should be taught
the ways of courtesy and respect, but they should also be
instructed on how to reject and
thwart inappropriate advances.
We however reprove in the
strongest possible terms that
kind of orientation that results
in suggesting to children that
they have been victims of abuse,
contrary to fact and to reality.

Corporal, B2

square onto the remaining central square

to complete the process.
If the corporal is brought to the altar
in a burse, this may be placed flat, traditionally on the left of the corporal, away
from the place where the missal rests. But
it may be more conveniently placed on the
right of the corporal, or a server may take
it back to the credence table. When Mass
is celebrated facing the altar, the empty
burse traditionally rests upright against a
candlestick or gradine (altar shelf), to the
left of the corporal.
As our reader says, the presence of the
chalice or ciborium upon the corporal
is not an absolute necessity for validity.
However, it was common in earlier times,
and is not unknown today, that newly

ordained priests will make a general intention regarding the consecration of what is
upon the corporal. The purpose of such a
general intention is to avoid doubts about
what has been consecrated and what has
not; for example, if a sacristan inadvertently
left some hosts upon the altar. Today, given
that often priests have to consecrate several
vessels it is sometimes recommended that
they intend to consecrate whatever has
been placed upon the altar for consecration.
This avoids doubt if the priest forgets to
place a ciborium upon the corporal or it
was hidden behind the missal.
This precautionary intention, however,
does not remove the general law that all
that is brought to the altar for consecration
should be placed upon a corporal.

This is certainly malicious and

unconscionable.
8. In all dioceses, the team
consisting of civil and canon
law experts constituted by the
CBCP to familiarize priests with
the laws and canons that have
to do particularly with behavior and comportment towards
children is to be invited and
to be given ample opportunity,
hindered by none, and enjoying
the full support of the bishop,
to provide priests with useful
instruction.
9. In seminaries and houses
of formation, those who have
engaged in the exploitation of
others or who have physically
abused classmates or juniors
should not be promoted, much
less admitted for candidacy to
Holy Orders.The psychological
tests administered, while not
necessarily binding on priests
in charge of formation, should
nevertheless be given serious
heed, but these tests must themselves be acceptable by scientific
and academic standards. The
CBCP herewith reiterates the
rule that laicized priests or those
suffering from canonical penal-

ties should not be allowed to

participate in the formation of
seminarians.
10. When the apostolate for
children and the involvement of
children in the life of the parish
is planned, parish priests and
parochial vicars will do well to
include children, especially of a
more mature age, to participate
in planning, as well as their parents. In these meetings it will be
most helpful to learn from the
children and from the parents
the treatment of children that
the children and their parents
themselves deem acceptable,
proper and appropriate. While
even the remote opportunity for
abuse and exploitation is to be
shunned, these measures of caution should not diminish in any
manner the ardor of priests for
the solicitude, care and concern
for children.
May Our Lady of Sorrows
who is also Mother Cause of
Our Joy teach us how to care
for Gods children as she loving
cared for Jesus her Son!
For the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines,
January 22, 2016, Cebu City.

Nullity, B2

Encounter, B6

appear in Ius Ecclesiae, 28 [2016]).

us, He waits for us, He does not tire of

forgiving us if we are able to return to
Him with a contrite heart, Pope Francis
said in his first Angelus message last
March, 2013, a few days after his election as pope. Then he urged everyone to
be renewed by Gods mercy and become
agents of His mercy, so that we become
a Church of Mercy.
Even Pope Francis coming to the
Philippines last January 15-19, 2015,
was the journey of a compassionate
shepherd extending his caring presence
to the victim-survivors of Typhoon
Yolanda. In this Holy Year of Mercy,
may each one of us bring life to the
motto to be Merciful like the Father!
This can be done through charitable

2 Paolo Moneta, La dinamica processuale nel M.P. Mitis

Iudex, a paper read at the Study Seminar The Reform
Enacted by the Motu Proprio Mitis Iudex, held in Rome,
30.X.2015 at the Sala Giubileo of LUMSA Universitys
Rome campus, co-organized by LUMSAs Superior
School of Formation in Canon, Ecclesiastical and Vatican
Law and the Consociatio Internationalis Studio Iuris Canonici Promovendo, in www.consociatio.org. Original
Italian text soon to appear in Ius Ecclesiae, 28 (2016);
English translation soon to appear in the Gratianus
Series of Wilson & Lafleur, Montreal.
3 William L. Daniel, An Analysis of Pope Francis 2015
Reform of the General Legislation Governing Causes
of Nullity of Marriage, in The Jurist (2015), p.450.
4 Cf. Consiglio per gli Affari Pubblici della Chiesa,
Novus modus procedendi in causis nullitatis matrimonii
approbatur pro Statibus Foederatis Americae Septentrionalis, 28.IV.1970 (original in English with Latin
translation), in Ignatius Gordon Zenon Grocholewski,
Documenta recentiora circa rem matrimonialem et
processualem, Vol.1, Pontificia Universit Gregoriana, Romae (1977), nn.1380-1428, pp. 242-252.

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
A rc h b i s h o p o f L i n g a ye n Dagupan
CBCP President
[1]Section 3, b, Republic Act No. 7610;
[2]Dr. Romulo A. Virola,Statistics on
Violence Against Women and Children:
A Morally Rejuvenating Philippine Society? National Statistical Coordinating
Board (2008)
[3]Ken Wooden, A Profile of the
Child Molester,http://www.childluresprevention.com/research/profile.asp
[4]Apostolicam Actuositatem,11
[5]Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis,Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Department
of Justice, p. 6
[6]No. 1653, Catechism of the Catholic
Church
[7]http://www.news.va/en/news/popefrancis-on-clerical-sexual-abuse-notone-step
[8] http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2014/documents/
papa-francesco-cotidie_20140707_vittime-abusi.html
[9]Response of the Holy See to
M r. E a m o n G i l m o r e , M i n i s t e r o f
Foreign Affairs and Trade of the
Republic of Ireland on the Cloyne
Report
[10]Paul Ricoeur,The Just,David
Pellauer, Trans. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), pp.
144-145

actions or the works of mercy by which

we assist our needy neighborscorporal wise by feeding, sheltering, visiting
the sick and imprisoned, giving alms,
etc., and spiritually by instructing,
advising, consoling, and comforting,
including peace-building and the
pursuit of good governance and honest elections.
Let us cry out in Psalm 108: Bless
the Lord, my soul, and do not forget
all His kindness; He forgives all your
sins and heals all your sickness (vv.
2-3); as a father has compassion on
his children, so the Lord pities those
who fear him, for He knows how we
are formed, He remembers that we are
dust (vv. 13-14).

B8 ENTERTAINMENT

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

Moral Assessment

CBCP Monitor

Buhay San Miguel

Brothers Matias

Lolo Kiko

Bladimer Usi

Abhorrent

Disturbing
Acceptable
Wholesome

Exemplary
Technical Assessment

Poor
Below average

Average

Above average
E
xcellent

THE film opens with Hugh

Glass (DiCaprio) telling his
half-breed son not to give
up as long as he is breathing.
Through a collage of images,
we see how he loses his wife
and cares for his young son,
Hawk. A few years later, Glass
and a teenage Hawk are part
of team hunting for pelts in
the Louisiana wilderness until
they are ambushed by Native
Americans searching for the
chief s kidnapped daughter.
With only 10 men remaining, the party relies on Glass
expertise and experience to
lead them to safety. However,
when Glass is brutally mauled
by a grizzly bear, the team
captain is forced to leave him
behind in order for them to be
able to safely return to camp.
Hawk, Bridger (Poulter) and
Fitzgerald (Hardy) volunteer to stay behind, care for
Glass and give him a proper
burial when the time comes.
However, Fitzgerald, being
hostile to both father and son,
convinces the injured Glass to
be killed so that the three of
them can move on. When he
smothers Glass, Hawk arrives
thinking his father is being
murdered and tries to call for
help. But Fitzgerald stabs him
to death as Glass watches helplessly. Fitzgerald convinces the
young Bridger that Hawk has
gone missing and they should
leave Glass to die. Glass slowly
recovers from his injuries
and makes a resolve to make
Fitzgerald pay for the murder
of his son.
There is a poetic mix of calm
and brutality in director Iarritus art. He brings out the
core of human struggle with
calm precision that it chokes
you out of your emotions. The
Revenant is divinely genius.
Cinematography is majestic
and intuitive. It combines the
arresting beauty of the Old
World and the dynamism
of the scene in images that
you see and dont see. Sound
design is meticulously laid
out, resulting in a rich dramatization. The storytelling,
although a little longer than
necessary, manages to pierce
through the soul. But the main
success of the movie is DiCaprios Glass. He attacks the

character with so much commitment and intensity so that

every pain, every heartbreak,
and every rage is felt by the audience. But more importantly,
each element, although a stand
out by itself, works cohesively
to tell the story and does not
draw attention to itself. The
Revenant is a movie that will
surely be a classic for film
studies in the future.
The strongest message of
the film is told at the very

THE REVENANT
Direction: Alejandro Iarritu;
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom
Hardt, Will Poulter
Story: Based on The Revenant
by Michael Punke; Screenplay: Mark Smith,
Genre: Epic Drama
Location: 18th Century Louisiana
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 156 minutes.
Technical assessment:

Moral assessment:
CINEMA Rating: V18

beginning: as long as you

can breathe, you fight. This
is mans indomitable spirit to
stay alive. There are several
motivations to do so: self-preservation, protecting a loved
one, seeking justice and rectification and hunger for revenge.
The film took us to all of them,
perhaps one more prominently
that the other. That determination to hang on, the courage to
fight and the will to live takes
heart, mind and soul and the
deep sense of spirituality that
allows man to transcend every
inch of physical and emotional pain. While it does not
explicitly acknowledge God,
images of the Church, reference to conscience through
inner voices and the words
that Glass remembers before
he decides not to kill Fitzgerald implicitly suggest His
presence. Other sub themes
worth discussing are respect
for environment and culture,
love for family, friendship
and loyalty. However, the film
graphically presents interracial
war, sexual assault, and death,
that younger audience will feel
disturbed. Hence, CINEMA
recommends the film to more
mature viewers.

IN THE 1960s, Frances (Browning) tells the story of twin

brothers Reggie (Hardy), her husband, and Ronnie (Hardy)
Kray as they lord over the criminal underground world of
London. Suave former boxer Reggie and psychotically unstable
Ronnie muscle-in on the control of a local club through brutality and blackmail. Their kingdom expands when an American
syndicate approaches them for protection in exchange for half
profits of Londons underground gambling profits. However,
Ronnie psychotic violence continues to cause problems with
the authorities subjecting them to an investigation and eventually their arrest. The story is narrated between the tragic love,
abuse and suicide of Frances as she stands witness to the rise
and fall of the Krays.
There is always an enthralling quality in crime films done
particularly well. From a purely technically stand, Legend has
a charm that captivates audiences mainly because of Tom
Hardys impeccable interpretation of Reggie and Ronnie. Direction: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Tom Hardy, Emily BrownHe methodically manages to
ing, David Thewlis, Taron
keep the personalities defined
Egerton, Christopher
and balanced with so much
Eccleston, Paul Bettany,
Chazz Palminteri
chemistry. The script is funny
and engaging and the presenta- Genre: Crime
Universal Pictures
tion is grippingly entertaining. Distributor:
Location: United Kingdom
Pope and Hegeland perfect Running Time: 131 minutes
photography of Hardys dual Technical assessment:
p e r f o r m a n c e e a s i l y m a k e s Moral assessment:
audience forget that they are Rating: V18
watching only one person.
Browning is a little disappointing because her delivery lacks depth in its omnipresence.
The lines of morality are often blurred for people who misinterpret crassness and vulgarity with candor and being real.
There is guilty pleasure over the smooth moves of criminality
and nervous laughter with outrageous behavior. With such
propositions, the audience of the film should be equipped
with a strong moral sense and Gospel-shaped conscience and
realize that while some people may escape punishment or
enjoy the shortlived benefits of criminality, it is never worth
it because the misery, pain and punishment it brings will
always outweigh whatever pleasure it gives. The film is for
mature adults because of mature themes and several disgustingly violent scenes.

LEGEND

Buhay Parokya

Look for the images of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz,

Saint John Paul II and Angel Gabriel.
(Illustration by Bladimer Usi)

THE CROSS

A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI and the Order of the Knights of Columbus

CBCP Monitor Vol. 20, No. 10

February 22 - March 6, 2016

39th Annual Family Service

Awards in Bacolod

THE 39th Fr. George

J. Willmann, Servant
of God Annual Family
Service Awards will
be held on March 4-6,
2016 at the LFisher
Hotel, Bacolod. There
are twenty-eight (28)
Fraternal Counselors
and six (6) Area
Managers who will be

honored during the

service awards. The
occasion will be graced
by the Board of Trustees
and key officers of
KCFAPI.
Awardees will visit some
tourist spots in Bacolod such
as heritage houses in Silay
City, Hacienda Adela Folklore
Village, The Ruins, Organic

Garden in Bantug Ranch,

Bantug Lake, and Mambukal
Resort.
With the theme Bacolod:
City of Smiles! participants
are expected to wear colourful
costumes and elegant
masquerade. Cash prizes will also
be given away for those who will
be adjudged the best in costume
and best in presentation.

The Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) officers paid a courtesy call last January 19, 2016
to Insurance Commissioner Hon. Atty. Emmanuel F. Dooc (fourth from left) at the IC Office in Ermita, Manila. [In picture: (from left to
right) Vice President of Fraternal Benefits Group, Gari M. San Sebastian; Vice President of Treasury, BC Holders Relations Office, and
HRCC Department, Mary Magdalene G. Flores; KCFAPI Chairman, Arsenio Isidro G. Yap; KCFAPI President, Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr.;
Executive Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia; Vice President of MIS, Underwriting, and Admin Department, Ronulfo Antero G. Infante;
Executive Secretary Annie M. Nicolas; and Vice President of Actuarial and Business Development, Angelito A. Bala.] JEROME P. DE GUZMAN

KCFAPI bags 2nd in the

ASEAN Corporate Governance
Scorecard (ACGS)
THE Institute of Corporate Directors
(ICD) reported that Knights of
Columbus Fraternal Association of
the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) was one
of two mutual benefit associations who
scored the highest in the 2015 run of
the Corporate Governance Scorecard
for Insurance Companies. This covers
29 mutual benefit associations (MBAs)
who participated out of 33 total MBAs
in the country. KCFAPIs score of
51.17 points bested the 34.02 average
score of the 29 MBAs and is also higher
than the 32.33 average score of all 117
insurance covered companies.
The obje c t ive of t he ACGS is t o
continuously excel in promoting
ethical business standards and
practices, assisting the management
and stakeholders in making the
right decisions, and influencing the
organizations standards by adopting
the industrys best practices. The

report showed the extent and readiness

of KCFAPI in implementing the
ASEAN regions financial integration.
With that, there were two levels of
assessment used to better capture
the performance of good corporate
governance. Level 1 describes items that
measure the laws, rules and regulations,
and requirements of the Insurance
Commission, and the basic expectation
of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD)
principles. While Level 2 consists
of bonus items reflecting emerging
good practices and penalty items
reflecting actions and events that are
indicative of poor governance. Each
level was categorized such as: Rights
of Shareholder, Equitable Treatment
of Shareholders, Role of Stakeholders,
Disclosure and Transparency, and
Board Responsibility for Level A while
for Level B are Bonus and Penalty.

OPENING salvo of the fraternal counselors and area managers

in Cagayan De Oro held last January 22-23, 2016 attended by
Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI) Vice President for Fraternal Benefits Group, Gari
San Sebastian. (FBG News)

C2

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

Arsenio Isidro G. Yap

Ma. Theresa G. Curia

Chairmans Message

Curia Settings

DURING my early teens, the mode

of communications especially to the
opposite sex was by writing as pen pals
and the better way was through the
phone as phone pals. So we (cousins)
had lots of phone pals. We have met
others personally and attended parties
with them. Then, we drop from our list
those we never had the chance to meet.
One time, a cousin of mine introduced
me to someone over the phone and my
heart beat faster than normal. There seems to be something
with this girl that I could not readily describe nor understand.
I felt like Ive met the girl of my dreams, the girl I would want
to be with for the rest of my life. Though Ive not met her yet,
its how I felt about her then and I could not understand how
is that possible?
I called her almost every night and talked with her for hours
and we both never seem to get tired nor lose interest with each
other. We also never seem to run out of things to talk about.
Were just a hit with each other.
We were a group of six boys aged 12 to 20 and with some two
to four girl friends who party a lot, at least once a month. If
theres no party to go to, we organize one for ourselves. While
dancing in one of our parties we organized, I caught a glimpse
of a girl who suddenly entered the room. My heart beat faster
than usual like the way it did when I first talked to the girl my
cousin introduced me to. I hurriedly excused myself from the
girl I was dancing with as I had to talk to the new girl who made
my heart beat real fast.
I felt that shes the girl I would want to be with for the rest
of my life, the girl of my dreams. I was surprised when I found
out that she was the girl my cousin introduced me to a month
earlier. I never left her side the entire night and just danced
with her. Nobody could dance with her as I had her fenced off
(binakuran).
After meeting her in person, the more we wanted to talk
with each other and party as much as we could. In just a few
months we became sweethearts. We were only fourteen years
old then but it seemed that well be spending our lives together.
I could not see nor sense any reason why it will not be our fate
together as in forever.
Many things happened between us in the course of our
teenage years, lots of parties, lots of movies, lots of good things
and very few arguments. It was such a memory to remember
and to cherish. A friend cautioned me not to be too serious as we
could get hurt if we fail to make it, but I didnt see it that way.
Although we had a breakup for about a year, we found
ourselves still meant for each other. We got married after about
ten years from the time we first found each other, when were
just fourteen years old. Many thought it was just puppy love
as we were too young to seriously fall in love. But we did and
it was not puppy love.
I saw in her the qualities of the best wife I could ever pray for.
The best mother my children could ever have. She was perfect,
tailored-fit for me alone. God gave her to me early in life and
did not complicate my teenage life with other girls. He gave her
to me as a lasting gift. I did not nor do I see a life without her.
In July 8, 1979, I married Ana Maria Rubio, the girl of my
dreams, the girl who had caused my heart to beat faster than
normal, the girl I felt that I would want to spend the rest of
my life with. Now I understand my feelings then, Annie is my
future, the love of my life.

Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

Presidents Message
LOVE the K of C way
LOVE must be the most used word
in the Universe. The word must have
a translation in every language and
dialect. There are different kinds of
love, it takes different forms and it
is expressed by people in different
ways. In the Philippines, one special
day is set to express love that is
romantic, that is Valentines Day
celebrated by lovers on February 14.
As early as February 1, however, shop decorations are already
put up and love songs start to play in mass media. Children
of young couples start preparing Valentine cards in school for
their parents. Young lovers start saving up to buy gifts that
triple in price as February 14 draws near roses, premium
chocolates, concerts and other events made special for lovers.
Married couples start preparing for their own celebration as
couples, with family or as a group.
In the past years, Knights of Columbus Luzon Jurisdiction
used to hold renewal of marriage vows ceremony as part of the
Valentines Day party of the office. This year, we will heed the
call of Pope Francis and encourage every K of C family to have
a simple family celebration wherever the family wish to go.
Preparing a special meal at home is as good as (if not better than)
going out to dine in restaurants where you have to wait in line.
But let us remember that love the K of C way goes beyond
February 14. In this Year of Mercy among Catholics, the year
2016 should be a celebration of love in the family. Each day
should be taken as an opportunity to love MORE our family
members, the community members where we belong, the
members of our respective Councils, our extended family
members here and abroad, and friends from around the globe.
No wonder, February has become the favorite month of people
holding reunions, home coming, and other events to gather as
many friends as possible in one big event.
K of C love continues to grow as we witness a different kind
of love for the poor, the unborn, and the victims of disasters,
conflicts, and separation. We at K of C have gone beyond
self and family for we bring Jesus love to those who are the
least in society. Let us not be carried away by materialism in
celebrating love on one ostentatious celebration, while putting
aside those disadvantaged groups that we have planned to
reach with Gods love at the start of the year.
Let us have a bias favoring the poor in implementing our
programs and projects. Let us double our efforts in loving
the unlovable. Let us exercise patience with people who
offend us, especially among our immediate family members
we sometimes take for granted. Let us find time to visit the
sick the elderly and the broken-heart. It will take forming
the habit of doing the ARK (which means an act of random
kindness). So, ask for Gods grace to form this habit of
ARK and surely, doing good will becomes effortless and
spontaneous with a smile.
Lets make everyday a Happy Valentines Day. God bless...!

The Cross

HEART
WHY is there a special celebration of
the Heart? Back then, February 14 was
exclusively for lovers. Today, it has
opened its doors to all forms of love
relationships. Bookings at hotels and
reservations at favorite restaurants are
now done by families, friends, relatives,
classmates, and all types of groupings.
Even companies and establishments
celebrate this day.
The heart is symbolic. Even the Church
honors the Twin Hearts of Jesus and
Mary, and the first Fridays and Saturdays
of the months are dedicated to them.
The heart is at the center of the
human person. Physically, it is between
the head and the lower extremities.
Psychologically, it pulls the head down
when it tends to be a domineering
monster. On the other hand, it also pulls
up the lower appetites when they tend to
distract humans from the lofty goals that
dignify them.
It is the seat of equilibrium, where the
mind leads the way towards defining
the vision and the mission of any person
or group while the heart provides the
values and priorities. Beauty queens
may be confidently beautiful, aware of
their assets and strengths. However,
their hearts make them tender and
compassionate which enable them to
commit to priorities felt to be good and
to persons who need the most attention.
The head might see the future and lead
towards the strategic planning for the
future. But it is the heart that keeps
the people grounded, feeling the pains
and hurts, rejoicing in the joys and
achievements of the group, reminding
them of the practical considerations and
their roots.
The heart and the head complement

each other. The mind of the person

asks what, when, why and how. The
heart asks who, for whom, for what, and
even -- what if. The reverse is also true.
Sometimes the heart can love without
any reason, or even for the wrong reason.
Then the mind comes in to lay down
the pros and cons. Where the heart
becomes blind, the mind comes to the
rescue and gives warning signals of what
could go wrong. It could also propose
proper ways of looking at things, hence
we have such things as logotherapy,
rationalization, and discernment.
The absence of one or the other, or the
imbalance of attention to the head and
the heart could spell disaster.
If we do not reason well, we could go
wrong. Businesses fail because there is
not enough planning, projection into
the future, and visualization. If we do
not study trending or forecasts, if we
dont take statistics into account or if
we do not listen to experiences of others
we could miss important foundational
information.
Similarly, if we ignore the gut feeling of
some of the key players in the business,
we might be a business without heart.
If we do not factor in human and social
responsibility among the parameters,
if respect for nature has no place in the
project, if we do not care for sustainability
or inclusivity, our endeavour could look
like a real monster. Then we would be like
one-eyed monsters like the mythological
creatures known as Cyclopes, for whom
only profit counts. Only the present
matters. Only we are to be followed.
Indeed the presence of the Heart of
Jesus and of Christs values center us
on the things that truly matter. The
good of the Kingdom is the real star

to follow. This means that interplay

of different angles, even marriage of
various elements are necessary for any
project to flourish, and for any person
to be happy. So we speak of the tandem
of the head and heart, past-presentfuture, yin and yang, lights and shadows,
sorrows and joys, tears and hopes, love
and forgiveness, mercy and compassion,
man and woman, left and right brain
hemispheres.
When we look around us, we find that
the most centered persons, the most
reliable, and authentic, the most genuine
and brave are the ones who have those
seemingly opposing elements present in
their beings. The union of the head and
the heart is a source of their peace and
inner joy. They are grounded, although
they are visionaries they are dreamers,
but they attend to the dirty chores.
They pray, but they are at the forefront
of action. They listen to the Spirit and
can keep quiet for a long time, but they
are also the ones who will not stop until
Truth and Justice prevail. These men and
women are the heart of the world. They
are the conscience of every age. They are
prophets of the Kingdom.
After the foregoing discussions, we
still must not forget that the month of
February is the Love month and true love
comes from the heart. Let me therefore
greet you from my heart, a very Happy
Valentines day!
[The author, Ma. Theresa G. Curia,
is the Executive Vice President & Chief
Operating Officer of the Knights of
Columbus Fraternal Association of the
Phils., Inc. (KCFAPI) and the incumbent
Diocesan Regent of the Daughters
of Mary Immaculate International,
Diocese of Malolos.]

Michael P. Cabra

My Brothers Keeper

What do Love and Life have in common?

GODs love is the reason why
human life was created. Gods
love begets human life. A new
life is usually the product of
two people who fell in love.
A new life completes love. It
is a continuous circle of love
and life.
Similarly, Love is the
reason why KofC Order
was created. It is through
Fr. McGivneys love for his
parishioners that inspired
him in creating the Order to
protect the life of its members.
Having a benefit certificate is
the best expression of how
much a brother knight loves

his family. Having a benefit

certificate completes his
membership in the Order.
Being a KC Member and
having a benefit certificate is
always mutual.
Insuring Love and Life
always come together. When
we protect love, we protect life.
As a KofC member we insure
life and love through different
fraternal benefit plans.
There are three levels of
insuring love and life:
1. Family protection. We
avail KC Family Protect Plans
when we want to insure the
quality of life for our loved

ones in case of our early

demise.
2. Retirement protection.
We avail KC Elite Pro when
we want to insure additional
financial support during
our retirement years. We
dont want to be dependent
on our children during our
retirement.
3. Savings protection. We
avail KC Peso Saver or KC
Dollar Heritage when we want
to insure a guaranteed amount
of savings ten years from now.
We may use it for our dream
car, dream house, or dream
business years from now.

For details of the

aforementioned KC Fraternal
Benefit Plans, please contact
your councils Fraternal
Counselor.
As we celebrate the love
month this February, let us
always remind ourselves that
the best way to show how
much we love our family is
by living the number one
objective of the KofC Order,
which is to provide pecuniary
aide to the members of the
Order and their family
members by availing fraternal
benefit plans.
Happy Love month!

A Road to Eternal Love

IS there really a road to forever in love
especially now when almost everyone
is after for convenience? Thru time
and experiences that each person had
faced, man had evolved and so is their
definition about love. There is even this
stemming concept that there is no such
thing as forever in love. But is there?
First, let us define what love is. When
it comes to defining love, explanations
can mount a new galaxy because
of its broadness and depth. In the
1973 book of John Lee, a well known
psychologist compared love to a colour
wheel. But the nearest and simplest
definition of love is written in the book
of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 wherein the
scriptures say, love is patient; love is
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It does not dishonour
others, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes,
and always perseveres. This definition
is nowhere near the love we often see
in soap operas or movies we watch on
malls or on our TV sets. Love as we
simply put it is all about forgiveness,
humility, and acceptance.
When we came into this world, while
we are still in the womb of our mothers,
we were already accepted by our parents
whatever we may look like. We have
nothing to offer. We were naked, but then
our parents embraced us for who we are
because they saw that we are a blessing
from God. As Pope Francis had said on one
of his daily masses, Whoever loves has
been created by God because God is love.

As we grew up, the concept of love

eventually changes because of the
people we meet along the way. Some we
consider friends while some we regard
as colleagues or just neighbours which
we offer a different kind of love. This
typecasting on love and relationships
oftentimes leads to complexity of life
and conflicts that eventually result to
gaps and miscommunication. Thus the
love we simply defined before slowly
becomes difficult to describe for we tend
to expect a lot from our neighbours or
to return the same amount of favour or
love that we have extended to them. But
the Scripture says on Luke 10:27 Love
the Lord your God with all you heart
and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with your entire mind; and
love your neighbour as yourself. Who
should we love then?
In the book of Luke chapter 10 verses
25 to 37, an educated man once asked
Jesus the same question and Jesus
replied this, A man was going down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he
was attacked by robbers. They stripped
him of his clothes, beat him and went
away, leaving him half dead. A priest
happened to be going down the same
road, and when he saw the man, he
passed by on the other side. So too, a
Levite, when he came to the place and
saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came
where the man was; and when he saw
him, he took pity on him. He went to
him and bandaged his wounds, pouring
on oil and wine. Then he put the man on
his own donkey, brought him to an inn
and took care of him. The next day he

took out two denarii and gave them to

the innkeeper. Look after him, he said,
and when I return, I will reimburse you
for any extra expense you may have.
Which of these three do you think was
a neighbour to the man who fell into the
hands of robbers?
expert in the law replied, The one who
had mercy on him.
Jesus told him, Go and do likewise.
The humility and compassion shown
by the Good Samaritan is inimitable to
the kind of love we sometimes extend
towards our neighbours or even to our
family. The Good Samaritan did not
ask anything in return and even made
an extra effort on making sure that his
neighbour is well taken care of. A type
of affection we usually overlook with our
parents or even with our closest friends.
At times we tend to have grudges, guilt,
or anger whenever a person had done
wrong towards us or we seem to select
those people who we want to help and
express our compassion. I agree that
love do comes in many forms, but we
have to be wary between love and lust;
between love and liking and most of all,
between genuine love and admiration.
Being loved and loving back, in the
word of God is for us to extend kindness
to whoever is in need regardless of
age, sect, culture, generation and even
religion. Man cannot live without love for
love is a necessity. As Pope Francis had
said, Love is not God, but rather God is
love. So, for us to find the road to eternal
love, let us keep ourselves continuously
in love with Gods words and become the
shepherd in spreading His words to our
neighbours. (Julie Ann M. Padrones)

The Cross

C3

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

Families:Essential Agents of Evangelization

The Order is expanding efforts to strengthen the domestic church and our parishes

By SK Carl A. Anderson
ON DEC. 17, 2015, the supreme
chaplain and I had the privilege of
being received by Pope Francis in
a private audience. Our meeting
was an opportunity to discuss with
the Holy Father many Knights of
Columbus initiatives, including our
new Building the Domestic Church
While Strengthening Our Parish
initiative.
Pope Francis has frequently
spoken about the role of the Christian
family as a domestic church, and he
expressed special interest in this
initiative. In an address last summer
he said, Families are the domestic
church, where Jesus grows; he grows
in the love of spouses, he grows in
the lives of children. We could not
find a better mission statement for
our new initiative than these words.
Our initiative also seeks to further
goals set by the Synod of Bishops on
the Family last October. The synods
final document highlighted key
elements of the Churchs ministry
to families.
First, the document stated
that the family needs to be
rediscovered as the essential agent

in the work of evangelization.

Second, it emphasized the need
for a thorough renewal of the
Churchs pastoral practice in light
of the Gospel of the Family and
for replacing its current emphasis
on individuals. Third, it called for
greater pastoral accompaniment
to promote growth in the spiritual
life and solidarity of families
through devotional practices,
greater attention to Scripture, and
the Eucharist celebrated for families.
In other words, the synod
called for precisely the type of
pastoral programs proposed by
our Building the Domestic Church
While Strengthening Our Parish
initiative, which seeks to foster a
new evangelization of the family and
through the family.
Last month in my column, I
discussed how this initiative would
provide a new emphasis on youth
ministry within the parish as the key
to our Orders youth activities.
This month, I take this opportunity
to announce two practical programs
within our new initiative. I have asked
our state deputies and state chaplains
to implement the following:
First, to incorporate into the

opening Mass of every state

convention held this fraternal year a
simple prayer of family consecration
to the Holy Family. Our goal
will be to offer every Knights of
Columbus family the opportunity
for this consecration. As part of this
program, we will ask every parish
with an active Knights of Columbus
presence to offer this prayer of
family consecration during Masses
celebrated on the first Sunday after
Christmas, usually celebrated as the
feast of the Holy Family.
Second, to sponsor corporate
communions for Knights of
Columbus families on Fathers Day,
and that as part of the eucharistic
celebration there be an opportunity
for all married couples to affirm their
wedding vows.
Our hope is that these Knights
of Columbus-sponsored programs
of family consecration to the Holy
Family and Fathers Day affirmation
of wedding vows will become annual
liturgical events throughout all the
countries in which the Order is active.
These two very practical, parishbased programs can help build a
new pastoral accompaniment for
families. The witness of millions

of families consecrated to the Holy

Family and millions of Catholic
couples affirming their marriages
under the leadership of Catholic
husbands and fathers could truly be
the beginning of a new evangelization
of family life.
In addition, councils should
continue to sponsor our parishbased Holy Family Prayer program
as well as our Building the Domestic
Church: The Family Fully Alive

The Gentle Warrior

By James B. Reuter, SJ

monthly family devotional program.

Both of these programs offer
valuable resources for husbands
and fathers seeking to assume
greater responsibility in building the
domestic church in their own homes.
In the days ahead, more aspects
of our initiative will be announced
as we lead new efforts to strengthen
and preserve our families and our
parishes.
Vivat Jesus!

Join the Father Michael

J. McGivney Guild!

Part II of Chapter Two of The Gentle Warrior series

CHAPTER TWO
--------.--------The Gentle Warrior
THE K nights, in general, were
philosophic about the American seizure
of the Philippines. One of them, who
were enamored of history, had a hobby
of collecting original documents. He had
rescued, from somewhere, the thoughts
of President McKinley when the United
States was annexing the Philippines. He
showed the document to George. President
McKinley said:
The truth is I didnt want the
Philippines, and when they came to us as a
gift from God I did not know what to do with
them. I sought counsel from all sides
Democrats as well as Republicans but
got little help I walked the floor of the White
House night after night until midnight; and I
am not ashamed to tell you that I went down
on my knees and prayed Almighty God for
light and guidance more than one night.
And one night, late, it came to me this
way I dont know how it was, but it came.
That we could not give them back to Spain
that would be cowardly and dishonorable.
That we could not turn them over to
France or Germany our commercial rivals
in the Orient that would be bad business
and discreditable.
That we could not leave them to themselves
they were unfit for self government and
they would soon have anarchy and misrule
over there worse than Spains was and that
there was nothing left for us to do but to take
them all, and to educate the Filipinos
and uplift and civilize and Christianize
them, and by Gods grace do the very best we
could by them as our fellowmen for whom
Christ died. And then I went to bed, and
went to sleep, and slept soundly, and the
next morning I sent for the chief engineer of
the War Department (our map-maker), and
I told him to put the Philippines on the map
of the United States, and there they are, and
there they will stay while I am President.
The Filipino Knight said: I think they did

it in good faith. It was probably a mistake.

But it was the Providence of God. Without
the Spanish conquest, we would never have
had the faith. The Knights came to us
with the American occupation. God draws
straight, with crooked lines.
The Knights were not only thoughtful
they were realistic! They knew that they were
elitist. In the popular perception, in the
language of the people, they were not known
as the Knights of Columbus. They were
known as the Caballeros de Colon. The
language of the K of C was English because
of their Irish-American origin. But, at home,
most of the Filipino Knights spoke Spanish.
One of the Knights said to George:
We were established in this country
as a counter-attack. A counter-attack
against Masonry. A counter-attack against
Aglipayanism. A counter-attack against
Protestantism, a counter-attack against
the general lawlessness of bandits and
robbers. We do that very well. We stand on
the ramparts, and we defend our Church.
We stand on the ramparts, and defend our
Faith. But we are always reactionary! We
respond to a crisis! Could we not attack?
His thoughts on the power of Freemasonry
were valid. Freemasonry came to the
Philippines as a brotherhood of men, fighting
against oppression, fighting for freedom!
The Filipinos who embraced Masonry, and
championed it, were incredibly powerful
with the people: Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del
Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna,
Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Andres Bonifacio,
Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Aguinaldo,
Baldomero Aguinaldo, Ambrosio Flores,
Mariano Llanera, Vicente Lukban,
Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, Felipe
Buencamino, Ramon Diokno, Manuel L.
Quezon. Freemasonry was the recognized
status symbol of the time.
William Fox, Supreme Director, wrote
about this in his diary, dated January 29,

1920: The Archbishop gave a dinner

for me this evening. The Archbishop
asked that
the Order be extended
in the Philippine Islands and it was
the consensus of opinion among those
present that membership in the Knights
of Columbus would be the salvation of
Catholicity in the Philippines, among
the men. It was said that the Masonic
Fraternit y is making great inroads
against the Filipino people and it is
necessary to save them from themselves.
The Knights certainly were an answer. Not
only to Freemasonry, but also to Aglipayanism.
A young priest from Batac, Ilocos Norte,
named Gregorio Aglipay, led a revolt against
the Spanish clergy, especially against the
Spanish religious orders, which were called:
Friars. (To be continued on the next issue.)

Prayer for the Beatification of the

Servant of God Fr. George J. Willmann
Blessed are You, Almighty Father, source of all goodness and wisdom.
Look down upon us Your children, who are trying to serve
You with all our heart. Deign to raise Fr. George J.
illmann to the honors of the Altar.
He was the prayerful, strong, dauntless model that
we all need in this new era, he was a pastor in the care
and formation of the youth; the relief of victims of war and violence;
the alleviation of the suffering of the poor and the preservation
and promotion of the sanctity of life, marriage and the family.
Make him the lamp on the lampstand giving light to all in the house.
Make him the city set on the mountain, which cannot be hidden,
so that all of us may learn from his courage, his integrity,
his indomitable spirit in propagating and living the Gospel.
Through his intercession, bestow on us the favour
we ask in You in faith (pause here and silently entrust
to the Lord your petitions). Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

THE Knights of Columbus established the Father McGivney Guild to promote the cause for
canonization of our founder, Venerable Michael
J. McGivney (1852-1890). The goal of the Guild
is to spread the good word about his holiness
of life, to encourage devotion to his memory,
and to seek his intercession before the throne
of God. The Guild serves as a clearinghouse
for information about Father McGivney, his life
and works, and any favors attributed to his intercession. Father McGivney is a unique model
today for both Catholic laymen and priests
because of his attention to the social ills and
injustices of his day and his collaboration with
the people of his parish. He was zealous for
the life of union with God through prayer and
the sacraments, and would have been right at
home in todays world. He was then and would
be today an eager apostle for the Gospel of life,
and active in building a civilization of love.
Membership in the Guild is open to anyone
who wishes to share in this mission of making
known the life and work of Father McGivney and
of encouraging devotion to his memory. To join,
fill out the attached application and mail it to the
address given. There is no charge to enroll, and
you need not be a member of the Knights of Columbus.
The Guild is anxious to receive reports of favors received through Father McGivneys intercession. It is not only miracles that are required
to move the cause forward, but witnesses to the
power of the servant of Gods prayers before the
throne of God.
As a member of the Guild you will receive
a newsletter and periodic updates on the
progress of his cause for canonization. We
ask your prayerful support that Gods will
be done and that the Holy Spirit guide us
at each step along the way. Welcome to the
Guild!

To start your free membership and receive

the Guild newsletter, please complete the
form below and return to: Father McGivney Office - Philippines, Knights of
Columbus Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc. Center, Gen. Luna cor.
Sta. Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila
1004, Philippines
Name: ____________________________
Complete Mailing Address: _________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
City/Province: _____________________
Country: __________________________
Zip/Postal Code: __________________
K of C Membership No.): __________
Mass for Guild Members
Names to be remembered
for specific intentions at
the regular Mass of Guild members
1. _________________________________
___________________________________
2. _________________________________
___________________________________
3. _________________________________
_____________________________
4. _________________________________
___________________________________

C4

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

The Cross

Knights of Columbus Mindanao will Mid-Year Evaluation

Meeting of District
hold their 17th State Convention
Deputies held
THE Knights of Columbus Mindanao
Jurisdiction will hold their 17th Mindanao
State Convention on April 15, 16, & 17,
2016 at General Santos City, with the
theme: Endowed by their Creator with
Life and Liberty. The convention will
be utilizing two main venues: The KCC
Convention and Events Center for the
plenary sessions, and the Family Country
Homes and Convention Center for the
Fellowship Night and for the Grand
Raffle Draw.
Activities are also lined up prior to
the convention proper. There will be a
Preliminary Raffle Draw on March 1,
2016, a joint 1st Degree Exemplification,
and a Fraternal Bowling tournament on
April 14, 2016. Registration will start at
8:00am on April 15, 2016 which will be
followed by the formal opening of the
convention at 1:00 pm. On the last day
of the convention, a Memorial Mass will
be held at Our Lady of Peace and Good
Voyage Parish.
Aside from the prominent and highly
respected leaders of the Order, there
are other figures from the Catholic
Church Hierarchy in the country
who were invited to grace the event
with their inspiring messages to help
strengthen our faith in the midst of the
challenges of our times. The convention
will also be a great opportunity for the
Knights of Columbus family to bond
and enjoy each others company other
than experiencing the hospitality,
food, and culture of the city known
as the Tuna Capital of the country.
The planning for the ladies tour
is well underway and will surely
take them to more exciting sights
in General Santos City and in South

District Deputies meeting of Luzon South Jurisdiction

was held last January 16-17, 2016 at the Sequoia
Hotel, Quezon City. (Inlet Photo: Luzon South Deputy
Bro. Ramoncito A. Ocampo)

Cotabato.
Sir Knight Reynaldo C. Trinidad,
the State Deputy of Mindanao, is
inviting all Brother Knights together
with their families to come and join
the 17th Mindanao State Convention.
To witness and be a part of the warm
brotherhood and solidarity of the

Knights of Columbus family and

for continuing the works of Charity
as envisioned by our founder, the
Venerable Servant of God, Father
Michael J. McGivney.
We are excited to see you soon in
Magandang Gensan! (Adrian B.
Boston)

First Luzon South Jurisdiction State Convention

STATE Deputy Ramoncito
A. Ocampo announced that
the first Luzon South State
Convention, themed Building
the Domestic Church, will be
held on April 1, 2016 at the Taal
Vista Lodge, Tagaytay City.
Among the highlights of
the gathering are the State of
the Jurisdiction Address of
LSD Ramoncito A. Ocampo,
and the presentation of
the different state officers
aimed at giving the delegates
real-time overview of the
jurisdictions progress
in relation to the goals,
expectations, advocacies,

and over-all thrusts of the

Knights of Columbus Luzon
South State Jurisdiction and
the recent developments in
the policies and programs of
the Supreme Council.
Pre-convention activities
have been lined up aimed to
strengthen among brother
knights the principles
enunciated in the lessons
of the Order, such as:
the 1st Luzon South Golf
Tournament to be held at
Malarayat Golf and Country
Club at Lipa City on March
30, 2016; Bread, Cake, and
Pastry Baking Program to

be held at Council 1000,

Intramuros, Manila
beginning on February 11
to March 15 in cooperation
with TESDA; Ten-Pin
Bowling Tournament that
will run for six Sundays
from February 28 to March
20, 2016; First Degree
Exemplification for Squires
to Knights on March 20; and
Walk for Life on March 12
from Intramuros, Manila to
San Andres Gym in Malate.
A Souvenir Program
will be printed as part of
the convention kit, which
will contain the messages,

reports, activities, and other

important information/
activities of the Knights of
Columbus in the jurisdiction.
Every diocesan round table,
district, council, and assembly
are encouraged to subscribe
to this First Luzon South State
Convention Souvenir Program
that will be a historic document.
The deadline for submission of
advertisement contracts will be
on February 29, 2016. For further
details about the convention and
related activities, please inquire
with your respective District
Deputies. (LSSD Ramoncito
A. Ocampo)

THE Knights of Columbus

Luzon Jurisdictions held their
District Deputies Meetings
last January 16-17 for Luzon
South and January 23-24 for
Luzon North.
The Luzon South District
Deputies conducted their
meeting at the Sequoia Hotel,
Quezon City with the theme
Aim for the Stars. State
Deputy Ramoncito Ocampo
reported their achievement
for the past Columbian year
followed by State Secretary,
Bonifacio Martinez on the
membership development.
State Treasurer Danilo
Sanchez talked about the
financial reports-key to
program development while
State Membership Director
Conrado Dator, Jr. tackled
membership recruitment,
retention, and reactivation.
Supreme Director Alonso
Tan and Supreme Knight
Carl Anderson gave their
messages. Membership and
Program Consultant Vicente
Pacis explained the Star
Council and Star District
Awards.Vice President for

Fraternal Benefits Group

Gari San Sebastian discussed
about the insurance arm of
the Knights of Columbus in
the Philippines the Knights
of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI) and its
subsidiaries. Brother Noel
Lacanilao and Bro. Sensinado
Ang led the Marian Hour
Immaculate Conception. The
first day was ended by a closing
prayer led by State Spiritual
Formation chairman, Edwin
Dawal followed by a dinner
and fellowship.
On the second day, a
Eucharistic celebration was
held led by the Chaplain of
the De La Salle University
in Dasmarinas, Cavite, Fr.
Mark Anthony T. Reyes. He
also talked about the building
of the domestic Church. The
Columbian Squires Chairman
explained the Squire to Knights
program, while Yen Ocampo,
Head of the Special Projects
for the Cause of the Servant of
God Fr. George J. Willmann, SJ
gave the latest updates on the
Cause of Fr. Willmann.

11th Knights of Columbus Visayas Convention Opens in Iloilo

ILOILO is one of the fastest growing
cities in the country and is becoming
a prime travel destination for
meetings, conventions and cultural
presentations. With Iloilos blessed
abundance of natural wonders and
resources, the convention committee
created informative, productive
and fun-filled activities such as
sports events, fellowships, tours and
business meetings that will surely
entice our brother knights to join
and bond with their families and new
members.
For this years 3-day convention, the
theme focuses on: Endowed by their

Creator with Life and Liberty, which

will start off on April 8 with a motorcade
parade at West Visayas State University,
followed by several sports events such
as bowling, basketball, free throw
championship, football, table tennis,
chess and darts. On April 9, activities
range from tours, fraternal mass, state
dinner, awarding ceremonies and raffle
draws to be held at the Royal Garden
Hall Convention Center. Finally, the
program will have a Thanksgiving
Mass at St.Anne Parish, Molo Iloilo
City on April 10 and ends with the
exemplification of the 3rd and 4th
degree members.

ANNOUNCEMENT
WE are pleased to announce
the hiring of MR. JOSE
H. DESCUTIDO as our
new Financial Management
and Accounting Services
Manager effective January
1, 2016.
Jun, as he is fondly
called, is a certified
public accountant with
more than six (6) years
of meaningful working
knowledge and experience
in auditing, financial
and operational ratios
analysis, and management
advisory services in
various industries. He has
navigated industries such
as: Retail, Manufacturing
(Food and Detergent),
Distribution and Logistics,
Property Management and
Security Services, Food
and Beverage, IT Solutions,
and Stock Brokerage. Prior
to joining KCFAPI, Jun
had worked as the Internal
Lead Supervisor of GNC
Philippines wherein he
was appointed as the
Project Manager in the
implementation of Navision

Interested members may deposit

their registration fee worth Php
1,000.00 to the Knights of Columbus
Visayas Jurisdiction PNB savings
account number: 371580988-4 or
Equicom Savings Bank: 017-0200274-0. For more clarifications
and other preregistration needs,
brother knights may contact our
office at (033) 329-7801 or email
us at kofc.visayas_juris@yahoo.
com, or you may also approach your
respective MPICs, MPPCs, DDs, GKs,
State Officers or our Convention
Chairman Bro. Noeni S. Nepomuceno
at noeni5964@yahoo.com

KC ANNOUNCEMENT S
KC Luzon North:
*Walk for Life
March 19, 2016 @ Malolos City
*Family Day
April 9, 2016
@ Paradise Resort, Malolos City

System and has even

authored their Accounting
Policies and Procedures.
He was a consistent
scholar and finished
his Bachelors degree
in Accountancy in
Polytechnic University of
the Philippines. He was also
an active member of YRock
and Lingkod ng Panginoon,
which both focuses on the
celebration of Catholics
faith by sharing it with
other youth members
through songs and praises.
He is the second child among
the brood of four and occupies
his free time by playing
badminton and r e a d i n g
books.

*State Convention:
Answering the Call to Evangelize
April 30, 2016
@ Manila Grand Opera Hotel

While the District deputies Meeting of Luzon North was

held last January 23-24 , 2016 at the Manila Grand
Opera Hotel, Manila. (Inlet Photo: Luzon North Deputy
Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr.)

THE Luzon North District

Deputies Meeting was
conducted at the Manila
Grand Opera Hotel headed
by State Deputy, Justice
Jose Reyes, Jr. with their
theme Be a Star Council
and Answer the Call to
Evangelize. Justice Reyes
gave his message as State
Deputy followed by Alonso
Tan, who gave his Supreme
Directors Message. State
Treasurer Joven Joaquin gave
the policies of Luzon North;
while State Membership
Director Jose Cuaresma
talked about the membership
growth, recruitment and
reactivation, and new council
development. State Program
Director Vicente Ortega gave
the reportorial requirements
and service program. State
Secretary Pascual Carbero

on the membership
development. State Auditor
Joven Dy tackled the financial
report. A video presentation
of Supreme Knight Carl
Anderson was viewed
discussing the building of
the domestic Church. Other
speakers were Fr. Jose Arturo
C. Batac of the Diocesan Fr.
Prior, Columbian Squires,
who also led the Eucharistic
celebration; Membership and
Program Consultant Vicente
Pacis; and Ceremonial
Director Deogenes Francia.
Arsenio Isidro Yap, Chairman
of the Knights of Columbus
Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI)
discussed all about KCFAPI
and its subsidiaries. Special
guest was Bro. Larry Mallari
on Doctrinal Apologetics.
(KC News)

Early Registration:
PhP1,800.00 until March 15, 2016
PhP2,200.00
March 16 - April 16, 2016
PhP2,400.00
April 16 27, 2016
** you may contact KC Luzon Office
@ 527-2223 loc. 104

Bacolod, February 5, 2016 - Western Visayas Armors Meeting with Fraternal Benefits
Group Vice President Gari M. San Sebastian.