Monitor

CBCP

MARCH 18 -31, 2019, VOL 23, NO. 06 CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM

PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE

Honesty in
gov’t still a
More priests face
crucial poll
issue —
bishop
kill threats
WHILE inflation, jobs
and economy are major
concerns, there’s one
issue that a Catholic
bishop still think is more
important today: honesty
in government.
Speaking at the National
Migrants’ Sunday
celebration, Bishop
Ruperto Santos of Balanga
reminded the public that
honesty and integrity are
the hallmarks of good
governance and leadership.
“Be honest in words
and deeds,” Santos said
in his homily during Mass
at Columban College in
Barreto, Olongapo City.
As head of the Church’s
migrants ministry, he
urged overseas Filipino
workers (OFWs) to choose
candidates who are “honest,
hardworking and helpful
like them”.
Saying that OFWs
are the backbone of the
economy, he urged them
to pick candidates for the
Fathers Albert Alejo, Robert Reyes and Flavie Villanueva are prayed over by nuns and lay leaders amid death threats they are receiving from unknown people, March 11. JOE TORRES/UCAN
May 13 elections who are
not tainted with graft and threatening to kill them. Flavio launched a program in 2016 Three Catholic priests have been
corruption. By Roy Lagarde
The priests also presented some to help families of victims of killings killed since December 2017, raising
“Pick those who will not excerpts from the death threats that in the drug war. alarm among Church officials.
take advantage of your they, Archbishop Socrates Villegas Called “Paghilom” (healing), Still, Reyes said such threats
remittances,” Santos said. BISHOPS and priests
who have been receiving and Bishop Pablo Virgilio David it is one of several church-based will not prevent them from doing
The prelate also defended had received. initiatives to bring hope to those their mission to protect the people
the Filipino workers over death threats have one Villanueva, who runs a center in the “peripheries” of the Church especially the oppressed.
influx of Chinese workers thing in common: they are for those who were widowed and and society. “We will continue to do this as
in the country. all critics of extrajudicial orphaned by the government’s “Why am I so passionate about servants of God and the people with
According to him, foreign killings in the country. bloody war on drugs, said that some this? I want to prove that there’s a mission to protect the rights and
employers would prefer At least three more priests came people may be felt “threatened” by hope for them (drug uses) and they welfare of our neighbors,” Reyes
Filipino workers. out Monday to reveal threats his cause. should not be killed,” he said. said.
“This is why I believe against them amid President “If helping them (drug war Alejo admitted that they are Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of
there is no truth to the Rodrigo Duterte’s continued orphans, widows) seems to already concerned about their Manila has earlier disclosed to
statement of some tirade against church leaders. be a threat to others because safety. Duterte that David and some priests
government officials that In a press conference at a it empowers and allows them “We came out not only because have been getting death threats.
Filipino workers are not seminary in Quezon City on March to speak the truth, then maybe the threats may come true but Villegas and David are two of the
qualified for the jobs,” he 11, Fathers Flavie Villanueva, Albert someone wants me to stop what also because of the possibility that most outspoken prelates against the
said. (CBCP News) Alejo and Robert Reyes said that I’m doing,” he said. allegations may be brought out after drug war and have been calling for
they have been sent messages A former drug user himself, we are killed,” he said. an end to killings.

Vatican official cites OFWs’ contributions Church eyes divesting from

‘dirty energy’, mining
to world evangelization TALKS are underway for
A VATICAN official has Catholic dioceses to withdraw
recognized the strategic from “dirty energy” holdings
role the overseas Filipino as a means of fighting climate
workers play in the work of change, a bishop said.
evangelization. Bishop Gerardo Alminaza
Cardinal Fernando of San Carlos said there
Filoni, Prefect of the needs for a “collective action”
Congregation for the among bishops to address the
Evangelization of problem.
Peoples, said OFWs are He said the plan
missionaries of their faith underscored that the
among the peoples they environmental issue is
live and work with. increasingly seen by church
“Filipinos know how leaders as a deeply moral
to evangelize in a very concern.
“We can’t clearly stand
for renewable energy if our
deposits are invested in such
industries,” Alminaza said.
Asked if some church
investments in mining are
included, he said that “the
general moral guideline is
for any business that are
against our core values and
principles”.
“So, for instance, we
collectively decide to pull out
from a particular bank, it will
have an impact,” Alminaza said.
Energy / A6

wonderful way, not only

here but everywhere in the
world,” Filoni told O Clarim,
a Church publication in
Macau.
With an estimated 10
million Filipinos working
abroad, he said that “they
bring their witnesses
everywhere”.
“This is wonderful! It means
no borders: fraternity,” said
Filoni, who previously served
as Apostolic Nuncio to the
Philippines.
More than considering
OFWs as migrant workers,
he explained that they can
also share “the treasure of
their experience, of faith, of
love”.
Bishop urges prudence on
medical marijuana legalization
A CATHOLIC bishop urged
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, with Bishop Stephen Lee Bun Sang of lawmakers to exercise
Macau in the diocese’s Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady. IVAN LEONG/O CLARIM prudence on the proposal
to legalize medical use of
“And I’m sure the local Migrants’ Sunday on his pastoral visit. cannabis in the country.
church will take advantage March 10. For two days, on March Newly appointed military
also for the testimony or the Government data 3 and 4, he presided over a Bishop Oscar Jaime
witness they can do for their showed around 219,000 Mass at the Macau cathedral Florencio said different
faith. They can bring love, Filipinos are working in attended by local Catholics studies must be considered
they can bring joy, and also Hong Kong and about and a number of OFWs. carefully in tackling the issue
enrich the local church,” he 30,000 are in the He also took part in a of medical marijuana.
added. neighbouring Macau. meeting with local priests, “There should be some
The cardinal’s statement Filoni was in the former the religious and seminarians prudent decisions by the
comes as the Philippine Portuguese enclave, now a of the diocese and visited authorities because they
Catholic Church marked special administrative region the University of St. Joseph. are there to regulate what is
the annual National of China, this week as part of (CBCP News) Prudence / A7 Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio
A2 WORLD NEWS March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 CBCP Monitor

New Zealand bishops ‘horrified’ Vatican Briefing

by mosque shootings
WELLINGTON, New
Zealand— The New Zealand
Catholic Bishops Conference
released a statement of
solidarity with the country’s
Muslim population
following terrorist attacks
on two mosques in the city
of Christchurch. At least 49
people were killed in a mass
shooting on March 15.
“We hold you in prayer as
we hear the terrible news of
violence against Muslims at
mosques in Christchurch,”
the country’s six bishops
wrote in a joint letter.
The bishops said they
were “profoundly aware” of
the “positive relationships”
New Zealand Catholics
enjoyed with their Muslim
neighbors.
The shootings occured
during Friday afternoon
prayers at the Al Noor and
Linwood mosques, and
the bishops said they were
“particularly horrified” that
the attacks coincided with
acts of worship.
“We are deeply saddened
that people have been killed
and injured, and our hearts
go out to them, their families
and wider community. We
wish you to be aware of our
solidarity with you in the
face of such violence,” said
the bishops.
The attack at the Al
Noor mosque, in which
Bishop Patrick Dunn of Auckland, New Zealand, carries flowers to place at Al-Jamie Mosque to memorialize victims of the
March 15 mosque attacks in Christchurch. With Bishop Dunn are Brother Brendan Ward, left, rector of Holy Cross Seminary,
seminarians and clergy. CNS/MICHAEL OTTO, NZ CATHOLIC
more than 40 people were
killed, was broadcast on
Facebook Live, and the
alleged attacker published
a manifesto on the internet.
An armed worshipper at
the second mosque chased
away the gunmen, ending
the attack. Seven people
were killed in Linwood.
Several people, including
an Australian national have
taken into police custody,
and one person has been
charged with murder. It is
unclear how many people
were involved in the attacks.
New Zealand police said
that several improvised
explosive devices (IEDs)
were found in a car near
the Al Noor mosque. These
were disabled before they
could be detonated.
Other prominent
Catholic figures expressed
condolences to those
affected by the attack.
“I share [Pope Francis’]
deep sadness and grief
over the deadly violence in
Christchurch. No one should
have to fear something
like this, perpetrated as
they worship. We cannot
tolerate hatred of or
prejudice against any of the
Lord’s children,” said New
York archbishop Cardinal
Timothy Dolan in a message
posted to Twitter.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
of Westminster expressed
similar sentiment.
“The news of the
massacre in the New
Zealand mosques is deeply
shocking and has caused us
all great pain. We pray for
the many victims, for the
wounded and for the whole
community, which has been
severely affected by this act
of terrorism,” said Nichols.
“May God free us
from these tragedies
and sustain the efforts
of all those who work
for peace, harmony and
coexistence.” (CNA)
French cardinal, convicted of abuse cover-up,
meets pope
As he announced he would do after he was convicted of
covering up sexual abuse committed by a priest, French
Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon met Pope Francis March
18 to hand in his resignation. The Vatican confirmed the
meeting took place but gave no details and no immediate
sign of whether the pope agreed that the 68-year-old cardinal
should step down. The cardinal’s lawyers have filed an
appeal of the conviction, which was handed down March 7
by a French court. Cardinal Barbarin was given a six-month
suspended sentence. The court found the cardinal guilty of
covering up abuse by Father Bernard Preynat at Lyon’s Saint-
Luc Parish, where he ran a large Catholic Scout group in the
1970s and 1980s. Although Cardinal Barbarin did not become
head of the Lyon archdiocese until 2002, it was alleged that he
had known of the abuse at least since 2010. Cardinal Barbarin
suspended Father Preynat in 2015, and in 2016, the priest
was charged with abuse and rape; he is awaiting trial. (CNS)
Pope: Imitate God by being merciful to others
The season of Lent is a time for Christians to reflect on
and practice the mercy of God toward others and not waste
away sitting in judgment of others, Pope Francis said. Jesus’
command to “be merciful, just as your father is merciful” is
a reminder for Christians that God always has shown them
mercy even when they were at their worst, the pope said in his
homily March 18 during morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae
Marthae. “How many people say, ‘I have done such terrible
things. I have earned my place in hell, I can’t turn back.’ But
do they think about the mercy of God?” he asked. (Junno
Arocho Esteves/CNS)
Corruption is a devastating cancer harming society,
pope says
The constant temptation and cancer of corruption is one of
the most devastating illnesses to befall society, Pope Francis
said. Corruption causes considerable damage both ethically
and economically, he said in an audience March 18 with
judges, administrators and staff from Italy’s court of audit, a
kind of government accountability office with judicial powers.
The pope told his audience that corruption, with its “illusion of
fast and easy gains, in reality impoverishes everyone, erasing
trust, transparency and integrity from the entire system.
Corruption disheartens individual dignity and shatters all

Northern Ireland anti-abortion law has saved good and beautiful ideals.” Public assets, he said, must be
safeguarded for the benefit of everyone, especially the poor.
(Carol Glatz/CNS)
100,000 lives, pro-lifers say Pope leads pilgrims in prayer for victims of
mosque attack
Pope Francis called on Christians to unite in prayer for the
victims of two mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand,
that left 50 people dead and dozens wounded in one of the
worst mass shootings in the country’s history. “I am close to
our Muslim brothers and sisters and their entire community.
I renew my invitation to unite with them in prayer and
gestures of peace to counter hatred and violence,” the pope
said March 17 during his Sunday Angelus address. Around
the world, thousands have joined in praying for the victims
of the March 15 attack. The gunman, Brenton Tarrant, left a
74-page manifesto posted on social media, identifying himself
as a 28-year-old Australian and white nationalist who wanted
to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. After
condemning the attack, Pope Francis bowed his head as he
led the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in
silent prayer for the dead and the wounded. (Junno Arocho
Esteves/CNS)

Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels dies at 85

Participants in a women’s march on Westminster highlighting 100,000 alive today because of Northern Ireland’s abortion laws, Feb. 26, 2019.
BELFAST, Northe rn Ire land—
Efforts to protect the unborn from
legal abortion in Northern Ireland
continue despite efforts to bypass self-
governance and go directly through
the U.K. Parliament—efforts backed
by a U.N. committee and pro-abortion
rights politicians and groups.
Last month pro-life advocates
marched on the U.K. Parliament
in Westminster opposing any
imposition of legal abortion on
Northern Ireland. Ten women
marchers each held a box
symbolizing 10,000 people they say
have been born because of laws that
protect the unborn from abortion.
“100,000 people in Northern
Ireland are alive today because
Northern Ireland did not accept the
same abortion law that was introduced
into Britain in 1967,” Dawn McEvoy,
co-founder of the Belfast-based group
Both Lives Matter, said Feb. 26.
“These people are our mothers,
fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters
and sons. Abortion pressure groups
have no mandate from us the people
of Northern Ireland to impose
abortion on Northern Ireland from
Westminster. We urge the British
Government to respect the people
of Northern Ireland and our elected
representatives.”
On March 9, several hundred pro-
abortion rights protesters paraded to
Belfast’s City Hall, calling for legal
abortion in Northern Ireland. Some
marchers accused British Prime
Minister Theresa May of violating
women’s rights. The demonstration
aimed to mark International Women’s
Day observed the previous day, the
Belfast Telegraph reports.
Abortion is legally permitted in
Northern Ireland only if the mother’s
life is at risk or if there is risk of
permanent, serious damage to her
mental or physical health. Bills to
legalize abortion in cases of fatal fetal
abnormality, rape, or incest failed in
the Northern Ireland Assembly in
2016.
Elective abortion is legal in the rest
of the U.K. up to 24 weeks.
May has said abortion should
remain a devolved issue for Northern
Ireland, which has self-governing
powers.
However, the Northern Ireland
Assembly at Stormont is currently
suspended due to disagreements
between the two major governing
parties: the anti-abortion Democratic
Unionist Party, which has traditionally
drawn support from Protestants, and
Sinn Fein, which has traditionally
drawn support from Catholics but
has taken a strong turn towards
permissive abortion laws in recent
years.
The DUP is a member of May’s
coalition government in Westminster
at a critical time in British politics,
amid much controversy over the
U.K.’s exit from the European Union.
Amnesty International is backing
changes to Northern Ireland abortion
law.
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty’s
campaigns manager in Northern
Ireland, called on the U.K. government
to introduce “abortion reform”
legislation in Westminster without
delay. In a March 11 statement, she said
devolution “does not relieve the U.K.
BOTH LIVES MATTER VIA CNA
government of their responsibility
to uphold human rights in Northern
Ireland.”
The group welcomed the U.N.
Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women report
published March 11.
The U.N. committee charged
there were “grave and systematic
violations of women’s rights” in the
region and criticized the failure of
the U.K. to “ensure women’s access
to abortion services,” including
decriminalization of abortion, on
the grounds that it is a matter for
Northern Ireland authorities. The
committee cited the 1998 Good
Friday Agreement, which requires
the Westminster Parliament to
legislate as necessary to ensure that
the U.K.’s international obligations
are met with respect to Northern
Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s abortion law
has been under increased pressure in
recent years. Since abortion became
legal after strong voter support in the
Republic, abortion advocates have
said “the North is next,” while pro-
life advocates have said “The North
Protects.”
Labour Party MP Stella Creasy had
intended to propose an amendment
to a draft domestic abuse bill to
change abortion laws in Ireland, but
the ruling Conservative government
restricted the bill to England and
Wales.
Creasy has joined MPs from
multiple parties and more than 70
groups calling on the government to
remove the restriction, the Belfast
Telegraph reports. (CNA)
Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, retired archbishop
of Mechelen-Brussels, died March 14 at the age of 85. Pope
Francis expressed his condolences to Cardinal Danneels’
family, and the Belgian faithful and praised the late prelate’s
zeal for the church, especially during the Synod of Bishops on
the family in 2014 and 2015. Born June 4, 1933, in Kanegem,
Belgium, Cardinal Danneels was the oldest of six children.
He was ordained a priest in 1957 and two years later became
chairman of the department of theology and spiritual director
at the seminary in Bruges. In 1969, he became professor of
theology at Louvain University. Known as a lecturer and
a liturgist, he was appointed by St. Paul VI as bishop of
Antwerp in 1977. Two years later, he was named archbishop
of Mechelen-Brussels and subsequently created a cardinal by
St. John Paul II. At 49, Cardinal Danneels became the third
youngest member of the College of Cardinals in 1983. (Junno
Arocho Esteves/CNS)
Argentine bishops will ask pope to visit homeland
In a letter commemorating the sixth anniversary of Pope
Francis’ election, the bishops of Argentina said they will ask
the pope to visit his homeland. “In our next meeting with him,
we will propose once again that he does not deprive himself of
the joy of visiting us,” the Argentine bishops said in statement
released March 13 during their plenary assembly. The bishops
said they will meet with the pope during their “ad limina” visit
in May. In their letter, the Argentine bishops said the pope’s
“peace and strength” encouraged them in confronting the
challenges facing the church today, especially the “sorrowful
tragedy” of sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy.
(Junno Arocho Esteves/CNS)
Answering God’s call demands courage to take a risk,
pope says
Answering the Lord’s call demands the courage to take a
risk, but it is an invitation to become part of an important
mission, Pope Francis said. God “wants us to discover that
each of us is called—in a variety of ways—to something grand,
and that our lives should not grow entangled in the nets of
an ennui that dulls the heart,” the pope said. “Every vocation
is a summons not to stand on the shore, nets in hand, but
to follow Jesus on the path he has marked out for us, for
our own happiness and for the good of those around us,”
he said in his message for the 2019 World Day of Prayer for
Vocations. The Vatican released the pope’s message March
9. The day, which was to be celebrated May 12, was dedicated
to the theme: “The courage to take a risk for God’s promise.”
(Carol Glatz/CNS)
CBCP Monitor March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 NEWS FEATURES A3

Death threats won’t stop ‘wounded healer’ in Philippines

IN the Philippines, where
admission to having a history
of drug addiction can mean
a bullet in the head rather
than a stay in a rehabilitation
center, drug dependents
have chosen silence.
For Divine Word priest
Flaviano Villanueva,
however, his past has become
a narrative that keeps him
going in his mission to serve.
In 1995, before he entered
the priesthood, he hit rock
bottom after a “short period”
of substance abuse. It became
a new beginning, he said.
“The catalyst need not
always be the bright side of
things,” he said. For him, it
was when he realized that
his drug taking was getting
the best of him as a person.
He said his relationships
were then crumbling.
“Nothing was going well for
me. I felt that there was more
to life than sex, drugs, and
rock ‘n’ roll,” he said.
The moment of
discernment prompted the
future missionary priest to
look for the meaning of life
far from what he was used to.
“I told myself that I would
go cold turkey, but if it didn’t
work then I would subject
myself to professional help,”
he said.
Father Flaviano Villanueva of the Society of the Divine Word admits to having used his
experience as a former drug dependent to help give ‘second chances’ to drug addicts
and their families. MARIA TAN/UCAN
Eventually, however, it
worked for him “with God’s
grace.”
He decided to leave his
home in the Philippine
capital and went to the
provinces where he worked
as a lay missionary.
In the middle of the
“realities of life” in the
villages, Father Villanueva
found himself at a crossroads
where he opted to enter the
convent.
In 2006, the former drug
addict became a priest.
After ten years as a
missionary priest he
established a center in
2015 to help Manila’s street
dwellers.
The St. Arnold Janssen
Kalinga Cente r be came
his way of responding and
providing “something more
concrete and better” to
alleviate the lives of the poor.
The center aims to recreate
and empower lives by
offering food and a clean
shower to the homeless.
“The second phase
is about reclaiming their
self-respect,” said Father
Villanueva, adding that the
center’s “clients” are given
the opportunity to study.
This phase, he said, is
offering a livelihood and
employment “to help restore
their self-worth.”
“As one goes through this
process, one is able to realize
that there is life beyond the
streets,” explained the priest.
Father Villanueva recalled
a story, one of many that he
has encountered in his work.
One Sunday, a person
approached the priest after
Mass and handed him a card.
The priest politely refused,
thinking that the man was
trying to sell him something.
“Father, I’m not here to sell
you anything,” said the man.
“I’m just giving you my
calling card to let you know
that I was here for six
months, following, falling
in line, eating and taking a
bath, listening to you,” the
man added.
“Now I’m an assistant
supervisor. This is my card
to prove that I am already
employed, and I am here to
thank you.”
Not all visits to the center,
however, are as pleasant as
that of the grateful man.
On Feb. 22, the center’s
security cameras caught a
masked man casing out the
area and trying to get into the
priest’s office.
The incident happened days
after Father Villanueva received
phone calls threatening his
life. It was also not the first
time he had “visitations” by
unidentified men.
The priest traced the
threats back to 2016 when
he sponsored a forum on
the drug-related killings
following President Rodrigo
Duterte’s declaration of war
against narcotics.
Human rights groups claim
that more 20,000 suspected
drug users and small-time
dealers have been killed in the
anti-illegal drugs campaign.
“There were some
government people who
came to us and told us that
we should have not done
it,” said Father Villanueva,
referring to opening the
center.
Instead of remaining
silent, the priest became
more active in helping the
poor through his Paghilom,
literally “healing,” program.
“I cannot close my eyes
and leave the widows and
orphans of drug war victims
uncared for,” he said.
Father Villanueva’s, and
many other church leaders’,
attempts to help the poor,
however, seems to have
touched an open wound in
the Duterte administration.
The president has
slammed men of the cloth
with obscenities and words
that, whether he means it or
not, seem to have become
policy.
Despite the threats, Father
Villanueva continues to stand
firm by his mission.
“I have a promised duty
and responsibility. I cannot
remain preaching at the
pulpit,” he said.
“I am also being called to
wash my feet just like how
Christ washed the dirty feet
of his disciples. This is what
I have vowed to do,” said the
priest.
He said death will not stop
him serving the poor, nor will
it close the doors on second
chances that he offers to drug
addicts and their families.
“It comes from my own
experience of my God,” he
said.
“I know how my God has
been compassionate [and]
understanding. How my God
has been so forgiving, and
how he has blessed me with
the gift of priesthood,” the
priest said.
He said he could do no
less that become a “wounded
healer to the wounded
around me.” (Marielle
Lucenio/UCAN)

What’s next for Cardinal Pell? Number of priests declined

MELBOURNE, Australia— On
March 13, Cardinal George Pell
was sentenced to six years in prison
following his conviction on five
charges of sexual abuse of minors.
He will be eligible for parole in three
years and eight months.
While the passing of sentence
normally marks the end of a case,
Pell’s situation is far from resolved.
Although he remains in prison,
his appeal is expected to be heard
in June. Meanwhile in Rome, a
canonical process is due to be held
to examine the same charges against
him.
For the time being, Pell remains
a prisoner of the state and a
sitting cardinal—a combination
unprecedented in modern times.
Commentators, both Catholic and
secular, continue to question how
the jury reached their unanimous
verdict on the evidence. At the
same time, victims’ advocates are
demanding that Pell be removed
from the college of cardinals, and
even the clerical state, with the same
haste used to deal with Theodore
McCarrick.
In the middle of this situation,
many have been left asking: what
is next for Cardinal Pell?
Although the Vatican has
announced that a canonical process
will examine the charges against
Pell, those looking to McCarrick’s
case as an example are likely to find
it a false comparison.
McCarrick faced a litany of
accusations and accusers—minors
and adults—stretching back
decades. Cardinal Pell is facing a
single accuser in criminal court.
While it looks likely he will also face
a lawsuit over allegations dating
back to the 1970s and his time as a
priest in Ballarat, prosecutors have
already dropped plans for a criminal
trial on these grounds.
McCarrick, of course, never faced
a day in civil court. Consequently,
there were no court documents
or witness transcripts to consider
during the canonical process.
Given the strength and volume
of the accusations he faced, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith dealt with McCarrick
using a stream-lined administrative
process.
Pell’s canon lawyers are likely
to argue for, even insist on, a full
trial in Rome—itself a far lengthier
process which could take at least as
long as Pell’s civil trial.
Before this can even begin, the
initial stages of the canonical process
involve a preliminary investigation
charged with gathering readily-
available information on the
charges. This will almost certainly
include the evidence used in court
to convict Pell in Victoria, but
Vatican investigators and Pell’s own
canonists will be equally interested
in any new material that becomes
available during his appeal.
While a canonical process against
Cardinal George Pell outside the Hotel Quirinale in Rome, March 3, 2016. ALEXEY GOTOVSKIY/CNA
Pell may well be officially underway
in Rome, it is highly unlikely to
begin in earnest until he is either
vindicated by an Australian appeals
court or exhausts his appeal options.
Back in Victoria, Pell’s legal
team are basing their appeal to the
Supreme Court in Victoria in part
on the “unreasonableness” of the
jury’s finding.
“The verdicts are unreasonable
and cannot be supported, having
regard to the evidence, because on
the whole of the evidence, including
unchallenged exculpatory evidence
from more than 20 Crown witnesses,
it was not open to the jury to be
satisfied beyond reasonable doubt
on the word of the complainant
alone,” his lawyers wrote in their
filing.
At the center of much of the
criticism of the decision against Pell
is the apparent lack of corroborating
evidence or testimony. Pell’s lawyers
were not permitted to question the
wider reliability of his accuser,
despite the supposed second victim
having died in 2014 after repeatedly
denying he had been abused.
While the eight men and four
women were satisfied beyond
reasonable doubt of Pell’s guilt,
a previous jury returned a split
decision of 10-2 in favor of
acquitting Pell, multiple sources
told CNA, resulting in a mistrial.
Many have asked if the second
verdict was a condemnation of the
Catholic Church in Australia, rather
than Pell in particular.
Others have noted the decades of
media focus and vilification directed
personally at Pell, but having
nothing to do with the charges
he faced. During the hour-long
televised reading of the sentence,
Judge Peter Kidd noted “it is fair
to say that in some sections of
the community [Pell is] a publicly
vilified figure.”
“We have witnessed, outside
of this court and within our
community, examples of a witch-
hunt or a lynch mob mentality in
relation to you, Cardinal Pell. I
utterly condemn such behavior,”
Kidd said.
The extent to which this mob
mentality might have played a role
inside the court will likely feature
in Pell’s appeal. Such a mentality
was crucial in overturning the
conviction of Archbishop Philip
Wilson last year, when a judge
found that the conviction was aimed
at the Church as an institution and
did not reflect the evidence against
Wilson.
With the threat of a second trial
lifted, it also seems unlikely the
appeal process could be subjected
to the same draconian media
restrictions that covered the first
hearing of the case, allowing the
evidence against him to receive
the same scrutiny and criticism to
which Pell has been subjected for
decades.
In the interim, despite calls from
advocates and victims’ groups,
Rome seems unlikely to take any
further action regarding Pell in
the near-term. While the official
Vatican response has remained
scrupulously respectful of the
Australian courts, privately many
in Rome have expressed horror at
the verdict, including many of those
relieved to see Pell removed from
his work reforming the Vatican
finances.
Pope Francis will have no desire
or incentive to preempt Pell’s appeal
or appear to vindicate a contentious
verdict by removing him from the
college of cardinals, still less run
the risk of being seen to have hung
him out to dry if the appeal should
prove successful.
Before his incarceration, Pell
was under precautionary measures
not to engage in public ministry or
have contact with minors during his
trial. Now, with Pell reportedly in
solitary confinement for most of the
day, these measures are somewhat
redundant.
According to Australian prison
authorities, prisoners are not
permitted to lead religious
services or have wine, meaning
that Pell cannot say Mass, even
privately, under his current
conditions.
With no definitive result in
either the civil or canonical courts,
and no further limits on Pell’s
freedom possible, what follows
now for his critics and supporters,
both in Rome and Australia—
and for Pell himself—is likely to
be a long wait until June. (Ed
Condon/CNA)
for first time in decade,
Vatican says
The percentage of Catholics in the world has remained steady, while the number of priests has decreased
for the first time in almost a decade, according to Vatican statistics. TYLER ORSBURN/CNS
VATICAN— The percentage of
Catholics in the world has remained
steady, while the number of priests
has decreased for the first time
in almost a decade, according to
Vatican statistics.
Meanwhile, the numbers of
bishops, permanent deacons, lay
missionaries and catechists have all
increased, it said.
At the end of 2017, the worldwide
Catholic population exceeded 1.3
billion, which continued to be
about 17.7 percent of the world’s
population, said a statement
published March 6 by the Vatican
press office.
The statement reported a handful
of the statistics in the Statistical
Yearbook of the Church, which
reported worldwide church figures
as of Dec. 31, 2017. The press office
also announced the publication of
the 2019 “Annuario Pontificio,”
a volume containing information
about every Vatican office, as well
as every diocese and religious order
in the world.
According to the statistical
yearbook, the number of
Catholics increased in every
continent. But while that growth
in Africa and the Americas
kept pace with their respective
region’s population growth, Asia
showed a 1.5 percent increase in
the number of Catholics while
the region’s population grew less
than 1 percent.
At the end of 2017, most of the
world’s Catholics (48.5 percent)
were living in the Americas, followed
by Europe with 21.8 percent, Africa
with 17.8 percent, 11.1 percent in
Asia and 0.8 percent in Oceania.
The yearbook showed the number
of bishops in the world continued
its steady increase over the past six
years, going from 5,133 in 2012 to
5,389 in 2017.
For the first time in since 2010,
the Vatican statement said, the
total number of priests -- diocesan
and religious order -- around
the world decreased, going from
414,969 in 2016 to 414,582 in 2017.
Ordinations of diocesan priests
continued to decline slowly from
6,577 in 2012 to 5,815 in 2017.
The number of brothers in
religious orders continued a steady
increase only in Africa, as Asia
continued a recent downturn that
began in 2016. The number of
religious brothers worldwide was
down to 51,535 in 2017 from 52,625
in 2016.
The number of women
in religious orders showed an
ongoing downward trend of about
a 1.6 percent decrease each year
worldwide since 2013, the yearbook
showed. The slight increases in
Africa and Asia weren’t enough to
offset the reductions in Europe,
the Americas and Oceania. Catholic
women’s orders went from having
more than 792,000 members in
2001 to just over 648,910 women
at the end of 2017.
The number of candidates for
the priesthood—both diocesan
seminarians and members of
religious orders—showed a
continued slight decline worldwide,
decreasing from 116,160 at the end
of 2016 to 115,328 at the end of
2017.
The number of permanent
deacons reported -- 46,894 -- was
up 582 over the previous year. The
vast majority -- 97.3 percent -- of
the world’s permanent deacons live
in the Americas and in Europe.
The number of lay missionaries
worldwide increased by over 1,000
people to 355,800 and catechists
were up by 34,000 people to 3.12
million by the end of 2017.
There were more than 15.6
million baptisms around the
world in 2017 and more than
2.3 million Catholic weddings.
(Carol Glatz/CNS)
A4 OPINION March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

To kill a priest
HARPER Lee’s extremely popular “To Kill a Mockingbird”
which was published and translated into 40 languages and a
global readership of about 35 million, not to mention a Pulitzer
Prize, is weaved on a child’s awakening into harsh realities of
their times such as prejudice and racism—and therefore on a
careful development of human values and morals.
Not so with President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration.
His is blatant. He does his order to kill people without pretense,
surpassing even Marcos’ Martial Law when killings, EJKs and
disappearances where hidden with some veneer of alibis and
the pretext of law. In public gatherings, Duterte blurts out
his command to kill without batting an eyelash, as in recent
speeches where he orders even thugs to rob priests and kill
them if they resist. Just like that. This script is repeated ad
nauseam in his speeches since late last year, “These bishops
that you guys have, kill them. They are useless fools. All they
do is criticize.”
Few days ago, three priests came out in a press conference
to expose the death threats that have been hounding them.
Cardinal Tagle has reportedly disclosed to Malacañang that

ILLUSTRATION BY BLADIMER USI

priests and bishops have been receiving death threats.
But priests and bishops are sent on a mission. No amount of
death threats will ever make them flip. What is horrible is the
continuing killings of poor people that now reportedly counts
between twenty-five to thirty thousand, since the war on drugs
of the Duterte administration started. It is unimaginable how the
growing number of widows and orphans are going to make do with
their lives—bereft of social assistance and compassion because of
the drug-tagging stigma. The Duterte administration is winning
in the deeper war of reshaping public opinion that killing drug
users, even without the benefit of due process, is good, just and
Reclamation in Panaghoy
beneficial to the country. This is the more horrifying.
There is no mistaking that the culture of death and violence
Manila Bay Bp. Broderick Pabillo
is fast engulfing the country today. It brings with it the death
of integrity, honesty, human dignity and the other values that
a civilized society holds dear. If such should be the case, then
the breakdown of governance is just around the corner. Killing THE Reclamation of Manila Bay has The benefit to the ordinary people will country, and decisions are being done
the governed is the ultimate measure of failure that no amount been talked about for many years just be the trickle-down effect, which is here, and mostly, just for the good
of economic or even political gain will be able to redeem. now. It is made up many projects—at using the sweat of the ordinary common of Metro Manila. In fact this is one
various stages of conceptualizations workers to bring profit to the rich. argument that those who support
Transparency and accountability and even implementations—covering To reclaim the sea means that a lot federalism are bringing forth. They want
more than 600 hectares stretching to of filling materials will be used at a to spread development also to the other
IF we want our life to be good, we need to develop a keen sense several cities and provinces along the massive scale. Where will the land parts of the country so they clamor for
of transparency and accountability. These traits assure us that Manila Bay area. One thing that many come from? Either from the sea bed spreading projects outside of Manila.
we are on the right path. That is to say, we have nothing bad observed is the lack of transparency or from the land. In both cases the They want to take away political and
to hide, and more, we are seeing to it that we are responsible and consultation with the stakeholders, ecological balance of the sea and the business control from Manila. Are the
for what God has given us, making these God-given gifts especially the people to be affected by land will be altered. Remember, we reclamation projects around Manila
fruitful and productive. A good sense of transparency will the projects, such the small fisher folks, are speaking of more 600 hectares of Bay promoting Imperial Manila? Yes,
help us develop and sustain our integrity in life. It means that the farmers, and the residents along the reclaimed lands! Reclamation projects if business wants contiguous large track
everything that we do is good, that is, morally good. This sense shores of the bay. The small fisher folks are not environmental neutral. They of lands for their projects, they can no
of transparency can only take root when it is based on our faith will be displaced and their livelihood bring damage to the environment. longer get them in Metro Manila. But
in God who sets all the laws in our life, and therefore, all that affected. I do not know if they are being And again who will suffer? The poor there are large tracks of lands in the
is good for us. considered by the government which is farmers, the poor fisher folks, and the provinces. Why not spend their billions
Besides, God actually sees everything. Before him, nothing supposed to protect them. ordinary dwellers in those areas where and trillions to invest in those places,
can be hidden. We therefore have to adapt a lifestyle that would Reclamation projects are very the materials are to be taken from. The thus spread out development more
make us do everything in his presence. In fact, we are not simply expensive and so the partners are the massive displacement of land will affect evenly to other areas? By approving
meant to do things in his presence. It is more to do everything big businesses and even multinational many people and their livelihood. these projects, the government is
for God’s glory. Thus, when we do things without God in mind,
foreign groups. In such projects There are many complains about sending out a discordant signal with its
let us be warned that we are already doing things wrongly.
therefore the ones who will benefit are Imperial Manila, that is, that Metro criticism of Imperial Manila!
We should not base our sense of transparency on human,
natural and worldly criteria alone. These latter standards do the rich and the powerful. These are not Manila is syphoning the development Concentrating development to Metro
not capture all the good that is proper to us. At best, they may done for the good of the ordinary people. projects and the money of the whole Panaghoy / A6

just be silent about the finer nuances and consequences of

what is generally good for us. We have to remember that many
A letter lights a candle
mysteries shroud our understanding of things.
But what is bad is that our human laws and worldly standards And That’s The Truth in the dark
have started to go against God’s will. This, of course, can be due Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
to our limitations in truly understanding God’s law. But it can also
be due to our sinfulness and malice. Nowadays, I believe it is the
latter that has led us to make laws that are openly against God’s
law. We can try to do something about this problem by teaching SOMETIMES my email translated from the French— all reprehensible cases when for the thousands of priests
the children to be transparent always, first to God, then to their inbox yields something so perhaps awkward in some real course! who sacrifice their lives
lawful authorities: their parents, teachers, elders, etc. And with precious that I feel it must parts but clear enough, with There are weighted and spend for millions of
the adults, let us remind them often of the importance and the
reach as many eyes and ears sentiments fully captured. and balanced journalistic children, adolescents and for
great many benefits that a working sense of transparency brings.
as possible. One example “Dear Brother Reporter: presentations, other the poor around the world.
The same with the sense of accountability. This has to be
inculcated in the children as early as when they can be understand is this one sent to me by I am a simple Catholic amplified, full of prejudice I think that your newspaper,
it. In the gospel, many are the references that talk about this my dear nuns at the Sœurs priest. I feel happy and proud and even hatred. I feel myself it does not interest him:
need for accountability. One is the parable of the talents where a de la Famille Missionnaire of my vocation. For 20 years a great pain for the immense 1) That I had to carry a lot
master gave his three servants different amounts to do business de Notre-Dame convent in I’ve lived in Angola as a harm that people who should of hungry children by roads
with while he went away. (cfr. Mt 25,14-30) The master asked for Cannes, France.It is a letter missionary. be signs of the love of God, mined because of the war
an accounting when he returned. We even have to account for from a priest, addressed I read in many means of be a dagger into the lives of in 2002 since Cangumbe to
the words we speak, as attested in this passage of St. Matthew’s to a journalist. I believe it communication, especially innocent beings. There are Lwena (Angola), because
gospel: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account is what we sorely need to in your newspaper, the no words to justify such acts. neither the government could
for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be hear these days when media amplification of the theme There is no doubt that the do neither NGOs there were
justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (12,36-37) and various bashers seem of pedophile priests, that a Church can not be, if not on authorized;
St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans also said that “each of us all fangs and claws chasing morbid way, looking in detail the side of the weak, the poor. 2) That I had to bury dozens
will give an account of himself to God.” (14,12) And in his second after the Catholic Church. in the lives of priests, past For this reason, all measures of dead children because of
letter to the Corinthians, he said: “For we must all appear before After reading this letter in mistakes. that can be taken for the the movements of the war;
the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is its entirety, you might agree There is one, in a city in prevention and protection of 3) Whether we have saved
due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (5,10) with what the Soeurs say of the United States in the the dignity of children will the lives of thousands of
We have to prepare for this judgment when we have to give it, “What more can be added? 70s, another in Australia in always be a top priority. people in Mexico through the
account of what we have done with what God has given us. All is said!” So allow me to the 80s, and so on, other But it is curious how little only existing health center in
Let’s remember that God has given us everything that is good print the letter here, Google- more recent ..... Certainly news and the lack of interest And That’s the Truth / A6
to us, even the way to recover our dignity as children of God
once we lose it due to our sins. He has given us life, talents, the
theological virtues, mercy, etc.
We should be ready to face God to give an accounting of our
Both delicate and tough Candidly Speaking
life with eagerness, not with fear.
Fr. Roy Cimagala

Monitor
CBCP
ESPECIALLY in discussing highly others can appreciate them properly. sport. In discussing issues, we may
contentious issues, like the political and Thus, more than digging deeper in have to compete intensely, especially
social ones, all parties involved should our views, what is more important is to in matters where no position or view
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE try to be both delicate and tough. This know how the people are, so that our can be considered as absolutely correct
is how we can conduct our discussions views may be accepted. Especially in since it is all a matter of opinion, but that
Pedro Quitorio in a way that is positive, fruitful and matters of opinion, we have to listen competition should never undermine
Editor-in-Chief constructive. to the other side always, because no the charity that ought to be lived by all.
We need to be delicate because more matter how different theirs are, no one This may require that we study the
Nirva’ana E. Delacruz Ron Ramos, Sky Ortigas than issues, what are involved are has the exclusive possession of what is issues well, trying as much as possible
Associate Editor Design Artists persons who should always be respected true, good and beautiful. Everyone has to cover all possible opinions that they
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News Editor Circulation Manager
have to try our best to understand them no matter how much we try to be nice opinions come out in the discussion.
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Managing Editor Comptroller We just cannot think of how valid and commit mistakes and offenses in the can learn new things in the discussion
strong our views are without considering process, and we just have to resist being and should be quick to acknowledge
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the the people who have different opinions. too sensitive. More than that, we have whatever validity the different
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CBCP Monitor March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 OPINION A5

A blessing for every

By the Roadside
Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD
“But I say to you who are listening:
Love your enemies. Do good to those
who hate you. Bless those who curse
you, and pray for those who slander
you. And to him who strikes you on the
cheek, offer the other also. And from
him who takes away your coat, do not
withhold even your tunic.” (Lk 6:27-29)
THE Roman Catholic Church, no doubt,
is engulfed in an often distressing crisis
locally and around the world. There are
the sex and authority abuse scandals
that seem to dog her heels with little
respite, for instance. In effect, she,
mostly in the persons of her priests
and bishops, are at the receiving end of
vilification and outright persecution. It
is no secret that elements of the media
and even political leaderships take turns
at fixating the limelight on the abuses,
often to the neglect of the greater and
more numerous services that she does
for mankind. The greater good she is
responsible for is often overshadowed
by the pall of evil her leaders are accused
of, with or without justification. At
almost every opportunity the leader of
the land gives free rein to his addiction
to cursing and threatening the lives and
limbs of bishops and priests, sometimes
even saying local cemeteries still have
more than enough space for their
corpses. Hardly anyone remembers his
constitutional duty to protect the life,
liberty and security of all citizens of the
Republic, those of priests and bishops
included. The standard reactions from
people range from simple shrugs to
silent indignation to additional abuse
on top of the existing ones.
In most of these the hierarchy responds
with silence. Human as they are, bishops
and priests also feel enraged when they
are unjustly cursed or accused of evils
through sweeping generalizations, often
running on little more than hearsay or
distorted information. But from time
to time some priests and bishops also
express their frustrations, anger and
fears, especially when real threats hound
them but get dismissed as “probably
made up” or “coming from (priests’ or
bishops’) personal enemies” or “enemies
abuse? Nonsense or
perfect sense?
of the state” who want to bring down the
establishment.
But some bishops and priests expressly
share what many consider weird
behavior—praying for and blessing those
who wish them ill, including the chief
executive. “Of course,” some critics are
wont to say, “That is expected of you, in
the first place. You are people who preach
the Gospel that teaches love of enemies,
doing good to haters and praying for
persecutors. Better walk your talk, or that
is added ammunition against you.”
On the other hand, inside or outside
the Christian purview, does this counsel
of Jesus make sense? I believe it does.
One, it frees us from being at the mercy
of playing the game of the persecutor or
abuser. If the abuser keeps on abusing,
why should we? If he habitually and
verbally abuses, do not we fall into a trap
of multiplying unnecessary negativity
when we respond likewise? Naturally,
when we need to defend ourselves or
correct a distortion as well expose some
fake news, by all means let us. But we
can always do so by non-abusive ways.
Two, at the core of every abusive
language is hatred. This very antithesis
of God’s love that Jesus Christ has
revealed in his person and in his acts
of suffering, dying and rising from the
dead for sinners subtly enters hearts
even of Christ’s followers by way of our
frail humanity. But nothing contradicts
who we are when we let it take the
driver’s seat even as we read and listen
to the Gospel. Following Jesus’ counsel
allows us to refuse the hate or send it
packing away, thus sparing our spirits
of its deadly poison. That is true, this is
not purely a product of human effort.
This is why this counsel must send us to
the depths of prayer and self-denial with
the sine-qua-non help of the Holy Spirit.
Three, responding to abuse or
persecution in kind has not been known
to author conversion. I would humbly
stand corrected if there is a contrary
evidence. At least, in our experience,
any perceived negative reaction from
the hierarchy is mostly, if not always,
met with more generous doses of hate
language and negative conduct by a
source one normally expects rationality
or humanity from. If the option of tit
for tat engineers a changing of hearts
in abusers or persecutors, that would be
nothing short of miraculous.
Four, the counsel allows plenty of
room for a disciple’s creativity. Although
“doing good” and “turning the other
cheek” are illustrated by Jesus himself
in word and action especially on his
way to Calvary, he does not necessarily
limit us to what he literally does in the
Gospel. There are countless ways of
doing good and turning the other cheek,
as, for example, from a Maria Goretti
forgiving her attacker, to a Pius X giving
generous financial aid to a person who
made a career out of slandering him,
to a Maximillian Kolbe answering Nazi
inhumanity with the most human act
of offering his life for a stranger, to
a Filipino bishop who continues to
pray and fast for a political leader who
habitually lambasts and threatens his
kind. Discipleship, in other words, is not
just drudgery; it is an art.
Finally, let us not forget, in the spirit
of Lent which is the springtime of the
spiritual life, the spiritual benefits. Luke
the evangelist tells us that following the
counsel entitles us to being counted
among the “blessed” instead of the
“accursed” because “your reward will
be great” (Lk 6:35). And what greater
reward would be than to be, in the
language of Luke and Matthew the
evangelists, “true children of your
heavenly Father, who causes his sun to
rise on the good and the bad, and causes
it to rain on the just and be unjust” (Mt
4:44-45; Lk 6:35). The whole point is
to illustrate that the way of the Lord
is not the human way: “Therefore, be
merciful as your Father is also merciful”
(Lk 6:36). For us who live in a country
where human imperfection is almost
revered as a virtue, where fake news is
often more actively promoted than the
Good News, the Master words are clear:
“Be perfect as your heavenly Father is
perfect” (Mt 5:48).
In a world of vast deserts, it makes
sense for us to find or provide or, better,
become its oases.
Collection Box
Fr. Jerome R. Secillano, MPA
Condemning terror:
‘’What has happened to
humanity’’?
(Second of two parts)
AN important question must be asked, does the “war on
terror” make us any safer? Critics argue that the “war on
terror” has unfortunately left us less safe, with some going
as far as claiming that it is precisely the leading cause of
terrorism.
Richard Clarke, a counter-terrorism expert who worked
in the US National Security Council between 1992–2003,
highly criticized the Bush administration’s counter-terrorism
strategy and the decision to invade Iraq. He writes: “Far from
addressing the popular appeal of the enemy that attacked us,
Bush handed that enemy precisely what it wanted and needed,
proof that America was at war with Islam, that we were the
new Crusaders who came to occupy Muslim land.”
With scores of terrorist attacks happening around the
world, these seem to project that terrorists are winning the
war on terror.
Max Abrahms argues that terrorism never succeeds.
Abrahms analyzed 28 groups designated as terrorist
organizations by the US State Department in 2001. He finds
that the groups only achieved 7 percent of their 42 policy
objectives. Moreover, Abrahms suggests that his findings,
“challenge the dominant scholarly opinion that terrorism is
strategically rational behavior.”
Further support for the idea that terrorism never succeeds
comes from Audrey Cronin’s research on the collapse of
terrorist groups. Cronin finds that terrorist groups fail to
achieve their objectives and that these groups only last
between 5-9 years on average.
Granting that terrorists will never win a protracted war
against their enemies, Robert Pape, professor of Political
Science at the University of Chicago, sees an upside to terror
attacks. He claims that suicide terrorism tends to be more
effective at influencing policy.
Recent research by Eric Gould and Esteban Klor support
this view; they find that terrorist attacks connected to the
Arab-Israeli conflict influence public opinion and “cause
Israelis to be more willing to grant territorial concessions to
the Palestinians.”
Jakana Thomas, by focusing on other markers of success,
finds that in African conflicts between 1989-2010 “rebel
groups are both more likely to be granted the opportunity
to participate in negotiations and offered more concessions
when they execute a greater number of terror attacks during
civil wars.”
In the Philippines, the above-mentioned studies appear
to be true. The war waged by the Moro National Liberation

The Church’s tangible
presence to the poor
LAST October, I moved to my
new assignment in the Diocese
of Kalookan. Responding to
the invitation of Bishop Ambo
Virgilio David, the Jesuits
gave a concrete yes to help
the poorest of the poor in
his diocese in the midst of
increasing incidence of extra-
judicial killings. He felt that
the presence of the religious
among the poor sectors of
the Church could make a
difference in the life of the
forgotten, the powerless, and
the abused.
As pastor of Kaunlaran
Village in Dagat-dagatan
Avenue (now known as the
Jesuit Mission Station),
my first three months were
physically draining but heart-
moving. I deeply felt the beauty
of my priestly vocation when I
started living and working
with the poor. As their pastor,
I became the Church’s tangible
presence in the community.
My presence brought instant
joy and consolation to the
community. Through the
existing mission stations in
the Diocese of Kalookan, the
poor no longer feel alone
and abandoned in their daily
struggles. The mission stations
become a source of spiritual
nourishment, inspiration,
guidance, and protection.
As pastor of the Jesuit
Mission Station, I never
imagined presiding over three
wake Masses in one evening.
I never imagined celebrating
Mass in alleys, shanties, and
basketball courts. I never
thought of celebrating three
Simbang Gabi Masses every day
for nine days. I never thought it
would be possible to baptize 40
children in one sitting. And I
never imagined blessing seven
Pitik-Bulag
Fr. Wilfredo Samson, SJ
homes in an overcrowded
fifteen-square meter by four
dilapidated structure.
I was commissioned to
organize the community, but I
found myself spending most of
my time listening to people and
celebrating four Masses every
day. Their hunger for God’s
presence is manifested as they
request for wake Masses, daily
Masses, anointing of the sick
and house blessings. In the
periphery, the Eucharist and
other Sacraments play a very
important role in nourishing
the spiritual life of the poor.
But sad to say, in many places,
the poor have no easy access to
the Sacraments of the Church.
I remember Bishop Ambo’s
words, “Hindi lang nasa laylayan
ng lipunan ang mahihirap.
Nasa laylayan din sila ng
Simbahan.” This pretty much
sums up the rationale behind
Bishop Ambo’s call to seriously
consider serving the poorest
of the poor. The challenge is
not new to us. In fact, Pope
Francis is inviting us relentlessly
to leave our comfort zones
and go to “the peripheries.” In
the midst of EJKs and other
injustices being done to the
poor, we are challenged to
leave our comfort zones and
take extra effort to assist the
poor. More than financial and
material assistance, what the
poor need now is our presence
and accompaniment.
The poor are deeply
wounded, ignored, and
oppressed. It’s time to help
them. I am overwhelmed by
the complexity of the task
ahead of us. But each time I beg
for guidance, the Lord simply
tells me ... “JUST BE THERE.
BE MY PRESENCE. THAT’S
ENOUGH FOR NOW.”
Front (MNLF) led to the creation of the Autonomous Region
of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which according to critics is a
failed experiment having been marred by rampant corruption
and bad governance.
By fighting the government and inflicting devastation in
Mindanao, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has
also been rewarded by the government with the Bangsamoro
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which
heaven forbid, could become yet another failed experiment!
When we remove our shoes, belt, cap, and watch at the
airport or when we are frisked heavily by authorities upon
entering a mall or a building and possibly the church, these,
too, are clear signs that terrorists have indeed influenced the
policy direction of our institutions.
When asked what had gone wrong in Jolo and led to the
bombing of the Cathedral and the death of innocent people,
a Police Chief Superintendent from the Philippine National
Police (PNP) honestly admitted that there was a lapse in
intelligence-gathering and a failure to implement security
measures.
Here lies the irony. The government, before the bombing,
arrogantly claimed that Mindanao is much safer now because
of the imposition of martial law in the region. When asked
about it, the same Police Colonel could only quip that even
with the best security measures are taken, if the enemy
plans a surprise attack, there will always be casualties and
devastation.
What happened in Jolo is a strong argument against plans
(if ever there are any) to place the whole country under martial
rule. The latter does not guarantee our safety. Worse, it may
expose us not just to terrorists but to ruthless leaders as well,
who may try to annihilate our rights and dignity as citizens.
To win the war on terror requires a multi-faceted
Collection Box / A7

Faith and Culture Poetry for Lent

(Part II)
Cristina Montes

LAST column, I promised to share
some of my favorite poems that were
inspired by the events of Holy Week.
One is G.K. Chesterton’s “The
Donkey.” The poem says he was
born “when fishes flew and forests
walked/and figs grew upon thorn/
Some moment when the moon
was blood.” He describes his own
“monstrous head” and “sickening
cry”, and how he is “the tattered
outlaw of the earth.” But despite his
miseries, he has a wonderful secret:
“Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.”
Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s two
poems-in-tandem, “The Look” and
“The Meaning of the Look,” were
written about Peter’s denial of Jesus.
In the latter poem, the poet surmises
what Jesus’ thoughts must have been
when He gazed at Peter when the
cock crowed:
“I THINK that look of Christ might
seem to say—
‘Thou Peter! art thou then a
common stone
Which I at last must break my
heart upon,
For all God’s charge to His high
angels may
Guard my foot better? Did I
yesterday
Wash thy feet, my beloved, that
they should run
Quick to deny me ’neath the
morning sun?
And do thy kisses, like the rest,
betray?
The cock crows coldly.—Go, and
manifest
A late contrition, but no bootless
fear!
For when thy final need is dreariest,
Thou shalt not be denied, as I am
here;
My voice to God and angels shall
attest,
Because I KNOW this man, let him
be clear.’
John Donne wrote “Upon
Annunciation and Passion Falling
on One Day”, which took place in
the year 1608. In this profound
poem, John Donne refers to the
juxtaposition of life and death, to
“the Angel’s Ave and Consummatum
est,” of the Blessed Virgin “reclused
at home, public at Golgotha” and
“seen at almost fifty and scarce
fifteen.”
Finally, I’d like to share this moving
poem entitled “Good Friday” by
Christina Rossetti. I am sure she
would not mind us making our own
her prayer in this poem:
“Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath
Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy
blood’s slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented
Thee;
Not so fallen Peter, weeping
bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless
sky,
A horror of great darkness at
broad noon –
I, only I.
Yet give not o’er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd
of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look
once more
And smite a rock.”
These are just a few poems among
so many that give words for the many
unspoken thoughts and feelings
arising in our souls as we meditate
on the events of Holy Week. May you
all have a blessed Holy Week and a
Happy Easter!
A6 LOCAL NEWS
Bishops move to end fees for
church services
MORE Catholic bishops are
taking steps to eliminate fees
for sacraments and other
services.
The latest to follow suit
is Bishop Ruperto Santos
of Balanga who ordered the
removal of fees for funeral
masses and blessings in his
diocese.
The move was an initial
step by the bishop to end the
practice of charging fees for
church services.
In a circular issued March
12, he said the move was
necessary to console with
the grieving persons of the
faithful departed.
“Financial obligations from
the perspective of the Church
are not of prime importance
and must not be a burden to
them,” Santos wrote.
He also ordered that no fees
for masses must be required by
priests even for those in funeral
parlors and memorial chapels.
“We should not oblige
them either for the arancel,
but we can be open for their
free will to give or donate for
the Church,” Santos said.
The arancel system in the
Church refers to the practice
of giving stipends to priests
for specific church services.
The bishop said the
new statute must be fully
implemented by April 21,
Easter Sunday.
Energy / A1
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos (center) leads various civil society organizations
in launching an electoral campaign for “clean and affordable electricity” in Manila,
March 7. CBCP NEWS
According to him, initial
discussions on divestment
started during the bishops’
plenary meeting last January
while “we are also dialoguing
with each other”.
“We are waiting for the
right time then we would
come out with a pastoral
letter as a body,” he said,
And That’s the Truth / A4
an area of 90,000 km2 with
the distribution of food and
seeds;
4) What we could provide
are education and schools in
the last decade to more than
110,000 children;
5) This remains uninspiring
that with other priests, we
had to rescue about 15,000
people in the camps of
the guerrillas after they
surrendered, because the
Government of the UN Food
and n ‘not arrive;
6) This is not a new
interesting that a priest of
75 years, Father Roberto,
through the city of Luanda,
healing the street children,
leading them to a shelter, so
they are detoxified of gasoline
they aspire earning a living as
flame thrower;
7) Literacy of hundreds of
prisoners are not new;
8) other priests like
Father Stephane, organizing
transition houses for young
mistreated, beaten, raped, to
find refuge;
9) No more, that Father
Maiato, 80, visit the homes
of the poor one by one
comforting the sick and
desperate;
10) It’s not news that
more than 6,000 among the
40,000 priests and religious
today have left their country
and their families to serve
their brothers in a leper
colony, hospitals, refugee
camps, orphanages for
children accused of sorcery
Sacraments,
sacramentals
In 2015, Archbishop
Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-
Dagupan scrapped the system
of charging fixed rates for
sacraments and sacramentals
in the archdiocese.
Instead, he wanted the
“Pananabangan” or spirit
of stewardship to function,
which means that parishes
will just accept whatever it is
that parishioners can offer.
A year later, the archdiocese
also stopped its parishes from
charging fix rates for issuing
canonical certificates.
Bishop Santos said their
next plan is to start removing
arancel on baptism, weddings,
confirmation and Masses in
the few years to come.
assuring that bishops “are
united in principles”.
For its part, Caritas
Philippines called on Bank of
the Philippine Islands (BPI)
to disclose where it invested
their funds.
And should there be
investments to dirty energy
such as coal and extractive
or orphans of parents to
AIDS in schools for the poor,
vocational training centers,
reception centers for HIV
positive ...... etc ......
11) Or, especially, spending
their lives in parishes and
missions, motivating people
to live better and above all
to love;
12) It is not news that
my friend Father Marcus
Aurelius, to save children
during the war in Angola,
transported Kalulo in Dondo
and in returning from his
mission, he was machine-
gunned in path; as Brother
Francis with five ladies
catechists, are killed in an
accident, going help the most
remote rural areas of the
country;
13) That dozens of
missionaries in Angola
have died for lack of health
facilities, because of simple
malaria;
14) What others have
jumped in the air due to
mine by visiting their faithful;
Indeed, in the cemetery of
Kalulo are the tombs of the
first priests who arrived in
the region ...... none exceeded
40 years ..........;
15) This is not a new one,
that of following a “normal”
priest in his daily work,
its difficulties and joys,
spending his life quietly for
the community it serves.
The truth is that we are
not looking to make the
news, if not simply bring
“We will make auditing of
the parishes, which of them
are ready and how to prepare
barangay parishes,” he said.
“But as we will celebrate
our 50th year in 2025, it is
our dream to our people that
there would be no arancel
system for sacraments in our
diocese,” Santos added.
Gradual implementation
In other dioceses,
guidelines are also being
set up for the uniform and
gradual removal of the
arancel system.
Bishops take everything
into consideration because
their parishes have varying
realities.
In Manila, the country’s
largest archdiocese, some
parishes have already started
industries, it urged BPI “to
right away divest them to
support the renewable energy
sector”.
Based on the financial
disclosures in the Global
Coal Exit List, BPI is among
the top banks providing
support through loans and
underwritings to the country’s
biggest coal developers.
Caritas executive secretary
Fr. Edwin Gariguez said
the church is now being
challenged to fully commit
to their advocacy for a coal-
free Philippines.
“And the better way to do
that then is to ensure that our
money deposited to financial
institutions are not used to
fund dirty energy and other
extractives,” he said.
The church officials made
the statement during the
launching of a campaign
the “Good News”, the New,
which quietly began on
Easter morning. A tree
that falls makes more
noise than a thousand
trees growing.
It makes much ado about
a priest who commits a foul
than for thousands who give
their lives for thousands of
poor and needy.
I do not pretend to
apologize for the Church
and priests.
A priest is neither a hero
nor a neurotic. It is simply
a normal man who, with his
human nature seeks to follow
Jesus and to serve Him in his
brothers.
There are miseries of
poverty and weaknesses
like all human beings; but
there is beauty and grandeur
as in every creature .........
Insist an obsession-born and
persecutory manner on a
painful topic, losing sight of
the whole of the work really
creates offensive cartoons of
the Catholic priesthood, by
which I feel offended.
I ask you only journalist
friend, to seek the Truth,
Good and Beauty. This will
grow your profession.
In Christ,
P. Martin Lasarte SDB”
Searching for the letter’s
possible presence in the
internet I gathered that it
is indeed a letter sent to the
New York Times in April
2010 and which the paper
ignored. It appears to have
“to calibrate their finances”
towards the removal of
arancel.
Fr. Roy Bellen of the
Manila archdiocese’s
communications office
said the target is to end the
arancel system by 2021,
the fifth centenary of the
arrival of Christianity in the
Philippines.
“This hopefully can be
a gauge of the faithful of
their change of paradigm in
support the Church rather
than thinking of ‘buying
the sacraments’ from the
Church,” he said.
Saying that sacraments
are gifts from God, Pope
Francis has repeatedly urged
churches to give services
freely. (CBCP News)
for clean and affordable
electricity for consumers
through key policy reforms.
The “Malinis at Murang
Kuryente” campaign will
cascade through all dioceses
and parishes, schools
and religious groups to
put pressure to financial
institutions to divest from
coal and invest to clean
energy.
Gariguez stressed that
Caritas’ development funds
are raised to uplift the lives
and dignity of the poor and
the vulnerable.
“Having them invested
in coal and other extractive
industries is one way of killing
the people we are mandated
to protect. We cannot allow
that from happening,” he
added. (Roy Lagarde /
CBCP News)
been published in a blog
in January 2011, and then
again by zenit.org on May 24,
2011, then in different news
agencies again in September
and in October 2018. The
Salesian author of the letter,
Fr. Lasarte is an Uruguayan
missionary—perhaps the
original was written in
Spanish and translated to
French, I’m not sure, but the
English translations I found
vary only in some parts—the
spirit of the intention is
intact. Why do you think
the New York Times ignored
it? Maybe because it is the
priest’s reaction, expressing
his feelings about the media
feasting on priests’ abuses
while choosing to be blind to
the other good things other
priests do. That was about
eight years ago—today Fr.
Lasarte’swords still ring true,
and if mainstream media are
too biased or cowardly to
give way to such expressions,
then surely social media can
rise to be fair and defend the
truth. Fr. Lasarte’s signature
in the letter is followed by
this quote: “My past, Lord,
I entrust to your mercy; my
present to your love; My
future in your providence.”If
even one-tenth of Catholic
netizens would give space
to this letter, they would be
lighting a candle in the dark,
proving the reality of God’s
providence that Fr. Lasarte
is entrusting his future to.
And that’s the truth.
March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06
Demeaning women not freedom
of speech, nun tells Duterte
A NUN has reminded
President Rodrigo Duterte
that freedom of expression
doesn’t give him the right to
degrade women.
“That’s basic ethical norm
and yet he doesn’t know it?”
said Benedictine Sister Mary
John Mananzan.
The nun was reacting to
Duterte’s statement that he
has the right to joke about
women which some groups
find to be misogynistic or
sexist.
In an event honoring
women law enforcers in
Malacañang on March 11,
Duterte said that one cannot
take away from him his
freedom of expression.
“You know, you women,
you are depriving me of my
freedom of expression… You
criticize every sentence or
word I say, but that is my
Cardinal Tagle laments ‘destruction’
of trust in Syria
THE destruction and visible
impact of the Syrian war may
only be the tip of the iceberg.
Cardinal Luis Antonio
Tagle of Manila, who just
arrived back from Syria last
night, said the damages are
devastating but the war is
also destroying the people’s
trust.
“I saw firsthand the ravages
of war, not only buildings,
schools and houses but lives
really. And the most painful
of all, the destruction of
trust,” Tagle said.
“People are saying ‘yes, we
are returning to our villages
but with constant fear. We
do not know whom to trust,’”
he said.
The cardinal was speaking
at the launching of a new book
which chronicles the history
of the Manila Cathedral on
Saturday.
On Ash Wednesday,
the president of Caritas
Internationalis visited
eastern Ghouta, a suburban
area in southwestern Syria,
which for years was a symbol
Candidly Speaking / A4
feel about them.
Courtesy and basic good
manners should always
prevail in the discussion.
Insults, name-calling, anger,
resentments, grudges and
the like should have no place
in the exchange of views. We
can be forceful in promoting
and defending our views
without having to resort to
these things.
Politicians should
follow this fundamental
rule and lead the way in
giving good example in this
department. We should
make acrimonious political
debates a thing of the past.
Let’s open a new era in our
political discussions that
is marked by charity and
selfless pursuit for what
is most beneficial to the
common good or at least to
the majority of the people
without disadvantaging the
Panaghoy / A4
Manila is not good, not only
to the other provinces, but
also to the people of the
Metropolis themselves.
The massive structures
and businesses that will
be set up will attract more
people to Metro Manila.
This in turn will add up to
the population congestion,
resulting to more traffic,
more garbage, and more
pollution! It can even result
to more flooding.
People are expecting
the Big One—the massive
earthquake that Manila and
its surroundings experience
every 400 years or so. It can
come any time. Underground
movements of the earth
can trigger liquefaction,
especially in areas where the
earth is not that compact.
What damage liquefaction
CBCP Monitor
freedom to express myself,”
he said.
Duterte said he
intentionally makes such
remarks to bring his female
critics “to the limits of
despair”.
Sr. Mananzan said freedom
of speech is never a license to
mislead or recklessly hurt the
feelings of other people.
“Of course you can say
what you want but you may
not say libelous words and
words injurious to others,”
she said.
The nun said Duterte
should not be more surprised
if more women become
critical of him.
“So you say insulting and
demeaning words to women,
then they have the right to
criticize you, and condemn
what you say,” Sr. Mananzan
said. (CBCP News)
of jihadist violence.
Accompanied by Catholic
prelates in Syria and Caritas
workers, he saw people
living amid the rubbles and
destruction.
According to him, the war
has damaged the foundation
of relationships and
repairing it will be a greater
challenge than rebuilding
infrastructure.
“How do you recover trust?
As you rebuild the houses, are
you also rebuilding trust?”
he asked.
But Tagle added that he
was edified by how “people of
faith and selfless love” could
help the “wounds of society”.
At a school he visited
with about 1,800 pupils
cramped in temporary
classrooms, Tagle saw how
Caritas pastoral workers are
engaging the children.
“Later on they (children)
would smile and say ‘thank
you, you have brought new
light to our otherwise dark
existence,’” he said. (Roy
Lagarde / CBCPNews)
minority too much.
Perhaps one concrete way
of improving the current state
of our public discussions
is to review the way Public
Speaking and Debate is given
as a subject in the schools.
In those occasions where I
attended the samples of the
subject, the students seem
to be trained more to score
points than to seek what
is most beneficial to most
people, if not to all.
That subject has to have
a solid foundation on ethics
that would precisely teach
courtesy and good manners,
before the students are
trained to think and argue
their points.
I even notice that in a local
noontime TV show, this kind
of public speaking and debate
is promoted. I am afraid this
is giving a bad influence on
our society.
will do to reclaimed areas is
not studied that thoroughly.
Should not this be a big
reason to move the projects
to safer grounds?
There are so many
apprehensions about the big
scale reclamation projects
along Manila Bay. These
should be properly addressed
and explained to the people.
We do not want just any kind
of development, especially
aggressive development
that is being forced down
the throat of the public, a
development pushed only by
big business interests with the
nod of a government which is
not concerned with long term
effects to the ordinary people
and to the environment. We
want to know and be assured!
The above concerns are to be
addressed!
CBCP Monitor March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 DIOCESAN NEWS A7

Mindanao faith groups seek to ‘La Virgen Milagrosa de

tackle 'emerging crises'
DAVAO City— Faith groups
in the southern Philippines
met recently to coordinate
efforts to address what
they described as emerging
humanitarian issues in
Mindanao.
The gathering of local
church groups identified a
“rise in violent extremism,”
that needed a “coordinated
response” from various
church organizations.
The meeting, on March
12, also stressed the need
to address “environmental
concerns” affecting farming
and tribal communities.
Father Edwin Gariguez,
executive director of Caritas
Philippines, said the ongoing
armed conflict in Mindanao
has also displaced several
Mindanao communities.
The priest said initiatives
of various church groups now
aim to “localize humanitarian
aid responses and recognize
the capability of local
churches to respond to any
crisis.”
He said churches have
organizations at local
level that can facilitate
early intervention in any
humanitarian crisis.
“Churches can respond
because they are part of
the community and are
attached to a larger religious
conference that can provide
training and equipment,”
Father Gariguez said.
Rey Barnido, executive
director of the non-
government Duyog Marawi
group, said collaboration
Leaders of Church groups gather on March 12 to discuss areas of collaboration, especially during times of emergencies. MARK
SALUDES/UCAN
among churches has
been “tried and tested” in
Mindanao.
He cited the work of local
churches in helping up to
500,000 people displaced by
the terrorist gunmen attack
on the city of Marawi in May
2017.
“Christians and Muslims
came together to give aid relief
and provide development
work to displacement
victims,” Barnido said.
Father Gariguez said any
response to a crisis could be
stronger if faith-based groups
come together and plan a
“systematic intervention” in
affected communities.
Minnie Ann Mata-Calub,
secretary-general of the
National Council of Churches
in the Philippines, said they
plan to establish structures,
mechanisms and programs
through a “consultative
approach.”
“This will allow church
organizations to collaborate
and work together before,
during and after human-
induced disasters or natural
calamities,” she said.
Calub said collaboration
would include the sharing of
information, resources and
the exchange of best practices
in humanitarian responses
and risk reduction.
Badoc’ goes home to Japan
Reverend Stephen
Gualberto of the Philippine Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag holds the replica of “La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc”
that he gave to Archbishop Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki.
Council of Evangelical
Churches stressed the need
AFTER nearly 400 years, Thousands of Ilocanos
to strengthen the capacity of
“La Virgen Milagrosa de and devotees all over
local church groups.
Badoc” went home to her the Philippines come to
He said church institutions
original family in Japan’s city Badoc seeking Our Lady’s
need training before being
of Nagasaki. intercession.
provided a platform that will
Bishop Renato Mayugba of Bishop Mayugba’s visit
provide opportunities for
Laoag met with Archbishop in Nagasaki was expected
funding.
Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of as the starting point of a
The network of church
Nagasaki on March 12 and relationship between the
organizations is being
presented him with a gift: a Diocese of Laoag and the
supported by the Catholic
small replica of the image of Archdiocese of Nagasaki
Bishops’ Conference of the
La Virgen Milagrosa. with “La Virgen Milagrosa de
Philippines, National Council
The archbishop is expected Badoc” as the link.
of Churches in the Philippines
to enthrone the image in the By the mandate of the
and the Philippine Council
Nagasaki cathedral or display Holy See, the image was
of Evangelical Churches.
it in a museum dedicated pontifically crowned last May
(Mark Saludes/UCAN)
to the hidden Japanese 31, 2018 by Cardinal Luís

Jolo vicariate warns against fake solicitation

A CATHOLIC Church official is warning
the public against a scammer spreading
“solicitation letter” online supposedly
coming from the Apostolic Vicariate
of Jolo, which is still reeling from the
deadly terror attack in January.
Jolo Apostolic Administrator Fr.
Romeo Saniel, OMI, clarified that they
have not initiated any fund raising for
the repair of their cathedral and the
medical bills of the blast victims.
He warned the public against a certain
Victor Torres, who introduces himself as
priest and asking people for donations.
“Please be informed that we have
nothing to do with this person who is
soliciting funds for the victims of Jolo
Cathedral,” Saniel said.
Christians in Nagasaki. Antonio Tagle of Manila.
“I’m also here promoting Last Feb. 5, the church
devotion to Virgen Milagrosa of Badoc was declared as a
The Jolo cathedral was bombed last repair and medical expenses is $45,000 de Badoc-Nagasaki. Very Minor Basilica, also by the
Jan. 27 as around a hundred people with $8000 raised leaving $37,000 as warm welcome by the mandate of the Vatican, with
were hearing Sunday Mass. The twin balance. If you’re touched to help relieve descendants of the hidden the presence of Cardinal
bombing claimed at least 23 lives and our brethren and help repair the house Christians,” Mayugba said. Thomas Aquinas Manyo
scores were injured. of God that has been left deteriorated. Contained in a box, the Maeda of Osaka.
The online letter reads as follows: Please notify me so i can give you details icon of the Blessed Virgin In his message, Cardinal
Hello, of where to donate. Mary was found floating on Maeda said that there are
How are you? We’re soliciting for May God Bless, protect and guide you the shores between the Ilocos so many links between
funds (donations) for The Cathedral always! towns of Badoc and Sinait in the Catholicism in the
of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Jolo, Inori no uchini, 1620 along with the image of Philippines and Japan,
Philippines that suffered an ISIS Fr. Torres crucified Christ. citing Madonna of Badoc as
terrorist attack on the 20th of January A check with the Catholic Directory Fray Pedro Vivar, OSA, an example.
being Sunday as the Roman Catholic of the Philippines does not list Torres chronicled the discovery in After the Japan visit of
faithfuls gathered to worship, leaving as priest incardinated to any diocese 1764 and the report is extant Bishop Mayugba, replicas
twenty worshipers dead at the spot or to the Missionary Oblates of Mary in the Augustinian archives of La Virgen Milagrosa de
and many others with life threatening Immaculate, the congregation doing in Valladolid, Spain. Badoc will also be brought to
injuries needing immediate surgeries. missionary work in Jolo since 1939. In his documentation, Vivar Christuskirche in Heilbronn,
The total estimated cost for the church (Rommel Lopez/CBCP News) wrote that the icons came Germany on May 25 and
from the hidden Japanese to Los Angeles, California

Construction of clergy home in Palawan underway Christians who jettisoned the

religious image into the sea
to escape iconoclasm and for
during summer this year.
Another replica will also
be enshrined in the Basilica
PUERTO PRINCESA of clergy house project since them to avoid persecution. of Santa Pudenziana, the
City—The Apostolic the early 2000s but was put The image of “La Virgen National Church of the
Vicariate of Puerto on hold because of budget Milagrosa” was enshrined in Filipinos in Rome and the
Princesa is currently constraints. the “Visita” of Badoc which Titular Church of Cardinal
building a house for the An estimated Php 40 became the house of the Maeda, later this year.
retired, aging, and sick million is needed for the Virgin in the next 400 years. (CBCP News)
priests of Palawan. completion of project, which
Bishop Socrates Mesiona according to Mesiona, will Collection Box / A5
said it is an “urgent need” at also serve as a transient
the moment. house for priests assigned to approach. Education should be detrimental to national
“We want to provide our far-flung areas. take a pre-eminent role in security and the safety of
priests a decent place to stay “We really have no sure this. Remember, terrorists, Filipinos.
when they retire,” he stressed budget, we just leave it God, before taking up arms, Strengthening inter-
out. praying that there will be many are first made to believe government cooperation and
The prelate explained that kind people who are kind in a cause that is ‘’worth’’ sharing intelligence data
majority of the priests in the enough to support the project,” Bishop Socrates Mesiona recently conducted an ocular inspection of the ongoing fighting for. Firing guns and are also vital to identifying,
construction of Clergy House in Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa, a project of the vicariate. detonating bombs to inflict accosting, and arresting
vicariate are seniors with concluded the bishop. KATYA SANTOS
around 5 to 7 of them retiring injury are mere intended terrorists and their network.
soon. Clergy population independent city. “When the province was effects of indoctrination. To Using intelligence funds
Currently, there are 38 Palawan has a Based on records, when there divided into two vicariates, the counter this, governments properly and organizing
diocesan priests presently geographical area of was only one vicariate in the assignment of priests remained, should make education work community intelligence units
serving the vicariate. more than 14,000 square province, most of the young that’s why, most of the senior for peace and development. in barangays may also help.
kilometers. Around priests were assigned to the priests belong to Puerto It should be structured in In other words, funds must
Leap of faith 1,700 islands and islets islands towns, while the seniors Princesa,” Mesiona explained. such a way that the young not be used to clandestinely
Bishop Emeritus Pedro comprise the province were based in the capital or in (Katya A. Santos/CBCP may understand the folly of support the enemy with
Arigo initiated the building with 23 towns and 1 nearby municipalities. News) joining such groups and that hopes of generating more
true growth and development money in a protracted war
will not be achieved through against terror.
Prudence / A1
intimidation, armed conflict, Clearly, the war on terror
best for humanity,” he said. that we can use it without the rule of country does not even need a new or terroristic acts. will not be won by public
He urged authorities to examine the prudence,” Florencio added. legislation because present law allows The rise of ISIS and denunciations alone or by
impact of medical marijuana use in In a pastoral guidance issued in 2015, it already. ISIL gave us a glimpse of spiteful rhetorics promising
the general population and among the the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of He cited provisions of RA 9165, how technology works for the complete annihilation of
youth. the Philippines did not issue a blanket or the Comprehensive Dangerous the advancement of their the enemy. At the very least,
If the measure would benefit patients rejection of marijuana for medical Act of 2002, that defends the use cause. The internet became these only serve to assuage
suffering from debilitating medical purposes. of prohibited drugs in exceptional these groups’ most effective the feelings of a devastated
conditions, “then let us, by all means, The bishops said the Church allows cases. tool for recruitment and public whose insecurity
use it,” he said. the “compassionate” use of narcotics to President Rodrigo Duterte indoctrination. Stringent grows each day.
However, the bishop also warned of help terminally ill. on March 8 said he would not measures to regulate What has happened to
the possible misuse of marijuana once But the bishops said that the use approve the legalization of medical the use of social media humanity? This question
the bill is passed in Congress. of medical marijuana should only be marijuana, a reverse from his platforms should therefore will linger until we find the
In cannabis policy debates, whether considered when all other options have previous position. be in place. Authorities courage to address the enemy
legalization leads to abuse is a crucial been explored. Duterte warned that drug syndicates should have the capacity from within and implement
point of contention. Then CBCP President, Archbishop could use its legalization to sell to determine dangerous the right formula to defeat
“This is not also a blanket authority Socrates Villegas, previously said the prohibited substances. (CBCP News) sites and content that may terror in our midst.
A8 PEOPLE, FACTS, AND PLACES March 18 -31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 CBCP Monitor

Cardinal Quevedo turns Pope names new Auxiliary Bishop of

80, loses right to enter Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese
into conclave POPE Francis has appointed
Fr. Fidelis Layog as Auxiliary
Bishop of the Archdiocese of
Lingayen-Dagupan.
A priest of the same
archdiocese, the bishop-elect
is currently serving at the Our
Lady of Purification Parish in
Binmaley, Pangasinan.
The appointment was
made public in Rome at 12
noon (7:00 p.m. local time)
on Saturday, March 18.
Fr. Layog was born in
Dagupan City on November
20, 1968.
He studied philosophy
at Mary Help of Christians
College Seminary and
theology at the Immaculate
Conception School of
Theology in Vigan City.
Cardinal Orlando Quevedo has turned 80 years old yesterday, reducing the number After his priestly ordination
of cardinal electors to 122. MARIA TAN
on April 29, 1996, Layog
spent the first four years
of priesthood as Prefect of
Discipline at the at the Mary
Help of Christians High
School Seminary in Dagupan
City.
In 2003, he also
obtained a degree in
Biblical Theology from the
Pontifical University of St.
Thomas in Rome.
Back in the diocese, after
years of study in Rome, he
was:
• Parish priest of the Holy
Family Parish in Sta. Barbara,
Pangasinan (2006-2009)
• Parish Priest of St. Peter
and Paul Parish in Calasiao,
Pangasinan and Vicar Forane
(2011-2014)
• Director of Mapandan
Catholic School (2014-2016).
Aside from being a parish
priest in Binmaley, he is also
the Director of St. Columban
Institute of Domalandan in
Lingayen, Pangasinan since
2017.
As auxiliary bishop, Layog
will assist Archbishop
Socrates Villegas in running
the archdiocese.
Archbishop Villegas said
the appointment of Fr. Layog
as auxiliary bishop “is a
sterling recognition of the
maturity of our Catholic faith
and the richness of our local
presbyterium”.
Fr. Layog’s episcopal
ordination will be on May
8, 2019 at the Cathedral of
Saint John the Evangelist in Auxiliary Bishop-elect Fidelis Layog of
Lingayen-Dagupan
Dagupan City. (CBCP News)

CARDINAL Orlando
Quevedo, the retired
archbishop of Cotabato, has
turned 80 on March 11, losing
his right to participate in a
papal election.
The cardinal marked his
birthday by celebrating Mass
with bishops, as greetings
poured in from around the
world.
The celebration attracted
friends from across the
archdiocese and around the
country.
“All I am and that I possess,
all of them come from God,”
he told mass goers and well-
wishers at the Cotabato
cathedral.
Cardinal Quevedo is the
first and remains to be the
only Filipino cardinal named
by Pope Francis so far.
Voting for popes is barred
to cardinals over 79, leaving
the Philippines with lone
representative — Cardinal
Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila,
who is just 61.
New photo book chronicles
Cardinal Tagle participated
in the conclave that elected
Pope Francis in 2013.
Quevedo was the eight
Filipino to be appointed a
cardinal in 2014 and the first
from Mindanao.
The country only has
three living cardinals today,
including retired Cardinal
Gaudencio Rosales, who is
now 86 years old.
There are now 223
living cardinals, of whom
122 are under the age of
80 and therefore eligible to
participate in a conclave to
elect a new pope.
Cardinal Quevedo was
Pope Francis’ special envoy
to the 150th anniversary
celebration of the “Hidden
Christians of Japan” that was
held in Nagasaki in March
2015.
Unknown to many, the
pope also sent him to
beatify 17 martyrs of Laos
in December 2016. (CBCP
News)
Youngest bishop in PH ordained, installed
BISHOP Rex Andrew Alarcon went back
to his hometown in Daet, Camarines
Norte on Wednesday, not for a short
visit, but to assume a vacant seat.
In a ceremony, the Daet diocese
welcomed its fourth bishop, as well as
the youngest in the Philippines.
Alarcon will now lead more than half-
a-million Catholics in 30 parishes that
reside in Camarines Norte province.
The installation took place before
around 2,000 people at the Cathedral
of the Most Holy Trinity.
“I want to accompany you. May we
walk together in the spirit of synodality
in the heart of the Church,” Alarcon told
the congregation.
The installation took place a day after
his episcopal ordination held at the
St. John the Evangelist Metropolitan
Cathedral in Naga City.
Around a dozen bishops attended the
Bishop Rex Andre Alarcon receives the pastoral staff during his episcopal ordination at the Naga Cathedral, March
ceremony led by Archbishop Gabrielle 19. JOJO PRIETO/ARCHDIOCESE OF CACERES
Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the
Philippines, and Archbishop Adolfo After his theology studies at the archdiocese.
Tito Yllana, the Apostolic Nuncio to University of Santo Tomas in Manila, At 48, Alarcon is the youngest member
Australia. Alarcon was ordained a priest for the of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
Top local and national government Archdiocese of Caceres in 1996. the Philippines (CBCP).
leaders were also in attendance led by
Vice President Leni Robredo.
In 2001, he obtained his licentiate in
Church history at Pontifical Gregorian
There are two Filipino bishops
younger than Alarcon but they are based

Manila Cathedral history Pope Francis appointed Alarcon as the

bishop of Daet on Jan. 2.
He succeeded Archbishop Gilbert
Garcera who was transferred to the
Archdiocese of Lipa in February 2017.
University in Rome, Italy.
Since 2013, he has held the office of
superintendent of the Catholic schools
of Caceres, member of the college
of consultors, and spokesman of the
in other countries. They are Bishop
Ryan Jimenez, 47, of Chalan Kanoa in
Saipan, and Bishop Pedro Baquero, 48,
of Kerema in Papa New Guinea. (Roy
Lagarde/CBCP News)

Seminary installs bust of Ilocano bishop being pushed for sainthood

Papal nuncio Archbishop Gabriele Caccia receives a copy of the Manila Cathedral photo
book from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban,
president of the Manila Cathedral Foundation, March 9. CBCP NEWS
MANILA Cathedral has
launched a new book on
Saturday telling the story
of the church from its
foundations to the present
day.
Containing facts, figures
and events, “Manila
Cathedral: Restoring
a Monument of Faith,
Architecture and History”
gives a glimpse of the
structure through the years
since its first establishment
in 1581.
There are hidden gems
like never-before-seen old
architectural plans and
photos of the post-war
rebuilding that have been
uncovered from the archives.
Fr. Reginald Malicdem, the
cathedral’s rector, said the
photo book is “a combination
of history and faith”.
“The book will be a lesson
of how the cathedral played
an important role in the
development of Christianity
in the Philippines,” he said.
The rector said it’s
significant not only for the
Church but also for the
faithful considering that the
cathedral is the country’s
“Mother Church”.
“Even Pope Francis
himself said that the Manila
Cathedral is the Mother
Church in the country being
the first cathedral in the
Philippines,” said Malicdem.
Present during the
launching were Archbishop
Gabriele Caccia, the Apostolic
Nuncio of the Philippines,
and Cardinal Luis Antonio
Tagle of Manila.
Also in attendance were
the board and trustees of the
Manila Cathedral-Basilica
Foundation, Inc., led by
former Chief Justice Artemio
Panganiban.
The book was produced
with the guidance of its
editor, renowned heritage
architect Gerald Lico,
photographer Marc Henrich
Go and with the support of
The GT Foundation, Inc.
Copies are available at the
Manila Cathedral for P2,500.
Malicdem said proceeds
from the book sale will go
to the maintenance of
the cathedral. (CBCP
News)
A THEOLOGY seminary
in Ilocos Sur has initiated
a unique means of paying
tribute to the Servant of
God Alfredo Verzosa, whose
sainthood is being pushed.
The Immaculate
Conception School of
Theology of Vigan has decided
to install a statue of the first
bishop from Northern Luzon.
On Saturday, March 16, a
bust of Verzosa was installed
inside the seminary as a way
to promote the cause of his
sainthood.
The image of Verzosa was
enshrined at the seminary
chapel after a Mass presided
over by Nueva Segovia
Archbishop Emeritus Ernesto
Salgado.
During the celebration, 19
seminarians from different
dioceses of northern Luzon
were also instituted to the
ministry of acolyte.
Archbishop Salgado later
blessed the image and
exhorted everyone to pray
that Bishop Verzosa be raised
soon to the honors of the
altar.
Verzosa was born in Vigan,
Ilocos Sur on December 9,
1877 to a wealthy family of
the Spanish City’s “Gremio de
Mestizos” (Mestizo Section).
He entered the Seminary of
Vigan before the Philippine
Revolution against Spain,
towards the end of the 19th
Century. He later left the
seminary to pursue a secular
course at the Colegio de San
Juan de Letrán in Manila
which to him was caused
by a “repugnance to the
priesthood.”
Historians presumed that
this negative sentiment might
have been caused by the
injustices against Filipinos
during the time.
History tells that by 1896,
Spanish friars tortured nine
clerics who were implicated
of active involvement in
free masonry and the
revolution. They were also
humiliated in front of the
seminarians that they may
not follow their example.
The clerics were later found
innocent.
While a student in Letran,
Verzosa felt a sentiment of
restlessness, a Dominican
friar advised him to return
to the seminary to attain his
peace.
In one of his messages,
the bishop recounted that
while in Manila, he was told
by her elder sister about
their mother waking up at
night, kneeling and crying
as she prayed, which to the
presumption of the daughter
was for the vocation of the
son who was absent from the
seminary.
Verzosa attributed his
priestly vocation to the
prayers of his mother. He
remarked, “Nonetheless, my
mother won and she had the
joy of seeing me a priest and
later on, a bishop.”
Verzosa was the first native
Filipino to have become a
bishop from the University
of Sto. Tomás.
As a priest of Nueva Segovia,
he fought for the preservation
of Roman Catholicism amid
the Aglipayan schism at the
onset of the 20th century.
At age 39, he was made
bishop of Lipa in 1916,
which at that time covered
the provinces of Batangas,
Quezón, Laguna, Mindoro
and Marinduque.
On horseback and
traversing the seas, Verzosa
Nueva Segovia Archbishop Emeritus Ernesto Salgado blesses a bust of the Servant of
God, Alfredo Verzosa, at the chapel of the Immaculate Conception School of Theology
in Vigan City on March 16, 2019. PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. EMAN QUINTOS
visited parishes of his territory
with zeal. He believed in the
importance of catechism, an
inspiration from the pastoral
problem he encountered as
priest in the north.
From this, he founded the
Missionary Catechists of the
Sacred Heart (MCSH) in
1923. This would later inspire
his Auxiliary Bishop, the
Venerable Alfredo Obviar to
found another congregation
of the same charism and
name in a much later time.
He, together with his
Auxiliary, became committed
in the pastoral care of the
faithful, taking the courage
even in front of the perils of
the World War II.
Towards the end of the
1940’s, there was an alleged
apparition of the Virgin at
Lipa Carmel with reports
of showers of rose petals.
This was later judged as
having no supernatural
basis by the Church. With
obedience, the two bishops
followed the disposition of
the Church on the matter,
up to their death.
Verzosa is remembered
as a charitable shepherd,
solicitous to the needs of
the poor, strong with his
adherence to the faith despite
perils and never lost his hope
to God even in front of intense
suffering. He died in 1954.
The process for
his beatification and
canonization is on its way at
the Vatican’s Congregation
for the Causes of Saints.
The “Positio,” the official
document of the Cause is
being prepared for the review
of experts in Rome.
Archbishop Salgado
committed his retirement
years in promoting the
Cause for Beatification and
Canonization of Verzosa.
For several years now, the
archbishop goes to parishes
in the region and abroad
celebrating Masses and
giving talks to promote the
sainthood cause. (CBCP
News)
CBCP Monitor March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6
Pope Francis poses with seminarians from the Puglia region of southern Italy. VATICAN MEDIA
(2019 marks the 56th anniversary of The World Day of Prayer for Vocations that will be celebrated on May 12, the Good Shepherd Sunday.)
The courage to take a risk for
God’s promise
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 2019 World Day of Vocations
DEAR Brothers and Sisters,
After the lively and fruitful experience of the
Synod devoted to young people last October,
we recently celebrated the Thirty-fourth
World Youth Day in Panama City.  These two
great events allowed the Church to be atten-
tive both to the voice of the Spirit and to the
life of young men and women, their questions
and concerns, their problems and their hopes.
Building on what I shared with the young
people in Panama, I would like to reflect, on
this World Day of Prayer for Vocations, on how
the Lord’s call makes us bearers of a prom-
ise and, at the same time, asks of us the cour-
age to take a risk, with him and for him.  I will
do this by reflecting briefly with you on these
two aspects—promise and risk—as they appear
in the Gospel account of the calling of the first
disciples by the sea of Galilee (Mk 1:16-20).
Two pairs of brothers—Simon and Andrew,
and James and John—are going about their
daily tasks as fishermen.  In this demanding
work, they had learned the laws of nature,
yet at times, when the winds were adverse
and waves shook their boats, they had to defy
the elements.  On some days, the catch of fish
amply repaid their efforts, but on others, an
entire night’s work was not sufficient to fill
their nets, and they had to return to shore
weary and disappointed.
Much of life is like that.  Each of us tries to
realize his or her deepest desires; we engage
in activities that we hope will prove enriching,
and we put out on a “sea” of possibilities in the
hope of steering the right course, one that will
satisfy our thirst for happiness.  Sometimes we
enjoy a good catch, while at others, we need
courage to keep our boat from being tossed by
the waves, or we are frustrated at seeing our
nets come up empty.
As with every call, the Gospel speaks of an
encounter.  Jesus walks by, sees those fisher-
men, and walks up to them...  The same thing
happened when we met the person we wanted
to marry, or when we first felt the attraction
of a life of consecration: we were surprised
by an encounter, and at that moment we
glimpsed the promise of a joy capable of
bringing fulfillment to our lives.  That day, by
the sea of Galilee, Jesus drew near to those
fishermen, breaking through the “paralysis
of routine” (Homily for the XXII World Day
for Consecrated Life, 2 February 2018).  And
he immediately made them a promise: “I will
make you fishers of men” (Mk1:17).
The Lord’s call is not an intrusion of God
in our freedom; it is not a “cage” or a burden
to be borne.  On the contrary, it is the loving
initiative whereby God encounters us and in-
vites us to be part of a great undertaking.  He
opens before our eyes the horizon of a greater
sea and an abundant catch.
God in fact desires that our lives not be-
come banal and predictable, imprisoned by
daily routine, or unresponsive before deci-
sions that could give it meaning.  The Lord
does not want us to live from day to day,
thinking that nothing is worth fighting for,
slowly losing our desire to set out on new
and exciting paths.  If at times he makes us
experience a “miraculous catch”, it is because
he wants us to discover that each of us is
called—in a variety of ways—to something
grand, and that our lives should not grow
entangled in the nets of an ennui that dulls
the heart.  Every vocation is a summons not
to stand on the shore, nets in hand, but to
follow Jesus on the path he has marked out
for us, for our own happiness and for the good
of those around us.
Embracing this promise naturally demands
the courage to risk making a decision.  The
first disciples, called by Jesus to be part of
something greater, “immediately left their
nets and followed him” (Mk 1:18).  Re-
sponding to the Lord’s call involves putting
ourselves on the line and facing a great chal-
lenge.  It means being ready to leave behind
whatever would keep us tied to our little
boat and prevent us from making a definitive
choice.  We are called to be bold and decisive
in seeking God’s plan for our lives.  Gazing
out at the vast “ocean” of vocation, we cannot
remain content to repair our nets on the boat
that gives us security, but must trust instead
in the Lord’s promise.
I think primarily of the call to the Christian
life which all of us received at Baptism.  It
teaches us that our life is not a fluke but rather
a gift: that of being God’s beloved children,
gathered in the great family of the Church.  It
is precisely in the ecclesial community that the
Christian life is born and develops, especially
through the liturgy.  The liturgy introduces us
to God’s word and the grace of the sacraments;
from an early age, we are taught the art of
prayer and fraternal sharing.  In the end, the
Church is our mother because she brings us
to new life and leads us to Christ.  So we must
love her, even when we see her face marred
by human frailty and sin, and we must help
to make her ever more beautiful and radiant,
so that she can bear witness to God’s love in
the world.
The Christian life thus finds expression in
those decisions that, while giving a precise
direction to our personal journey, also con-
tribute to the growth of God’s kingdom in
our world.  I think of the decision to marry
in Christ and to form a family, as well as all
those other vocations associated with work
and professional life, with the commitment to
charity and solidarity, with social and political
responsibilities, and so forth.  These vocations
make us bearers of a promise of goodness, love
and justice, not only for ourselves but also for
our societies and cultures, which need coura-
geous Christians and authentic witnesses of
the kingdom of God.
In encountering the Lord, some may feel the
attraction of a call to the consecrated life or to
the ordained priesthood.  It is a discovery that
can excite and at the same time frighten us,
since we feel called to become “fishers of men”
in the barque of the Church by giving totally of
ourselves in commitment to faithful service of
the Gospel and our brothers and sisters.  Such
a decision carries the risk of leaving everything
behind to follow the Lord, to devote ourselves
completely to him, and to share in his work.  get complicated, of course, but not in the
Many kinds of interior resistance can stand
in the way of making this decision, especially
in highly secularized contexts where there no
longer seems to be a place for God and for the
Gospel.  Places where it is easy to grow dis-
couraged and fall into the “weariness of hope”
(Homily at Mass with Priests, Consecrated
Persons and Lay Movements, Panama, 26
January 2019).
And yet, there can be no greater joy than
to risk one’s life for the Lord!  I would like to
say this especially to you, the young.  Do not
be deaf to the Lord’s call.  If he calls you to
follow this path, do not pull your oars into the
boat, but trust him.  Do not yield to fear, which
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
paralyzes us before the great heights to which
the Lord points us.  Always remember that to
those who leave their nets and boat behind,
and follow him, the Lord promises the joy of
a new life that can fill our hearts and enliven
our journey.
Dear friends, it is not always easy to discern
our vocation and to steer our life in the right
direction.  For this reason, there needs to be a
renewed commitment on the part of the whole
Church—priests, religious, pastoral workers
and educators—to provide young people in
particular with opportunities for listening
and discernment.  There is a need for a youth
ministry and a vocational promotion that
can open the way to discovering God’s plan,
above all through prayer, meditation on God’s
word, eucharistic adoration and spiritual ac-
companiment.
As was made clear several times during the
World Youth Day in Panama, we should
always look to Mary.  Also in the story of
this young woman, vocation was both a
promise and a risk.  Her mission was not
easy, yet she did not allow fear to prevail. 
“It was the ‘yes’ of someone prepared to be
committed, someone willing to take a risk,
ready to stake everything she had, with no
more security than the certainty of know-
ing that she was the bearer of a promise.  I
ask each one of you: Do you see yourselves
as bearers of a promise?  What promise do
I bear within my heart to take forward? 
Mary’s would undoubtedly be a difficult
mission, but the challenges that lay ahead
were no reason to say ‘no’.  Things would
same way as happens when cowardice
paralyzes us because things are not clear or
sure in advance” (Vigil with Young People,
Panama, 26 January 2019).
On this World Day of Prayer for Voca-
tions, let us join in prayer and ask the Lord
to help us discover his plan of love for our
lives, and to grant us the courage to walk
in the path that, from the beginning, he has
chosen for each of us.
From the Vatican, 31 January 2019
Memorial of Saint John Bosco
FRANCIS 
B2 FEATURE
Confronting the specter of a Philippine Divorce Law (IV)
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
AS most people know, a house bill for
divorce had already been passed. What may
have escaped most Catholics is that a similar
bill has been filed in the Senate. If that bill is
passed, we will be just a step short of divorce
finally being instituted in our country, the last
remaining state (aside from the Vatican) that
has no divorce law. Rather than fight that
bill—which has a valid pretension (to find a
solution for the situation of people trapped in
an irreparably broken marriage)—we might
instead convince the Senate to introduce
reforms in the present Family Code in order
to facilitate the declaration of nullity of most
of those irreparably broken marriages.
In other words, since the urgent problem
motivating our legislators—and all the pro-
divorce forces—to craft a divorce law seems
to be the extreme case of irreparably broken
marriages, if a way can be found to declare
the invalidity from the start of most of those
marriages, perhaps there would be no need
to legislate divorce. As a Spanish saying goes:
“Muerto el perro, se acabó la rabia” (With the
dog dead, that’s the end of its rabies).
In this installment of this long article, we
shall tackle the most important import of
the Philippine Family Code from the Code
of Canon Law: the so-called psychological
incapacity as a cause for invalid marriage.
Incapacity to Assume the Essential
Obligations of Marriage for Reasons of
a Psychic Nature. 1
Can.1095, 3° takes into consideration those
subjects whose psychic structure makes it
impossible for them to bind themselves to the
essential obligations of marriage, regardless of
their capacity to discern and deliberate over
such obligations (the object of c.1095, 2°).
This has been erroneously labeled—
especially in the civil courts—as psychological
incapacity, causing a misunderstanding of the
real ground of nullity and the object of proof
thereof.
The premise of Canon 1095, 3º is that one
cannot validly assume an obligation which
he is incapable of fulfilling. Since marriage
is a natural institution (in fact all normal
human beings even have a right to contract
marriage), what c.1095, 3° states is that such
incapacity to assume the essential obligations
of marriage can only be due to reasons of a
psychic nature. But not all psychic disorders
cause such incapacity. What constitutes the
ground for consensual invalidity—and what
needs to be proven in court—is not so much
the existence of a psychic abnormality but
rather the incapacity to assume the essential
obligations of marriage (albeit this latter is
caused by a psychic anomaly).
According to this norm, those subjects who
do not have the self-dominion to assume
and respond to the essential matrimonial
obligations, regardless of actually committing
themselves to such obligations through a
formal act, are incapable of giving a valid
matrimonial consent: because nobody can
validly commit himself to something that he
is intrinsically incapable of assuming.
Thus, in the case of a factual non-fulfillment
of the essential marriage obligations, the
determinant question is: Is it a case of simple
1 For a more thorough discussion of this matter, vid. VV.AA.,
Manual de Derecho Matrimonial Canónico, Madrid (2002),
pp.144-158; Pedro-Juan Villadrich, “Commentary to c.1095”,
in VV.AA., Exegetical Commentary to the Code of Canon Law,
Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago (2004), pp.1234-1256.
Deacon’s posture at the epiclesis
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query: )
Q: My friends and I have been discussing
what the reason is that the deacon kneels
at the epiclesis of the Mass and not when
the congregation kneels. I know that it is
specified in the General Instruction of the
Roman Missal (GIRM), but we are interested
in the theological or symbolic reason if there
is one. — M.T., Chicago
A: One of the causes for not finding any
particular theological or symbolic reasons
for this difference is probably that there are
none.
The reasons for the differences are primarily
of a practical nature.
First of all, it must be observed that this
difference is only found in some countries
such as the United States.
The GIRM in use in England and Wales
says the following:
“43. …. But they should kneel at the
consecration, except when prevented on
occasion by reasons of health, lack of space,
the large number of people present, or some
other good reason. Those who do not kneel
ought to make a profound bow when the
priest genuflects after the consecration.
Nevertheless, it is up to the Conference of
Bishops to adapt the gestures and postures
described in the Order of Mass to the culture
and reasonable traditions of the people. The
Conference, however, must make sure that
such adaptations correspond to the meaning
Understanding Psychological Incapacity as a Cause of Marriage Nullity
The parish of St. Isidore the Farmer in Maslog, Eastern Samar holds the biggest mass wedding in the Diocese of Borongan, Nov. 29, 2018. ALREN BERONIO
non-fulfillment of obligations that had
been validly assumed (which would then be
irrelevant for the judgment of the validity of
the marriage), or a case demonstrating the
absence of a valid matrimonial consent? In
the latter case, a posterior question would be:
Is the non-fulfillment due to a positive will
contrary to marriage or to one of its essential
elements or properties (a case of simulation or
exclusion dealt with in c.1101, 2°), or due to an
incapacity to assume the essential obligations
of marriage, which is the object of c.1095, 3°.
I. Proof of Incapacity to Assume
Essential Obligations of Marriage
Among the elements indicated by Rotal
jurisprudence for the proof of this incapacity
are the following:
The defect should render the person
incapable of assuming or fulfilling the
obligations that stem from the tria bona of
marriage.
Rotal jurisprudence is unanimous in the
need for a grave cause, which gives rise to
incapacity in the juridic sense, such that one
can speak of incapacity only when there is a
real impossibility for assuming the essential
obligations of marriage. Slight vices, ill will
and personality disorders that make inter-
personal relationship difficult are not enough
to declare consensual incapacity; what is
necessary is at least a moral impossibility for
such relationship.
The cause of nullity is always a serious
psychic cause, i.e., it does not depend on the
will of the subject. On the other hand, the
use of the term cause implies that it is not
enough that a psychological anomaly exists,
but that such anomaly should be the cause of
the incapacity to assume in the juridic sense. A
subject may still be capable of marital consent
and character of each part of the celebration.
“Where it is the practice for the people
to remain kneeling after the Sanctus until
the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and before
Communion when the priest says, Ecce Agnus
Dei (This is the Lamb of God), this practice is
laudably retained. With a view to a uniformity
in gestures and postures during one and the
same celebration, the faithful should follow
the directions which the deacon, lay minister,
or priest gives according to whatever is
indicated in the Missal.”
In the United States, however, this same
number reads:
“In the Dioceses of the United States of
America, they should kneel beginning after
the singing or recitation of the Sanctus (Holy,
Holy, Holy) until after the Amen of the
Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on
occasion by ill health, or for reasons of lack of
space, of the large number of people present,
or for another reasonable cause. However,
those who do not kneel ought to make a
profound bow when the Priest genuflects
after the Consecration. The faithful kneel
after the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) unless
the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.
“For the sake of uniformity in gestures
and bodily postures during one and the same
celebration, the faithful should follow the
instructions which the Deacon, a lay minister,
or the Priest gives, according to what is laid
down in the Missal.”
March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6
even with a psychic anomaly, if such anomaly
does not make it impossible for him to assume
the essential obligations of marriage. The
causes of a psychic nature that are commonly
alleged can be grouped into the following:
Mental illnesses: psychoses in its variations,
neuroses, etc.
Psychosexual anomalies, which impede
the normal exercise of sexuality: sexual
hyperesthesia, some manifestations of
masochism or sadism, homosexuality, trans-
sexualism and other sexual dysfunctions.
Personality disorders: serious forms of
narcissism, anti-social personality with violent
inclination, weak personalities easily led
substance or other habits harmful to family
life (e.g., pornography).
II. Impossibility vs. Difficulty
From all of these, it is clear that Rotal
jurisprudence distinguishes between a
mere difficulty for assuming or fulfilling the
essential marriage obligations and a real
impossibility for doing so.
John Paul II revealed the mens legislatoris
at the core of c.1095 in his discourses to
the Roman Rota. For example, in 1987 he
affirmed: “A true incapacity can be conceived
only in the presence of a serious form of
anomaly, which—regardless of how it is
called—should substantially affect the capacity
of understanding and/or willing of the
contractant.”2 Further on he would affirm:
“For the canonist, the principle should be
clear that only impossibility, and not the
difficulty, of giving consent and fulfilling a
true community of life and love renders a
marriage null. On the other hand, the failure
2 Translated from the Italian version at http://w2.vatican.va/
content/john-paul-ii/it/speeches/1987/february/documents/
hf_jp-ii_spe_19870205_roman-rota.html (paragraph 7),
downloaded January 7, 2019.
The British translation reflects the definitive
Latin version of the missal. The United States
version determines a variant practice for the
United States which has been duly approved
by the Holy See as particular law.
In fact, it was after approving the petition of
the U.S. bishops that the Holy See amended
the original text to include the phrase:
“Where it is the practice for the people to
remain after the Sanctus until the end of the
Eucharistic Prayer and before Communion
when the priest says Ecce Agnus Dei (This is
the Lamb of God), this practice is laudably
retained.” This means that if other bishops’
conferences desired to retain this practice,
they were able to do so without having to
recur to the Holy See for permission.
With respect to the deacon the GIRM says:
“179. During the Eucharistic Prayer, the
Deacon stands near the Priest, but slightly
behind him, so that when necessary he may
assist the Priest with the chalice or the Missal.
“From the epiclesis, until the Priest shows
the chalice, the Deacon usually remains
kneeling. If several Deacons are present, one
of them may place incense in the thurible for
the Consecration and incense the host and
the chalice at the elevation.”
Therefore, the deacon basically follows
the universal practice even though there is a
legitimate variation of posture for the people
in the United States.
This is because the deacon’s proper
CBCP Monitor
of the conjugal union, in itself, is never a
proof of such incapacity in the contractants.
It is good to remember that incapacity does
not refer to the ideal marriage, but to a valid
marriage—i.e., the possibility of establishing
a relationship that can be called matrimonial,
even if in a minimum but sufficient level.”3
Finally, in his discourse in 1988,
John Paul II warned against the danger of
shifting the focus of the incapacity from
the impossibility of assuming the essential
obligations to that of the fulfillment of
such obligations. “The error can arise in
which the expert declares the incapacity of
the contractant not with reference to the
minimum capacity that is sufficient for a valid
consent, but with reference to the ideal of a full
maturity for a happy conjugal life.”4
The core of the incapacity lies in the conjugal
pact—the capacity to oblige oneself to the
essential obligations of marriage—and not in
the ensuing conjugal life, because the reasons
for the non-fulfillment of such obligations are
varied and irrelevant to consensual capacity
or incapacity. We need to remember that the
success or failure of the conjugal life does
not normally depend on the foundational
moment, but rather on the adequate response
to the ordinary problems of integration that
arise in the course of its development.
Thus, to declare marriage nullity due to
consensual incapacity, it is not enough to prove
the failure or unhappiness of matrimonial life;
there should be a causal link between the
failure of marriage, the cause of the incapacity
and the vital process in which the incapacity
is manifested. (To be continued)
3 Ibid.
4 Translated from the Italian version, available at http://
w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/speeches/1988/january/
documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19880125_roman-rota.html (par. 9),
downloaded January 7, 2019.
ministerial role would usually require him
to remain standing except for during the
consecration.
For example, among his duties would be
helping the priest with the missal during the
Eucharistic Prayer.
Likewise, if chalice palls are used, he would
uncover any chalices immediately before the
epiclesis and would replace the palls after the
memorial acclamation.
He most certainly would have to be back
on his feet before the end of the Eucharistic
Prayer so as to accompany the priest during
the final doxology by raising the chalice.
Finally, the deacon at the altar should
never do any liturgical act while kneeling.
A hand should never appear from below the
altar to change a page or remove a chalice
pall.
As mentioned the pall should be removed
before the epiclesis or, if the presence of dust
or insects requires it to be kept on as much as
possible, the priest can remove it himself, just
as he can turn the page if necessary.
Therefore the deacon should only kneel
during the consecration since his ministry
as deacon requires it.
In some cases, such as the need to assist a
frail elderly priest, or the need to sustain a
microphone so the priest can be heard, then
the deacon, and indeed another suitable
minister could remain standing even during
the consecration.
CBCP Monitor March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6 FEATURE B3

Prayer beautifies
(Lk 9:28b-36)
By Bishop Pablo Virgilio David

THIS story of Jesus transfigured
before his disciples is also in the
Gospels of Mark and Matthew. But
only Luke tells us that he was pray-
ing when it happened.
In another passage, in chapter 11,
Luke tells us the disciples were spy-
ing on him as he went into solitude
to pray. Afterwards, they ask Jesus
to teach them how to pray. It means
they knew that something wonderful
happened to him when he prayed;
and they wanted to experience it
too. And it looks like Jesus took with
him Peter, James and John, his core
group within the core of the twelve,
precisely to mentor them in prayer.
You see, prayer too is a discipline
that has to be learned. And let’s
admit it, we’re not always success-
ful in it. One of the signs of success
in prayer is what our Gospel today
is about: it makes us beautiful, often
without our knowing it. It gives us that
glow, that dazzle that a lot of vain peo-
ple try to have by buying a lot of skin
whiteners and other Belo products.
How, indeed, is one supposed to
pray? Let’s take it from Jesus:
1. First, by soaking in the Scrip-
tures, and allowing God to speak to
us through them. Luke says Moses
and Elijah were conversing with
Jesus. Moses, who represented the
Torah (Law), and Elijah, who repre-
sented the Nebi’im, the prophets. In
prayer, their words came alive like
they had literally leaped out of the
book. They spoke to him about his
exodus, his own mission in Jerusa-
lem. He was teaching his disciples
that Jerusalem was not anything to
be afraid of; it was in fact their route
to their freedom to live as children
of God.
2. Second, by being awakened
from slumber. Prayer is what makes
faith possible. Pope Benedict once
defined faith as “the human re-
sponse to the God who speaks to us;
a response of love to the God who
loved us first.” It is a response! How
can we even know how to respond
if we are not even aware that God
is speaking to us? How can we even
know how to love God if we have
not, first of all, been awakened to
the love of God? In fact, the experi-
ence of being loved by God can be so
dazzling, we do not even know how
to respond, like the disciples who
awkwardly propose to build tents.
3. Third, by having the courage
to enter into the dark clouds of
doubts and uncertainties in order
to learn how to be guided by God.
That is not possible if we do not
know how to listen. It was not while
they were dazzled by the majestic
sight but rather when they were
overshadowed by the dark cloud
that they heard the Father’s voice.
No one, but the Father could reveal
to them the beauty of Jesus’ person:
as the Christ, the Son of God. This
is my Son, my Beloved, listen to
him! Analogously, I learned what
it meant to listen to the Father’s
voice when I was a child, wanting
to win the “Hampas Palayok” (Hit
the Pot) game. My father gave me
the tip: “You will be blindfolded and
confused. You will hear many voices
telling you what to do. Some of them
are deliberately misleading you so
that their own children will win. Do
not listen to them. You know my
voice, don’t you? Concentrate. Sort
out the voices and find out which one
is mine. Listen only to me. Then I
can guide you to hit the pot. You see,
the discipline of prayer goes with the
discipline of discernment. We tend
to talk too much in prayer. Often,
we don’t even make sense. There is
a point in prayer when we must learn
to shut up and just listen.
There you have them. Three
important beauty tips for spiritual
grooming. One, soak in the Scrip-
tures. Two, be awakened from
slumber. Three, shut up and listen.
And how do you know you’re getting
trasfigured? Not by looking at a mir-
ror. That beauty will be reflected in
the eyes of the beholder, those who
are disposed to see the Glory of God
in a person who is fully alive.

To be like our generous God

By Bishop Pablo Virgilio David

I call the Gospel from Mt 7:7-12 a Gospel of
assurance for people who worry too much.
It is a Gospel that teaches us to have faith in
God as a Father who cares for us more than we
can imagine. “Ask and you will receive, seek
and you shall find, knock and the door shall
be opened.” We have a generous God and we
are called to behave like Him.
They say one of the reasons why there
are a lot of poor people in this world is not
really because of scarcity but rather because
of insecurity. Insecure people are those who
tend to hoard; they tend to accumulate more
than they need. They don’t just save for the
rainy days; they save for many centuries.
They would rather have faith in their ability
than in God’s providential care. And they
live miserable lives because they don’t know
what’s enough.
They are the kind of people who over
calculate. Remember the disciples who wanted
Jesus to dismiss the crowd while Jesus wanted
to give them something to eat? Remember
how they answered Jesus when Jesus wanted
to know how much food they had? WE HAVE
NOTHING BUT FIVE LOAVES AND TWO
FISH. That’s the kind of mentality that will
never experience a miracle. It is the obstacle
to multiplication. They immediately called it
NOTHING just because it did not seem very
much. One of the important principles of
multiplication is to begin with what is there
(not with what is not there), to be grateful for
whatever little there is, to make the most of
it, to share it with one another.
I remember I learned a song from my
teacher in grade six, a song which I memorized
and never forgot. It says, “What a beautiful
country which we are living in, if we only could
share and care enough, no one is gonna be sad.
There’s enough for everyone’s need but not for
everyone’s greed...”
In the Old Testament, there’s a passage
about the Israelites being so hungry in the
desert, they prayed for food and God sent
them food which is called MANNA. But he
asked Moses to instruct the people not to get
more than what they need to eat for one day
because there’s going to be more in the days
to come anyway. Some of them were so afraid
to get hungry they collected more and kept it.
The following day, they were food poisoned
because it had gotten spoiled already.
The same was true when they prayed
for meat. God sent them quails. They also
caught and cooked and feasted on them too
much, such that many of them died from
overeating and were buried in a place called
“kibroth hataavah”, which means, the graves
of avarice.
St. Paul, in his 1st Letter to Timothy
(6:10) says “avarice is the root of all evil.”
Remember also how he addressed in his
sermon on the mount people who are
insecure? He said, “...Do not not be anxious
about your life, what you will eat [or drink],
or about your body, what you will wear. Is not
life more than food and the body more than
clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they
do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into
barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they? Can
any of you by worrying add a single moment
to your life-span? Why are you anxious about
clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers
grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you
that not even Solomon in all his splendor was
clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the
grass of the field, which grows today and is
thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not
much more provide for you, O you of little
faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we
to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are
we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need
them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God]
and his righteousness,* and all these things
will be given you besides. Do not worry about
tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
(Mat 6:25-34)
The Gospel ends with a reformulation of
the so-called golden rule, which, in Confusian
philosophy says, “DO NOT DO UNTO
OTHERS...” Jesus prefers to make it positive:
“DO UNTO OTHERS...” It goes with a
proactive attitude, the attitude of the Father. It
is not enough to avoid causing evil on others. It
is important to consciously do what is good, to
aspire not just for one’s own good, but for the
common good. To be like our God who made
us to be like Him. To be disposed, not just to
ask but to give, not just to seek but to help
others find, not just to knock at other doors
but to open one’s doors to others.”

By Bishop Broderick Pabillo

Free for greater service
BY baptism we enter the fellowship of
believers. We become members of the Church,
which is both a spiritual and a temporal entity.
The Church is our family in the faith. Being
part of the family each one of us is to support it,
both materially and spiritually. The Catechism
of the Catholic Church states: “The faithful
have the duty of providing for the material
needs of the Church, each according to his
abilities.” (CCC #2043) The Code of Canon
Law, which is the law of the Church, also says:
“Christ’s faithful have the obligation to provide
for the needs of the Church, so that the Church
has available to it those things which are
necessary for divine worship, for apostolic and
charitable work and for the worthy support
of its ministers.” (CCL 222) These teachings
are grounded on the Scriptures which tell us
that we support those who proclaim the Good
News to us.
• “It is written in the law of Moses,
‘You shall not muzzle an ox while
it is treading out the grain.’ Is God
concerned about oxen, or is he not really
speaking for our sake? It was written for
our sake, because the plowman should
plow in hope, and the thresher in hope
of receiving a share. If we have sown
spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing
that we reap a material harvest from
you?” (1 Cor 9:9-11)
• “Let the elders who rule well be
considered worthy of double honor,
especially those who work hard at
preaching and teaching. For the
Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle
the ox while he is threshing,’ and ‘The
laborer is worthy of his wages.’” (1 Tim
5:17-18)
How the Church is supported by the faithful
has evolved in history and is exercised in
different ways:
• Before, in the Philippines during the
Spanish period, by the Patronato Real
System. The Spanish crown materially
supported the work of the missionaries.
• In Germany even in our days, by taxes
taken by the government from the
faithful and given to their Church.
• In the Philippines now, by the Arancel
System, that is, fixed amount whether
seen as dues or donations, given for
certain services rendered. The amount
is attached to the service requested.
• Many religious groups now in the
Philippines now make use of the tithing
system or the pledge system to maintain Philippine Catholic bishops at their plenary assembly in January. ROY LAGARDE
their operations.
We cannot avoid this perception in our meeting these obligations even if we
During the Second Plenary Council of the highly commercialized mentality. raise the amount to discourage “special”
Philippines in 1991, after much debate, the • Many poor are kept away or shy away considerations. They can always afford
body came out with this decree: “Tithing, after from receiving the services of the our “special baptisms” or “special
a good pastoral catechesis, shall be introduced Church because of the amount attached. marriages.”
with the end in view of the gradual abolition of Although the amount does not comprise • This system of the arancel is open to
the Arancel System.” (PCP II decree 118) That all the expenses people put into the many abuses and misperception, even
was 28 years ago! celebrations, which has become a social in our parishes.
Why the move away from the Arancel event in the family, nonetheless they
System? add to the cost. Pope Francis asks that “in every Christian
• Many get the impression that the • People perceive favoritism towards community the poor feel at home. Would
services of the Church are for sale the rich because they have the means not this approach be the greatest and most
because of the amount attached to it. to pay. The rich have no difficulty Free / B7
B4 FEATURE March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6 CBCP Monitor

‘To follow Jesus is not a decision taken

once and for all, it is a daily choice.’
(Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the 23rd World Day for Consecrated Life, 2 February 2019, Vatican)

TODAY’S Liturgy shows Jesus who To better understand this call,

goes out to meet his people.  It is the seen today in the temple in the first
feast day of encounter: the newness days of Jesus’ life, we should move to
of the Child encounters the tradition the first days of his public ministry,
of the temple; the promise finds at Cana, where he transforms water
fulfillment; young Mary and Joseph into wine.  There too there is a call to
encounter the elderly Simeon and obedience, with Mary, who says: “Do
Anna.  Everything, therefore, meets whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5).  Do
as Jesus arrives. whatever.  And Jesus asks for
What does this mean for us?  something particular; he does not
Above all, that we too are called to suddenly do something new, does
welcome Jesus who comes to meet not produce the missing wine out
us.  To encounter him: the God of of nothing—he could have done so—
life is to be encountered every day but he asks for something concrete
of our lives; not now and then, but and demanding.  He asks them to
every day.  To follow Jesus is not a fill six great stone water jars for the
decision taken once and for all, it is ritual purification, which recalls the
a daily choice.  And we do not meet law.  That means pouring around
the Lord virtually, but directly, we six hundred litres of water from the
encounter him in our lives, in the well: time and effort, which seemed
concreteness of life.  Otherwise, pointless, because what was missing
Jesus becomes only a nice memory was not water but wine!  And yet,
of the past.  When we welcome precisely from those jars filled “up
him as the Lord of life, however, as to the brim” (v. 7), Jesus draws forth
the centre and the beating heart of new wine.  And so it is for us: God
everything, then he is alive and lives calls us to encounter him through
anew in us.  And what happened faithfulness to concrete things – God
in the temple also happens to us: is always encountered in concrete
around him everything meets, and things: daily prayer, Holy Mass,
life becomes harmonious.  With Pope Francis greets nuns and priests during a meeting with participants in an international congress organized by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Confession, real charity, the daily
Jesus we find again the courage to Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in Paul VI hall at the Vatican April 11, 2015. CNS/MASSIMILIANO MIGLIORATO, CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO word of God, closeness, especially
carry on and the strength to remain to those most in need spiritually or
firm.  The encounter with the Lord living traditions: in the temple, has both a starting point and a was inspired to give thanks to God physically.  Concrete things, such
is the source.  It is important then according to the law, in the context destination point.  It begins with (cf. v. 38).  Two young people run as obedience to one’s superior and
to return to the source: to retrace of prophecy, in young and old the  call in the temple and arrives to the temple, called by the law; to the rule in the consecrated life. 
in our mind the decisive moments together (cf Lk  2:25-28, 34).  It is at the vision in the temple.  It is two elderly people moved by the If we put this law into practice with
of encounter with him, to renew our like this too in the consecrated life: a call that is twofold.  There is a first Spirit.  What does this twofold love—with love!—then the Spirit will
first love, perhaps writing down our it blossoms and flourishes in the call “according to the law” (v. 22).  It call, by the law and by the Spirit, come and bring God’s surprise, just
love story with the Lord.  This would Church; if it is isolated, it withers.  is the call of Joseph and Mary, who mean for our spiritual life and our as in the temple and at Cana.  Thus
be good for our consecrated life, It matures when the young and go to the temple to fulfill what the consecrated life?  It means that we the water of daily life is transformed
so that it does not become a time elderly walk together, when the law prescribes.  The text emphasizes are all called to a twofold obedience: into the wine of newness, and our
that passes by, but rather a time of young rediscover their roots and the this almost as a refrain, even four to the law— in the sense of what life, which seems to be more bound,
encounter. elderly welcome those fruits.  When times (cf. vv. 22, 23, 24, 27).  This is gives order to our lives—and to in reality becomes more free.  This
If we call to mind our original we walk alone, however, when we not something forced: Jesus’ parents the Spirit, who does new things in reminds me now of a humble sister
meeting with the Lord, we become remain fixated on the past or jump are not constrained to go or merely our lives.  And so the encounter who really had the charism of being
aware that it did not arise as ahead in trying to survive, then the to perform an external duty.  They with the Lord is born: the Spirit close to priests and seminarians. 
something private between us and consecrated life stagnates.  Today, go in response to God’s call.  Then reveals the Lord, but to welcome The other day the cause for her
God.  No, it blossomed in the context on the feast day of encounter, we ask there is a second call, according to him we need to persevere every beatification was introduced here
of a believing people, alongside for the grace to rediscover the living the Spirit.  It is the call of Simeon day.  Even the greatest charisms, if in the Diocese [of Rome].  She was
many brothers and sisters, at precise Lord amid a believing people, and to and Anna.  This too is stressed with lacking an ordered life, cannot bear a simple sister, not well known, but
times and places.  The Gospel tells allow the charism we have received insistence: three times, in the case fruit.  On the other hand, even the she had the virtue of obedience, of
us this, showing how the encounter to encounter today’s graces. of Simeon, it refers to the Holy Spirit best rules are not sufficient without faithfulness and of not being afraid
takes place within the people of The Gospel also tells us that (cf. vv. 25, 26, 27) and it concludes the freshness of the Spirit: the law of new things.  We ask the Lord,
God, in its concrete history, in its God’s encounter with his people with Anna the prophetess, who and the Spirit go together. Follow / B7

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the participants at the

Conference on “Religions and the sustainable development goals
(SDGS): Listening to the cry of the earth and the poor”
I GREET all of you gathered for
this International Conference on
Religions and the Sustainable
Development Goals.
Sustainability and Inclusion
When we speak of sustainability,
we cannot overlook how important it
is to include and to listen to all voices,
especially those usually excluded
from this type of discussion, such
as the voices of the poor, migrants,
indigenous people, the young.
I am pleased to see a variety of
participants at this conference
bringing a wide range of voices,
of opinions and proposals, which
can contribute to new paths of
constructive development. It is
important that the implementation
of the sustainable development
goals truly respect their original
nature, which is inclusive and
participatory.
The 2030 Agenda and the
Sustainable Development Goals,
approved by more than 190
nations in September 2015, were
a great step forward for global
dialogue, marking a vitally “new and
universal solidarity” (Laudato Si’,
14). Different religious traditions,
including the Catholic tradition,
have embraced the objectives of
sustainable development because
they are the result of global
participatory processes that, on the
one hand, reflect the values of people
and, on the other, are sustained by
an integral vision of development.
Integral Development
Nevertheless, proposing
a dialogue on inclusive and
sustainable development also
requires acknowle dging that
“development” is a complex concept,
which is often manipulated. When
we speak of development we must
Clementine Hall, Vatican, 8 March 2019
always ask: Development of what?
Development for whom? For
too long the conventional idea
of development has been almost
entirely limited to economic growth.
Indicators of national development
have been based on Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) indices. This has led
the modern economic system down
a dangerous path where progress is
assessed only in terms of material
growth, on account of which we are
almost obliged to irrationally exploit
the environment and our fellow
human beings.
As my predecessor Saint Paul
VI rightly highlighted, to speak
about human development means
referring to all people—not just a
few—and to the whole person—
not just the material dimension
(cf. Populorum Progressio, 14). Any
fruitful discussion of development,
therefore, should offer viable
models of social integration and
ecological conversion, because we
cannot develop ourselves as human
beings by fomenting increased
inequality and degradation of the
environment.[1]
Rejecting negative models, and
proposing alternative ways forward,
applies not only to others, but
also to us. We should all commit
ourselves to promoting and
implementing the development
goals that are supported by our
deepest religious and ethical values.
Human development is not only an
economic issue or one that concerns
experts alone; it is ultimately a
vocation, a call that requires a free
and responsible answer (cf. Benedict
XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 16-17).
Goals (Dialogue and
Commitments)
Solutions are what I hope will
emerge from this Conference:
concrete responses to the cry of the
earth and the cry of the poor. Concrete
commitments to promoting real
development in a sustainable way
through processes open to people’s
participation. Concrete proposals
to facilitate the development of
those in need, making use of what
Pope Benedict XVI recognized as
“the unprecedented possibility of
large-scale redistribution of wealth
on a world-wide scale” (ibid. 42).
Concrete economic policies that
are focused on the person and
that can promote a more humane
market and society (cf. ibid. 45, 47).
Concrete economic measures that
seriously take into consideration our
common home. Concrete ethical,
civil and political commitments that
develop alongside our sister earth,
and never against her.
Everything is Connected
I am also pleased to know that
the participants in this conference
are willing to listen to religious
voices when they discuss the
implementation of the sustainable
development goals. All those
involved in dialogue on this complex
issue are invited in some way to go
beyond their areas of specialization
to find a shared response to the cry
of the earth and of the poor. Those of
us who are religious need to open up
the treasures of our best traditions
in order to engage in a true and
respectful dialogue on how to build
the future of our planet. Religious
narratives, though ancient, are
usually full of symbolism and contain
“a conviction which we today share,
that everything is interconnected,
and that genuine care for our
own lives and our relationships
with nature is inseparable from
fraternity, justice and faithfulness
to others” (Laudato Si’, 70).
Pope Francis meets March 8, 2019, at the Vatican with representatives of the world’s religious traditions
and experts in the fields of development, the environment and health care. The group was meeting at
the Vatican March 7-9 to discuss the contributions religions can make to achieving the U.N. Sustainable
Development Goals in a way that responds to the needs of the poor and respects the environment. CNS/
VATICAN MEDIA
In this respect, the United Nations of development goals, this is not
2030 Agenda proposes integrating sufficient for a fair and sustainable
all the goals through the ‘five Ps’: world order. Economic and political
people, planet, prosperity, peace objectives must be sustained by
and partnership.[2] I know that this ethical objectives, which presuppose
conference is also focusing on these a change of attitude: what the
‘five Ps’. Bible would call a change of heart.
I welcome this unified approach Already Saint John Paul II spoke
to these goals, which can also help about the need to “encourage and
to save us from an understanding of support the ‘ecological conversion’”
prosperity that is based on the myth of (Catechesis, January 17, 2001).
unlimited growth and consumption This word is powerful: ecological
(cf.  Laudato Si’, 106), where we conversion. Religions have a key
depend only on technological role to play in this. For a correct
progress for sustainability. There are shift towards a sustainable future,
still people who stubbornly uphold we must recognize “our errors, sins,
this myth, and who tell us that social faults and failures” which leads to
and ecological problems will solve a “heartfelt repentance and desire
themselves simply by the application to change”; in this way, we will be
of new technologies, without any reconciled with others, with creation
need for ethical considerations or and with the Creator (cf. Laudato
profound change (cf. ibid. 60). Si’, 218).
An integral approach teaches If we want to provide a solid
us that this is not true. While it is foundation for the work of the
certainly necessary to aim for a set Confidence / B7
CBCP Monitor March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6 STATEMENTS B5

PASTORAL LETTER PASTORAL LETTER

Ash Wednesday Alay Kapwa 2019

A woman receives ashes on Ash Wednesday at the Baclaran Church, March 6, 2019. ELMARC LIM
THE Lenten season, which begins
today, Ash Wednesday, is a time of
mercy. It is “an acceptable time” (cf.
2 Cor 6,2) to allow ourselves to be
reconciled and to be renewed by the
tenderness of the Father. It is a time
given to us to trace our steps to the
path from which we strayed. God’s
merciful love is not asking anything
from us, but only that we return to
Him and to purify our hearts (cf. Jl
2, 12-13).
Now, in her great wisdom, the
Church invites us to verify the
quality of our Lenten commitment
also in the light of charity. Indeed,
it is charity that must shine above
all and fil our hearts, because
everything will end one day, with
the exception of charity (cf. 1 Cor 13,
8)—a discreet, humble charity that
does not make any noise to draw
attention to itself, but works quietly
and secretly (cf. Mt 6,1). To practice
charity is concrete proof that we are
striving to follow Jesus, and that we
are making the gift of ourselves the
active principle of Christian life. launching the FAST2FEED 2019
One of the charitable activities
we have been promoting for several
years now, especially during the
season of Lent, is Pondo ng Pinoy’s
Hapag-Asa Integrated Nutrition
program. Hapag-Asa has been
helping to reduce malnutrition
prevalence among Filipino children.
Mainly because of poverty, more than
three out of ten of our children are
now stunting in physical and mental
development due to prolonged
hunger. The development of their
full potential will not be achieved
unless they are cared for and fed
with nutritious food. a difference in the lives of these
Since it started in 2005, Hapag-
Asa has helped in feeding more
than tow million hungry and
malnourished children throughout
the country. To sustain its gains, it
has also capacitated the children’s
parents through values education,
and skills and livelihood training.
For Hapag-Asa to continue on
its mission to help these children,
Pondo ng Pinoy is once again
campaign. We hope to provide
one hot and nutritious meal a day
for 120 feeding days to at least
30,000 children. We appeal to
your kind hearts. Please support
Hapag-Asa. It only takes Php
1,200.00 for six months—or Php
10,00 per day—to nourish a hungry
and undernourished child.
This season of Lent, let us “re-
center” our lives on God, who takes
the initiative to call us to conversion.
Let us deepen our relationship
with him, by practicing charity and
helping those in need. Let us make
hungry and malnourished children
by donating whatever we save from
fasting to Hapag-Asa. Let us FAST
TO FEED our needy children.
May God continue to bless your
generosity and charity.
+LUIS ANTONIO G. CARDINAL
TAGLE
Archbishop of Manila
6 March 2019
LENT is a special time for renewal
and conversion, a time to return
to God. But it is not only a time
to intensify our prayer, but also
an occasion to think of others,
particularly those who are poor,
suffering or in need. In fact, the
Church has instructed us to practice
almsgiving—together with prayer
and fasting—especially during
Lenten season. (cf. Mk 6, 1-6, 6-8).
The practice of almsgiving helps
us to grow in charity and generosity.
It helps us, too, to recognize the Lord
Jesus in the poor and the needy.
It is a path that can lead to true
conversion: in drawing close to our
brothers and sisters, we draw close
to God himself. be more generous in our almsgiving
For decades now, during the
Lenten season, we have been
conducting our Alay Kapwa Lenten
evangelization and fundraising
program. The program is meant to
support our social services to the
poor, especially those who suffer
during natural and human-caused
calamities. Funds raised during
the second collection for the six
(6) Sundays of Lent (March 10,
2019-April 14, 2019) will be remitted
SFIC Statement in Solidarity
with the Suffering Filipino
People
to Caritas Manila for our Damayan
relief assistance, emergency
response and humanitarian aid.
Last year, 2018, Caritas Damayan
extended help to the victims of
typhoon Agaton, Joes and Ompong,
as wells as to the victims of numerous
fire disasters in Metro Manila. We
also provided assistance to Marawi
rehabilitation, to the lumads of
Tandag, and to the affected families
of Mayon eruption.
With the increasing number
and magnitude of disasters and
calamities being responded to by
Caritas Damayan, our Alay Kapwa
funds get immediately depleted. It
is therefore our hope that we will
this season of Lent. Let us “not
forget to do good and to share with
others, for with such sacrifices God
is pleased.” (Heb 13,16).
May God bless you and reward you
for your kindness and generosity.
+LUIS ANTONIO G. CARDINAL
TAGLE
Archbishop of Manila
March 12, 2019

Statement of the Bishop and the

Clergy of the Diocese of Cubao
“What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!” - Genesis4”10

If God is with us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

AS we celebrate our 90 years of SFIC presence and ministry in the

It has now become ordinary that
those things we hold to be inviolable
and sacred have apparently
been trivialized. It has become
commonplace that traditional values
we hold dear such as respect for
life, honesty, truthfulness and the
dignity of the human person are
not threatened. Those people who
promote and encourage a culture
of violence and corruption remain
unchecked and are even encouraged
to thrive. Our people’s faith in
God has not only been belittled but
maligned and ridiculed.
Because of these, many widows
and orphans cry out for justice.
People feel unsafe and threatened.
The young know what is right as
has been taught to them, but they
are now confused. Why? Because a
different set of values and examples
are being pushed or promoted. Such
a climate must call us to witness to
our faith. God’s commandments
are clear—“Thou shall not kill,” for
their blood calls out to God. They
also say, “Thou shall not bear false
witness against thy neighbor,” for it
diminishes the truth, honesty and
human dignity. Our faith calls us
to be prophets—to speak against all
kinds of injustice and to uphold the
commandments. Pope Francis said
in his homily, a prophet is someone
who is not only “able to cry for his
people but also capable of asking
risks to speak the truth.” (Morning
Mass, April 17, 2018)
As a community of faith in Cubao,
we express our solidarity with
the victims of injustice and their
families. We have provided pastoral
care for drug surrenderees, and
counseling services as well. We have
given solace and scholarships for the
orphaned children. As shepherds,
we will continue to do so. Now,
we find ourselves threatened in
fulfilling our prophetic role. These
threats to the life of our shepherds
are not empty nor unfounded. Last
year, three priests were brutally
murdered. Their blood at the altar
sanctuary may have dried but its
stain still cries out for justice. Now,
the intensity of the threats have
escalated. More bishops and priests
have been threatened. And their
fault? They spoke the truth. One of
our priests in the Diocese of Cubao,
Fr. Robert Reyes, has received death
threats. We are deeply concerned
about shepherds who are threatened
when they exercise their role as
prophets. those who are bruised, and to reclaim the erring.” (SFIC Constitutions
We call on those in authority to
help end these threats and promote
a climate of peace, justice and
security. For those who are intent on
doing violence to others, remember
we are all children of God and each
life is precious and important in the
eyes of God, whether a bishop or a
tambay. As shepherds, we strike our
own breasts, knowing that as your
pastors we sometimes fail in fulfilling
our duty. However, we continue to
strive to be faithful despite our
weakness. Let us battle lies with
the truth, combat indifference
with active involvement, overcome
vulgarity with decency, and fight
for peace in the face of violence.
Together, we ask the guidance of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, our patroness
and mother, who was a woman of
courage and fidelity, providing safe
environment for the life of our Lord
in his most vulnerable moments.
Philippines, we, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception
of the Holy Mother of God (SFIC), affirm our charism as recognizing
the presence of God “in the poor, the little ones and the powerless.”
(SFIC Constitutions 3:16-17)
Mother Teresia van Miert, our Foundress, “was deeply moved by the
needs of the times in which she lived. Steeped in the Gospel and in the
life of St. Francis, she discovered ways to alleviate the sufferings of the
people in her surroundings.” (SFIC Constitutions 1:1-6)
Today, we are confronted with the pain and afflictions of our people
and our country: gross violation of the fundamental right to life
and human dignity, massive poverty and hunger, war and violence,
injustice and a culture of impunity, extra-judicial killings and summary
executions, graft and corruption, deceit and tyranny, systematic
dismantling of democratic guarantees, misogynistic tendencies, and
a proposed charter change that further curtails our democratic rights,
destruction of our Mother Earth, verbal attacks on the Church and the
hierarchy, and blasphemy against God.
Our Franciscan spirituality bids us “to heal the wounded, to bind up
1:26-28) Trusting in God’s mercy and compassion, we affirm our
solidarity with our poor, oppressed, exploited, marginalized, and
violated sisters and brothers. Together with them, we shall protect,
defend and uphold the sacredness of LIFE, Human Dignity and Human
Rights! We pledge to care, protect and nurture our Common Home.
We kneel in awe at the majesty and supremacy of our God.
Hand in hand, we shall actively support peoples’ organizations and
participate in movements that value and stand for truth, justice, peace
and love. With one voice we acclaim the Sovereignty and Justice of our
God. We remain steadfast in prayer for the well-being of our people
and our country. With deep faith and certain hope, we pray for God’s
Divine wisdom and compassion. Prayer can break the yoke of bondage
and bring forth a release of God’s power, love and mercy.
NO TO TYRANNY!!! YES TO DEMOCRACY!!!
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
despairing;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2
Cor. 4:8-9)
SR. JULIE SAGUIBO, SFIC
Provincial Superior
25 February 2019
B6 REFLECTIONS
Events as God’s Word on the need for The call to conversion
personal and communal repentance and fruitfulness
3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C, (Luke 13:1-9)
March 24, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
TODAY’S GOSPEL ON the Lord’s
reminders on the need for all to
repent (Luke 13:1-9), is part of
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (Luke
9:51-19:27) in which he prepared
his disciples for their role after
his passion and death, while at
the same time continuing to teach
his listeners about the in-break
of the Kingdom of God to which
all must respond. In the present
pericope, which is part of Luke’s
travel narrative, Jesus’ teaching
was occasioned by the calling of his
attention to two incidents. The first
refers to Pontius Pilate’s slaughter of
Galileans whose blood he mingled
with the sacrifice. This incident is
not attested in other gospels nor in
extra-biblical literature, although
that Pilate could have done this
is not out of his character. It is
probable that these Galileans were
pilgrims in Jerusalem. They were
likely in the forecourt of the priests
in the Temple , slaughtering their
Passover lambs, when the soldiers
of Pilate came to liquidate them. In
contrast with this deliberate murder
of Galileans was another incident,
purely accidental, involving eighteen
persons who were killed when the
water reservoir of Siloam fell. Luke
is probably referring to a tower that
formed part of the old wall of ancient
Jerusalem.
How did the people of Jesus’
time interpret these tragedies?
It would seem that our current
popular interpretation of disasters
has not been an improvement
on theirs! When tragedies like
these happen, we usually see them
as God’s punishment. When we
discover that we have a cancer, or
our husband goes with another
woman, or our only child dies, or
when an earthquake shakes cities
and a volcano erupts, almost always
we ask: what have we done to merit
these happenings? In the Gospel,
God’s merciful love for the lost and the self-reighteous
4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)
March 31, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
HOW DO WE TREAT the members
of our community who do not be-
have according to the standard of
the dominant society? In today’s
Gospel, we have an example of such
a person: a prodigal son who, selfish
and extravagant, got his inheritance
and squandered his money with
whores and on dissolute living. Hav-
ing become destitute, he even longed
to eat the husks that were fodder for
pigs, but no one gave him anything
(Luke 15:12-16). Philosophers might
describe him as a short-lived epicu-
rean—“Eat, drink and be merry for
tomorrow we die”—but we who have
no leisure for the abstract would call
him profligate. Obviously, such a
man has nothing to contribute to
progress and development. On the
contrary, if his behavior were con-
ducted at a national level, he would
ruin the economy. We really have no
use for him. How do we treat people
like him? In our society, we expect
him to be in jail, if merely to ignore
him would not suffice. Of course, he
has nothing that we can be proud of;
we would disinherit him for shaming
us. Such is our usual thinking and
attitude. But as Christians, how do
we deal with such a person?
The parable, which is traditionally
known as the parable of the prodigal
son, provides two answers we can
learn from. The first one is given by
the elder son. Having learned that
his profligate brother was back, he
did not even bother to see him, still
less join the merrymaking. For him,
since his brother was unredeemable,
dissolute and sinful, the book should
be thrown at him. He should suf-
fer the consequences of his action.
Having squandered his share of the
estate and therefore having lost his
rights to partake what now belongs
to him, why should he receive ring,
the finest robe and a new pair of
shoes? Why give a party and kill
the fatted calf? (Luke 15:22-23).
Since he sinned seriously, he did not
deserve this royal welcome. There is
simply no justice there, especially in
view of the fact that his Father did
not even give him, the elder brother,
the Jews saw the collapse of the
tower and Pilate’s heinous act no
differently. As in popular wisdom,
they associated these with the
victims’ sins, or with their having
broken the Lord’s command. Such
observation is found in both Old
and New Testaments. In his talk
with Job who experienced tragedies
and so much suffering, Eliphaz
said: “Reflect now, what innocent
person perishes? Since when are
the upright destroyed? As I see it,
those who plow for mischief and
sow trouble, reap the same. By the
breath of God they perish, and by the
blast of his wrath the are consumed”
(Job 4:7-9). When the disciples saw
a man who had been blind from
birth, they asked Jesus: “Rabbi,
was it his sin or that of his parents
that caused him to be born blind?”
(John 9:2).
For Jesus, however, there is no
theological ground for such line
of thinking. He ruled out the idea
that a particular sinfulness brings
about a particular tragedy. He did
not even countenance the logic that
while we are all sinners, some are so
sinful that they deserve a particular
punishment. Indeed, one can even
assume that in Jerusalem at this
time, there were people who were
more sinful than the 18 who died
probably because they were simply
at the wrong time and at the wrong
place, and that in Galilee there were
so much as a kid goat to celebrate
with his friend, even though he
never disobeyed his orders (Luke
15:29). Logically enough, he would
not join a sinner in a party. The
thinking and attitude of the elder
son is easily identified with those
of the Pharisees and Scribes. They
criticized Jesus for welcoming sin-
ners into his company, and eating
with them.
The second one is given by the
father. In the parable, the Father
of the two sons was so loving to his
prodigal, younger son that he did not
even allow him to finish his prepared
piece. What was important to him
was that he was back, and so it was
time to hold feast. He overlooked
the sinfulness of his son; instead
of severely reprimanding his son,
he embraced him without any criti-
cism, recriminations, but with total
forgiveness and mercy. The fact is,
he had been longing for his son to
come back (Luke 15:20a). And now
that he was back, it was time to put
the past into oblivion and to make
merry: “Let us eat and celebrate
because this son of mine was dead
and has come back to life. He was
lost and is found” (Luke 15:23).
Such an attitude and behavior may
be, in our very human, all too hu-
man thinking, very inappropriate,
for we usually think that one must
first pay his debts before he could
be accepted to the normal society.
But God’s behavior is different from
ours. And that is how he wants us to
behave and treat the sinful members
of our community. That explains
why Jesus welcomed sinners and
ate with them. God is generous and
extravagant in his love. Like the
father in the parable, he takes the
initiative in reconciling himself with
sinners. Paul explicitly asserts: “It
is precisely in this that God proves
his love for us: that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us”
(Rom 5:8). In Christ, he even went
to the extent of identifying himself
with them: “For our sakes God made
him who did not know sin to be sin,
so that in him we might become the
likely some who were worse off
than those Pilate liquidated. On the
contrary, he rejected the theology of
those who inquired, and he refused
to explain how in fact God acts. It
makes no sense to question them
or justify them by the logic that if
people are struck by tragedies, it is
because of some particular sins they
have committed. After all, Jesus
said that God himself “is good to the
ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke
6:35 ). He affirmed, however, that
sin does spell disaster. That is why
he went on a journey to Jerusalem
to challenge the people to listen to
his words and be converted to the
Kingdom. They had to be taught
of the way to peace. It was for this
reason that he told them the parable
of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9). The tree
has been planted in the vineyard, but
because it bore no fruit, the owner
decided to cut it down. But then the
gardener pleaded with him to leave
it for one year (Luke 13:7).
What Luke is trying to put
across may be stated in a more
contemporary application. Our
country may be the most populated
Christian nation in the Far East ,
but it is also a nation of Christians
who are sinners. The effect of
our sinfulness can be seen in the
widening gap between the rich
and the poor, in the way we do
our politics, in the devaluation of
the peso, and in the consumerist
Events / B7
very holiness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).
That is why it is preferable to title
this story as a parable of a father’s
love, instead of the parable of the
prodigal son, for the focus, no doubt
about it, is God’s love for sinners.
His love is so different from ours!
It is worth emphasizing that God’s
love is not only shown to the outcast
of society, like the prodigal son. He
also loves the self-righteous, like the
Pharisees and the Scribes, whom the
elder son represents. In the parable,
the elder son resents that his father,
instead of punishing him for wan-
tonness, gave his brother ring and
new clothes and threw a party for
his coming back. It is as if he did not
like that his brother was entirely for-
given. He was righteously indignant
that his father wholly welcomed his
wayward brother. When we are
righteous, we are often jealous that
God cares for sinners. But the truth
is, we are no less sinful, because we
are trapped in our own righteous-
ness. That is why the father in the
parable sought the elder brother,
too! He said that everything he had
was his. Thus, he reminded the elder
brother that everything the latter
had comes from him. Moreover,
what the elder brother needed was
a lesson on fraternal charity and
forgiveness.
A community, of course, does not
grow merely by following the rules
of society. There may be order,
which is the purpose of law, but that
would not create an atmosphere
that is conducive to authentic liv-
ing. For a community grows when
there is love, which law cannot give.
Law without love is like a body
without spirit—it is dead. But when
there is love, there is also forgive-
ness and reconciliation, and the
good of the beloved is sought. A
society that kills its sinful members
will end up killing itself—none will
be left, for we are all sinners. But
when there is love and forgiveness
among the brothers, even what
seems to be impossible emerges. A
new man, a new community looms
in the horizon.
March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6
3rd Sunday of Lent, Year C, (Luke 13:1-9)
March 24, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
FIG trees planted in vineyards
receive preferential treatment—
well-tilled soil, good manure,
protection from vandals and
animals. If for one year they do not
bear fruit, they are without excuse.
The decision of the owner of the
vineyard in today’s Gospel passage
to have the barren fig tree cut down
is more than justified. Its poor
performance over three years had
definitely been very disappointing.
(See Lk 13:7.)
But barrenness is not a
defect that can be found only in
trees. It can also be found in
people. Spiritual and moral
barrenness means the absence
of those dispositions and
actions which God has a right
to expect from us. In spite of
the much care and love we have
received from Him, our response is
often disappointing.
In most cases, it is not a matter of
laziness. We are very active. We do
many things. We may even give the
impression that we are achieving
a lot . . . . Many of our actions,
however, are just like pompous
leaves which suck most of our vital
energies. We are constantly in
danger of forgetting that what
matters is not how many things
we do, but rather, WHAT we do,
HOW and WHY we do it. We
are expected to bear fruits of
holiness by doing our duty to
the best of our ability and out
of love for God and neighbor.
The Lord, God of course, is usually
patient. But His patience should
The merciful Father, always
ready to welcome us back
4th Sunday of Lent, Year C, (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)
Laetare Sunday, March 31, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
THE young man had reached a dead
end—a situation of humiliation he
never thought he would find himself
in. Ending up as a guardian of pigs
was surely the last thing he could
have envisioned on the day he left
the house of his father with an
unquenchable yearning for freedom
and happiness.
That was a long time ago! Gone
were the days when he had found
himself surrounded by swarms
of friends, cheering noisily at his
prodigality. For a time, he really
thought that money and friends
would have lasted for ever, and that
they would have made him happy
. . . . Then, gradually he had come
to realize how “dear” (expensive!)
friends can become, and how selfish
their “closeness” can be. When
there is nothing more to be sucked,
they vanish into the nothingness
from which they had unexpectedly
emerged in the days of abundance. . .
Betrayed, cheated,
humiliated, abandoned by all
and disgusted with himself,
the young man was on the
verge of despair. But the
compassionate and merciful
figure of his father and the
thought of the tranquil atmosphere
of his home dawned on his mind.
That was like the piercing of rays of
light through thick, dark clouds . . . .
He realized that there could still be
hope for him.
The young man rose and staggered
homeward, famished and covered
with tattered rags, at times running,
at times crawling . . . sometimes
hesitating, gripped by the fear that
he might be rejected as he had
rejected his father the day he had
left home. Many of those he met on
the road sneered at him or shouted
to his face what a fool he was if he
imagined that his father would still
CBCP Monitor
not be taken to mean that He is
either indifferent to what we do, or
that He has become unable to check
our misbehavior. It simply means
that, in His love, and thanks to
the intercession of Jesus, He
gives us another chance. But a
day will come when we will have to
account even for these additional
signs of love.
These are days of grace in the
Year of the Youth. They are also
days for an honest evaluation of our
performance in the light of God’s
patience and generosity, as well as
of His expectation. If we discover
that our life is so full of “leaves” but
lacks the fruits of piety, gratitude,
honesty, generosity, purity, sense
of responsibility, faith, hope, love
. . . we have only one thing to
do: UNDERGO CONVERSION
and REFORM. In the first part
of today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the
word “repent” twice, not only as an
exhortation but also as a warning,
for no one should abuse God’s
mercy and patience with impunity.
(See vv. 3 and 5.)
But he does more than just exhort
and warn us. He also intercedes
for us with the Father, and
offers us his help that we may
become “fruitful trees.” His
teaching, his example, and his
grace will produce the miracle, if
only we allow him to work in us and
cooperate with him.
This might be our last chance to
finally start producing the long-
awaited fruits which will delight our
divine Master.
take him back . . . .
But every time, hope had
prevailed, and he had kept inching
his way homeward, till he finally
experienced the fondest and
most sincere embrace in his
life. He was back home, happy
in his father’s arms. He was
there to stay, and not as a servant
but as a son. The bondage of a life
of sin, alienation, shame, and fear
was over!
There may be a good deal of
the “prodigal son” in each one of
us. Often victims of our own un-
wisdom, ambitions and pride, we
may have found ourselves broke
and without friends, rejected by
all (after having been exploited by
all), a shadow of what we used to
be, tempted to conclude that we
had reached a point of no return .
. . . But there is always hope, for as
long as there is a merciful Father
waiting for our return and eager to
embrace us.
Today’s parable should
remind us that the Father is
always ready to embrace us
with love. For his part, our Kuya
Jesus, unlike the elder son in the
parable, does not feel jealous or
grumble. Actually, he is the one who
volunteers to look for us to make
us “come to our senses,” break the
chains of the enslavement to sin, and
lead us back home—back to Him
where we belong.
With Jesus by our side, all
temptation to lose courage and all
fear to be rejected by the Father
should vanish. In fact, “is it possible
that He who did not spare His own
Son, but handed him over for the
sake of us all, will not grant us all
things besides? . . .” (Rom 8:32)
Certainly not! He will surely and
gladly welcome us back as His
beloved children.
CBCP Monitor March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6
The Culture of Fear and Silence
By Fr. Shay Cullen
TWENTY young girls, some of them
only 14 years of age, were finally
rescued from the Victory Hotel
that caters to foreign sex tourists
in Mabacalat, Pampanga, a few
kilometers north of Angeles City by
the anti-trafficking police unit in
Camp Crame, Quezon City. It was
an open fact that child prostitution
was the daily routine there.
Apparently, few living in the area
of the sex industry considers the
commercial sexual exploitation
of youngsters a crime. They don’t
feel or believe that it is morally
repugnant, that it is wrong, that it
should be causing an outrage and
should always be reported to the
police. If they did know about it,
then no one acted to end it. Finally,
a non-government organization
investigated and brought in the
police from Camp Crame, the locals
were not to be trusted it seems.
These trading posts of sex slavery
that are peddling children and
young women like chickens in
the market operate in the public
eye with the jarring arrogance of
impunity. They exploit the children
knowing that if caught they will have
an understanding prosecutor who
appreciates gifts and generosity.
Marabella and Beth are two young
girls fourteen and fifteen years old.
Their parents separated and went
off with new partners. Their children
were left in the care of an aunt
who introduced them to a human
trafficker. She introduced them to
foreign sex tourists in Angeles City.
The deals were made on the street.
They were sold like animals in the
market. The girls were brought to
a nearby hotel, the manager and
staff turned a blind eye as the sex
tourists rented the room and the
men sexually raped and abused the
children. It happens daily.
When the pimps gave them a
fraction of what the foreigners paid
them, the teenagers got angry and
they complained to a friend who
went to the police. They arrested the
pimp and human trafficker. If the
children did not complain that they
were cheated out of their money,
no one would have cared. This was
Free / B3
effective presentation of the good
news of the kingdom?” (Evangelii
Gaudium, 199) He wrote that “the
worst discrimination which the
poor suffer is the lack of spiritual
care. The great majority of the poor
have a special openness to the faith;
they need God and we must not fail
to offer them his friendship, his
blessing, his word, the celebration
of the sacraments and a journey
of growth and maturity in the
faith. (Evangelii Gaudium, 200)
In fact he emphatically stated:
“Our preferential option for the
poor must mainly translate into a
privileged and preferential religious
care.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 200) We
manifest this preferential religious
care by making available to them
Confidence / B4
2030 Agenda, we must reject the
temptation to look for a merely
technocratic response to the
challenges—this is not good—and be
prepared to address the root causes
and the long-term consequences.
Indigenous Peoples
The key principle of all religions
is the love of neighbour and the
care of creation. I wish to draw
attention to a special group of
religious persons, namely
indigenous peoples. Although they
represent only five  per cent of the
world’s population, they look after
about twenty-two per cent of the
earth’s landmass. Living in areas
such as the Amazon and the Arctic,
they help protect approximately
eighty  per cent of the planet’s
biodiversity. According to UNESCO,
“Indigenous peoples are custodians
and practitioners of unique cultures
and relationships with the natural
environment. They embody a wide
range of linguistic and cultural
diversity at the heart of our shared
humanity”.[3] I would also add
that, in a strongly secularized world,
such peoples remind us all of the
sacredness of our earth. This means
that their voice and their concerns
should be at the centre of the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda
and at the heart of the search for
child sexual exploitation and street
prostitution- open, blatant and
tolerated if not encouraged by local
authorities. It goes on today, day
and night. No one seems to care.
The Preda Foundation gave shelter
and therapy to the children. They
recovered, changed and became
empowered to pursue their case in
court. The pimp and trafficker were
eventually convicted after a tough
legal battle. The sex tourists as
always were never caught.
Much of Philippine society is
sleepwalking in a moral mess of
ignorance, indifference and selfish
living, ignoring the crimes against
children since they are not their own.
Many street kids- boys and girls- are
arrested and incarcerated in foul
stinking jail cells for months without
care, help, therapy, education and
forced to eat bad food. The older
boys sexually and physically abuse
the youngest children ten to fifteen
years old day by day. When they are
rescued, they then tell their horrible
and traumatic experience. Yet, who
really cares what they suffer?
Many (not all) politicians live
in a cocoon of ignorance and
denial. Local government units
are responsible for the child sexual
exploitation on the streets of their
towns and cities. They lock children
in filthy, putrid and sub-human jails
with steel bars and overcrowding
and call it Bahay Pag-asa (House
of Hope) and hope the children get
“rehabilitated.”
A proud Filipino nation ought
not allow such abuse to continue.
It is a denial of human dignity
and children’s rights. The nation
is judged by the way they treat the
children. They must end the sex
slavery and the trading in human
beings. Unless the true Filipinos
who seem to be conditioned by
public tolerance and apathy awake
and believe in the dignity of every
child besides their own and care of
others, the abuse will continue. This
extreme form of social corruption
and moral degradation of the nation
is not even on the agenda of the
politicians campaigning for election
this May 13.
all the services of the Church for
free. As Church in the Philippines
we affirm the decree of the PCP II
to abolish the arancel and we strive
that this be our situation by the time
we celebrate the 500th anniversary
of the coming of the Christian faith
in the country in 2021.
Required for this shift to happen?
1. Adequate catechesis both
for priests and lay faithful. This
catechesis promotes
the spirituality of stewardship
and evangelical poverty for all,
including the priests, because the
Church of the Poor embraces and
practices the spirit of evangelical
poverty; it combines detachment
from possessions with profound
trust to the Lord.
new paths for a sustainable future.
I will also be discussing this with my
brother bishops at the Synod for the
Pan-Amazon Region, at the end of
October this year.
Conclusions
Dear brothers and sisters, today,
after three and a half years since
the adoption of the sustainable
development goals, we must be
even more acutely aware of the
importance of accelerating and
adapting our actions in responding
adequately to both the cry of the earth
and the cry of the poor (cf. Laudato
Si’, 49) - they are connected.
The challenges are complex and
have multiple causes; the response,
therefore, must necessarily be
complex and well-structured,
respectful of the diverse cultural
riches of peoples. If we are truly
concerned about developing an
ecology capable of repairing the
damage we have done, no branch
of science or form of wisdom
should be overlooked, and this
includes religions and the languages
particular to them (cf. ibid. 63).
Religions can help us along the path
of authentic integral development,
which is the new name of peace (cf.
Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, 26
March 1967, 76-77).
I express my heartfelt appreciation
Fr. Kenneth Pius Hendricks, 77,
has been living in the Philippines for
the past 37 years. He was arrested
last December 5, 2018 and has
since been charged for the alleged
multiple sexual abuse of minors in
Bilaran, Philippines. The amazing
thing is that the arrest warrant
for Hendricks was issued by a US
Judge in Ohio, District Court, Judge
Stephanie Bowman, on Nov. 11, 2018
on charges of “engaging in illicit sex
with a minor in a foreign country.”
Somebody had broken the silence
that protected him and reported it
to the US authorities afraid it would
2. Transparency in our churches
and organizations. The people will
gladly and generously support the
Church and its activities when they
are made to feel that the Church is
their family. They know the situation
of their family and its programs.
3. Improved services to the people
in our parishes. When the people feel
that they are welcomed, served, and
nourished by the Church, they will
support it.
Let us courageously serve the
Church and make the people be
responsible for the work of the
Kingdom, trusting in the promise
of Jesus: “Seek first the Kingdom
of God and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given you
besides.” (Mt 6:33)
for your efforts in caring for our
common home at the service of
promoting an inclusive sustainable
future. I know that, at times, it can
seem far too difficult a task. And yet,
“Human beings, while capable of
the worst, are also capable of rising
above themselves, choosing again
what is good, and making a new
start” (Laudato Si’, 205). This is the
change which present circumstances
demand, because the injustice that
brings tears to our world and to its
poor is not invincible. Thank you.
[1]  When, for example, due to inequalities in the
distribution of power, the burden of immense debt
is placed on the shoulders of the poor and poor
countries, when unemployment is widespread despite
the expansion of trade or when people are simply
treated as a means for the growth of others, we
need to question fully our key development model.
In the same way, when in the name of progress we
destroy the source of development—our common
home—then the dominant model must be called into
question. By questioning this model and re-examining
the world economy, participants in the dialogue on
development will be able to find an alternative global
economic and political system. However, in order
for this to happen, we must address the causes
of the distortion of development, which is what in
recent Catholic social teaching goes by the name of
“structural sins”. Denouncing such sins is already a
good contribution that religions make to the discussion
on the world’s development. Nonetheless, alongside
this denunciation, we must also put forward feasible
ways of conversion to people and communities.
[2]  Cf. United Nations,  Transforming our world: the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015.
[3] UNESCO, Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-
General of UNESCO on the occasion of the International
Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 9 August 2017.
be quashed in Bilaran.
Such is the fear and reverence
that holds the priest in awe as a
representative of God and a false
belief that he could do no harm.
The same holds true for abusive
biological fathers. The more than
fifty child victims were threatened
and warned by the priest never to
tell anyone and that it is likely if they
complained, their parents or other
adults would not believe them.
The Philippines is trapped in a
corrupt culture of cultivated silence
that had protected this alleged serial
child abuser for many of his 37 years.
Follow / B4
through the intercession of Sister
Bernardetta, to give all of us the
grace to walk on this path.
The encounter which is born
of the call culminates in vision.  good way”, and she could be a good
Simeon says: “My eyes have seen
your salvation” (Lk 2:30).  He sees
the Child and he sees salvation.  He
does not see the Messiah who works
miracles, but a small child.  He does
not see something extraordinary, but
Jesus with his parents, who bring a
pair of turtledoves or two pigeons
to the temple, which is the most
humble offering (cf. v. 24).  Simeon
sees God’s simplicity and welcomes
his presence.  He is not looking
for anything else, is not asking or
wanting for something more; it is
enough to see the Child and take
him in his arms: “nunc dimittis,
now let me depart” (cf. v. 29).  God,
as he, is enough for him.  In God he
finds the ultimate meaning of his
life.  This is the vision of consecrated
life, a vision that is simple and
prophetic in its simplicity, where
we keep the Lord before our eyes
and between our hands, and not
to serve anything else.  He is our
life, he is our hope, he is our future.  ourselves for ars bene moriendi:
Consecrated life consists in this
prophetic vision in the Church: it is
a gaze that sees God present in the
world, even if many do not notice
him; it is a voice that says: “God is
enough, the rest passes away”; it
is praise that gushes forth in spite of
everything, as the prophetess Anna
shows.  She was a woman of great
age, who had lived for many years
as a widow, but was not gloomy,
nostalgic or withdrawn into herself;
Events / B6
society that many are enthralled
to, to name a few. But as the
responsorial psalm says, the Lord
is kind and merciful (Ps 103:8).
Instead of striking us down, he
has given us a period of grace.
A man of faith could weep,
probably in the same way
that Jesus wept at the sight of
Jerusalem, because he could
foresee what was to happen to the
city after it rejected his message,
what with the factions and
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
The most prolific child abusers
are biological fathers and live-in
partners or step-fathers. Incest is
rampant. Blame the sex industry for
corrupting Philippine family morals.
They too are protected by the culture
of silence.
It is also that same culture that
allows the jailing of innocent
children and the sexual abuse of
minors. It is a silence and inaction
that has to be broken. We need
people of courage and bravery to
speak out and expose the abusers
and rescue the children. That’s how
we can change the system.
on the contrary, she arises, she
praises God and speaks only of him
(cf. v. 38).  I would like to think that
this woman knew how to “talk in a
patroness to call us to conversion
from the evil of gossip, because
she went from one place to another
saying only: “That’s him!  That’s the
baby! Go and see him!”  I imagine
her like this, the woman next door.
This then is the consecrated life:
praise which gives joy to God’s
people, prophetic vision that
reveals what counts.  When it
is like this, then it flowers and
becomes a summons for all of us
to counter mediocrity: to counter
a devaluation of our spiritual
life, to counter the temptation
to reduce God’s importance, to
counter an accommodation to a
comfortable and worldly life, to
counter complaints—complaints!—
dissatisfaction and self-pity, to
counter a mentality of resignation
and “we have always done it
this way”: this is not God’s way. 
Consecrated life is not about
survival, it is not about preparing
this is the temptation of our days, in
the face of declining vocations.  No,
it is not about survival, but new
life.  “But… there are only a few
of us…”—it’s about new life.  It is
a living encounter with the Lord
in his people.  It is a call to the
faithful obedience of daily life and
to the unexpected surprises from the
Spirit.  It is a vision of what we need
to embrace in order to experience
joy: Jesus.
intrigues among the inhabitants
(Luke 19:41-44). So, once again,
we have to listen to God’s only
Son, who calls us to repentance
and to recognize his path to peace
(Luke 19:41). Otherwise, we will
all perish as a nation like the
passengers of the Titanic who went
down with the ship. The punch, in
other words, is: while there is time,
let us listen to Jesus and change
our lives both as individuals and
as a nation.
B8 ENTERTAINMENT
The Favourite
DIRECTOR: Yorgos Lanthimos
STARRING: Olivia Colman, Emma
Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas
Hoult, Joe Alwyn
WRITTEN BY: Deborah Davis,
Tony McNamara
PRODUCERS: Ceci Dempsey,
Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Yorgos
Lanthimos
GENRE: Biography, Drama,
Comedy
EDITED BY: Yorgos Mavropsaridis
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Robbie Ryan
COSTUME DESIGNER: Sandy
Powell
SOUND DESIGNER: Johnnie Burn
PRODUCTION COMPANIES:
Scarlet Films, Element Pictures,
Arcana, Film4 Productions,Waypoint
Entertainment
DISTRIBUTED BY: Fox Searchlight
Pictures
COUNTRIES: Ireland, United
Kingdom, United States
LANGUAGE: English
RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 6 minutes
Technical assessment: 4.0
Moral assessment: 2.5 CINEMA
Rating: V18
MTRCB rating: R13
In early 18th century
England when the country was
at a costly war against France,
Duchess of Marlborough
Sarah Churchill (Rachel
Weisz) governs the country
on behalf of the gout-ridden,
intellectually challenged,
and emotionally flaky Queen
Anne (Olivia Colman)
who’d rather raise ducks for
racing and play with her 17
rabbits — representing the 17
children she had lost either in
the womb or in infancy — than
run the army or keep tab
of taxes. Life seems snag
free for the ruling tandem of
Sarah and Anna —  t he men
in high places acquiesce to
the two women’s will and
whim regarding state affairs,
while the latter gleefully carry
on with their clandestine
love affair. Enter Abigail
Hill (Emma Stone), Sarah’s
impoverished younger
cousin who was dropped
from nobility when her father
lost her at a bet to a German
in a card game. She seeks
employment through Sarah
at the palace, and is hired as a
scullery maid. When Abigail’s
poultice soothes Queen
Anne’s leg sores, Sarah allows
her in the royal chamber,
on demand. Soon, as Sarah
is kept away by the politics
of war, Abigail is spending
more time in the Queen’s
company, playing with her
rabbits, massaging her legs,
and eventually sharing her
bed — a perfect opportunity
to regain her aristocratic
standing.
The Favourite is a good
story well told. While basing
the film on real life, director
Lanthimos combines equal
parts drama, comedy, and
history into one dish that
is both satirical and funny.
Deborah Davis’ and Tony
McNamara’s screenplay is
brought to life by the flawless
acting of Colman, Weisz, and
Stone, but what Lanthimos
wants his audience to see is not
really the rivalry between two
women for the favors of the
third, but human foibles, the
ridiculous norms of human
Alone/Together
Director: Antoinette Jadaone
Lead Cast: Liza Soberano,
Enrique Gil
Screenwriter: Antoinette
Jadaone
Producer: Olivia Lamasan
Editor: Benjamin Gonzales
Tolentino
Genre: Romance
Cinematographer: Neil Daza
Distributor: Star Cinema
Location: Philippines
Running Time: 110 minutes
Technical assessment: 3.5
Moral assessment: 3.0
CINEMA rating: VA
MTRCB rating: PG
Pagtatagpuin ng sining ang
dalawang magkahiwalay
na mundo na noo’y mga
college students pa lang na
sina Tin (Liza Soberano)
at Raf ( Enrique Gil).
Magiging close ang dalawa
March 18 - 31, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 6 CBCP Monitor
Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias
TERIBOL OG Bladimer Usi
society, and the rottenness
Buhay Parokya
in the human heart. The
Favourite shows that the
FIND 3 MISSING THINGS:
hunger for power recognizes 1. JESUS CHRIST
no gender, palaces do not 2. ST. JOHN PAUL II
guarantee good manners or 3. SAINT PETER’S BASILICA
serious business, marriage
proposals are accepted for
political expediency; ambition
is justifiable motivation to
lie, to scheme, or to kill. The
deeper messages dressed in
comedy are delivered by a
subliminally mood-setting
soundtrack: Baroque and
classical music keep the pace
up and complements the
dialogue, while an ominous
sound fills the dead air
to provoke the viewer’s
imagination to hear what is
unsaid. The traditional gender
balance is tilted, with women
wielding power whether in
the war room or the scullery,
while men amuse themselves
racing ducks and pelting
losers with rotting fruit. In
support of this viewpoint,
Powell made the costumes
speak: the women are garbed
in no-nonsensical black and
white and hardly any makeup,
while the men sport colorful
attire, elaborate wigs, pale
faces but heavily rouged
cheeks, and shamelessly red
lipstick.
So — who’s the favorite? Is it
Sarah who has been banished
but is now apparently missed?
Is it Abigail who now has the
ear of the Queen and elevated
to the rank of Keeper of the
Privy Purse? Is Queen Anne a
victim of Sarah’s and Abigail’s
manipulations, or is she the
greatest manipulator of all?
Does it really matter who
made a puppet of whom, or
who really is the favorite?
This dark comedy refuses to
give clear answers but rather
teases viewers to read body
language and come to their
own conclusions. The closing
shot may be concealing a
lesson: Anne grabs Abigail by
the hair tightly, as she would
reining in a stubborn horse,
and harshly orders her to
massage her legs — she is the
queen, after all. The erstwhile
triumphant Abigail is down
on her knees, looking down
while kneading the royal legs,
but Anne does not moan from
relief as before —  w ith sad, higit sa lahat, magkasama. bagama’t maka-minsa’y dapat na “hindi paglimot” sa pelikula ay parte lamang ng
reddening eyes she gazes at Ngunit tila hindi ito ang pawang hindi ito gaanong nakaraan. Patungkol ito sa kabuluhan at hindi ito ang
the unknown. Both women mangyayari. Makalipas ang dama ng manonood. Kasabay hindi paglimot sa kasaysayan lahat-lahat. Sa pagmamahal
look trapped in a cage of their walong taon, magku-krus ng pagtatalo ng isip at at sa mga aral na dulot dapat laging isinalang-alang
own machinations, while muli ang kanilang landas — sa damdamin ng pangunahing nito. Tama nga naman, sa ang maraming bagay at
life goes on as usual for the pagkakataong ito, si Raf ay tauhan ay sabay din ang gitna ng palasak na “move- komplikasyon na nakapalibot
rabbits. isa nang matagumpay at pagkalito sa mararamdaman on mentality”, bakit hindi dito. Kahanga-hanga si Tin
pilantropong doktor. Habang ng manonood. Pero natin balikan ang nakaraan bilang isang karakter na
si Tin nama’y nagta-trabaho maaring ito’y sinasadya din. hindi upang maghasik ng nagawang pairalin ang isip
bilang executive assistant ng Patungo ang pelikula sa galit or kawalang patawaran higit sa puso — na bagama’t
isang may-ari ng NGO (Non- mga usaping kung ituring kundi upang matuto sa naging takot at mahina sa
Government Organization). ay “mature” — trabaho, mga aral na nakapaloob simula ay nag-ipon ng tapang
Kalauna’y magkakaalaman obligasyong panlipunan, sa mga pangyayaring ito. at lakas upang harapin ang at
na tila sila’y pinaghiwalay ambisyon, responsibilidad, Magkaiba ang paglimot at sundan ang mga pangarap.
ng sanga-sangang mga pangarap at tunay na pagpapatawad. Sa hindi Si Raf naman ay kahanga-
pangyayari. Magkatuluyan kasiyahan. Bagama’t kung paglimot ay magagawa hanga rin na nagawang
pa kaya sila sa bandang huli o tutuusi’y marami dito nating maging mas mabuting baguhin ang kanyang
mas makabubuti sa kanilang ang parang “pilit’ at di pa tao  —   a t sa pangkalahatan buhay sa pamamagitan
dalawa ang magkani- masyadong akma  —   a t ang ay makakabuo tayo ng mas din ng pagsusumikap.
kaniyang landas? tila hindi kapani-paniwalang mabuting lipunan. Sinasabi Magandang halimbawa
Makasining at makabuluhan pagitan ng mga panahon rin ng pelikula na parating silang dalawa para sa mga
ang Alone/Together. Hindi o timeline, masasabi na may pag-asa at parating may kabataan — maliban lamang
ito yung tipikal na pelikulang ring mahusay ang pelikula pagkakataong bumangon sa isang pagkakamaling
kilig kahit pa ang sikat na sa tapang nitong maghain sa pagkakadapa. Hindi rin kanyang ginawa sa bandang
tambalang LizQueen ang ng isang romance na may dapat panghinaan ng loob dulo ng pelikula — na tila
ang magkakatuluyan bilang naririto. Tinalakay nito ang kakaibang sangkap. Dun pa na tuparin ang pangarap pinanindigan din naman
magkasintahan. Punong- masalimuot na pag-ibig sa lamang, kahanga-hanga na dahil lang sa pagkakamali. niya kung kaya’t katanggap-
puno silang dalawa ng gitna ng pangarap, ambisyon, ang pelikula. Ang sining ay sumasalamin tanggap na rin ito sa kabuuan.
pangarap at ambisyon — sabay dangal at paninindigan. Maraming nais sabihin ang sa buhay  —   h indi perpekto Dahil sa mature na tema ng
nilang binuo ang kanilang Mahusay ang pagkakahalukay Alone/Together  —   n ariyang ngunit makabuluhan at may pelikula, nararapat lamang
pangarap na sila ay tatandang ng pelikula sa tamang ipaalala nito sa mga sariling pagkakakilanlan. Ang ito sa mga manonood na 14
masaya, matagumpay at damdamin ng bawat tauhan manonood maya’t-maya ang pag-ibig gaya ng ipinakita sa gulang pataas.
 THE CROSS
A Supplement Publication of the Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI
CBCP Monitor Vol. 23, No. 06 March 18 - 31, 2019

Philippine Knights pray for

world’s persecuted Christians
THE Knights of Columbus
- Philippines prayed
for Christians suffering
persecution around the
world as they marked the
feast of St. Joseph, protector
of the Church, March 19.
The Filipino Knights unite with other
members of the Order worldwide
in grieving the violence that plague
churches across the globe.
Led by K of C Supreme Director Bro.
Jose Reyes, Jr., dozens gathered in
Manila to pray the rosary, culminating
a “Triduum Prayer for Peace”.
The Knights of Columbus Supreme
Council has chosen this intention
following the twin blasts that hit a
packed church in Sulu last Jan. 27.
The bombings of the Mount Carmel
Cathedral in Jolo City left at least 23
people dead, including two Knights, and
more than 100 were hurt.
Brothers Leo Herbolario of Fr. Emile
Buldoc Council 8181 and Reynaldo
Pescadera of Bishop Francis McSorley
Council 4552 were among those who
died in the attacks. Among the injured
were Oscar Asares, Arturo Ablay and
Vincent Unding, all of Council 8181,
and Roderick Hoe of Jolo Carmelite
Council 9419.
After hearing the incident, Supreme
Knight Carl Anderson immediately
ordered a worldwide prayer for the
victims of the church attacks.
“We are also offering this not only for
Mindanao but for all our persecuted The Knights of Columbus in the Philippines during the Triduum of Prayer for Peace from March 17 to 19, 2019. Top Photo: Luzon North and Luzon South Jurisdictions Bottom Left: Visayas Jurisdiction Bottom
Pray / C3 Right: Mindanao Jurisdiction

KC Philippines Update:

From L to R: Jeff Rovell, IT Specialist; Phillip Matias, Business Process Designer; Bro. Gerry T. Mission, Mindanao State Deputy; Bro. From L to R: : Luzon North State Deputy, Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr.; Membership Records Director Kevin Brady; Supreme Secretary
Jose C. Reyes, Jr, Luzon North State Deputy; Michael J. O’Connor, Supreme Secretary; Bro. Ramoncito A. Ocampo, Luzon South State Michael J. O’Connor; H.E. Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle; Luzon South State Deputy, Bro. Ramoncito A. Ocampo and Luzon South State
Deputy; Bro. Anthony P. Nazario, Visayas State Deputy and Kevin Brady, Membership Records Director from K of C Supreme Council. Secretary Bro. Bonifacio Martinez during their visit to the office of Cardinal Tagle last March 12, 2019.

From L to R: : Luzon North State Deputy, Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr.; Business Process Designer, Phillip Matias; Supreme Secretary Michael Relief Operations of Luzon South Jurisdiction last February 23, 2019 in Sagnay Camarines Sur and Tiwi, Albay.
J. O’Connor; Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, CBCP President; Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III, Assistant Chaplain of Luzon Jurisdictions and
Luzon South State Secretary Bro. Bonifacio Martinez during their visit to the CBCP office last March 13, 2019.

KC Foundations:
The Board of Trustees of
the Knights of Columbus
Fr. George J. Willmann
Charities, Inc. has given
plaques of Gratitude and
Appreciation to Alysons’
Chemical Enterprises, Inc.
and to Bro. Arsenio Isidro
G. Yap for their continuous
support to the religious
scholarship projects of the
Foundations.

The Luzon North State Officers headed by Bro. Jose C. Reyes, Jr. and District Deputies during their annual renewal of marriage vows
held last February 21, 2019 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel.
C2 March 18 - 31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 THE CROSS
Ramoncito A. Ocampo Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

President’s Chairman’s Message

Message
Imitating St. Joseph as a Father

A Pro Life Advocacy: Walk for Life GOD chose Joseph, a good and humble like “Papa” as a family man. I was shy we can protect our children from evil-
man, to be the foster father of Jesus and but studious during my College days yet doers in today’s world just outside our
KNIGHTS of Columbus in the Philippines is one with the the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I was given recognition for outstanding homes, schools and workplaces. Let
Catholic Church’s Doctrine—Pro Life. An example of their He was a carpenter from Nazareth. He leadership. In like manner, our son us also strive to be faithful guardians
pro-life activity, which is practiced worldwide especially was a descendant of the House of David. Ljay is also kind-hearted to poor people, of our wives like St. Joseph was to our
by our brother knights wherever they are is the Walk for He was a Layman, a builder by trade, committed to do the tasks given to him Blessed Mother, Mary. In addition,
Life or others may call it as March for Life. specifically may have been a traditional in school and eventually in the office and let us go beyond our family circle in
Through the years, we brother knights had been more carpenter, but also a stone worker. He at home, he has turned out to be a father praying and helping those who suffer
aggressive in ensuring that our voices will be heard was also a visionary visited by angels and who disciplines with compassion our only from hopelessness, victims of abuse,
through the Catholic Churches (our parishes) on how we noted for his willingness to immediately granddaughter Leia. One thing my son especially women overseas workers
condemn the acts that are opposite to what our advocacy get up and do what God told him to do and I have in common is our religiosity driven by poverty, and other parents
is. A yearly walk or parade in pre-determined streets in his sleep. The meaning of the name having studied in Catholic schools who have become helpless in protecting
of municipalities/cities throughout the country is just Joseph is “whom the Lord adds.” and eventually becoming members of their children from drug addiction and
one of many ways our advocacy to promote life is being In our family, we have a member religious organizations that are Christ- other vices.
publicized. named Joseph in every generation: centered. May we as brother Knights be models
Thus, our strong opposition to abortion or any form of my father’s name is Jose and a Sr. was Majority of us became fathers or to other fathers by inviting them to
procedure that will put an end to the life of the unborn added to his name when I was born and heads of our respective families first, join our organization and live as good
should be a solid foundation next to our churches’ baptized Jose, Jr. When I got married, before we became members in the followers of Jesus in our daily life. May
dogma. That the teachings should reach all our brothers our first born was a son we named Joseph Knights of Columbus organization. So we always seek with humility the grace
and sisters on what and how it takes to promote life and he is now a father himself. In each of being a good father is a pre-requisite to from God to be faithful to him, instead
in accordance with our faith. With the aid of Knights us, we seem to have some characteristics being a good Knight. St. Joseph should of relying on our own efforts and worldly
of Columbus Supreme Council, we are able to provide in common with St. Joseph. I recall my be our model in enhancing our role as means to keep our family and community
assistance by way of Ultrasound Initiatives in different “Papa” as a quiet, kind and hard-working provider and protector of our family. close to God and be of service to others
councils. Since through ultrasound, many women choose man; and a good provider for the family. We as brother Knights, should implore in need through our parishes.
to keep their babies once they get the tangible picture of Maybe through heredity, I also became the intercession of St. Joseph so that Vivat Jesus!
life slowly forming within them.
We may have lots of differences, however why and how Ma. Theresa G. Curia
we gathered as one in promoting and fighting for what we
believe is right and for the good of all, makes us undivided.
And that life, being a God-given gift should be protected,
Curia Settings
promulgated and valued at any cost.
In the world of today where everything constantly Lent — Connect...Reconnect
changes we brother knights, are expected not just to
“go with the flow” but be initiators of changes for the
better. Not only that because something is mainstream,
means that is readily right (in accordance with our
belief and faith) on the other hand, not also because it is
different means it is wrong, what we need is the truthful LENT always begins by their dead the day after they laugh together? Tell our by people. We are indebted
discernment, to weigh things that, and will matter. For the reminding us, on Ash die, without putting chemicals stories and plans for the next to the earth, big time.
sake of promoting our advocacy, we can and we will with Wednesday, that all humans in their bodies. Therefore, week? Update each other However, we also know that
the guidance from above and our Founder, Fr. Michael are governed by the law of their remains join the earth with our news, breakthroughs, as humans, the ecosystem
J. McGivney. nature. What started as again, almost immediately, travel plans? also continues to exist because
Vivat Jesus! organic will end up organic. without destroying the fertility Do we decide to put off of our interventions. Our
If we came from dust, unto of the land. all cell phones when we are intelligence, our wisdom, our
Arsenio Isidro G. Yap dust we will return. I also understand why some around the table? inventions, our initiatives, our
But I heard this joke from a people opt to be cremated At work, do we listen to each learnings are able to improve
priest’s sermon: “Kung tayo’y after death. Their bodies other’s woes? Do we know the whole ecosystem too.
A Brother’s Insight totoong galing sa putik, bakit
marami sa atin ang plastic?”
become ashes and do not
have to be kept in cemented
who are in trouble, who are
grieving, and in pain? Who
We cannot survive without
love and without loving
Correct, there are people places. They can donate their are celebrating promotions, people and creation. There
who are called behind their coffins; they do not need to be new children, homecomings? is a symbiotic relatedness
backs as orocan, plastic ware, dressed in elegant, expensive Do we mentor the newbies in and needfulness, interactive
etc. Definitely, those types burial clothes. the office? Do we make the interchange of richness and
of people whom we brand Being plastic is a rich young recruits feel at home? flavor in life. Unfortunately,
I Love You Nanay as plastic, do not connect metaphor for the antithesis Do we visit the sick members we are not aware of our place
intimately with others. of the Christian demand for of the community? Do we stay and our role in the universe. If
I love you Nanay. You know naman di ba? Because they do not show their truth and being connected a bit outside the church after we are not aware, we cannot
Tuwang tuwa ako ng magka kilala kayo ni Tatay. Naging true colors to people, they with people, whether in life the service, to keep up with the appreciate. Then we do not
bunga ako ng inyong wagas na pagmamahalan. Laking cannot establish authentic or in death. latest? Is there time for family become grateful; neither do
pasasalamat ko sa Poong Maykapal na kayo ay pinagtagpo relationships of trust and love. We came into the world outreach? Do we volunteer to we realize our responsibility
na nag resulta sa aking pagkatao. We can even say: the plastic crying, and at the end of our neighbourhood activities? to give back, use well, enrich.
Nay, pahintulutan mo po akong alalahanin ang simula ng people pretend, deceive, lives, other people cry for us. But the intimate connection Mindfulness of what
aking buhay. Sa unang sandali palang ng pagtagpo ng similya divide, destroy group goals But they do cry if we have made should not be limited to people happens in the world, the
ni Tatay at ng inyong itlog, alam na ang aking magiging and group vision. They cannot our impact in their lives and alone, although that’s the most mystery and the beauty that
kasarian pati na ang aking DNA o pagiging pagkatao. Tatlong be the productive elements. therefore, they will miss us. important thing. We need to happens, with us as part of
araw pa bago ako makababa sa fallopian tube at dumikit sa Plastic wares are non- It means we have connected be connected also to Mother the symphony, is crucial for
iyong matris, alam ko nang ako’y lalaki at lalaking guwapo, biodegradable. No matter intimately with their lives Earth, to all of Nature’s living our lives deeply. Being
matalino at mapag mahal, lalo na sa iyo Nay at kay Tatay. how deeply we bury them and they feel the severance of various manifestations. aware, conscious, attentive...
Noong ika-apat na linggo, pumo porma na ang pisikal kong under the ground, they will the bond. If we have lived our One day, we shall go back makes us open ourselves up
anyo. Meron nakong magiging ulo, katawan at may maliliit not disintegrate nor be part lives sincerely connecting with to Mother Earth. Do we to the dynamo and energy
na umbok na magiging aking mga kamay at paa. Noong ika- of the earth-- ever. They others, especially even serving compost, do we sort garbage, around us. It makes us see
walong linggo, halata na ang aking tenga at mata. May maliit cannot be transformed into them, and really loving and watch our trashes, plant trees, how graceful our lives can
na umbok sa gitna ng aking mukha na magiging matangos dust and will forever remain interacting with people, they take care of a garden, clean be when we dance with the
kong ilong. Buo na rin ang aking mga braso, hita at binti, plastic, indestructible, forever cry when we die. the neighbourhood? universe.
ngunit wala pa akong mga kamay at paa. hazard to the environment. In our families, do we have I think Lent is telling us that I think this is what many
Noong ika-labing dalawang linggo, buong buo na ako Nay. They will obstruct the water solid, bonding, connecting we must be able to ask ourselves people say, is a way of
Dalawang pulgada na ako, nakakagalaw na at tumitibok na flow under the ground. And time with our family and renew our various facets contemplating life. This is part
ang aking puso. Masayang masaya ako Nay sa iyong matris. the smaller particles will kill members? Is it quality time and layers of connectedness: of the contemplative prayer in
Sagana ako sa nutrisyon dahil sa mga masustansyang the organisms on land and each time we are together? Or connectedness with ourselves, action. A contemplative life.
kinakain mo Nay. Maliit pa ako kaya siguro hinde mo pa especially at sea. is everyday a big rush to come with others, with society, with So Lent is telling us, ---
dama ang kalikutan ko. Plastics will not be able to and go? Do we spend our our past, present and future, Pause. Listen. Feel. Slow
Nadoble na ang aking laki noong ika labing-anim na linggo. connect with the earth, nor weekends, just sleeping away with nature, and eventually down. Think, rethink,
Mahigit apat na pulgada na ako at gumagalaw na ang aking be part of it, nor be part of the because our nights are busy with God. focus, refocus. Journalize,
mga mata, pakindat kindat para sa iyo Nay. Mukha na akong mission of the earth to sustain with our friends in gimmicks Obviously we cannot live document, find meaning,
maliit na baby at may fingerprints na rin ako. Lumalaki na and enrich life. and drinking spree? alone. We do not and must remember, celebrate and
Brother’s Insight / C3 Coming back to humans In our families, do we have not live for ourselves alone. commit ourselves to being
... after we die, because solid, bonding, connecting We cannot afford to do that. connected and reconnected.
we are dust, we will again time with our family Others also need us, but we No person is an island. No
ERRATUM reconnect with the earth, be members? Is it quality time need them more. All those person lives in isolation. We
IN the CBCP Monitor Vol. 23 No. 04 published last February 18, absorbed again by earth and each time we are together? Or connectedness matter for our are part of a huge dance,
2019, in the banner story, the word “Circle” was incorrectly written even fertilize the earth. I is everyday a big rush to come existence. symphony, harmony, energy
as “Council”. The correct banner title should read: “Philippine State now understand the wisdom and go? Do we spend our We cannot survive without which we call God, God’s
Deputies receive Circle of Honor Awards”. of the Muslim tradition of weekends, just sleeping away food from the earth, from presence, divine energy.
– The Editors burying their dead directly because our nights are busy the sellers, manufacturers. Feel the connectedness with
to the ground, wrapped in with our friends in gimmicks Food directly comes from the The Sacred, The Divine, The
cloths, not in coffins. Neither and drinking spree? earth, but they are planted, Transcendent, The Holy. And

THE CROSS
do they enclose their dead in Do we make it a point to harvested, manufactured and live it with humans and the
cemented tombs. They bury pray together, eat together, delivered to our doorsteps whole of creation.

A Supplement Publication of the

Karlo Serviento
Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI

Editorial Board Pondering the Words

Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Ramoncito A. Ocampo
Chairman President
The Fast and the Feast
Ma. Theresa G. Curia Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III
Executive Vice President Spiritual Director

Mary Magdalene G. Flores
Editor-in-Chief
Jhon Lyndon D. Palafox, Juan Karlo S. Serviento
Associate Editors
Jerome P. De Guzman, Erwin John B. Mallari, Kris Jay Rolex A. Yngco
Contributors
The Cross is published monthly with its business at KCFAPI, General Luna cor. Sta.
Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila with tel. no. (02) 527-22-23 to 27 (trunk line) local
200, 201. Email Address: kcfraternal@kofc.org.ph. Website: http://www.kofc.org.ph
ROMAN Catholics find Lent of great
importance. It seems to be the most
meaningful of all Liturgical Seasons
because it focuses not only on the liturgy
itself but also on what the liturgy can
give our souls that will eventually make
our lives fruitful. As others may say, it
is the season to FAST, GIVE and PRAY.
Without the process of purification, the
graces of the Resurrection will be of no
importance.
Last Ash Wednesday as we mark ashes
on our foreheads, we are reminded to
repent and believe in the Gospel and that
from ashes we are and to ashes we are
to. The faithful are called to take part in
this glorious season. We are called. But
only few respond to the call of the church
which is merely Christ’s voice Himself.
One of the famous reminders for us
Catholics is to Fast. Why? Because in
the absence of food, we can see the
importance of the Word of God. It is
the one that nurtures us. Not to take it
literally that it will feed us the food we
need to survive like the Israelites when
God gave them their daily bread. But
spiritually, our needs will be satisfied,
inspired by Jesus Christ. Every word
of God is a food, a food for our souls.
We must have healthy souls. The body
is passing, but the soul is eternal.
Pondering the Words / C3
THE CROSS March 18 - 31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 C3

America’s Consensus on Life

Like Supreme Court decisions that upheld slavery and segregation, Roe V. Wade is based upon a lie
by Supreme Knight
Carl A. Anderson
IN MY REMARKS to this year’s
March for Life, I highlighted
two findings from this year’s
Marist Poll on attitudes
toward abortion. The first is
that three in four Americans
say abortion should be limited
to — at most — the first three
months of pregnancy. And
that includes 6 in 10 who
describe themselves as “pro-
choice.”
The second is that about
2 in 3 Americans want the
Supreme Court’s decision
in Roe v. Wade to be
reinterpreted by the Court to
allow states to restrict or ban
abortion.
Both findings are consistent
with what the Marist Poll has
found for more than a decade:
Strip away the labels often
used in the abortion debate,
and Americans by large
numbers do not agree with the
Supreme Court’s mandate of a
“right” to abortion throughout
pregnancy.
Pro-abortion extremists
must be paying close
attention. Recently, there has
been a move in several states
to lock in by statute abortion
throughout pregnancy.
Writing in the Wall Street
Journal (Feb. 8), Cardinal
Timothy Dolan of New
York spoke out forcefully
against the “horror” of this
“extremism.” He predicted “a
backlash across the country”
against the “gruesome” logic
that sanctions unrestricted
abortion throughout
pregnancy and even the killing
of a baby born alive after
abortion. (Pope Francis has
used even stronger language
in the past, saying abortion
is equivalent to hiring a hit
man.)
Cardinal Dolan placed such
legislation in the context of
the Supreme Court’s 1857
Dred Scott decision upholding
slavery. There, the Court wrote
that Dred Scott and his wife,
Harriet, were members of an
“inferior class of human beings”
who were “unfit to associate
with the white race” and “had
no rights which the white man
was bound to respect.”
While many Americans
believed the Court’s decision
had settled the slavery issue,
others did not. The nation
soon split along both partisan
and geographical lines.
The Civil War would end
slavery. But it did not put an
end to the logic that produced
it. Soon new laws embodied
the view that African
Americans were an inferior
class of human beings “unfit
to associate with the white
race.” Again, the country
split over geographical
and partisan lines. And in
another shameful decision,
the Supreme Court in Plessy v.
Ferguson (1896), by a vote of
7-to-1, upheld segregationist
“Jim Crow” laws.
And again, many Americans
thought the matter settled. It
would take six more decades
before the Supreme Court’s
decision in Brown v. Board
of Education (1954) and the
Congress’s passage of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 would wipe
away this stain on America’s
laws.
Neither Dred Scott nor Roe
v. Wade should have ever
been considered “settled” law,
because both decisions were
based upon a lie — a lie that
says there is an “inferior class
of human beings” with “no
rights” that we are “bound to
respect.”
At the March for Life, I
quoted one of America’s
great abolitionist leaders,
Wendell Phillips, who once
stated, “One and God makes a
majority.” I added that it also
helps to have the American
people on our side.
At the Knights of
Columbus Museum in New
Haven, Conn., we display
a photograph of Supreme
Knight Luke Hart at the White
House presenting President
John F. Kennedy a copy of the
Pledge of Allegiance. During
the 1950s, the Knights of
Columbus led the effort to
have Congress add the words
“under God” to the text.
When I am asked, “What do
these words mean?” I answer
they mean at least this: As
President Kennedy said at his
inauguration, as a nation we
stand on the principle that “the
rights of man come not from
the generosity of the state but
from the hand of God.”
The great moral issues of
our day should transcend
partisan politics. This is
occurring today regarding
abortion. The Marist Poll
survey finds majorities in both
political parties reject such
extreme late-term abortion
laws.
One way to transcend
partisanship is by insisting
upon reality-based public
policies. The approach of
the Supreme Court in Roe
v. Wade does the opposite,
with the Court stating that it
did not have to “resolve the
difficult question of when life
begins.” But this is precisely
the question that must be
answered; otherwise, the
public discussion loses its
moral center.
There is bipartisan
consensus among Americans
on abortion. It is time that
politics in Washington and
elsewhere reflect not only that
consensus but the reality of
the child before birth. Vivat
Jesus!

The Gentle Warrior An INVITATION to become a

FR. GEORGE J. WILLMANN, SJ
By James B. Reuter, SJ FELLOW

CHAPTER FIVE THE “Fr. George J. Willmann Fellows” was launched

by the Knights of Columbus Father George J. Willmann
The War Years than a Coffee Canteen. It time it was sheltering refugees Charities, Inc. last June 29, 1997 during the Centennial Birth
suddenly became a refugee of ten nationalities. Anniversary celebration of Rev. Fr. George J. Willmann,
During those stormy days center. An inter-island boat, “Displaced persons, they S.J. This fund-raising campaign finances the theological
— just after the Declaration of hopelessly overloaded with would call such refugees now. research expenses necessary to possibly raise Fr. Willmann
War, and before the Japanese passengers hoping to get out We had all the usual problems of
to the honors of the altar. Last December 7, 2015, Manila
invaded the Philippines — of Manila and back to their a DP refuge. Especially poverty.
Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle has officially
when Manila was in a state homes in the provinces, struck Most especially, lack of food.”
of total confusion, George one of our own mines in the At Christmas time, in 1941, opened the Archdiocesan Process for the Causes of
Willmann and the Knights middle of Manila Bay, at night. the book of Horacio de la Beatification and Canonization of Fr. George J. Willmann.
of Columbus were doing an It went down. Hundreds Costa S.J.: “Light Cavalry” Membership to the Fr. Willmann Fellows is open to all
orderly, systematic job in the were lost, and there was no was scheduled for launching. Knights of Columbus councils, members, their families,
headquarters of the Knights, record even of their names. The book was printed, and friends and even to business institutions. As of December
at Santa Rita Hall on Taft But the survivors were drawn the copies were piled high 2018, more than 1,100 individuals and 36 institutions all
Avenue. When the city was in out of the water, covered in the Good Shepherd Press over the country have already joined this fellowship. Father
panic, and when everyone was with oil, some of them badly in Ermita. But the launching desolation. They knew that Willmann Fellows serve as co-sponsors in the work of
thinking of himself, George burned, some wounded by the never came off. A bomb fell the Japanese were coming spreading the good news about Fr. Willmann’s life, works
and the Knights were thinking explosion of the mine. on the Good Shepherd Press, in, and they knew that the
and holiness. Their donation is a lifetime subscription to the
of the American soldiers. Father Willmann’s sister, Ruth, and most of the copies were American Armed Forces had
The soldiers were trapped who was a Franciscan Missionary burned. A few were rescued by no way to move the military
initiative of the Knights of Columbus of promoting awareness
in an Open City. The war had of Mary, wrote of this: the young Jesuit Scholastics patients out of Manila. While on Father Willmann in order that authentic devotion to him
fallen on them, suddenly. “Three hundred survivors who were working on the the Scholastics were singing may be encouraged among the faithful, especially those
They were not really prepared were sent to the Knights of index. When the Japanese “Silent Night” in the military who need his intercession for God’s grace.
for it. They were doing their Columbus building under invaded the city, they used the hospital wards, the bombs We therefore cordially invite you and your loved ones
best. They were following Father Willmann’s care. He metal type for bullets. Horacio were booming outside. to join the Fr. Willmann Fellows. Aside from being an
orders. But their morale was had to supply, out of nothing, had worked on the book for Some of the Jesuit Superiors advocate in spreading the sanctity of Father Willmann
low. They were depressed. food, shelter, occupation, peace two full years. felt that there should be no and the graces that come with it, each Fellow is entitled to
George wrote, in his article and order. He brought order George said to him: ”Never caroling on that Christmas, receive the following items as memorabilia: (1) a Certificate
“The Knights Stayed on the out of chaos and survival out of mind, son. Look at all the good because it was too dangerous of Membership, (2) a lapel pin and (3) a pamphlet entitled
Job”: “Setting aside our youth imminent disaster, for all 300.” things you learned, when you to be out in the streets. But
program, we developed Santa George himself wrote of were writing that book! Maybe,
“A Quest for a Cause of Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J.”. We
Father Hurley, who was
Rita into a feverishly active this: in the years to come, you’ll get Superior of the Mission, made further urge you to fervently seek Fr. Willmann’s intercession
Coffee Canteen, open day and “Before the Japanese entry another chance!” This was the final decision. He said to in all your petitions for God’s graces and to report to the
night. With the aid of many into Manila, the Archbishop prophetic. After being ordained, the carolers: “The soldiers Foundation all blessings you may have received with the
K of C brothers and other had entrusted to the Knights Father de la Costa was sent need this. They feel pretty low. intercession of Fr. Willmann.
Catholic friends, this center the entire operation of Santa to Harvard, for a doctorate If you get into a bombing while
became extremely popular. Rita Hall. A large concrete in history. His dissertation you are on the road, get out of KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The location was magnificent, building on Taft Avenue, was a history book: “The the car and dive into a ditch. FR. GEORGE J. WILLMANN CHARITIES, INC.
and the aroma of our Chase one of Manila’s principal Jesuits In The Philippines”. You’ll be safe, in a ditch.” The Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana Sts., Intramuros, Manila
and Sanborn became famous. thoroughfares, Santa Rita When Horacio was assigned carolers did this. Tel. Nos. 527-2223 local 221 & 527-2244 (Fax)
Throughout the foxholes now became a haven for fire to graduate studies in history, But even while they were APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
and air raid shelters of the refugees from burnt-out George smiled and said: “There! singing at Midnight Mass in to FATHER GEORGE J. WILLMANN, S.J. FELLOW
beleaguered forces, the cry was sections of Manila, for students See? God draws straight, with the Ateneo, the bombs were
‘Go to Santa Rita for a cup of and other provincianos unable crooked lines!” booming, all around. 1. Name of Applicant (individual or institution):
real American coffee.’ Needless to return to their provinces, At Christmas time, the The city was filled with the ______________________________________________
to say, ‘Everybody Welcome! and for marooned sailors or young Jesuits went caroling premonition of disaster. (to
Everything Free!’ was the rule.” survivors of ships lying in the in the hospitals. The military be continued on the next 2. Address: _______________________________________
___________________________ Tel. Nos. ________________
But Santa Rita was more bottom of Manila Bay. At one hospitals were in deep, dark issue)
3. Office Name & Address: _________________________
Pray / C1 _______________________ Tel. Nos. ________________
brothers and sisters all over The Knights of Columbus of Columbus. We are not “We are reaching out in
4. K of C Council Number and Location: ___________________
the world,” said Reyes, who Supreme Council has pledged exclusive. We are inclusive prayer and support for our
is also the K of C Luzon North to financially assist the victims because love is inclusive,” brother Knights and their 5. Enclosure: ___________________________________
Deputy and Chairman of and their families, regardless said Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, families in their time of
the Knights of Columbus of their religion. KCFAPI’s Spiritual Director. grief and loss, remembering [ ] Cash P ____________
Fraternal Association of the Sulu is a predominantly The Supreme Council will especially those who were [ ] PMO/check No.___________
Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI). Muslim province, where also be donating financial killed or injured in this (Note: Please make check payable to KC Fr. George J.
An estimated 200 million security forces are fighting assistance for the repair of senseless attack on a Willmann Charities, Inc.)
Christians globally face the several groups that claim the Jolo cathedral which Catholic sanctuary,” SK Date: _________________________________________
threat of persecution because allegiance to Islamic State. remain unused since the Anderson earlier said.
of their faith. “This is the Knights bombings. (CBCPNews) Signature: _____________________________________
Brother’s Insight / C2
Pondering the Words / C2
rin ang iyong tiyan Nanay. Tanda niyo Nay, tulungan mo ako! aking kasalanan na dapat kong sapitin
po yun Nay? Ang saya saya natin. Pinilit kong tumakbo para makaiwas ang napaka sakit at napaka lupit na Also, fasting is not done to will see how beautiful is the
Ngunit, isang umaga, sa hinde ko ngunit naipit ng bakal ang isa kong kamatayan. give what is excess but to feast that awaits us on Easter
maintindihang dahilan, kabadong kabado braso at ito’y pinilit na hinila hanggang Nay, kung minarapat niyo, birthday eliminate our needs in order Sunday. The barren tree will
ako at damang dama ko ang iyong mapigtas sa aking maliit na katawan. ko sana sa ika dalawampu’t lima ng to feed others. We share with bear fruit. Our weary and dry
pagka aburido at lungkot. Lagi ka nalang Napaka-sakit Nay, ano ba ang Marso, kapistahan ng pagpapahayag ni them not a small parcel of souls will be souls refreshed
balisa at hinde mapakali. Ako naman ay nangyayari? Bumalik ang bakal at ang Arkanghel Gabriel kay Inang Maria na what we have but a great and rejuvenated because it
nakararamdam ng pangamba. Pangambang nahagip naman ay ang isa kong hita. nasa sinapupunan niya at magiging ina portion of what we need. In is purified by our heed to
hinde ko maintindihan kung bakit. At ganun din ang ginawa hanggang siya ng anak ng Diyos na si Hesukristo. the eyes of God, we are not a respond to God’s call.
Ay salamat, pagkaraan ng isang nabunot ito sa aking munting katawan Nay, sana po maalaala niyo po ako at single individual but a single Through this Holy Fasting
lingo, naramdaman kong napa relax at ako’y pumanaw na Nay. ipagdasal ang aking kaluluwa. church, a united church. We we will be worthy partakers of
ka Nay at mukhang maganda ang Nakita ng aking kaluluwa and pira Laking pasasalamat ko pa rin sa are given because we need the Feast of Jesus’ resurrection
iyong pagkakatulog. Ngunit ano itong piraso kong katawan, durog na durog Panginoon na kahit sa mahigit apat na to share it. The love of God in this life and the life to come
sumisilip sa akin? Ano itong bakal na at pati aking magandang mukha ay buwan lang kita nakilala Nay, alam kong is not a selfish love, but a where we will celebrate with
parang may hinahanap. Kina kabahan wasak na wasak. Bakit Nay? Bakit minahal mo din ako. selfless love. all the heavenly hosts, with
na naman ako at pabilis ng pabilis ang ninyo pinabayaang patayin ako ng I love you Nanay. You know naman Selflessly, fulfilling our our eternal Lord and King,
tibok ng aking puso. Napasigaw ako ng, walang kalaban laban? Ano po ba ang di ba? duties this Lenten season, we Jesus Christ.
C4 March 18 - 31, 2019, Vol 23, No. 06 THE CROSS

42nd Annual Family Service Awards

THE 42nd Annual Family Service
Awards was held by KCFAPI at
Puerto Princesa, Palawan last March
8 to 10, 2019. This year’s celebration
is one of the grandest with a total
of 31 awardees who celebrated this
momentous occasion with their
families.
The Annual Family Service
Awards is an event held to recognize
and honor our productive and
valiant Fraternal Benefits Managers
and Fraternal Counselors. The
Award for Area Managers has
three categories: the Area Manager
of the Year followed by an Area
Manager of the Year Runner up, The Annual Family Service Awardees together with the KCFAPI Board of Trustees headed by Chairman Jose C. Reyes, Jr., President Ramoncito A. Ocampo and Directors of Keys Realty and Development Corporation
during their Gala Night last March 8, 2019 at the City States Asturias Hotel, Palawan.
and finally the President’s Circle.
For Fraternal Counselors, there are
four categories: Fraternal Counselor
of the Year, Fraternal Counselor of
the Year Runners-up, Chairman
Knights of the Round Table, and the
President’s Circle.
The Annual award festivities were
held at the City States Asturias Hotel
in Palawan. This 3-day festivity started
with the Awards Night. Bro. Ramoncito
A. Ocampo, KCFAPI President opened
the awarding with a congratulatory
message followed by the introduction
of the awardees. All of them were given
recognition for their excellent and
tireless service to their Brother Knights
and their immediate families. Our
Bro. Lauro L. Evangelista, Area Manager of the Year from the Central Luzon Evangelizers 1 together with Bro. Leonardo O. Gatuz, Fraternal Counselor of the Year from the Central Luzon Evangelizers 1 together
handsome gentlemen were in their best his family and the Board of Trustees of KCFAPI and KCFAPI EVP Ma. Theresa G. Curia. with his family.
attire and the gorgeous ladies were in
their dresses and evening gowns. The Knights and their immediate families what he is doing as an Area Manager. and their families spent island themed fellowship wherein the
event was capped with a closing remark which paved the way for him to gain He also added that through this he hopping in Honda bay where they participants paraded their outfits
by the KCFAPI Chairman, Justice Jose their trust and support making him gained the true meaning of “love thy visited 3 islands. The first of which adorned with floral patterns. The
C. Reyes, Jr. exceed his targets. On the otherhand, neighbor” which opened his eyes was the Starfish Island, followed by program opened with a welcome
During the festivities, both top Bro. Lauro L. Evangelista, Area to the needs of others. The Culture a small island locals affectionately remark given by the KCFAPI EVP
awardees also gave their very Manager of the Year from the Central of Life which says that we are the named “Luli” (Lulubog, Lilitaw) Ma. Theresa G. Curia. After dinner,
inspiring acceptance speeches which Luzon Evangelizers 1, mentioned a protector of life wherein he saw because it appears when it is low four groups composed of awardees
talks about gratitude and gave quote of Adam Grant which states the need to help our sick brethren tide while it disappears during high from Central Luzon Evangelizers,
encouragement to other Fraternal “The culture of a workplace – an may it be physical, emotional or tide and the Cowrie Island. Other Central Luzon Believers, a combined
Counselors and Area Managers. organization’s values, norms and spiritual. That it is important to let awardees chose to see the sights of Northern Mindanao-Protectors and
Bro. Leonardo O. Gatuz, Fraternal practices – has a huge impact on our Brothers feel our sincerity in Palawan through a city tour which Northern Mindanao Hunters group,
Counselor of the Year from the our happiness and success.”. He our Fraternal Love. Lastly, he talked included the Crocodile Farm and and the combined North Eastern
Central Luzon Evangelizers 1, said further talked about CLE Culture about Evangelization which is our Nature Park, Baker’s Hill, Mitra Luzon Lions, North Eastern Luzon
in his speech that though it was which means, the Culture of Charity, mission in propagating God’s love to Ranch, Plaza Cuartel, Pasalubong Cavaliers, and North Western Luzon
challenging, he responded to the Life and Evangelization. He used man and that it is our main mission Center, and City Bay Walk. On Thunders performed. The night was
call by giving time to communicate, Charity as his guiding principle in to bring God’s words to others. their second night, the awardees filled with music and fun, perfectly
care and relate to his fellow Brother order for him to find meaning in On the second day, the awardees and their families had a Havana capturing the theme. (EBMallari)

From L to R: Angelito A. Bala, VP for Actuarial and Business Development, Mary Magdalene
G. Flores, VP for Treasury, BRO and HRCC, Pascual C. Carbero, Former KCFAPI Treasurer,
Insurance Commisioner Atty. Dennis B. Funa, Ma. Theresa G. Curia, KCFAPI Executive
Vice President, George S. Ongkeko Jr., Deputy Commisioner for Technical Services, Gari
M. San Sebastian, VP for Fraternal Benefits Group and Ronulfo Antero G. Infante, Vice
President for MIS, Underwriting and Administration during the awarding of Certificate
of Authority last February 28, 2019 at the office of the Insurance Commission, Manila.

Kompass Credit and Financing Corporation (KCFC) Chairman Rene V. Sarmiento together
with Vice Chairman, Arsenio Isidro G. Yap, President, Pascual C. Cabero, Corporate
Secretary, Elmer Z. Eroles, Treasurer James L. Layaoen, EVP and General Manager, Ma.
Theresa G. Curia, KCFAPI Officers during the 5th Anniversary celebration of Kompass
last March 13, 2019.

KCFAPI Officers, employees, Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III, KCFAPI Spiritual Director and Fr.
Mario Jose C. Ladra during the KCFAPI Pilgrimage last March 2, 2019 in the Diocese
of Malolos, Bulacan