Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
THE CROSS: A SUPPLEMENT PUBLICATION OF KCFAPI AND THE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Monitor
PHP
20.
00
CBCP
VOLUME 19
NUMBER 4
CBCPMONITOR.COM
CBCP head:
Investigate
those guilty of
DAP misuse
CATHOLIC Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
president and Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B.
Villegas said with the latest
Supreme Court ruling on the
controversial Disbursement
Acceleration Program (DAP),
people hope those who knowingly and deliberately misused
public funds in a manner declared illegal should now be
investigated andprosecuted.
In a one-page statement
issued Wednesday morning,
Archbishop Villegas said the
CBCP renews its call for a
government that truly serves
the nation and that truly avoids
all forms of corruption and
deceit.
Misuse / A7
WHATS INSIDE
Vatican: Rumor of
assassination attempt on Pope
Francis unreliable, A3
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Pangasinan was officially proclaimed a Minor Basilica on Feb. 17, 2015. Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, Orlando Quevedo,
and Gaudencio Rosales were present for the said celebration, which gathered devotees from all over the country. Visitors of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome and the
Manaoag Church will receive the same plenary indulgence as the two churches are affiliates. SABINS MEJIA/SABINS STUDIO
Catholics Lenten fast for climate justice set What are health workers rights
Catholic stand on
climate change, as
well as for world
leaders to take all
possible steps to
meet a global temperature increase
of less than 1.5
degrees Celsius,
relative to preindustrial levels,
through a fair,
ambitious, and
legally binding
global agreement
in the COP 21
summit in Paris.
in answer to Pope
Francis call that
all people need to
act as protectors of
creation
We encourage
Catholics around
the world to unite,
pray and fast in
solidarity with
those who are most
affected by the
changing global
climate, stated
Patrick Carolan,
executive director
Climate / A7
CATHOLIC in
over 45 countries
will take part in a
40-day Lenten fast
for climate justice
starting on Feb.
18, Ash Wednesday, until Mar. 28,
the Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM)
announced.
In a recent statement, GCCM
shares participants
in the fast vow to
pray for a united
CBCPMONITOR@CBCPWORLD.NET
Key actions
With a year to prepare
for the actual congress, the
archdiocese will facilitate
catechesis on the Eucharist in
families, parishes, communities, and schools. It will also
hold an archdiocesan gathering centering on the Eucharist
and the poor.
RCAM will conduct fund
raising campaigns to support congress events in Cebu.
Fund-raising activities will be
conducted in two modes
through collection boxes
dubbed as Piso para sa Misa
ng Mundo to be distributed
in parishes and schools, and
through other fund generation
activities meant to support
chosen delegates from the
poor sectors of the archdiocese.
We hope these actions
could also translate the blessings of the recent visit of Pope
Francis into a profound Eucharistic spirituality and service of
the poor, Tagle said.
IEC 2016, themed Christ
in you, our hope of glory,
marks the second time that
the congress will be held in the
country. The Philippines first
hosted it in 1937.
We enjoin everyone to prepare for the 51st International
Eucharistic Congress. Christ
is in you, He is our hope of
glory, Tagle added. (Jennifer
M. Orillaza/CBCP News)
A2 WORLD NEWS
A Ukrainian Catholic priest at prayer during protests in Kyivs Maidan Square, February
2014. JAKUB SZYMCZUK/GOSC
released in January.
Sophie Richardson from
HRW believes that as an atheist
state, the Chinese government is
not competent to decide what is
normal in religious practice and
what is not.
I think it just another indication of just how deeply the
Chinese government misinterprets the freedom of religion
and the freedom of belief,
Richardson told the Voice of
America.
Commenting on a statement
from Wang Zuoan, the secretary
of the State Administration of
Religious Affairs in Beijing, that
religion should explore the core
values of socialism within its
own context, Richardson said his
statement should raise concern
for all Christian people across
China.
HRW cites the crackdown in
Zhejiang province, a Christian
stronghold in China, as being
particularly significant, saying
Vatican Briefing
On Sunday, Feb. 15, Pope Francis mourned the 21 Egyptian
Christians beheaded by the Islamic State, calling them martyrs
that belong to all Christians. The blood of our Christian
brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard,
the Pope said. Their only words were: Jesus, help me! Pope
Francis made these off-the-cuff remarks in his native Spanish
on Monday, one day after the release of a video from the selfproclaimed Islamic State purporting to show the grisly beheadings of 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt. It makes no difference
whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants,
the pontiff continued. They are Christians! Their blood is one
and the same. Their blood confesses Christ. They were killed
only because they confessed Christ, the Pope said. I ask that
we encourage each another to go forward with this ecumenism which is giving us strength, the ecumenism of blood. The
martyrs belong to all Christians. (CNA)
CBCP Monitor
Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, the former bishop of Limburg, near Frankfurt, Germany, is to begin a new appointment
in March as a delegate on catechesis at the Pontifical Council
for Promoting the New Evangelization, the National Catholic
Register has learned. An official at the Pontifical Council confirmed on Monday that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was appointed
in December on behalf of Pope Francis through the Secretary
of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. It follows reports in the German press that the bishop had been appointed to the Council,
but that the appointment had been subsequently withdrawn by
Pope Francis, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The Vatican press office refused to comment on the appointment when asked by the Register last week, neither confirming
nor denying it had taken place, although Archbishop Georg
Gnswein unofficially confirmed the news to Vatican Magazin
on Feb. 7. Bishop Tebartz-van Elst was at the center of allegations that he had approved a $40m remodeling and building
project in his diocese that included the bishops residence. The
expensive project had actually been ordered by his predecessor,
Bishop Franz Kamphaus, who retired in 2007. Many believe
Tebartz van Elst was the victim of a smear campaign and forced
out because of his orthodoxy. (CNA)
If you care about Gods handiwork youll protect nature, Pope says
CBCP Monitor
NEWS FEATURES A3
Vatican: rumors of
assassination attempt on
Pope Francis unreliable
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi says assassination attempts on Pope Francis
life are unfounded. CNA
Young people learn more about the nobodies in the Bible, all of whom were obviously special to Jesus. This
pre-Adoration station was one of many Year of the Poor-themed activities before the Grand Eucharistic Adoration
proper held at the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) in Mandaluyong City, Feb. 7, 2015. GEA
Adoration as mission
The two previous GEAs that gathered
thousands of young people are proof enough
that young people are searching for something
more than the constant distraction of daily
living.
Everyone knelt down as the procession of
the Blessed Sacrament began and marked the
start of the adoration.
DBTC school rector, Fr. Vitaliano Dimaranan, SDB, presided over the adoration,
encouraging the attendees to make Eucharistic
adoration their mission.
The priest asked them to give back to
the Lord by learning to reach out to others,
condole, help and become one with those
who are in need while holding on to faith
and love for God.
Year of the Poor-inspired
Inspired by the Churchs celebration of
the Year of the Poor, this years GEA entitled
Daop: Isang Katawan, Isa kay Kristo carried
man of humility and prayer who is feeling for those Coptic Christians who have
been martyred.
In reflecting on that, it is clear that
whatever denomination that Christians
come from they are one, he said.
Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has frequently condemned violence
against Christians in the Middle East. During his Urbi et Orbi address on Christmas
Day, 2014, he called for peace in Libya, as
well as in Nigeria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. (Ann Schneible/
CNA/EWTN News)
Pope Francis cited St. Josephs example of silent trust in God. VINZ SANVICTORES
A4 OPINION
CBCP Monitor
EDITORIAL
Monitor
Raising our
Eucharistic piety
Sa manlulupig,
di ka pasisiil!
It is very obvious from the Senate and Lower House hearings that
it is not only president Noynoy
thats being protectedit is the
US collaborators as well. Pray tell,
if the US were not involved since
the planning of Exodus/Wolverine,
why would FBI agents be so ready
to receive in GenSan the contentious finger? (Why, of course, its
the US paying the $6M!) And
why would someone apparently as
thorough as Napenas just surrender
the finger to the foreign agency
without as much as photographing
it for the sake of documentation?
(Was that also on the advice of
his suspended chief?)
Now (as of February 17) that
the house has suspended its probe
and prefers to wait for the investigation report of the Board of In-
Candidly Speaking
Fr. Roy Cimagala
CBCP
Pedro C. Quitorio
Ronalyn R. Regino
Editor-in-Chief
Design Artist
Nirvaana E. Delacruz
Gloria Fernando
Associate Editor
Marketing Supervisor
Roy Q. Lagarde
Ernani M. Ramos
News Editor
Kris Bayos
Features Editor
Circulation Manager
Marcelita Dominguez
Comptroller
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the Areopagus Social Media for Asia, Inc. with editorial and business
offices at 3rd Flr. HHC Building, Victoria cor. Basco Sts.,
Intramuros, Manila. Editorial:
(632) 404-2182. Business:
(632) 404-1612.; ISSN 1908-2940
CBCP Monitor
Mamasapano Encounter:
The Cry for Justice and Peace
Please remember this.
There will be no victors in this war.
Only victims.
Next time it wont just be 44 who
will come home in bodybags
and it wont be only 18 of our
Mujahideens that will be buried
in our cornfields.
The number of widows and orphans will multiply.
Not counting the billions of pesos
spent in bombs and bullets
that can better be used for the poor.
You want to unleash your armed
might and subjugate us?
The Spanish conquistadores tried.
The American imperialists tried.
Successive presidents from Marcos
to Erap tried.
They did not succeed.
You may turn our homeland into
a no mans land
and impose the peace of the graveyard.
But the traumatized orphans will
grow up someday,
filled with hate and will swell the
ranks of the Mujahideens
who will not be open to talk peace
like us.
The spiral of violence will continue.
We will live in perpetual war that
will be waged all over the country.
Is this what you want?
We are not your enemy. You are
not our enemy.
Our ancestors welcomed your
ancestors to our homeland.
The land which you claim as
your own used to belong to us.
Duc In Altum
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago
Pitik-Bulag
AFTER a week of hearing more
horrible stories about the Mamasapano tragedy, I cannot deny that
something is dying in me. The
feelings of anger, frustration and
hopelessness are haunting me. I
am confused and lost. I am sure
majority of the Filipino feel this
way. This tragedy is too much for
us. The temptation to hopelessness
is unavoidable. The damage done
to our psyche and moral fabric is
too grave. To simply ignore them
without doing anything is morally
unacceptable.
The Gospel a few days ago is
speaking to us do not lose hope.
To continue fighting for peace and
justice. Although we are wounded
and hurting, this is not the time to
raise the white flag and give up. For
this trying moment is a defining
moment in our history.
The Gospel readings last Tuesday was about two stories of
people FIGHTING FOR LIFE.
The first was about Jairus who
lost his daughter in sickness. The
OPINION A5
By The Roadside
Rev. Eutiquio EulyB. Belizar, Jr., SThD
An inconvenient dream
POPE Francis to Families at the Mall Of Asia, Manila, January 16,
2015: Do not lose the ability to dream.
Allow me, Holy Father, to try. Here goes mine.
I dream of a Philippines where there is neither rich nor poor but
only fellow Filipinos living as brothers and sisters.
And because they see themselves as family, they do not hesitate to
share the wealth and resources of the country as well as the responsibility of running it justly in the manner of the early Christians who
shared everything in common and distributed according to each
ones need (Acts 4:32, 35).
I dream of every Filipino being seen or judged not in terms of
wealth or social status (a Tan? an Ayala? a Gokongwei? a Zobel?) but
in terms of character and a track record of living out or not ones
faith or principles.
I dream of Filipino fishermen, farmers, carpenters, construction
and factory workers sharing the same ability to buy the same meals
and to live in the same neighborhood with Filipino tycoons and
powerful politicians.
I dream of Filipino children not having to work even as children not
because their parents can afford it but because they ought not yet to. I
dream of the words abuse, addiction, trafficking, prostitution
as being too alien to their minds to understand or to their personal
or social lives because no family, neighborhood or community allows
any. I dream of the Filipino young enjoying the same high quality of
living conditions, exercising the same rights and responsibilities in
education, arts, culture, entertainment, sports, and having the same
access to employment opportunities.
I dream of every Filipino being able to say, My family and I are
prosperous and are proud about it because our country has made it
possible for us!
I dream of the phrase going abroad being totally incomprehensible
to Filipinos because the Philippines has truly become the archipelago
of opportunity where work and working conditions are tailor-made
to the dignity of every worker and the needs of his family. I dream
of service becoming truly of fashion and pursued with passion by
businessmen, politicians, lawyers, doctors, nurses and other Filipino
professionals for whom profit-orientation is now the greatest insult
anyone can utter in their direction.
I dream of poor in the Philippines becoming unknown as an
economic or social status but only as a spiritual and moral attitude,
a way of living.
I dream of the Roman Catholic Church becoming truly a transformative Church not so much by force of teaching as by example.
I dream of the Filipino hierarchy and clergy as foremost models of
a transformed and transforming Church. I dream of Filipino bishops,
deacons and priests refusing to talk about communion, social justice, mercy or compassion without first walking it individually
and collectively.
I dream that no Filipino priest has to go abroad like my high
school seminary spiritual director who confessed he was looking for
(financial) security. I dream that no Filipino diocesan priest has to
desire to go to the cities or bigger parishes to afford a decent mode of
transportation, medical insurance and old-age security. Or, like some
priests from Ground Zero of Yolanda refusing to return to Leyte, to
escape from extreme difficulties at home.
I dream that no Filipino diocesan priest in the provinces struggles,
often unsuccessfully, to make ends meet while his brothers in the
cities or urban centers make a career of changing their cars or SUVs
model year after year, and find it hard to decide whether to go to Paris,
Singapore, New York, Washington or Canberra this year.
I dream that no seriously ill diocesan priest in rural dioceses begs
for contributions from his family, friends or parishioners to pay for
his medical expenses.
By The Roadside / A7
Candidly Speaking / A4
Dialogue / A1
A6 LOCAL NEWS
Christians In Action enjoy some ballroom dancing on a Wednesday at the Office for
Senior Citizens Affairs, Caloocan South City Hall. OLIVER SAMSON
Sacraments / A1
Pitik-Bulag / A5
CBCP Monitor
government is no longer
aware of February as Prolife Month or its second
week as Respect and Care
for Life Week.
Anti-life administration
It would be worthwhile
to call the attention of the
President to the Respect
and Care for Life Week, or
Proclamation 214, issued in
1988 by no less than his own
mother, President Corazon
Aquino, suggested Atty.
Lina Layson of Citizens
for Life, noting the present
administrations apparent
indifference to the issue.
Kanlungan ni Maria priest-in-charge Fr. Dari Diquino (in a Mercy and Compassion shirt) cheers with Dumagats at a chapel in a
mountainous section of Tanay. KANLUNGAN NI MARIA
Adverse / A1
CBCP Monitor
DIOCESAN NEWS A7
selected staff and personnel in the Cathedral and the diocese, as well as the
volunteer laity, who have rendered quality
service to the local church for a significant
length of time yet have never been fully
acknowledged for their dedication.
Diocese of poor people
Beyond this planned conferment of
awards to the unrecognized poor workers
of the local church, the diocese has not
reneged on its promise of providing help
to the marginalized poor in communities,
especially during the typhoon Ruby in
December 2014. Considered as diocese
of poor people, the Diocese of Catar-
Every Christian is a
missionary, prelate says
CACERES To believe in Jesus is
to be sent on mission.
This is what Caceres Archbishop
Rolando Tria Tirona said during
the 4:00 p.m. Eucharistic celebration to mark St. Peter Baptists feast
on Feb. 8 at the Naga Metropolitan
Cathedral.
According to the prelate, every
Christian is a missionary.
He said helping the poor,
strengthening ones community
and preaching the Gospel are all
simple but meaningful ways of
heeding the call of God through
the missionary Church.
Vocation of holiness
In his homily, which highlighted the spirituality, life and
martyrdom of Franciscan missionary St. Peter Baptist, Tirona
emphasized that ones vocation
is holiness.
To be holy, according to the
Carmelite prelate, means to link
oneself to God and to place Him
at the center of ones life.
Moreover, Tirona exhorted to
see and follow the life of St.
Peter Baptist, a man who embodied and exhibited the call of the
Church by sharing, serving, building communities, and celebrating
the Eucharist throughout his mis-
By The Roadside / A5
I dream that no Filipino diocesan priest is classified as belonging to or serving a First, Second,
Third or Fourth Class diocese or
parish. The reason? Because all
dioceses and religious orders in
the Philippines have decided to
go back to our rootsthe early
Church. They have committed
to truly practice communion
before talking about it, sharing
human and material resources,
and distributing them to every
diocese according to its need.
The final episode of my dream:
all dioceses and congregations of
priests in the Philippines strictly
Misuse / A1
catechists, lay ministries and basic ecclesial communities (BECs). The BECs hold
their initial conferences and orientation at
the vicariate levels, for Allen, Catarman,
Laoang, and Gamay.
Diocesan pilgrimage
Fr. Rico Manook, the acting Diocesan
Chancellor, also disclosed that the image of the diocesan patroness, Our Lady
of the Annunciation, is on pilgrimage
throughout the 20 parishes and 11 mission centers in the diocese to spiritually
prepare the people for the upcoming
liturgical event.
On March 11 this year, the diocesan
Fr. Ritchell Salinas, SVD of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Trento, Agusan del Sur prays over the faithful. Fr. Sherwin Aromin, SVD
RH Law / A1
Unaware of rights
She observed, however that many health
workers find themselves unaware of this right
or hesitant to invoke this right when they are
compelled to perform procedures that could go
against their consciences.
Besides health workers, patients, too, have
the Philippine Patients Bill of Rights, which include among its provisions, the right to receive
from his physician information necessary to give
Pastoral guidance
I hope that we can all help in an information
campaign to disseminate the Pastoral Guidance
on the Implementation of the RH Law issued on
July 7, 2014 by the CBCP. Its a useful document
presenting an outline of the Supreme Court decision which can help health care workers know their
rights under the RH law, the physician added.
The month of February as Pro-life month
stemmed from Proclamation No. 214, of
Greater Force / A2
Climate / A1
A8
CBCP Monitor
ignated by Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement comprises the postulator, Fr. Silvestre Marques,
and the Vice-Postulators,
City-Davao City
* March 6 Tarlac City: Our Lady
of Peace College Seminary
* March 7 8 St. Sebastian Cathedral (Tarlac City)
* March 8 9 St. Joseph Parish
(Patling, Tarlac)
* March 9 10 St. Francis of Assisi
Parish (San Manuel, Tarlac)
* March 10 11 St. Alphonsus
Ma. Ligouri Parish (Magallanes
Village, Makati)
* March 11 12 St. James the
Greater Parish (Alabang, Muntinlupa)
* March 12 13 Our Lady of the
Pillar Parish (Pilar Village, Las
Pias)
The Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima remembers the millions of
aborted babies recently in a simple but moving ceremony presided over by Fr. Ramon
R. Garcia, Feb. 7, 2015. CSC FATIMA
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
Individual Christians
As individuals too, we have are tempted
by indifference. Flooded with news reports
and troubling images of human suffering,
we often feel our complete inability to help.
What can we do to avoid being caught up
in this spiral of distress and powerlessness?
First, we can pray in communion with
the Church on earth and in heaven. Let us
not underestimate the power of so many
voices united in prayer! The24 Hours for
the Lord initiative, which I hope will be
observed on 13-14 March throughout the
Church, also at the diocesan level, is meant
to be a sign of this need for prayer.
Second, we can help by acts of charity,
reaching out to both those near and far
through the Churchs many charitable
organizations. Lent is a favourable time for
showing this concern for others by small yet
concrete signs of our belonging to the one
human family.
Third, the suffering of others is a call to
conversion, since their need reminds me
of the uncertainty of my own life and my
dependence on God and my brothers and
sisters. If we humbly implore Gods grace
and accept our own limitations, we will trust
in the infinite possibilities which Gods love
holds out to us. We will also be able to resist
the diabolical temptation of thinking that
FRANCIS
Jose Mayo
CBCP Monitor
B2 Updates
CBCP Monitor
Roy Lagarde
Pope Francis wears headphones for the translation of President Benigno S. Aquino IIIs welcome remarks at Malacaang Palace on Jan. 16, 2015.
File photo
CBCP Monitor
Features B3
CLSP Symposium on
Academic Freedom
and Catholic Education
The three bishops who participated in the CLSP Symposium on Academic Freedom and Catholic Education: from left, Bishop Nerio Odchimar of Tandag, Bishop Joselito Cortes
of Dumaguete, and Bishop Antonieto Cabajog of Surigao.
which means the aimof the Catholic educational institution is to second the family and
the state in the pursuit of such basic human
values, concisely enumerated by the Pope in
the aforementioned quotation:
Respect for the inviolable dignity of
each human person;
Respect for the rights of consciences
and religious freedom;
Respect for the inalienable right to
life, beginning with that of the unborn
and extending to that of the old and
the infirm.
The means to attain such aim was also
clearly stated by the Roman Pontiff: Families
and local communities must be encouraged and
assisted in their efforts to transmit to our young
Education / B7
THE Canon Law Society of the Philippines (CLSP), in collaboration with the Diocese of Dumaguete, organized a Symposium
on Academic Freedom and Catholic Education, at the Negros
Oriental Provincial Convention Center, last 10 February 2015.
The symposiumopen to the public was a part of the 3-day
23rd CLSP National Convention held in Dumaguete City last
9-12 February 2015..
A crowd of some 550 participantsincluding 200 university
and college students, more than 100 school administrators, some
33 members of the local clergy and three bishopsaside from
75 members of the CLSPfilled the Negros Oriental Provincial
Convention Center to the rafters: the CLSP members and the
school administrators filling up the main hall, while the students
occupied the balconies and wings.
A glance at the line-up of lectures and lecturers says it all, as
far as the academic level of the symposium was concerned. A
closer look at the lecture outlines, provided as handouts in a
symposium folder, shows the seriousness of the issue and the
conviction of the organizers that a definitive stand needs to be
taken by the competent authorities.
The first lecture was given by Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao of the
Institute of Corporate Directors and former Finance Secretary of
the Philippines. Entitled The State of Catholic Education in
the Philippines: Lessons from the RH Debate, the 45-minute
lecture focused on three issues. First was academic freedom.
There is a clear dividehe affirmedbetween the faculties in
secular universities and those in officially catholic universities:
in issuing public statements, the former still have to adhere to
the truth but are under no special obligation to adhere to the
Catholic Magisterium. The latter have such a special obligation,
if they wish to continue to use their brand as a so-called Catholic university. Second was the outlook and spirit educational
institutions are supposed to sport and transmit. By their very
designation, and their advertising themselves as Catholiche
continuedthey cannot look at realities from the purely human,
secular, mundane, and narrow perspective. They are supposed to
convey the joy (and the hope) of the Gospel, and the providence
of our father God. Absent such outlook, there is nothing that
would differentiate them from their secular, non-Christian, nonsectarian peers. Finally, he concluded that In issuing public
statements, those in the faculty of Catholic universities have the
obligation to be as clear as our Mother, the Church has been
clear and explicit, and to be flexible, considerate, responsible
and motherly as possible in individual cases, where customized
pastoral guidance is necessary.
The second and third lectures were delivered by Fr. Stefan
Mckl, a tenured professor of civil law in Germany and presently professor of Canon Lawspecializing precisely on the
munus docendi (teaching office) of the Churchat the Pontifical
University of the Holy Cross (Rome). In the first lecture, Prof.
Mckl dealt with the notion of Catholic Education as defined
in the legal documents of the Church, especially as regards the
defining characteristics of a Catholic University, not only as
outlined in the main juridic document on this subject( Ex corde
Ecclesiae) but also in the Vatican II document Gravissimum
educationis. In his second lecture, after the lunch break, he
tackled the canonical aspects of Catholic education, especially
from the point of view of the right of the Catholic faithful to
receive orthodox doctrine in Catholic universities and colleges,
a right which is protected by Canon Law.
In the open forum that followed, several interventions by
both the CLSP members and the members of the academic
community present revealed a united sentiment of indignation that supposedly Catholic institutions were spreading
doctrines contrary to Catholic teaching during the RH debate.
In the sidelines, such sentiment was expressed by one of the
attending bishops that it was necessary for the CLSP to draft
a resolution addressed to the CBCP stating the position of the
society in this matter and assuring the pastors that Canon Law
was on their side, should they decide to intervene decisively
to make the erring professors toe the line. According to Ex
corde EcclesiaeProf. Mckl stressedit is the objective of
a Catholic University ... to assure in an institutional manner
a Christian presence in the university world confronting the
great problems of society and culture (n.12). Thereforehe
continuedevery Catholic University, as Catholic, must have
the following essential characteristics:
a Christian inspiration not only of individuals but of the
university community as such
a continuing reflection in the light of the Catholic
faith upon the growing treasury of human knowledge, to which it seeks to contribute by its own
research;
fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through
the Church;
an institutional commitment to the service of the people
of God and of the human family in their pilgrimage
to the transcendent goal which gives meaning to life.
(n.13)
As a juridical consequence, art.2, 2 states: A Catholic University, as Catholic, informs and carries out its
research, teaching, and all other activities with Catholic
ideals, principles and attitudes. It is linked with the
Church either by a formal, constitutive and statutory
bond or by reason of an institutional commitment made
by those responsible for it.
The last lecture, already late in the afternoon, was given by
Prof. Celerino Tiongco of the University of Asia and the Pacific.
He outlined the process of developing what is getting to be
known as moral literacyi.e., the facility for determining the
morally correct line of action (from principles, correct logic and
proper dispositions to make the moral choice), coupled with
the virtues necessary to embrace that moral choice and to act
accordingly. The lecture was meant to take the oft-quoted daang
matuwid from the realm of rhetoric to the reality of day-to-day
life and the running the State.
In the remainder of the CLSP Conventionwithin which
the aforementioned Symposium was organizedthe Canon Law
Society of the Philippines came up with a Resolution asking
the CBCP to address the aforementioned problem.
B4 FEATURES
CBCP Monitor
Dominic Barrios
Pope Francis kisses a baby with hydrocephalus that he spotted among the sea of Filipinos who attended the Concluding Mass of the Papal Visit to the Philippines last January 18 in Quirino Grandstand, Manila.
Sapientia Cordis
I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame (Job 29:15)
DEAR Brothers and Sisters,
On this, the twenty-third
World Day of the Sick, begun
by Saint John Paul II, I turn to
all of you who are burdened by
illness and are united in various
ways to the flesh of the suffering Christ, as well as to you,
professionals and volunteers in
the field of health care.
This years theme invites us
to reflect on a phrase from the
Book of Job: I was eyes to the
blind, and feet to the lame
( Job29:15). I would like to
consider this phrase from the
perspective of sapientia cordisthe wisdom of the heart.
1. This wisdom is no theoretical, abstract knowledge, the
product of reasoning. Rather,
it is, as Saint James describes
it in his Letter, pure, then
peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good
fruits, without uncertainty or
insincerity (3:17). It is a way
of seeing things infused by the
Holy Spiritin the minds and the
hearts of those who are sensitive
to the sufferings of their brothers and sisters and who can see
in them the image of God. So
let us take up the prayer of the
Psalmist: Teach us to number
o u r d a y s t h a t we m a y g a i n
aheart of wisdom (Ps90:12).
Thissapientia cordis,which is
a gift of God, is a compendium
of the fruits of the World Day
of the Sick.
2.Wisdom of the heart means
serving our brothers and sisters.Jobs words: I was eyes to
the blind, and feet to the lame,
point to the service which this
just man, who enjoyed a certain authority and a position of
importance amongst the elders
of his city, offered to those in
need. His moral grandeur found
expression in the help he gave
to the poor who sought his help
and in his care for orphans and
widows (Job29:12-13).
CNA
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 23rd World Day of the Sick 2015
Pope Francis greets the sick and handicapped during his General Audience on May
15, 2013
FRANCIS
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to the President of the Episcopal Conferences
and Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Concerning the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors
LAST March I established the Pontifical Commission for the Protection
of Minors, which had first been announced in December 2013, for the
purpose of offering proposals and
initiatives meant to improve the norms
and procedures for protecting children
and vulnerable adults. I then appointed
to the Commission a number of highly
qualified persons well-known for their
work in this field.
At my meeting in July with persons
who had suffered sexual abuse by
priests, I was deeply moved by their
witness to the depth of their sufferings
and the strength of their faith. This
experience reaffirmed my conviction
that everything possible must be done
to rid the Church of the scourge of the
sexual abuse of minors and to open
pathways of reconciliation and healing
for those who were abused.
For this reason, last December I
added new members to the Commission, in order to represent the Particular Churches throughout the world. In
just a few days, all the members will
meet in Rome for the first time.
CBCP Monitor
STATEMENTS B5
Heroes among us
As we did almost immediately after being informed of the gallant deaths of our
Aimee Cruz
Justice / B7
v i s i o n s o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t s
judgment and resolution. The
C B C P i t s e l f w i l l c o n d u c t i t s ow n
study with the aid of consultants
a n d e x p e r t s . To g e t h e r, we h o p e
t o m a k e p ro p o s a l s f o r c h a n g e , i f
these should be deemed necessar y,
either by legislation or even by
constitutional amendment.
It i s a l s o h o p e d t h a t t h o s e w h o
k n ow i n g l y a n d d e l i b e r a t e l y m i s used public funds in a manner
d e c l a r e d i l l e g a l b y t h e Su p r e m e
File Photo
Bi s h o p s C o n f e re n c e o f t h e
Philippines has not arrived at a
collective position. Whether or
not the President should resign
and yield the powers of his high
office to a lawful successor is a
judgment that he must make,
after prayerful discernment,
and in all humility and judiciousness.
ju d i c i a l f i a t t o d i s b u r s e m e n t s f o r
u n a p p ro p r i a t e d i t e m s o r p ro je c t s .
Un d e r o u r p re s e n t c o n s t i t u t i o n a l
s ys t e m , t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n i s w h a t
t h e Su p r e m e C o u r t s a y s i t s t e x t
means.
T h e C B C P t h e re f o re i n v i t e s l e gal academics and others to study
the implications of the Resolut i o n . Me a n w h i l e , a l l a r e u r g e d
t o a b i d e b y t h e Ru l e o f L a w b y
c o m p l yi n g w i t h t h e d e c re t a l p ro -
C o u r t s h o u l d n ow b e i n ve s t i g a t e d
and, if necessar y, prosecuted. The
CBCP renews its call for a governm e n t t h a t t r u l y s e r ve s t h e n a t i o n
a n d t h a t t r u l y a vo i d s a l l f o r m s o f
corruption and deceit.
Fe b r u a r y 4 , 2 0 1 5
+ S O C R AT ES B . V I L L EGA S
A rc h b i s h o p o f L i n g a ye n - Da g u p a n
C B C P Pre s i d e n t
B6 REFLECTIONS
CBCP Monitor
Transfiguration:
revelation and challenge
2nd Sunday of Lent, Mark 9:2-10 (B)
March 1, 2015
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
THE transfiguration was a momentous
event in the life of Jesus and his disciples
because it revealed to them his divine
identity as well as a
ver y important aspect of his mission.
All those who had
met him, but especially the closest among his disciples were the first
to realize it. They
had begun to wonder who that man
could be who had
the power to quell
storms and cast out
devils. (See Mk 4:31
and 1:27.) In the episode of the Transfiguration, the radiant
aspect of Jesus whole
person revealed the
divinity hidden in
him, and the voice
o f t h e Fa t h e r c o n firmed that visual
revelation: This is
my Son, my beloved.
(Mk 9:7).
T h e Vo i c e r e vealed that Jesus
was no ordinary man. He was not just
an extra-ordinary man. He was not just
another Moses or the greatest of the
Fra Angelico
Transfiguration / B7
Bo Sanchez
ENCOUNTERS
Gods people
Soulfood
IM a preacher.
But Im also an entrepreneur.
Yes, I run a few personal businesses.
(Just to clear the questions in many
peoples minds: Nope, I dont own
Bos Caf. Though I wish I did.)
Because I earn through my
businesses, I can afford not to get
a salary from my spiritual community, Light of Jesus Family. When I
preach 4x at the Feast each Sunday,
I do so for free. And I love it.
This is also the reason why I
donate all my book royalties to
the ministry. (So far, Ive written 36 bestselling books, and my
book royalties are humongous.) I
love the fact that I write books for
free too.
And when huge companies invite me to speak, my speakers fee
is large. But I donate 100% of it
to the ministry.
How can I keep giving money
away?
Because I earn money from my
own small businesses. Thats how
I feed my familyand employ al-
CBCP Monitor
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
THE front page of a widely circulated tabloid said it all in just one message in extra
large bold letters: Kids made to perform
sex acts in detention. Sensational indeed
but true, very shockingly true. That is just
one of the many violations that children as
young as 8-years old suffer in governmentrun and even badly supervised private
shelters in the Philippines. This is the truth
and reality that was being covered up and
denied during the visit of Pope Francis to
the Philippines last Jan. 15 to 19.
We know it is true and real because at
the Preda Foundation, the community
and social workers rescued many of them
in the past years and months. The week
before the Popes visit 6 more minors were
rescued by Preda and this writer, including an 8-year old street child.
Kids being held behind bars is nothing
new. We exposed this 15 years ago many
times with graphic images from several
jails on ITV, CNN and in The Manila
Times and other media outlets including
this column but all to no avail. The officials dont see or read these reports or if
they do they turn the other way.
Perhaps some officials consider the
children as riff-raff, eyesores, pests
and a blight on society. The elite that
run this country have no love for the
poor. They make up 1% of the 101.4
million Filipinos and live in sumptuous ostentatious luxury. The most
notorious thieves and criminals in the
national penitentiary live it up with
air-conditioned plush rooms with double beds, female visitors, drugs, money,
widescreen HD TVs, cell phones, guns
and stacks of money.
Good on Secretary of Justice Leila De
Lima and her team to find it out and close
it down in a few days. The politicians,
senators and a former president are presently jailed for plunder of billions of pesos
and have private villas instead of cells.
The children are jailed in harsh dehumanizing abusive conditions. The 8-year
olds are forced to do sex acts on other
older teenagers every night. Because of
this, sexual abuse behind bars is one of
many reasons why children as young as
8 to 15 should never, never be detained
in jail cells, or rooms with older boys
without direct adult supervision.
PREDA Foundation
Advocates of childrens rights protest the neglect and abuse of children in detention centers in November 2014.
of child abuse from the past until the present were published to show it is not an
isolated incident but a long term problem.
Justice / B5
From the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Intramuros, Manila, February 16, 2015.
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan
President, CBCP
Real / B2
Education / B3
CBCPMonitor
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Name _________________________________________________
(Family Name)
(Given Name)
(Middle Name)
_____________________________
Signature
PLEASE SEND TO:
CBCP Monitor, P.O. Box 3601, Manila, Philippines
470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, Philippines | Tel (632) 404-2182 Telefax (632) 404-1612
Or e-mail this at cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.com
B8 FEATURES
CBCP Monitor
Chassy Tesoro
Fr. Marbendear Morallas of the Archdiocese of Davao celebrated the Holy Mass during the Singles for Christ (SFC) International Conference (ICON) at the
Puerto Princesa Coliseum, Feb. 13, 2015.
Other activities
The schedule of the program is as
follows:
1:30 p.m. Conference: The Process of Beatification and Canonization
Fr. Sammy S. Silloriquez, OAR
(Postulator for the Causes of Saints)
3:00 p.m. Eucharistic Celebration
Manila Archbishop Lus Antonio
G. Cardinal Tagle
Reading of the Decree of Heroic
Virtues
Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales
Other activities include:
Unveiling of Ven. Albert Schwartzs
portrait
Procession to the Chapel of the
Virgin of the Poor and the Tomb of
Ven. Albert Schwartz
Homage to Ven. Albert Schwartz
Prayer for Beatification and Canonization
Wreath-laying by Sisters of Mary,
Brothers of Christ, and Graduates
Cultural Show by Boystown and
Girlstown Children (Raymond A.
Sebastin/CBCP News)
Buhay Parokya
Oliver Samson
Fr. Fernando Dodong Po, himself afflicted, intercedes for the healing of every sick
person he anoints at the St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral Parish in Tagbilaran City on
Feb. 11, World Day for the Sick.
Marys love
Po, who is fondly referred to as
Fr. Dodong by parishioners and
the people close to him, hosted the
pain healing mission for local seniors
conducted by the sea, as well as the
rest of four-day stay of Dioquino and
his team of 11 magnesium advocates.
Dioquino, main Mass celebrant
on the feast day of Our Lady of
Lourdes that day, drew attention to
Marys unfailing love for the faithful,
in spite of their weaknesses.
He also exhorted believers to do
HOPE, which means help one
person everyday.
Fr. Julian Lupot, vicar of the said
parish, estimated the long lines of
men and women, young and old
Brothers Matias
1k anointed at groups
1st Visayan healing
mission trip
Faithfulness
If your boyfriend [or] girlfriend leads
you to the temptation, get away from
thatThats not a boyfriend, girlfriend,
thats the devil made flesh, he said.
According to Morallas, this faithfulness
as singles is carried over even into married life.
During the exchange of vows, you
do not face only each other you face the
altar.You dont say, Honey piesweetie
pie Your faithfulness to your husband is
your faithfulness to God; your unfaithfulness to your husband is your unfaithfulness
to God, he explained.
The First reading, which was taken from
the Genesis account of the fall of Adam and
Eve, said the priest, shows how destructive
relationships can be when it is led apart
from God.
Adam and Eve failed to be faithful to
God. They just listened to their unholy
desires and this destroyed them, stressed
Morallas.
We are asked to love more. For me, to
love more is to be faithful to the purpose
of God, he told some 4,500 SFC ICON
delegates coming from all over the Philippines, as well as countries like the United
Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain and Thailand, among others.
The SFC ICON, which carries the
theme Love More runs from Feb. 13 to
15, held this year in Palawan.(Nirvaana
Ella Delacruz/CBCPNews)
The Cross
K of C Foundation Conducts
Scholarship Qualifying Exam
In photo are scholarship applicants who took the qualifying examination at the KCFAPI Center in Intramuros, Manila last February 7, 2015.
Structural Enhancements
for the Foundations
IN line with the unified thrust
of the Knights of Columbus, the
Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc.
(KCFAPI), the KC Philippines
Foundation, Inc. (KCPFI) and the
Knights of Columbus Fr. George
J. Willmann Charities, Inc. (KCFGJWCI) all of which intend to
optimize activities this 2015 in
support of the Year of the Poor;
both KCPFI and KCFGJWCI
are now formalizing a number of
structural enhancements aimed at
strengthening their joint capability
to pursue various projects/ endeavors for the Poor.
As already approved by the
KCFAPI Board and Management,
subject structural enhancements
primarily entail the designation
of selected KCFAPI Officers who
will voluntarily serve and handle
specific areas in the Foundations
on a more formal basis. Under
the new set-up, KCFAPI EVP Ma.
Theresa Curia will concurrently
act as EVP for both Foundations.
In addition, operational functions
within each Foundation will now
be decentralized with the appointment of additional Executive
Directors in both Foundations.
As such, there will now be five (5)
Executive Directors (EDs) in each
Foundation specializing in the following areas, viz:
ED Finance & Ways and
Means KCFAPI VP Mary Mag-
dalene G. Flores
ED Scholarships KCFAPI
VP Angelito A. Bala
ED Cause KCFAPI VP
Ronulfo Antero G. Infante
ED Promotions KCFAPI
VP Gari M. San Sebastian
ED Special Projects &
Museum Executive Director
Roberto T. Cruz
To handle legal concerns for
both Foundations, KCFAPI Legal
Manager, Atty. Neil Jerome A.
Rapatan will now be designated as
Foundation Legal Officer.
The Board and Management
of the Foundations, in coordination with KCFAPI, have already
lined up various activities for both
Foundations including a number
of fund-raising thrusts such as a
Charity Birthday Dinner, a Fun
Run, a Bingo Social, a Charity
cruise, the establishment of Professorial Chair Scholarships and
the continuous solicitation of new
Willmann Fellows.
Listed Projects for the Poor,
on the other hand, include the
completion of the K of C Bahaynihan (A Fr. Willmann Housing
Project) in Tacloban, a Livelihood
Program on Cosmetology, more
scholarships funded by personal/
external funds.
The Foundations will also seek
to generate more participative involvement of its alumni-scholars Foundations, C3
C2
Alonso L. Tan
Chairmans Message
Curia Settings
The Cross
My Brothers Keeper
Presidents Message
Special Feature
Michael P. Cabra
Roberto T. Cruz
succeed in life.
They say: God helps those
who help themselves! We believe that both Foundations
only play the role of Initiators
that provide a means to start
our scholars lifelong voyage
along the Road to progress in
their life or vocation. We want
our voyager-scholars to be well
equipped to meet and surpass
the wide range of challenges in
life. This supports the need to
select only the best among the
many that approach us for help.
They must help themselves after
the Foundations give the initial
push to help them.
As in any farm or plantation,
the Foundations pick the most
fertile ground so that the harvest
will be bountiful. We want to
help the poor, the needy and the
underprivileged by permanently
improving their career, their
vocation and their life; NOT by
creating a short-lived illusion that
anyone can complete a College
education even without proper
preparation and qualification.
The Foundations love for
their scholars is similar to a parents love for his children which
aims to instill personal development and growth, strength of
character and commitment by
maintaining direction and discipline. Through their approved
selection criteria, KCPFI and
KCFGJWCI, effectively do not
spare the rod to spoil the child.
Those who fail to perform as
expected and as committed for
the duration of their studies
face the consequences for having
The Cross
C3
for families.
Mary also brings our families
closer to the Holy Family, which
St. John Paul II described in his
1994Letter to Families as the
icon and model of every human
family.
Likewise, St. Paul described
Christian family life as a great
mystery (Eph 5:32). According
to St. John Paul II, it is because
of their vocation to love that husbands and wives are introduced
into the realm of this great
mystery, and it is precisely here
that their vocation to love may
reach fulfillment in what he calls
fairest love.
Here again, Mary is key.
In his Letter to Families, St.
John Paul II wrote, Mary was the
first to enter this realm, and she
introduced her husband Joseph
into it. Thus they became the first
models of that fairest love which
the Church continually implores
By James B. Reuter, SJ
Part XVI of Chapter One of The Gentle Warrior series
of awareness or of promoting
peace, hope, and love around
the world? Make everyone feel
that love is not just a figment
of our imagination. Go ahead
and make that social networking
sites timeline worth reading and
scrolling, let not 140 characters
limit the power of your voice,
and showcase how beautiful and
glam the gardens of earth is. No
one is stopping us the way we
may want to celebrate Valentines Day. No guilt trip, you can
still do the aforementioned. Hey,
its a bit traditional and at your
own expense anyway. Besides
expression of love to your loved
ones: parents, family, spouses,
boyfriends/girlfriends, friends,
even pets, which can be done
any day of the year or every day
but again at your own expense.
Let us just not fail to remember
the mere essence of this day.
The heart has its reasons that
reason knows nothing of. Merci, Monsieur Blaise Pascal for
those words of humility. Let the
existence of St. Valentines Day
serve as a reminder of what our
main purpose here on earth is
to love and be loved. Sooner or
later, love is a monster we shall
not fear of feeding on everyone
here on earth.
What is the most important
subject you have to learn in life?
To learn how to love. And this
is the challenge that life offers
you. - Pope Francis (Philippines
Papal Visit 2015). (Concha Luz
F. Angeles)
Foundations, C1
C4
The Cross
sex marriage, abortion, divorce and euthanasia, said Luzon Deputy and KCFAPI
President, Bro. Arsenio Isidro Yap.
The current RH law is not just against
our faith, but also our human nature.
These are the ultimate goals of the RH
law, he said.
The RH law that provides state funding
for contraceptives has not been implemented yet due to a restraining order issued by
the Supreme Court.
The KofC and other critics of the law
have repeatedly warned that it was just
cleverly packaged as a health measure
when it is clearly about population control.
Brother Knights and other pro-life
defenders all over the country are encouraged to join the event. Assembly will be in
front of KCFAPI Building at 5:30 A.M.
(KC News)
ON January 22, 2015 braving the winter chill of Washington, D.C., hundreds of
thousands gathered to witness
the sanctity of every human
life by participating in the
2015 March for Life. Joining
them was Supreme Knight
Carl Anderson, who addressed
the marchers including
thousands of Knights and
their families and thanked
them for their support of the
culture of life.
Thank you for your witness and your stand for life!
Supreme Knight Anderson said
to the crowd. We face new
threats this year new efforts
to legalize doctor-assisted suicide. But we will stand up for
all those at the end of life, as we
do for those at the beginning of
life. We must build a culture of
life for all those who are vulnerable or who suffer their life
is a gift! Today, we celebrate the
gift of every life.
Knights and their families, including many college
Knights from throughout
the country, gathered for the
march, which this year focused
on the theme Every Life is a
The North Eastern Luzon Cavaliers of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI) led by Area Manager Armando C. Gonzales conducted their Fraternal Service Training (FST1)
last January 30 31, 2015 at the Diositas Hotel, Santiago, Isabela. The speaker was KCFAPI Fraternal
Benefits Services Manager Michael Cabra.
The Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) Bicol Express Area Manager,
Efren V. Mendoza conducted an Opening Salvo and Sales Rally with this group last January 24 to 25 at
the New Crown Hotel, Naga City.
In Loving Memory of
Central Luzon Conquerors led by Area Manager, Manuel Naldoza recently conducted a sales rally with Fraternal Benefits Services Manager Michael Cabra of
the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) as guest speaker.