Monitor

CBCP

SEPTEMBER 16 - 29, 2019, VOL 23, NO. 19 CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

Bishops in sedition case:

‘We will not be discouraged’
By Roy Lagarde

CATHOLIC bishops
tagged in the supposed
plot to destabilize the
Duterte administration
said they will not bow
down to “intimidation” in
their defense for human
rights.
In a “fraternal message” issued
on Sept. 7, the four prelates accused
of sedition said they will not allow
any pressure to stop their mission
to help the voiceless.
“We will not allow this splinter
from the cross of Christ to distract
us from our mission, to dampen our
zeal or to intimidate us,” they said.
According to them, the cross they
now carry is nothing compared
to the “agony and passion of the
Lord and the pains and aches of
the poor”.
“Our defense for human life
and the sacredness of marriage
remains,” the bishops said.
“Our message of peace based on
truth will not be perturbed. Our
zeal for souls will not falter. Our
mission is yet incomplete. We will
not be discouraged,” they added.
This is the first time that
Archbishop Socrates Villegas and
bishops Pablo Virgilio David,
Discouraged / A6 The four bishops who are facing sedition charges remain undaunted and assured that they will continue to do their duties as “shepherds of God’s people”. CBCPNEWS

Pope blesses religious icon for Syria
with Aid to the Church in Need reps
VATICAN— A small
delegation of representatives
from the papal charity
foundation, Aid to the Church
in Need (ACN), stood witness
to Pope Francis’ blessing on
Sunday of the icon of the Our
Lady of Sorrows, Consoler of
Syrians.
The icon was made in
August by Fr. Spiridon
Kabbash, a Greek Orthodox
priest from Homs in Syria.
Present in this initiative is
the organization’s National
Director for the Philippines,
Jonathan Luciano.
Our Lady of Sorrows,
Consoler of Syrians was
designated to bring a dawn of
hope, peace, and consolation
to all Christians of the world.
The image shows the beloved
Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
seated on a throne, with the
Lord Jesus Christ on her lap.
Holding an orb, the icon
depicts that Jesus entrusts
the care of the world to his
Mother, similar to what
he did with all humankind
under the cross. Also, a
visible detail is war-stricken
Syria, heavily destroyed
and wounded with all the
unheard and unknown
battles plaguing its grounds.
Pope Francis poses for a photo with the representatives of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) after blessing an icon of Our Lady
of Sorrows, Consoler of Syrians, at the Vatican on Sept. 15. VATICAN MEDIA
According to Fr. Kabbash,
the icon is a message of hope.
“We will send it to many
places in the world because
they need consolation from
God. The war is too heavy for
the people,” he said.
ACN Philippines Director
Luciano said he was “deeply
moved” by the message of
the icon.
“It strengthened in me
the challenge to rise to the
mission to help the suffering
Church, especially our
persecuted brothers and
sisters,” he said.
The icon will be traveling to
all the dioceses of Syria and
the whole of the Middle East to
spread the message of peace and
consolation to all war victims.
The initiative is part of
the “Console My People”
campaign, an ACN initiative
for Syrians.
Last August, 6,000 rosaries
were also blessed by the
pope for the relatives of the
victims.
Bishops urge Duterte to rethink
all-out war with insurgents
Peace advocates ring bells as they call for the resumption of peace talks between
the government and communist rebels during an ecumenical peace forum in Quezon
City, Sept. 12, 2019. CBCPNEWS
PRESIDENT Rodrigo negotiations.
Duterte’s threat for an all- “An all-out war will
out war with communist only bring about a divided
rebels will only worsen the country,” Ledesma said.
animosity, a church official “So all the more we should
has warned. work for justice, peace
Speaking at an ecumenical negotiations, and the culture
peace forum, Archbishop of dialogue to bring about
Luciano also stressed the
Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan peace,” he said.
“greater need to be sensitive
de Oro urged Duterte not to The archbishop was the
and aware of the plight of
completely abandon peace Rethink / A2
our suffering brothers and
sisters, and the icon of the
sorrowful mother, who, Filipino bishop faces charges after
in her tears, consoles her
children”. exposing police abuses in PNG
“I also asked the Pope to
pray for the Philippines,
especially the persecuted and
the oppressed. He agreed,
and Pope Francis requests
that we pray for him as well,”
he said. (CBCPNews)

Strengthen ecology desks, Church groups urge bishops

CHURCH groups are pushing for the
strengthening of diocesan ecology
desks by mobilizing more personnel
and resources, in the midst of “climate
emergency”.
In a statement issued after the recent
National Convention on Laudato Si
and Climate Change, the participants
stressed the need to strengthen ecology-
related collaborations at all levels.
“We strongly call on the respective
diocesan bishops and religious superiors
to prioritize the allocation of budget and
financial support for the ecology desk,”
they said.
Around 140 participants from
different church organizations attended
the convention held on Sept. 3 to 5 at desk in social action centers that would
San Carlos Seminary in Makati City. make the environment their special
The gathering made a “closer look” concern.
at Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology, Several dioceses are engaged in
Bishop Rolando Santos of Alotau-Sideia. PHOTO FROM THE DIOCESE OF ALOTAU-SIDEIA’S
Laudato Si, and the Philippine bishops’ ecological issues with different priorities FACEBOOK PAGE
recent pastoral letter that called for from waste management to anti-mining
“ecological conversion”. advocacy. A FILIPINO Catholic bishop “I still have a case in court.
Both documents have guided the The participants said that a strong is facing charges after But I am not worried. So
convention to come up with a concrete ecology desk is needed to implement exposing alleged police many have shown me great
action plan “that would unite our diverse the 13 action-points articulated by abuses in the southeast of support, especially the
voices to care for our common home”. the bishops in their pastoral letter on Papua New Guinea. Lord who is my protector,”
“We should be prepared to drop ecology. Police have filed defamation Santos said in a letter sent to
whatever we are busy at and realign our They also called on the bishops and cases against Bishop Rolando CBCPNews on Sept. 11.
programs according to the demands of religious superiors to support and Santos of Alotau-Sideia Instead of getting
the urgent situation,” they said. actively participating in organizing the for reporting an “abuse of discouraged, the 70-year-old
The bishops’ conference has earlier sub-regional ecology centers. authority” incident involving Vincentian prelate considers
called on dioceses to set up an ecology Ecology / A3 some authorities. Abuses / A2
A2 WORLD NEWS September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 CBCP Monitor

Priests ‘cannot comply’ with laws that break

seal of confession, Tasmania’s archbishop says
HOBART, Australia—
The leader of Tasmania’s
Catholic Church said priests
in his archdiocese will not
comply with a law that would
require them to break the
seal of confession to report
suspected child abuse.
The law, passed earlier
this week, makes religious
ministers mandatory
reporters of child sexual
abuse, and requires
Tasmanians with knowledge
of abuse to report the crime
to police, or face prison time.
Porteous said that priests
are “unable” to violate the
seal of confession under any
circumstances, according to
Australia’s ABC News.
“I believe the Tasmanian bill
will not strengthen protections
for children and vulnerable
people, but it will have the
opposite effect—as offenders
will be less likely to come
forward to confess serious sins
for fear of being reported,” the
archbishop added.
“This will deny priests the
opportunity to encourage
offenders to report
themselves to police.”
In July, while the legislation
was still under consideration,
Porteous wrote that “the pope
made it clear there can be no
exceptions to the inviolability
of the seal of confession.”
“Priests and all who work
for the Church understand
their obligations before the
law to report on matters of
child sexual abuse. Priests,
however, cannot comply with
law that would require them
to violate their commitment
to the Church’s consistent
teaching on the inviolability
of the sacramental seal. As
Archbishop it is my duty to
uphold Catholic teaching on
this matter.”
“Governments can give
all sorts of justifications for
wanting to know what has
been confessed to a priest,
from the most noble (the
protection of innocent
Archbishop Julian Porteous.
ARCHDIOCESE
OF HOBART
human life) to the most base
(the maintenance of political
power),” the archbishop
added.
“But the reality is that
saints, like St Mateo Correa
Magallanes and St John
Nepomucene, who gave their
life defending the seal of
the confessional, knew that
no matter what the reason
was given by government,
no matter how noble their
intentions, breaking the seal
Vatican Briefing
of the confessional would
Remember your politicians in prayer, pope says
constitute the end of the
Pray for politicians, government officials and
sacrament. If one priest was
anyone in a position of authority, including priests
to break it the faithful would
and bishops, Pope Francis urged as he ended his
lose confidence that what
summer schedule and resumed his celebration of
they confess could be made
morning Mass with a small congregation. Wearing
public or used against them.”
red vestments for the Sept. 16 feast of the martyred
In his remarks this week,
Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian, the pope said that, today,
the archbishop emphasized
it seems that everyone is much more willing to insult
that while priests will not
leaders, inside and outside the church, rather than
violate the seal of confession,
pray for them. “Some deserve it,” Pope Francis said
even if they might face jail
of the insults. But the beginning of 1 Timothy 2 urges
time, the archdiocese will
people to pray “for everyone, for kings and for all
otherwise comply with the
in authority.” Instead, politicians and government
mandatory reporting law.
officials today seem to be offered a “rosary of insults
“The Catholic Church in
and swear words,” he said. (Cindy Wooden/CNS)
Tasmania is committed to
safeguarding children and the
vulnerable. It is continually
Life without parole is not a solution to crime, pope says
working to ensure that priests
Sentencing someone to life in prison without the
and all who work for the
possibility of parole is “not the solution to problems,
Church understand their
but a problem to solve,” Pope Francis told Italian
obligations before the law
prison guards, prison chaplains and officials from
to report on matters of child
the Ministry of Justice. “If you close hope in a cell,
sexual abuse,” he said.
there is no future for society,” the pope told thousands
“The Catholic Church fully
of guards, chaplains, volunteers and their family
supports the role of police
members Sept. 14 during an audience in St. Peter’s
and the courts in bringing
Square. Among those present were two detainees who
perpetrators of abuse to
are serving life sentences, but are engaged in a formal
justice.” (CNA)
process of recognizing the gravity of their crimes,

Moroccan woman jailed on suspicion of procuring abortion making amends as far as possible and preparing to
apply for parole. While protecting its citizens, the pope
said, every society also must seek ways to rehabilitate
RABAT, Morocco— A Moroccan politically motivated. abortions are regularly procured there. those who have committed crimes and find ways to
journalist has been jailed for allegedly Raissouni could face as much as two Raissouni and al-Amin have been help them make positive contributions to society.
procuring an abortion and for years imprisonment if found guilty. religiously, but not legally, married, (Cindy Wooden/CNS)
fornication. The country’s penal code The doctor, nurse, and secretary have according to AFP.
bars abortion except in cases when the been charged with carrying out and Sunni Islam is the established religion
mother’s life is endangered. complicity in abortion, and face up to 10 of Morocco. Prince Charles to attend Newman’s canonization in Rome
Hajar Raissouni, 28, was arrested years imprisonment, The Independent According to a group that support Prince Charles will attend the canonization of
Aug. 31 as she left a clinic in Rabat, reported. abortion rights, most abortion-related Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman next month.
AFP reported. Also arrested were her Saad Sahli, a lawyer for Raissouni and arrests in the country involve medical The heir to the British throne will travel to Rome to
fiance, Rifaat al-Amin, and a doctor, al-Amin, said that Raissouni had been officials, and only rarely do they include witness the canonization Mass of the first non-martyr
nurse, and secretary from the obstetrics- receiving treatment for internal bleeding the women who procure abortions. English saint since the Reformation. After the Mass
gynecology clinic. at the clinic where she was arrested. In 2018, Moroccan courts tried more in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 13, the Prince of Wales will
Her trial was due to begin Sept. 9, but After her arrest, Raissouni was than 14,500 people for debauchery; 3,048 attend a reception at the Pontifical Urban College,
has been postponed to Sept. 16 following taken to hospital where she was given for adultery; 170 for homosexuality; and where Newman studied to become a Catholic priest, the
protests. a gynecological exam, another of 73 for abortions, AFP reported. prince’s office announced. “We are delighted that HRH
All five are being held until next week’s her lawyers said, according to The Brunei, another Muslim country, The Prince of Wales will lead the UK delegation for the
hearing. Independent. adopted a penal code in April that canonisation of Cardinal Newman,” the Archbishop of
Raissouni writes for Akhbar Al- Prosecutors say there were indications punishes anyone who commits qatl Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said after the
Yaoum, which is reportedly critical of of pregnancy and that she had received (homicide) on a fetus by intentionally announcement Sept. 12. (Courtney Grogan/CNA)
the Moroccan government. a “late voluntary abortion.” causing its miscarriage with diya
Prosecutors have said her arrest has Rabat officials have also indicated (monetary compensation to the
“nothing to do with her profession the clinic where the five were arrested child’s heirs) and with up to 15 years Pope Francis: God forgets our sins after confession
as a journalist,” but some worry it is if being surveilled, after reports that imprisonment. (CNA) Pope Francis said Sunday that God forgets sins
absolved within the confessional. “How do you
EU official: Release of Asia Bibi shows promise for religious freedom defeat evil? Accepting God’s forgiveness … It happens
every time we go to confession; there we receive the
BUDAPEST, Hungary— A to death by hanging. She visit them in prison, listen the previous government, love of the Father who overcomes our sin. It is no
European Union official was accused of making to them, discuss with them,” “relatively small groups took longer there, God forgets it,” Pope Francis said in his
who played a role in working disparaging remarks about she said. streets hostage, and de facto Angelus message Sept. 15. “God, when He forgives,
for the release of Pakistani the prophet Muhammad According to the U.S. State dictated some decisions to loses His memory. He forgets our sins, forgets. God
death row inmate Asia Bibi after an argument about a Department, there are an the elected government. Now, is so good with us,” he added in a departure from his
said the outcome shows the cup of water. She was held estimated 77 people in prison leaders of militant groups prepared remarks. In the sacrament of confession,
potential of international on death row until October in Pakistan under blasphemy and violent extremists have God completely erases the evil confessed, making one
cooperation to promote 2018 when her conviction laws, most of them Muslims. been jailed after massive new inside, reborn in joy, Pope Francis explained.
religious freedom. was overturned. Bibi said in her message public protests.” (Courtney Grogan/CNA)
Jan Figel is the EU Special After the acquittal, there she is grateful to the Figel recently launched
Envoy for Freedom of were protests by Islamic international community the academic and political
Religion outside of Europe. hardliners, and Bibi remained that worked for her release, Declaration of Human Pope Francis: Tradition is ‘the guarantee of the future’
In an interview with CNA, in Pakistan under protective and in particular to Figel, Dignity for Everyone Fidelity to tradition ensures a fruitful future,
he praised Bibi as “an custody until May 2019. She whom she described as “an Everywhere. Pope Francis said in a meeting Thursday with a
admirably brave woman is now in a secret location in angel who saved me [from] He explained to CNA that contemplative-missionary community rooted in the
and loving mother. She did Canada with her family. the imprisonment.” his involvement in Bibi’s case spirituality of St. Augustine. “To be modern, some
not give up her Christian In a new audio message Figel told CNA that the was intended to shed light on believe that it is necessary to break away from the
faith [in exchange for this week, Bibi issued a plea reason Bibi remained under issues of religious freedom, roots. And this is their ruin, because the roots, the
freedom], and she represents that justice and judgement protective custody in Pakistan since “Asia Bibi was famous tradition, are the guarantee of the future,” Pope
encouragement for many be treated as serious matters for nine months was likely worldwide as an evident Francis said Sept. 12. In an audience with nearly 200
others facing false blasphemy aimed at the pursuit of truth. because “the Imran Khan abuse of freedom of religion members of the General Chapter of the Discalced
accusations.” “If you want to punish government and Pakistani and beliefs.” Augustinians, the pope explained that “true tradition”
Asia Bibi, a Catholic someone, do not do it without Military used this delay to get Figel said he was able to visit is like the roots that bring a tree sap that allows it to
mother of five, was convicted listening to him. And do the situation in the country Pakistan only in December grow, flourish, and bear fruit. “Never break away from
of blasphemy in Pakistan something for all the people under real control.” 2017, and he made a second your roots to be modern, that’s suicide,” Francis told
in 2009 and sentenced in prison for blasphemy: He lamented that under visit in 2018. (CNA) the Augustinians. (Courtney Grogan/CNA)
Rethink / A1
keynote speaker at the “Ring Out Peace, dialogue and not war. been in limbo since 2017 after Duterte Catholics, Muslims pray at Vatican for September 11
Our Urgent Call” forum in Quezon City “At present, it is really important called out a series of rebel attacks on victims
on Sept. 12. for the government and the National the military. Catholics and Muslims prayed in Vatican City
Peace advocates renewed their calls Democratic Front of the Philippines to Ledesma said that religious groups are Wednesday for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and
for the resumption of the peace talks to resume dialogue in order for us to attain willing to assist both parties should they of every act of terrorism. The prayers were a part of the
prevent escalation of armed conflict and peace,” he said. return to the negotiating table. first meeting of a new committee created by the United
to reduce the climate of fear enveloping “That would be the first step as there “Church leaders are really mediators Arab Emirates for implementing the goals outlined in
some provinces. are still a lot of actions that need to be and they are in between. They are Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed
“What should be done is really to call undertaken in order for peace to be truly neutral ground as they can bring about el-Tayeb’s joint statement on human fraternity signed in
for all-out peace. Let the whole nation be realized in the country,” Iñiguez added. the total aspirations for human rights, Abu Dhabi Feb. 4. According to the Holy See Press Office,
all about peace,” said Ledesma, who also Duterte on Tuesday ordered an all-out human dignity,” the prelate added. the committee chose to meet Sept. 11 as “a sign of the
co-chairs the Philippine Ecumenical war against the New People’s Army, six “All the more, these religious leaders will to build life and fraternity where others sowed death
Peace Platform. months after “permanently” terminating can bring about the spiritual element for and destruction.” The committee is made up of seven
For retired Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez the peace negotiations with the rebels. a lasting and just peace in the country,” members: two from the Roman curia and five members
of Kalookan, the key to lasting peace is The talks between both parties have he also said. (CBCPNews) from the UAE and Egypt. (Courtney Mares/CNA)
Abuses / A1

his case as a “blessing in
disguise”.
“What happened to me
has seemingly generated a
national reaction against
police abuse of authority,”
he said.
“It has also mobilized
and emboldened many
communities and action
groups here in Alotau to fight
for their rights within the law
and without using violence,”
Santos said.
The case stemmed from
the bishop’s statement that
police from the Mobile Squad
Task Force burnt 19 houses at
Daga compound on predawn
of Sept. 1.
The Vincentian prelate
also posted the incident on
his Facebook account and
instantly went viral.
In his post, he alleged that
the cops were drunk when
they set the houses ablaze,
including that of acting
diocesan education secretary
Gregory Nimagale.
On Sept. 4, Bishop
Santos and Nimagale were
arrested but later released
on bail.
A member of the Parliament
for Alotau visited the fire
victims over the weekend
and promised to build low
housing for them.
Charles Abel also
apologized to Bishop Santos
publicly and said he will
reshuffle the police force.
The official also
informed the prelate that
he asked the task force to
drop their charges against
him.
This was the second time
that police from the task force
burnt houses in Alotau, the
prelate said. The first was
in New Kitava in December
last year.
“Until now they are
homeless,” the prelate added.
Since 2001, Santos has
been serving the Church in
Papua New Guinea, which
is also home to a number of
Filipino missionaries.
He was appointed the
bishop of Alotau-Sideia in
2011. (CBCPNews)
Pope Francis says he welcomes constructive criticism
Speaking aboard the papal plane from Madagascar
to Rome, Pope Francis said he welcomes criticism if
it is given openly, fairly, and with a willingness to be
debated. “Of criticisms, I always see the advantages.
Sometimes you get angry, but the advantages are
there,” he said Sept. 10 during an in-flight press
conference. “A fair criticism is always well received,
at least by me.” He said when receiving criticism one
should examine it for truth, but that he appreciates
when the criticism is given honestly and to his face.
“I do not like it when critics are under the table. They
smile, they let you see their teeth and then they stab
you in the back. This is not loyal, not human,” he said.
(Hannah Brockhaus/CNA)
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 NEWS FEATURES A3

Pope Francis explains decision to give

relics of St. Peter to Orthodox
VATICAN— In a letter to
Bartholomew I of Constantinople,
Pope Francis has explained the
unexpected gifting of a relic of St.
Peter to the leader of the Eastern
Orthodox Church in June, a gesture
which generated controversy among
some Catholics.
The pope wrote to the ecumenical
patriarch Aug. 30, saying the
decision to give the relic was born
out of prayer and intended as
a sign of the ongoing work and
prayer toward visible communion
between the Orthodox and Catholic
Churches.
Pope Francis gave the relic to
a member of a delegation from
the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople, which attended
a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for
the feast of Saints Peter and Paul
June 29.
After the Mass, Pope Francis
brought Eastern Orthodox
Archbishop Job to a chapel in the
papal apartments and offered the
chapel’s reliquary as a gift. The
bronze box contains nine fragments
from what are believed to be the
bones of St. Peter in the necropolis
beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.
The box bears the inscription,
“From the bones found in the
hypogeum of the Vatican Basilica,
which are believed to be of Blessed
Peter the Apostle.”
Pope Francis uses incense to bless a bronze reliquary containing the relics of St. Peter the Apostle during a Mass concluding the Year of Faith in St. Peter’s
Square at the Vatican Nov. 24, 2013. In a letter to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the pope explained why he gifted the reliquary. CNS/
VATICAN MEDIA
When Pope St. Paul VI discovered
St. Peter’s relics during excavations
in 1939, he had the fragments
removed to keep in the private
chapel of the papal apartments.
“This gesture is intended to be
a confirmation of the journey that
our Churches have made in drawing
closer to one another: a journey at
times demanding and difficult, yet
one accompanied by evident signs
of God’s grace,” Francis wrote to
Bartholomew Aug. 30.
“I sensed that this thought came
to me from the Holy Spirit, who in
so many ways prompts Christians
to regain that full communion for
which our Lord Jesus Christ prayed
on the eve of his glorious Passion.”
Pope Francis said he was reflecting
on the “mutual determination
to advance together towards full
communion,” and thought of a gift
Patriarch Athenagoras gave to St.
Paul VI of an icon of Saints Peter
and Andrew embracing.
This icon, he said, “has become for
us a prophetic sign of the restoration
of that visible communion between
our Churches to which we aspire
and for which we fervently pray
and work.”
“Hence, in the peace born of
prayer, I sensed that it would
be highly significant were some
fragments of the relics of the Apostle
Peter to be placed beside the relics
of the Apostle Andrew, who is
venerated as the heavenly patron
of the Church of Constantinople.”
The Orthodox delegation brought
the reliquary to Istanbul, where
Monsignor Andrea Palmieri,
undersecretary of the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian
Unity, personally gave it to
Bartholomew.
Bartholomew, as patriarch of
Constantinople, is regarded as “first
among equals” within the Orthodox
communion and is seen by many as
the worldwide leader of Orthodoxy.
Orthodox Archbishop Job called
the gesture “another gigantic step
towards concrete unity.”
Pope Francis wrote that the joining
of the relics of Andrew and Peter
can serve “as a constant reminder
and encouragement that, on this
continuing journey, our divergences
will no longer stand in the way
of our common witness and our
evangelizing mission in the service of
a human family that today is tempted
to build a purely secular future, a
future without God.” (Hannah
Brockhaus/CNA)

Cardinal Pell submits appeal Cancer survivor Fr. Jerry Orbos shares journey to healing
to Australian High Court MANILA— A priest and the priest experienced weight
cancer survivor is inspiring loss, coughing, and he easily
MELBOURNE, Australia—
Cardinal George Pell on Sept.
17 submitted an application
for leave to appeal his
conviction to the Australian
High Court, following the
Aug. 21 decision by the
Court of Appeal in Victoria
to uphold his conviction for
child sexual abuse.
The leave to appeal was
filed in Melbourne by Pell’s
legal team Sept. 17, one day
before the deadline of 28 days
from the date of the Appeal
Court decision.
Sources close to the
cardinal told CNA Aug. 26
that Pell would be exercising
his final appeal and that,
while the majority of “special
leave to appeal” cases were
not granted by the High
Court, his case would likely
be accepted given the
controversy triggered by the
split decision of the Appeal
Court judgement.
In seeking to take his case to
the High Court in Canberra,
Australia’s supreme court,
Pell is exercising his last
legal avenue to overturn a
conviction which has divided
opinion in the country and
internationally.
Several Australian media
outlets have reported that
Pell will retain the same legal
team which presented his
case in Victoria, led by Brett
Walker SC.
The cardinal was convicted
Dec. 11, 2018, on five charges
that he sexually abused two
choristers after Sunday Mass
while he was Archbishop of
Melbourne in 1996 and 1997.
He was sentenced to six
years in prison, of which
he must serve at least three
years and eight months
before being eligible to apply
for parole.
The cardinal, 78, who
remains an archbishop and
a member of the College of
Cardinals, was returned to
prison immediately after
court adjourned, where he
has remained. Pell has not
been permitted to celebrate
Mass in prison.
Pell’s appeal was presented
on three grounds, two of
which were procedural and
dismissed by all three appeal
judges.
The judges were divided
on Pell’s primary ground
of appeal, that the
decision of the jury was
“unreasonable.”
Cardinal George Pell. ALEXEY GOTOVSKY/CNA
At particular issue was
the question of whether the
jury which convicted Pell
had properly weighed all of
the evidence presented in
his defense, or reached the
determination of guilt despite
the demonstration of clear
“reasonable doubt” that he
committed the crimes with
which he was charged.
Chief Justice Anne
Ferguson and Court President
Chris Maxwell formed the
majority in favor of rejecting
Pell’s appeal that the jury
verdict was unreasonable
on the evidence presented,
finding that it was open
to the jury to find beyond
“reasonable doubt about the
truth of the complainant’s
account.”
In an extensive dissent
from the majority finding,
Justice Mark Weinberg
noted that the entirety of
the evidence against Pell
consisted of the testimony
of a single accuser, whereas
more than 20 witnesses were
produced to testify against
his narrative.
“Even the ‘reasonable
possibility’ that what the
witnesses who testified to
these matters may have
been true must inevitably
have led to an acquittal,”
Weinberg wrote, concluding
that Pell had, in effect,
been asked to establish the
“impossibility” of his guilt
and not merely reasonable
doubt.
All three judges granted
further leave to appeal
on the ground of the
unreasonableness of the
jury’s conviction.
The decision by Pell to
pursue the final legal avenue
open to him means that a
canonical process in Rome
will be further delayed until
the civil process concludes in
Australia. (CNA)
others in his path to healing.
Fr. Jerry Orbos was
diagnosed with lung cancer
in February 2018 and had
quiet a journey to recovery.
As a priest, he knew his
weapon so he did a lot praying
and positive outlook. Now,
he’s sharing his personal road
to recovery.
He had all the traditional
treatments and is now
cancer-free, but he attributed
much of his recovery to his
joyful outlook.
“You try everything you can
because it’s also important
that you help yourself.
That’s why my advocacy is
focused on ‘humor, not on
the tumor,’” Fr. Orbos said.
“The joy of the Lord is my
strength, positive outlook. If
you are joyful, the healing is
faster,” he said. “You have to
hope, you have to trust.”
Malignant
Since his college days, Fr.
Orbos was a secret smoker
who admitted he only smokes
“moderately”.
Towards the latter years,
Pope Francis to create 13 new cardinals in October consistory
VATICAN— Pope Francis announced
he will create 13 new cardinals Oct.
5, choosing prelates from 13 different
nations as a sign of “the missionary
vocation of the church that continues to
proclaim the merciful love of God to all
men and women of the earth.”
The only Canadian named was
73-year-old Jesuit Father Michael
Czerny, undersecretary of the Section
for Migrants and Refugees at the
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human
Development. None of the new cardinals
is from the United States.
Cardinal-designate Czerny, who Pope
Francis had earlier named as a special
secretary for the Synod of Bishops for the
Amazon, was in Guararema, Brazil, when
the announcement was made. He told
Catholic News Service in a text message
that he had not known he was going to
be made a cardinal.
Announcing the names of the new
Ecology / A1
The convention ended
with a clear message that
climate justice cannot wait
and therefore, the church
and environmental advocates
must work together with an
increased level of urgency.
Bishop Valentin Dimoc
of Bontoc-Lagawe said that
the church has “to share the
burden of reinvigorating the
environment”.
got tired.
His cancer was discovered
by accident. Fr. Orbos said
he visited a doctor to initially
undergo a CT scan of his
abdomen.
“I don’t know why I told
the doctor to also check my
lungs, and there he found a
white spot,” said Fr. Orbos.
“Right away, he said, ‘Father,
the tumor is malignant.’”
Fr. Jerry Orbos (center) speaks during a media forum on lung cancer awareness in
Manila, 5 Sept 2019. ROY LAGARDE
St. Ezequiel’s the saint at first until deaths in the Philippines,
intercession somebody gave him a 3-feet accounting for over 15,000
For months, he underwent statue of St. Ezequiel, who deaths per year.
sessions of chemotherapy is popularly invoked as the Unfortunately, patients
and immunotherapy or what patron of cancer patients. have reportedly delayed
he coined, albeit in jest, “I really didn’t know him. getting diagnosed and treated
“chemono therapy”. I never heard about him,” due to the misconceptions
On Jan. 15 this year, he was said Fr. Orbos. “But through about the disease.
declared cancer-free with no this cancer, I met St. Ezequiel To stop such stigma, the
recurrence by his oncologist. Moreno.” campaign hopes to spread the
“I thank God I had cancer. different voices of some lung
It’s a blessing. It cleansed me New mission cancer patients’ journeys.
a lot, it made me humble and The priest went from For everything that happened,
made me realize how beautiful cancer patient to advocate. Fr. Orbos realized that he has a
life is,” Fr. Orbos said. He recently became an new “mission” to take.
Fr. Orbos also claimed that ambassador of “Hope “Now, I end up being an
he was cured of cancer with from Within,” an advocacy advocate for cancer, healing,
the help of Saint Ezequiel campaign for lung cancer. and for the presence of God
Moreno’s intercession. Lung cancer is the leading in our cancer,” he said. (Roy
He admitted not knowing cause of cancer-related Lagarde/CBCPNews)
cardinals Sept. 1, the pope included 10 is 82-year-old Archbishop Michael
men who are under the age of 80 and Fitzgerald, a Missionary of Africa born in
therefore will be eligible to vote in a England, who had served as president of
conclave to elect a new pope. Three of the the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
future cardinals are already over the age Dialogue and later as Vatican nuncio to
of 80, and the pope said he chose them Egypt.
because of their service to the church. The others, in the order they were
“Let us pray for the new cardinals named by the pope, were: Archbishop
so that, confirming their adhesion to Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of
Christ, they will help me in my ministry Jakarta, Indonesia, 69; Archbishop
as bishop of Rome for the good of the Juan Garcia Rodriguez of Havana, 71;
entire faithful, holy people of God,” the Archbishop Fridolin Ambongo Besungu
pope told pilgrims who had gathered to of Kinshasa, Congo, 59; Archbishop
pray the midday Angelus with him. Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg,
In addition to Cardinal-designate Czerny, 61; Bishop Alvaro Ramazzini Imeri
two other members of the group are also of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, 72;
Vatican officials: 67-year-old Bishop Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna,
Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, president of Italy, 63; Archbishop Cristobal Lopez
the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Romero of Rabat, Morocco, 67; Retired
Dialogue; and 53-year-old Archbishop Jose Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius of
Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca, Vatican Kaunas, Lithuana, 80; Retired Bishop
archivist and librarian. Eugenio dal Corso of Benguela, Angola,
One of the over-80 cardinals-designate 80. (Cindy Wooden/CNS)
“In one way or another, extractive industries. already available in the
we have caused the death of Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Caritas Philippine energy market,”
our rivers, forests and sea Philippines’ Executive he said.
beds. Therefore, it is our Secretary, said that they would The organizations also
obligation now to restore like the financial institutions agreed to support the
what we destroyed,” he said. and the government to know legislation of the Rights
As a direct response, the how serious they are about the of Nature bill by starting
convention also agreed to campaign. discussions with the
push further the discussions “But we also would like local policy makers and
on divestment through to provide them option government units until the
dialogues with top investors by reinvesting in clean, bill is passed by Congress.
on coal, mining and other renewable energy that are (CBCPNews)
A4 OPINION September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

Rehabilitation or revenge
THE supposed release of Mayor Antonio Sanchez of Calauan
on August 20 has kept the news hot on the Good Conduct
Time Allowance (GCTA) Law in particular and on the Bureau
of Corrections (BuCor), the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and the
Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in general. Due to
the on-going senate investigation, the spotlight is still on the
issue of the incarceration of convicted persons. Many horrors
stories have come out about practices of laxity, immorality,
and corruption in the BuCor. The blame game has also begun,
finger pointing even to the previous administration. The PNoy
administration had been in a bad light for blaming the GMA
administration for many of the shortcomings and failures of its
own administration. The same is happening with the Duterte
administration. It has already been three years in power, yet
for its shortcomings, it still blames the PNoy administration,
as in this case!
In the present investigation—and subsequent confusion—
over the issues of the handling of prisoners, the focus is always

ILLUSTRATION BY BLADIMER USI

on those who committed heinous crimes and on the few who
had been questionably set free. I say “the few” because the
Bilibid facility can have as many as 20,000 inmates. Many
are there, by the thousands maybe, who are incarcerated not
because of any serious crime but just because they are poor
and ignorant. There are hundreds who are sick, disabled and
elderly – already in their 70’s and in their 80’s. Hundreds
more have already reformed lives. These people deserve to be
set free according to the GCTA law. Let us not blame the law,
God’s Word and
much less those who passed it and even did the Implementing
Living Mission
Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law. The problem of the
laws is always on the implementation. The executive branch young people Fr. James H. Kroeger, MM
of the government NOW, and this is to be stressed—NOW—
is the one responsible for its implementation, and not the
former one.
The talks on the GCTA has bared the mind and the heart of IN Christus Vivit Pope Francis asks: to use the youth to achieve his purposes. can do; in this, he demonstrates that
many people. Many interlocutors have still the mentality that “What does the Word of God have to say “King David was chosen while still a youthful openness of spirit which seeks
incarceration is meant to punish, which translates, to avenge, about young people?” (CV 5). Francis boy. When the prophet Samuel was new horizons and great challenges. Yet,
to make people suffer. Their vengeful heart comes out. There then draws upon “some of the richness seeking the future king of Israel, a man his spirit was not really that young,
are two purposes for incarceration: to keep the criminals
of the Sacred Scriptures, since they often offered as candidates his sons who were for he had already become attached to
from further harming others and to give the law-breakers a
speak of young people and of how the older and more experienced. Yet, the riches and comforts. He said he wanted
chance to realize their mistake and be rehabilitated. This is
restorative justice. People shout for justice and many times Lord draws near to encounter them” (CV prophet said that the chosen one was the something more, but when Jesus asked
they mean punitive and vengeful justice. They still belong 5). Francis cites examples from both Old young David.” Why? “Man looks on the him to be generous and distribute his
to the old and discredited school of thought. True justice is and New Testaments. outward appearance, but the Lord looks goods, he realized that he could not let
restorative justice, which includes the rehabilitation of those Francis notes: “In an age when on the heart” (CV 9). go of everything he had…. He had given
who did wrong and the restoration of peace and harmony in young people were not highly regarded, “Solomon, when he had to succeed up his youth” (CV 18).
those who are wronged. some texts show that God sees them his father, felt lost and told God: ‘I am Also, in Matthew (25:1-13), the Gospel
I hope that in the on-going debate on the BuCor, its name differently. Joseph, for example, was a mere youth, not knowing at all how “speaks about a group of wise young
may also be discussed, debated upon, and acted on. Its name the youngest of his family (cf. Gen 37:2- to act’ (1 Kg 3:7). Yet, the audacity women, who were ready and waiting,
is the Bureau of Corrections. Its purpose is to correct. This 3), yet God showed him great things of youth moved him to ask God for while others were distracted and
is why the government maintains correctional facilities. Do in dreams and when only seventeen wisdom and he devoted himself to his slumbering.” The Pope notes: “We can,
these facilities really have programs to correct and rehabilitate years old he outshone all his brothers mission. Something similar happened in fact, spend our youth being distracted,
people? It is not just enough to lump people together within in important affairs (cf. Gen 37-47)” to the prophet Jeremiah.” Pope Francis skimming the surface of life, half-asleep,
bars or between high walls. Are there deliberate efforts to (CV 6). affirms that the call and mission of incapable of cultivating meaningful
rehabilitate the minds, behaviors, and beliefs of the convicts? “Samuel was still a young boy, yet various youth in the Old Testament relationships or experiencing the deeper
If all these talks and media coverage can at least call attention the Lord spoke to him. Thanks to the “shows what can happen when the things in life. In this way, we can store
to the sorry state of our correctional institutions and bring advice of an adult, he opened his heart brashness [boldness] of youth is joined up a paltry and unsubstantial future.
improvement to the facilities which hold more than 200,000 to hear God’s call: ‘Speak, Lord, for your to the power of God” (CV 10). Or we can spend our youth aspiring
people all over the country, something worthwhile has been servant is listening’ (1Sam 3:9-10). As a Some Gospel Insights. Employing to beautiful and great things, and thus
achieved by all this hullabaloo. result, he became a great prophet who the New Testament, Pope Francis store up a future full of life and interior
(Guest editorial by Bishop Broderick Pabillo) intervened at critical moments in the penetrates deeply into a “youthful,” richness” (CV 19).
history of his country” (CV 8). vibrant faith. Francis writes: “In the Conclusion. Indeed, God can and
We are in a post-truth era? Additional Youth Models. Gospel of Matthew we find a young does speak to the heart—at any age!
Continuing his Scriptural Reflections, man (Mt 19:20-22) who approaches Happily, this same Scriptural pattern
SOME social experts are saying that we are now living in what Pope Francis affirms that God continues Jesus and asks if there is more that he continues to unfold in the Church today!
they term as “post-truth era.” As described by them, it refers
to a certain culture where people are more likely to accept
an argument based on their emotions and beliefs rather than
Active Faith
Who is
one based on facts.
That claim, of course, can trigger a lot of reaction and can
lead us again to the question of what truth really is. It brings
Joe Tale St. Thomas More?
back the question, “What is truth?,” that Pilate asked of Christ
when Christ said that he came to bear witness to the truth.
(cfr. Jn 18,37-38)
Indeed, dealing with the truth is a very complex business. VERY little is known about Colt, with whom he had 1510, which launched him concentrated on promoting
And that’s simply because truth has many aspects, levels, St. Thomas More, the patron four children. When Jane to a prominent career in justice and restraining the
appearances, etc. In the end, we have to trace the origin of of statesmen and politicians died, Thomas married public administration. He harmful influence of those
what we consider to be the truth, and that can only be the as declared by Pope John Alice Middleton, a widow became speaker of the House who advanced their own
author and maker of truth itself, the creator of the universe. Paul II in the year 2000. with one daughter. He was of Commons in 1523. interests at the expense of
In other words, we have to believe in God and constantly refer He lived a very inspiring life known to be an affectionate He was highly esteemed for the weak.
ourselves to him to know the truth. and is a model of firmness of and faithful husband and his unfailing moral authority, Eventually, he faced a
If we have a problem with the question of God, then conscience to the end. father, deeply involved in his sharpness of mind, his open dilemma. His king, Henry
definitely we will have a problem with the question of truth. Thomas More was born in children’s religious, moral and humorous character, and VIII, wanted to divorce his
Truth would now become a captive of our subjective ways London in 1478. He studied and intellectual education. his extraordinary learning. In wife, Catherine of Aragon, so
of knowing things. We would be making ourselves the main law in at Oxford and London. Family life gave him ample 1529, at a time of political and he could marry Anne Boleyn.
arbiter of what can be considered as true or not. In the end, His other interests were in the opportunity for prayer and economic crisis in England, To do this the king had to
we would be making ourselves our own god, the creator of spheres of culture, theology lectio divina, as well as he was appointed by the king get the approval of the pope.
what is true and what is not true. and classical literature. for happy and wholesome as Lord Chancellor, the first Failing to get such approval,
The phenomenon of what some social experts are regarding He mastered Greek and relaxation. He attended daily layman to occupy the position. King Henry VIII wanted
as “post-truth era” is mainly due to a culture where God has enjoyed the company and Mass in the parish church. (The Lord Chancellor’s the Church of England to
hardly any role to play in our lives, let alone, considered as friendship of important He was first elected to principal responsibility separate from the papacy
everything to us. figures of Renaissance Parliament in 1504 under was to administer justice and take control of it, so
With this setting, we obviously will miss not only a lot
culture, including Desiderius King Henry VII. The latter’s and keep the independence he could give himself his
about truth, but also what is most crucial and essential
Erasmus of Rotterdam. successor, King Henry VIII, of the courts.) In fidelity desired divorce. Not wishing
about it. We will reduce our understanding of truth to what
is simply perceptible to the senses, what is observable and He was married to Jane renewed his mandate in to his principles, Thomas Active Faith / A5
understandable to the human mind
at a given time and condition, what is empirically and
Editorial / A6
Mental case or Candidly Speaking
demonic possession?

Monitor
Fr. Roy Cimagala
CBCP
THERE seems to be a sharp surge of predicament. can be an either-or proposition, we
disturbed people around these days. More and more people are of the should not dismiss the possibility that
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE As a result, we can see more people thinking that these disturbed persons it can also be a both-and one. Not just
who are clearly mentally ill, with very are more than just mental cases, disjunctive, but also conjunctive. Let’s
Pedro Quitorio erratic behavior. And if they are not to be treated only with psychiatry, remember that the devil is always
Editor-in-Chief withdrawn from the world, alienating some medicine and therapy which are around. It’s not paranoia to be always
themselves and rotting away in their no mean help. They now talk of the alerted of the devil’s existence and
Nirva’ana E. Delacruz Ron Ramos, Sky Ortigas own universe, they get overly aggressive, strong possibility that some demonic constant efforts to destroy us, usually
Design Artists
Associate Editor violently aggressive, in fact. Some interference is involved, even demonic in very sweet ways.
commit suicide. oppression and possession. And they cite It would be good if we level up in our
Roy Lagarde Mercedita Juanite This is a problem we have to learn instances where the persons concerned knowledge of psychology. This field of
News Editor Circulation Manager
how to cope and to try to solve. Of act in ways that are considered already science is getting to be more and more
Christine Paguirigan Marcelita Dominguez course, it’s a phenomenon that can beyond human possibility. relevant these days. It cannot anymore
Managing Editor Comptroller easily be attributed to the complications We need to have a good grip on this be the exclusive interest of some people.
and pressures of the times, which in rapidly emerging menace. And the first Everyone should know at least the
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the themselves are admittedly no mean thing to do is to entertain the possibility basics of psychology and from there
CBCP - Media Office with editorial and business offices
at 3rd Floor, CBCP Compound, 470 General Luna things. But there must also be other that indeed these disturbed people are start accumulating relevant helpful
Street, Intramuros, Manila. Email Address: cbcpmonitor@ factors and causes deeper than the both mentally sick and demonically information.
areopaguscommunications.com, Business: (632) 404 - 1612.
ISSN 1908-2940. toxic complications and pressures of bothered. But we should never forget that
the times that give rise to this world Yes, while it’s true that the predicament Candidly Speaking / A7
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 OPINION A5

Whisper from the Desert The dark side

Fr. Amado L. Picardal, CSsR, STD of leadership By the Roadside
Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD

NOWADAYS, we often hear of

government leaders who are
incompetent and who use their position
of leadership for their self-interest: they
are corrupt, despotic, immoral, power-
hungry, materialistic, abusive, and who
are more concerned about their image
or status. This can be found also in the
police and military organization as
well as the corporate world. Even some
leaders of the Church may be guilty
of this. The great temptation of those
having authority is to “feel powerful
and almost like God”—that one is above
the law and can do anything he likes.
Many of the abuses may be caused by
the failure to recognize and overcome
the dark side. There is a dark side of
leadership which has to be brought out
into the open, into the light. The dark
side which is often toxic and destructive
brings out the worst version of the self.
From a psychological perspective,
the dark side is often associated with
personality disorder and abnormal
behavior which has roots in the
unconscious. Among the manifestations
are narcissism, insecurity, bipolar
disorder, obsessive compulsions,
despotic behavior, aggression,
uncontrolled anger or intermittent
explosive disorder, addictive behavior,
sexual abuse, etc. More often, the
underlying causes of such disorder is
complex—some involving childhood
psychological trauma, abuse, rejection,
etc. Christian tradition often associates
the manifestation of the dark side
with the so-called seven deadly sins or
cardinal sins: pride, greed, lust, envy,
gluttony, wrath and sloth. Every human
being, including priests, are prone to
these “capital vices.” The dark side is
associated with the four cravings or
basic temptations that try to dominate
the life of each human being, especially
those in leadership position: (1) the
craving for sensual pleasure; (2) the
craving for material possession; (3) the
craving for power and influence, (4) the
craving for popularity, fame and glory.
One basic temptation for a leader is to
gratify one’s sensual desire. The leader
has at his disposal whatever he wants
and he can easily indulge in addictive
behavior—whether it be food, alcohol,
gambling, drugs or sex. The leader
can spend a lot of time in the casino,
cockfighting arena or the mahjong table.
In order to deal with the pain—whether
physical or psychological—he can
become a drug addict (which is a form
self-medication). Another temptation
is to indulge in illicit sexual behavior/
misconduct (whether heterosexual or
homosexual)—keeping a mistress/or
concubine, including abuse of minors.
A leader has access to huge amount
Marian pilgrimage
of money. The big temptation is to use
his position to accumulate wealth and
material possessions. The dark side
of leadership becomes evident when
this becomes his main motivation. His
heart is full of greed and avarice. He
needs more to maintain a luxurious
lifestyle—a palatial home, the latest
fleet of cars, clothes, gadgets, etc. This is
also necessary to maintain his vices and
addiction – to drugs, alcohol, gambling,
sex or in seducing minors.
For many politicians and government
officials, a leadership position becomes
a source for accumulating wealth and
material possessions. This is also a
means for gaining and maintaining
political power. This is often associated
with patronage politics. No wonder,
many will run for office—as local
government officials (barangay leaders,
mayors, governors), as representatives
and senators, as presidents. There is
money in public office and government
bureaucracy. Running for office
requires huge amount (campaign staff,
advertisement, vote-buying, etc.) and
once in office, he needs to recoup his
expenses and generate funds for re-
election. The temptation of wealth and
material possessions can also lead many
police and military personnel to engage
in criminal activities (kidnapping,
hold-up, extortion, drug-pushing,
gambling, etc.). The temptation of
wealth is the main source of corruption
in the government. It is like cancer that
metastasize or spread in all levels—from
the highest to the lowest.
When a person occupies a position of
authority and leadership, he often feels
powerful. Traditionally, this power is
associated with the capacity to impose
his will and dominate others. He makes
decisions and expects to be obeyed.
He can threaten and coerce others to
do his bidding, to demand respect and
even fear. He can even have the power
of life and death over others. He can get
away with murder. This power comes
with perks and privileges. He has at
his disposal the wealth and resources
that comes with the office. Power tends
to be aphrodisiac. Sexual abuse can be
an assertion of power. He thinks he is
the law, that he is above the law. This
is the biggest and most destructive
temptation of leadership—the drive for
power. How to come to power, how to
exercise power and how to perpetuate
himself in power. When this becomes
the dominant motivating force, the dark
side of leadership is fully manifested.
Lord Acton’s popular dictum is correct:
power tends to corrupt and absolute
power corrupts absolutely. A person
who is narcissistic and lacks a sense of
remorse and guilt and who thinks of
himself as god is most dangerous when
he is in a leadership position.
The leader is often placed in the
O, to be young
limelight. He is the focus or center of
attention—especially from followers
but also discerning
and the media. Honor, fame, popularity
“Certainly to one, through the Spirit, is given words of
and prestige tend to accompany the
wisdom...to another, the discernment of spirits; to another,
position of authority and leadership.
different kinds of languages; to another, the interpretation
The dark side is evident when seeking
of words” (Lk 5:8, 10).
fame and being conscious of one’s
image become the underlying motive
“The Holy Spirit gives wisdom against folly, understanding
of the leader’s behavior and decisions.
against dullness, fortitude against fears, knowledge against
He is full of vanity. This can also be
ignorance, piety against hardness of heart, and fear against
accompanied by a sense of entitlement
pride”—Pope St. Gregory the Great
and the expectation of being given a VIP
treatment.
I CAME across a story lately. It is told that a man once bragged
The biggest temptation that a leader
to a friend that not even his wife can control him. His friend
faces is to use his position as means for
asked: “Suppose your wife tells you to wash your family’s dirty
satisfying these drives, to allow himself
clothes for the week. What would you do?” The answer was
to be dominated by one or all of these
swift: “If that happens, that could mean separation...” The
drives. The account of the temptation
friend was awed. “You mean for being asked to do the laundry
in the desert was symbolic of Jesus’
you’ll separate from your wife?” “No,” said the man. “I mean
struggle and rejection against this type
separation of colored clothes from white ones...”
of leadership—motivated primarily by
Discernment is almost a forgotten art. But yes it comes from
self-gratification, wealth, power and
the Latin “discernere” which means “separation”. Basically for
privilege.
Christians it means being able to distinguish or separate what
Thus, everyone occupying leadership
comes from God or his Spirit from what comes from other
positions are subject to one or more
spirits, like the spirit of the world or evil spirits, including
of these diabolical temptations. This
Satan himself. Without discernment the Holy Father says
is part of the fallen, sinful nature of
that we, especially our youth, could “easily become prey to
human beings. At the core of all these
every passing trend” (Christus Vivit, no. 279). Just look at the
is selfishness, greed and pride. The
fashions and the songs that are hits today but will not even
dark side is associated with ignoring
be remembered tomorrow. At one time it was frowned upon
or breaking God’s commandment and
to curse in public or personally attack persons’ good name
falling into sin. When he does this, the
publicly, but now it appears to be standard behavior for some
leader makes himself a god – failing to
leaders. Where is this coming from? Do we care to ask?
recognize that he is only a creature and
St. Ignatius of Loyola teaches us that God can communicate
there is someone greater than himself to
directly to us through our thoughts, feelings and desires.
whom he is accountable. He thinks that
Discernment is, as it were, what helps us tell whether or not
he is above the law and does not have to
certain thoughts, feelings or desires are of God and lead to
follow or observe the law – whether it be
God, or from other sources, such as our own selves, the world
the divine law or the laws of society. He
or evil spirits or the evil One himself.
can easily lie, cheat, steal or use coercion
We need discernment particularly when young people in
or violence to get what he wants—whether
the Church are trying to decide which state of life to embrace
it be sensual pleasure, wealth, power or
in order to follow Jesus Christ according to God’s plan: that
fame. He does not respect the dignity
is to say, is any young person being called to live out his
and rights of others. He does not listen to
discipleship as a married person, as an ordained one or a
his conscience or has a dull conscience.
consecrated one? This is what we call vocation. Very often
He lacks moral compass and becomes
parents and adults could be sources of help or hindrances
immoral. Sexual misconduct or abuse
to the young’s discernment of God’s call. In the US I once
come easy. For him, there is nothing
heard a rather sad commentary: There are doubtless more
wrong with cursing others or even God.
Filipino immigrants than Vietnamese in California’s Catholic
He lacks a sense of remorse and guilt.
parishes. But there are more priests and seminarians from
He becomes cruel and corrupt. Having a
Vietnamese communities rather than Filipino ones. The
hardened heart, he does not care if others
theory offered was that while Filipino families may be better
suffer as a consequence of his acts and
off economically, they are not so spiritually; often Filipino
decisions. All he cares about is himself.
parents do not encourage their children to discern their
The dark side of leadership is
vocations and at times may even be the first to nip them in
responsible the reign of evil in
the bud. Truly grave and un-encouraging, all because of the
Philippine society—for the corruption,
neglect or distrust of discernment.
violence, injustice, poverty, inequality,
For adults and families to be of help to our youth in the
tyranny, violation of human rights,
process of discernment, there are three sensitivities that the
extrajudicial killings and the destruction
pope proposes. First, sensitivity to the individual “who is
of the environment. When this dark side
sharing his very self in what he says” (CV 292). This needs
dominates, the leader instead of being
three important factors: wasting time with our young, giving
servant-leaders becomes self-serving
them a listening ear, and praying for them while they make
incapable of bringing justice, peace,
decisions. I sometimes wonder how many vocations might
progress and genuine change.
have been lost because we adults did not love enough to give
those gifts to our young. Two, there is a need for sensitivity
to where in the young’s life events are moments of “grace”

in Europe
DATELINE: Fatima,
Portugal — As of the time
of this writing, we are in
the final leg of our Marian
Pilgrimage in France, Spain
and Portugal. Whenever we
visited a church, I learn more
about the life of Jesus and
the Blessed Virgin Mary who
accompanied Jesus up to
her son’s death on the Cross.
Our pilgrimage started with
the Sanctuary of Our Lady of
Lourdes in France and ended
with the Sanctuary of Our
Lady of Fatima in Portugal. As
pilgrims, we prayed daily the
Morning Offering, the Prayer
to the Holy Spirit, Prayer
of Travelers and Prayer to
St. Michael the Archangel,
followed by the rosary and
Divine Mercy Chaplet. Fr.
Altaire Fernandez, a pastor at
Sta. Clara Parish in Oxnard,
California was the Pilgrimage
Chaplain; he presided over
the Mass every day and
delivered very informative
and inspiring homilies.
Our Pilgrimage was a long
haul from Los Angeles, stop-
over at London Heathrow
Airport to Toulouse, France
Airport and 3-hour drive to
Lourdes, France. There was
heavy traffic in Toulouse,
so we missed the 9pm
candle-lighted procession.
The following evening, the
pilgrims were able to join
the procession where the
5 decades of the rosary are
prayed in different languages
and Lourdes hymns were
sung. We had Mass at one
of the Chapels, visited the
Basilica of Our Lady of the
Rosary, experienced the
healing bath after a long
queue, drank the water from
the miraculous spring which
many pilgrims drank and
brought home. We dropped
the prayer petitions at the
Grotto of the Apparition,
touched the rock of the cave
and prayed to Our Lady
of Lourdes. When I was at
Lourdes in June this year, I
did not attempt to join the
uphill and downhill climbs of
the Way of the Cross, but this
time, I successfully hurdled
the steep climbs. This is my
3rd visit to Lourdes but I
pray that I may be able to
come back.
Next stop is the Shrine
of Our Lady of Montserrat,
the Black Madonna and
Child, located in the rugged
Montserrat Mountain in
Spain. According to stories,
St. Luke carved the statue
of the Black Madonna and
brought it to Spain. It was
hidden from the Moors and
later were rediscovered by
the shepherds who were
drawn to a grotto by a bright
light and heavenly music. The
Bishop of Manresa suggested
that it be moved to Manresa,
Duc in Altum
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago
but the image was too heavy,
thus, the Virgin remained
in Montserrat. My sister
and I were the 1st and 2nd
reader during the Mass that
was celebrated here on the
Birthday of our Mother Mary.
We were able to touch and
kiss the image of Our Lady.
It was said that “in all the
ages the sinful, the suffering,
the sorrowful, have laid their
woes at the feet of Our Lady
of Montserrat, and none have
ever gone away unheard of
or unaided.” St, Ignatius
of Loyola made an annual
pilgrimage to Montserrat.
We visited the Cathedral
of Santa Eulalia and Santa
Merce or what is known as
Barcelona Cathedral. Santa
Eulalia was a 13-year old girl
who suffered martyrdom
during the persecution of
Christians. She refused to
renounce her Christianity
and was subjected to 13
tortures—putting her into
a barrel with knives and
rolling it down a street (our
tour guide brought us to that
street), burning her breast,
crucified on an X-shaped
cross and was decapitated.
Next stop was the
unfinished Basilica de la
Sagrada Familia, the fruit of
the work of Antoni Gaudi; his
tomb is inside the Basilica.
More than 135 years after
the laying of the cornerstone
in 1882, on the Feast of
St. Joseph, it is still under
construction and is expected
to be completed in 2026.
When completed, the Basilica
will have 18 towers, 12 will
represent the apostles, 4 will
represent the evangelists,
one will be designated for the
Virgin Mary and the last one,
the highest in the middle, will
represent Jesus Christ. The
interior of the Basilica is so
big, with huge stained glass
along the walls and huge
pillars.
Next stop was the
magnificent Cathedral-
Basilica of Our Lady of the
Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. It
was built at the site where
the Virgin Mary, during her
lifetime, visited St. James
and gave him a column of
jasper and instructed him to
build a church in her honor.
The Virgin Mary told St.
James “This place is to be
my house, and this image
and column shall be the title
of the temple that you shall
build.”
After a year, a chapel was
built in honor of the Virgin
Mary. When St. James
returned to Jerusalem, he
was executed by Herod
Aggripa, the first apostle to
be martyred for his faith.
His disciples took his body
and buried him in Spain. The
Duc in Altum / A7
and where are “temptations” (CV 293). When they struggle
to choose between prayer time and the internet, between
one set of behavior or lifestyle and another, we must know
how to guide them to where grace lies more palpably. Of
course, the internet can also be a theater of grace and they
need to cultivate this linkage with enthusiasm greater than
temptation’s lairs. Three, sensitivity is also necessary to help
our young identify what spirits are “driving” their lives, that
is, “the direction in which” they “truly” want to “move” (CV
294). In the revised repertoire of Borongan clergy concert
they included the song BUWAN by Juan Karlos Labajo. That
song is an illustration of how our millennials could be driven
by spirits that may not be of God or leading to God. In my
analysis that song reflects a spirit that teaches our young that
love is a feeling aroused by physical beauty and even uses
nature as added stimulus and naturally leads to sex. Parts of
the song express this: “Ang iyong ganda umaabot sa buwan/
Ang tibok ng puso rinig sa kalawakan/ at bumabalik dito sa
akin/ Ikaw ang mahal/ Ikaw lang ang mamahalin/ Pakinggan
ang puso’t damdamin/ Damdamin aking damdamin.” Or
this one: “Ayokong mabuhay nang malungkot/ Ikaw ang
nagpapasaya/ Makakasama hanggang sa pagtanda/ Halina
tayo’y humiga”. Obviously ‘humiga’ or ‘lie down’ has nothing
By the Roadside / A7
Active Faith / A4
to support this plan of his marriage, the respect due to
king, Thomas resigned, and the juridical patrimony of
withdrew from public life. He Christian civilization, and
suffered a life of poverty, and the freedom of the Church in
was deserted by people who her relations with the State.
proved to be false friends. He was condemned by the
In view of his continuing court, and was executed by
and firm refusal to support beheading.
his king, he was charged After the passing of
with treason and imprisoned centuries, Thomas More,
in the Tower of London. together with Bishop John
Despite various kinds of Fisher, was beatified by Pope
pressures, he did not waver, Leo XIII in 1886, and was
as giving in to the king’s canonized by Pius XI in 1935,
wishes would result in a on the fourth centenary of his
political and ecclesiastical martyrdom.
arrangement that would lead Note: Most of the above
to uncontrolled despotism. information was taken from
At his trial, he made an the text of the Proclamation
impassioned defense of St. Thomas More as Patron
of his own convictions of Statesmen and Politicians
on the indissolubility of by Pope John Paul II.
A6 LOCAL NEWS September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 CBCP Monitor

Religion has ‘valuable role’ in forming culture

of peace, says Vatican envoy to United Nations
UNITED NATIONS— Religion can
make an important contribution
“to forming a culture of peace,”
both to “empower and transform
individuals” and “humanity as a
whole,” the Vatican’s nuncio to the
United Nations said Sept. 13.
“It seems vital to underline
the valuable role of religion—not
the distorted forms of religious
fanaticism or sectarianism which
all too often make the headlines, but
rather authentic religious belief and
teaching—in promoting a culture of
peace,” said Archbishop Bernardito
Auza, who heads the Permanent
Observer Mission of the Holy See
to the United Nations.
This is particularly important
“among the younger generations
who are looking for guidance as they
seek meaning and direction in their
lives,” he added in his comments
at a high-level U.N. forum on “The
Culture of Peace.”
He referenced the Document
on Human Fraternity for World
Peace and Living Together, which
rejects violence and terrorism
and promotes identity, dialogue
and harmony. It was signed in the
United Arab Emirates Feb. 4 by
Pope Francis and Egyptian Sheikh
Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-
Azhar, a leading authority for many
Sunni Muslims.
Archbishop Auza said this
document is based on “the firm
conviction that authentic teachings
of religions invite us to remain
rooted in the values of peace;
to defend the values of mutual
understanding, human fraternity
and harmonious coexistence; to
reestablish wisdom, justice and
love.”
It also understands the need
“to reawaken religious awareness
among young people so that future
generations may be protected from
the realm of materialistic thinking
and from dangerous policies of
unbridled greed and indifference
that are based on the law of force
and not on the force of law,” he
added.
Archbishop Auza noted that every
day at U.N. headquarters, visitors
“stop and admire the Rockwell
Mosaic that brings together, through
color and symbolism, the diversity
of the human family, expressed
there through distinctive signs of
different religious traditions.”
“Above all,” he continued, “that Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations, greets people after leading a prayer service for U.N. diplomats Sept.
16, 2019, at Holy Family Church in New York City. The service, hosted by the Vatican’s Permanent Observer Mission to the U.N., was held on the eve of the
work of art seeks to highlight that opening of the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly. GREGORY A. SHEMITZ/CNS
fundamental ethical truth that
continues to resonate in the hearts statement were turned around. look at our choices and behavior patiently worked and cultivated,
of all men and women of goodwill, If it read, “Do not do unto others with a renewed commitment to for peace to take root, to grow
which is often referred to as the what you would not want them to do take greater care of this planet, and indeed to flourish, it demands
Golden Rule: Do unto others as you unto you,” he said, “then, perhaps our common home, and, more commitment and unceasing effort:
would have them do to you.” attitudes would begin to change.” importantly, of all who live there,” a truly noble and sacred task
He suggested his listeners to “Our selfish tendencies would give Archbishop Auza said. that is within the reach of us all.”
consider what would happen if that way and we would take a serious He added: “Akin to land that is (CNS)

Priest refutes Sen. Hontiveros:

‘Divorce will never be pro-family’

Bishop Valentin Dimoc of Bontoc-Lagawe speaks during the National Convention on Laudato Si’ and Climate Emergency held at the San Carlos
Seminary in Makati City, Sept. 3, 2019. PHOTO FROM CARITAS PHILIPPINES

Editorial / A4

scientifically proven. is not the true living God. That’s why we also have
That mindset will surely ignore the spiritual and superstitions and other ideologies that may include Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Permanent Committee on Public Affairs. FILE PHOTO
supernatural reality that also impacts on our life. In what they consider as spiritual and supernatural
fact, that is the main reality that would impact on elements but which are not the real ones. Thus, A CATHOLIC priest urged Senator more broken families.
us. But this aspect of reality would be considered as to distinguish what is authentically spiritual and Riza Hontiveros not to eschew “Filipinos deserve better than
subjective, biased, meant only to be held as a private supernatural from what is not is a more challenging misrepresentation on divorce after something that guarantees the
or personal business but cannot be given a universal issue to tackle. claiming that it is “pro-marriage, disintegration of Filipino families,”
status. It is supposed not to get involved in our temporal What may help us out in this predicament is to follow pro-family, and pro-children”. he said.
affairs. closely what Christ told Pilate before Pilate could not Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Instead of pushing divorce, Fr.
The challenge is definitely how to change this help but ask, “What is the truth?” It was when Christ Secretary of the bishops’ public Secillano asked the senator to work
mindset and to convince everyone that in the end told Pilate, “I have come into the world to bear witness affairs committee, said that such for the amendment of the existing
what makes for the universal and ultimate meaning to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my claim contradicts the provisions of laws on marital separations.
of truth is for us to refer ourselves to the living God, voice.” (Jn 18,37) the 1987 Constitution. “Why can’t Sen. Hontiveros focus
and not the god who is a product of our own subjective Indeed, it is only in Christ that we can have the full “Is she saying now that the on reforming these processes?
ways. It is this living God who revealed himself fully appreciation of truth. But more than mere observation, Family Code and our Constitution They are guaranteed to be legal
in Christ who in turn is made alive in us through the physical witnessing, possessing facts and data, etc., are anti-family, anti-marriage, and and constitutional. She can even
Holy Spirit in the Church. what is needed is a living faith, a faith that God freely anti-children since they do not make them less tedious and less
Yes, there is always the possibility of people making and abundantly gives but which we have to take extreme guarantee divorce?” Secillano said. expensive,” he added.
appeals to God in seeking the truth, but a god that care of. “Divorce can never be pro- At a Senate hearing on Sept.
Discouraged / A1 marriage, pro-family, and pro- 15, Hontiveros said that a divorce
children,” he said. “Let’s not twist law will provide individuals the
Honesto Ongtioco and Teodoro “There can be no justice without priests from all over the Philippines. facts just to suit a particular agenda.” chance to “find true and meaningful
Bacani spoke as one since the police truth. Justice without facts is no On the other hand, the priest relationships” as well as “protect
filed charges against them in July. justice at all. We cling to the belief Disheartening, disturbing stressed that legalizing divorce in children from abuse and rebuild
The bishops, who have criticized that our officials in the Department An assembly of diocesan theology the Philippines will only lead to broken families”. (CBCPNews)
Duterte’s brutal fight against of Justice adhere to these values,” seminarians from across the country
narcotics, said they have begged off
from interviews or attending rallies
they said. said they are also “disheartened and
disturbed” by the criminal charges
Bishop backs calls for Mary Jane Veloso
and chose to pray instead.
“Prayer is our best weapon against
Persecution
A Jesuit-run seminary has
against the clergymen.
However, the Seminarians’
to testify against recruiters
every evil. Prayer is power. This is earlier warned that the sedition Network (SemNet) said they are A CHURCH official has backed again in 2015 but she got a
a good time to be reminded of this. charges may imperil the country’s gratified that the accused, rather calls for the Supreme Court to last-minute reprieve to testify
We prayed instantly, even until democratic values. than losing heart, chose to continue allow a Filipino death row prisoner against her alleged recruiter who
now, for our accusers,” they said. In a statement, the San Jose their mission in the midst of the in Indonesia to testify against her gave herself up to police in the
Seminary (SJS) said that the government’s brutal drug war. recruiters. Philippines.
‘No justice without truth’ accused priests and bishops are “We are edified by their prophetic Bishop Ruperto Santos, who Filipino migrant group Migrante
The sedition case and other “persecuted” on account of their witnessing for truth against heads the church’s migrants’ International earlier asked the high
charges stemmed from a viral promotion of justice. the propagation of falsehood, ministry, said Mary Jane Veloso court to allow Veloso to present
video accusing President Rodrigo “We are alarmed at the possible accountability against the abuse of should be allowed to tell her story her testimony through a written
Duterte and his family to the illegal repercussions of the sedition case on power, preservation of life against that she’s only a victim of human deposition.
drug trade. our fragile democracy, especially on its destruction, and active non- trafficking. It said that such testimony is “the
Aside from the bishops, the police efforts for genuine social inclusion violence against coercion,” the “We support and appeal that MJ only mode allowed by Indonesian
also sued three more priests and key of the poor.” the statement read. SemNet said in a statement. be allowed to testify, to tell her story authorities”.
figures of the opposition, including The seminary community on The group also called on its of how she was lured, deceived, and In 2018, the parents of Veloso
Vice President Leni Robredo. Sept. 4 gathered for a “Mass for members to “awaken the courage trafficked,” Santos said. petitioned the SC to reverse the
The church leaders reiterated that Truth and Justice” to show support and passion within us to herald “Remember she was an unwilling ruling of the Court of Appeals which
they will not join any action through for the accused clergymen. the truth despite the fear and victim and to know the whole truth, barred their daughter from giving
violent or illegal means. “They are Filipino citizens whose confusion”. MJ should be given a chance to testimony in a deposition.
“We cannot and we will not advocacies have been firmly rooted “Let us also rouse the hearts speak, and that also her right,” he Bishop Santos added that all
participate and we will never help in in a profound respect for human of others to be compassionate to stressed. efforts should be made in the quest
anything that will bring about social life, for due process, and for our victims of unjust social structures,” Veloso was convicted for drug to find justice for Veloso.
change through illegal means,” they Constitution,” they said. it added. smuggling and sentenced to death in “MJ suffered so much and still
said. Four of those accused—Ongtioco, “Let us also be vigilant in 2010 but the execution did not push suffering. It is also high time that
The bishops stressed that they Teodoro Bacani, David, and Reyes— safeguarding the truth and steadfast through after Indonesia imposed a justice should be given to her, and
will abide by due process as they are all alumni of the said institution. in upholding the dignity of those moratorium on executions for five recruiters are prosecuted for their
pray that “the spirit of justice and SJS is an interdiocesan seminary unreasonably condemned,” the years. wrongdoing and criminal acts,” he
truth” will reign. for the formation of Diocesan SemNet said. She was set for execution said. (CBCPNews)
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 DIOCESAN NEWS A7

Bishop issues ‘Oratio Imperata’ Palawan prelate decries killing

of forest ranger
to end killings in Tagum
TAGUM City— Bishop Medil Aseo
of Tagum has called on the people
to turn to prayer to stop all forms
of violence as the spate of killings
in the city continues.
The prelate condemned the
killings, all of which were reportedly
attributed to the various investment
scams that thrived in the area since
early this year.
The bishop on Sept. 7 released
an Oratio Imperata or a mandatory
prayer to be recited in all Sunday
Masses in the diocese “so that God’s
peace may reign over”.
The special prayer “to stop the
violence and killings” was issued
following the killing of Judylou
Palas, reportedly a daughter of a
former investment firm agent.
Bishop Medil Aseo of Tagum
Palas, 22, also served as a lector
of the diocese’s cathedral. deplored her murder “which took have been shut down in the Davao
The bishop said the violence not only her life but her youth and region following President Rodrigo
shows how “the commandment dreams as well”. Duterte’s crackdown on dubious
‘You shall not kill’ was disregarded In a statement, the school called investment schemes. The body of Bienvinido Severino Veguilla Jr., who was hacked to death by suspected illegal loggers in
and the value and sanctity of human on local authorities to bring the After the closure of the El Nido Palawan on Sept. 4. PHOTO FROM PNP-MIMAROPA
lives are violated.” perpetrators to justice “and ensure investment firms, at least seven
The St. Thomas More School of that nobody in this city shall ever killings in Tagum were reported in PUERTO PRINCESA City— A “May his death not go in vain but
Law and Business where Palas used again suffer the same fate”. August alone. (Rommel Lopez/ Catholic bishop has condemned awaken our resolve to preserve the
to be an administrative staff also Several investment companies CBCPNews) the killing of a government forest environment,” the bishop added.
ranger while trying to arrest In September 2017, a member

Tribal women seek church help against dam project suspected illegal loggers in
Palawan province.
of the Protected Area board and
barangay chair of Villa Libertad
Bishop Socrates Mesiona of in El Nido, was shot and killed
A GROUP of tribal women Puerto Princesa expressed sadness while arresting suspected illegal
has appealed to church that the man had to be killed for loggers.
groups to put their doing his job. Forester Joselito Eyala was also
campaign against dam “It tells us that protecting our shot and wounded by a suspected
projects on the agenda environment can be risky and timber poacher while his team
during the Church’s dangerous,” Bishop Mesiona said. was patrolling the mountains of
“Season of Creation.” Bienvinido Severino Veguilla Bacungan village in August 2017.
Catholic Church Jr, 44, was hacked to death by six Global Witness, an international
leaders renewed calls suspected illegal loggers in El Nido nongovernmental organization,
for the protection of the on Sept. 4. earlier reported that the Philippines
environment ahead of The prelate also lamented that is the most dangerous country for
this year’s “Season of killing took place as the Church environmental activists.
Creation.” celebrates September as the “Season According to its 2018 annual
In 2015, Pope Francis of Creation”. report, 30 of the 164 killings of
declared Sept. 1 the “It is unfortunate that the attack land and environmental activists
“World Day of Prayer on his life happened when we in the worldwide happened in the
for the Care of Creation” church are celebrating the month of southeast Asian nation. (Katya
and called for the creation,” he said. A. Santos/CBCPNews)
celebration of the “Season
of Creation,” which lasts Duc in Altum / A5
from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4.
pillar with the Virgin Mary standing for eating (more on this in my next
“We hope that the
on the top is located to the left side column).
season becomes a
of the Altar. We were able to touch Whenever St. James Feast falls on
platform for us tribal
and kiss the pillar. a Sunday (July 25), the Cathedral
people to tell our story,”
The next stop is the Cathedral of St. declares a Holy or Jubilee Day,
said Kakay Tolentino,
Mary of Burgos. Construction began the most recent was in 2010 and
chairwoman of the Bai
in 1221. The style of the Cathedral the next is 2021. The Cathedral is
Indigenous Women
Tribal groups attend a gathering in Manila on Sept. 10 to discuss their opposition to the proposed dam project in the is Gothic but it has decorative under construction in preparation
Network. northern Philippines. MARK SALUDES/UCAN Renaissance and Baroque elements. for the 2021 event. We were blessed
Tolentino said the
It was made of limestone. It was to embrace the image of St. James
Church is “one of the minds of the people. The project is an government.
declared a World Heritage Site by and visit his tomb at the crypt, but
remaining institutions On Sept. 10, integrated dam system In 2018, at least 51
the UNESCO in 1984. The pilgrims we were not lucky to see the huge
that the tribal people can environmental activists involving the construction Catholic bishops signed
going to El Camino de Santiago botafumerio or thurible, the largest
rely on.” and tribal people held a of a dam on the Kaliwa a pastoral letter issued by
Compostela may find the Camino censer in the world weighing 80
“We cannot count on public forum in Manila to River in Rizal province, Bishop Bernardino Cortez
Way from Burgos. kilos and 1.6 meter in height.
the government,” she voice their opposition to and a smaller dam of Infanta opposing the
Then we walked the El Camino Last stop is the Sanctuary of
said, adding that the the New Centennial Water downstream in Quezon dam project.
de Santiago Compostela or the Fatima, Portugal. We visited the
government is behind Source Project. province. The letter called on the
St. James Way which leads to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary
projects that threaten The Philippine The project, which will government to look for
Shrine of Apostle St. James the where the tomb of Sts. Francisco,
tribal communities. government has been in reportedly displace at alternative water sources
Great in the Cathedral of Santiago St. Jacinta and Sister Lucia are
She said tribal the process of building a least 15,000 tribal people, that would address the
de Compostela in Galicia, Spain located near the Altar; the Chapel
communities affected mega dam in the northern is one of 75 flagship water supply problem
where the remains of St. James of the Apparition where the Virgin
by dam projects need Philippines with funding infrastructure projects affecting the capital
are buried. Many follow the route Mary appeared 5 times to the
“stronger voices that can from a US$248 million under the “Build, Build, Manila. (Mark Saludes/
by hiking and cycling, a form of three children, the 4th apparition
change the hearts and loan from China. Build” program of the UCAN)
spiritual retreat. We walked almost happened on August 19, 2017
8 miles of rugged terrain, uphill in Valinhos, near the house of
By the Roadside / A5 and downhill, from Villamayor to the children; the Basilica of Most
a point near the Cathedral. It was a Holy Trinity and the Chapel of
to do with simply sleeping but could world and in our country that need Gospel; we cannot remain in the
good walk where one can smell the the Blessed Sacrament. We joined
be an implied invitation to sex. Thus to be subjected to discernment. old wineskins of sin and darkness.
eucalyptus and other herb trees; the candlelighted procession for 3
the song portrays the confusion For instance, there are very strong For us to distinguish whether our
one will enjoy nature’s sceneries. consecutive evenings, preceded by
among our young when it comes to efforts towards solving crime by lives are following the requirements
One cannot miss along the trails the praying of the rosary. We were
love and life, for me giving greater death, solving marriage problems of the new wine or simply of the
the scallop shell symbol. Shell are also lucky to meet and kissed Maria,
weight to the need for them to learn by divorce, dealing with human old wine or of paganism, we need
usually carried by pilgrims to gather the 99-year old niece of Sister Lucia.
the art of discernment. They need sexuality by accepting same- discernment.
water to drink or as makeshift bowl (To be continued)
to know, like we all need to know, sex marriages and the SOGIE Just imagine going home from
which spirits are they confronted (Sexual Orientation and Gender church and you have to take a tricycle Candidly Speaking / A4
with—the Spirit of God, the spirit Identification Expression) Bill? Let or if you are lucky, tell a driver where
of the world or the spirit of the evil us ask: Are these movements being you are going. Now, you and I know the psychological and mental solutions that God himself gives,
One? For this to happen they need led by the Spirit of God and towards that it is not enough to tell your driver mechanism of a person is steeped and not just us.
to appreciate, according to the God or are they being led by other your destination. Your eyes must in his spiritual dimension that can Faith is the great healer, the
Holy Father, two Ss: “solitude and spirits—such as, the spirit of the also be open to see which streets lead him either to the supernatural constant pacifier, because it brings
silence” (CV 283). I would add other world or worldly spirit, by trending he is taking because some of them or infranatural world. It cannot be Christ into our lives, Christ who
Ss: SCRIPTURES to read, listen to cultural or political ideology, by evil may take you closer or farther from studied from the point of view of heals and who constantly tells us,
and pray over; SELF -giving to God spirits or by the Evil One himself? home. Discernment is like that—a empirical science alone. “Do not be afraid...” We should
and to people by SERVICE; SPIRIT If these are being led not by the conscious prayerful opening of our It has to input the truths of faith to bring our faith to bear on our
OF GOD being asked to guide Spirit of God do we care where will inner eyes to God and his Spirit, and enable it to cope with the full range sciences and on our other sources
our discernment; and SHARING all these lead us all to? being spiritually equipped through of its possibilities. of knowledge.
our discernment with a Spiritual Luke’s Gospel has Jesus telling that same Spirit to see the ways he This is a point that should be With respect to this phenomenon
Director or holy members of the us that new wine cannot be poured offers and which ways he does not. taken more seriously these days. of rising cases of disturbed people,
believing community. The Holy into old wineskins but rather into God and heaven is our home; Jesus The complicated challenges of our our faith can detect whether
Father tells us adults to know when new ones (Lk 5:3-38). Discerning is our Way. Discernment teaches us times that have brought about many a particular case is just a pure
“to disappear” or withdraw from the Jesus’ words could yield us two how best to follow the Way that is good things and also many bad mental or psychological problem,
scene as Jesus disappeared from the things. One, Christianity is not a Jesus by showing us certain pathways things cannot but make this kind of or something where evil spiritual
disciples on the way to Emmaus to development or daughter religion can lead us farther or closer to our demand. We have to take our faith forces are involved.
leave them free to discern on their of Judaism but an entirely new true destination—heaven and God, more seriously, assimilating it in To be sure, the workings of
own (CV 296); later he exhorts our way of relating to God because, not elsewhere. our system and making it the guide the demons will always manifest
young to cultivate their “attraction unlike Judaism which is centered “Whoever is wise, let him and shaper of our lives. the mselve s in some me ntal,
to Christ” through prayer and on the Law of Moses, Christianity understand these things. Whoever With our faith, we have the psychological or emotional
the sacraments, particularly the is centered on Jesus Christ. The is discerning, let him know them. answer to all the questions, the predicaments. But if a person is a
Eucharist and seeing him in his Christian faith is an entirely new For the ways of the Lord are right. solution to all our problems, even man of deep faith, he most likely
“suffering brothers and sisters”. religion. Two, it also means being The righteous will walk in them. But if the answers and solutions it will have a very good mental or
Today even as I write these words a disciple of Christ always entails transgressors will stumble in them” offers may not be the ones we psychological health, and would
there are many movements in the our renewed life based on the (Hosea 14:9). want. But they are the answers and know how to deal with evil spirits.
A8 PEOPLE, FACTS, AND PLACES September 16 - 29, 2019, Vol 23, No. 19 CBCP Monitor

Pope to visit Thailand, Japan in November

VATICAN— Pope Francis will
finally fulfill his desire to be a
missionary to Japan when he visits
the country, as well as Thailand,
Nov. 20-26, the Vatican announced.
Pope Francis will leave Rome
Nov. 19, arriving in Thailand for a
visit Nov. 20-23, said Matteo Bruni,
director of the Vatican press office.
He will then fly to Japan and visit
Tokyo, Nagasaki and Hiroshima
Nov. 23-26, Bruni said Sept. 13.
Further details about the trip
and an exact schedule were to be
released later.
The bishops of Thailand have
chosen the motto: “Christ’s Disciples
... Missionary Disciples” as the
theme for the visit to their country.
The visit, they said, will mark the
350th anniversary of the “Apostolic
Vicariate of Siam Mission.”
The special website launched
for the visit said that, with the
establishment of the vicariate by
Pope Clement IX in 1669, “Roman
Catholicism was permanently
established in Thailand.”
This year also marks the 50th
anniversary of diplomatic relations
between the Kingdom of Thailand
and the Holy See in 1969, and the 35th
Logos of Pope’s Apostolic Journey to Thailand (L) and Japan. VATICAN MEDIA
anniversary of the last papal visit to
Thailand, which was made by St. Pope
John Paul II in 1984, the website said.
For their visit, the bishops of
Japan chose the theme, “Protect
all Life,” drawing the phrase from a
prayer written by Pope Francis and
included in his encyclical, “Laudato
Si’” on the protection of creation.
“In order to ‘protect all life,’ we
must respect not only each person’s
dignity but also the environment,”
the bishops said. “However, the
earth as ‘our common home’ is
now trampled by humankind and
groans with pain. Those groans
overlap with the distress of all the
abandoned people of the world.”
“In Japan today as well, there (are)
a multitude of problems related to life
and peace in addition to the issues of
economy, environment and relations
with neighboring countries,” the
bishops continued. “Moreover,
recovery from natural catastrophes
and nuclear plant accidents remains
a persisting problem.”
Pope Francis, a Jesuit, has said
he had entered the order hoping to
become a missionary to Japan in
the footsteps of St. Francis Xavier
and other great Jesuits. He also has
spoken frequently of his admiration
for Japanese Catholics who kept
the faith alive through decades of
persecution.
And marking the 70th anniversary
of the U.S. atomic bombings
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
2015, Pope Francis had said that
“although much time has passed,
this tragic event still incites horror
and repulsion.”
The bombings have “become the
symbol of the boundless destructive
power of man when he makes
distorted use of scientific and
technical advancements and serves
as a perpetual warning to humanity
to forever repudiate war and ban
nuclear arms and all weapons of
mass destruction,” the pope said.
He ended his remarks by praying
that “from every land may a single
voice be raised: no to war, no to
violence and yes to dialogue, yes to
peace! With war, you always lose.
The only way to win a war is to not
make it!” (CNS)

Youth ministry a priority for youngest Filipino bishop
Bishop Jose Rapadas III celebrates his first Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral after being installed as the new head of the Diocese of Iligan on Sept. 5. PHOTO FROM THE DIOCESE OF ILIGAN
THE country’s youngest
bishop has said that the youth
ministry will be at the heart
of his pastoral agenda in
his diocese in the southern
Philippines.
At his installation Mass at
St. Michael’s Cathedral in
Iligan City on Sept. 5, Bishop
Jose Rapadas III said that
“now, more than ever, the
youth need guidance and
animation”.
“I hope to use our resources
and energy as a diocese to
make the youth find their
meaning, their role, their
mission in our ecclesial
communities,” he said.
Pope Francis appointed
Rapadas, 47, previously a
priest in the Diocese of Ipil,
as the fifth bishop of Iligan
last June. He replaced Bishop
Elenito Galido who died in
December 2017.
His installation came
around two weeks after his
episcopal ordination at the
St. Joseph Cathedral in Ipil.
For nearly two years as
vacant see, the diocese has
been under the care of Bishop
Severo Caermare of Dipolog
as apostolic administrator.
Rapadas told the packed
cathedral that he was
humbled to have been chosen
by the Pope for his new role,
but he was very aware of the
challenges that come with it.
“Whatever I do will always
be lacking but I am confident
that it is God who will fill up
whatever is inadequate in my
ministry,” he said.
The new bishop said he was
looking forward to getting
to know the people in the
diocese, which covers the whole
province of Lanao del Norte.
Beyond dialogue, he
pledged for a “listening
Church” and maintain a
“participatory spirit among
our communities”.
Listening, he said, has been
a significant aspect of his
20-year priestly ministry, 12
years of which he spent as a
seminary formator.
“I think the Lord has
plans for that… and that I
may be able to use that gift
in listening to understand
first and then seek to be
understood,” he said.
“We need to allow the
lay leaders to participate in
the life and mission of the
church,” Rapadas stressed.
Further laying out his
priorities, the prelate said he
will also focus on promoting
peace, interreligious dialogue,
environment protection, and
social justice.
“My vision is a participatory
Church, allowing even
the ordinary people in the
barrios to participate in the
leadership, mission and life
of the Church,” he said. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCPNews)
Bohol dioceses to go solar
THE two Catholic dioceses
of Bohol province will soon
see solar panels appearing
on several parishes, pastoral
centers, and schools.
Two major solar energy
programs are rolling out in
the dioceses of Tagbilaran
and Talibon soon to cut
power cost and help conserve
the environment.
In a statement issued on
Sept. 7, the dioceses said
they are currently working
together with private
companies and other
institutions for the wide-scale
use of solar power.
“Part of the cross that we
carry as disciples of Jesus is
the responsibility to care for
the world that is entrusted to
us,” the message read.
They said the solar
program will minimize their
dependence on power whose
rates continue to go up “while
the services they provide
leave much to be desired,
and hence our experience of
brownouts”.
In a pastoral statement
issued last July, the country’s
bishops have called for the
immediate transition to safe,
clean and affordable energy
Baclaran Church temporarily removes
Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon
from altar
to help combat climate
change.
The prelates agreed to push
for the use of other renewable
sources of energy, and the
rejection of “dirty” ones like
coal and fossil fuel.
The Bohol dioceses
enjoined the faithful to take
good care of our “common
home because we are only
servants, not owners”.
“We are just stewards
acting on behalf of a God
whose love and compassion
do not end,” they added.
Several dioceses have
been slowly moving to solar
power as part of the Church’s
revitalized ecology programs.
Caritas Philippines, which
is leading the campaign,
said that of the 85 dioceses
in the Philippines, around
40 are already in the process
of installing solar panels
systems as alternative power
sources.
In August 2018, the
Diocese of Maasin’s 42
parishes shifted to renewable
energy, becoming the first
ecclesiastical territory in
the country with all its
churches using solar power.
(CBCPNews)

A man venerates the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help at the Baclaran Church on
Sept. 7, 2019. ELMARC LIM

THE revered icon of Our Redemptorists again secured

Mother of Perpetual Help
enshrined at the Baclaran
Church was removed from
the altar, which will undergo
renovation.
The image was transferred
for safekeeping after a Mass
attended by several devotees
on Sept. 5.
The church, also known as
the National Shrine of Our
Mother of Perpetual Help,
has been a center of Marian
devotion in the last 70 years.
The icon placed high
above the altar of the church
has been the focus of the
devotion, with thousands of
miracles attributed to Our
Mother of Perpetual Help.
However, on Sept. 7 and 10,
the image was displayed for
public veneration and vigil.
After the scheduled
venerations, the
the icon until the altar “is
ready for her return”.
No timeline for the
renovation was given but a
parish worker said it may
take around a month.
The shrine is inviting the
faithful to take advantage of
the “very rare occasion” to
have a closer encounter with
the icon.
“May this experience help
us to reflect from heaven to
meet us in the rough grounds
of daily living,” it said.
This is the third time that
the icon was removed from
the church’s altar after 27
years.
The first time was during
World War II for safekeeping
and the second time was
in 1992 when the icon
underwent restoration.
(CBCPNews)
CBCP Monitor
This April 13, 2018 photo shows Cameroonian refugees and Nigerians wait for consultations outside a health post in the Nigerian village of Ekang. Caritas Internationalis reported the conflict in Cameroon has forced 160,000 people out of their homes into the bush
and a further 26,000 to cross into Nigeria. CNS/COURTESY OF CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS
‘It is not just about migrants’
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2019 (29 September 2019)
DEAR Brothers and Sisters,
Faith assures us that in a mysterious
way the Kingdom of God is already
present here on earth (cf. Gaudium
et spes, 39). Yet in our own time, we
are saddened to see the obstacles
and opposition it encounters.
Violent conflicts and all-out wars
continue to tear humanity apart;
injustices and discrimination follow
one upon the other; economic
and social imbalances on a local
or global scale prove difficult to
overcome. And above all it is the
poorest of the poor and the most
disadvantaged who pay the price.
The most economically
advanced societies are witnessing
a growing trend towards extreme
individualism which, combined
with a utilitarian mentality and
reinforced by the media, is producing
a “globalization of indifference”. In
this scenario, migrants, refugees,
displaced persons and victims of
trafficking have become emblems
of exclusion. In addition to the
hardships that their condition
entails, they are often looked down
upon and considered the source of
all society’s ills. That attitude is an
alarm bell warning of the moral
decline we will face if we continue
to give ground to the throw-away
culture. In fact, if it continues,
anyone who does not fall within the
accepted norms of physical, mental
and social well-being is at risk of
marginalization and exclusion.
For this reason, the presence
of migrants and refugees—and of
vulnerable people in general—is
an invitation to recover some of
those essential dimensions of
our Christian existence and our
humanity that risk being overlooked
in a prosperous society. That is
why it is not just about migrants.
When we show concern for them,
we also show concern for ourselves,
for everyone; in taking care of them,
we all grow; in listening to them, we
also give voice to a part of ourselves
that we may keep hidden because it
is not well regarded nowadays.
“Take courage, it is I, do not be
afraid!” (Mt  14:27).  It is not just
about migrants: it is also about our
fears. The signs of meanness we
see around us heighten “our fear
of ‘the other’, the unknown, the
marginalized, the foreigner... We
see this today in particular, faced
with the arrival of migrants and
refugees knocking on our door in
September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19
search of protection, security and
a better future. To some extent, the
fear is legitimate, also because the
preparation for this encounter is
lacking” (Homily in Sacrofano, 15
February 2019). But the problem
is not that we have doubts and
fears. The problem is when they
condition our way of thinking and
acting to the point of making us
intolerant, closed and perhaps
even – without realizing it—racist.
In this way, fear deprives us of the
desire and the ability to encounter
the other, the person different
from myself; it deprives me of an
opportunity to encounter the Lord
(cf. Homily at Mass for the World
Day of Migrants and Refugees, 14
January 2018).
“For if you love those who love
you, what recompense will you
have? Do not the tax collectors do
the same?” (Mt 5:46). It is not just
about migrants: it is about charity.
Through works of charity, we
demonstrate our faith (cf. Jas 2:18).
And the highest form of charity
is that shown to those unable to
reciprocate and perhaps even
to thank us in return. “It is also
about the face we want to give to
our society and about the value of
each human life... The progress of
our peoples... depends above all
on our openness to being touched
and moved by those who knock at
our door. Their faces shatter and
debunk all those false idols that
can take over and enslave our lives;
idols that promise an illusory and
momentary happiness blind to
the lives and sufferings of others”
(Address at the Diocesan Caritas
of Rabat, 30 March 2019).
“But a Samaritan traveler
who came upon him was
moved with compassion at the
sight” (Lk  10:33).  It is not just
about migrants: it is about our
humanity. Compassion motivated
that Samaritan – for the Jews,
a foreigner—not to pass by.
Compassion is a feeling that cannot
be explained on a purely rational
level. Compassion strikes the most
sensitive chords of our humanity,
releasing a vibrant urge to “be a
neighbor” to all those whom we
see in difficulty. As Jesus himself
teaches us (cf.  Mt  9:35-36; 14:13-
14; 15:32-37), being compassionate
means recognizing the suffering of
the other and taking immediate
action to soothe, heal and save.
To be compassionate means to
make room for that tenderness
which today’s society so often
asks us to repress. “Opening
ourselves to others does not lead
to impoverishment, but rather
enrichment, because it enables us
to be more human: to recognize
ourselves as participants in a greater
collectivity and to understand our
life as a gift for others; to see as
the goal, not our own interests,
but rather the good of humanity”
(Address at the Heydar Aliyev
Mosque in Baku, 2 October 2016).
“See that you do not despise
one of these little ones, for I say
to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my
heavenly Father” (Mt  18:10).  It
is not just about migrants: it is
a question of seeing that no one
is excluded. Today’s world is
increasingly becoming more elitist
and cruel towards the excluded.
Developing countries continue to
be drained of their best natural and
human resources for the benefit
of a few privileged markets. Wars
only affect some regions of the
world, yet weapons of war are
produced and sold in other regions
which are then unwilling to take
in the refugees produced by these
conflicts. Those who pay the price
are always the little ones, the
poor, the most vulnerable, who
are prevented from sitting at the
table and are left with the “crumbs”
of the banquet (cf.  Lk  16:19-21).
“The Church which ‘goes forth’...
can move forward, boldly take the
initiative, go out to others, seek
those who have fallen away, stand
at the crossroads and welcome
the outcast” (Evangelii Gaudium,
24). A development that excludes
makes the rich richer and the poor
poorer. A real development, on
the other hand, seeks to include
all the world’s men and women,
to promote their integral growth,
and to show concern for coming
generations.
“Whoever wishes to be great
among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among
you will be the slave of all”
(Mk 10:43-44). It is not just about
migrants: it is about putting the
last in first place. Jesus Christ asks
us not to yield to the logic of the
world, which justifies injustice to
others for my own gain or that of
my group. “Me first, and then the
others!” Instead, the true motto of
the Christian is, “The last shall be
first!” “An individualistic spirit is
fertile soil for the growth of that
kind of indifference towards our
neighbors which leads to viewing
them in purely economic terms, to a
lack of concern for their humanity,
and ultimately to feelings of fear
and cynicism. Are these not the
attitudes we often adopt towards
the poor, the marginalized and
the ‘least’ of society? And how
many of these ‘least’ do we have
in our societies! Among them
I think primarily of migrants,
with their burden of hardship and
suffering, as they seek daily, often
in desperation, a place to live in
peace and dignity” (Address to
the Diplomatic Corps, 11 January
2016). In the logic of the Gospel,
the last come first, and we must put
ourselves at their service.
“I came so that they might have
life and have it more abundantly”
(Jn  10:10).  It is not just about
migrants: it is about the whole
person, about all people. In Jesus’
words, we encounter the very
heart of his mission: to see that all
receive the gift of life in its fullness,
according to the will of the Father.
In every political activity, in every
programme, in every pastoral action
we must always put the person
at the center, in his or her many
aspects, including the spiritual
dimension. And this applies to all
people, whose fundamental equality
must be recognized. Consequently,
“development cannot be restricted
to economic growth alone. To be
authentic, it must be well-rounded;
it must foster the development of
each man and of the whole man”
(SAINT PAUL VI,  Populorum
Progressio, 14).
“So then you are no longer
strangers and sojourners, but
you are fellow citizens with the
holy ones and members of the
household of God” (Eph  2:19).  It
is not just about migrants: it is
about building the city of God and
man. In our time, which can also
be called the era of migration,
many innocent people fall victim
to the “great deception” of limitless
technological and consumerist
development (cf. Laudato Si’, 34).
As a result, they undertake a journey
towards a “paradise” that inevitably
betrays their expectations. Their
presence, at times uncomfortable,
helps to debunk the myth of a
progress that benefits a few while
built on the exploitation of many.
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
“We ourselves need to see, and
then to enable others to see, that
migrants and refugees do not
only represent a problem to be
solved, but are brothers and sisters
to be welcomed, respected and
loved. They are an occasion that
Providence gives us to help build
a more just society, a more perfect
democracy, a more united country,
a more fraternal world and a more
open and evangelical Christian
community” (Message for the
2014 World Day of Migrants and
Refugees).
Dear brothers and sisters, our
response to the challenges posed
by contemporary migration can be
summed up in four verbs: welcome,
protect, promote and integrate.
Yet these verbs do not apply only
to migrants and refugees. They
describe the Church’s mission to
all those living in the existential
peripheries, who need to be
welcomed, protected, promoted
and integrated. If we put those four
verbs into practice, we will help
build the city of God and man. We
will promote the integral human
development of all people. We will
also help the world community
to come closer to the goals of
sustainable development that it has
set for itself and that, lacking such
an approach, will prove difficult to
achieve.
In a word, it is not only the cause
of migrants that is at stake; it is
not just about them, but about
all of us, and about the present
and future of the human family.
Migrants, especially those who are
most vulnerable, help us to read the
“signs of the times”. Through them,
the Lord is calling us to conversion,
to be set free from exclusivity,
indifference and the throw-away
culture. Through them, the Lord
invites us to embrace fully our
Christian life and to contribute,
each according to his or her proper
vocation, to the building up of a
world that is more and more in
accord with God’s plan.
In expressing this prayerful hope,
and through the intercession of the
Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Way,
I invoke God’s abundant blessings
upon all the world’s migrants and
refugees and upon all those who
accompany them on their journey.
From the Vatican, 30 April 2019
 
FRANCIS
B2 FEATURE
The Judicial Office in the Church
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
In Part III of this article, we saw the
probatory stage of the trial. What
follows is the Conclusion of the
Case, by which the Judge declares
that the case has been sufficiently
instructed. The process is then left
in the hands of the tribunal for the
4th and final stage of the Judicial
Process—the Decisionary Stage—
which ends in the publication of the
sentence.
An instance is terminated—in
principle—at the publication of the
sentence. Nevertheless, the Law
provides means for recourse of any
party or parties, should they esteem
their pretension still unsatisfied
even after sentencing. Titles VIII
and IX of Part II of Book VII of the
CIC deal with legal redress against
the trial: either against a sentence
itself, or against a closed judgment
(res iudicata). We shall deal with
this matter in the concluding part
of this long article.
1. Decisionary Stage:
Pronouncement of the Judge
(cc.1607-1618)
A. General Notions
1) Decisionary Judicial
Pronouncements—can be
divided, with respect to the litigious
points (issues) they resolve, into the
following (c.1607):
a) Sentence: A legitimate
pronouncement by which a judge
settles either a principal cause that
was proposed by litigants and was
tried judicially, or a major incidental
cause.
b) Decree: A legitimate
pronouncement by which a judge
either settles a minor incidental
cause (substantive decree), or
simply orders a procedure to be
followed (procedural decree).
2) Requirement of Moral
Certitude: For the pronouncement
of any kind of sentence, there must
be in the mind of the judge a moral
certitude regarding the matter to be
settled by the sentence (c.1608,§1).
a) Nature of Moral Certitude—
Pope Pius XII cited the following
as essential elements of the moral
certitude required for a judicial
sentence: 1
(i) Negative note: The
exclusion of any well-founded
or reasonable doubt. Thus, it is
distinguished from quasi-certainty.
1 Pius XII, Allocution to the Roman
Rota, 1.X.1942.
Vespers with Exposition and Benediction
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology and director of the Sacerdos Institute at the Regina Apostolorum University,
Q: Are there guidelines for
combining vespers with exposition
and Benediction? The document
“Holy Communion and Worship
of the Eucharist Outside Mass”
has an appendix for “Eucharistic
Exposition and Benediction with
Evening Prayer,” but it doesn’t
include the introductory versicles
for Evening Prayer and seems
to omit both the Our Father and
the closing prayer of the vespers.
When adoration follows Mass, the
Roman Missal includes the Prayer
after Communion before going to
incense the Blessed Sacrament.
And finally, one company has
published a book called “Order for
the Solemn Exposition of the Holy
Eucharist” which does prescribe the
introductory versicles, as well as the
Our Father, but omits the closing
prayer because there will be a prayer
as part of Benediction. But it seems
that one prayer is for vespers and the
other prayer is for Benediction, and
I’m not sure why the one needs to
be omitted for the sake of the other.
They are separated by other ritual
actions. — D.M., Linn, Missouri
A: There are some guidelines.
For example, the Archdiocese of
New York has the following brief
indication:
“The Liturgy of the Hours may
be celebrated in the presence of
the exposed Blessed Sacrament.
In such cases, and when the hour
celebrated corresponds with the
conclusion of the time of exposition,
the concluding prayer of the hour
may be omitted and replaced by the
rite of benediction.”
The Instruction of the Case
(ii) Positive note: It admits
the absolute possibility of the
contrary. Thus, it is distinguished
from absolute certainty.
b) Sufficient for sentencing—In
the same place, the aforementioned
Pope stated that such moral certainty
is “sufficient for the rendering
of a judgment (...). Only thus is
it possible to have a regular and
orderly administration of justice,
going forward without useless
delays and without laying excessive
burdens on the tribunal as well as
on the parties.”
c) Necessary for sentencing—A
judge who cannot arrive at this
certitude, is to pronounce that
the right of the petitioner is not
established, and is to dismiss the
respondent as absolved, unless
there is a question of a case which
enjoys the favor of law, in which
case the decision must be in favor
of it (c.1608,§4).
3) Sources of moral
certitude—There are external and
internal sources:
a) External sources—The judge
must derive this certitude from the
acts and the proofs (c.1608,§2).
John Paul II stressed this point: 2
(i) Ex actis: “First and
foremost ex actis, since it must be
presumed that the documents are a
source of truth.”
(ii) Ex probatis: “Because
the judge cannot limit himself to
giving credence to the affirmations
alone.... The judge must act with
a critical sense. A difficult task,
because there may be many errors,
while truth, on the contrary, is one
only.”
b) Internal source—However,
the judge must evaluate the proofs
conscientiously with due regard
for the prescriptions of the law
concerning the efficacy of certain
proofs (c.1608, §3).
B. Procedure for Sentencing
1) Deliberation in a collegiate
tribunal. The above considerations,
explicitly referring to the single
judge, have similar applicability
to a collegiate tribunal. The
difference lies in that the judges in
a collegiate tribunal—aside from
individually making all the previous
criteria operate—have to include
deliberation among themselves as
2 John Paul II, Allocution to the Ro-
man Rota, 4.II.1980, in L’Osservatore Romano
(English), 3.III.1908, 6.
answers the following query:)
A document of the U.S. bishops’
conference Committee on the Liturgy
adds:
“In the light of these directives,
the Order for Solemn Exposition of
the Holy Eucharist provides several
settings for the Liturgy of the Hours
and two Eucharistic Services of
Prayer and Praise. These liturgies are
designed to ‘acknowledge Christ’s
marvelous presence in the sacrament
and invite us to the spiritual union
with Him that culminates in
sacramental communion’ (Order
for Solemn Exposition of the Holy
Eucharist, number 7).
“Eucharistic exposition and
benediction are no longer considered
devotions, but rather are a part
of the Church’s official liturgy.
Whereas in the past benediction
was frequently added on to the end
of another service or devotion, this
is no longer permitted. Eucharistic
exposition and benediction is a
complete liturgical service in its own
right and is to be celebrated as such.”
The above-mentioned “Order
for Solemn Exposition of the Holy
Eucharist” was published by the
U.S. bishops’ conference in 1993
as a supplement to the 1973 “Holy
Communion and Worship of the
Eucharist Outside Mass” and is
a collection of the rubrics and
directives of the liturgical books
regarding Eucharistic exposition and
benediction.
While this ritual book is useful
during the celebration, in 2004 the
U.S. bishops’ conference updated
some of the normative aspects
in a booklet called “Thirty-one
Questions on Adoration of the
(Part IV)
Pope Francis smiles as he leaves a special audience with members of the Roman Rota Jan. 29, 2018. The Rota is the highest appeals court in the Catholic
Church. CNS/VATICAN MEDIA
another source of moral certainty.
The procedure for deliberation and
voting is outlined in c.1609.
2) Drafting of the sentence.
The CIC outlines the procedure:
a) Single judge: He himself
writes the sentence (c.1610, §1).
b) Collegiate tribunal:
The ponens or relator drafts the
sentence, drawing the reasons from
those which the individual judges
brought out in the discussion, unless
it has been previously decided by
a majority of the judges which
reasons are to be preferred. The
draft is submitted for approval of
the individual judges (c.1610, §2).
3) Deadline for the sentence:
The sentence must be issued not
beyond one month from the day on
which the case was settled, unless,
in a collegiate tribunal, the judges
set a longer period of time for a
serious reason (c.1610, §3).
4) Publication of the Sentence:
For the sentence to produce effects,
it must be published—i.e., made
known to the parts. The publication
or announcement of the sentence can
be made either by giving a copy of
the sentence to the parties or their
procurators, or by sending a copy to
them in accord with the norms for the
transmittal of the citation (c.1615).
The Eucharist in a monstrance for public worship. VATICAN MEDIA
Blessed Sacrament” which addresses
frequently-asked questions about
Eucharistic adoration, especially
the relationship between Mass
and Eucharistic adoration, the
importance of Eucharistic
adoration, and the difference
between Eucharistic adoration and
exposition. It also includes excerpts
from Redemptionis Sacramentum
and Holy Communion and Worship
of the Eucharist Outside Mass.
The above norms would explain
the absence of the closing prayer
in the booklet mentioned by our
September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19
C. Requisites for the Sentence
1) Objective Requirements—
The sentence must:
a) Settle the controversy
discussed before the tribunal with
an appropriate response to each
one of the questions (c.1611,1°).
b) Determine what obligations
of the parties arise from the trial
and how they must be fulfilled
(c.1611,2°).
c) Set forth the reasons, that is,
the motives both in law and in fact
on which the dispositive section of
the sentence is based (c.1611,3°).
d) Make a determination about
the expenses of the suit (c.1611,4°).
2) Formal Requirements—The
sentence must contain the following
formal elements:
a) The Introduction—invoking
the Divine Name, then stating the
different subjects of the process
(c.1612, §1).
b) The facts—which include
mention of the grounds both as
requested by the parties (referred
to as conclusions in c.1612, §2 and
as petitions in c.1616,§1), and as
officially designated by the judge
(c.1513).
c) The law and the argument—
(necessary for validity, as stated in
c.1622, 2°), followed by the decision
itself which is called the dispositive
reader, although, as seen above, this
would only occur when the office
is celebrated immediately before
Benediction. In all other cases, the
office would be celebrated as normal
except omitting the final blessing
and dismissal.
Another very practical and useful
resource is Bishop Peter J. Elliott’s:
“Ceremonies of the Modern Roman
Rite.” His brief but precise indications
for praying a solemn office before the
Blessed Sacrament exposed mention
the following points:
— If there is exposition
CBCP Monitor
part of the sentence (c.1612, §3).
d) The conclusion—with the
date, place and signatures being
required for validity (cc.1612, §4 &
1622, 3°& 4°).
2. Challenge of the Sentence
(cc.1619-1640)
a. Notion and Division
1) Title VIII of Book VII of
the CIC deal with two ways of
challenging or impugning the
sentence itself:
a) C o m p l a i n t o f n u l l i t y
(querela nullitatis).
b) Appeal
2) Division of Impugnments:
a) By reason of the judge:
(i) D e v o l u t i v e : The
impugnment is deferred to another
judge. An appeal is always devolutive
(c.1628).
(ii) Non-devolutive: The
impugnment is not deferred to
another judge. A complaint of
nullity is usually non-devolutive
(c.1624), but is devolutive if lodged
with an appeal (c.1625).
b) By reason of the effect:
(i) Suspensive: The
impugnment suspends the execution
of the sentence. An appeal is
suspensive (c.1638).
Judicial / B7
immediately before the office, the
office begins once the exposition is
complete and the celebrant goes to
the chair.
— At the Gospel canticle, having
prepared incense at the chair, the
celebrants and assistants come
before the altar, genuflect and kneel
while the celebrant incenses the
Eucharist. They rise to go up to
the altar, genuflect and continue
the incensation as usual. They
genuflect together when they pass
the monstrance.
— The final intercessions of
vespers and (less commonly) lauds
may be made standing before the
altar. The final blessing and dismissal
are omitted.
— If Benediction follows
immediately, then the Eucharistic
song begins.
Bishop Elliott, because he is
specifically dealing with solemn
vespers, does not mention that
it would be possible to omit the
incensation of the altar during the
Gospel canticle.
Nor does he touch upon
the possibility mentioned in the
New York guidelines that “the
concluding prayer of the hour may
be omitted and replaced by the rite
of benediction.” This is probably also
because he is specifically dealing with
solemn vespers. Indeed while this
norm exists it would be somewhat
illogical to celebrate the solemn
vespers of a feast and then omit the
closing prayer specific to that feast.
The above-mentioned omission
would be more suited to celebrations
of the office before the Blessed
Sacrament on ordinary days.
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 FEATURE B3

(Editor’s note: The following are the sub-topics for weeks 48 and 49 of the continuing catechetical preparation in celebration of the
500 years of Christianity; prepared by the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education.)

The Philippine Church as a Church of the poor

(Week 48 – November 24-30, 2019)
Introduction (CCC, 2446-2447)

What does the Church for the Worship

poor actually mean?
Church of Poverty
The Church is the “Sacrament
of Christ” and the “projection of
Christ in time and space.” To be
faithful to her mission the Church
must mirror her Founder in all
things. As Christ, then, the Church
too must be marked by the double
sign of poverty and service of the
poor. In the temptation of Jesus in
the dessert, the devil said to Christ,
“Command the stone to become
bread”. And Jesus answered: “Man
shall not live by bread alone.” In
rejecting this, Christ rejected the
notion of a materialist Church,
a Church of eating and drinking,
of wealth and riches. His Church
was to be primarily one of poverty.
(Schwartz, 1970)
The Church in the Plan of God
The word Church refers to the
people whom God calls and gathers
together from every part of the
earth. They form the assembly
of those who through faith and
Baptism have become children
of God, members of Christ,
and temples of the Holy Spirit.
(Compendium of the Catholic
Church 751-752)
Who are the poor?
People who experience any of the
various hardships resulting from
the lack of life’s necessities. In the
material sense, the Church reaches
out in compassion to help the poor.
(Catholic Encyclopedia p.761)
Word of God
“If you would be perfect, go, sell
Bishop Patricio Buzon of Bacolod visits dozens of families affected by a demolition in the city’s Villamonte village on Aug. 29, 2019. PHOTO FROM ADSUM
DIOCESE OF BACOLOD
what you possess, and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven and come and follow me.”
(Mt 19:21)
Values: Humility, Simplicity,
Poverty, Generosity
Doctrine
The Church’s love for the poor
is a part of her constant tradition.
This love is inspired by the gospel
of beatitudes, the poverty of Jesus,
and of His concern for the poor.
(CCC, 2444) The Church has made
an option for the poor which is
understood as a “special from of
primacy in the exercise of Christian
charity, to which the whole tradition
of the Church bears witness.”
(Evangelii Gaudium, 163)
Moral
The works of mercy are charitable
actions by which we come to the aid
of our neighbour for his spiritual and
bodily necessities.
7 Corporal Works of Mercy:
Feed the hungry, Give drink to the
thirsty, Clothe the naked, Shelter
the homeless, Visit the sick, Visit
the imprisoned, Burying the
dead.
St. John Chrysost said, “Not to
enable the poor to share in our
goods is to steal from them and
deprive them of life. The goods we
possess are not ours, but theirs.”
“Prayer of intercession has
particular value, for it is an act
of trust in God and, at the same
time, an expression of love for our
neighbor. (GE, 154)
Faith Response
Affirmation: Embrace the poor
with compassion.
Commitment: What is the
Mission of the Church?
To proclaim and establish the
Kingdom of God begun by Jesus
Christ among all peoples. The
Church constitutes on earth the
seed and beginning of the salvific
Kingdom. (Compendium of the
Catholic Church)
Celebration: Almighty ever-
living God, giver of all good gifts
bless the Church that she may
recognize poverty in the lives of
your people. Open our hands that
we may learn to be one with the
poor by providing their needs.
Amen.
Sources:
Poverty: sign of our times,
Aloysius Schwartz, U.S.A. Pauline
Fathers and Brothers, 1970.
Compendium of the Catholic
Church , Libreria Edittrice Vaticana
00120 Citta del Vaticano, 2005.
Gaudete Et Exsultate, Pope
Francis, Word and Life Publicatons,
Manila, 2018
Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Libreria Edittrice Vaticana U.S.A.,
1997.

Collaboration effort to uplift the dignity of people

from poverty due to unjust social structures
(Week 49 – December 1-7, 2019)
Introduction
The Church’s social teaching,
then, is based on the intrinsic
dignity of every human person (PCP
II 299). Moreover, we are called
to recognize a human solidarity
that takes on specifically Christian
dimensions; “awareness of the
common fatherhood of God, of the
brotherhood of all in Christ –the
children in the Son” –and of the
presence and life-giving action of
the Holy Spirit”. (SRS 40; cf, PCP
II 295, 313)
Christian moral life is simply
the call to become loving persons
in the fullness of life-with-others-
in-community before God. The key
to moral life, then, is the human
person, considered in the light of
both reason and faith. All human
rights, personal and social, all
moral duties and responsibilities,
all virtues and moral character –all
depend directly on the answers
we give to the questions; who am
I as a person in community? As
a disciple of Jesus Christ, in his
Church in the words of PCP II:
“How to live as Filipino Christians
in our situation of shadows?”(cf.
PCP II 35, CFC 638)
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle dines with the residents of a shanty community in Manila’s Tondo district on April 17, 2019. ROY LAGARDE
Word of God
“When you give luncheon or a of self-possession and of freely God loves us so much through his Worship in the pain and isolation of the
dinner, do not invite your friends giving himself and entering into son our lord Jesus Christ. Thus, “I, the Lord am your God who cross: we hold before you those
or your brothers or your relatives communion with other persons. through Jesus Christ himself we brought you out of the land of Egypt who are homeless, suffering
or rich neighbours incase they And he is called by grace to a learned that the oppressed, the that place of slavery. You shall not from different injustices and
may invite you in return, and you covenant with his Creator, to offer marginalized and the poor must have other gods besides Me…you cold especially in bitter weather.
would be repaid. Bu when you him a response of faith and love be uplifted. Besides, the salvation shall not bow down before them or Draw near and comfort them in
give a banquet, invite the poor, the that no other creature can give in that Jesus Christ proclaimed worship them.” (Dt. 5:6-7,9) spirit and bless those who work
crippled, the lame, and the blind. his stead.” (CCC 357) is liberation from all forms of to provide them with shelter, food
And you will be blessed, because The Second Commandment also oppression (Evangelii Nuntiandi), Faith Response and friendship. We ask this in
they cannot repay you, for you will
reminds us on taking advantage of that the poor must be cared for Affirmation: All of us are created Jesus name, Amen.
be repaid at the resurrection of the
the poor. The economic or social (Rerum Novarum) and every in the image and likeness of God
righteous.” (Luke 14:7-14)
exploitation of the poor for profit human being has the universal, and therefore possess equal human Sources:
harms the dignity and natural inviolable, inalienable rights dignity. Poverty: sign of our times, Aloysius
Values: Humility, Equality,
Hospitality, Justice. rights of the victim. It is a sin that and dignity (Pacem in Terris) Schwartz, U.S.A. Pauline Fathers and
cries to heaven for vengeance. that must be valued. Thus, to Commitment: Not to choose Brothers, 1970.
Doctrine liberate the poor from all forms of places of honor, but places where Compendium of the Catholic
“God created man in his own Moral oppression is to uphold their rights we can be in solidarity with the poor Church , Libreria Edittrice Vaticana
image, in the image of God he “ if there is no friendship with the and dignity because man must be and ordinary people. 00120 Citta del Vaticano, 2005.
created him, male and female poor and no sharing of the life of prioritize over capital (Laborem Gaudete Et Exsultate, Pope
he created them.” (CCC 355) the poor, then there is no authentic Ecercens) and not just an object for Celebration: God of Francis, Word and Life Publicatons,
Being in the image of God the commitment to liberation, because development and progression, but compassion, your love for Manila, 2018
human individual possesses the love exists only among equals.” because human beings was, is, and humanity was revealed in Jesus, Catechism of the Catholic Church,
dignity of a person, but someone. -Gustavo Gutierrez The humility will always be created through the whose earthly life began in the Libreria Edittrice Vaticana U.S.A.,
He is capable of self-knowledge, of incarnation speaks on how image and likeness of God. poverty of a stable and ended 1997.
B4 FEATURE September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 CBCP Monitor

Why celebrate 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines?

Was not Christianity a mere tool for colonial rule?
THE same Christian faith that the
conquistadores tried to use in order to pursue
their colonial purposes in our country also
inspired our revolutionaries around three and
a half centuries later to dream of freedom and
democracy. It is the same Christian faith that
eventually motivated them to defend the basic
human dignity of the Indios and to desire to put
an end to tyranny and colonial rule.
The Spanish missionaries had taught the
natives to chant the Pasion during the Holy
Week. Unknown to the authorities, the
same Pasion which was about the suffering
Messiah offering his life for the redemption of
humankind had inspired our heroes to offer
their lives for the redemption of our country—at
the cost of their own blood, sweat and tears.
By Bishop Ambo David
(See Reynaldo Ileto’s Pasyon at Rebolusyon.)
We were of course bitterly divided during the
time of the transition: between the pro’s and
the anti’s, between those on the side of colonial
politics, and those who dared to be on the side
of revolutionary politics. Division is not always
a negative thing. As St. Paul in 1 Corinthians
11:19, sometimes “there have to be divisions...
in order that those who are approved among
(us) may become known.” Or think about what
Jesus said when he spoke like an angry prophet
of doom, “I have come to light a fire on earth;
how I wish it were already ablaze. Do you think
I have come to bring peace on earth? No not
peace but division...”. These are unpleasant
words that we’d rather not hear, especially
when we make unity into an absolute value.
People forget that unity can sometimes be
negative too—when it is about uniting around
an ungodly purpose. No wonder God sowed
division on the builders of the tower of Babel,
so that he could later genuinely reunite them
in the Spirit through Pentecost.
Our own ancestors were intelligent enough
to accept what was good and reject what was
evil in what the Spaniards had brought with
them when they came to our land. They also
eventually learned to distinguish between the
missionaries who had totally allied themselves
with the colonial politics of the conquistadores
and those who were critical of it, those who had
the courage to defend the rights of the natives
against the abuses and cruelties of the colonial
masters.
The mere fact that we eventually repudiated
colonial rule but continued to embrace the
Christian faith even after we won the revolution
could only mean that the natives did not equate
the Christianity with Colonialism. At some
point, the faith that they had embraced was
no longer alien to them. It had succeeded in
taking root on the fertile ground of our innate
spirituality as a people.
Let us therefore make it clear: what we will
celebrate in 2021 is not colonialism but the
Christian faith that the natives of these islands
welcomed as a gift, albeit from people who
were not necessarily motivated by the purest
of motives. God can indeed write straight even
with the most crooked lines.

Suicide is on the rise - What can the Catholic Church do to help?

THIS past week marked National
Suicide Prevention Week in the
United States, a week where mental
and public health advocates share tips
and advice on suicide prevention and
spotting the warning signs of suicide.
On Monday of that week, popular
evangelical pastor and mental health
advocate Jarrid Wilson, 30, reportedly
committed suicide. Just hours prior
to his death, Wilson had posted a
message on Twitter about Jesus’
compassion for the depressed and
suicidal.
“Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure
suicidal thoughts,” Wilson wrote.
“Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure
depression. Loving Jesus doesn’t
always cure PTSD. Loving Jesus
doesn’t always cure anxiety. But that
doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t offer us
companionship and comfort. He
ALWAYS does that,” Wilson tweeted.
Wilson had been a long-time
advocate for mental health, and
founded “Anthem of Hope,” a
Christian outreach for the depressed
and suicidal, with his wife. His death
followed that of Pastor Andrew
Stoecklein, another young, vibrant
evangelical pastor and mental health
advocate, who committed suicide
last year.
In the span of just 16 years, suicide
rates among working-age Americans
(aged 16-64 years) spiked 34%
between 2000 and 2016, according
to data from the Center for Disease
Control. Among Americans aged 10-
24, the spike was even more dramatic
- CDC data shows a 50% increase in
suicides among this group between
2000-2017.
The suicides of these two pastors
highlight this concerning upward
trend in suicide, especially among
young people, even among those who
are part of a Christian community.
CNA spoke with three mental health
professionals about why suicide rates,
particularly among young people,
are increasing, and what the Catholic
Church and other faith communities
can do to help.
Overconnected, and under
pressure
Deacon Basil Ryan Balke is a
licensed therapist at Mount Tabor
Counseling in the Denver area, and
the co-host of the podcast “Catholic
Psyche,” which aims to educate
people on the integration between the
psychological sciences and Catholic
spirituality, philosophy and theology.
He is also a married deacon with
the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic
Church.
Balke told CNA that he thinks one
of the driving factors of an increase
in suicide among teens and young
adults is their constant connectedness
to the world through mobile devices,
coupled with a lack of greater meaning
in their lives.
“When I was in high school...I
would go home, and I wouldn’t really
have any contact with my friends
unless I wanted it,” Balke said.
“And now with the saturation of the
iPhone...you get the communication
that is constantly there and constantly
moving and so you can never unplug,
and you can never continue on with
life outside of the image you have to
put out into the world (through social
media),” he said.
“They’re always distracted, always
moving forward. I was a youth
minister for many years as well, and
it was just - these kids never had a
moment’s peace,” he added.
Tommy Tighe is a licensed marriage
and family therapist in the Bay area in
California, who also hosts a podcast
on Catholicism and mental health
called “St. Dymphna’s Playbook.”
Tighe told CNA that despite having
more connections, young people
today are more isolated than ever.
“There’s so much more pressure...
there’s so much more of a drive to be
popular,” Tighe said, but social media
connections often do not equate to
“a close-knit community of close
friends.”
According to a 2015 article from
the peer-reviewed research journal
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and
Social Networking, frequent social
media use in children and teenagers
is associated with poor psychological
functioning, as it limits their daily
face-to-face interactions, impairing
their ability to keep and maintain
meaningful relationships.
The study found that students
who reported using social media for
two or more hours daily were more
likely to poorly rate their own mental
health, and experienced high levels
of psychological distress and suicidal
ideation.
“There’s a trend towards superficial
relationships, and of course you don’t
post on Instagram ‘I’m depressed’ or
something like that, so I think people
don’t know who to reach out to,” Tighe
noted.
Furthermore, Balke said, “I think
what is also happening is the younger
people have lost meaning in their
day-to-day lives as well. I think all
of us have lost meaning as a force in
our lives.”
Balke said especially for young
people, there is an increasingly intense
pressure to perform academically or
athletically that has replaced the
things that used to bring people a
sense of greater purpose, such as faith
or virtue or close familial connections.
“Whether it be sports, they have to
be track stars, they have to be in all AP
(advanced placement) classes, they
have to have like 30 college credits
before they graduate high school,
a 4.0 is not good enough anymore
it’s gotta be a 4.3 or something,” he
said. “I don’t even know how you do
that. They’re pushing themselves so
aggressively to the point where there’s
no meaning behind it all because they
don’t have an overarching purpose.
These things are substitutes for that.”
“You might do something stupid
like literally eating a tide pod, laundry
detergent, and you become world-
famous for thirty seconds. It’s so
crazy,” he said. “It’s like these kids are
just waiting for their next big break.”
The lingering stigma of mental
health care
Another driving factor in the spike
in suicides among young people and
other populations is the lingering
stigma of seeking out therapy or
other mental health interventions,
Tighe said.
“I think we try to act like we’ve
really changed (as a society) in our
perception of mental health, but I
don’t think that’s really true,” Tighe
said.
“Especially...it seems like every time
there’s one of these mass tragedies
in our country, mental health gets
brought up and I think that pushes
people even further away from
wanting to reach out or identify as
having an issue,” he added.
Additionally, Tighe said, not only
do young people today have a harder
time making meaningful relationships
with their peers, parents are also often
afraid to broach the subject of suicide
and mental health with their children.
“I’m hoping that the younger
generation of parents will be a little
bit more willing, but it’s scary, right?
That’s super scary to talk about.”
But talk about it parents must,
Balke said, and the more specific they
By Mary Farrow
Fr. Dan Cancino, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Commission on Health Care, talks about depression and mental health during the National Conference for
Youth Ministers in Biñan, Laguna on Sept. 12, 2018. PHOTO FROM ECHC
are, the better.
“You want to use that exact
phrase: ‘Are you thinking about
killing yourself?’ Or ‘Are you thinking
about suicide?’ You don’t want to use
the phrase ‘self harm,’ or ‘Are you
thinking about hurting yourself?’” he
said. “You want to be very clear.”
Some people fear that bringing up
suicide may plant the idea of suicide in
their child’s head, or may worsen their
depression, but Balke said that studies
show that these fears are unfounded.
“Statistically speaking - you can’t
catch suicidal thoughts,” Balke said.
“You’re not going to be pushing kids
to become suicidal by asking, ‘Are
you thinking about suicide?’ That’s
actually... helping them come out of
that isolation.”
The Soul Shop movement:
helping congregations prevent
suicide
In 1999, Fe Anam Avis was the
pastor of a Presbyterian church in
a small suburban town in southern
Ohio when the suicide of three
students within seven months rocked
his community.
Searching for help and resources
for his grieving congregants, he found
that there was little to nothing when
it came to faith-based resources for
suicide prevention and mental health.
He started traveling to speak about
suicide, but noticed that clergy and
church leaders weren’t among his
audience members.
“He said, ‘I would go to these towns
and they would have me in a fire
hall and I would give a presentation
about suicide and a hundred people
would show up in a small town. And
not one of them would be a clergy
person,’” Michelle Snyder told CNA.
Snyder is the director of Soul Shop, an
organization founded by Fe that trains
clergy and congregations in suicide
prevention and interventions. Fe has
since retired.
“(Fe) said consistently it felt
like people in the church were not
connecting this issue of suicide
prevention with faith, and pastors
were just not showing up to engage
with this as an issue as a matter of
faith.”
That’s what spurred Fe to found
Soul Shop movement, a group which
now travels the country to give
workshops to congregations on how
to speak about suicide, how to prevent
it, and what the warning signs are.
“I’ll often say to a group of faith
community leaders, if you’re asking
yourself the question, is anybody in
my parish thinking about suicide?
You’re asking yourself the wrong
question. Because the right question
is, which six people out of the hundred
here are thinking about suicide right
now?” Snyder said.
Part of the training consists in
simply raising the awareness among
clergy and church leaders that there
are people in desperation within their
own congregations who are at risk
for suicide and need help. Snyder
said they also train congregations on
how to support people who have been
impacted by the suicide of a family
member or friend.
In addition, they study the stories
about suicide, or suicidal ideation,
found in Bible passages.
“There’s quite a few,” she said.
“We’ve got Judas, the story of Judas,
and that’s a suicide. But you’ve also
got stories like Elijah (who was)
praying to die. You’ve got Saul, who
fell on his own sword and killed
himself...you’ve got Job, who said
death would be better than what I’m
experiencing. You’ve got lots of heroes
in the Bible who thought about (it) or
else just said, ‘I’m in so much pain.
Death would be better,’ but who didn’t
attempt (it). So you’ve got lots of
suicide - you’ve got suicide attempts,
you’ve got suicides, you’ve got suicide
intervention.”
They also train church leaders in
spotting some of the warning signs
of a person who is at risk for suicide.
Tighe said some of those warning
signs include people who have been
noticeably depressed for long periods
of time, social withdrawal, talking
about suicide or self-harm, or the
giving away of prized pocessions,
among other things.
A warning sign that might seem
strange, Tighe said, is when someone
who has been depressed for a while
is suddenly and inexplicably happy
again.
“If someone’s been super depressed
and then all of a sudden they’re sort
of feeling really good...that makes us
very nervous, because sometimes it’s
because they’ve made the decision
like, okay, on Friday, I’m going to do
it. And they feel like a burden lifted
off their shoulders, because there’s an
end in sight,” he said.
When those risk factors are spotted,
those are the times to specifically ask
people if they’re considering suicide,
Tighe added.
During the Soul Shop trainings,
Snyder said, the group takes a public
health approach to suicide, meaning
that they train faith communities to
take a collective responsibility for the
health of their own people.
“We spend a whole day equipping
communities of faith on how to be
communities of faith in relationship
to this issue,” she said.
One of the biggest suicide prevention
tools that communities of faith can
provide, Snyder said, is being full
communities of faith, where people
feel connected and valued as whole
people, and not just for one aspect of
their identity.
People who are more resiliant to
suicide are those whose don’t have all
of their “eggs in one basket,” Snyder
noted.
“If every egg is in the basket of being
on a full scholarship for football, and
then I get injured, every egg was in
that basket. I have no Plan B, and so
that becomes a risk. And helping our
people in our congregation become
well-rounded people with lives that
are full and rich and diverse can be a
suicide prevention initiative.”
Soul Shop, church communities
that are trained in suicide awareness
and prevention are called “full faith
communities,” Snyder said, which
are “communities where people
are intentionally connected to each
other...communities where everybody
knows what to look for. Communities
where we are aware of our tendency to
shun when we get uncomfortable and
are challenged to not do that.”
What else can be done?
Besides hosting a Soul Shop or
other suicide prevention training,
what else can pastors and parishes
do to help prevent suicide?
Balke said he would encourage
all pastors to meet with their staff
and frequent volunteers in order
to familiarize them with locally
available mental health resources.
They should know the location of
clinics, the hours of those clinics,
and what crisis numbers to call, he
said.
“They need to have quick access
to them, so that when someone is
coming in their office, or after a bible
study or whatever it is when this
kind of conversation comes up, they
have it on their phone ready to go
and they won’t have to go searching
for it,” he said.
Tighe said he recommended that
parishes have flyers posted on their
bulletin boards with information on
local mental health resources, as well
as local crisis hotlines to call or text.
In the United States, texting “741741”
will connect users to a crisis text line.
Text lines get great response rates,
Tighe said, because “everyone’s like,
okay I would send a text, because
it’s easier. And they’re incredible.
We get people who come to our
clinic who are like, ‘I was driving
to the bridge, (because that’s a very
popular thing here in the Bay Area
for people who are suicidal), and for
whatever reason texted these people
and they told me to come to your
clinic before I went.”
Pastors and clergy should also
make it a point to build a personal
relationship with the mental health
professionals in their congregation,
Balke said.
Suicide / B7
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 STATEMENTS B5

Fraternal message
WE address you as your brothers in the faith. TRUTH

When we received the news about our inclusion as respondents in the case of Now that all respondents have filed their respective pleadings, we renew our faith
sedition and other crimes filed by the CIDG-PNP before the Department of Justice, in the power of truth to set us all—accusers, accused and justice officials together—
our first response was prayer. We held no press conferences together. We begged free. And we renew our appeal to those who accuse us. There is joy and peace in
off from interviews. We attended no rallies. We chose to pray. living in the truth. We reach out to you in peace.

PRAYER MISSION

Prayer is our best weapon against every evil. Prayer is power. This is a good time We are shepherds of God’s people. The Lord did not send us to defend ourselves;
to be reminded of this. He promised to do that for us and we trust in the Lord. But, as citizens, we comply
with the due processes of law.
We prayed instantly, even until now, for our accusers. May they meet the God of
all Truths, be touched by His grace and stay away from the prince of lies. We invite We renew our commitment to serve, to teach and to bless without relent, without
Bikoy to turn back to God whose offer of mercy and forgiveness is without limits. repay. We will not allow this splinter from the cross of Christ to distract us from our
mission, to dampen our zeal or to intimidate us.
We have been praying fervently too for the team of prosecutors tasked to evaluate
the case. May they be guided by nothing but the spirit of justice and truth. There This cross we carry now is nothing compared to the agony and passion of the
can be no justice without truth. Justice without facts is no justice at all. We cling Lord and the pains and aches of the poor. Our defense for human life and the
to the belief that our officials in the Department of Justice adhere to these values. sacredness of marriage remains. Our message of peace based on truth will not be
perturbed. Our zeal for souls will not falter. Our mission is yet incomplete. We will
Indeed there is separation of Church and State but there must be no separation not be discouraged.
between God and country.
We are your brothers in our love of God and country. Pray for us. Together with
We have been praying too for ourselves and for you our brothers and sisters in you we place our trust in the Lord.
the faith, that none of us may be led into confusion, upheaval, error or sin by these
charges. Our land needs healing not turmoil. We cannot and we will not participate September 7, 2019
and we will never help in anything that will bring about social change through illegal
means. +TEODORO C. BACANI, JR +PABLO VIRGILIO S. DAVID
Bishop Emeritus of Novaliches Bishop of Kalookan
We thank our brothers and sisters who have offered prayers, sacrifices and legal
assistance to us your bishops and the others accused with us. We thank you all for +HONESTO F. ONGTIOCO +SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
your kindness in this time of need. Bishop of Cubao Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

A statement of support for those who Rouse: A statement of

seek the truth solidarity with the falsely
accused of sedition
WE, the SEMNET (Seminarians’
Network of the Philippines), an
assembly of diocesan theology
seminarians from across the
country, are both disheartened and
disturbed at the filing of sedition
and other criminal charges against
our fellow Filipinos, including
Archbishop Socrates Villegas
of Lingayen-Dagupan, Bishops
Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan,
Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao,
Teodoro Bacani Jr., Bishop-
emeritus of Novaliches, some
priests, religious, and laypersons.

On July 18, 2019, a criminal
complaint was filed by PNP-CIDG
against dozens of Filipino citizens
for allegedly committing sedition,
among other charges. Immediately
on the day after the filing of charges,
CBCP President Archbishop Romulo
Valles promptly issued a public
statement expressing his disbelief
and sadness at the unexpected
turn of events, particularly for the
bishops included in the sedition raps
for these are men “whose sincerity,
decency, respectfulness, and love
for our country and our people are
beyond doubt”.
We, seminarians and formators
of SAN JOSE SEMINARY, a Jesuit-
run seminary for the formation
of Diocesan priests from all over
the country, likewise extend
our support for the bishops and
priests accused of sedition, along
with the other accused men and
women who champion causes for
and engagement with the poor.
They are Filipino citizens whose
advocacies have been firmly rooted
in a profound respect for human
life, for due process, and for our
Constitution. When the democratic
principles of “right to life” and “right
to fair trial” were being challenged,
they sought to strengthen our
democratic values and institutions
by upholding the constitutional
rights of every Filipino. Thus,
resorting to unconstitutional means
would invalidate their efforts to
protect the pillars of our democracy.
We are alarmed at the possible
repercussions of the sedition case on
our fragile democracy, especially on
efforts for a genuine social inclusion
of the poor. When people who have
taken the cudgels for those who
grieve in silence are persecuted
on account of their promotion of
justice, who else shall defend the
defenseless, stand up against brutal
violence, foster the healing of social
divides, uphold the sacred rights of
every human person, remind us of
our timeless values, seek for deeper
truths, and call us to meaningful
encounters with even “the worst
sinners”?
But we do not want violence to
beget more violence. We reiterate
“active non-violence” as an
alternative response to the violence
all around us. We join Cardinal
Luis Antonio Tagle’s invitation for
us to “respond in faith and hope
through our common prayer.” We
pray that God would “inspire those
in public office to uphold, preserve,
promote and defend the dignity of
every human being; to touch the
hearts of those who oppress others
and those who take the law in their
hands; to touch the consciences
of the perpetrators of heinous
crimes, violence, senseless and
indiscriminate killings; and to move
them to abandon their pride and
their instruments of destruction.”
Our bishops, priests, consecrated
persons, and lay faithful who strive
to walk the path of integrity, respect,
unity, and service are models of a
prophetic witnessing to a powerful
love that turns our concrete service
into a force for empowering
transformation. We are united with
them in our deep hope that the
light of truth will illumine hearts
and minds – the truth behind
the charges, and the deeper truth
around the underlying issues that
cause the drug economy to persist
and endure despite the thousands of
killings. We share Cardinal Tagle’s
prayer for them and the Filipino
nation: “Since you, O God, are with
us, nothing that has happened,
nothing still to come can rob us of
our hope in Christ. In your enduring
love we trust.”
SAN JOSE SEMINARY
COMMUNITY
Ateneo de Manila University Campus
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
September 6, 2019
We are disheartened that these
people who are known for their
moral integrity and genuine service
to the poor and the oppressed,
are the objects of unfounded
allegations. We are also disturbed
that many people of goodwill
are unconcerned with the
trampling of truth and justice,
and the persecution of people who
champion basic human rights.
Nonetheless, we are gratified to
see that the accused, rather than
losing heart, choose to continue
their mission and persevere in
advocating every Filipino’s right
to life, to rehabilitation, and to due
process, in the midst of the ongoing
violent War on Drugs.
As seminarians “diverse in
charism but united in mission”,
we are edified by their prophetic
witnessing for truth against
the propagation of falsehood,
accountability against the abuse
of power, preservation of life
against its destruction, and active
non-violence against coercion.
Moved by the Gospel values, we
joyfully share in the same mission
to promote the fullness of life
and to participate in an inclusive
nation-building based on respect,
dialogue, and stewardship.
Inspired by their witnessing, let
us awaken the courage and passion
within us to herald the truth
despite the fear and confusion. Let
us also rouse the hearts of others
to be compassionate to victims of
unjust social structures. Finally, let
us be vigilant in safeguarding the
truth and steadfast in upholding
the dignity of those unreasonably
condemned.
We, therefore, express our
SUPPORT and SOLIDARITY for
and with those who are falsely
accused but have been pursuing
deeper truth and authentic justice
through peaceful means. We call
for UNITY and HARMONY among
Filipinos, as we hope that everyone
begins to see each other as a child
of God rather than irredeemable
sinners. We implore the Holy Spirit
to bring out the truth and put an
end to the continuing violence
and moral decline in our society.
We entrust all our prayers to God
through the help and intercession
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose
birth we remember today.
SEMINARIANS’ NETWORK OF
THE PHILIPPINES, INC.
08 September 2019
B6 REFLECTIONS
Why stark inequality between the rich and The crime of ignoring the
the poor among Christians is scandalous beggar at the door
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, (Luke 16:19-31)
National Seafarers’ Day / Start of Laity Week
September 29, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
A FEW years ago, the problems
of praying in the classroom or at
graduations and of placing Christ-
mas trees in government offices
were brought to some US Courts.
Protesters against such religious
practices complained that these
violated the principle of separation
between Church and State. Hear-
ing the oral arguments in courts,
one could not help making a mental
note that such questions would not
have been raised had the protesters
viewed religion as embracing social
attitude and behavior. But if the is-
sues tell us anything, it is that they
tend to imply that for those against
the exercise of religious practices in
schools and offices, religion is merely
an private affair, something that
transpires only between God and the
private individual. And we will not
be surprised if, out of consistency in
their outlook and position, the same
protesters go to court to ask for the
removal of the words “In God We
Trust” in the American dollar.
But to confine religion to the pri-
vacy of the individual is to make a
caricature out of it. As this Sunday’s
readings indicate, our faith in God
is intimately linked with matters
affecting the society. And one of
these matters concerns the ques-
tion of wealth and poverty. In an
unprecedented statement about the
situation in the world, the l97l Synod
of Bishops questioned “the serious
injustices that are building around
the world of men a network of domi-
nation, oppression and abuses which
stifle freedom and which keep the
greater part of humanity from shar-
ing the building up and enjoyment
of a more just and more fraternal
world.” That millions, for example,
starve in Somalia and other eastern
African countries while those in
the West have more than enough
of almost everything is simply not
morally right. It is unjust. So is the
situation in the Philippines in which,
in the words of the Second Plenary
Council of the Philippines (PCP-II),
“the poverty and destitution of the
great mass of our people are only too
evident, contrasting sharply with the
Why does God permit acts
of senseless terrorism?
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, (Luke 17:5-10)
October 6, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
IN the United States, the World
Trade Center, a 110-floor twin
towers in lower Manhattan, New
York, was symbolic of America’s
economic prosperity, while the
Pentagon in Washington stands to
remind us of her military might.
Twelve years ago, on September
11, 2001 to be exact, no sooner had
people warmed their seats than
two commercial planes, hijacked
by terrorists, brought down the
twin towers without warning, and
another wrecked havoc on the
Pentagon. The damage, in terms
of lives, not to mention property
and their impact on the American
psyche, was so enormous that the
death toll was, in the words of New
York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani,
“more than we can bear.” A political
analyst may look at these horrific
attacks in terms of imperialism and
hegemony, but for a man of religion,
they raise questions about God’s
wealth and luxury of the relatively
few families, the elite top of our so-
cial pyramid.”
It is against this background that
today’s Gospel on the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-
31) must be viewed. The story,
probably based on an Egyptian tale,
adapted in Judaism, and retold by
Jesus, concerns two characters: a
rich man (erroneously named Dives
in some translations) who indulged
in a very luxurious life fit for kings
and princes, and a poor man called
Lazarus was so poor that he could
only hope that he could eat his fill
of the scraps from the rich man’s
table, and so weak that he could
not even defend himself from the
dogs that licked his sores. But the
reversal of fate after the two died is
utterly shocking: the rich man went
to Hades, while Lazarus rested on
Abraham’s bosom—a fortune which
would be difficult to accept in a
culture that sees God’s blessing in
wealth, and his curse in poverty.
But why the reversal of fortunes in
the next world? Though it is tempt-
ing to assume that the rich man
must have lived a sinful life, whereas
Lazarus was virtuous, the parable
does not make even the slight sug-
gestion about it. Most likely, it is
simply that the rich man wallowed
in wealth, whereas Lazarus was in
misery, and that the stark inequality
in their living conditions was utterly
wrong. This could only mean that to
enjoy the luxuries of life while mil-
lions starve in scandalous poverty is
not morally right. Which is why it
is not difficult to understand when
we hear in the 1st Reading Amos
the prophet upbraiding the rich,
viewing their extravagance as mor-
ally intolerable: “Lying upon beds
of ivory, stretched comfortably on
their couches, they eat lambs taken
from the flock, and calves from the
stall, improvising music of the harp,
like David, they devise their own
accompaniment. They drink wine
from bowls and anoint themselves
with the best oils; yet they are not
made ill by the collapse of Joseph!”
(Amos 6:4-6).
power and his government of the
world. Why does he permit such
acts of senseless terrorism? Why
does he let injustice and violence
run their course?
The first reading (Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4)
raises almost the same questions. At
the time of Habakkuk, the Chaldeans
have replaced the Assyrians as the
masters of the ancient Near East in
the early 6th century BC. There was
turmoil in both the international
scene and in the land Judah which
was rife with confusion, disorder,
intrigues and idolatry. Seeing the
violation of human rights in the
anarchic regime, while God seemed
to be unmoved by the disorder,
the prophet questioned the ways
of God, complaining why he, who
was supposed to save his people,
tolerated the injustices against the
innocent: “How long, O Lord? I cry
for help but you do not listen! I cry
out to you, ‘Violence!’, but you do
The Bishops of the Philippines,
in their Pastoral Exhortation on the
Philippine Economy, bring home the
point raised by Jesus’ parable and
Amos’ woes. After enunciating the
principles of the universal purpose of
the created goods and private prop-
erty, equitable distribution, the use
of productive property for the com-
mon good, the duty to preserve the
environment and responsibly use the
natural resources (nn 47-48), they
declared: “In our Philippine situa-
tion such principles would certainly
reject situations like the continuing
concentration of economic power
in the hands of a few; particularly
oligopolies; the pervading presence
of absolute poverty; the flight of fi-
nancial capital especially in times of
national crisis; and legislation that
sacrifices the good of the many in or-
der to preserve the vested interests of
the few. The same principles would
mandate the ethical directions that
businesses and investments should
take: Create jobs in the local market,
open to the public ownership of cor-
porations, especially those related
to our natural resources; and invest
in the rural and poor areas for the
sake of the poor, even when profits
are less.”
It is difficult to see how a sharp
contrast between wealth and poverty
can be reconciled with a community
that calls itself Christian. Of course,
from a human point of view, it does
not befit humanity. As Helder Ca-
mara noted, “poverty makes a person
subhuman, excess of wealth makes a
person inhuman.” But from a Chris-
tian point of view, two reasons may
be advanced why such stark inequal-
ity is morally wrong. First, according
to Paul, we form one body (1 Cor
10:17; 12:12), and it is scandalous to
celebrate one Eucharist, one bread
and one cup, while the contrast
between superfluous wealth and
grinding poverty remains unchanged
in our situation (1 Cor 11:18-22). It
is contempt for the Church of God.
As Edward Schillebeeckx puts it, “the
great scandal is the intercommunion
of rich Christians who remain rich
and poor Christians who remain
poor while celebrating the same Eu-
charist, taking no notice of the Chris-
tian model of sharing possession.”
Second, we cannot continue to speak
of love if we, as a community, remain
divided into the rich who are few
and the many who are poor (1 John
3:17). In fact, our faith is without life
if we close ourselves and be blind to
that division (Jas 2:15-27). We must
share because, according to the Sec-
ond Vatican Council, God destined
the earth and all it contains for all
humanity and all peoples so that
all created things would be shared
fairly by all humankind under the
guidance of justice, and tempered by
charity (Gaudium et spes, 69).
not intervene” (Hab 1:2). One is, of
course, reminded of the questions
of the skeptic on the problem of
evil in theodicy: Why does God not
prevent evil in the world? Is he not
capable of it? If he is and he does
not, can he still be a holy and just
God? Is he not malevolent? If he is
not able to prevent it and will not,
is he powerless and resentful? But
if he is and he will, why does he let
terrorism and injustice have their
way?
Though such questions may make
sense in philosophical gymnastics,
they are foreign to the Scriptures.
If anything, it would seem that the
problem does not lie with God.
On the contrary, it seems to be a
question of man’s attitude toward
God in the face of the mystery of
evil, and its concrete manifestations
in history—as in the assault on the
American nation. For a man of
Terrorism / B7
September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, (Luke 16:19-31)
National Seafarers’ Day / Start of Laity Week
September 29, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
TODAY’S parable sketches a striking
contrast between the situation of
the rich man and Lazarus—the
former “dressed in purple and linen
and feasting splendidly every day,”
while the latter, covered with sores,
longed in vain to eat “the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.”
(See Lk 16:19-21.) Such a striking
contrast persists even after death.
But the situations are reversed.
While the poor Lazarus is among
“the living,” enjoying the happiness
coming from God’s love (meaning
of “the bosom of Abraham”), the
rich man finds himself in torment
in the “netherworld” or hell. (See
Lk 16:23.)
One can rightly conclude that the
rich man deserves that treatment.
He asked for it through his
life of selfish enjoyment of his
riches and callous indifference
to the sad plight of the poor
beggar rotting at the gate of
his palace. There comes a time
when people have to account for
their behavior and either bear the
shame of it or savor the reward they
deserve. Since there is a just God,
no one should be surprised that
the rascals and the exploiters
pay dearly for their persistent
refusal to be converted.
What surprises, however, is to see
that after almost twenty centuries
since the severe warning coming
from this parable (see especially vv.
23-27), “Lazarus” has become
the name of hundreds of
millions of human beings. Even
The humble faith that can
work wonders
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, (Luke 17:5-10)
October 6, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
THE apparent “absence” of God
has always been a severe test for
all the great souls who have put
their trust in Him. Sooner or later
all will experience its torturing
fits—God seems to “vanish”
or to become impotent right
when His intervention seems
needed most badly. The prophet
Habakkuk experienced it (see Hb
1:2-3); so did Jeremiah (see Jn 20:7-
10.14-18) and even Jesus Christ, at
the height of his suffering on Calvary.
(See Mt 27:46. See also Ps 22:2-3.)
All through the centuries, down
to our very days, the “inaction”
of God has been felt bitterly
and decried. In the torments of
the tortures inflicted on innocent
people (often because of their very
allegiance to their faith); in the
horrors of the Nazi concentration
camps, or the Stalinist “Gulags”;
or the atrocities committed by the
Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot; or in the
“ethnic cleansings” that take place in
various parts of the world even in our
days; or in the crying misery of the
conglomeration of squatter shanties,
full of filth, fumes, mud . . . without
roads, electricity and medicare; or
in many mental hospitals, in the
prostitution dens; in the nations or
regions where people are just a “labor
force” exploited by the state or the
local magnate . . . One asks, “Where
is God here?” and, “Why does He not
make His presence and justice felt?!”
No human being, with its
limited intellectual and moral
resources, can answer such
questions with certainty and
convincingly. Only God Himself
can. The prophet Habakkuk today
assures us that God has an answer
and will surely give it. But He will do
that in His own time. (See Hb 2:3.)
For He has His own rhythm, His own
ways, His own plans. And so many
times, they are different from ours.
(See Is 55:8-9.)
It is only those who have the gift of
faith who can keep believing in God’s
active presence even in the darkest
moments of human history and of
their lives. It is faith which gives
them/us the unique assurance
that God is present and active
even if their/our feeble mind
cannot comprehend or pinpoint
where and how.
Often, it is after years that we
CBCP Monitor
in so-called “Christian” societies and
communities, there are millions
who, like the Lazarus of the parable,
“long to eat the scraps that fall
from the rich man’s table.” And all
this because in the same society
there thrives a tiny minority of
avid individuals or groups, bent on
amassing and jealously keeping for
themselves the resources which God
has intended for all men.
This same pattern is sadly visible
among nations. We have the
affluent ones which have secured for
themselves most of the resources of
the earth, while the “beggar nations”
(the “Lazarus Nations”!) are left
with the crumbs, the dross, the
pollution which many companies
of industrialized countries leave
behind after having plundered
most of what was of value in the
developing countries . . . .
To these rapacious individuals,
groups, and nations is directed in
a special way the warning coming
from today’s parable as well as from
the First Reading: no injustice
will be left unpunished. God
will see to it that the imbalance
is properly redressed.
But the warning is addressed
also to each of us, because the
inclination to be avid, insensitive,
callous, and selfish is lurking deep
in the hearts of all, including those
who may not possess much . . . .
Such negative inclinations have to
be continually checked since they
can bring us eternal disaster; they
can lead us to create our own hell . . .
begin to understand why God
allowed certain terrible events
to happen. It was for a purification,
or to bring out a much greater good .
. . . We may also begin to understand
how God was present and active
in the compassion that He
inspired, in the generosity
and charity that He instilled
in many . . . in our very selves,
perhaps. In many cases, we will be
able to “understand” these mysteries
only in the life to come. Then will
we be able to understand that God
was present and active even in the
saddest events as He is present in the
dark secret under the surface of the
fields where He lets the seed rot in
order to make the sprout burst forth
and pierce the hard crust of the soil
unto the richness of a new harvest . .
God is present and active at
all times. Everywhere. We have
to trust Him because He knows
what He is doing and wants
that we continue doing our best
to live by the moral principles
He has given us: to be caring,
generous and loving people.
He treats us as responsible adults
who are expected to do their best
to solve the problems at hand. He
could do everything by Himself,
yet—usually—He gives us the
privilege and the challenge
to be the “instruments” of His
care, His concern, His power.
This has happened so many times
in history. It is happening right
now everywhere, especially where
He finds people who have the faith
that can transplant sycamores and
move mountains, and the humility
to recognize that He is the Power
behind it all, while they/we
are just expendable servants.
(See Lk 17:10.)
CBCP Monitor September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19
How to respond to child sexual abuse
By Fr. Shay Cullen
THE latest victims to be admitted
to the Preda home for abused
children are two sisters- five and
three years old. The perpetrator
is the children’s biological father,
the live-in partner of their mother.
The children complained of pain.
The mother knew it was a crime.
She rushed to the municipal social
worker and reported the abuse.
The social worker responded at
once, recorded all information and
brought the children for a medical
examination that found lacerations,
evidence of sexual abuse. Right
away, she acted to file a case against
the live-in partner and brought the
children to the protection of the
Preda home. The effective system
to report abuse and have a quick
response team worked well. It
happened in Castillejos, Zambales.
The rising number of child
victims of sexual abuse and incest
is shocking, abhorrent, and very
disturbing. The proliferation of child
pornography on the internet made
available on cell phones to everyone
is causing child sexual abuse to
spread rapidly. This heinous crime
of child sexual abuse and child rape
is everywhere. It is found in every
country, in the home, in institutions,
in churches, in schools, on the
internet, in the street and in the sex
bars and brothels. It is growing and
yet few people are reporting such
horrific crimes that are all around
us every day.
It is a crime that most people
never talk about. They ignore, deny,
or cover up the truth. As a result, the
vast majority of child sexual abuse
crimes are never reported. So we can
never know just how many victims
there are suffering in silence. People
reporting child abuse can remain
anonymous.
The worldwide figure of child
sexual abuse is one in every four
children experience sexual abuse
at least once in their lives. In the
Philippines, as the statistics below
indicates, it starts in the child’s
family. A staggering high percentage
Judicial / B2
(ii) Non-suspensive: The
impugnment does not suspend the
execution of the sentence.
b. Complaint of Nullity
against the Sentence (cc.1619-
1627)
1) Definition: A complaint of
nullity (querela nullitatis) is the
impugning of a judicial sentence,
in which one claims that it suffers
from some substantial defect (i.e.,
processal defect) and is therefore
null.
2) Complainant or Retractor—
the following can lodge the complaint
of nullity of the sentence:
a) Parties—who feel aggrieved
(c.1626, §1).
b) The Promoter of justice
or the Promoter of the bond
(c.1626, §1).
c) The Judge—himself can ex-
officio retract or amend an invalid
Terrorism / B6
religion, one’s attitude toward God
in the face of negative experiences in
the world is one of faith. This is the
message of both the 1st Reading and
the Gospel, although the meaning
of the word is not identical in both
instances. In the 1st Reading (Hab
1:2-3; 2:2-4), in his response to the
questions that the prophet raised,
God said that even in the perilous
and confusing times, one must trust
and hope in him, confident the
future belongs to him. And he who
is just, because of his faith, shall
live (Hab 2:4). Here faith means
fidelity and steadfastness. In the
Gospel (Luke 17:5-10), the saying
about faith is placed in two contexts
that have to do with discipleship.
On the one hand, there is the
larger context which is the journey
to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), which
would have been difficult for the
disciples to comprehend, for a
crucified Messiah would have been
opaque to their understanding.
Consequently, if in today’s Gospel
they asked Jesus to increase their
faith (Luke 17:5), it could signify the
lack of commitment on their part
to follow the Lord in his journey to
the cross.
On the other hand, there is
the immediate context, namely,
scandals and wrongdoings that
inevitably arise in the community
are sexually abused by family
members.
We humans as a species and
as members of so-called civilized
society have much to answer for.
Our species is the only one that
sexually abuses and exploits their
own offspring and on a horrific scale.
Child trafficking is a huge business.
It is estimated that at least 1.2 million
children are trafficked worldwide
annually. Most of the victims are
used for sexual gratification of the
sex tourists. In developing countries
like the Philippines, it is allowed
to grow and thrive. Children are
trafficked and abused in sex bars
and also sexually exposed and
abused on live camera transmitted
by internet to foreign pedophiles. It
surely induces them to come and do
it in real life.
This industry, which operates with
government permits and licenses,
gives a clear message that young
girls and children are fair game. It
is like a carnival of sex abuse going
on, with illegal drugs proliferating
everywhere, ignored by the war-on-
drugs. The girls are trapped in drug
dependency and debt bondage.
In the Philippines, there is no
national database of the number of
abused children. However, Unicef
and Save the Children conducted
a research study of child abuse
in the Philippines in 2016 where
3,866 school children and youth
were asked about child abuse. They
were mostly from middle class
backgrounds.
The final report estimated total
prevalence of violence against
children (in the study) among
males was 81.5 percent and 78.4
percent among females. It said that
about 17.1 percent of children aged
13 to 18 years experienced sexual
violence while growing up and 13.7
percent experienced sexual abuse in
the home. Among boys, 1.6 percent
reported serious forced sexual
acts against them and for girls 2.4
percent were seriously sexually
assaulted.
sentence which he has pronounced
within 3 months of the notice of
publication of the sentence, unless
it has been sanated meanwhile
(c.1626, §2).
3) Process: Cases involving a
complaint of nullity can be treated
according to the norms for the oral
contentious process (c.1627).
c. The Appeal (cc.1628-1640)
1) Notion: An appeal is a
recourse to a higher tribunal against
a sentence given by a lower tribunal,
by one who considers himself or
herself aggrieved by the sentence.
It consists in going over the process
again: the pretensions and proofs
are the same. An appeal suspends
the execution of a sentence (c.1638).
2) Active Subjects of Appeal
(c.1628):
a) The party—who feels aggrieved
by a sentence.
(Luke 17:1). In Luke’s theology, the
community that Jesus intended to
establish is one that loves, cares
and forgives. Experience shows,
however, that in the Church and
in our faith communities, there
are people who scandalize, are
unrepentant and unforgiving.
There are some who serve as
stumbling blocks to others (Luke
17:1-4). Considering the havoc they
create in the community even to the
point of engendering factions and
divisions, one wonders why God
allows such problems and people to
be part of his very own community.
If Jesus came to defeat the powers
of Satan and to establish the reign
in the community, why does he
not remove those community
members who stifle the growth
of the Kingdom? Does he not
care about what happens to the
communities and movements of
faith that are, for example, placed
in the hands of leaders who set bad
examples to others, scandalizing
even the most innocent members?
Why does he not place millstone
around their necks (cf Luke 17:2)?
But it is precisely in the face of
such realities within the community
that faith is necessary so that Jesus’
followers can grasp the divine
wisdom. Faith is the disciples’
response to God’s call to belong to the
The report also said “the
prevalence of overall sexual violence
in the school was 5.3 percent.
About 3.3 percent mentioned that
the incident of sexual violence
happened when they were six to
nine years; 9.9 percent when they
were between 10-12 years of age, 22
percent at the time they were 13-15
years old, and 27.5 percent when
they reached 16 to 18 years.”
These figures reflect a national
problem and it needs an immediate
emergency response. Three things
are urgently needed: the first is
preventive education. A cadre of
permanent expert trainers that will
implement a sustained program of
community preventive education
b) Promoter of justice and the
Defender of the bond—in cases
requiring their involvement.
3) Passive Subjects of the
Appeal:
a) Tribunal a quo: An appeal
must be filed before the judge who
pronounced the sentence within
the peremptory time limit of 15
available days (tempus utile) from
notification of the publication of the
sentence (c.1630, §1).
b) Tribunal ad quem: In
principle, the appeal is directed
to a higher tribunal following the
pre-established hierarchy (cc.1438-
1438).
(i) If the other party has
recourse to another appellate
tribunal, the tribunal of higher
grade examines the case (c.1632,
§2).
(ii) The tribunal of second
instance is to proceed in a collegial
community of love. In this context,
faith means an act of abandonment
and trust in God. It means putting
everything in the hands of God,
knowing that, despite what appears
to be human foolishness, the
wisdom of God will prevail. If the
disciples have this kind of faith—
authentic faith—not matter how
small, they can certainly achieve
great things, and transform the
community into one that cares for
the spiritual and material needs of
its members. It is in this sense that
Jesus used the exaggerated image
of the power of faith so his teaching
can sink well into the mind of his
listeners: such faith can uproot
the mulberry tree! In other words,
many miracles can happen in a
community whose members have
that kind of trust in what God can
accomplish. If human wisdom
were left to itself, many people
would probably think and suggest
that those who are unforgiving,
those who are trouble makers and
those who are scandal-causing
members of the Church should be
excommunicated and written off!
But human wisdom is folly before
God. The wisdom of God dictates
that forgiveness, tolerance and
sufferings are necessary for the
transformation of the community.
And to believe in that wisdom
together with a team working the
social media and mass media to get
one message across. The message
is that child abuse of all kinds is
a serious crime and it must be
reported. Parents and adults must
have respect and affirming love for
their children.
The second response together
with the first is a permanent legal
team composed of a paralegal and
a social worker in each municipality
and more in each city. They
work with the police to respond
immediately to any and every
report of child abuse and strictly
implement the child protection
law and bring the child to safety
and hold the suspect abuser to
manner (c.1441), under pain of
remediable nullity otherwise
(c.1622, 1°).
4) Exceptions from Appeal—
the CIC excludes the following
sentences from appeal:
a) From the Supreme Pontiff or
the Apostolic Signatura (c.1629,
1°).
b) Those vitiated by nullity—
since the CIC provides a different
route of redress for it (c.1629, 2°).
c) Res iudicata (c.1629, 3°).
d) Decree or an Interlocutory
Sentence—which do not have the
force of a definitive sentence (c.1629,
4°).
e) Urgent case—when the
law provides for a settlement of
the matter as quickly as possible
(c.1629, 5°).
5) Other Requisites:
a) Written: If it is made orally,
obviously requires much faith.
Hence the petition of the disciples:
“Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5).
With this in mind, a disciple
cannot therefore claim that when,
for instance, a tragedy strikes the
community, as in the despicable
assault of the twin towers in
Manhattan and the Pentagon in
Washington, God has abandoned
his people or does not care about
them. One cannot question the
ways of God. What happens to
the community may not make
sense to human wisdom, and
human wisdom may even appear
to present better solutions to solve
the problems that the community
encounters. But as a hearer of the
Word, the disciple remains faithful
to God and to his Word, even when
the Word does appear not to make
sense at all. Hence the response
to the 1st Reading: “If today you
hear his voice, harden not your
hearts.” Whatever evil may befall
on the community, one’s faith in
Jesus assures the disciple that
God’s Word will ultimately emerge
triumphant, because he knows that
God is faithful to those who believe
in him, and he cannot be deceived
nor can deceive. All that he needs
when the going gets tough is to ask
the Lord to increase his faith so it
could accomplish miracles!
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
accountability and justice.
Thirdly, there is the urgent need
to set up child therapeutic homes
for the victims where they can
be safe and protected from the
abusers and his or her relatives.
The homes must have trained
psychologists and therapists and
social workers to implement a
complete holistic healing program
to empower the child, heal the pain,
and enable them to testify clearly
and confidently.
Without these three responses
working together the problem
will not be addressed or solved.
Thousands of children will continue
to be abused and we must not let
that happen.
the notary is to put it in writing
in the presence of the appellant
(c.1630, §2).
b) Time limit: An appeal must
be prosecuted within a month of
its being filed before the judge to
whom it is directed, unless the judge
from whom appeal is made has set
a longer period for the party to
prosecute it (c.1633).
6) Process—As to the process
itself, c.1640 provides the following
general principles:
a) Same as First Instance: At the
appellate level, the process is the
same as in the first instance insofar
as it is applicable.
b) Same processal material:
However, immediately after the
joinder of the issues...the case is
to be discussed and the sentence
rendered, unless perhaps proofs
must be completed.
[To be concluded.]
Suicide / B4
“Someone that they can just phone
and say, ‘Hey, what do you think
about this? What should I do in
this situation?’” he said. “I have a
number of priests and deacons who
have phoned me on a regular basis
and say, ‘You know, someone came
into my office and said this this and
this. What’s going on here?’”
Pastors and other church leaders
also need to treat suicide and mental
health issues with the seriousness
they deserve, Balke said, and not
treat them as something that
is either not a serious issue, or
something that can be solved solely
by prayer or spiritual direction.
“Mental health in the Church
is a real problem, and...it’s not
necessarily being addressed with the
seriousness, from an institutional
level, that it deserves. People are
committing suicide in our parishes
and in our churches.”
Snyder said that she is confident
that, if properly trained, churches
and parishes have a key role to
play in preventing suicides in their
communities.
“We talk a lot about putting your
seatbelt on before the accident
happens. And that’s kind of what
we’re describing here, is how do
we do that in faith communities
long before crisis strikes,” she said.
(CNA)
B8 ENTERTAINMENT
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino;
LEAD CAST: Leonardo
DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot
Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret
Qualley, Timothy Olyphant,
Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning,
Bruce Dern, Al Pacino;
PRODUCER: David Heyman,
Shannon Mcintosh, Quentin
Tarantino;
EDITING: Fred Raskin;
GENRE: Drama. Thriller;
COUNTRY: USA;
LANGUAGE: English;
RUNNING TIME: 161 minutes
Technical assessment: 4
Moral assessment: 0
CINEMA rating: V16
MTRCB rating: R16
Once Upon a Time in
Holywood tells with wit the
story of how Rick Dalton
(DiCaprio), a fading actor in
the 1950’s hit Bounty Law, is
trying to come to terms with
his waning career. With him is
his former stuntman-turned-
best friend, Cliff Booth (Pitt),
who also drives him around
because of his suspended
license due to driving under
influence. As Dalton works
on projects, Booth one day
picks up a hippie hitchhiker
whose commune occupied
his former colleague’s ranch.
His suspicion that his friend
might have been coerced to
allow them to inhabit his
land earned him the ire of
the community resulting
in a conflict. Parallel to the
Dalton and Booth’s storyline
is Tarantino’s depiction of the
infamous Cielo Drive incident
with Sharon Tate (Robbie)
and friends’ final hours.
This film beautifully gives
homage to the last golden years
of Hollywood, brimming with
the nostalgia of the 1960’s and
all its life and glory. Tarantino
definitely did not disappoint
for his 9th film. His direction
is superb as usual and this
is highly complimented by
the actors’ depiction of their
respective roles. DiCaprio is
remarkable in his nuances
portraying Dalton in and off
the set, effectively conveying
the pains and gains of his
character. Pitt’s charm and
acting prowess is what made
his character potent yet
endearing. The film’s seamless
editing and set design are
impeccable and contribute
to the overall ambiance of
the film. More than just an
ode to the 1960s, Once Upon
A Time In Hollywood is a
distinctive take on the murder
of Sharon Tate and her friends
Just a stranger
DIRECTOR: Jason Paul
Laxamana
LEAD CAST: Anne Curtis,
Marco Gumabao, Robert Seña,
Isay Alvarez, Edu Manzano,
Cherie Gil
PRODUCER: Valerie Salvador-
del Rosario, Vicente del Rosario
III, Veronique del Rosario-
Corpuz, Vic R. Del Rosario Jr.
SCRIPTWRITER:
Jason Paul Laxamana
MUSIC: Paulo Protacio
CINEMATOGRAPHER:
Takeyuki Onishi
EDITOR: Mai Calapardo
PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Viva Films
DISTRIBUTOR: Viva Films
COUNTRY: Portugal,
Philippines
LANGUAGE: Filpino RUNNING
TIME: 117 minutes
Technical assessment: 3
Moral assessment: 2.5
CINEMA rating: V 18
MTRCB rating: R 16
On tour sa Lisbon kasama
ng kanyang barkada si Mae
(Anne Curtis), edad 35, nang
magkakilala sila ni JekJek
(Marco Gumabao), edad
19, na anak ng Philippiine
ambassador to Portugal.
Feeling neglected si Mae
September 16 - 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 CBCP Monitor
Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias
TERIBOL OG Bladimer Usi
by the Manson family. If
Buhay Parokya
the movie isn’t completely
faithful to historical accounts, FIND 3 MISSING THINGS:
it is because it was not the 1. SAINT PETER’S BASILICA
director’s intention. Rather, 2. SAINT JOHN PAUL II
what Tarantino wanted was 3. HOLY CROSS
to pay homage to Sharon
Tate, portraying her as a free-
spirited actress, full of beauty
and life.
For all its nostalgia and
charm, the film bears
a message that should be
taken seriously nowadays
especially by parents and
educators. We all know what
really happened in Cielo Drive
on the night of August 9,
1969 — the Manson family
murdered Sharon Tate and
her friends. In an interview,
one of the convicts said that
people of their age grew
up watching violent films
whose pursuit is to kill. In
the movies, the more people
killed, the more fun it was,
and so, they have the right to
murder Hollywood stars for
it is them who “taught them
how to kill.” Sick, perhaps,
but this line made it to the
movie. The Church, since
the Second Vatican Council,
has always affirmed the
role of social media in the
propagation of Gospel values
and has constantly called
for its educated and critical
use — be it for entertainment
or for information. It is
undeniable that there is some
truth to what the convict
said. Parents, educators, and
Church leaders must be the
first to be critical of all the
things media communicate
for these can shape values
and culture. Clearly, the
film, with all its charm and
wit, was able to convey this.
That being said, fair warning
is given for some scenes that
are too violent for children
under 16.
ng kanyang asawa, si Phil
(Edu Manzano), edad 45, at istorya, bagama’t maayos ang mga eksena sa kama ngayong pinakasalan lang naman siya relasyon. Ikaapat, mabigat
isang negosyanteng mas may pagkakahabi: mula simula may asawa na siya. ni Mae dahil sa pera niya at dalhin sa kalooban ang lihim
panahon sa negosyo kaysa hanggang wakas — ginamit Ang halaga ng pelikula ginusto lamang niya si Mae na pagkakasala.
sa asawa. Si JekJek naman ang pangungumpisal ni Mae ay napapaloob sa mga bilang isang trophy wife. Isang paalala lamang
ay walang hilig magpatuloy para maisulong ang kuwento, problematikong situwasyon Ikalawa, ang casual sex ay mula sa CINEMA: okay lang
sa pag-aaral, walang plano kaya’t lumabas na sunod- na ipinakikita nito. Una, paglalaro ng apoy; hindi gamiting pang comic relief
sa buhay, nakasandig pa sa sunod na flashbacks ang hindi ka matatahimik kung maaaring hindi ka mapaso ng pelikula ang kumpisalan
mga magulang, pero may pelikula. Walang gasinong cheater ka — may asawa si pagdating ng panahon. at ang pagiging bagito ng
girlfriend abroad. Ilang oras hamon sa mga artista ang Mae pero pumatol siya kay Ikatlo, para tumibay ka sa paring narito — hindi naman
pa lang pagkatapos nilang kani-kaniyang mga papel. Jekjek na halos kalahati ng tukso, kilalanin ang sarili po binastos ang sakramento
magkakilala sa beach, Suspetsa pa nga ng CINEMA edad niya; may girlfriend at magkaroon ng layunin — pero sa pagkukumpisal
magsisiping na ang dalawa, ay karamihan sa mga na si JekJek pero hindi niya sa buhay; si Mae at JekJek sa tunay na buhay, huwag
pero magkakasundo silang nanonood ay mga tagahanga mapigilan ang pagnanasa ay kapwa nagpapadaig sa naman pong ikuwento ang
hindi nila gustong maulit ni Curtis na — dahil sa hot niya kay Mae; tingin kakulangan sa buhay nila at buong buhay ninyo sa pari,
iyon. Pero hindi yata iyon ang poster at trailer ng pelikula naman ni Phil ay okey lang inakalang mapupunuan iyon sabihin lamang ang kasalanan
gusto ng tadhana… — ay curious makita kung na makiapid din siya sa ng kasiyahang natagpuan ninyo at damhin ang taos
Walang bagong inihain ang paano niya tatalakayin ang business partner niya dahil nila sa marupok nilang pusong pagsisisi.
 Ugnayan
THE NEWS SUPPLEMENT OF COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CBCP Monitor. Vol. 23 No. 19 September 16 - September 29, 2019 C1

CFC MM Holds First MC Assembly

and Teaching beginning September
By CFC Global Communications

CHANGING times require a

change in what people have
been used to. Change is good.
Change connotes dynamism
and growth. Mindful of the
need for change, beginning
in September, the Interna-
tional Council decided that
the monthly Metro Manila
Mission Core prayer assem-
bly on the first Sunday of the
month and the teaching on the
third Tuesday of the month
should be consolidated into
one gathering.
One reason for the change is the
growing concern with the traffic situ-
ation in the Metro which has deterred
leaders from the five Big Sectors from
getting to the venue on time, thus
affecting the growth in attendance
to the Teaching Night for the past
couple of years.
This has actually been a practice in
many provinces, and the leadership
has seen the merits of this arrange-
ment. In a Memorandum released
on August 9, 2019, CFC President
Reggie Ragojos announced this wel-
come change.
The change obviously sat well
with the leaders for the venue on the
first Sunday of September—St. Paul
College in Pasig—was filled to the
rafters. All were eager to see what the
morning had in store.
Fr. Jerome Hernandez of the Par-
ish of Our Lady of the Abandoned in
Mandaluyong celebrated the Mass at
7:30 AM. The prayer assembly fol-
lowed after a 15-minute break, where
CFC Chairman Rabboni Francis
“Bong” Arjonillo shared with breth-
ren for the first time the CFC Theme
for 2020—CALLED TO HOLINESS,
inspired by 1 Peter 1:15. (See From
the Chairman on page 2 for full text
of exhortation).
The normal schedule for the prayer
assembly—worship, inspired read- Another first for the Metro Manila MIssion Core—the MC Assembly and Teaching in one! (Photos: Art del Rio)
ings and insights, and testimonies—
was followed.
For the teaching portion, after the reflection lief—magparaya. As leaders, we are willing 2. I may be wrong… Saying these four you’ve reached (in leadership) because your
song, Arjonillo introduced the speaker for the to lose for a purpose—lose our time, our words is another way of saying, “Let us feet stand on the shoulders of your elders.
MC Teaching, Arun Gogna, award-winning resources, in order to win souls for Christ. be humble.” Matthew 20:26 says, “If you That is why we always need to be grateful
author and newly-appointed leader of the Light If we have been leaders for a long time, want to be great, you must be the servant to those who started this community and
of Jesus Family. we need to take a step back, and allow the of all.” A humble servant is always extin- have brought us to where we are now. Your
Gogna, who is also at the helm of The Feast younger generations to take the lead. “As guishing. Like a candle that gives off light starting line is their finish line.” Thus,
in Bellevue Alabang, shared about the “Three senior leaders of our own community, we in a darkened room, the more it illumines, great leaders are always grateful.
Life-changing Leadership Beliefs”. agreed for the youth to lead the worship the smaller it grows, until it is fully extin- 3. Let us experiment. Do not be afraid to
“Perhaps some of you may be doing these al- and sing their songs. Why? Because we guished, until it is gone. “Leaders are the try something new! Upgrade! Because if
ready, but if not, try doing them as this is how want our children to remain in the com- same—we serve and we grow smaller and we stop upgrading, we become dinosaurs.
the world works today,” Gogna began his talk. He munity that we love,” Gogna shared. He smaller and smaller… until we are gone,”
also reminded the MM MC that though the fol- added, “We are building our community Gogna exhorted. He added, “If you are a Arun Gogna exhorted the CFC Mission Core
lowing are leadership beliefs or principles, they for our children, for the future genera- person of authority in this community, to give their best—in the family, in the work-
are also applicable in marriage and parenting: tions. But if they are leaving the Church be- or at work, you need to remove this from place, in ministry—but at the end of the day,
cause other denominations are becoming your heart—the poison of entitlement. Let the best thing to do is to surrender everything
1. Lose small to win big. In Filipino, there attractive to them because of their music, us guard ourselves against this.” Gogna re- to God, because even as we sleep, God is solving
is a very beautiful way to translate this be- then we must be willing to sacrifice.” minded CFC, “Also, you have reached what our problems and He will send help.

Pinagkakabsat 2019: Building the Church NEWS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

through Families AN OFF-GRID
solar-powered
“PINAGKAKABSAT 2019”, a yearly multi-purpose
three-day Clergy and Lay Conference, building, park
was held on September 11, 2019 at the facilities, and
St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church in street lights are
Lagawe, Ifugao. Three bishops, namely the latest addi-
Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio, tion to the well-
Bishop Prudencio Padilla Andaya Jr. developed Our
of Tabuk, and Bishop Valentin Dimoc Lady of Ban-
of Bontok-Lagawe, graced the confer- neux ANCOP
ence, together with about 200 priests, Community in San Mateo, Rizal. The installation of the solar panels was financed
religious sisters, and lay collaborators by ANCOP USA. The project, a 3.24 kWp off-grid solar power system was suc-
from the Diocese of Baguio, the Apos- cessfully set in place very recently by Solar Energy Solutions, Inc. (SolarES), using
tolic Vicariate of Bontoc Lagawe and high-quality Japanese solar panels and an efficient hybrid inverter system. (AS)
the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.
This year’s theme was “Unaffili- Congratulations
ated: the Growing Church of the to the 38 ANCOP
Nones”, with CFC Office on New scholars from the
Evangelization Head Michael Ariola Sisters of Mary
as keynote speaker. Schools - Philip-
In his talk, Ariola shared valuable pines (Sisters of
pieces of information that have been Mary of Banneux,
affecting the Catholic Church, and will guidance of the family, and how the family values, equipping couples and Inc. & Sisters of
continue to trend in the next 20 or 30 parents introduce the importance of family members to raise strong fami- Mary School-Adlas,
years. Firstly, Ariola said that accord- Christianity to their children.” lies, and providing an environment of Inc.) who graduated
ing to published studies, by year 2050, To prevent the increasing number mutual support and caring, everyone from Senior High
only 1.45 billion of the population of of “nones” or unaffiliated people, can help the mission of the Church School on Septem-
the world will remain Christian and Ariola presented the movement of to evangelize the future generations ber 4, 2019, in Silang, Cavite. Present during the ceremonies were CFC ANCOP’s
1.2 billion will become unaffiliated Couples for Christ to uphold the dig- through the families. Finance and Quality Assurance Heads Manuel Simon and Romy Hukom, who
(atheists, agnostics, and the others). He nity and beauty of the family called He said, “Our future as a Church is awarded medals to the honor graduates. Several ANCOP scholars excelled in their
explained , “The bottom line behind “Family is a Gift”. dependent on the families of today.” studies and received special awards in technical and academic excellence. (ANCOP
these numbers is the influence and He rallied that by advocating pro- (Angel Mae Retiro) Communications)
C2 September 16 - September 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 CBCP Monitor

THE CHAIRMAN'S NOTES A PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE

Rabboni Francis B. Arjonillo Rouquel Ponte

Busyness and Holiness
THERE is this story about
Satan holding a worldwide
convention of his evil angels.
Satan spoke at the conven-
tion: “Well, we cannot keep
the Catholics from going to
Church; we cannot keep them
from reading the Bible, receiv-
ing the sacraments and even
joining Couples for Christ. So
let them go to Church, let them
read the Bible, let them receive
the sacraments and let them be
active in Couples for Christ. So
let us steal their time.”
The demons asked, “How do
we do that?”
Satan replied, “Keep them
busy! Take their time away
from their families! Prevent
them from having meaning-
ful relationships with their
children, or with one another.
Just let them focus on their
service rather than on their
relationships!”
And here is the clincher.
Satan added, “Make them suc-
cessful in whatever they do, so
that in their success they will
feel so powerful and they will
fail to attribute the success to
God, and they will fail to rely
on God. They will stop loving
one another and loving God,
and eventually they will all
quarrel because of their pride.
And eventually we will be hap-
py. If they are in Couples for
Christ, they will lie low, they
will resign from their service
and even leave community.”
The million-dollar ques-
tion now is: Has the devil
been successful?
This question is particu-
larly significant in the light
of our 2020 theme: Called to
Holiness.
The Bible contains many
references to the word “holi-
ness”. One account says that
Scripture has about 700 refer-
ences to holiness, more or less.
But during our discernment
weekend last August 29-31,
we were all led by the Spirit to
the particular passage from 1
Peter 1-15: “Be holy in all that
you do, just as God who called
you is holy.”
“Called to holiness” is a very
common phrase. In fact, one
Christian author, Ralph Mar-
tin, used this as the title of one
of his books which I remember
we took up many years ago in
our community as a teaching.
Most recently, Bishop Broder-
ick Pabillo gave us a teaching
on one of the encyclicals of
Pope Francis— Gaudete et
Exsultate, an exhortation to
the call to holiness.
So if this call is not uncom-
mon to us, why is the Lord
reminding us to be holy? In
our discernment weekend, we
all agreed that the Lord is tell-
ing us to go back to the basics.
It might be high time for us to
revisit our personal journey to
holiness, to be refreshed. It is
easy to be holy when times are
AQUILA AND PRISCILLA
Jun & Jean Uriarte
good, when the things that we
expect happen. But when the
tough times come, that is the
true test of holiness. In my
journey as a member of the
community, for the past sev-
eral years now, I have a daily
prayer. This prayer serves to
remind me that I have to seek
the Lord’s guidance as I try to
grow in holiness. My prayer
goes like this: “Lord grant me
the grace to grow in holiness
along with my family, to bear
fruits in the Spirit—that
of love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faith-
fulness, humility and self-
control, and make me humble
in my successes and failures,
victories and defeats, correct-
ness and wrongness, for I need
them. I need them to be holy.”
During our discernment
weekend, as we tried to listen
to the whispers of the Holy
Spirit, we were led to revisit
the previous themes. One
question that was raised was:
“After almost two years of
trying to live out the theme
of Rekindle the Gift, Fulfill
the Ministry, and to Live as
Children of the Light, have we
really and truly rekindled the
flame of our passion for the
work, for our service, for our
family? Have we been truly a
light to others?’”
The next question that we
grappled with was, “Have our
busyness and our crowded
schedules distracted us from
our basic goal of personal
and family holiness?” All the
Bible verses that served as
our inspiration, the verses
that the Spirit planted in our
hearts during the weekend
pointed to one thing—the
Lord is calling all of us again,
pleading with us, to live a life
of holiness. The Lord is tell-
ing us that in order for us to
rekindle the gift He has given
us, in order for us to fulfill the
ministry we have committed
to, in order to live as children
of the light, we have to first
attain that degree of holiness
that will allow us to do all
these things.
Holiness is a requisite for
our mission. One of the in-
sights we gained during the
hours of reflection was that
the themes we have had over
the past years were all prepa-
ration for the greater goal of
holiness He is now asking us
to aspire for. In 2009, it was
Forward in Christ, when He
asked us to forgive and move
forward as we struggled to rise
up from the past two storms.
In 2010, it was Fullness of
Life in Christ, which was
the kind of life promised to
us faithful disciples. In 2011,
He asked us to Put on the
Full Armor of God, and
gave us instructions on how
to prepare for the work and
challenges of the mission.
Our reflection led us to the
realization that these made
up a trilogy of directions most
appropriate for that period.
The next instructions—
from 2012 to 2014—also
came as trilogies. These were
the years when we honored
the Blessed Mother, when we
turned to Her as the Media-
trix, the first disciple, and the
loving mother who will show
us the way to her Son. These
three years honed us to be like
Mary, to be proclaimers of
the Word, to be obedient and
to witness, and to ponder, to
pray silently and quietly.
From 2015 to 2017, it was
once again a trilogy of the
Holy Spirit’s instructions.
They were all about specific
steps on how to go about us
being agents of transforma-
tion. We were asked to Love
More, to Rejoice, Pray,
Give Thanks, and to Stand
Firm in the Faith.
In 2018, it was Rekindle
the Gift, Fulfill your Min-
istry. In 2019, the Interna-
tional Council’s reflections
led them to adhere to the same
theme, on the strong convic-
tion that the transformation
He requires of us is too great,
the sacrifice too formidable,
that one year would not be
enough. However, on this
second year, to reinforce the
instructions, the Holy Spirit
whispered that we are to Live
as Children of the Light.
For 2020, we are being
asked to continue to Rekindle
The Gift, but this time we are
being reminded that we can
never achieve this rekindling,
fulfilling and serving Him if
we ourselves do not strive to
be holy first.
Brothers and sisters, this
call to holiness is most rel-
evant in a world that is full
of untruths and that uses
technology not to enhance
but to destroy. All of us in
Couples for Christ are called
to show holiness through our
conscious effort to become
witnesses. This is attainable in
spite of the darkness around
us, for our Mother and her
Son are with us.
To put it more succinctly,
this call to holiness boils
down to personal and family
witnessing which would al-
low us to accompany others
in their own search for peace
and contentment.
St. John Paul II said, “Do not
be afraid to be holy. Have the
courage and humility to pres-
ent yourself to the world, deter-
mined to be holy since full true
freedom is born from holiness”.
We are all called to holiness.
Let us internalize that, let us
imbibe that as we go through
the rest of this year being chil-
dren of the light. Let us praise
God for this wonderful blessing
of the theme for 2020.
CALLED TO EVERYDAY
HOLINESS – Part 1
ANCHOR Verse: “Be holy in all that you do, just The call to holiness has two dimensions: personal
as God who called you is holy.” (1 Peter 1:15 GNT) and communal. Let us deal with the first in this
Do you remember the day you were baptized? article and tackle the second in the next issue.
Most of us were baptized when we were infants First, the personal: For the Lord has chosen each
so we probably would not remember anything. one of us “to be holy and blameless before him in
During the ceremony, it was our parents and god- love” (Ephesians 1:4)
parents who professed our baptismal vows and “The common life, whether in the family, the
recited the profession of faith. parish, the religious community or any other, is
Now that we are adults, let us reflect on our pro- made up of small everyday things. This was true
fession of faith and what this entails. of the holy community formed by Jesus, Mary and
A good starting point is to recall the words our Joseph, which reflected in an exemplary way the
Father spoke during the baptism of our Lord beauty of the Trinitarian communion. It was also
Jesus in the river Jordan. After Jesus came out of true of the life that Jesus shared with his disciples
the water, the sky opened and a voice said, “This and with ordinary people. Let us not forget that
is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus asked his disciples to pay attention to details:
(Matthew 3:17). This affirms the relationship of The little detail that wine was running out at a
the Father with Jesus and bestows the God-given party; that one sheep was missing; of noticing the
authority for His messianic mission. widow who offered her two small coins; of having
In the same way, our own baptism not only takes spare oil for the lamps, should the bridegroom
away original sin but also confers on us a mission. delay; of asking the disciples how many loaves of
Likewise, it establishes our own relationship with bread they had; of having a fire burning and a fish
God, assuring us of His love and His grace given us cooking as he waited for the disciples at daybreak”
in baptism to live a life of holiness. (GE 143-144).
Pope Francis in Gaudete et Exsultate (GE) 15, The most important aspect of everyday holi-
encourages us: “Let the grace of your baptism bear ness is in family relationship especially between
fruit in a path of holiness. Let everything be open husband and wife. We will find most helpful in
to God, turn to him in every situation. Do not be our reflection on this subject the 4th Chapter (Love
dismayed, for the power of the Holy Spirit enables in Marriage) of Amoris Laetitia (AL). Here Pope
you to do this, and holiness, in the end, is the fruit Francis expounded on the lyrical passage of St. Paul
of the Holy Spirit in your life (cf. Galatians 5: 22-23). where we see some features of true love:
A Christian cannot think of his or her mission “Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous
on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness, or boastful; it is not rude. Love does not insist on
for “this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 its own way, it is not irritable or resentful; it does
Thessalonians 4:3). Each saint is a mission, planned not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love
by the Father to reflect and embody, at a specific bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
moment in history, a certain aspect of the Gospel. endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
(GE 19) The prophet Jeremiah speaks about this Love is experienced and nurtured in the daily life
unique plan that God willed for each one of us from of couples and their children. It is helpful to think
eternity, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew more deeply about the meaning of this Pauline
you, and before you were born I consecrated you” text and its relevance for the concrete situation of
(Jeremiah 1:5). every family. (AL 90)
There can be any number of theories about what As the Lord has done, so must we if we desire to
constitutes holiness, with various explanations grow in everyday personal holiness by growing in
and distinctions. Such reflection may be useful, conjugal love!
but nothing is more enlightening than turning
to Jesus’ words and seeing his way of teaching the Personal Reflection:
truth. Jesus explained with great simplicity what Read Chapter 4 of Amoris Laetitia from No.
it means to be holy when He gave us the Beatitudes 89 – 122.
(cf. Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23). The word Reflect on one or two paragraphs that made
“happy” or “blessed” as used in the Beatitudes thus a strong impact on you. What area of growth is
becomes a synonym for “holy.” It expresses the fact being emphasized in your reflection and how will
that those faithful to God and His Word, by their you express your simple acts of love to your spouse
self-giving, gain true happiness. (GE 63-64) and/ or children?
FROM THE VATICAN
Joe Tale
Who is St. Thomas More?
VERY little is known about St. ma. King Henry VIII wanted to honors and wealth, his serene
Thomas More, except that in divorce his wife, Catherine of and joyful humility, his balanced
the year 2000, Pope John Paul Aragon, so he could marry Anne knowledge of human nature and
II declared him as the patron of Boleyn. To do this, the King had of the vanity of success, and his
statesmen and politicians. We to get the approval of the Pope certainty of judgment rooted
also know that he lived a very who, of course, refused to grant in faith. These all gave him the
inspiring life and is considered a it. Failing to get such approval, confident inner strength that
model of firmness of conscience King Henry VIII got the Church sustained him in adversity and in
even unto death. of England to separate from the the face of death.”
Thomas More was born in Papacy and he took control of it, so “The life of St Thomas More
London in 1478. He studied he could give himself his desired clearly illustrates a fundamen-
law in at Oxford and London. divorce. Not wishing to support tal truth of political ethics. The
His other interests were in the this plan of his King, Thomas defense of the Church's freedom
spheres of culture, theology and resigned, and withdrew from from unwarranted interference
classical literature. He mastered public life. by the State is at the same time a
Greek and enjoyed the company In view of his continuing firm defense, in the primacy of con-
and friendship of important refusal to support the King, he science, of the individual's free-
figures of Renaissance culture, was charged with treason and im- dom vis-a vis political power.”
including Desiderius Erasmus prisoned. Despite various kinds The Proclamation of Thomas
of Rotterdam. of pressures, he did not waver, More as Patron of statesmen and
He was a married to Jane Colt, as giving in to the King's wishes people in public life was "an an-
with whom he had four children. would result in a political and swer to the need felt by the world
When Jane died, Thomas married ecclesiastical arrangement that of politics and public administra-
Alice Middleton, a widow with would lead to uncontrolled des- tion for credible role models to in-
one daughter. He was known to be potism. At his trial, he made an dicate the path of truth at a time in
an affectionate and faithful hus- impassioned defense of his own history when difficult challenges
band and father, deeply involved convictions on the indissolubility and crucial responsibilities are
in his children's religious, moral of marriage, the respect due to the increasing.”
and intellectual education. Family juridical patrimony of Christian There are of course, men and

Be holy yourselves
1 Peter 1:15
THE call to holiness is universal. Everyone is
called to holiness. This call was made in the
Old Testament and reiterated in the New Testa-
ment: But as he who called you is holy, be holy
yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for
it is written, “Be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter
1:15-16; Leviticus 11:45)
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution of
the Church solemnly promulgated by Pope Paul VI
in November 1964, reiterates that the call to holi-
ness is universal: “everyone whether belonging to
the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to
holiness” (LG39).
In this light, in October 2009, at his Sunday
Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI declared that “the
Virgin Mary is the star that guides us in every “area
of holiness.” Therefore all of us who “strive for
holiness” (Hebrews 12:14) should turn our “eyes to
Mary who shines forth to the whole community of
the elect as the model of virtues. For Mary … calls
the faithful to her Son and His sacrifice and to the
love of the Father” (LG65).
Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Exhortation in
March 2018, Gaudete et Exsultate, tells us that
Mary “teaches us the way of holiness and she walks
ever at our side. She does not let us remain fallen
and at times she takes us into her arms without
judging us.” The Pope also declares that Mary “is
that woman who rejoiced in the presence of God,
who treasured everything in her heart, and who let
herself be pierced by the sword. Mary is the saint
among the saints, blessed above all others.” (GE176)
We treasure Mary in our hearts and we rejoice
in her presence. Thus, we continue to praise and
thank God for the special grace granted us to re-
new our marriage vows on our 50th anniversary
in September last year at the Basilica of Our Lady
of Guadalupe in Mexico City. It is a fulfillment of
our dream since we introduced the devotion to
the Virgin of Guadalupe to the members of the
CFC Jakarta community, where an image of the
Virgin is brought to different homes for two weeks
of daily prayers and Holy Rosary. The presence
in Mexico of our children and grandchildren, of
members of our two families, of members of our
community, particularly our CFC household, of
friends from college, and of officials from the
Philippine Embassy, and that unforgettable open-
ing dance at the reception choreographed for us by
Teisha, a member of our household, all added to
the indescribable joy of feeling the presence of the
Blessed Mother during the many hours we spent
praying and silently reflecting inside the Basilica
and lovingly gazing at the original tilma of Juan
Diego on which Our Lady miraculously imprinted
her image. AQUILLA AND PRICILLA, C3
life gave him ample opportunity
for prayer and lectio divina, as
well as for happy and wholesome
relaxation. He attended daily
Mass in the parish church.
He was first elected to Parlia-
ment in 1504, at the age of 26,
under King Henry VII. The lat-
ter's successor, King Henry VIII,
renewed his mandate in 1510,
which launched him into a promi-
nent career in public administra-
tion. He became Speaker of the
House of Commons in 1523.
He was highly esteemed for his
unfailing moral authority, sharp-
ness of mind, open and humorous
character, and extraordinary
learning. In 1529, at a time of
political and economic crisis in
England, he was appointed by the
King as Lord Chancellor, the first
lay person to occupy the position.
(The Lord Chancellor's principal
responsibility was to administer
justice and keep the independence
of the courts.) In fidelity to his
principles, Thomas concentrated
on promoting justice and retrain-
ing the harmful influence of those
who advanced their own interests
at the expense of the weak.
Eventually, he faced a dilem-
civilization, and the freedom of
the Church in her relations with
the State.
He was condemned by the
Court, and executed by beheading.
After the passing of centuries,
Thomas More, together with
Bishop John Fisher, was beatified
by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. He was
canonized by Pius XI in 1935,
on the fourth centenary of his
martyrdom.
A Man for All Seasons
The proclamation of St. Thom-
as More as Patron of Statesmen
and Politicians by Pope John Paul
II states the following tribute:
"His life teaches us that govern-
ment is above all an exercise of
virtue. Unwavering in this moral
stance, this English statesman
placed his own public activity at
the service of the person, especial-
ly if that person was weak or poor:
he dealt with social controversies
with a superb sense of fairness;
he was vigorously committed to
favoring and defending the fam-
ily; he supported the all-around
education of the young.”
A study of his life will show
"his profound detachment from
women who have come up and
filled this need over the years. We
honor them. But by and large, this
has been few and far between for
our country. Our prayer is that
men and women of integrity in
government and in Philippine
society in general will be the
norm rather than the exception.
As things stand in our political
system today, though, this dream
is still far from reality. But many
good things start with a dream,
and nurtured by unwavering
faith, can become reality.
Understandably, St. Thomas
More and his ideals and principles
will be hard to "sell" here. He is an
Englishman, and lived in a time
and place largely foreign to us.
But try we still must, for there
are enduring values that cuts
through time and space, and go
beyond borders of nations and
peoples. The dream of a Philip-
pines governed according to God's
plan can be achieved. In His ways,
in His Time!
Please join me in prayer that
someday soon, in the world of
Philippine politics, there will
emerge "men and women for all
seasons" to govern our land.
CBCP Monitor September 16 - September 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 C3

From Informal Settlers to ANCOP Homeowners
FORTY (40) former informal set-
tlers from Barangay Catmon in
Malabon are now homeowners of
beautiful new houses built in AN-
COP Calgary Canada – San Miguel
Homes in Santolan, Malabon.
The new community, a
1,622.5 square-meter lot ac-
quired through the generos-
ity of Gen. Edgardo Aglipay's
(Retired) EMME SME, and the
Mariel Aglipay Foundation, Inc.,
became the permanent home of
the relocated families.
His Excellency Most Reverend
Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop
of the Diocese of Kalookan,
celebrated the Mass and blessed
the new housing units during the
turnover ceremonies on Septem-
ber 13, 2019.
In his homily, Bishop Ambo
said, “May mas mahalaga kaysa
sa mga bahay na naitayo dito
sa San Miguel Homes. Ang mas
mahalaga ay ang pagsasama na
inyong binuo sa pamamagitan
ng dinaanan ninyong Christian
Life Program sa pamamagitan
ng pangangasiwa ng mga kapa-
tid natin sa Couples for Christ na
ginamit ng Panginoon. Walang
kwenta ang mga bahay na ito
kung hindi kayo buo, kung hindi
kayo nagkakaisa, hindi lang sa
materyal kundi pati sa spiritual
na pagkakaisa.” (There is some-
thing far more important than
the houses built here in San
Miguel Homes. What is more
important is the brotherhood
and unity that you have built
through the Christian Life Pro-
gram of Couples for Christ who
were used by the Lord. These
homes will be worthless if you
are not united, not just because
of material blessings, but more
so spiritually.)
A short program followed the
blessing of the houses. EMME
SME and Mariel Aglipay Foun-
dation, Inc. Chairman, Gen.
Aglipay, expressed his joy at the
completion of the project. Gen.
Aglipay said, “This project is a gift
of God and everybody should take
part in taking care of it.”
He also eagerly expressed his
desire to develop a phase 2 of the
project using the adjacent lot, ex-
citing many of the home partners.
Nonoy Caunga, CFC West A
Sector Head said, “We are very
grateful to Couples for Christ
in Calgary for giving new hope
to our brothers and sisters
here in San Miguel Homes.”
Families Happily Receive Keys to Their New
Homes in Laguna
TWENTY-six home partners finally received Canada gladly took the challenge, and organized
the keys to their new houses situated at the CFC various activities to raise funds needed to begin the
ANCOP HOLD Canada-Municipality of Cavinti development of the site. For the entire year, HOLD
Community in Brgy. West Talaongan, Cavinti, Canada generously provided funding for the first
Laguna. The awarding ceremonies were held on 30 houses for families displaced by the municipal
September 10, 2019, at the Cavinti covered court. road widening initiatives.
The families were awarded their much-awaited The selected home partners, as part of the orga-
homes after they finished the Christian Life Pro- nization initiatives, willingly attended the Chris-
gram of Couples for Christ (CFC). tian Life Program (CLP). Prior to the awarding of
International Council member Ricky Cuenca, homes, as the first batch was finishing their CLP,
who is also head of ANCOP Canada; Efren Tom- CFC Laguna and the Local Government of Cavinti
pong of CFC ANCOP Global Foundation, Inc. opened another CLP, this time for residents of
(CAGFI); Cavinti Vice Mayor Arratlee R. Arroyo; Cavinti and staff of the LGU. Cuenca gave the ori-
and the Area Governance Team and members of entation talk, introducing CFC and ANCOP to the
He added, “Even though you CFC Laguna headed by Provincial Area Head Eric participants, telling them that ANCOP’s presence
are not here today physically, Delos Reyes graced the event. in their town is the completion of the mission of
your loving presence is deeply The site was presented to Ricky Cuenca in 2018 CFC, which is to ‘Build the Church of the home,
felt by everyone. From the bot- as a possible ANCOP community. He offered the and Build the Church of the poor.’ CFC Laguna
tom of our hearts, thank you opportunity to sponsor the site to the leaders of the East 3 will be continuing the CLP since the area is
very much.” CFC Handmaids of Lord (HOLD) Canada. HOLD in their geographical jurisdiction. (Patria Balila)
The Philippine Commission
for the Urban Poor (PCUP),
the Local Government Unit
of Malabon City and CFC AN-
COP Global Foundation, Inc.
were also stakeholders in the
shelter project.
CFC ANCOP President Rudy
Gaspillo reminded the homeown-
ers, “Take care of your houses and
community because this is a gift
from God. If you remain united,
CFC ANCOP has other programs
to offer like Educational Sponsor-
ship Program and Technical and
Vocational Training both for the
youth and parents.”
Homeowner President
Jose Eden Arroyo responded,
“When we were in Catmon, we
had a homeowners association
but we barely knew each other.
Now that we have been orga-
nized anew and live in this new
community, we believe things
will change as well. We learned
so much in the Christian Life
Program.” (Romeo Medina)

CFC OSM Holds Simultaneous CEMs in Lipa

NEW ANCOP CANADA SITE TO RISE IN PAMPANGA

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 was a
significant day for the people
of Lubao, for despite the heavy
rains, the Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) signing and
Groundbreaking Ceremony of
the first ANCOP site in Lubao
took place on that day. The new
ANCOP site, initially named
Greatway Financial-CFC AN-
COP Canada-Municipality of
Lubao Community, is a collabo-
ration among CFC ANCOP Glob-
COUPLES for Christ’s Order of St. Michael (CFC OSM) served in the simultaneous Character Enhance- al Foundation, Inc. (CAGFI),
ment programs for 500 students from Basic Military School, Fernando Airbase, Lipa, Batangas last ANCOP Canada, CFC Pampanga,
September 13. Four teams of OSM Spearheads, a total of 80 individuals from Batangas and Cavite, and the Local Government of
served in these programs. Lubao, Pampanga.
The participants took the sessions and the activities seriously, behaving well and giving their all to The site in Bgy. Santiago was
learn about the value of enhancing one’s character.
After the sessions, the participating students left encouraging words to the Spearheads, words that
continue to inspire the CFC OSM to remain steadfast in serving the men and women in uniform through
the Character Enhancement Program. (Imee Ona, OSM Training & Development Head)
a generous donation of Marlon
and Elsa Antonio from Calgary,
Canada, owners of Greatway Fi-
nancial. They chose Lubao since
this is their hometown, and they
see this donation as their way of
giving back to the place they love
and call “home.”
ANCOP Canada President
Ricky Cuenca, together with
Efren Tompong, CAGFI Com-
munity Development Head;
Lubao Mayor Esmeralda Pineda;
as well as the Area Governance
Team of CFC Pampanga headed
by Provincial Area Head (PAH)
Hermie Vargas, led the ceremo-
nies witnessed by the hopeful
candidates for home partners
from Bgy. Santiago.
Rev. Fr. Ferdinand
Mangulabnan, Parish Priest of
San Rafael Arkangel Parish in
Baruya, Lubao, Pampanga, blessed
the time capsule. In his homily,
Fr. Mangulabnan reminded the
benefactors that it should not be
just the home that they should
take care of, but more importantly,
the welfare of the families who
will live there. Cuenca also
brought them the good news of
possible scholarships for their
children, aside from the shelter
program, once the program is fully
implemented. (Patria Balila)

AQUILLA AND PRICILLA, C2

We are also forever grateful to God for the
grace of being able to reflect and pray at the
shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady
of Fatima, Our Lady of the Miraculous
Medal, Our Lady of Banneux, and Our Lady
of Akita. In Banneux, we took the train
from Brussels and then taxi to the shrine.
But we stayed too long, it was getting
dark, and there was no more taxi in sight.
Mobile phones were not yet available then.
But through the goodness of a restaurant
owner, we were able to use his phone to
call for a taxi back to the train station and
safely to our hotel in Brussels. In Akita, we
spent many hours praying and reflecting in
front of the miraculous wooden image of
Our Lady, which had shed blood and tears
over a hundred times, even witnessed by
the bishop. The nuns were surprised that
we spent two days at the shrine when most
visitors spend only a few minutes just to see
the Marian statue and take some photos.
The most memorable was our pilgrimage
to Lourdes. We spent three days and two
nights in Lourdes during which we prayed
the rosary in front of the Grotto of Massa-
biele, joined the afternoon Eucharistic
Mass and the evening candlelight proces-
sions, heard Mass at all the four churches
at the shrine, prayed and walked through
La Salette provides simple but comfortable
accommodations with a pilgrim’s house that
is connected to the church with 24-hour Eu-
charistic adoration. A pilgrim describes his
experience: “The place is so tranquil, beauti-
ful and the peace you get by just standing
there is enough to make all your worries go
away. This sanctuary, this humble hostel,
the slice of heaven, was the highlight of my
pilgrimage.” Another pilgrim writes: “This
shrine is so peaceful and beautiful. The
mornings are amazing with breathtaking
beauty all around. There are paths around
the mountain where you can walk that are
great for contemplation. They have beautiful
candlelit vigils which you should not miss.”
It is important to note, though, that holi-
ness does not depend on feelings. It cannot
be attained through mere devotions and
pilgrimages. Holiness is a gift from God. It
entails following God’s will. It requires find-
ing Christ in the poor and marginalized. It in-
volves going to the peripheries to share God’s
blessings. And thus, in November, together
with the members of our previous and cur-
rent households, we will expand our annual
gift giving to include the poor families in
the barrio of San Roque in Unisan, Quezon.
We will share a meal and jointly praise and
worship the Lord with them. Then later in

the winding path of the Way of the Cross
with life-size images, went to confession
available in 12 different languages, were
immersed naked at the Baths, and collected
water of Lourdes to be brought home and
given to friends and family. Back in Paris,
our Lady directed us to visit her Son, per-
petually exposed at the Blessed Sacrament
in the main altar of the Basilica of Le Sacre
Coeur, before flying back home to Jakarta.
Lumen Gentium describes Mary as pan-
agia —all holy—for she is full of grace and
blessed among women. And so we dream
once more and pray, that we may again
be blessed with the opportunity to visit
another Marian shrine—this time, Our
Lady of La Salette in France. We under-
stand that the Sanctuary of Our Lady of
Ugnayan
the afternoon, we will do the same among the
poor members of the CFC community in the
Unisan town proper.
I was born in a small nipa hut located near a
spring in a coconut farm in this remote barrio. THE NEWS SUPPLEMENT OF COUPLES FOR CHRIST
The place is still remote and isolated even up to
now. My late father told me years ago that San
Roque was so isolated that the Japanese forces Redentor Ragojos
never set foot there during the war. IC Oversight
Mary traveled in haste to the mountain Zenaida A. Gimenez Alma M. Alvarez
town of Judea to help her cousin Elizabeth Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor
who was with child. W hen it was time
for her to deliver Jesus in Bethlehem, she Deomar P. Oliveria Evangeline C. Mecedilla
stayed in a poor stable with farm animals. Layout Artist Circulation Staff
She was glad to welcome the poor shep- The Ugnayan News Supplement is published by the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc.,
herds. And so we pray that Mary may find with editorial offices at 156 20th Avenue, 1109 Cubao, Quezon City.
us worthy and guide us to San Roque and Editorial trunk line: (+63 2) 709-4868 local 31 Direct line : (+63 2) 709-4856
La Salette. www.couplesforchristglobal.org globalcommunications@couplesforchristglobal.org @CFChrist
C4 September 16 - September 29, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 19 CBCP Monitor

CFC New Brunswick Conducts Family Activities for August

AUGUST was a very busy month for
Couples for Christ in New Brunswick.
From August 10 - 12, the leaders of
the CFC Youth for Christ had their DIS-
COVERY Camp, a three-day, two-night
camp intended for members who have
gone through the Youth Camp and
have been in YFC for one year. The Dis-
covery Camp aims to strengthen the
leadership potential of each member.
The following weekend, August 17 -
18, the Kids for Christ had their KIDS
CAMP which was divided into two
groups—the Junior Kids Group from
ages 4 - 8, and the Senior Kids Group
from ages 9 - 12. The camps were filled
with singing, dancing and other fun
activities which taught the kids how to
become good followers of Christ. The
camps ended with the tradition of pray
over—first by the parents over their
children, and then by the children pray-
ing over their parents. Both parents and
children exchanged letters affirming
and honoring each other. The celebra-
tion of the Holy Mass, officiated by the
Parish Priest of Mary, Mother of God
Parish, Rev. Fr. Rolando Suplido, capped
the entire weekend.
The team that served in these activi-
ties were the group from CFC YFC called
Beyond Borders, coming from different
provinces in Canada namely Hamilton,
Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
CFC New Brunswick conducted their
Marriage Enrichment Retreat at the
Between the Hearts Renewal Center
from August 23 to 25. The couple-par-
ticipants listened to talks on marriage,
had couple dialogues, prayer, fellow-
ship, and Eucharistic celebrations.
Fifteen couples, together with their
children, drove all the way from differ-
ent cities of New Brunswick to attend
this marriage retreat in Amherst, Nova
Scotia. While the couples were having
their sessions, the children had their
own sessions with Youth for Christ
volunteers. CFC elders and mission-
aries flew from Toronto to conduct
the sessions of the retreat. The service
team from St. George, Blacks Harbour,
Pennfield, and the fulltime pastoral
workers, untiringly prayed and pre-
pared for the said retreat.
Couples were given enough time to
pray and discuss after each session
to talk about certain areas of their
marriage and family life. The climax
of the retreat was the Eucharistic
celebration that was held in St. Vin-
cent’s Catholic Church in Sackville.
The priest presider warmly welcomed
Couples for Christ, and during the
Mass, highlighted the importance
of a Eucharistic celebration to end a
retreat. Before the Mass ended, all the
participants were called in front of the
altar to receive a special prayer and
blessing. It was indeed a Jesus experi-
ence for everybody. (Malou Clarito
& Michelle Sumulong)

From “Que país vienes?” to “No te vayas”: My mission in Peru

“QUE PAÍS vienes?” (What country do you come
from?)
“Se enseña español en tu escuela?” (Is Spanish
taught in your school?)
I have been asked these questions, and more,
mostly by kids who I encountered in Peru. I wasn’t
really prepared to answer a lot of questions, but I
had fun answering them. I was happy to see how
amazed these children were in meeting someone
like me who came all the way from across the globe,
who crossed continents and time zones, traveled
for around 30 hours in four connecting flights to
serve and be with them. I myself am still in awe
at the Lord’s graciousness in choosing me for this
mission. This was just a crazy dream of my young
missionary self some 11 years ago, a forgotten
prayer that the Lord has answered long before I
forgot about it.
Mi nombre es Nikki, soy de Filipinas. Viajé
treinta horas para estar aquí. Soy una misionera
para los niños. Eh estado sirviendo en la misión
durante once años para jovenes y niños. Tengo
34 años. Soy una miembro de Solteras para
Cristo y estoy feliz de estar aqui. Yo hablo y
entiendo un poco de español y estoy apren-
deindo dia a dia.
I kept this text introduction in my phone, and
I used it to tell the Peruvians about myself during
assemblies. I was able to compose this with the
aid of Google Translate, with a little revision by
the youth leaders of Peru who I met on the first
weekend of the mission. I speak and understand
a little Spanish and I got to learn new words every
day as I immersed in the community.
They were surprised that a Filipina would
know how to speak and understand Spanish. They
thought I learned it in school, but I told them I come
from a place down south of the Philippines called
Zamboanga where we speak Chavacano, a mixture
of broken Spanish and local Filipino dialects.
It was my Chavacano roots that sparked this
desire in my heart to dream and pray for a mis-
sion trip in a Spanish speaking country. I can
only say it is truly the Lord’s will, as He granted
this wish and sent me to Peru for a six-week mis-
sion trip from July 4 to August 14, 2019. But the
little Spanish that I know was not enough for me
to understand and communicate well with the
community. It took a lot of learning and trying
to get used to their common expressions that
got me through each conversation and each ses-
sion I gave. Every engagement with a local was a
process of listening, translating, understanding,
responding, and vice versa, every day for one and
a half months.
With the grace of the Lord, and with the help of
Errol and Miggie Martinez, the CFC missionary
couple assigned in South America, we were able
to conduct two activities. They were the first two
entry camps of PPC Niños Para Cristo (CFC Kids
For Christ) for South America in Tarapoto with 48
kids in July 6-7, 2019, and in Rioja with 45 kids in
July 13-14, 2019. It was a community effort that
was headed by the parish priest of Banda Shilcayo,
Tarapoto, and ably aided by Fr. Anibal Guerrero,
and Fr. Robert Martinez, the Spiritual Director of
Parejas Para Cristo (Couples For Christ) Peru who
is based in Rioja.
The PPC Chapter heads of the two areas mobi-
lized the whole community, especially the family
ministries, to serve in the first ever kids camp in
the country, and in that region of PPC South
America. The Siervas and Solteras prepared the
meals while the Jovenes facilitated the camps and
the Parejas were in charge of coordinating with
the parents.
For the weeks that followed, I got to meet the
local community of PPC in Peru together with the
Family Ministries of Siervas Para Cristo (Hand-
maids of the Lord), Solteras Para Cristo (Singles
For Christ) and Jovenes Para Cristo (Youth For
Christ) in the local towns of Tarapoto, Rioja, Nueva
Cajamarca and Moyobamba. We held assemblies,
conducted trainings and prayer meetings, and
even accompanied the parish priest in his mission
to celebrate Mass in far-flung pueblos or towns.
I am grateful I got to experience the rich and
colorful culture of Peru, especially during the CFC
PPC South America Conference in August 2-4
where our local brethren showcased Latino dances
and festivities and where I met the delegates from
Colombia and Ecuador.
I got to feel the warmth of the Latinos, who have
called me all kinds of terms of endearment—mi
amor, hermanita, ihita, preciosa, hermosa, bella,
princesita, querida (dear), among others. Latinos
are very affectionate and accommodating. Every
greeting and embrace is always coupled with a
prayer for protection and blessings.
I realized I also survived one-to-one dialogues
and mentoring with youth leaders, and even shared
stories with a number of couples, all while com-
municating in Spanish. It dawned on me that more
than the activities, I was there to bring the universal
language of the CFC community—of cultivating
relationships, fellowship and mentoring. After all,
we speak the same language of love within the family
of CFC and its ministries across the globe.
I was told on my last week not to go because I
already have a home in Peru. I was sad to go but the
mission has to continue and I must go where the
Lord send me. As they say in South America, nos
vemos, hasta pronto! See you again soon. (Nikki
Cabaltera)

ANCOP USA, Angat Buhay continue mission

to the poor

ANCOP USA, led by President
Roger Santos, welcomed Phil-
ippine Vice President Leni
Robredo at the MGM Nation-
al Harbor near Washington
D.C., during the ANCOP USA
Charity Ball on August 31,
2019. Over 300 supporters
and benefactors of ANCOP
USA came to the said gala.
His Excellency Archbishop
Bernardito Auza, Permanent
Representative of the Holy
See to the United Nations,
also graced the event.
During this event, ANCOP
USA renewed its commitment
to collaborate with Angat Bu-
hay, the flagship anti-poverty
program of the Office of the Vice
President of the Philippines.
In his speech, Santos said,
“Angat Buhay shares ANCOP’s
vision of helping the poor by im-
proving the delivery of services
in public education, commu-
nity development, and universal
healthcare in remote communi-
ties in the Philippines.”
ANCOP is Couples for Christ's
arm in fulfilling its mission of
building the Church of the poor.
Through the event, ANCOP USA
hopes to be able to raise funds to
sponsor 200 students and build
a student dormitory in Sumilao
National High School, Bukid-
non, Philippines. (ANCOP
USA Comm)