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CBCP
VOLUME 19
NUMBER 18
CBCPMONITOR.COM
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Junk normalization
of gay unions
CBCP president
ECHOING the teaching that
same-sex unions cannot be
called marriage in the truest
sense of the word, a Filipino
prelate has underscored the
duty of each Catholic to resist
attempts to make homosexual
acts culturally normal by
standing up for true human
sexuality.
In those situations where
homosexual unions have been
legally recognized or have been
given the legal status and rights
belonging to marriage, clear
and emphatic opposition is a
duty, says Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas in a recent statement.
By Roy Lagarde
Abortion, A6
WHATS INSIDE
Teach your children how to
pray! Pope tells parents, A3
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle blesses the ecology ministry volunteers of different parishes after a Mass to mark the first World Day of Prayer for the Care of
Creation at the Manila Cathedral on September 1, 2015. The occasion also coincided with the opening of the 3rd Season of Creation in the Manila archdiocese. ROY LAGARDE
Vatican City - May 30, 2015. Pope Francis met with a group of children who arrived at
the Vatican aboard the Childrens Train. CNA
From left-right: Bishop George Rimando (Auxiliary Bishop of Davao); Bishop Antonieto Cabahug (Bishop of Surigao del Norte); Bishop
Antonio Raola, (Auxiliary Bishop-Emeritus of Cebu); Bishop Guillermo Afable (Bishop of Digos); Bishop Camilo Gregorio (Bishop Prelate
of Batanes); Bishop Romulo Valles (Metropolitan Archbishop of Davao); and Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo (Auxiliary Bishop of Cotabato)
Throw-away culture
Taking a cue from the Popes
Laudato Si encyclical, he deplored
abortion as an indication of todays
throw-away culture and that is
why children are considered as liabilities and elderly people are not
cared for.
The Vaticans landmark document on environment contains
several strong pro-life passages,
denouncing abortion, population
control, and embryonic experimentation.
Normalization, A7
A2 WORLD NEWS
Vatican Briefing
Pope to Catholic lawmakers: Be strong, protect life
Initial autopsy findings indicate that disgraced former apostolic nuncio Jozef Wesolowski died of natural causes from a
cardiac event, the Vatican announced Saturday, Aug. 29.
The laicized archbishop was awaiting trial by the Vatican
court for possessing child pornography and sexual abuse of
minors when he died late Thursday evening at the age of
67. Wesolowskis death prompted the Office of the Vaticans
Promoter of Justice, also known as the Vatican prosecutor, to
order an autopsy.. According to a Vatican statement released
Aug. 29, the autopsy was conducted Friday afternoon. Based
on preliminary conclusions from the macroscopic exam, the
autopsy confirmed the natural cause of death, attributable to
a cardiac event, the statement said. (CNA)
The Vatican has rejected claims in the media that Pope Francis
is supporting a book on gay adoption, saying a letter responding to the author should not be interpreted as an endorsement.
In responding to the authors letter, the Vatican Secretariat
of State did not intend in any way to support behavior and
teachings which are not in accordance with the Gospel, and
using the Vatican response to imply otherwise is completely
out of place, said Fr. Ciro Benedettini, deputy director of
the Holy See Press Office, Aug. 28. The Holy See statement
came in response to a media frenzy following reports that
Francesca Pardi, author of a childrens book supporting gay
adoption, received a letter from Pope Francis that allegedly
encouraged her to keep up her work. Pardis book is titled
Piccolo uovo in Italian, Little egg. It includes the story
of two gay penguins who adopt a baby penguin, among other
non-traditional animal families. (CNA)
CBCP Monitor
Its not over yet: Nebraska bishops, Catholics continue to fight death penalty
LINCOLN, Aug. 28, 2015Nebraskas three
Catholic bishops have asked all people of
goodwill to continue to fight the death penalty,
after it won a last-minute reprieve in the state
Wednesday.
The group Nebraskans for the Death Penalty,
largely financed by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and his supporters, said it had gathered
166,692 signatures from all 93 of the states
counties, enough to briefly halt the repeal
of the death penalty approved by the states
unicameral legislature in May.
The advocacy group needed roughly 114,000
signatures to immediately halt the repeal of the
death penalty, a move which will likely place
the fate of capital punishment in the hands of
Nebraska voters in 2016.
Nebraskans sent a strong message about
crime and punishment in our state by signing
this petition in extraordinary numbers, said
state treasurer and former attorney general
Don Stenberg, a co-chair of the petition drive,
according to the AP.
The three Nebraskan bishops, who said
in May that capital punishment cannot be
justified in the state at present, asked in a
statement Thursday that all people of goodwill join them in continued opposition to the
death penalty.
Justice requires punishment, but it does
not require that those who have committed
serious crimes be put to death, the bishops
CBCP Monitor
NEWS FEATURES A3
Rome, Italy - March 18, 2015. Pope Francis gives blessing to disabled at general audience. CNA
Vatican City - June 16, 2015. Pope emeritus Benedict XVI meets with seminarians
from the diocese of Faensa-Modigliana, Italy on June 16, 2015 at the Vatican Gardens.
DIOCESE OF FAENZA-MODIGLIANA.
community.
The conference participants included 20
bishops, including three cardinals, 29 priests
and brothers, 45 religious sisters, and 7 members of secular institutes from China, Nepal,
Mongolia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Korea,
Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and
the Philippines.
Aside from giving the said talk entitled
Consecrated Life at the Service of New Evangelization in Asia, Ledesma also prepared the
preliminary Lineamenta for the conference.
He also helped draft the conferences Final
Statement together with Fr. Joe Mannath,
SDB, Sr. Victorina Palanca, ICM, and Sr.
Judette Gallares, RC. (CBCP News)
A4 OPINION
CBCP Monitor
EDITORIAL
IN a rather extraordinary but welcome move, Pope Francis has extended to all priests worldwide the authority to absolve women from
the sin of abortion during the Holy Year of Mercy which opens on
Dec. 8, 2015. This happy development was announced on Sept. 1
in a letter addressed to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the president of
the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.
The letter unfolds with the premise: With the approach of the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I would like to focus on several points
which I believe require attention to enable the celebration of the
Holy Year to be for all believers a true moment of encounter with
the mercy of God. It is indeed my with that the Jubilee be a living
experience of the closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost
tangible, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened and
thus testimony to it be ever more effective.
Indeed, extraordinarily extending to all priests the faculty to forgive
the reserved sin of abortion is nothing less than a tangible moment
of encounter with the mercy of God. A woman who obtains an
abortion automatically incurs a latae sententiae excommunication,
along with those who assisted her in the process. Because of this,
the sin of abortion is normally absolved only by a bishop or certain
priests appointed by him.
Says Pope Francis, I think in particular of all the women who have
resorted to abortion. I am well aware of the pressure that has led them
to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have
met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision. What has happened is profoundly unjust;
yet understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope.
The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented,
especially when that person approaches the Sacrament of Confession
with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father.
Of course, extending this faculty to priests is common with some
bishops especially during Lent and specific occasions. Yet, taking
this to a universal level is something that will raise the eyebrows of
some segments in the Catholic Church. But this is Pope Francis,
who, according to Cardinal Mauro Piancenza, head of the Apostolic
Penitentiary, is the pope of mercy and who looks at the confessional not as a torture chamber but a place where one leaves with
happiness of heart, with a face of radiant hope.
A universal communion
THE created things of this world are not free of ownership: For they
are yours, O Lord, who love the living (Wis 11:26). This is the basis
of our conviction that, as part of the universe, called into being by
one Father, all of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a
kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a
sacred, affectionate and humble respect. Here I would reiterate that
God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can
feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and
the extinction of a species as a painful disfigurement. (Apostolic
Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 1109)
This is not to put all living beings on the same level or to deprive
human beings of their unique worth and the tremendous responsibility
it entails. Nor does it imply a divinization of the earth which would
prevent us from working on it and protecting it in its fragility. Such
notions would end up creating new imbalances which would deflect
us from the reality which challenges us. (BENEDICT XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 650) At times we see an obsession with
denying any pre-eminence to the human person; more zeal is shown
in protecting other species than in defending the dignity which all
human beings share in equal measure. Certainly, we should be concerned lest other living beings be treated irresponsibly. But we should
be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst,
whereby we continue to tolerate some considering themselves more
worthy than others. We fail to see that some are mired in desperate
and degrading poverty, with no way out, while others have not the
faintest idea of what to do with their possessions, vainly showing off
their supposed superiority and leaving behind them so much waste
which, if it were the case everywhere, would destroy the planet. In
practice, we continue to tolerate that some consider themselves more
human than others, as if they had been born with greater rights.
A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if
our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered
species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking,
unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human
being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our
struggle for the sake of the environment. It is no coincidence that, in
the canticle in which Saint Francis praises God for his creatures, he goes
on to say: Praised be you my Lord, through those who give pardon
for your love. Everything is connected. Concern for the environment
thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings
and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society.
Moreover, when our hearts are authentically open to universal
communion, this sense of fraternity excludes nothing and no one.
It follows that our indifference or cruelty towards fellow creatures of
this world sooner or later affects the treatment we mete out to other
human beings. We have only one heart, and the same wretchedness
which leads us to mistreat an animal will not be long in showing
itself in our relationships with other people. Every act of cruelty
towards any creature is contrary to human dignity.
-- Laudato Si, 89-92
Monitor
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Partial Divorce
Torre de Babel,
Conclusion
IF monuments are a symbol of
heroism and skyscrapers are a symbol of progress, may they not stand
side by side with one another? If
my memory serves me right, Rizal
himself in his El Filibusterismo
wrote about a characters satisfactionwhile on a pleasure cruise
down the Pasig riverat seeing
the factories in Mandaluyong,
clear symbols of progress among
a people he did not wish to be
forever colonized.
In 1927, the tallest structure
in the Philippines was the newlybuilt Main Building of the University of Santo Tomas. The cross
crowning its tower (from which
Manila Bay was reportedly visible)
also served as Kilometer 0 from
Candidly Speaking
a good sign.
In fact, we need to reclaim the original
meaning of morality, human sexuality,
marriage, etc., in order to help the youth
extricate themselves from the elaborate spin
used by those with the mindset of moral
relativism.
Caring for the youth is no easy task at all.
My own experience with dealing with young
college students for many years indicates
that they need abiding attention, a lot of
patience, and understanding, a good amount
of flexibility and creativity, and at the same
time, an unwavering hold on the faith and the
doctrines that go with it.
Each one has to be handled in a very personal
way. Away with putting them in boxes and
branding and stereotyping them. Once this
personal relationship is established, then things
can be expectedto go far.
The young people need constant
encouragement. They sometimes strike me
as toddlers who are still learning to walk
properlyin the moral and spiritual life. They
can be up one moment, and down the next
Candidly Speaking / A7
CBCP Monitor
OPINION A5
By the Roadside
THE word epal is uniquely Philippinemade, but, I suspect, not the phenomenon
behind it. In the information super highway
(the old way of referring to the internet,
if you please) one finds quite a few vivid
descriptions of its meaning, some amusing,
others informative, still others too graphic to
mention. There seems to be a consensus that
its root is the word papel (paper) which, in
the Filipino psyche, does not solely refer to
the wood product we normally write things
on but also to some individuals, the epals if
you like, with the overriding devotion to selfpromote ahead of others by any means that
grab attention. In my book, then, the epal
is fundamentally an obsessive, aggressive
self-promoter.
In this article epal is mainly a reference
to powerful, often suspiciously moneyed
people who use various means, but especially
projects or services that they render by virtue
of a public office they hold or a social status
they have achieved in aid of their election (or
re-election) to a public office. If you already
knew what I mean, youd probably say, Thats
a long way of describing a politician. Suffice it
to say that I neither confirm nor deny the above
Collection Box
Ironies
Duc In Altum
A6 LOCAL NEWS
Junking exploitation
EcoJIM members argue it is
high time all act and confront
a system they believe uses and
promotes the exploitation of
natural and environmental
resources at the expense of the
common good.
Allowing this system of
exploitation to continue only
disparages the integrity of
all creation and widens the
gap between the rich and the
poor, instead of encouraging
compassion and cooperation,
they explain.
EcoJIM organizers point
out the problem of climate
change and the environmental
chaos it can cause cut across
religious, cultural, scientific,
and political ties, and exhort
the public to prepare to fight
for the survival of the planet.
Education, A1
Blessings
Meanwhile, Raymond Ramos, a science instructor at St. Vincent School in
Quezon City, invited fellow Catholics to
do what they can in order to help create
a society that has equal educational and
employment opportunities for all, especially the youth.
According to him, opportunities are
blessings from the Lord that should not
be taken for granted, but rather received
with joy.
Moreover, his intention for evangelization is: That catechists may give witness
by living in a way consistent with the faith
they proclaim. (Raymond A. Sebastin
/ CBCP News)
Eco, A6
Millennials, A1
CBCP Monitor
Stop mining
More specifically, the eco groups advocate the following:
End of coal mining in the Philippines, stop the building of new coal power
plants, phase out of all existing coal power
plants and other dirty energy projects as
soon as possible, replacing them with
public and community-owned and -managed renewable and clean energy
Call for divestment from fossil fuel
and other dirty energy industries
Stop privatization and promote
democratic control and management
of energy
Repeal EPIRA
Stop public subsidies and public loan
financing of dirty energy projects
Rehabilitate Agos-Pulangui, a hydro
Abortion, A1
The encyclical specifically mentions that concern for the protection of nature is incompatible with
the justification of abortion.
At times we see an obsession
with denying any pre-eminence
to the human person; more zeal
is shown in protecting other species than in defending the dignity
which all human beings share in
equal measure, the Pope said.
See, judge, act
In his homily, Tagle also emphasized the importance of seeing and
judging the roots of destruction
and by acting to address the
problem.
Among the actions that can be
taken, he said, is education in
spirituality that can be manifested
in little gestures such as change
of lifestyle.
Since God is the Creator, He
is the owner of everything. We are
humble creatures. We are not the
owners, he said.
We are stewards. We are supposed to take care of Gods creation, added Tagle, who is also the
President of Caritas Internationalis.
Three Cs
The occasion also coincided with
the launching of this years Season
of Creation, a yearly event in the
Archdiocese of Manila that started
in 2013.
A series of activities promoting
environmental causes in different parishes, communities, and
schools will mark the month-long
celebration.
This year, there will be ecology
exhibits, childrens fora on Laudato
Si, ecology quiz bees in schools, and
story-telling on the care of creation.
Priests, the religious, students,
and volunteers of ecology ministry
in various parishes of the archdiocese attended todays Mass.
Tagle also stressed the importance of contemplation, caring
and conversion in preserving and
protecting the environment.
Let us go back to contemplation, to that spirituality of being
able to look not because we want
to manipulate but to look because
God might reveal something to
us, he said.
Let us recover caring. Caring
does not mean we are spies. Caring
CBCP Monitor
A7
Marikina parishes gather school supplies for needy Public invited to Monte Cristo caves
MANILA Three parishes in
pilgrimage site
Marikina are currently sourcing school supplies for at least
10, 000 less fortunate primary
school pupils.
The parishes of Antonio
de Padua, Nativity of Our
Lady, and the Immaculate
Concepcion are accepting
much-needed school items
starting September, said Fr.
Dari Dioquino, Immaculate
Concepcion assistant parish
priest.
Every month, the three parishes will ask for donations for
a particular school need until
supplies are sufficient, he said
.
Brand new school stuff
For September, they are asking for brand new or slightly
used pencils, said Dioquino,
who took charge of a home
for the aged in Antipolo for
over 10 years.
According to the priest,
the parishes will also ask for
Fr. Dari Dioquino. He took charge of home for the aged Kanlungan ni Maria in Antipolo for over 10 years. PHOTO GRABBED
FROM HIS FACEBOOK
OFWs, A3
Normalization, A1
Mediatrix, A1
One of the caves in Monte Cristo is called Kuweba ng Poong Nazareno where one can see a replica of
the Black Nazarene. YEN OCAMPO
Candidly Speaking / A4
Prison, A1
A8
CBCP Monitor
Bernardita Didith Otibar boards a boat for a local mission trip in the Philippines.
PUDENSIA NONA
Knights of Columbus North Luzon State Deputy and KCFAPI President, Justice Jose Reyes, Jr gives a message during the launching
of the latest insurance product of KCFAPI, dubbed the KC Elite Pro: Retire Right and be Protected for Life, on Aug. 21, at the Fr.
George J. Willmann Building, Intramuros, Manila. YEN OCAMPO
Handouts
According to Hermosa, who works for a
private company as well as a youth minister at
Mandaluyongs San Felipe Neri Parish, handouts will be available to participants to enable
them to follow the lessons better.
Fr. Jos Antonio E. Aureada, O.P. is the
course facilitator.
A Dominican friar, he also is a regent of the
UST Graduate School, and a theologian who
specializes in the works of St. Thomas Aquinas.
RAYMOND SEBASTIAN
Growing interest
We didnt expect that so many people would
be registering for it. It is good to know that more
and more Catholics are interested in taking their
knowledge of God beyond the basics, said
Louie P. Hermosa, one of the organizers of the
4th Sunday program, in an interview.
Launched on July 26, the series of lectures
held at the universitys Santo Toms de Aquino
Research Center, drew mostly Catholic professionals from Metro Manila who wish to deepen
their understanding of the faith, and satisfy
their hunger for theological truths.
The priest earned in 1994 his doctorate degree in
Sacred Theology major in Dogmatics in Angelicum,
the center of Thomistic studies based in Rome.
Ongoing registration
At the end of the three-unit course, each
student will receive a certificate on theology.
Registration is still open.
For more details and other information, contact (+63) 927-3967-776 and/or (+63)906-4100010. (Raymond A. Sebastin/CBCP News)
are poor.
Explaining the need for such a
project, group member Alvin John
Sibugan said: Many women are
suffering from discrimination and
many others become victims of
human trafficking.
Maria Angelie Rada, one of the
groups co-organizers, observed,
Many mothers nowadays are
forced to fill in the fathers roles.
We need to respect mothers because they have to do many things
and sacrifice themselves for their
children.
Run for Mary is open to everyone, even if they belong to other
faiths, as long as they would like
to help the cause of women and of
the poor, said Crisanto Veras, the
groups communications officer.
We are inviting as many persons as possible. Our target is to
get 2,000 runners. Those who
cannot run can also help by giving financial contributions, food
donations (drinks and ready-toeat snacks), school supplies for
children, Veras stressed.
Each registered runner will receive a free Rosary courtesy of the
Daughters of Mary Immaculate.
Interested parties may contact
Kimberly Paclauna (0927-7466631) or Julie Ann Jetano (0910064-4282), or visit Run for Mary
2015 www.facebook.com/irunformary. (Fr. Mickey Cardenas /
CBCPNews)
Markings
ORDAINED. Bishop-elect Victor De la Cruz Ocampo was ordained
on Aug. 29 to the episcopate at the Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral
Parish of St. Joseph in Balanga, Bataan. He will be installed as
the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Gumaca on Sept. 3 at the San
Diego De Alcala Cathedral in Gumaca, Quezon.Ocampo was born
in Angeles City, Pampanga in 1952. He was ordained a priest of
the Diocese of Balanga in 1977.Since his ordination, he has also
served various pastoral and diocesan roles; and as member of the
College of Consultors.
SJB Choir
CBCP Monitor
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
CNA
Washington D.C. - June 19, 2014: 2014 March for Marriage in Washington D.C. on June 19, 2014.
chastity.8
The Catholic Church acknowledges
that the number of men and women who
have deep-seated homosexual tendencies
could be more than we think and that
this inclination constitutes for most of
them, a trial.9
The Catholic Church looks at her children who have deep seated homosexual
attraction with motherly compassion and
paternal love, even as she reminds them
that in cultures that have lost sight of
the richness and diversity of friendships
that enhance the human condition, those
who struggle with homosexuality are
Homosexuality / B7
B2 PASTORAL CONCERNS
CBCP Monitor
Conclusion
We can conclude by saying
that there is a need for greater
instruction on the part of the
parish priests regarding sponsors
in the sacraments of Christian
initiation. Since most parishes
now have short seminars organized for parents who want their
children to be baptized, that
seems to be the best venue for
this instruction. We might add
that the real godparents should
be included in these seminars.
Specifically, the following can be
emphasized:
1. the great desirability (but
not necessity for validity
or even licitude) of having
Wedding Processions
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of
theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:)
Dominic Barrios
b. Canonical Requirements
for Baptismal Godparents
Although more often than not
other reasonse.g., friendship,
kinship or even socio-economic
advantagesprevail in the choice
of baptismal sponsors, the Code
of Canon Law actually stipulates
canonical requirements.
1) General requirements.
These are laid down in c.874, 1
Dominic Barrios
2.
3.
4.
5.
FEATURES B3
CBCP Monitor
Theological and pastoral reflections in preparation for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress
1. MARY AND THE EUCHARIST IN THE CHURCHS
MISSION By her special relationship with the Eucharist,
Mary leads us toward this most
sublime sacrament to find in
it the source and goal of the
Churchs evangelizing mission.
As in her virginal womb, the
Son of God took on human
nature that made him the Sacrament of the Fathers love, so in
the Eucharist, Christ continues
to be Sacrament of the Father
through the sacramentality of
the Churchin the person of his
minister, in the proclamation of
the Word, in the assembly that
prays and sings, but especially in
the Eucharistic species. (Cf. SC,
7) The body given up for us and
made present under sacramental
signs was the same body which
Mary had conceived in her
womb! (John Paul II, Enclyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia:
On the Eucharist in its Relationship to the Church, 56, 17 April
2003, 56). By being closely associated with her Son in giving
himself as the Bread of Life and
Living Bread for the life of the
world by his sacrifice on the
Cross, Simeons prophecy that a
sword would pierce her heart was
fulfilled (cf. Lk 2:34-35).
From the school of Mary.
The Church can learn from the
school of Mary, the Woman
of the Eucharist, the necessary
and proper interior disposition
to fruitfully celebrate and live
out the mysteries of redemption:
attentive, contemplative and active presence, generous concern
for the rest of the world and
humanity, and openness to the
eschatological fulfillment of all
that humanity hopes for. Mary
exemplifies the Eucharistic worship that seeks to be concretized
in works of love and service
and that opens the faithful to
eschatological hope. For to the
Christian faithful at worship,
Mary stands as model in listening to the Word and taking it to
heart; in praising and thanking
God who has done great favors
to oneself and to the rest of
humankind; in bringing Christ
and his gifts of joy and salvation
to all that one meets, in praying
and interceding for the needs of
all, in nourishing the life of grace
which one receives through the
sacraments, in offering oneself
in union with Christs offering of himself to the Father, in
imploring the coming of the
Lord, and in waiting for it with
CBCP News
(Last of a series)
X. SPES GLORIAE
At the end of our journey,
let us return to the word of the
Apostle: Christ in You, hope
of glory to discover how the
Eucharist manifests, in time and
in history, the glory of God in
the anticipation of the coming
of the Lord.
A. The Eucharist and the
Glory of God
The acclamation of the Eucharistic assembly after the
consecration aptly concludes
the manifestation of the eschatological orientation that is
signified by the participation in
the table of the Lord (cf. 1 Cor
11: 26): we proclaim the death
and resurrection of Christ until
he comes again. The Eucharist is
tension toward the goal, foretaste
of the fullness of joy promised
by Christ (cf. Jn 15:11). In a
certain sense, it is anticipation
of the final Kingdom, pledge of
The Church
can learn from
the school
of Mary, the
Woman of the
Eucharist, the
necessary and
proper interior
disposition
to fruitfully
celebrate and
live out the
mysteries of
redemption...
concluded by the great Messianic Banquet prepared for all
peoples and nations: On this
mountain the Lord of hosts / will
provide for all peoples, / a feast
of rich food and choice wines, /
juicy, rich food and pure, choice
wines. / On this mountain he
will destroy / the veil that veils all
peoples. / The web that is woven
over all nations; / He will destroy
death forever. (Is 25, 6-8)
The Eucharist, prophecy of
this final banquet, appears as
the sacrament of the mission
accomplished where the common desire of humanity is fed:
communion with God, when
and where He will be all in all,
and universal brotherhood.
There, on the holy mountain
all the nations will gather to celebrate the definitive feast to the
Lord. They will contemplate the
face of God, they will become his
people and they will praise him
B4 PASTORAL CONCERNS
CBCP Monitor
life.[148]
208. We are always capable of going out of ourselves towards the other.
Unless we do this, other creatures will
not be recognized for their true worth;
we are unconcerned about caring for
things for the sake of others; we fail to
set limits on ourselves in order to avoid
the suffering of others or the deteriora-
Laudato Si
Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father Francis on the Care of our Common Home
The existence of laws and regulations is
insufficient in the long run to curb bad
conduct, even when effective means of
enforcement are present. If the laws are
to bring about significant, long-lasting
effects, the majority of the members of
society must be adequately motivated
to accept them, and personally transformed to respond. Only by cultivating
CBCP News
IRRI
CBCP Monitor
STATEMENTS B5
CNA
To my Venerable Brothers
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah
TURKSON,
President of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace
Cardinal Kurt KOCH,
President of the Pontifical Council
for the Promotion of Christian
Unity
Vatican City - September 1, 2015. Pope Francis celebrates World Day of Prayer for the Protection of Creation in St. Peters Basilica on Sept 1, 2015.
community prayer, even through the various means of communication, will be for
them the means of obtaining the Jubilee
Indulgence. My thoughts also turn to those
incarcerated, whose freedom is limited.
The Jubilee Year has always constituted an
opportunity for great amnesty, which is intended to include the many people who, despite deserving punishment, have become
conscious of the injustice they worked and
sincerely wish to re-enter society and make
their honest contribution to it. May they all
be touched in a tangible way by the mercy
of the Father who wants to be close to those
who have the greatest need of his forgiveness. They may obtain the Indulgence in the
chapels of the prisons. May the gesture of
directing their thought and prayer to the
Father each time they cross the threshold
of their cell signify for them their passage
through the Holy Door, because the mercy
of God is able to transform hearts, and is
also able to transform bars into an experience of freedom.
I have asked the Church in this Jubilee
Year to rediscover the richness encompassed by the spiritual and corporal works
of mercy. The experience of mercy, indeed,
becomes visible in the witness of concrete
signs as Jesus himself taught us. Each time
that one of the faithful personally performs
one or more of these actions, he or she
shall surely obtain the Jubilee Indulgence.
Hence the commitment to live by mercy
so as to obtain the grace of complete and
exhaustive forgiveness by the power of
the love of the Father who excludes no
one. The Jubilee Indulgence is thus full,
the fruit of the very event which is to be
celebrated and experienced with faith,
hope and charity.
Furthermore, the Jubilee Indulgence can
also be obtained for the deceased. We are
bound to them by the witness of faith and
charity that they have left us. Thus, as we
remember them in the Eucharistic celebration, thus we can, in the great mystery of
the Communion of Saints, pray for them,
that the merciful Face of the Father free
them of every remnant of fault and strongly
embrace them in the unending beatitude.
One of the serious problems of our
time is clearly the changed relationship
with respect to life. A widespread and
insensitive mentality has led to the loss
of the proper personal and social sensitivity to welcome new life. The tragedy
of abortion is experienced by some with
a superficial awareness, as if not real-
Obedience to the
law is a Christian
duty. Sons and
daughters of the
Church cannot be
less observant of
the law than other
citizens of the
Republic.
+ SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
President, CBCP
B6 REFLECTIONS
CBCP Monitor
ENCOUNTERS
The chemicals
or Western
medicines were
extracted from
nature then
processed, so
at times these
might be too
strong or could
have side
effects.
Bo Sanchez
SOULFOOD
Just Diamonds
dens of vice...
Many are spiritually mute. A mysterious
moral weakness paralyzes their tongues. They
are unable to speak words of truth, justice,
wisdom. They are incapable of uttering
words of prayer to God . . . .
It is the sad plight of a humanity steeped
in sinthe sins of all generations, the sins of
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 8:27-35 (B) September 13, 2015
Domenico Ghirlandaio
AS we grow older truly was it said in an ancient peoples expression: Gaudeamus igitur juvenes dum sumus. Post jucundam
juventutem, post molestam senectutem nos habebit humus. (Lets
rejoice while we are young, after a joyful youth, comes the
cumbersome old age and after that we go back to the earth.)
Naturally as we grow older there are age-related ailments, like
the plaques or cholesterol that hinder the nerve and veins
causing blocks that affect circulation of the blood and the
nervous system, resulting in paralysis and strokes.
Meantime, preventives are encouraged to avert the fatal
happenings since how true indeed an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure.
Moreover, we must not
forget an overall principle,
necessary as ever for all
health aspects: Work
well and rest well. But
above all, trust in the
Lord (Prv. 20:22).
If you observe how
prices have soared in the
health care business, this
becomes the reason for
the poor people to seek
the natural remedies that
were passed on to them
from herbalists who observed the way animals
look for remedies for
bodily problems. There
is also one possible reason. The chemicals or
Western medicines were
extracted from nature
then processed, so at
times these might be too strong or could have side effects.
Even professional doctors have acknowledged the truth of
herbal discoveries after seeing the lengthy lives of those
making use of remedies.
We cannot, of course, deny the advances of modern
medicine without belittling the discoveries of ancient lore
about herbal remedies, which is the way the primitive tribes
survived. We can perhaps analyze why one reputable doctor (Dr. William Donald Kelly, D.D.S., M.S.) had said:
There are only two Physiciansthe Almighty and your
own body.
Washington Aliston
Health care
monitor
CBCP Monitor
Laudato Si / B4
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
Laudato Si
Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father Francis on the Care of our Common Home
cal conversion can inspire us to
greater creativity and enthusiasm
in resolving the worlds problems
and in offering ourselves to God
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable (Rom12:1). We do not
understand our superiority as a
reason for personal glory or irresponsible dominion, but rather
as a different capacity which, in
its turn, entails a serious responsibility stemming from our faith.
221. Various convictions of
our faith, developed at the beginning of this Encyclical can
help us to enrich the meaning
of this conversion. These include the awareness that each
creature reflects something of
God and has a message to convey to us, and the security that
Christ has taken unto himself
this material world and now,
risen, is intimately present to
each being, surrounding it with
his affection and penetrating it
with his light. Then too, there
is the recognition that God
created the world, writing into
it an order and a dynamism
that human beings have no
right to ignore. We read in the
Gospel that Jesus says of the
birds of the air that not one of
them is forgotten before God
(Lk 12:6). How then can we
Homosexuality / B1
of their union would have the experience and benefit of the complementary
male and female presence in their total
development.
Homosexual unions, on the other
hand, do not have the basic biological
and anthropological elements of marriage and family. They are not able
to contribute in a proper way to the
procreation and survival of the human
race16, and thus it would be an injustice
to grant them legal recognition along
with the same benefits and privileges
accorded to marriage.
Neither can this injustice be mitigated
by allowing homosexual couples to either
adopt children or use artificial reproductive technologies to engender them.
Such actions would intentionally deprive
these children of the experience of fatherhood or of motherhood that they would
need to develop and flourish, not only as
human persons, but as persons living in
a gendered society where socialization
involves the learning of gendered social
norms.
This too would be a grave injustice,
especially in light of the principle,
recognized by the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child,
that the best interests of the child, as the
weaker and more vulnerable party, are
to be the paramount consideration in
every case.17
It would likewise be unjust if homosexual unions were granted privileges and
benefits identical to those of marriages
because this act would redefine marriage,
making it an institution devoid of essential reference to factors [that are necessarily] linked to heterosexuality; for example,
procreation and raising children.18
Responding to Arguments for the
Legalization of Homosexual Unions
In any debate that runs current to a
proposal to legalize homosexual unions,
four major arguments have been and will
continue to be advanced.
The following enumeration and discussion is presented for the understanding and enlightenment of Catholics
seeking appropriate responses to such
arguments.
1. To deny homosexual unions the
legal status of marriage is to unjustly
discriminate against homosexual persons
who simply wish to express their love and
commitment to their same-sex partners as
heterosexual spouses do.
The Catholic response: Distinguishing
between persons or refusing social recognition or benefits to specific individuals
or groups of individuals is immoral only
when it is contrary to justice. Marriage
is more than just the mutual affirmation
ones love and commitment to a beloved.
This is why the state regulates and licenses
marriage in a way that it does not regulate
other types of friendship, which to some
degree, all involve the mutual affirmation
of love and commitment between and
among friendsbecause only marriage can
naturally and directly contribute children
and a stable environment for the raising
of those children, to the common good.
Denying homosexual unions the social
and legal status of marriage simply affirms that these unions, as well as other
non-marital unions similar to them, are
not equivalent to marriage because they
cannot give society what marriages can
give. This is not opposed to justice. On
the contrary, justice demands it.19
2. Homosexual unions should be legally
recognized because individuals, whether
they are heterosexual or homosexual, should
have the right to do whatever they want to,
if doing so does not hurt or impinge upon
the freedom of others.
The Catholic response: As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
explains, it is one thing for individual
persons to freely engage in their private
activities, and another very different
thing for them to demand that the state
sanction these activities, especially when
they would harm the common good.
This would be the case if homosexual
unions were legally recognized.20
Rightly respecting individual autonomy does not mean that society has
to do everything that an autonomous
individual demands that it do.
3. Homosexual unions should be legally
recognized because they are occasions for
Eucharist / B3
B8 ENTERTAINMENT
Moral Assessment
CBCP Monitor
Brothers Matias
Lolo Kiko
Bladimer Usi
Abhorrent
Disturbing
Acceptable
Wholesome
Exemplary
Technical Assessment
Poor
Below average
Average
Above average
E
xcellent
INSIDE OUT
DIRECTION: Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
CAST: Amy Poehler, Phyllis
Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis
Black, Mindy Kaling, Richard Kind, Kaithlyn Dias,
Diane Lane Kyle MacMaLachlan
STORY AND SCREENPLAY:
Pete Docter, Ronnie del
Carmen, Meg LeFaueve,
Josh Cooley
GENRE: Animation
LOCATION: Minnesota, San
Francisco
DISTRIBUTOR: Walt Disney
RUNNING TIME: 102 minutes
TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:
MORAL ASSESSMENT:
Buhay Parokya
The Cross
Knights of Columbus Luzon North Deputy and KCFAPI President, Justice Jose Reyes, Jr. gives his message during the launching of
the latest insurance product of KCFAPI dubbed as KC Valiant Elite Pro series: Retire Right and be Protected for Life held last August
21 at the Fr. George J. Willmann SJ Building in Intramuros, Manila.
SK Ramoncito Monchet A.
Ocampo was appointed by the
Supreme Knight as Luzon South
Deputy beginning Columbian
Year 2015 to Columbian Year
2017. Likewise, during the last
Organizational Meeting of the
Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI), he was elected
to the following positions of the
Corporate, C3
TEAM KCFAPI CARES: Reliving the TEAM LOVE BANK: Light warriors
Works of Fr. George J. Willmann
for the Elderly
The Team KCFAPI Cares together with the Elderly of Sto. Nio de Tondo Parish
during their Year of the Poor Activity held last August 20, 2015.
C2
Chairmans Message
Curia Settings
Presidents Message
Remembering Fr. George J. Willmann
THIS September, the Knights of Columbus in the Philippines is celebrating
the 57th founding anniversary of the
Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI)
on September 9 and is commemorating
the death of its founder, Fr. George J.
Willmann on September 14.
Looking back, we can only praise and
thank God for giving Fr. Willmann to the Philippines. He was
born in Brooklyn, New York on June 29, 1897. He first came to
the Philippines in 1922 as a Jesuit seminarian. He went back to
the United States to finish his studies and was ordained there. He
was sent back to the Philippines, where he spent the rest of his
priestly life.
In 1938, Fr. Willmann joined the Knights of Columbus (KofC),
primarily motivated by his concern for the underprivileged youth. A
Youth Program was launched by Manila Council 1000. He gave the
organization new vitality and a new orientation. He also led KofC
members and their families in providing relief to victims of war,
both soldiers as well as civilians. Some KofC members even gave
up their lives to resist the Japanese invasion. When food became
very scarce, Fr. Willmann himself raised hogs for food and for sale.
In 1948, Fr. Willmann organized the first KofC District in the
Philippines composed of three councils: Manila Council 1000,
Cebu Council 3106 and Cagayan de Oro Council 3108. He
became the first District Deputy, the highest KofC leadership.
During his six-year term (1947-1953), significant developments
in KofC history unfolded. The first KofC National Convention in
the Philippines was held from November 29-December 2, 1948.
In 1954, Fr. Willmann was conferred the status of Territorial
Deputy with authority to appoint District Deputies. In every
Supreme Board of Directors meeting, Fr. Willmann would request
for the creation of councils and these were approved. Fr. Willmann
then realized that members now included those from lower income
groups. A protection plan, just like in the United States, became
imperative. Sixty-four KofC members contributed Php500 each
amounting to a total of Php32,000 that served as seed capital.
Thus, on Sept. 9, 1958, the KCFAPI was issued a license by the
Office of Insurance Commissioner as a mutual benefit association.
KCFAPI has grown into one of the most stable institutions in the
industry with a total asset of Php4.51 billion as of December 31,
2014. It now has five wholly-owned or majority owned companies
and foundations namely, Kompass Credit and Financing Corporation (KCFC), a credit and financing corporation, Keys Realty
and Development Corp. (KRDC) that operates the Holy Trinity
Memorial Chapels and Crematorium, Mace Insurance Agency, Inc.
engaged in non-life insurance, Knights of Columbus Fr. George
J. Willmann Charities, Inc (KCFGJWCI) that provides religious
scholarships to poor diocesan priests, and KofC Phils. Foundation,
Inc. (KCPFI) that provides Collegiate scholarships to qualified but
poor high school graduates.
KCFAPI is truly a fulfillment of the primordial purpose of the
Order of the KofC that is To render pecuniary aid to its members,
their families and beneficiaries. For all that Fr. Willmann has
done, let us continue to pray that he will eventually be canonized
a saint.
The Cross
Michael P. Cabra
My Brothers Keeper
Roberto T. Cruz
Mace, C1
The Cross
C3
KCFAPI Cares, C1
Valiant, C1
Corporate, C1
Generous, C1
Love Bank, C3
C4
The Cross
Former Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See and Chairman of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Henrietta T. De Villa receives a plaque
of appreciation from DMII Regional Representative, Sister Fely Gallardo and Diocesan Regent and KCFAPI Executive Vice President, Sister Ma. Theresa G. Curia.
The Father McGivney Office - Philippines, together with the Knights of Columbus Luzon Jurisdiction
and Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc., commemorated the birth and
death anniversary of Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, last August
12 and 14, respectively, through a wreath-laying ceremony and a Eucharistic Mass attented by KC
members and KCFAPI staff. The Mass was presided by Msgr. Pedro Quitorio (bottom), the director of
FMO-PH and was held at the Father McGivney Oratory in KCFAPI Center, Intramuros, Manila.
To start your free membership and receive the Guild newsletter, please complete the form below and return
to: Father McGivney Office - Philippines, Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines,
Inc. Center, Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila 1004, Philippines
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The Fraternal Benefits Group of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc.
(KCFAPI) conducted product knowledge and fraternal service trainings in Butuan with participants
from Agusan Del Norte and Agusan Del Sur last August 15 to 16. The event was led by Agency Unit
Manager for Northern Eastern Mindanao Radiant Sun, Jose Amoroso and was attended by KCFAPI
FBG Vice President, Gari San Sebastian and Fraternal Benefits Services Manager, Michael Cabra.
The Fraternal Benefits Group of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI) held a two-day Fraternal Service Training program last July 25 to 26 at the KCFAPI
main office. Participants were from Isabela, Cagayan and Quezon. Speakers were Fraternal Benefits
Services Manager Michael P. Cabra, Fraternal Benefits Grp. Assistant, Blenda Porillo and Fraternal
Benefits Group Staff, Jennifer Rose Bautista.
MANILA COUNCIL 1000. Luzon South Deputy Ramoncito A. Ocampo together with the Supreme
Director, Alonso L. Tan graced the 111th Installation of Officers and Induction of Service Directors
and Committee Chairmen for the CY 2015-2016 of the Knights of Columbus Manila Council 1000
last August 30, 2015 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel, Manila. Immediate past Grand Knight, Jun
S. Florendo along with the rest of the members of Manila Council 1000 welcomed the new Grand
Knight, Fernando R. Sumang. (KC News)