Monitor
CBCP
JULY 8 - 21, 2019, VOL 23, NO. 14
Bishops to divest
from fossil fuels
By Roy Lagarde
THE country’s
Catholic bishops
have agreed to divest
from “dirty energy”
sources such as coal-
fired power plants.
The Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) is the world’s most
recent church institution to
declare it will divest from
fossil fuel.
The decision was reached
over the weekend as the
bishops gather for their
plenary assembly in Manila.
Fr. Edwin Gariguez,
Caritas Philippines executive
secretary, said the dioceses
would instead place its money
in renewable sources of energy.
“A milestone for the
Church ecology advocacy!”
Gariguez said.
According to him, the
divestment is part in their
10 action points for Laudato
Si’ campaign that the CBCP
adopted.
Fossil / A5
Archbishop Valles gets second
term as CBCP president
Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP President, speaks during plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila July
6. Also in the photo are Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines and Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP
Vice President. ROY LAGARDE
THE Catholic
Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines
(CBCP) reelected
Archbishop Romulo
Valles of Davao as its
president. 
 anniversary of the
The vote gives
Archbishop Valle,
67, his second and
last term to lead the
conference, during
the first day their
plenary assembly in
Peace advocate to head NASSA, Marawi prelate interreligious dialogue
A CATHOLIC bishop, who is known
for his peace advocacies in troubled
southern Philippines, will take
control the Church’s social action
and justice arm.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of
Kidapawan will replace Archbishop
Rolando Tria Tirona of Caceres,
whose term as head of Caritas
Philippines will end in November.
At 65, Bagaforo will lead the
directions of the local Caritas, more
known as the National Secretariat
for Social Action, Justice and Peace
(Nassa).
For decades, the church agency
has been at the forefront of the
church’s humanitarian response
and justice and peace advocacies.
Even before becoming a bishop
in 2006, Bagaforo has led several
Catholic bishops line up to receive communion during Mass at the Sta. Maria Goretti Parish Church on the last day of their plenary assembly in Manila July 8. ROY LAGARDE
Manila July 6.
 Archbishop Socrates
His reelection
would also make
him more visible face
of the church as it
gears for the 500th
arrival of Christianity
in the Philippines in
2021.
 Du as Treasurer and
Archbishop Valles
was first elected
CBCP head in July
2017, succeeding
Bp. Bagaforo
peace-building initiatives in
Mindanao.
At one point, he became a member
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE
Villegas of Lingayen-
Dagupan.
The CBCP also
reelected Bishop
Pablo Virgilio
David of Kalookan
as Vice President,
Archbishop John
Fr. Marvin Mejia as
Secretary General.
(See complete list of
newly elected CBCP
Bp. Dela Peña
Officials in page B4)
About 83 bishops,
73 of them are
active and five are
retired, attended the
assembly at the Pope
Pius xII Catholic
Center, which ended
on July 8. 
 to cultivate the culture of
The CBCP is
currently composed
of 134 members—83
of them are active, 3
President / A6
of the Philippine Government’s
negotiating panel for peace
Capiz archbishop calls on
Church to confront suicide
Archbishop Jose Advincula of Capiz. PHOTO COURTESY OF DENNIS EUDELA
SUICIDE is a “horrible
act” that the church and
community must confront, a
church official said.
Archbishop Jose Advincula
of Capiz stressed the need
for the “culture of presence”
as he expressed alarm over
the rising suicide rates,
particularly among young
people.
“As church we are called
presence,” Archbishop
Advincula said in a pastoral
letter issued on July 3.
He said that church
leaders will never have all
Negros Catholic schools join opposition vs coal plants
Members of a church-based environment group hold a demonstration to voice their concern over a
plan to build a coal-fired power plant in the province of Negros Occidental in the central Philippines.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUDATO SI-PHILIPPINES
CATHOLIC schools in Negros
island have objected to plans for a
new coal-fired power plant in San
Dialogue / A6 Carlos City.
CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM
the answers as to why suicide
happens, but they can still
provide comfort to their
flock.
“Being present with
anyone, letting them feel that
we are with them especially
when they are burdened
would matter so much,” he
said.
The archbishop primarily
emphasized the role of
families in preventing suicide
from happening.
“This can be done if
parents journey with, if they
give quality time to, and if
Suicide / A6
SMC Global Power Holdings
Corp. wants to build a
300-megawatt coal-fired power
Church group
laments gov’t
harassment,
intimidation
Sr. Elenita Belardo, National Coordinator
of the Rural Missionaries of the
Philippines. COURTESY OF RMP
A CHURCH organization
has condemned continued
“harassment” of dissenting
groups and individuals by
the government.
The Rural Missionaries of
the Philippines said that is
the reason why they filed the
petition for writ of amparo and
habeas data “in the first place”.
“They’ve been spreading
these lies. They’ve been
red-tagging, harassing and
threatening us,” said RMP
National Coordinator Sr.
Elenita Belardo, RGS.
The group particularly
lamented the perjury case
lodged against them by
National Security Adviser
Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
Esperon alleged that
RMP and two other human
rights groups issued false
statements in their petition
for a protection order against
government harassment.
He also accused RMP of
falsely claiming that it is
registered with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(SEC).
The church group said they
have documents to prove
that they are SEC registered.
“For NSA Hermogenes
Esperon Jr. to claim that
we have not is a blatant lie,”
Belardo said.
“This perjury case against
us and our co-petitioners
aims to turn people’s
attention away from the real
issue,” she added.
The government has
earlier accused RMP and
several church groups as
“fronts” of the communist
underground movement.
The Rural Missionaries of
the Philippines is a religious
group that works with
marginalized sectors in rural
poor communities.
Among its members is
Australian nun Patricia
Fox who was deported by
the Duterte government
in November 2018 for
her alleged involvement
in “partisan political
activities” in the country.
(CBCPNews)
Coal / A6
A2 WORLD NEWS July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 CBCP Monitor

Vatican Briefing Head of CRS: Global migrant deaths

World becoming more elitist, cruel toward excluded,
demand action
pope says BALTIMORE, Md.— A
The excluded, especially migrants and refugees, are the ones who string of high-profile
ultimately pay the price for humanity’s greed, Pope Francis said. In a migrant deaths recently
new video message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which should draw our attention
the Vatican will celebrate Sept. 29, the pope warned that “today’s to the thousands more
world is increasingly becoming more elitist and cruel toward the that go unreported, and
excluded.” “Those who pay the price are always the little ones, the encourage us to welcome
poor, the most vulnerable, who are prevented from sitting at the migrants, while also
table and are left with the crumbs of the banquet,” the pope said in working to address the
the message released July 2. (Junno Arocho Esteves/CNS) challenges that lead them
to leave their homes,
Vatican to open tombs looking for young woman missing said the head of Catholic
since 1983 Relief Services (CRS) this
The Vatican City State tribunal has ordered the opening of two week.
tombs in a small Vatican cemetery at the request of the family “Thousands of migrants
of Emanuela Orlandi, a young woman who disappeared in 1983. die each year trying to
Emanuela Orlandi, a Vatican City resident and the daughter of a attain what we Americans
Vatican employee, disappeared in Rome June 22, 1983, when she sometimes take for
was 15. In March, the family’s lawyer revealed the family had been granted,” said Sean
sent a letter with a photo of an angel above a tomb in the Vatican’s Callahan, president and
Teutonic Cemetery, a medieval cemetery now reserved mainly for CEO of CRS.
German-speaking priests and members of religious orders. The In a July 3 statement, he
letter said, “Look where the angel is pointing,” according to Laura encouraged Americans to
Sgro, the lawyer. She filed a formal petition with the Vatican to take time on Independence
investigate the matter and possibly open the tombs below the Day to “reflect on what it
means to be living in a Sean Callahan, CRS President
sculpture of the angel. (Cindy Wooden/CNS)
country that was founded migrant deaths that have Alberto Martinez Ramirez, after stowing away
Pope applauds Trump, Kim meeting in North Korea upon the notion that every garnered the attention of 25, and his 23-month-old in the landing-gear
After U.S. President Donald Trump became the first sitting human being has the right the international media. daughter Valeria died June compartment of a nine-
president to set foot in North Korea, Pope Francis called his meeting to pursue happiness.” Last week, a photo of two 23 during their attempt to hour flight from Kenya to
with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a positive step toward The Catholic Relief migrants who had drowned enter the U.S. London.
world peace. After praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in Services statement trying to cross the Rio Earlier, an unidentified And at least 44 people
St. Peter’s Square June 30, the pope called the historic meeting a pointed to several recent Grande went viral. Óscar man was found dead CRS / A6
“good example of a culture of encounter.” He also sent greetings to
Trump and Kim and prayed “that this significant gesture constitutes
a further step in the path of peace, not only in that peninsula but for
Chinese officials crack down on religious funerals, weddings
the whole world.” After Trump tweeted June 29 that he would like BEIJING, China— As the investigated at any time. under the age of 18. A church
to meet with Kim at the border between North and South Korea, Communist Party of China In February, in another city in the director told Bitter Winter that he
the North Korean leader agreed to meet him the next day in the continues to tighten its grip on same province, officials interrupted thinks the regulations were put
demilitarized zone that has separated the North and South since the regulation of religion and another Christian funeral for an in place to dissuade people from
the Korean War ended in 1953. After meeting for nearly an hour, religious activity, a human rights elderly person. Local authorities planning weddings in the church.
both leaders agreed to set up teams to resume talks that broke down group is reporting that officials reportedly threatened attendees The March wedding was cancelled
in February over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. (Junno are disrupting religious rites and with arrest for holding a religious after the restrictions were put in
Arocho Esteves/CNS) ceremonies such as funerals and service outside of a church building, place.
weddings that take place outside of and the attendees dispersed. At another wedding, on May 1
Pope gives relics of St. Peter to Orthodox patriarch church buildings. Bitter Winter reports that in province of Shanxi, a Christian
In what Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Bitter Winter, a magazine interrupting religious funerals couple was arrested by police for
Constantinople described as a “brave and bold” gesture, Pope documenting human rights and dates back to at least 2017, when requesting a band to play Christian
Francis gave the patriarch a famous reliquary containing bone religious freedom abuses in China, a pre-funeral Christian ceremony, songs at their son’s wedding, Bitter
fragments believed to belong to St. Peter. The only time the bronze reported that attendees of such also in Henan, was interrupted by Winter reports. They were only
reliquary has been displayed publicly was in November 2013, when ceremonies have been threatened officials who declared the activities released from police after local
Pope Francis had it present for public veneration as he celebrated with investigation and jail, and in to be “illegal.” All of the 20-some village officials vouched for the
the closing Mass for the Year of Faith, opened by Pope Benedict XVI. some cases have been arrested and attendees were detained. Some couple.
The bronze case contains nine of the bone fragments discovered detained for more than two weeks were released shortly thereafter The crackdowns on religious
during excavations of the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica that at a time. due to old age or illness, while six ceremonies are just the latest in a
began in the 1940s. While no pope has ever declared the bones to The crackdowns are part of the attendees were held for up to 15 long list of reported abuses against
be authentic, St. Paul VI announced in 1968 that the “relics” of government’s campaign to “sinicize” days in custody. religious freedom in the country.
St. Peter had been “identified in a way which we can hold to be religion, bringing it into unity with Also in April of this year, in the Chinese government officials
convincing.” (Cindy Wooden/CNS) Communist Chinese culture. The province of Jilin, a Taoist temple have also set up mass internment
report comes just five days after director was arrested at his temple camps for Uyghur Muslims, and
Disciples seek God’s glory, not their own, pope says at Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of after someone posted a video have destroyed churches, burned
Angelus the Tom Lantos Human Rights online showing a prayer ceremony down crosses, restricted religious
Men and women who are called to follow Christ must do so to Commission, told a congressional honoring martyrs. Tipped off by expression online, and have
help those in need and not to seek their own fame and glory, Pope hearing that the state of religious the video, officials investigated attempted to re-write the Bible so
Francis said. True disciples make “a free and conscious choice, freedom in China has “never been the temple on April 17. While the that its message is more in line with
made out of love, to reciprocate God’s invaluable grace and not worse than it is right now.” director had obtained the necessary the Communist party, among other
as a way to promote oneself,” the pope said June 30 during his On April 12 of this year, Chinese permit to hold such an event, abuses, officials have reported.
Sunday Angelus address. “This is sad! Woe to those who think government officials broke up an officials told him: “Even if you have Recently, the Vatican issued new
they are following Jesus to promote themselves, that is, to make 11-person Christian funeral in a certificate, it’s still unacceptable. guidelines on the government’s
a career, to feel important or to gain a place of prestige,” he said. the province of Henan that was You’re deceiving the common requirement of registration for
“Jesus wants us to be passionate about him and the Gospel.” (Junno honoring a deceased member of people, and this is illegal,” Bitter church clergy. The Vatican said it
Arocho Esteves/CNS) the congregation. Officials accused Winter reported. respected the judgment of Chinese
attendees of “hiding” their actions Chinese officials also attempted Catholic clergy in whether or not
Unity in church prevails over division, retired pope tells in the countryside, and threatened to block a wedding at a church they wanted to add their names to
journalist them with jail time, according to in Henan by requiring attendees the registry. Registration allows
“The unity of the church is always at risk” and has been Bitter Winter reports. The police to write their names down in a clerics to practice their ministry
throughout its history, but “its unity always has been stronger than registered the personal contact registry, and by disallowing any freely, but it also means that they
its internal struggles and wars,” said retired Pope Benedict XVI. information of the attendees other festivities outside of the acknowledge the government’s
In a conversation with Italian journalist Massimo Franco, Pope and told them that they could be church and banning attendees efforts to “sinicize” religion. (CNA)
Benedict said that for centuries, the church has been assailed by
“wars, internal conflicts, centrifugal forces and threats of schism.”
“But in the end, the awareness that the church is and must remain Chicago Tribune op-ed: Public schools can learn from Catholics
united has always prevailed,” the retired pope said. Quotes from the
brief conversation were published June 28 by the Italian newspaper in handling sex abuse
Corriere della Sera, which also ran several photos of the retired CHICAGO, Ill.— After requests from Tribune She pointed out that the had previously reported
pontiff sitting on a bench outside his residence, the Mater Ecclesiae an investigative series reporters on sexual archdiocese has conducted that an independent
Monastery in the Vatican gardens. (Junno Arocho Esteves/CNS) by the Chicago Tribune assaults within schools,” background checks on review of the Archdiocese
uncovered numerous she said. priests, staff, volunteers of Chicago’s policies
Holy See waives diplomatic immunity for accused nuncio cases of sexual abuse “CPS only relented and any parent or coach on child sexual abuse,
to France and cover-up in the city’s under threat of a lawsuit... who might come into commissioned by the
The Holy See has announced it has revoked the diplomatic public schools, a local It was not an exercise in contact with a student; archdiocese, found that
immunity of the apostolic nuncio to France, Archbishop Luigi commentator is looking protecting students.” has removed priests with church officials needed to
Ventura, clearing the way for the diplomat to face criminal charges to the Archdiocese of Illinois House Bill 3687, substantiated allegations improve how they spot,
in that country. In a July 8 statement, interim head of Vatican Chicago as an example which made it to Governor of abuse; and continues report and discipline
communications Alessandro Gisotti confirmed that the archbishop’s of putting safeguards for J.B. Pritzker’s desk to publish a list of accused “boundary violations” and
immunity had been waived. “I can confirm that the Holy See children into practice. June 28, is a bipartisan clergy, though the page other behavior that could
renounces jurisdictional immunity enjoyed by the Apostolic Nuncio In an article last week, effort to ensure that the was not available on the lead to abuse.
in France, Msgr. Luigi Ventura, by virtue of the Vienna Convention Kristen McQueary, a superintendent of schools, Archdiocese’ website as of A spokesperson for
of 18 April 1961 on diplomatic relations, for the purposes of criminal columnist and member school administrator, or press time. Illinois Attorney General
proceedings concerning him,” Gisotti said. Ventura, 74, is accused of the Chicago Tribune other employer is notified “CPS still has not Kwame Raoul said in
of having inappropriately touched a young male staffer of Paris City editorial board, if a school employee is publicly identified the June that the state is
Hall during a Jan. 17 reception for the New Year address of Paris highlighted the scandal being prosecuted for majority of adults in its “continuing to investigate
mayor Anne Hidalgo. That accusation has been under investigation surrounding Chicago sexual abuse. system who have been abuse in the Catholic
by Parisian authorities for several months. (CNA) Public Schools (CPS) “The [public school] accused of wrongdoing, Church across the state,”
and the need for greater scandal forced a and the new law awaiting the Tribune reported.
Pope Francis prays for migrants killed in airstrike in Libya transparency regarding reckoning at CPS Pritzker’s signature Cardinal Blase Cupich
Pope Francis prayed Sunday for the victims of the airstrike sexual abuse there. more than 25 years does not require that has faced criticism from
that hit a migrant detention center in Libya, and called upon the Police investigated after the Archdiocese disclosure, even if an former Illinois Attorney
international community to condemn the violence. “I invite you 523 reports that children of Chicago began to educator gets disciplined General Lisa Madigan,
to pray for the poor defenseless people killed or wounded by the were sexually assaulted or acknowledge and take by the state,” McQueary whose office identified
airstrike,” Pope Francis said in his Angelus address July 7. abused inside city public steps to hold priests said, suggesting that CPS 690 clergy members
“The international community cannot tolerate such serious facts,” schools from 2008 to and other religious officials should be calling in Illinois accused of
the pope said. At least 53 people died and more than 130 others 2017, or an average of personnel accountable for an additional bill to abuse, compared with
were injured in the attack July 3 on the Tajoura refugee camp and one report each week, for allegations of address those concerns. 185 credible allegations
detention center east of Tripoli. “I pray for the victims: the God of McQueary reported. sexual abuse and Cardinal Blase Cupich identified by the Church.
peace welcomes the dead to himself and supports the wounded,” “Former Mayor Rahm assault against children of Chicago met with the Madigan’s report did
Francis said. (Courtney Grogan/CNA) Emanuel and Chicago within its schools and tribune’s editorial board not distinguish based on
Public Schools officials institutions,” McQueary on June 24. credibility of individual
for months fought records noted. The Chicago Tribune claims. (CNA)
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 NEWS FEATURES A3

Purging silence: Vatican expands abuse prevention to lay movements

VATICAN— Millions of Catholics
live their faith through their
association with lay movements
and Catholic groups, but some also
have lost their faith when they were
sexually abused in those groups and
felt they had nowhere to turn.
While much of the church’s recent
focus has been on clerical sexual
abuse and the accountability of
diocesan bishops, the Vatican is
making child protection a priority
for new movements and lay
associations, too.
The Dicastery for Laity, the Family
and Life brought together close
to 100 representatives of Catholic
associations and movements
for a meeting June 13 on abuse
prevention and procedures for
reporting and handling allegations.
Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect
of the Vatican office, told the
representatives that by the end of
December every movement and
association in the church must turn
in formal guidelines and protocols
for reporting and preventing cases
of abuse.
Catholic movements and
associations for laypeople, which
are given official recognition
through the cardinal’s office, were
told in May 2018 to draft abuse
guidelines. Too many of the groups
either did not respond or submitted
inadequate protocols, he said.
Cardinal Farrell said some
Catholics in some parts of the world
think holding another meeting
about the abuse crisis shows that
the scandal has become “a fixation,”
“an unhealthy obsession” or “a
pesky exaggeration.”
“In truth, the logic is exactly the
reverse,” he said. “It is the sexual
abuse of power (and) of conscience
that is an evil, an unhealthy
obsession, a real manipulation, that
suffocates and frustrates even the
best pastoral plans, obscuring the
good that the church accomplishes.”
Developing protocols is only
part of the process of “purging” the
culture of abuse within the church,
he said. The church also needs a
Participants attend a meeting sponsored by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life in Rome June 13, 2019. The dicastery brought together
representatives of lay movements and associations to review child protection policies. CNS/COURTESY OF DICASTERY FOR LAITY, FAMILY AND LIFE
“change of mentality” to eradicate
the sense of “taboo” that often led
survivors of abuse to keep quiet and
caused many laymen and laywomen
to look the other way.
Linda Ghisoni, undersecretary
for laity at the dicastery, read out
the testimonies of three anonymous
members of lay movements who
suffered abuse and were further
harmed by their group’s sense of
“omerta,” a term that refers to the
Mafia’s code of silence.
One survivor wrote that while
it was difficult to speak about the
abuse while still being a part of the
association, she understood that
her “silence aggravates guilt and
hinders the truth, making me an
accomplice of evil and sin.”
Another survivor, who was abused
by two priests—one of whom was
supposed to help her recover from
her first abuse—said she felt she no
longer had “access to God.”
She also said that she and others
who have denounced abuse are
targeted by critics, including “some
bishops who continue to repeat that
one of those priests is so good.”
“It is a new betrayal that comes
from within the church,” the
survivor’s statement said. “These
people are, in my eyes, howling
wolves who penetrate the fold
to further frighten and disperse
the flock while it should be them,
the shepherds of the church, who
should take care of the littlest ones
and protect them.”
To listen to such testimonies of
abuse, Ghisoni said, “is not a way
of indulging some morbid curiosity,
nor an exercise in pity, but involves
our honesty and brings us to an
encounter with the flesh of Christ
that is inflicted with wounds that,
as Pope Francis has repeatedly
maintained, never disappear.”
Because of their great influence
on members’ identity, formation,
growth and freedom, Ghisoni said,
lay movements and associations
must have clear rules and
regulations to prevent abuse and
allow members to report without
fear of retribution or exclusion.
Ghisoni warned that groups that
boast of strict orthodoxy often have
an authoritarian and restrictive
managerial style, one that does
not include members in decision-
making, thus spreading “subliminal
messages that excludes those who
criticize.”
Other groups that have no real
structure and lax rules are equally
at risk of creating an environment
where sexual abuse can thrive, she
added.
“Unfortunately, we see it every
day: Institutions and ecclesiastical
entities who were believed to
be close to church doctrine and
waving the banner of orthodoxy
today are under investigation for
abuse,” she said. “The other extreme
is represented by disorganized
institutions in which there is too
much fluidity, there is no precise
regulation and above all, no clear
points of reference.”
Explaining the church’s
procedures for handling cases of
abuse, Philip Milligan, head of the
dicastery’s legal office, said the
groups must create “clear pathways
for reporting abuse.”
Lay movements and associations,
he said, have six months to “make
sure that at every level of your
movement’s apostolate and its
community life, these pathways for
reporting are clear, are known and
are staffed with competent people.”
Lay movements and associations
are obliged to comply with state,
civil and church law on reporting
abuse cases to police and to church
officials, he said.
Milligan also insisted the groups
understand who is considered a
“vulnerable adult” when it comes
to abuse.
Seemingly “consensual sexual
activity between adults can, because
of the state of mind or the situation
of one of the persons, actually
be a situation of sexual abuse,”
Milligan said. Such abuse, whether
committed by a cleric or a lay
person, is punishable in canon law.
While the church “has much,
much more to do in this field,” he
added, lay movements can play
a pivotal role in showing how
to respond pastorally to abuse
survivors.
Church movements, Milligan
said, “are part of how the church, as
a whole, attempts to authentically
respect and care for the people
of God and in doing so give an
evangelical witness that rejects sin
and embraces holiness.” (Junno
Arocho Esteves/CNS)

Amid tensions in China, Vatican tells clergy to Japan awards priest for promoting
friendship in Africa through judo
follow their conscience
VATICAN— The Vatican has in September, to respect of the declaration required the current conditions.”
told bishops and priests in Catholic doctrine. for the registration does Commenting more
China that they must follow Deciding whether to not appear respectful of the generally on the registration
their own consciences in register with the government, Catholic faith, he will specify requirement, the Vatican
deciding whether to register which is the only way to be in writing, upon signing, said the Chinese constitution
with the government, and able to minister openly, is that he acts without failing “formally guarantees
it urged Catholics in the a choice that is “far from in his duty to remain faithful religious freedom” and the
country not to judge them simple,” the guidelines said. to the principles of Catholic provisional agreement the
for the choices they make. “All those involved—the doctrine.” Vatican and China signed
The problem, the Vatican Holy See, bishops, priests, “Where it is not possible in September recognizes the
said, is that registration almost religious men and women and to make such a clarification special role of unity with the
always requires the bishop or the lay faithful—are called to in writing, the applicant will pope in the Catholic faith.
priest to accept “the principle discern the will of God with do so at least orally and, if Therefore, it said, the Vatican
of independence, autonomy patience and humility on possible, in the presence interprets the “independence”
and self-administration of the this part of the journey of the of a witness,” and then of the Catholic Church in China
church in China,” which could church in China, marked, as communicate that to his “not in an absolute sense,” for
be read as a denial of one’s it is, by much hope but also by bishop, it said. example as independent of the
bonds with the pope and the enduring difficulties.” Registration, the Vatican pope and the wider church,
universal church. The guidelines assured said, has “the sole aim of “but rather relative to the
Releasing the “pastoral Chinese clergy that the fostering the good of the political sphere, as happens
Fr. Jude McKenna holds his Order of the Rising Sun award alongside Japan’s
guidelines of the Holy Vatican “continues to diocesan community and everywhere in the world.” Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Mari Miyoshi. EMBASSY OF JAPAN IN IRELAND
See concerning the civil dialogue with the Chinese its growth in the spirit of “To affirm that for the
registration of clergy authorities” to find “a formula unity,” as well as allowing Catholic identity there can DUBLIN, Ireland— A Franciscans. When the time
in China” June 28, the that, while allowing for for evangelization and “the be no separation from the Capuchin Franciscan priest came for the brothers to
Vatican acknowledged registration, would respect responsible management of successor of Peter does from Northern Ireland who be given their assignments,
that acceptance of the not only Chinese laws but the goods of the church.” not mean making the local spent 50 years on mission Jude was sent to Zambia, and
independence of the church also Catholic doctrine.” The Vatican also said it church an alien body in the in Zambia has been awarded Brian to California.
in China comes despite “the In the meantime, however, “understands and respects society and the culture of the one of Japan’s highest honors Father Jude said he was
commitment assumed by the the guidelines said, “if a the choice of those who, in country in which she lives for his promotion of judo in always a keen boxer, and
Chinese authorities,” in an bishop or a priest decides to conscience, decide that they and works,” the Vatican said. Africa. after three visits to Japan,
agreement with the Vatican register civilly, but the text are unable to register under (Cindy Wooden/CNS) “It’s a great recognition. developed an affinity for
I’m very proud of it, but I’m judo, a form of self-defense
Eritrean Catholic Church remains opposed to health facilities’ closure also surprised and overcome developed in Japan in 1882
by the enormity of it. It’s not that today is generally
ASMARA, Eritrea— As the Eritrean force were involved, in other centres Archbishop Menghesteab something I was expecting at practiced as a sport.
government continues to seize and close the staff were ordered to ‘get out of the Tesfamariam of the Eritrean all,” Father Jude McKenna In addition to his
Catholic healthcare sites throughout way,’ the premises were sealed, and the Archeparchy of Asmara has called for told the Belfast Telegraph. missionary work in Africa,
the country, the Church has denounced staff was placed in a position where the Church’s faithful to observe the The 84-year-old judo McKenna helped to spread
the intimidation used during the they were unable to attend to patients Apostles’ Fast, which lasts through July expert is one of this year’s the practice of judo across
nationalization. … Threatening words and bullying were 11, in response to the nationalization of recipients of the Order Zambia and throughout
The government’s action began in spoken in various (health) centres,” the the health facilities. of the Rising Sun, Gold Africa. He founded the
June, and by July 9 as many as 29 Church continued. A letter from the Church to the health and Silver Rays, awarded Lusaka Central Sports Club
Catholic hospitals, health centers, and Eritrea’s bishops framed the problem ministry after the seizure said that “the each year by the Japanese in Zambia’s capital.
clinics had been shuttered. as one of religious liberty, saying: “It government can say it doesn’t want government. The award is McKenna’s award,
Agenzia Fides reported that a group is our firm belief that, with the recent the services of the Church, but asking “given to people who make a given June 26 by Japan’s
of nuns who ran a health facility in requisition of our clinics, a specific right for the property is not right.” It added very significant contribution Ambassador to Ireland
southern Eritrea were asked to leave of our religion has been violated, which that the Church’s social services cannot to the spread of Japanese Mari Miyoshi in Dublin,
their residence July 4, and that in prescribes, ‘to love others and to do good be characterized as opposition to the culture,” the priest told the was in recognition of his
Zager (Zaghir), about 20 miles north of to them.’ Any measure that prevents government. Belfast Telegraph. “outstanding contribution
Asmara, police forced nuns away from us from fulfilling … the obligations Eritrea is a one-party state whose McKenna, a native of towards strengthening
their health facility and sealed its doors that come to us from the supreme human rights record has frequently Ballymoney, Northern bilateral relations and
July 5. commandment of brotherly love is and been deplored. Ireland, lived in Zambia promoting friendship
“Though the Catholic bishops have remains a violation of the fundamental It is believed the seizures are from 1966 until 2017, when between Japan and Zambia
expressed their opposition to this right of religious freedom.” retaliatory, after the Church in April he retired to Dublin due to through judo,” the Belfast
measure, they have not yet received any Papal charity Aid to the Church in called for reforms to reduce emigration. failing eyesight. Telegraph reports.
response from the State authorities,” Need was told by a source in the Eritrean The bishops had also called for national McKenna’s twin brother Established in 1875, the
read a recent statement from the Catholic Church that “the staff at some reconciliation. Brian was ordained a priest Order of the Rising Sun was
Eritrean Catholic Church. of the clinics refused to hand over the Government seizure of Church at the same time as Jude and Japan’s first national award.
“While in some locations actions of keys so the soldiers broke into them.” Closure / A7 they both joined the Capuchin (CNA)
A4 OPINION July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 CBCP Monitor

EDITORIAL

Trying hard to make sense out

of death penalty
FOUR have already filed bills seeking the reimposition of
death penalty in the country. Senators Christopher Go,
Ronald dela Rosa and Manny Pacquiao, all allies of President
Rodrigo Duterte, target the drug war as the compelling reason.
The fourth, Senator Panfilo Lacson, pushes a lethal injection
for all heinous crimes.
De la Rosa, who is reportedly going to head of the Senate
committee on public order and dangerous drugs, is totally
convinced that death penalty is deterrent to crime. He insists
that death penalty will scare drug traffickers. In a press
conference, the said “When I was a director at the BuCor
(Bureau of Corrections), I asked those inside the New Bilibid
Prison and they admitted that they like the Philippines as a
dumping ground for Shabu because, we don’t have death
penalty here in the Philippines.” Arguing with those who
contend that death penalty is anti-poor, he insisted that

ILLUSTRATION BY BLADIMER USI

his version of the bill is directed only to the wealthy drug
traffickers. “There are no drug traffickers who are poor. These
are big-time traffickers,” he said.
The scare argument is a long shot. Volumes of studies have
arrived at a conclusion that fear of the death punishment does
not make sense. Because if it does, how come 30 thousand
or more have already died in the government’s 3-year drug
war yet drug traffickers and users are not deterred a bit? If
Dela Rosa’s version of the bill only targets the wealthy drug
traffickers, how come nobody was caught in the 6.2 billion
pesos worth of drugs that passed through watch of the
Mining in the Philippines Panaghoy
Bureau of Customs. It was repeated when the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) discovered a 6.8-billion
is irresponsible! Bp. Broderick Pabillo
pesos worth of methampetamine or shabu that were stashed
in 4 magnetic lifters. No one wealthy trafficker was arrested.
It is not about death penalty. It’s about the corruptible
law enforcement that goes all the way to the justice system. THE claim that there is such a thing as one mine has stopped its extractive the place remain not only poor but
Even Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Duterte’s Foreign Affairs Secretary, responsible mining in the Philippines is activities. They just simply appealed even become poorer because their
sees the senselessness in death penalty. He twitted: “I’m proven false by facts. Mining encroaches to the Office of the President or to the environment has been devastated. In
against death penalty. Doesn’t work; just creates an illusion on many laws in the country that protect DENR and they can continue operating. truth, mining, in spite of its destruction
of severity criminals see through easily. It scares nobody. the environment. Around 2/3 of the No serious efforts have been made to see trail, contributes less the 1% to our local
It just degrades society by making everyone complicit in a ancestral domain lands of indigenous whether they have complied with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) though
capital error of miscarried justice. EJK is a crime of the cop; peoples and half of the protected and government regulations and even with the years. Despite its claims of giving
judicial killing is our crime.” key biodiversity areas are directly their own manual of operations. Is this employment to the local people, and its
So says Senator de Lima, “To impose death penalty at a threatened by mining applications responsible mining? big capitalization, it employs less than
time when the Philippine justice system is still plagued by and operations. These areas had been Social justice is not served by the 0.4% of our local labor force. The direct
perceived corruption and inefficiency will open our country already delineated and set aside by present state of mining in the country. benefits to the people are very meager
to irreversible errors and the possibility of executing innocent earlier laws as reserved areas but still Only mining companies and their and they directly threaten agriculture,
citizens.” mining applications are given, and much owners reap the benefits from mineral forestry, watersheds and the fishery
When issues involve lives, senselessness is painful and worse, entertained, by government extraction. The rural poor in the mining resources of the rural poor in the areas
irreversible. agencies. By their applications alone areas remain poor. A clear evidence is where they operate. In many areas the
they already go against the laws. Is this that the provinces in the country which health and physical safety of the people
responsible? have been extensively mined remain are placed at risk. Is this responsible
Human justice should Due to malpractices and substandard poor. The mining industry cannot mining?
bow to divine charity operations, several mining enterprises name one province whose economic No wonder, local churches and the
had been ordered closed in 2017. and social status has improved due to local peoples where mining operates are
FOR the simple reason that our human justice can never However, despite the strong evidences mining. Once mining operations stop, up in arms. Mining in the Philippines is
cope with all the demands and requirements of divine charity against 26 mining operations ordered and they will stop since mining is not just that—extractive, and destructive!
as shown by Christ in his passion, death and resurrection, our closed or suspended last Feb 2017, not a sustainable activity, the people of
human justice should bow to divine charity.

And That’s The Truth Faith is always rewarded

Somehow this was the message of Pope Francis to the
Filipino bishops who had their “ad limina” visit to him
recently. Love and pray for your persecutors, the Pope was
reported to have told the bishops. Imitate Christ, he told them. Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
Christ made no exception in his love for everyone. He even
offered mercy to those who crucified him, and even went to
the extent of finding excuses for them. “Forgive them, Father,
for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk 23,34) ONE gospel story that never to have found the perfect with talking to a car salesman we mumble and sulk; we give
It was as if the Holy Father was comforting those bishops fails to touch me every time formula for making God or a real estate agent? I up our rosaries and novenas
who have been the object of vitriolic attacks by a politician. I come across it is that of the listen to her prayers added wondered, too, if they would and stop going to church.
It was as if the Holy Father was reminding them that they Canaanite woman begging (with an authoritative air), pray so passionately only for And then we are attracted by
should not be surprised by these painful developments. It Jesus to heal her daughter “You should not doubt but things. What kind of faith the likes of Mrs. Aviar.
was as if the Pope was telling them that they have to learn to (Matthew 15:21-28). In our believe. Describe what you is that which goads us on When we continue to believe
expect being misunderstood, mocked, insulted and practically culture she would be called are praying for—if it’s a car, to merely acquiring things in God, in His goodness and
given a public crucifixion because that was how Christ himself “makulit”, a pest who did, state the exact color, not to satisfy ourselves? Even love for us despite His deafness
went through. in fact, annoyed the Lord’s just blue but sky blue, cobalt atheists or car thieves can and neglect of us—that is faith.
“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you as well,” followers then. But as the blue, electric blue, whatever, get the car of their dreams Sometimes, in dark moments
Christ told his disciples. (Jn 15,20) And Christ reminded his story goes, her “kulit” is the brand and model, and without “praying” for it and when the God we are following
disciples that no servant is greater than his master. That’s just rewarded. In our age we then claim it, as if it’s already “claiming” it. is nowhere to be found, it is
how things are. But the bishops should simply focus on their see a lot of “makulit” people yours. If it’s a house you The faith of the Canaanite faith that strengthens us to
ministry which is far more important than complaining about who persevere in a different want, don’t just say ‘Lord give woman is different—first, she be content, imagining we are
being unfairly treated and defending themselves. way, as you will see in the me a house’ but say you want asks not for a luxury item but still following His footsteps
Charity and mercy, compassion, understanding and following exchange which a two-story five-bedroom for healing; second, she asks even when doing so means
patience should always be obvious in all their actuations and took place in my presence. house with a garden and not for herself but for another crawling in the mud and
reactions. Let’s remember that charity, the charity of God as Mrs. Perfidia works so hard a garage for two cars, you person; third, she perseveres washing ourselves with our
shown by Christ is the highest and the mother virtue. It is because she wants to buy a know what I mean? Your even when Jesus is obviously tears. When in the darkness
the ultimate truth itself. It is what makes justice real justice, new car. Her close friend Mrs. prayer must be as detailed snubbing her. we are left with nothing and
the justice of God and not just our own idea of justice. It is Aviar advised her: “Samahan and precise as possible, and We who are ignorant lose no one, and yet we embrace
this charity that can manage to be above the usual as well as mo ng tamang dasal para then always claim it, have our faith when God doesn’t the darkness as God’s will
the unusually severe differences and conflicts we can have mas madali mong makuha faith!” give us what we are asking for us as we go on following
among ourselves. It has a universal scope. It can even extend ang gusto mo.” (Couple your I watched the two with for. But faith is tested him—that is faith. And always,
to those who clearly reject God, as in, even those who are desire with the right prayer to amusement, thinking, if it’s precisely by the unavailability it is rewarded in ways we can’t
already in hell. get what you want). the way to get what we want, of the thing, the person, or even imagine we could ever
This charity does not stop just because it is not reciprocated Mrs.Aviar, a bible- why must we drag in God into the state asked for. “God be blessed with. And that’s
or, worse, because it is contradicted. This is the reason believing matron who seems the picture, equating prayer doesn’t answer my prayers,” the truth.
charity is superior to justice. And this is also the reason we
just cannot live by justice alone, which has in its core the law
Editorial / A6
Abolish the priesthood? Candidly Speaking
Fr. Roy Cimagala

Monitor
CBCP

SOMEONE sent me an article that representation of Christ, head of the ministerial or hierarchical, is different
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE was proposing for theabolition of the Church. from the common priesthood of the
priesthood. The reason behind are the Abolishing the priesthood is like lay faithful of the Church that is based
Pedro Quitorio many clerical scandals that have been throwing the baby together with the bath on his baptismal status, not only in
Editor-in-Chief plaguing the Church for years now, water. Yes, we have to do something degree but in essence. The priest acts “in
mostly inthe US and other countries about what is wrong in these scandals. persona Christicapitis,” in the person of
Nirva’ana E. Delacruz Ron Ramos, Sky Ortigas but also—at least a few cases—in the It may be a long, painful process, but itis Christ as head of the Church.
Associate Editor Design Artists local scene. all worthwhile. But what we cannot do As such, he renews in the whole course
Of course, my immediate reaction is to abolish the priesthood. of time till the end the very sacrifice
Roy Lagarde Mercedita Juanite was that while it is unfortunate to hear The priest, of course, should be of Christ, and everything else that is
News Editor Circulation Manager
about these scandals, abolishing the constantly aware of his sacramental oriented to that sacrifice of Christ. He
Christine Paguirigan Marcelita Dominguez priesthood is not the solution at all to identity and try his best to live up to that makes present the whole redemptive
Managing Editor Comptroller the problem. Rather, it will make things dignity. He should be keenly aware that work of Christ.
worse. with his ordination he is conformed to The lay faithful who have the common
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the
CBCP - Media Office with editorial and business offices
And that is because abolishing the Christ as head of the Church, and not priesthood do not have the power
at 3rd Floor, CBCP Compound, 470 General Luna priesthood is practically like abolishing just a member of the Church capable to renew this sacrifice. What their
Street, Intramuros, Manila. Email Address: cbcpmonitor@ the Church, or worse, abolishing Christ of participating in the one sacrifice of priesthood empowers them is to offer
areopaguscommunications.com, Business: (632) 404 - 1612.
ISSN 1908-2940. in our life, since the priest, in spite of Christ to his Father for our salvation. their whole life as a sacrifice to God,
his unworthiness, is the sacramental His priesthood, which is called Candidly Speaking / A6
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 OPINION A5

For Myka, EJK victim

By the Roadside Whatever
Fr. Francis Ongkingco
Fr. Eutiquio ‘Euly’ Belizar, Jr. SThD

“Do now, do now what you will wish to habits. You could have been blessed for you)” to your country. Ironically
have done when your moment comes to with a good voice to sing your mother’s it seems, you had no chance to freely The blessing of forgiving
die”—St. Angela Merici lullabyes with. Or you could have had a offer your life for your country. Your
YOU were a star to your family. pair of skilful legs to dance to the tunes country instead took it away from you, “ALWAYS count your because of their singular love
But your light was shut out suddenly of the day. But now your whole body long before you would be able to know blessings!” How often do and care for their children.
by a bullet. They say you were just is simply stiff and cold, lying lifeless and appreciate its worth. we hear this reminder on Moreover, as Christians we
“collateral damage”, your death while complete strangers like me try to You will play no more, Myka. Your special and ordinary events? all participate in Christ’s
unintended, unplanned, unheralded. dissect your short life and times, and cold and stiff hands and feet will move Blessings fill our hearts on priesthood and thus capable
Bereft of more truthful words, they still fail to have prevented your killing. no more. Your gait as you walked with birthdays, anniversaries, of giving blessings too.
could have also said of your passing, You were not the first, nor will you be your parents and friends around the Christmas, New Year, Now there is an interesting
that it was “unnecessary”. You died the last innocent person to have fallen house and in the neighborhood will be graduation, passing an kind of blessing that I would
because, said a senator of the land, “shit prey to a war that is increasingly costly missed. Your toys and clothes will no important exam/interview, like to consider: the act of
happens” in “police operations”. You in the amount of drugs being sold, longer be visited upon by your touch good health and a simple forgiving. Although forgiving
died, again they claim, because your exchanged, stopped or captured and and warm body. The silence that you weekend family meal. is strictly not a blessing, the
father, allegedly a drug personality, in the frequency of the killings of drug have left behind will be deafening, Perhaps, those who engage very act and disposition of
decided to shoot it out with officers of suspects, together with a fair amount of particularly after they bring your mortal blessings most are priests forgiving opens the ‘forgiver’
the law and used you as human shield. “innocent collateral damage”, such as remains to the final resting place. because they have unworthily to graces from God. And by
Your mother denied this, insisting you you. Forgive me for adopting for your We pray, Myka, that you be fully and been gifted with a ministry forgiving the offender, he
were asleep and that your father for death a politically correct phraseology, completely ushered into the Lord’s of being a bridge of blessings is actually asking God for
whom you were life’s precious treasure long in white-washing truth but short in rest. We also beg that in your innocent for others. How often are we a conversion by showering
held you only because you were already showing compassion. heart you find enough room to forgive approached with petitions the offender transforming
shot and wounded. It is sad that your You will cry no more, Myka. This those of us who, directly or indirectly, like, “Father, can you please graces. From this perspective,
mother’s words have to be pitted against world which you graced with your short- have brought you where you are. We, bless this rosary?”. “We’re forgiving brings about a
those of the perpetrators of the crime lived presence had been, in your dying moreover, also pray to the One who leaving for a trip, can you special blessing upon us.
that took your life. It is even sadder to moments, only a place of wrath and judges justly that we realize how, bless our family?”, “I’m about This blessing of forgiveness
realize that if you were not born to a poor tears. This land is now watered with despite the short and hard life you to take my entrance exams, is powerfully experienced
family, you could still be alive today. your crimson blood. You are now a true suffered, all is now ended, while we can you pray that focus?” when one goes to confession.
It is hard not to imagine the terror in martyr, though without your consent, of who remain on earth still have to suffer Through the years one In the Sacrament we
your eyes, opening up to the reality of the bloody drug war in the country. Even the travails of our not-so-innocent can get quite used to sorrowfully accuse ourselves
such lethal cruelty. Even now it is heart- if your voice and laughter will no longer consciences. imparting blessings for of our sins and receive a grace
wrenching to picture you screaming or be heard, the brusque injustice of your You are now free, Myka. Fly the unceasing requests. I often that removes our attachment
in quiet shock, struggling to breathe, to death is your loudest protest. Let it be boundless heights of forevermore. Pray remind myself when I tend to sin. Moreover, it deepens
simply survive, blood oozing out of your the loudest cry of the poor and innocent for us, Myka, that we may not recall your to mechanically trace the our convictions to do good
wounds. The injustice and savagery of it dead. Let it root out our pretences at short life and violent death without true blessing of the Sign of the and repair the consequences
all—your budding life being snuffed out sympathy that easily disappears with remorse not only over lost lives but also Cross on people: these of our sinful actions. We
by agents of the law—only underscores time and evaporates into forgetfulness. over any false solicitude that moves us to individuals are really come out blessed!
the lawlessness of the regime’s penchant You will sing no more, Myka. We will contemplate your life and death without counting on me to bridge Something similar occurs,
to throw the sanctity of human life into never know whether or not you had a taking any appropriate action on behalf God’s grace to them and but not sacramentally,
the gutter. pleasant voice, whether or not you could of truth, justice, decency and peace. whatever they may need His when we forgive someone.
At three I could already do some carry a tune with few flat or sharp notes. So long, Myka. Although your short help for. We are somehow asking
meaningless sketchings and drawings, No one will hear you render the national life in this world has reached an abrupt But blessings aren’t only God to bless us with peace,
and even commit the ABC to memory. anthem and utter, with patriotic fervor, end, with the Lord you now have an an exclusive act of priests. understanding, compassion
You must have had similar skills and “ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo (to die eternity of joy to spend. They can also be imparted by before the injustice we have
parents and persons who are endured or are suffering.
Rest, reset and restore known to live very exemplary We also pray like Jesus in
Duc in Altum lives serving God and their
fellowmen. Stephen Rossetti,
Calvary, “Father, forgive
them for they do not know
Atty. Aurora A. Santiago in his book, Priestly Blessing, what they are doing!” It is in
writes about the blessings this way that we can say that
given by the Patriarchs to their forgiving is actually receiving
children. He also dedicates a and imparting a blessing
IN the last two issues, I plateau. The white La Turbie Department. As Fr. Romy the Retreat Center as early topic on parental blessings. simultaneously.
discussed the churches in stones have a special feature; said, we all need to Rest, as 8:00a.m. Fr. Francis Rossetti quotes from the We therefore need not wait
London, France and Italy they naturally get whiter Reset and Restore so that we concelebrated in the Mass. revised Book of Blessings, for special events to impart
where we had our pilgrimage when it rains. may be able to remain in the stating that “parents may a blessing. During the day,
and vacation. I missed to Pontifical services take image and likeness of God. *** want to bless their children there are surely some rough
mention that we also went place on the major religious Participants were allowed to Happy 13th Episcopal on any number of pastoral and trying moments that
to the Cathedral of Our lady festivals, such as the Feast of Rest for four hours, allowing Anniversary to our very own occasions, such as the would pop up. Instead of
of Immaculate, also known Sainte Dévote (27 January) them to do whatever they Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio beginning of the school year cursing someone who cuts us
as Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the national holiday (19 want which they consider as “Ambo” S. David, D.D., or during celebrations for on the road, we can forgive-
in Monaco, Monte Carlo. It is November). On feast days rest, erasing the guilt feelings Bishop of Kalookan. Bishop the children. Certainly, a bless that person. When it
a Roman Catholic Cathedral and during religious music that one is away from home Ambo. He was ordained birthday could be an occasion seems we are misunderstood,
where Prince Rainier III concerts, one can hear the and from office. After rest, as the Auxiliary Bishop for such a blessing.” taken for granted or defamed
and Princess Grace Kelly magnificent four-keyboard there is a need to Reset, in of the Archdiocese of San Moreover, it states how we can also take advantage to
were married. It is also the organ, inaugurated in 1976. the form of sacrament of Fernando, Pampanga on July the “Church recognizes the say a prayer of forgiveness
Cathedral where couple were Mass is also celebrated here reconciliation or confession 10, 2006. authority of parents to bless during these moments.
buried, as well as the many of each year on 6 December, in conducted by Capuchin their children. Parents’ love This attitude of forgiving-
the Grimaldis. The Cathedral remembrance of St. Nicholas’ priest Fr. Antonio B. Ala II, *** and blessing of their children blessing will not automatically
was built in 1875-1903 and life. OFM, cap. Restore is in the Blessed Cardinal John is irreplaceable.” Thus, for erase our negativities or
was consecrated in 1911. form of fellowship where the Henry Newman, a former example, in moments of hurts from the injustice
It is on the site of the first *** participants were allowed Anglican priest who illness they “may pray that we experience. But in our
parish church in Monaco What a great way to cap to thank those they wish to converted to Catholicism in God might ‘raise up these constant and persevering
built in 1252 and dedicated my pilgrimage—a Retreat of thank for, or apologize and 1845, together with the four children from their sickness,’ effort to forgive, we will
to Saint Nicholas. Of note the Curia Staff of the Diocese being sorry to those whose Blessed, will be canonized and they trace the Sign of the ourselves become blessings
are the retable (circa 1500) to of Kalookan at Capuchin feelings they hurt. The most on October 13, 2019 at St. Cross on their foreheads.” to those around us because
the right of the transept, the Retreat Center in Lipa important thing is maintain Peter’s Square in Rome. He But when a priest is we will slowly but fruitfully
Great Altar and the Episcopal City, Batangas, led by the Love in our everyday life was ordained as Catholic available, his blessing is still sow peace, joy, meekness,
throne in white Carrara Human Resources Director to sustain our relationship priest in 1847 and was made preferred since it is unique for patience and with God’s grace
marble. The Cathedral was of the Diocese, Fr. Francis with others. The Retreat a Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII representing the very person the heroic gesture to extend
built using white stones from Sarmiento. Retreat Master was culminated by the in 1879, without passing the of Christ Who realizes these a smiling-helping hand even
La Turbie, an ancient hilltop was Fr. Romeo Tuazon, Holy Mass presided by the position of a bishop. sacred acts. But this does towards those who consider
village just northwest of Priest Minister of Social Diocese’s Vicar General Fr. His conversion to belittle the blessing of parents themselves our ‘enemies’.
Monaco, which overlooks the Communications, Radio Jerome Cruz, who surprised the Catholic faith was
principality from its elevated Ministry and Properties the participants by being at Duc in Altum / A7 Fossil / A1

Faith and Culture Names Before the decision, he said

that the Vatican has asked
in coal have already vowed
to divest their funds
about what the Philippine immediately, according
Cristina Montes church has been doing in to Catholic lay-led Living
response to the landmark Laudato Sí Philippines,
encyclical. which has been engaging with
Fr. Gariguez was among the dioceses in the campaign.
TWO years ago, on July 24, I received an A friend of mine once told me that beyond literature appreciation. speakers on the environment Bishop Gerardo Alminaza
unexpected “Happy feast day!” greeting. one’s name is a clue to one’s vocation. For one, it highlights the care with during the bishops’ meeting of San Carlos said that
It was unexpected, because I was not I believe that contrary to what the which parents should choose their on July 7. church finances must not be
aware of any special feast day that my nominalist philosophy holds, names are children’s names. A child must not be “I told the bishops that invested at the expense of the
family and I celebrate. not empty. Names express the essence given a name simply because it is trendy we need to come up with a environment.
The greeter was Spanish, which of a person or thing. or unusual-sounding. pastoral letter but it should And with the “climate
should have given me a clue. The Biblical scholars know this. In the It also highlights the importance of be accompanied by action emergency,” he stressed the
Spaniards take name saint days Bible, when a person was given a new being aware of our name-saints and points because we need to need to respond with utmost
more seriously than we do; in fact, mission, he was given a name to go of having devotion to them. I do not walk the talk,” he said. urgency.
I have read that in some Spanish- with it. know if this idea has been theologically “I challenged the body, we He also revealed that the
speaking countries, people celebrate The writers of secular literature also tested, but I am convinced that when need to really find ways on bishops’ conference would
their name days instead of their know this. Fiction writers often choose we are drawn to a particular saint, it how to live the Laudato Si’ as soon release a pastoral letter
birthdays (although when I was living their characters’ names carefully, and is that saint himself or herself who is a Church,” Fr. Gariguez added. on ecology with “concrete
in Spain, most people celebrated their in the best fiction works, the characters’ reaching out to us. It has been said, He, however, said that action points”.
birthdays.) names give a clue to their traits and to for example, that the desire to walk divestment will take some The CBCP is the fourth
A search through Google confirmed their roles in the story. Entire plots have the Camino de Santiago is in itself time to accomplish because conference to announce plans
that July 24 is the feast of St. Christina revolved around a character’s need to a call from St. James (whose feast of the legal procedures that to divest, joining the bishops
– or rather, of two St. Christina’s. One know a word or a name. Poets carefully day is also this month). Perhaps must be observed. of Belgium, Ireland and
is a third-century martyr. Another is choose their words. Try an experiment: being named after a saint is another While only few dioceses Australia in the worldwide
a medieval mystic, often called “St. take a song or poem you like, choose way of that saint’s (or saints’) way of have investments in coal, campaign.
Christina the Astonishing” because she a word from it, try replacing it with reaching out to a person. climate justice advocates In recent months, over 120
was taken for insane because of her another word of the same meaning, and Reflecting on our names and on whom see the need for a “collective Catholic institutions have
mystical experiences and her extreme see how it changes the over-all effect of we have been named after is a clue to our action” among bishops to already pulled the plug on
penances. A search through a name the poem. identities, to our missions. It is the first address the problem. investing in companies that
dictionary reveals that “Christina” The importance—indeed, the power— step to discover who we are, and to be At least four bishops whose produce destructive energy
means “Christian”. of names and words has consequences whom we were meant to be. dioceses have investments sources.
A6 LOCAL NEWS
Bishop seeks strong action against
loan sharks holding passports
A PHILIPPINE church
official wants a crackdown
on unscrupulous loan sharks
who held the passports of
Filipino workers as collateral.
Bishop Ruperto Santos
of the church’s migrants
ministry said those behind
illegal activity targeting OFWs
must be held accountable.
He was speaking after Hong
Kong authorities recently
recovered 1,400 Philippine
passports from the lending
firm, Overseas First Credit,
that were used as collateral
for loans.
The bishop said that using
passport as collateral is illegal
as mandated by 1994 Foreign
Service Circular 99.
“To have it as collateral
is blackmailing for very
excessive interest rate,”
Santos said. “The Overseas
First Credit should be
Church vows no cover-up in priest’s
alleged rape case
Archbishop Florentino Lavarias of San Fernando
THE Catholic Church vowed
no cover-up in the case of Fr.
Daniel Baul, who is wanted
by authorities over alleged
sexual abuse of a teenage girl
in Pampanga.
Archbishop Florentino
Lavarias of San Fernando
has assured cooperation with
civil authorities to resolve
the case.
During the filing of the
criminal case and at the
inception of the church
investigation, Archbishop
Lavarias said he was assured
by Fr. Baul that “he will
squarely face the matter
before the proper fora”.
But the archbishop claimed
no idea as to the priest’s
whereabouts at this stage of
the case.
“I trust his word previously
given to me that he will not
evade the case, and will in
President / A1
are administrators, and 45 are
retired from 86 ecclesiastical
jurisdictions.
Pope Francis has assured
his support to the CBCP
members as they began
their plenary assembly to
discuss matters that affect
the Church and the country.
He also wished their
plenary assembly “bear
Suicide / A1
they listen to their children
and other members of the
family,” Advincula said.
“When children see and
feel the love exists in their
family and homes, they
realize more the value and
beauty of life,” he said.
He also said that the
government and schools
should strive to be an
extension of the family
“where everyone feels that
they belong, are accepted and
are loved”.
He called on school
administrators to address
bullying and for the
government to strengthen
Editorial / A1
of Talion. Our justice cannot
fully fathom what is due to us,
what we truly deserve. Only
God’s charity can.
God’s charity gets more
stirred when unreciprocated
and contradicted. It will
even offer the other cheek.
It is always magnanimous,
making one willing to suffer
and die if only to bring
others to the truth, to the
investigated, prosecuted.”
Under the Foreign Service
Circular No. 2014-99, it is
prohibited to use passport
for collateral, and that doing
so can result to the passport
being invalidated.
The church official, on
the other hand, asked the
Philippine government to
help the concerned OFWs,
especially in the procurement
of new passports.
He also urged the
government to make the
Overseas Filipino Bank
(OFBank) more accessible
to OFWs to take them away
from loan sharks.
“It is a very sad story,
where, with the precarious
and dire needs of our OFWs,
they become victims of
heartless and unscrupulous
persons,” said Santos.
(CBCPNews)
due time, appear in court
to support his claim of
innocence,” Lavarias said in
a statement.
“Meantime, the civil
authorities may rest assured
that the Archdiocese will not
keep F.r Baul from the reach
of the law,” he said.
Authorities are searching
for the priest suspected of
raping a 17-year-old girl in
a church-based center for
women and children.
“I continue to appeal to
the better judgement of
all. I admonish you to pray
and care for both Fr Baul
and the alleged victim,” the
archbishop added.
“In our common desire to
search for truth and justice,
let our passion be tempered
by prudence, decency and
respect,” he also said.
(CBCPNews)
fruit for the benefit of all the
faithful in an environment of
living communion”.
They will stay in office from
Dec. 1, 2019 to November 30,
2021.
CBCP officials have a two-
year tenure in office, or a total
of four to include the second
term. (Roy Lagarde/
CBCPNews)
suicide prevention programs
and interventions.
“When we know of
someone who is experiencing
depression, we should reach
out to him,” Advincula added.
“Even if we are not mental
health expert, often what
depressed persons need are
people who are ready to listen
without judgment,” he also
said.
In 2014, the bishops’
Commission on Culture
organized a conference on
suicide where the need to
counter the problem by a
culture of presence was
emphasized. (CBCP News)
right path, to God. Charity
will proclaim the truth in
season and out of season.
And it does stop even if the
truth is rejected.
This is the charity of God.
It is the highest good we can
have. It is God himself who
in the First Letter of St. John
is described, nay, defined as
love. “Deus caritas est.” (cfr.
4,8)
July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 CBCP Monitor
CBCP warns against
‘Maria Divine Mercy’
THE Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines
(CBCP) has warned the
faithful against a fake prophet
and preacher.
In a letter to the dioceses
June 29, Archbishop Romulo
Valles of Davao, CBCP
President, urged the faithful
to be “very careful” with the
group called “Maria Divine
Mercy”.
“They bring confusion and
propagate erroneous, false
and distorted teachings to
our Catholic faithful,” said
Archbishop Valles.
Maria Divine Mercy is
the name assumed by what
Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP President
is believed to be a self-
proclaimed Irish seer called predictions about Pope In the Philippines, their Santos of Balanga.
Mary Carberry. Benedict XVI’s resignation, activities are being held Bishop Santos, who is also
Carberry has claimed and words to the effect that in Cebu, Iloilo, Bukidnon, the World Apostolic Congress
for years to have received Pope Francis was a false Zamboanga and Batangas. on Mercy (WACOM) Asia
messages from Jesus Christ prophet. The CBCP letter stemmed episcopal coordinator, said
and the Virgin Mary. To date, she remains from complaints raised by the group’s activities in the
Among these messages to have a significant Divine Mercy devotees, country “is a cause for alarm”.
included apocalyptic international following. through Bishop Ruperto (CBCPNews)
Candidly Speaking / A4
doing so by uniting their sacrifice with How he is somehow determines how assuming the mentality of entitlement
the sacrifice of Christ as renewed in the the lay faithful will be. If he is faithful or falling into the anomaly called
Mass that is celebrated by the priest. to his identity as another Christ head clericalism. Rather he has to assume the
Of course, human as we are, the of the Church, then the lay faithful mind of Christ, a servant and a willing
priest will always have his own share will also most likely be like Christ as sacrificial lamb for all of us.
of shortcomings, weaknesses, and yes, they should. He has to continually wage a personal
sin. This should not surprise anyone. But such state of affairs should not spiritual struggle to keep his priestly
Even Christ was not spared of Judas, make the priest feel superior to the lay identity intact. For this, he has to
one of his original apostles. But like faithful, but rather should keenly feel continually purify himself and renew
anybody else, and in a sense, even the duty to serve them, as Christ loved his dedication frequently.
more than anybody else, the priest and served all of us by offering his life Of course, it would be most helpful if
should really take extreme care of his on the cross. Like Christ, he should have the lay faithful will also help in making
spiritual life. the attitude of wanting to serve and not the priest a priest through and through,
The priest should be keenly aware to be served. (cfr. Mt 20,28) totally living out his sacramental identity
that the lay faithful depend on them. He should never feel privileged, as Christ head of the Church.
CRS / A2
were killed and over 100 more A report last week from the prompt Americans to take humanitarian assistance,
injured early Wednesday International Organization action. emergency relief, and
during an airstrike on a for Migration’s (IOM) Global “Yearning only to be development. In many
migrant detention center in Migration Data Analysis free of violence or poverty, countries, their programming
Libya. Centre (GMDAC) found that migrants are drowning in helps address the underlying
The Tripoli-based more than 32,000 migrants the Mediterranean Sea or challenges that lead people to
government has accused have been reported dead in the Rio Grande,” he said. emigrate.
General Khalifa Haftar and during their journey to a new “Or they’re dying of thirst in Callahan invited Americans
the Libyan National Army country over the last five years. the brutal heat of the Sahara to remember in a special
of carrying out the attack, Nearly one migrant child Desert. They are suffocating way those who are seeking
while the General’s forces are per day is reported dead or in the landing gear of jet freedom on Independence
blaming the government. missing, although the report planes, and from rocket fire Day this year.
But for each of these deaths, warned that many more likely and neglect in detention “Let’s commit to treating
Catholic Relief Services go untracked. centers.” them with dignity, and to
noted, there are thousands In his statement, Callahan Catholic Relief Services improving the conditions in
more that fail to attract the stressed that the deaths of works in more than their homelands,” he said.
attention of the media. migrants worldwide should 100 countries to provide (CNA)
Dialogue / A1
agreement with the Moro Islamic Dialogue over the next two years, The bishop was elected to the post
Liberation Front (MILF). succeeding Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar during the CBCP plenary assembly
“Bishop Bagaforo comes with many who retired as Pagadian prelate last in Manila over the weekend, and as
years of experience in peace-building year. the Church prepares for the Year of
in Mindanao which is now becoming Appointed Marawi prelate in 2000, Interreligious Dialogue, Ecumenism
one of the major advocacy directions Dela Peña has been working on peace and Indigenous Peoples in 2020.
for Nassa,” said Fr. Edu Gariguez, its building before Islamic State-inspired Since 2013, the Church has embarked
executive secretary. terrorists wreaked havoc on the Islamic on a 9-year preparation with pastoral
In January 2019, he led a three- city in 2017. priority theme every year towards
kilometer “walk for peace” in Kidapawan The five month-long armed conflict the 500 years of Christianity in the
as people voted on the fate of the left trail of death, destruction, and Philippines in 2021.
landmark Bangsamoro Organic Law. thousands of internally displaced Last June, Dela Peña served as the
The prelate has also been serving as persons. Philippine representative to the IDP
the Social Action Commission head in After the siege, the Marawi prelature Forum in Rome.
Mindanao. “So the work is really not and the Redemptorist Missionaries “I understand why they put my name
new to him,” Gariguez added. established Duyog Marawi, a program to because I myself is an IDP, our Church
help rehabilitate the and help promote is internally displaced,” he earlier said.
Dela Peña to head interreligious peace. Bagaforo and Dela Peña were
dialogue Dela Peña said that the most crucial among the 29 commission heads,
Bishop Edwin Dela Peña of Marawi, task at hand is to rebuild the peace 12 of them were newly elected. They
on the other hand, will head the CBCP’s that Muslims and the small Christian will assume their posts in December.
Episcopal Commission on Interreligious community have been working on. (CBCPNews)
Coal / A1
plant at the site. proposal. divest from environmentally Initiative (KASALI).
But the Catholic According to them, the harmful activities to alleviate Bishop Gerardo Alminaza
Educational Association of coal-fired power plant the rising climate crisis, of San Carlos also called
the Philippines – Negros poses threat not just to the lauded the Catholics schools on Lacson “to give a clear
Island opposes the scheme environment, but also to in their stand against coal witness to his Christian
which they claim will harm the health of the people and plants. faith and holiness even in
the environment. sustainable development. Rodne Galicha, politics”.
Citing data from the The Catholic schools urges the movement’s lead “That this is still possible
National Grid Corp., the region’s lawmakers and convenor, urged Negros in our time and age and ever
they argued that Negros local officials to instead Occidental’s new governor more necessary and urgent!”
Occidental has more than resort to clean and renewable Eugenio Jose Lacson to Alminaza said.
enough power supply. sources of energy. assure the economic and “We are willing to work
“The proposal to build a They also urged officials environmental well-being with him in many other
coal-fired power plant in San “to open their channels of the province. concerns and issues we
Carlos City is dispensable of dialogue with their “He has the moral mutually share for the sake of
and unnecessary,” said the constituents before they responsibility to also respond the common good but we are
association’s 92-member allow companies to build and to the country’s efforts to clear that as far as allowing
schools. eventually operate a coal- slow down global warming coal in Negros, specifically in
In joint pastoral statement fired power plant.” and stop climate change San Carlos City, we stand by
issued in November 2018, The Living Laudato Si from becoming worse,” said Pope Francis’ call in Laudato
the four bishops of Negros Philippines, a Catholic lay- Galicha, who is also the Si. This we will never
Island appealed to local led initiative calling on local executive director of Climate compromise,” he assured.
officials to reject the financial institutions to Action for Sustainability (CBCPNews)
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 DIOCESAN NEWS A7

Bishop calls for proactive help for migrants

BALANGA, Bataan— A Catholic
bishop has called on Catholics to
be proactive in helping migrants
following the publication of a
photograph of the lifeless bodies
of migrants on the bank of the Rio
Grande.
The Salvadorian migrant and
his 23-month old daughter died
swimming across the river while
trying to reach the United States.
“No one can keep quiet nor close
their eyes. It is a calling to help, to heal,
our answer as our Lord Jesus asked us
to be, a Good Samaritan,” said Bishop
Ruperto Santos of Balanga.
The head of the Episcopal
Commission on Migrants and
Itinerant People of the Philippine
Catholic bishops said the journey of
migrants is “always a way of the cross.”
“There are dangers, even
imminent death,” said the prelate,
adding that looking at the picture of
the lifeless father with his daughter,
“all can see the sufferings and
sacrifices of anyone who will do
everything for the good of their
loved ones.”
Bishop Santos urged Catholics to
be like the characters in the Bible,
Veronica, or Simon of Cyrene, by
helping migrants “wipe their pain,
or carry their burdens.”
He said it is also the reason why
the country’s Catholic bishops “walk
and work with Filipino migrants.”
“Here, we attend to their loved
ones, and there, in foreign lands,
we accompany them with our
chaplains,” he added.
“We make them feel that our
Church is always with them for their
welfare and well-being,” he said.
“Let us continue to assist and help
our migrant workers and pray always
for safety, sound health, and success
in their works,” said Bishop Santos.
The prelate, meanwhile, praised
President Rodrigo Duterte for
pressing for the rights of Filipino
migrant workers during the ASEAN
Summit in Thailand last week.
“It was very encouraging and
inspiring promoting and pushing
for the rights and dignity of our
[migrant workers] during the
meeting,” said the prelate.
“[We are] appreciative and
grateful for the caring initiatives
of our president,” he said, adding
that it was important that care for
migrant workers should start from
government leaders.
“As we witness, Asia is home to
many migrants around the globe.
And is indeed high time to do
necessary measures to protect
them, to promote decent and very
humane treatment and to prevent
unjust, unfair treatment,” he said.
The prelate cited human
smuggling and trafficking as the
“most serious problem[s] and evil
acts being committed against our
Asian migrants.”
According to the Center for Migrant
Advocacy, up to 5,000 Filipinos leave
the country daily to work abroad.
(Joe Torres/UCAN)

Bishop praises unity to Bishop backs lifting martial law in some

rebuild Bataan church parts of Mindanao
ravaged by storms OZAMIZ City— A Catholic
bishop in the southern
Philippines has joined calls
made by President Rodrigo
Duterte’s daughter to lift
martial law in some parts of
Mindanao.
Archbishop Martin Jumoad
of Ozamiz said martial law
should only be imposed in
areas where peace and order
are at serious risk.
The prelate made the call
following a statement made
by Sara Duterte, mayor of
Davao who asked her father
to lift martial law in her city.
She said Davao has
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga lauded the unity of the parishioners as he “relatively stable peace”
reconsecrates St. Raymund Nonnatus Parish Church in Brgy. San Ramon, Dinalupihan,
Bataan June 23. SCREENSHOT/SABINS STUDIO FACEBOOK PAGE following the imposition of
martial law in 2017.
BALANGA Bishop Ruperto That is the true miracle! President Duterte declared
Santos preached on the value Miracles happen when you martial law in Mindanao on
of generosity and the capacity open your hands and hearts May 23, 2017, after Islamic
of the faithful to rebuild a to be one people,” he added. State-inspired gunmen
Church. For his part, San Ramon attacked the city of Marawi
Hundreds of faithful Parish Priest Fr. Ramon resulting in a five-month siege.
gathered for the Mariano said he refused the The Philippine Congress
reconsecration of St. idea of putting up a church has since extended martial
Raymund Nonnatus Parish marker “because this church law three times in the past
Church in Brgy. San Ramon was not a product of one or a two years due to reported
last Corpus Christi Sunday few people”. violence in the southern
region.
“I go with the idea of
Mayor Sarah Duterte,” said
Archbishop Jumoad, adding
that military rule should be
lifted except in provinces
where peace and order are
“unstable.”
The prelate said the
military knows where martial
law is needed.
Archbishop Jumoad was
one of several church leaders
who supported the extension
of martial law in Mindanao
until the end of this year.
“Mindanao needs martial
law. This is good for us here,”
the prelate said previously.
He said only those who live
in Mindanao will understand
the need for military rule.
“Others may not
understand us but if you live
in Mindanao then your eyes
will be opened,” he said.
The military earlier said it
was open to lifting martial
law in Davao City depending
on the assessment of the
government. (Joe Torres/
UCAN) Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamiz

Servant of God Alfredo Verzosa remembered on 65th

after it was ravaged by two
storms a year ago.
He said that aside from the
repaired structure, “what we
should see is that this church
was once affected by the storm,
but now it has been built again
by the unity of this people.”
“Hence the mystery here
that we appreciate, is how we
give, that is why we receive;
we offered, that is why we
were also given,” Bishop
Santos said.
Noting the importance
of that Sunday, he said, “It
is important and notable
because on this day, we
consecrate this church once
more on the Solemnity of
Christ’s Body and Blood.”
“No bread is made out of
one piece of wheat. No wine
is made out of two or three
grapes. We need plenty of
wheat and plenty of grapes
to make the bread and wine,”
Santos said.
“Therefore we need each
other to be one community.
Closure / A3
property is not new, however.
A 1995 decree restricting
social and welfare projects
to the state has been used
intermittently since then to
seize or close ecclesial services.
In July 2018, an Eritrean
Catholic priest helping
immigrants and refugees
in Italy told EWTN that
authorities had recently shut
down eight free Catholic-
run medical clinics. He said
authorities claimed the clinics
were unnecessary because of
the presence of state clinics.
Christian and Muslim schools
have also been closed under
the 1995 decree, according
“This church is a blessing
from God that we have built
up together. And so I say,
you are the marker, the sign
that this church was built
through the unity of the
Christian faithful—the Parish
of St. Raymund Nonnatus,”
Mariano said.
The renovation of the
church started about three
months after the storms
devastated the coastal towns
of Bataan.
The attempts to rebuild
have fostered the community
spirit, which according to
Fr. Mariano is based on the
effective upholding of the
Basic Ecclesial Communities
in the area, known locally
in Bataan as “Kristiyanong
Magkakapitbahay” or
KRISMA.
The parish also celebrated its
25th anniversary of dedication
as local community during
the said event. (Kendrick
Ivan Panganiban/
CBCPNews)
to the US Commission
on International Religious
Freedom’s 2019 annual report.
Eritrea has been designated
a Country of Particular
Concern since 2004 for its
religious freedom abuses by
the US Department of State.
Many Eritreans, especially
youth, emigrate, due to a
military conscription, and a
lack of opportunities, freedom,
education, and health care.
A July 2018 peace agreement
between Ethiopia and Eritrea,
which ended a conflict over
their mutual border, led to an
open border which has allowed
for easier emigration. (CNA)
anniversary of his death
VIGAN City— People flocked to
the Metropolitan Cathedral of the
Conversion of St. Paul in the heritage city
of Vigan on June 27 to commemorate
the 65th death anniversary of the
Servant of God, Alfredo Verzosa.
Ilocanos and pilgrims from Southern
Tagalog and Manila graced the occasion
that was highlighted with a Mass
presided over by Archbishop Marlo
Peralta of Nueva Segovia.
In his homily, he encouraged the
faithful to continue praying for the
Cause. With optimism, he said that
Verzosa will be canonized in God’s due
time.
The archbishop stressed that
obedience and humility marked the life
of the Servant of God.
“If we know how to obey, we know
how to humble ourselves before God.
These two go together,” Peralta said.
Every June 27 is a special day among
the people of Ilocos to remember the
death of the first ever Ilocano to be on
the path to sainthood.
As testified by his confessor, the late
Msgr. Gregorio Salvatus, Verzosa died
“with the death of a just man” after
receiving the last sacrament on a Sunday
at his ancestral residence in Vigan.
A lover of catechetics
Verzosa served as bishop of Lipa from
1916 to 1951 which, at that time, was a
huge territory covering the Southern
Tagalog Provinces of Batangas, Tayabas
(Quezón), Laguna, Mindoro and
Marinduque.
The bishop is remembered in the
region as the one who initiated intense
catechism in the entire territory,
establishing catechetical centers for the
training of catechists and mandated the
regular Sunday Catechism for Children.
As a result of this drive, he founded
the Missionary Catechists of the Sacred
Heart (MCSH) in 1923, which is believed
to be the first ever religious congregation
for women founded by a native Filipino
bishop.
A man of charity
The bishop in his more than three-
decade ministry in Southern Tagalog is
also known to many as a man of charity
and a champion for the poor.
He never got rich and did not even
own a bank account for he was giving his
income to poor students and families.
Verzosa even created jobs in his
household to help the less fortunate. He
also opted to wear tattered clothing and
give the modest ones to helpers.
Defender of the faith
As a priest in Nueva Segovia, which at
that time covered the entire Northern
Luzón Region, he is known as defender
of Roman Catholicism in front of the
Aglipayan Crisis at the turn of the 19th
Century.
A story has it that a pastor from
another sect warned him not to go on
barrio mission.
Courageous as he was, Verzosa
insisted on going and as prize, he was
almost hit by a spear which killed his
horse.
In 1915, with the reopening of the
church in Batac, the birthplace of Padre
Gregorio Aglipay, the young Padre
Verzosa was preaching to a crowd when
a boy, believed to be a schismatic, threw
a stone that hit his chest. Despite the
blow, he continued preaching.
He never lost hope
At the end of his episcopal ministry,
the bishop was asked to retire from office
which at that time to be a residential
bishop was till death. Traumatized by
the war, the once active bishop became
weak and inept in administration.
It was in the same time that an
alleged apparition of the Blessed Virgin
occurred in Lipa which provoked a
crisis.
Together with his Auxiliary Bishop,
now the Venerable Alfredo Obviar, they
ceased to function as administrators of
the Lipa diocese, which with humility
they magnanimously obeyed.
He retired in his native Vigan where
he was molded into a God-fearing and
obedient Son of the Church during the
last quarter of the Spanish regime.
There he had to suffer the pains
of old age, economic poverty and
abandonment.
Msgr. Salvatus, who took care of him
during his last two years, described the
bishop: “He was only sustained by his
prayers. Without his prayers, his life
could have been despairing.”
Canonization cause
In 2012, the MCSH petitioned
Archbishop Ernesto Salgado, who
was then the Archbishop of Nueva
Segovia for the opening of the Cause
of Beatification and Canonization of
Verzosa.
This was followed by the opening of
the diocesan inquiry on January 11, 2013
after Salgado requested the Vatican
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
(CCS) the permission or “Nihil Obstat”
to start the inquiry.
The CCS granted the request on Nov.
17, 2014. After two years of investigation,
a 4,000-page report was submitted on
April 5, 2016 to the CCS which was
followed by the “Decree of Validity” on
June 2, 2017.
The official paper of the Cause called
“Positio” is, at present, in the process
of writing. (Buena Luz/CBCPNews)

Duc in Altum / A5

controversial in England; he lost
many friends, and even his own
sister. He founded the Oratory of
St. Philip Neri in England and two
schools for boys. He will become
Britain’s first new saint since the
canonization of St. John Ogilvie
in 1976.
Blessed John Henry’s famous
appeal for an intelligent, well-
instructed laity: ‘I want a laity, not
arrogant, not rash in speech, not
disputatious, but men who know
their religion, who enter into it,
who know just where they stand,
who know what they hold and
what they do not, who know their
creed so well that they can give an
account of it, who know so much
of history that they can defend it.”
He went on “I shall do good. I shall
do His work. I shall be an angel of
peace, a preacher of truth in my
own place, while not intending it if
I do but keep His commandments.
“Therefore, I will trust Him...
If I am in sickness, my sickness
may serve Him, in perplexity, my
perplexity may serve Him... He
does nothing in vain... He may
take away my friends. He may
throw me among strangers. He
may make me feel desolate, make
my spirits sink, hide the future
from me. Still, He knows what He
is about.”
***
We thank the Vietnamese
fishermen who rescued the
Philippine crew on the boat sunk
by a Chinese Vessel. Video of the
incident was trending in FB where
the Chinese vessel continuously
rammed the fishing boat until
it capsized throwing the crew in
the waters. Bad enough, instead
of rescuing the fishermen, the
Chinese vessel maneuvered in
reverse and left the fishermen.
Luckily, there was a Vietnamese
fishing vessel some kilometers
away whose crew saw the incident.
They rescued the Filipino
fishermen.
A8 PEOPLE, FACTS, AND PLACES
Filipino formators Another Filipina up for sainthood
attend new ‘Ratio’
conference in Rome
Pope Francis greets the participants of the Convention for the Promotion of the New
“Ratio” during the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June
26. VATICAN MEDIA
DOZENS of Filipino
formators attended a week-
long convention on the
updated instrument for the
formation of priests in Rome.
Organized by the Vatican’s
Congregation for the Clergy,
the conference on the “Ratio
Fundamentalis Institutionis
Sacerdotalis was held at the
Pontificio Collegio Spagnolo’s
Casa San Juan de Ávila on
June 20 to 28.
About 57 of the 97 delegates
are from the Philippines,
including six student-priests
from the Pontifical Filipino
College in Rome. Other
delegates came from the
United Kingdom, United
States, Ireland, and Australia.
In his keynote address,
Archbishop Jorge Carlos
Patrón Wong, Secretary
for Seminaries of the said
dicastery, stressed the
urgency and importance of
the “Ratio” and its connection
to daily priestly witnessing.
Wong explained that
formation does not end in the
seminary but it is a life-long
process. He said this was also
the reason why the concern
for seminary affairs from the
Congregation for Catholic
Education was transferred to
the Congregation for the Clergy.
Aside from Wong, among
the speakers were Fr. James
Corkery, SJ, the celebrated
Theology Professor of
the Pontifical Gregorian
University; Fr. Cairán
O’Carrol, a Church Historian
and Rector of the Pontifical
Irish College; and Fr. Raniero
Cantalamessa, OFM, the
Young people take spotlight at
new evangelization confab
A CONFERENCE on
evangelization will be held in
Manila this month, setting the
stage for a series of discussion
on how to be effective in
pastoral accompaniment with
the youth.
Running from July 19
to 21, topics for the sixth
Philippine Conference on
New Evangelization (PCNE)
will take light from the Year
of the Youth.
The Church declared 2019
as year of young people, as
part of the preparation for the
500 years of Christianity in
the Philippines in 2021.
With the theme “Filipino
Youth Walking with Jesus,”
the PCNE will be held at the
Quadricentennial Pavilion of the
University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The PCNE will open with
the “Misa ng Bayang Pilipino”
that will be presided over by
Bishop Rex Alarcon of Daet.
Among the activities on
the first day include a “heart
to heart” talk of some young
people with Cardinal Luis
Antonio Tagle of Manila.
On the July 20, participants
will get to listen to the
experiences of youth ministers
and their young collaborators
as a way to explore the best
practices of youth ministry in
different contexts.
The second day will also
feature a staged reading about
the young people’s clamor for
a welcoming and listening
Church.
The last day of the
conference will explore the
theme of the Year of the
well-known Papal Preacher;
Other resource persons
include Fr. Gregory Ramón
Gastón, the Rector of the
Pontifical Filipino College,
Fr. Stefano Bitassi, SJ of the
Center for Child Protection
of the Pontifical Gregorian
University and Sr. Karolin
Kuhn, SSND of the Institute
of Psychology of the same
university.
On June 26, the delegates
were greeted by Pope Francis
during the general audience
at St. Peter’s Square.
The convention ended on
Friday with a Holy Mass for
the Solemnity of the Sacred
Heart presided over by
Cardinal Beniamino Stella,
Prefect of the Congregation
for the Clergy.
In his homily, the cardinal
exhorted the participants,
“The formator is required to
have a special care for the
seminarians entrusted to his
care; he is asked to accompany
them with the tenderness
of the merciful Father…he
must have the capacity to
welcome the personal and
vocational story of each of his
children…to bring them out,
like the Good Shepherd did
to His flock, to open spaces of
ecclesial life and mission.”
The new “Ratio” was
promulgated in 2016 to give
direction for the formation
of future priests, preparing
them to face the challenges
of the contemporary time.
It is the third version of the
document since it first came
out in 1970 and updated in
1985. (CBCP News)
Youth, “Filipino Youth in
Mission: Beloved, Gifted,
Empowered”.
Organizers said there will
be three segments, namely:
Praise and Worship (Youth as
the Now of God); Youth Jam
(Testimonials, dances, and
songs); and Young people and
their encounter with family,
other circles and digital
community, fellow youth,
Church and God.
The gathering will
conclude with a Mass and the
commissioning of missionary
disciples to be led by Cardinal
Tagle.
Apart from the plenary
sessions, there will be 10
concurrent sessions on
education, culture, mission,
youth, social advocacy,
catechesis, social media, new
trends in youth ministry,
family, and FGD with the
Young (“Mga Hugot at Galak:
The Joys and pains of the
Filipino Youth in the Catholic
Church).
PCNE 6 introduces “youth
pathways and spaces” that are
composed of various activities
where the participants can
join throughout the three
days, which include include
a Labyrinth, prayer walls,
counselling, and confessions.
Cardinal Tagle introduced
PCNE in 2013 as a local
response to the call of the
new evangelization.
This year’s PCNE will be
preceded with a “a day of
encounter” for clergy and
consecrated persons. (CBCP
News)
Mother Francisca Del Espiritu Santo De Fuentes (1647-1711)
POPE Francis has put another Filipina
nun on the path to sainthood by
declaring her ‘venerable’.
The pope recognized that Mother
Francisca Del Espiritu Santo De
Fuentes, founder of the Dominican
Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, lived
the Christian virtues in a heroic way.
The Vatican announced the pontiff’s
decision July 6. It marks the first
major step on the path to sainthood
for the nun who died in Manila in 1711.
The pope would have to recognize
a miracle attributed to the Mother
Francisca’s intercession in order
for her to be beatified, the next step
toward sainthood.
The process of becoming a saint
First in US, California parish enshrines Blessed
Justus Takayama Ukon statue
A PIECE of the Philippines
and Japan has arrived in
California, a home to a huge
Filipino population in the
United States.
It came in the form
of a 36-inch statute of
Blessed Justus Takayama
Ukon, that was enshrined
at the Saints Peter and
Paul Church premises in
Wilmington town on June
29.
The installation of the
image was preceded with a
Mass presided over by Fr.
Hildebrand Garceau, the
church’s pastor.
Both the Japanese and
Filipino communities joined
the local parishioners in
the celebration, which also
marked the feast of the
parish’s patrons.
With about 1.4 million
Filipino immigrants in
California, mostly Catholics,
the devotion to the 17th
century Catholic Samurai and
martyr has gained attraction.
“Wilmington is the first
American parish reached by
Blessed Takayama,” said Dr.
Ernesto de Pedro, managing
trustee of the Lord Takayama
Jubilee Foundation.
The image was
commissioned by Dr. Michi
France Ginson from De
Pedro after the pontifical
coronation of La Virgen
Milagrosa de Badoc, the
Cardinal Tagle greets VWMN on its first anniversary
WHEN it comes to evangelization
and social communication, there is no
room for individualism, Cardinal Luis
Antonio Tagle said.
The head of the Manila archdiocese
warned that individualism weakens
the very meaning of the church and
its mission.
He stressed that there is always a
“danger” that people who work for the
same cause end up working separately.
“And in the meantime, the voice
becomes weaker and then impact
becomes also less,” Tagle said.
July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 CBCP Monitor
is lengthy, often taking decades or was in 2012. The Mother Francisca
centuries to complete. Commission received a copy of
After the beatification, another the positio in December 2014 with
miracle would be needed for the favorable evaluation from the
canonization. Historical Experts of the Vatican.
Mother Francisca’s path to sainthood Mother Francisca was buried in the
started as early as December 2002 Church of the Collegio de San Juan de
when the Vatican had been petitioned Letran. Her tomb was over the steps
to open the Cause of the nun. of the main altar on the gospel side.
In March the following year, Last month, Pope Francis also
the petition was granted by the granted a Dominican nun the title
Congregation for the Causes of Saints. of venerable after recognizing the
The Decree of Validity on the heroic virtue of Mother Maria Beatrice
Diocesan Inquiry was granted in June Rosario Arroyo.
2007 which allowed the writing of the Born in Iloilo, Arroyo is the founder
“positio” on the life, virtues and fame of the Congregation of the Dominican
of sanctity of Mother Francisca. Sisters of the Holy Rosary. She died in
The completion of the positio June 1957. (CBCP News)
Fr. Hildebrand Garceau leads the installation of the statue of Blessed Justus Takayama Ukon at the Saints Peter and Paul Church
compound in Wilmington, California on June 29. COURTESY OF DR. MICHI FRANCE GINSON
Japanese Madona, in 2018. the installation of Takayama’s “Servant of God” 1994.
“I was inspired to get to statue at the chapel of the In 2013, the Catholic
know more of the image of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Bishops’ Conference of
‘The Samurai of Christ’ that Maynila (PLM) in Intramuros Japan (CBCJ) submitted a
Cardinal Quevedo brought over the weekend. 400-page application for the
to St. John the Baptist in last The site was used to be beatification of Takayama to
year’s May 30 coronation,” the Jesuit compound where the Vatican’s Congregation
Ginson said. Takayama, who brought with for the Causes of Saints—as
“Blessed Takayama has him 350 Catholic refugees a Martyr, instead of as a
inspired our parishioners who and migrants deported from Confessor as originally filed.
have experienced firsthand Tokugawa, lived for 44 days Pope Francis approved
his quick intercession,” she before he died. the decree for Takayama’s
added. His remains were entombed martyrdom in 2016, declaring
Takayama was stripped near the altar of the chapel Takayama, a “layperson
of his title and property with the expectation that … from Japan [who] died
during the intense Christian Takayama would one day be from the hatred of the Faith
persecution, was exiled from proclaimed saint. on Feb. 3, 1615 in Manila,
Japan to Manila where he Takayama is first Manila Philippines.” On Feb. 7,
died in February 1615. Catholic petitioned for 2017, he was finally beatified
In the Philippines, Cardinal sainthood by the Archdiocese as the “Samurai of Christ.”
Luis Antonio Tagle also led of Manila. He was declared a (CBCPNews)
The cardinal made his comments Center (PREIC), lauded the initiative
as he greeted the Voice of the Word “to give voice to the Word of God”.
Media Network (VWMN) on its first “With communion for a common
year anniversary on June 26. mission, we hope that our voice will
The media facility of the Borongan come across clearly, unified and the
diocese runs an AM radio, an FM impact would be greater,” he said.
online radio, 4 Cable TV Channels, Cardinal Tagle also emphasized that
a news service and a newspaper; its the world of social media is a very potent
contents are also distributed through tool that needs to be evangelized.
different social media platforms, “The bearer of the Word must
which include Facebook, Youtube, receive the Word of God. Before the
Instagram, Twitter and Spotify. network could be the voice of the
Tagle, who also heads the Philippine Word, it must be heard in the world of
Radio Educational and Information the network,” he said. (CBCP News)
CBCP Monitor
Social justice and ecology are
profoundly interconnected
Message of the Holy Father Francis to the participants in the Second Forum of the Laudato Si’ Communities in Amatrie, Italy
Pope Francis speaks June 14, 2019, to executives of leading energy companies meeting at the Vatican to discuss mitigating the effects of climate change. The pope is seated between Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human
Development, and Holy Cross Father John Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame, co-sponsors of the meeting. CNS/VATICAN MEDIA
I ADDRESS a cordial greeting to
the organizers and participants in
the second Forum of the Laudato
si’ Communities, which is being
held in a territory devastated by the
earthquake that struck Italy in August
2016, and which more than any other
area has paid a very high price in
terms of the number of victims.
It is a sign of hope, the fact
that you are indeed in Amatrice,
the memory of which is always
present in my heart, to focus on
the imbalances that devastate our
“common home”. Not only is it a sign
of closeness to the many brothers
and sisters who still live between
the memory of a terrible tragedy
and the reconstruction that is slow
to get started, but it also expresses
the desire to make resonate, loud
and clear, that it is the poor who pay
the highest price of environmental
devastation. The wounds inflicted
on the environment are inexorably
wounds inflicted on humanity at
July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14
its most defenceless. I wrote in the
Encyclical  Laudato si’: “There can
be no renewal of our relationship
with nature without a renewal
of humanity itself. There can be
no ecology without an adequate
anthropology”.
After facing, last year, the theme
of the plastic that is suffocating
our planet, today you reflect on the
grave and no longer sustainable
situation of Amazonia and the
peoples who live there. You are thus
inspired by the theme of the Synod
of Bishops which will be held this
coming October for the Pan-Amazon
region, and whose Instrumentum
laboris was recently presented.
The situation of Amazonia is a
sad paradigm of what is happening
in various parts of the planet: a
blind and destructive mentality that
favours profit over justice; it makes
evident the predatory attitude
with which man relates to nature.
Please, do not forget that social
justice and ecology are profoundly
interconnected! What is happening
in Amazonia will have repercussions
at a global level, but it has already
prostrated thousands of men and
women, robbing them of their
territory, making them strangers
in their own land, impoverishing
them of their own culture and
their own traditions, and breaking
the millennia-long equilibrium
that united those peoples with
their land. Man cannot remain an
indifferent spectator in the face of
this destruction; nor can the Church
remain silent: the cry of the poor
must resonate in her mouth too, as
already highlighted by Saint Paul
VI in his Encyclical Populorum
progressio.
Promoted by the Church of Rieti
and the Slow Food movement,
the Laudato si’ Communities are
engaged not only in disseminating
the teaching proposed in the
Encyclical of the same name, but in
favouring new styles of life. From
this pragmatic perspective, I wish
to offer you three words.
The first word is doxology
Faced with the good of creation
and, above all, the good of man who
is the peak of creation, but also its
custodian, it is necessary to assume
the attitude of praise. Faced with
such beauty, with renewed wonder,
with the eyes of a child, we must be
able to appreciate the beauty that
surrounds us and of which man too
is also formed. Praise is the fruit of
contemplation, contemplation and
praise lead to respect, and respect
becomes almost veneration before
the goods of creation and its Creator.
The second word is Eucharist
The Eucharistic attitude faced
with the world and its inhabitants
knows how to grasp the status of gift
that every living being carries within
itself. Everything is consigned to
us freely, not to be plundered and
swallowed up, but to become in turn
PASTORAL CONCERNS B1
a gift to share, a gift to give so that
joy may be for all and that it may
therefore be greater.
The third word is asceticism
Every form of respect arises from
an ascetic attitude, that is, from the
capacity to know how to renounce
something for a greater good, for
the good of others. Asceticism helps
us to convert the predatory attitude,
which is always lurking, to take the
form of sharing, and of an ecological,
respectful and polite relationship.
I hope that the Laudato si’
Communities may be the germ of a
renewed way of living in the world,
to give it a future, to preserve its
beauty and integrity for the good of
every living being, ad maiorem Dei
gloriam.
I thank you and I bless you from
my heart. Pray for me.
From the Vatican, 6 July 2019
FRANCIS
B2 FEATURE
By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso, J.C.D.
IN the past, we had defined the
problem we wish to address—
i.e., the pastoral care of the 5.5
million OFWs, unstably migrated in
areas of either a Catholic minority
or a thinly established Catholic
hierarchy. Typical of this mass of
OFWs are those in the Middle East
and certain countries of East and
Southeast Asia (e.g., Taiwan, Japan,
China, Singapore). Of late, my
attention has been called by a group
of Filipino priests—spread out in the
U.S., Rome and in the Philippines—
to the plight of the OFWs in dire need
of greater pastoral care than what
they are presently receiving from
the volunteer Filipino chaplains
and the undermanned particular
Churches (dioceses) in their areas of
deployment. Hence, we shall revisit
this problem now, focusing on the
possible structure for the adequate
pastoral care of OFWs.
A. The problem with the present
set-up
From the start, it is good to make
an important observation regarding
all the pastoral initiatives in favor
of the OFWs. It is simply that all of
them, insofar as they are initiatives
by the Philippine Hierarchy, are
nevertheless all non-hierarchical
in nature. The reason is equally
simple: because in none of them
has the principle of personal
jurisdiction been invoked, such that
in all of them, the OFWs deployed in
foreign lands are not hierarchically
connected with either the territorial
ecclesiastical circumscription in
their areas of deployment (either
because such a host Church doesn’t
exist where they are, or the language
and cultural barrier prevents their
being integrated to such Church at
the moment), or with their Church
of origin in the Philippines (simply
because they are not in Philippine
territory at the moment).
Now then, no matter how zealous
the chaplains/missionaries for
migrants may be, or how dedicated
to the apostolate with the OFWs
the lay members of the covenanted
communities might be, it would
not suffice for the full delivery of
the Church’s spiritual wealth (the
Word of God and the sacraments)
necessary for the OFWs to fully
actualize their universal vocation to
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university, answers the following query:)
 Q: I know the importance of making
the sign of peace at Mass, but should
it be done or carried out at every
Mass? — F.O., Ado Ekiti, Nigeria
A: Some say that it is a truism that
there is nothing so durable as a
provisional solution and nothing so
obligatory as an option.
In fact, the sign of peace is always
an option and is never obligatory at
any Mass. The General Introduction
of the Roman Missal says:
 “The Rite of Peace
 “82. There follows the Rite of
Peace, by which the Church entreats
peace and unity for herself and for
the whole human family, and the
faithful express to each other their
ecclesial communion and mutual
charity before communicating in the
Sacrament.
 “As for the actual sign of peace to be
given, the manner is to be established
by the Conferences of Bishops in
accordance with the culture and
customs of the peoples. However, it
is appropriate that each person, in a
sober manner, offer the sign of peace
only to those who are nearest.
 “154. Then the Priest, with
hands extended, says aloud the
prayer  Domine Iesu Christe, qui
dixisti (Lord Jesus Christ, who said
to your Apostles) and when it is
concluded, extending and then
joining his hands, he announces
the greeting of peace, facing the
people and saying, The peace of the
Lord be with you always. The people
reply, And with your spirit. After this,
if appropriate, the Priest adds, Let
us offer each other the sign of peace.
 “The Priest may give the Sign of
Peace to the ministers but always
remains within the sanctuary so that
the celebration is not disrupted. In
Shepherding an itinerant flock
Revisiting the problem of the pastoral care of the OFW1
OFWs in Hong Kong. FILE PHOTO
holiness.
For that to happen, the
hierarchical relationship sacred
minister - faithful must be in place.
Another way of understanding this
is to remember that for the Church
to effectively exist, the interplay
between the ministerial priesthood
of the clerics (ultimately stemming
from the sacra potestas invested
on the sacred Pastors because of
apostolic succession) and the royal
priesthood of the laity must exist.
In other words, if the OFWs are
indeed to enjoy maximally the
means of salvation, in equal terms
with the rest of the Catholic faithful
in the Philippine Church, they
must form part of an ecclesiastical
circumscription, in much the same
way as the other Filipino Catholics
back home do. The only way they
can do that, given the difficulty of
their forming part of a territorial
Sign of peace an option
A show of unity but never obligatory
the Dioceses of the United States
of America, for a good reason, on
special occasions (for example, in
the case of a funeral, a wedding, or
when civic leaders are present), the
Priest may offer the Sign of Peace
to a small number of the faithful
near the sanctuary. According to
what is decided by the Conference of
Bishops, all express to one another
peace, communion, and charity.
While the Sign of Peace is being
given, it is permissible to say, The
peace of the Lord be with you always, to
which the reply is Amen.
 “181. After the Priest has said
the prayer for the Rite of Peace and
the greeting The peace of the Lord
be with you always and the people
have replied, And with your spirit, the
Deacon, if appropriate, says the
invitation to the Sign of Peace. With
hands joined, he faces the people
and says, Let us offer each other
the sign of peace. Then he himself
receives the Sign of Peace from the
Priest and may offer it to those other
ministers who are nearest to him.
 “239. After the Deacon or, in
the absence of a Deacon, one of
the concelebrants, has given the
instruction Let us offer each other the
sign of peace, all give one another the
Sign of Peace. Those concelebrants
nearer the principal celebrant
receive the Sign of Peace from him
before the Deacon does.”
 Also, the 2004 instruction
Redemptionis Sacramentum says
in No. 71:
 “The practice of the Roman Rite is
to be maintained according to which
the peace is extended shortly before
Holy Communion. For according
to the tradition of the Roman Rite,
this practice does not have the
connotation either of reconciliation
(Part 1)
ecclesiastical circumscription where
they are (either because such does
not exist or cultural differences
make such inclusion impractical), is
for them to form part of a personal
ecclesiastical circumscription set up
specifically for them.
Perhaps of even greater import—
due to its grave consequences—is the
absence of hierarchical jurisdiction
over the chaplains deployed outside
the Philippines to care for the OFWs.
Because for the most part they are
not incardinated or even ascribed
to the Church ad quam—either
because such a Church does not
exist or is thinly constituted—the
Filipino chaplains are pretty much
left on their own. While they are
expected to minister to the needs
of the OFWs, who outnumber them
overwhelmingly, there is very little
provision for their own spiritual
nourishment. How can they infuse
or of a remission of sins but instead
signifies peace, communion, and
charity before the reception of the
Most Holy Eucharist. It is rather
the Penitential Act to be carried out
at the beginning of Mass (especially
in its first form) which has the
character of reconciliation among
brothers and sisters.”
 Therefore in accordance with
Nos. 154 and 181 the indication to
share the Sign of Peace is given “if
appropriate.” The decision as to
whether it is appropriate falls to the
presiding celebrant in the concrete
pastoral situation of the particular
celebration.
The reasons for including or
omitting it can vary widely, and it
is almost impossible to give a fixed
rule. Many priests reserve the sign
for Sundays and feasts.
 One priest I know always omits it
at first Communions as he finds that
it can adversely affect the children’s
spiritual attention and preparation
so close to the moment of their
first participation in the Eucharist.
Others avoid this pitfall by careful
planning and making the rite as brief
as possible with minimal movement
of relatives.
 However, it would be wrong to
see this brief rite only as a potential
obstacle and challenge. When
done well it can be very effective
spiritually as we share the peace
that comes from Christ upon the
altar that we will soon receive as
our peace.
As mentioned above in No.
82, the gestures of the faithful
are established by the bishops’
conference and, while respecting
local custom, should avoid excess
exuberance and ebullience, and it is
“appropriate that each person offer
July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14
zeal to the OFWs if they themselves
are not adequately supported to
maintain their zeal at a high level?
B. The solution: A personal
ecclesiastical circumscription
If the problem is the lack of a
jurisdictional bond between the local
bishop and the Filipino chaplains
for migrants (either because there
is no local Church constituted or
the local bishop is inaccessible due
to distance or cultural difference),
and as a consequence the lack of
pastoral bond between the OFWs
and Pastor, then another type of
jurisdiction must be established.
This is precisely what a personal
ecclesiastical jurisdiction is for.
In this type of circumscription—
typified in the Code of Canon
Law by the personal prelature
(cc.294-297)—the juridic bond
between Pastor and presbyterium,
the sign of peace only to those who
are nearest and in a sober manner.”
 All the same, pastorally speaking,
it is preferable to have some stability
in using or omitting the rite. If a
priest occasionally or irregularly
omits the rite, he will probably find
that the faithful start shaking hands
anyway from force of habit. This can
lead to confusion.
The kiss, or sign, of peace, was
known from the earliest times, often
inspired by St. Paul’s invitation to
the Corinthians: “Greet one another
with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians
16:20). Jesus urged that one should
be reconciled with a brother before
taking one’s sacrifice to the altar.
The kiss of peace is also an explicit
answer to Christ’s admonition to
fraternal reconciliation and peace,
to purify one’s sacrifice.
The rite is mentioned in ancient
sources such as the “Apostolic
Constitutions” and the sermons of
St. Augustine. It has probably been
in its current position in the Roman
rite since Pope St. Gregory the Great
(590-604).
At first, the kiss of peace was
considered as an important, and
even obligatory, preparation for
those about to receive Communion
but was later extended to all.
After the year 1000, the kiss of
peace gradually became a far
more formalized rite and later the
exclusive preserve of the clergy,
except for some special occasions.
Thus the sign of peace, as
described in the present missal,
roughly restores the rite to the form
it had in medieval times in which
everyone briefly gave the kiss of
peace to the person beside him,
taking into account that men and
women occupied separate aisles in
CBCP Monitor
and Pastor and faithful, arises not
because of territory but because
of a personal quality of the faithful
(hence personal and not territorial
circumscription).
The typical composition of a
personal prelature is:
1) A prelate (typically but not
necessarily a bishop), who is invested
with the sacra potestas or power
of jurisdiction to authoritatively
exercise the threefold functions of
teaching, sanctifying and governing
a group of faithful who in turn are
bound to be subject to his pastoral
care.
2) A presbyterium (sacred
ministers), who are either
incardinated to the prelature and
juridically bound to obey the prelate
and to take care of the flock; or at
least attached (ascribed) to it with
some juridic bond.
Flock / B7
the church. At that time the gesture
of the kiss was more a mark of
respect than of affection. Hence,
the gesture adopted today should
be what local custom considers as a
gesture of respect.
We addressed a closely related
question on January 30, 2018,
which can complement the present
reply.
 We conclude with Pope Francis’
catechesis on this part of the Mass
in the general audience of March
14, 2018:
“Indeed, what we ask in the ‘Our
Father’ is extended by the prayer
of the priest who, in the name of
all, implores: ‘Deliver us Lord from
every evil, and grant us peace in
our day.’ He then receives a sort of
seal in the Rite of Peace: what he
first asks of Christ is that the gift
of His peace (cf. Jn 14:27)—thus
different from worldly peace—may
help the Church to grow in unity
and in peace, according to His will;
then, with the concrete gesture
exchanged among us, we express
‘ecclesial communion and mutual
charity before communicating in
the Sacrament’ (cf. GIRM, 82). In
the Roman rite the exchange of the
sign of peace, placed from antiquity
before Communion, is ordered to
Eucharistic Communion. According
to Saint Paul’s admonition, it is
impossible to communicate with the
one Bread that renders us one Body
in Christ, without recognizing that
we are reconciled by fraternal love
(cf. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:29).
Christ’s peace cannot take root in
a heart incapable of experiencing
fraternity and of restoring it after it
has been wounded. Peace is granted
by the Lord: he grants us the grace to
forgive those who have offended us.”
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14 FEATURE B3

Faith-based organizations and government in

promoting Natural Family Planning
By Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ

LAST June 2-8, 2019, all the Standardized modules in the local exercise of responsible parenthood, provincial, municipal, and city levels religious teachings, etc. This can
Catholic bishops within the language and training manuals with the population issue, if any, can as well as national government more adequately be provided by
jurisdiction of the five archdioceses visual aids for seminars are needed. be addressed in a family-oriented agencies are ready and willing to faith-based organizations. In
of Mindanao and the Archdiocese Resident volunteer counselors way. Responsible parenthood not promote NFP. They can set aside its concern for maternal health,
of Lipa made their ad limina visit to coming from surrounding barangays only includes respect for human funding and personnel for this the government should give
Rome, symbolically at the threshold could also be trained so that NFP life from the moment of conception purpose. They have also asked for adequate information regarding
of the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul, information is more widely shared but also extends to the entire period assistance from our archdiocesan the health risks of various kinds of
the two pillars of the early Church. even in the most remote areas. of rearing children until the age of ministries on Family Life and All- contraceptives.
We were the third and last batch of The Archdiocese of Cagayan de maturity. In this sense, included in NFP in terms of values formation The government can set up a
Filipino bishops. Every five (or in Oro through initial trial-and-error the values formation for faith-based seminars and modules on NFP separate track for NFP promotion
our case eight) years, the bishops sessions has developed a training groups should be the avoidance of methods. They have set aside and provide support for faith-based
of a particular region make this manual with the help of family- irresponsible parenthood. budgets for the NFP training of organizations in promoting the
pilgrimage to Rome with a threefold oriented NGOs. We have also (5) Faith-based organizations their Barangay Health Workers as values and methods of NFP. The
purpose: 1) to celebrate Mass at followed a seven-step program should make information on NFP well as local communities. In fact, RP-RH program of the government
the four basilicas of St. Peter, St. that now reaches nearly all our 67 available to the poorer sectors government officials tell us that any should be sensitive to the religious
Paul outside the Walls, St. John parishes. of society. Church communities unused budget for NFP will be used and cultural traditions of Christian,
Lateran, and St. Mary Major; 2) to (2) NFP promotion should provide include the poorer sectors of society. to promote more contraceptives. Muslim, and indigenous people
visit the various dicasteries of the information on all scientifically- In many senses, the promotion Relating to the government communities. In addition to
Holy See and discuss current issues
of concern with department heads;
and 3) to have an audience with the
Holy Father. Six months earlier,
each bishop was asked to send a
Quinquennial Report of the state of
his diocese to Rome.
Thus, each bishop was
prepared to share his own pastoral
experience and to raise questions
on any issue affecting his diocese.
In my case, as a bishop involved
in the promotion of Responsible
Parenthood through Natural Family
Planning over the past two decades,
first in Ipil Prelature and at present
in Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese, I was
interested to sound out the views of
Church leaders in the Vatican on this
program. In particular, I raised the
question of whether a diocese could
work with government agencies
in the promotion of NFP, even if
government policies focused more
on the provision of contraceptives.
At the Dicastery for Laity,
Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin
Farrell, Prefect, first pointed out
that we live in a pluralistic world
and need to dialogue with others.
“If we don’t have dialogue with
government,” he remarked, “we
cannot change their way of life.”
He was thus to my mind open to
what in the Philippines we would
call “critical collaboration” with
government.
In our audience with Pope
Francis towards the end of the
ad limina visit, I raised the same
question. In his conversational
style of speaking before all of us
bishops gathered around, the pope
first remarked that Catholic couples
need to know more about Natural
Family Planning. With regard to
working with government on this
program, he would counsel “political Pope Francis receives a revised copy of the Archdiocese of Cagayan De Oro’s Natural Family Planning training manual from Archbishop Antonio Ledesma during his Ad Limina visit at the Vatican June 7. VATICAN MEDIA
discernment,” leaving it open for
bishops in their own diocese to based methods, including modern of NFP is a pro-poor measure. in this way is not for us collaboration, Catholic parishes in Cagayan
discern the appropriate pastoral simplified methods. As science NFP methods are cost-free once with the connotation that the church de Oro, our pilot areas among
approach. At the beginning of the progresses, more NFP methods these have been learned. NFP is is working under the government’s Muslim, indigenous, and other
audience, I gave Pope Francis a are being developed. The efficacy sustainable; mothers can pass on program. We rather call it principled Christian communities have elicited
revised copy of our NFP training of earlier methods based on daily its practice to their daughters. NFP engagement, in that the church a convergent appreciation for the
manual together with two booklets charting of body temperature or is devoid of health risks. NFP also maintains its autonomy with its natural methods of family planning.
on testimonies of couple-users of cervical mucus secretions has been promotes an wholesome family own NFP program and pastoral On the other hand, local government
NFP and positive comments of time-tested, but many adopters life through better communication guidelines. Through engagement, agencies have acknowledged an
moral theologians on the Standard have expressed difficulty in doing between spouses, sexual discipline the local church is also able to inadequate knowledge of NFP and
Days Method. (During the ad the daily recording. On the other and self-control that flow into the dialogue with government workers, have requested the services of our
limina visit in 2011, I also gave Pope hand, the Standard Days Method, rearing of children. many of whom are Catholic, about archdiocesan trainors for seminars,
Benedict XVI the first edition of the as a simplified improvement of the National demographic studies the higher goals of NFP advocacy. the use of our training manuals, and
NFP manual and told him that we earlier calendar rhythm method, has indicate that the lower-income While maintaining their principled the provision of SDM vertical beads.
were including simplified methods gained much wider acceptability. quintile of families express on the stand, faith-based organizations can Along these lines, it would be
like SDM. His reply then was: “Yes, The TwoDay Method as a simplified average a higher number of desired either promote NFP by themselves advisable for the government
simplified methods are good for method of mucus observation has children, but also have a higher or enter into a positive, yet critical, to carry out its family planning
simple people.”) also gained adherents. In the final incidence of unwanted pregnancies engagement with the government in program on two parallel tracks –
analysis, couples should be given that may lead to abortions. The promoting Natural Family Planning. one for artificial contraceptives and
I. Faith-based organizations the freedom to choose the kind of poorest quintile want 3.3 children This form of engagement can more the other for NFP promotion. The
in NFP promotion NFP method most suitable to them. on the average but actually end up effectively address the three felt NFP program could have its own
It is in this light that looking at (3) With their cultural-religious with 5.2 children, thus having almost needs of couples today—namely, (1) implementors, including faith-
the Philippine situation today, we traditions, faith-based organizations two children that are unexpected or they want to plan their families; (2) based organizations. Government
can ask what is the role of churches can offer an wholistic values unwanted. The second poorest they prefer NFP; and (3) they want funding in this regard can be
and faith-based organizations in formation for NFP adoption. quintile want 2.9 children, but to choose among NFP methods. allocated to church organizations
the promotion of NFP vis-á-vis Motivation for adopting NFP by actually have 4.2 children, thus Moreover, a fourth need can be in the same way that the government
government agencies. Based on means of periodic abstinence is having 1.3 unwanted pregnancies. addressed: couples appreciate extends indirect support to private
our pastoral experience in Cagayan crucial for its sustainability. This In contrast the richest quintile the values formation of church schools through its Educational
de Oro, with over 22,000 couple- entails an appreciation of human of families on the average desire communities. Service Contracting for students
acceptors over the past thirteen sexuality, indeed a “theology of the 1.6 children and actually have 1.9 and parents. Promoting NFP
years, several observations can be body.” It also involves mutual respect children, an excess of only 0.3 child II. Government in NFP which is pro-poor, pro-health, and
made: between spouses, openness to life, (cf. National Demographic and promotion pro-life can be a win-win approach
(1) Church programs should and acknowledgement of God’s Health Survey of 2008). Helping On its part, some for government agencies as they
promote NFP in a systematic way, procreative plan for human society. poor families achieve through NFP recommendations come to mind for acknowledge the freedom of choice
with an outreach to more remote NFP as well as the government’s their desired number of children the government’s implementation of of couples as well as the grassroots
areas. Practically all dioceses RP-RH program touches on some can be a first step in alleviating their the “Responsible Parenthood and reach of faith-based organizations.
include a topic on NFP in pre-Cana of the most sacred aspects of human poverty situation while at the same Reproductive Health Act of 2012.” In the final analysis, faith-based
seminars to prepare couples for living – i.e., marriage and family, time enabling them to become truly The government should include organizations can work with the
marriage. However the one or two procreation of new life, and God’s responsible parents. NFP in its RP-RH program. In any government to promote NFP on a
hours allotted are not sufficient to loving providence. These are best (6) In NFP promotion, faith- government orientation on family broader scale and to give couples an
enable couples to understand, much presented to aspiring couples by based organizations can engage planning, the first topic should be alternative to contraceptives. On the
less adopt NFP as a way of family faith-based organizations. with government agencies to reach Fertility Awareness. Furthermore, other hand, NFP is not an exclusive
life. Furthermore, setting up one (4) The goal for NFP promotion out to more couples and to provide the government should provide program of church communities.
NFP center for the whole diocese is Responsible Parenthood. an alternative program. The RP- information on all modern, Natural Family Planning is after all
or in the poblacion is not enough to Parents are ultimately responsible RH Law states that government scientifically-tested NFP methods, the right and responsibility of all
reach out to more remote barangays. for the number and welfare of should also support Natural Family including the simplified methods. family-oriented groups, including
Hundreds may be trained in the their children. Responsible family Planning according to the needs and However, NFP promotion requires the government and women’s
center, but thousands more are planning is a goal endorsed by preferences of couples themselves. values formation and proper organizations, to promote as a valid,
waiting to be reached in remote churches as well as the government From our pastoral experience, motivation—e.g., mutual respect, viable, and vital option for many
areas. in the RP-RH law. Through the many local government units at the interpersonal communication, couples today.
B4 FEATURE
Christus Vivit:
Challenges of the youth
(A homily delivered by Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, at a Novena mass held at Carmel on July 9, 2019)
Bishops attend their annual retreat, this facilitated by the Episcopal Commission on Youth, at the St. Paul Center for Renewal in Alfonso, Cavite July 3. ROY LAGARDE
I WISH to start by thanking our dear Carmelite
sisters for including the CBCP in their prayers
these past few days. We have just finished our
whole week of retreat and plenary assembly.
Our retreats are usually given by old and
seasoned theologians and spiritual masters.
In this Year dedicated to Young People, our
retreat was facilitated by young people and
the Episcopal Commission on Youth Ministry.
The topic was the same as the theme for
our novena Masses for Our Lady of Carmel,
CHRISTUS VIVIT, the apostolic exhortation
of Pope Francis for all young people of the
world, “Christ is Alive.”
On the second day of our retreat, the
facilitators asked the bishops to break into
little groups in order to interact with youth
leaders according to specific topics. Some
bishops chose the topic of “Youth and the
Environment”; others chose “Youth and
Politics”. Still others, “Youth Family Life” and
around four other choices. I chose the topic
“Youth and Mental Health”.
Our group on “Youth and Mental Health”
began its session with the life-testimony of a
24-year old youth leader who told us his story
about his struggles with depression. He shared
about a series of failures in school, failure in
some subjects and failure to graduate. His
emotional disposition had also affected his
relationship with his family and his girlfriend.
So he found himself withdrawing into isolation
and silently brooding over the mess that he felt
he had made of his life. He lost his appetite,
List of the newly elected CBCP officers
The term of the newly-elected officers will be from December 1, 2019 to November 30, 2021.
CBCP Permanent Council
President:
Abp. Romulo G. Valles
Vice President:
Bp. Pablo Virgilio S. David
Treasurer:
Abp. John F. Du
Secretary General:
Fr. Marvin S. Mejia
Asst. Sec. General/Asst. Treasurer:
Msgr. Bernardo R. Pantin
Regional Representatives
Luzon
North: Bp. Ricardo L. Baccay
Central: Bp. Bartolome G. Santos, Jr.
South: Bp. Jose S. Bantolo
Southeast: Bp. Mel Rey M. Uy
Southwest: Bp. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara
Visayas
Eastern & Central: Bp. Patrick Daniel
V. Parcon
West: Bp. Louie P. Galbines
Mindanao
North: Abp. Martin S. Jumoad
South: Bp. Abel C. Apigo
could not sleep, and was spending most of his
days locked up in his room, killing time before
his computer, scrolling through his newsfeed
on FB. One day, he felt he could not go on
anymore so he decided the only way out was
to commit suicide. And so he planned it out;
he kept a time table of things he needed to
accomplish before ending his life.
He closed all his social media accounts and
started disposing his personal things. Then he
started writing a suicide note to his family and
friends. After writing his letter, just when he
was about to carry out his plan he noticed that
he had several missed calls on his cell phone.
There was also one long text message sent to
him by a student who was asking why he did
not show up for his scheduled appointment
with her. She was begging him for another
schedule. He realized he had totally forgotten
that he had promised this girl that he would
help her with her thesis research project, so he
decided to call her up. She was crying over the
phone and was desperate, worried that, if she
did not finish her thesis work, she would not
be able to graduate. And so he postponed his
suicide plan to help this girl. He felt good later
that he was able to help her finish her thesis.
Just when he was going to resume his
secret plan, he got a call again from a parish
youth ministry volunteer asking for his
help for an urgent parish activity. He had
actually resigned already from the parish
youth ministry but he found himself unable
to say no to the request so he postponed his
CBCP Episcopal Commissions, Committees and Offices
Episcopal Committee on Basic Ecclesial
Communities
Bp. Jose A. Cabantan
Episcopal Commission on Biblical
Apostolate
Bp. Sofronio A. Bancud, SSS
Episcopal Office on Bioethics
Bp. Ricardo L. Baccay
Episcopal Commission on Canon Law
Bp. Jacinto A. Jose
Episcopal Com. on Catechesis and Catholic
Education
Bp. Roberto C. Mallari
Episcopal Commission on Clergy
Bp. Buenaventura M. Famadico
Episcopal Commission on Cultural
Heritage of the Church
Bp. Julito B. Cortes
Episcopal Commission on Culture
Bp. Jose S. Bantolo
Episcopal Commission on Doctrine of the
Faith
Bp. Jose R. Rojas
Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs
Bp. Angelito R. Lampon, OMI
July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14
plan again. After a very tiring but successful
parish event, he came home and went to bed
and, for the first time, had a long and restful
sleep. He woke up refreshed and was happy
to see a freshly cooked meal at table, with
a note from his mother, “Anak, please
don’t forget to eat even if you’re busy.”
He smiled and ate a good meal and took a
shower afterwards. He realized only later,
as the days passed, that he had forgotten
his suicide plans. He started returning to
his habit of visiting the Blessed Sacrament
at their parish Adoration Chapel and
attending the evening Mass again. He found
himself busy, retook his failed subjects,
graduated, found a good job, and became
more involved in the parish and met new
friends.
Today’s readings remind me of that young
man. He was like the man in the Gospel
who was mute because he was possessed by
an evil spirit, until he met Jesus and was
liberated and was enabled to speak again.
He was like Jacob who was struggling with
his fear of crossing paths again with his
brother Esau, whom he had cheated of his
birth right. Alone and in the dark, Jacob
found himself wrestling with a stranger. But
before the break of dawn, he prevailed upon
his contender and received the blessing of a
new name. After that struggle he was no longer
the same Jacob as before; he became Israel.
He was to be known as the man who wrestled
with God and succeeded.
Episcopal Commission on Family and Life
Bp. Gilbert A. Garcera
Episcopal Commission on Health Care
Bp. Rex C. Ramirez
Episcopal Commission on Indigenous
Peoples
Bp. Valentin C. Dimoc
Permanent Committee on International
Eucharistic Congresses
Abp. Jose S. Palma
Episcopal Com. on Inter-religious
Dialogue
Bp. Edwin A. dela Peña, MSP
Episcopal Commission on the Laity
Bp. Broderick S. Pabillo
Episcopal Commission on Liturgy
Bp. Victor B. Bendico
Episcopal Commission on Migrants and
Itinerant People
Bp. Narciso V. Abellana, MSC
Episcopal Commission on Mission
Bp. Socrates C. Mesiona, MSP
Episcopal Commission on Mutual
Relations
Abp. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ
CBCP Monitor
Let me say, however, that not all young
people who struggle with all kinds of spirits
inside them are able to prevail, though. Some
of them get defeated.
Just two months ago, I felt deeply disturbed
when I saw the viral video of a 33-year old
good-looking and successful young man
named Seph Ubalde. He videotaped himself
sharing about his struggles with depression.
Towards the end of his story, he was crying
and drinking something, as if to be able to
swallow his misery. He ended his story by
saying, “That’s all, folks. See you on the other
side.” After doing that video and uploading
it on YouTube, he drowned himself in the
bathtub of his hotel room. During his wake,
his parents did not even know that their son’s
goodbye video was already going viral on FB.
Imagine how many young people today are
like that young man, living a very stressful life,
feeling alone and dejected. Some of them are
victims of trauma and abuse, others fall into
all forms of addiction, like alcohol, gambling,
pornography and drugs, in order to be able
to cope. They are not bad people; they are
suffering from mental health issues and are not
even aware of it. Good thing if, like the young
man we heard at our CBCP retreat, they could
find friends, family, or fellow young people
who could be there for them just in the nick
of time, to listen to them, to accompany them,
to help pull them out of the pit of depression.
In the diocese of Kalookan, two weeks ago, we
organized, for the first time, a different kind of
medical mission. We called it a Mental Health
Forum. We did not invite regular parishioners.
We opened it to all young people out there in
the social media who might be struggling with
depression. I thought we would be lucky to
have fifty participants. To my surprise, we had
more than five hundred applicants, we even
had to turn down some because we could not
accommodate all of them. In the morning we
had lectures creatively given by psychiatrists
on the topics of stress and trauma, depression,
addiction and suicide. We had to extend the
open forum until 1pm to be able to allow the
participants to ask questions and to interact
with the psychiatrists. In the afternoon they
broke into groups to experience various forms
of therapy: theater workshop, art therapy,
massage, meditation, music jamming, poetry
reading, etc.
At the Synod on the Youth, we were told that
one of the interventions that touched Pope
Francis was the story of a young man from
Samoan Islands. He compared the Church to
a boat, which the elderly keep on course by
interpreting the position of the stars, while
the young people keep rowing. Let me end
this homily now by quoting what Pope Francis
wrote in “Christus Vivit”. He said,
“Let us steer clear of young people who think
that adults represent a meaningless past and
those adults who always think they know how
young people should act. Instead, let us climb
aboard the same boat and together, let us seek
a better world, with the constantly renewed
momentum assisted by the Holy Spirit.”
Episcopal Commission on Pontificio
Collegio Filippino
Bp. Ruperto C. Santos
Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral
Care
Bp. Joel Z. Baylon
Permanent Committee on Public Affairs
Bp. Reynaldo G. Evangelista
Episcopal Commission on Seminaries
Abp. Socrates B. Villegas
Episcopal Com. on Social Action, Justice
and Peace
Bp. Jose Colin M. Bagaforo
Episcopal Commission on Social
Communications
Bp. Marcelino Antonio M. Maralit,
Jr.
Episcopal Commission on Vocations
Bp. David William V. Antonio
Episcopal Office on Women
Bp. Crispin B. Varquez
Episcopal Commission on Youth
Bp. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon
National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal
Bp. Antonio R. Tobias
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14 STATEMENTS B5

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the

participants in the International Youth Forum
DEAR young friends,
I am very happy to meet you at
the conclusion of the Eleventh
International Youth
Forum organized by the Dicastery
for the Laity, Family and Life, aimed
at promoting the implementation of
the 2018 Synod on Young People, the
Faith and Vocational Discernment.
I am grateful to Cardinal Farrell and
his entire staff for this initiative,
which acknowledges that you, young
people, are the chief protagonists of
the pastoral conversion so greatly
desired by the Synod Fathers. To
call you “protagonists” is not just to
say something nice about you. Either
you are protagonists or you are not.
Either you go ahead of the train or
you end up as the final car, dragged
along by the rest. Protagonists.
You are young people, and young
people on the move, in a synodal
Church, and this is what you have
been thinking about and reflecting
on during these past days.
I thank Cardinal Farrell for
his kind words, all of you for the
reading of the final proclamation,
and Cardinal Baldisseri, who kept
the Synod moving forward, for his
presence. Thank you!
The Final Document of the last
synodal assembly views “the account
of the disciples on the way to Emmaus
(cf. Lk 24:13-35) as paradigmatic, a
model for our understanding of the
Church’s mission to the young” (No.
4). When the two disciples were
seated at table with Jesus, he “took
bread, blessed and broke it, and
gave it to them. Then their eyes were
opened and they recognized him”
(Lk  24:30ff.). It is not by chance
that you celebrated the Solemnity of
Corpus Christi at the very time when
you were gathered for this meeting.
Could it be that the Lord wanted
once more to open your hearts so
that he could speak to you through
this page of the Gospel?
The experience of the disciples
of Emmaus led them irresistibly to
take up anew on their journey, even
though they had already walked
some seven miles. It was growing
dark, yet they were no longer afraid
to walk at night, for Christ was
lighting up their lives. We too once
encountered the Lord on the journey
of our own life. Like the disciples of
Emmaus, we were called to bring the
light of Christ into the darkness of
the world. You, dear young people,
are called to be light in the dark night
experienced by so many of your
friends who do not yet know the joy
of new life in Jesus.
Cleopas and the other disciple,
after meeting Jesus, felt a vital need
to be with their community. There
can be no true joy unless we share
it with others. “How very good and
pleasant it is, when brothers live
together in unity!” (Ps  133:1). I
imagine that you are all happy that
you could take part in this Forum.
And now that the time has come to
go home, perhaps you feel a certain
nostalgia… and Rome will be a little
more peaceful. But that is normal;
it is part of our human experience.
The disciples of Emmaus did not Pope Francis meets with participants attending the postsynod Youth Forum during an audience at the Vatican June 22, 2019. VATICAN MEDIA
want their “mysterious guest” to go
away… “Stay with us”, they said, in fire of Christ burning in your hearts, truly strong. With Christ, the Bread ask you to meditate on these two
an effort to convince him to stay with and let it spread! of Life who gives us strength for the verses:  “Young man, I say to you,
them. In other parts of the Gospel, Dear young people, let me say to journey, let us bring his fire to light arise!”  (cf.  Lk  7:14;  Christus Vivit,
we see the same thing happening. you once again: you are the today up the darkness of this world! 20) and “Stand up. I appoint you
We can recall, for example, the of God, the today of the Church! I would like to take this occasion to as a witness of what you have
Transfiguration, when Peter, James Not just the future, but the today. make an important announcement. seen”  (cf.  Acts  26:16). In this way,
and John wanted to set up tents and Either you start playing today, or As you know, the journey of I hope that this time too, will see a
remain on the mountain. Or when you have lost the match. Today. The preparation for the 2018 Synod harmonious coordination between
Mary Magdalene met the risen Lord Church needs you, so that she can mostly coincided with the journey our journey towards the Lisbon
and wanted to cling to him. Yet, “his be fully herself. As Church, you are of World Youth Day in Panama, World Youth Day and our post-
risen body is not a treasure to be the body of the risen Lord present in which took place just three months synodal journey. Do not tune out
locked up, but a mystery to be shared the world. I would like you always to later. In my 2017 Message to Young the voice of God, who urges you to
(Final Document of the Synod, 115). remember that you are members of People, I expressed my hope for a arise and follow the paths that he
We encounter Jesus above all in one body, of this community. You are harmonious coordination between has prepared for you. Like Mary,
the community and on the paths of part of one another; by yourselves, those two journeys (cf. Preparatory and in union with her, may you daily
the world. The more we bring him you would not survive. You need Document, III, 5). Well then! bring to others his joy and his love.
to others, the more we will feel his one another, if you are to make a The next international edition The theme says that Mary arose and
presence in our lives. I am certain difference in a world increasingly of World Youth Day will be held went with haste to see her cousin.
that you will do this when you go tempted to divisiveness. Think in Lisbon in 2022. (I can hear a Always ready, always hastening,
home to your various countries. The about it. Our world is more and fan of Portugal out there!) The but not anxious or troubled. I ask
Emmaus account tells us that Jesus more divided, and divisions bring theme I chose for this stage of you to pray for me, and now I will
lit a fire in the hearts of the disciples wars and conflict in their wake. You the intercontinental pilgrimage give you my blessing. All together,
(cf. Lk 24:32). As you know, a fire, if have to be a message of unity. It is of young people is: “Mary arose each in his or her own language, but
it is not to go out, if it is not to turn worth setting out on this path. Only and went with haste” (cf. Lk 1:39). all together, let us recite the Hail
into ashes, has to spread. So feed the if we journey together, will we be In the two coming years, I would Mary. Hail Mary…

Pastoral Letter on Suicide“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
“Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

My dear People of God:
The Hope of Easter amidst the
Darkness of Life
By the Paschal Mystery of our Lord, we
celebrate his passion, death and resurrection.
We have seen how Good Friday shattered
the hopes, dreams, and expectations of his
disciples and followers. They thought he
was the Messiah, who will free them from
the Romans and from everyone oppressing
them. But he died on the cross and all
was lost. But on Easter Sunday, Jesus is
risen from the dead. He reigned over sin
and death, more fearful then any human
oppressors. This has changed their lives and
perspectives on what life brings them. And
it has changed ours too.
Easter Sunday brings us much hope even if
our lives are full of sorrow and pain, sickness,
death and betrayal. Jesus’ death and
resurrections bring us hope in the midst of the
messiness and bitterness of life. They make
us express what St. Paul said: “For I consider
that the sufferings of this present time are not
wroth comparing with the glory that is going
to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). Everything
that we encounter in this life will be nothing
compared to what awaits us in heaven which
infinitely outshines the sufferings and pain
that we might experience here.
Growing Number of Death by Suicide
These past weeks and months, we have
been shaken by news of individuals, both
young and old, who have died by suicide.
This has surely left questions as well as great
pains for the people whom suicide victims
leave behind. And this has also affected the
community and the local Church of Capiz.
As a father of the lock in Capiz, I repeat the
constant teaching of the Church: “Human
Life is sacred because from its beginning
it involves the creative action of God and
it remains forever in a special relationship
with the Creator, who is its sole end” (CCC
2258).
We were all created by God and he has
made us stewards of our lives. As stewards,
we are not the owners of our life. Only God
can decide to take and to end it. In contrast,
everyone is invited to nurture this life, to
live it to the full in this world, to discover
its beauty, to respect its nature, and to enjoy
its blessings until it shares in that fullness
of life in heaven.
Suicide, the taking and ending one’s
life, has always been seen as a rejection of
God’s gift of life, a failure in stewardship,
an act of despair and a sin against the 5th
commandment, “You shall not kill.”
We recognize, though, that a person
committing suicide is oftentimes clouded
in his judgment, otherwise he will not end
his life. On the other hand, there is even
an instinct in every person to protect his
life and to keep it away from harm and
danger. We do not deny that there may be
“risk” factors which severely compromised
a person’s ability to reason clearly and
to act freely. Risk factors may include
lack of family and social support, sense
of isolation, bullying, and relationship
problems which may lead to depression.
Thus, it is not right to play gods and to
judge these persons who died by suicide.
What we can do is to pray and entrust them
to the mercy and love of God.
The victims of suicide may have considered
that committing such act will end their
problems and those of the people around
them. In truth, this has not offered solution
at all; rather it has even created more
problems, it jeopardized their eternal
salvation. And for the people close to them,
it left nothing but lasting pain.
Problems will always be there, but there
will always be solutions. The Easter event
and message will always bring us hope. It is
not always Good Fridays, there will also be
Easter Sunday when we will triumph from
anything that burdens or oppresses us.
Everyone will always have problems. The
important thing to remember is that it is
in our facing, embracing and overcoming
them that we will make ourselves stronger
and better persons. A person is not great
because he escaped the difficulties of life.
This is cowardice. A person is great because
he has embraced and survived the challenges
of life. The burdens that we encounter in
life, after all, are part of our purifications on
our journey to that eternal bliss in heaven,
prepared for all of us. The Second Letter
of St. Paul to the Corinthians (4:16-18)
made this encouragement on this matter:
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though
outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly
we are being renewed day by day. For our
light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our eyes not on what
is seen, but on what is unseen, since what
is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.”
The Family and the Community’s
Share to Offset Suicide
In this time where cases of suicide
are increasing, we, the members of the
community and of the Church, are all invited
to make steps to battle with it:
First, families and homes can do so much
to prevent such horrible act to happen.
This can be done if parents journey with, if
they give time to, and if they listen to their
children and other members of the family.
Unconsciously, parents often think that
what happens in homes—the arguments, the
quarrels, among others—do not affect the
children. But in truth, these greatly affect
them and in the process, give the impression
that they are not valued and loved. When
children see and feel that love exists in their
family and homes, they realize more the
values and the beauty of life.
Secondly, institutions particularly schools
and the government should strive to dbe
an extension of the family where everyone
feels that they belong, are accepted and are
loved. Schools should exert more effort in
eradicating the culture of bullying, and in
implementing dynamic, effective and up-to-
date guidance services. Government should
strive to improve and strengthen suicide
prevention programs and interventions.
Thirdly, in cases where necessary, one
should never be ashamed to seek help from
some he trusts or from a professional such
as a guidance counselor, a psychologist
or psychiatrist. With anyone of them, one
can talk what he is feeling. It is not good
to carry the problem on one’s own. People
who are facing difficulties in life should
talk to people they trust, to a priest or to
a religious who might understand their
situation. When we know of someone who
is experiencing depression, we should reach
out to him. Even if we are not mental health
expert, often what depressed persons need
are people who are ready to listen without
judgment.
Finally, as a Church we are called to
cultivate the “culture of presence”. The
CBCP Episcopal Commission on Culture
in 2014 organized a conference on suicide
where they emphasized the need to counter
suicide by a “culture of presence”. Being
present with anyone, letting them feel that
we are with them especially when they are
burdened would matter so much. There
are readily available resources which
people can share with others like “a simple
smile and sincerely asking persons how
they are.”
We entrust to the mercy of God all victims
of suicide. May Mother Mary, consoler of
the afflicted, give comfort and consolation
to the families left by suicide victims. May
we all work together as a Church to bring
the presence of Christ to all.
With my paternal blessings,
+JOSE F. ADVINCULA, JR., D.D.
Archbishop of Capiz
July 3, 2019, Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle
B6 REFLECTIONS
The priority of listening to the
Word of God
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (Luke 10:38-42)
July 21, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
LUKE presents us two women of
different temperaments: one is a
doer named Martha, and the other
a listener called Mary. When Jesus
came to their village (Bethany?),
Martha welcomed him at her home,
and being a doer, she became busy
with the details of hospitality. Just
as, in the 1st Reading (Gen 18:1-10),
Abraham entertained his guests with
all the virtues expected of Bedouin
hospitality, so Martha displayed her
best in meeting the rules that hospi-
tality required. It is most likely that
she, for example, provided water for
the physical comfort of Jesus, aside
from preparing the meal. Luke does
not say it, but if some disciples ac-
companied him, she would have to
prepare not just a simple meal; and
one who values people who really
work can sympathize with her for
voicing out her feelings, “Lord, are
you not concerned that my sister has
left me to do the household tasks all
The deep longings of the poor in the light
of the petition, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (Luke 11:1-13)
July 28, 2019
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD
TODAY’S Gospel is about Jesus’
vision for the poor. Of course, in its
context, this Sunday’s 3rd Reading
is about prayer, and although we are
not told where or when Jesus prayed
on this particular occasion, Luke
probably inserted this in a series
of episodes that transpired while
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem
(Luke 9:51) to bring home the point
that this is about discipleship—a
disciple of Jesus must a man of
prayer. And that is probably the
intention of this selection in the
liturgy. But for our purpose, we can
look at the Gospel not as a lesson
on prayer, but an introduction to
what Jesus wanted for the poor by
examining the meaning of its some
parts. In this prayer which Jesus
taught his disciples, we are given
a general idea of his dream for the
poor—it is the vision of the Kingdom
of God. Earlier in the Gospel,
Jesus announced a macarism for
them: “Blessed are you poor, the
Kingdom of God is yours” (Luke
6:20). Those who were oppressed,
taken advantage of, economically
deprived and had nothing to lean
on except God, he called blessed,
because their misery would come
to an end. The kingdom of God
would answer their dreams and their
longing would be satisfied.
But what precisely is this vision for
the poor? This vision is described
in Luke’s Gospel in various ways,
but if we limit ourselves to the
Lord’s Prayer, we can already see
some characteristics of that vision,
the fulfillment of which his public
ministry was directed. In the Lord’s
Prayer, all the petitions describe
various aspects of that vision which
Jesus expected to be realized in
the future for the poor. That is
why, in New Testament studies,
the Our Father is often called an
eschatological prayer, because it is
alone? Tell her to help me” (Luke
10:40b).
To Martha’s complaint that
Mary merely seated herself as his
feet, while she was distracted with so
much serving, Jesus said, “Martha,
Martha, you are anxious and upset
about many things; one thing only
is required. Mary has chosen the
better portion and she shall not be
deprived of it” (Luke 10:41b-42). At
first blush, it would seem that Jesus’
comment is baffling. After all, Mary
never lent a hand in doing the house-
hold chores. That one sympathizes
with Martha is understandable.
Since he was their guest, it was
natural for Martha to fret about the
demands of hospitality. “If Martha
had imitated Mary, Christ would
have gone without dinner,” says St
Theresa. Moreover, did not Jesus
tell us to imitate the Good Samaritan
who was concerned with the details
of taking care of the victim ( 10:33
a prayer that speaks of something
that will happen in the final times.
For the nonce, however, it suffices
to focus on the first petition:
“Father, hallowed be your name”
(Luke 11:2b). In invoking God as
Father, Jesus made it clear that the
fulfillment of the hope of the poor
does not consist in the abundance
of land, livestock, money or material
satisfaction—that would be too
ephemeral—but can be found in
the ultimate community in which
all acknowledge God as their Father
who loves and cares for them and
their needs, and in their being his
sons and daughters (cf Deut 1:31;
Hos 11:1; Is 49:15).
This implies, of course, that all
women and men recognize their
status as brothers and sisters in the
family of God. In Luke’s theology,
this is begun here on earth when
people hear and act on the word
of God in Jesus (Luke 8:21), and
eventually form one family under
the Fatherhood of God. (Extra-
Lucan reflection would teach that
this is made possible by the Holy
Spirit through whom the disciples
of Jesus become adopted sons and
daughters [Gal 4:5-7; Rom 8:14-17].
These disciples share the life which
God himself communicated to Jesus
[2 Pet 1:4]). In this family which
is being realized here on earth,
each member, like the Samaritan,
treats his brother with love and
care, without discrimination and
greed; and his action, like Mary’s,
springs from listening to Jesus. In
that family, there is no longer any
place of agitation, propaganda,
disinformation, and manipulation
to which the poor are very often
subjected; on the contrary, they will
receive the freedom of the sons and
daughters of God.
It is a family in which God’s name
is held holy. To be sure, many
-35)? Did not he speak of being of
service to others ( 22:27 )? What
exactly was Jesus trying to convey?
The pericope should be under-
stood in the light of Luke’s theology
of discipleship. For him, to hear
and act on the word of God in Jesus
constitutes the foundation of dis-
cipleship: “Any man who desires to
come to me will hear my words and
put them into practice” ( 6:47 ). And
as we noted in the story of the Good
Samaritan ( 10:25 -37), God’s word
is not confined to the Law; among
others, it is present in the person
in need, and to respond to his need
is to act upon the word. But more
fundamental than doing the word
is listening to it. In the story about
Martha and Mary, it seems that Luke
does not portray Martha as hostess,
despite the impression given and
Luke’s description that she was busy
with the demands of hospitality.
Listening / B7
people often take “hallowed be your
name” to mean that we are to praise,
magnify and glorify the name of God.
Since the Charismatic Communities
praise the name of the Lord in their
prayer meetings, it is sometimes
claimed that they are the ones who
really understand the meaning of
the petition. That might be true, but
the thought that in this petition the
disciples are to honor the name of
God by praising and glorifying it is
obviously of secondary significance.
The meaning of the passage, rather,
has to do with the action of God.
It is not we who sanctify, but God
himself who makes holy his name.
The community of disciples prays
that God bring about a situation in
which all peoples and individuals
recognize his name. This particular
text harks back to the vision of
Ezekiel (Ezek 36:22-26) in which
God rehearses the wickedness of
Israel, and out of his zeal to sanctify
his name, gathers all Israel from
their exile and leads them back to
their land. He reorders the people
and creates a harmonious society,
freed from impurities and idols, and
liberated from foreign oppression,
the people given a new heart and
new spirit. Thus, in praying for
the hallowing of God’s name, Jesus
envisioned that God would vindicate
his name by gathering those who
believe in him into a family of
disciples. In that family, there
would be an end to all evils which
desecrated his name: exploitation of
the weak by the powerful, cheating
and manipulation of the poor by the
rich and the clever, discrimination
in social relationship on the basis
of sex, creed, color, work, etc. The
poor would certainly be vindicated
in that form of community.
That is the picture of the
hoped-for society that Jesus prayed
Longings / B7
July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14
Meeting the Lord through
action and contemplation
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (Luke 10:38-42)
July 21, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
NOWADAYS, technology and
competition force people to be more
active and creative. In many cases,
it is a question of survival. All this
entails the danger that man may live
a superficial life, even a noisy and
agitated life . . . with the consequent
loss of the sense of “direction” in
one’s own existence and of history
as a whole. It is a life lived for the
sake of action, or profit, or pleasure
– Soul-less activism, without a
superior meaning or purpose.
But present-day “super-activism”
is, in many aspects, a reaction to
centuries of “super-inactivism”
which has delayed the progress of
society in many ways. Problems
were left unsolved and simply
referred to “higher authorities,”
namely, God and the Saints. It
cannot be denied that a spurious
religious feeling has occasionally
been an easy excuse for inaction and
degrading fatalism. Unfortunately,
such a wrong concept of religiosity
is not quite dead yet . . . .
A proper and healthy balance
between these two extremes has to
be found. Genuine Christian faith,
rooted in the teaching and example
of Jesus Christ, and the apostles,
especially St. Paul, can provide
the necessary overall perspective
and motivation. This “solution”
entails much more than just finding
room for prayer in our lives and
harmonizing it with our activity. It
is a matter of not letting ourselves
be suffocated by earthly, temporal
concerns, but of being open to the
beyond, to transcendent values—
to God and a life of communion
with Him and our fellowmen. This
communion begins in this life and
continues beyond death.
Such a faith-perspective of
An invitation to pray
with trust-filled hope
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (Luke 11:1-13)
Fil. Mission Sunday, July 28, 2019
By Fr. Sal Putzu, SDB
IN today’s First Reading, we have
a moving example of prayer of
intercession, while the Gospel
offers a clear invitation to pray with
perseverance and full of hope.
Abraham, the man of faith and
the friend of God, upon learning
that the Lord plans to wipe out
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
because of the moral perversion of
their inhabitants, conducts an all-
out campaign aimed at obtaining a
reprieve from the punishment. All
the strength of his argument hinges
on God’s special consideration for
just people, and on the possibility
of finding a sizable number of
righteous persons in the doomed
cities.
But Abraham’s bargaining attitude
becomes humbler and humbler as
he realizes the impossibility of
finding even a handful of decent
people in the cities for which he
is interceding. On the other hand,
God’s condescension becomes
ever more magnanimous. Yet, all
comes to nothing, simply because
Abraham runs out of bargaining
options, as he realizes that only his
cousin Lot and his family deserve
to be spared.
But what is important for us to
reflect upon today is God’s readiness
to listen to our repeated requests, as
well as the legitimacy of persevering
in our petitions. Perseverance, in
this case, is not an attempt to prevail
upon God by tiring Him with our
insistence until He decides to grant
us what we ask, so as to be “left
in peace.” Nor is it an attempt to
CBCP Monitor
“openness to God and neighbor,”
when it is genuine, does not lead to
alienating forms of escapism and
renunciation, but also becomes the
strongest possible motivation for
temporal commitment/action in
this life and society. And—above
all—it gives meaning and value to
what we plan and do. It does give
meaning even to suffering, setbacks,
and death. No other ideology or
philosophy of life can offer such
motivation, value, and hope.
Hope is the reality that
underscores the transcendental
orientation of every individual
person and of human history as a
whole. It helps us understand that
the two dimensions of commitment
to history and openness to God (and
all that is related to Him), though
both indispensable, do not have
the same objective value. There
is, indeed, a “better part” as Jesus
pointed out to Martha (see Lk
10:62). This “better part” is intimacy
and communion with God.
Such an intimacy/communion
is “better,” both because of the
sublimating relationship in which
it establishes us, and because it
will last for ever. It is this “fullness”
that we hope for, and which gives
meaning and direction to our
otherwise barren existence on
earth. It also gives us the strength
that we need to take very seriously
the “lesser part”—temporal
commitment to justice, peace, and
progress. Indeed, we who believe
and hope in the “better part” can
and should take this life even more
seriously than those who do not
have such transcendent hope, since
these are the two complementary
“dimensions” of life for which God
has created us.
twist God’s arm, so to speak, and
force Him to do what we demand,
even though in the beginning He
did not want . . . . These would be
blasphemous attempts to impose
our will on God.
“The Lord’s Prayer”—and any
other petition patterned after it—
even when repeated several times,
is never an imposition on God, nor
is it a nuisance to Him. Rather,
it is always a trust-filled request
addressed by a child to his/her
loving Father. It is uttered over
and over again, as in the case of
Abraham, with undying hope, bold
with the boldness of God’s children .
. . . but its final conclusion is always
that of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane:
“Not my will, but yours be done!”
(See Mk 14:36-39.)
Such prayer is offered under the
inspiration and guidance of the Holy
Spirit. It is rooted in a deep faith in
God’s goodness and candidly admits
that only God can do something
about what is asked. It is presented
with humility, knowing that we are
not really worthy to receive what
we are asking. And when the favor
requested is meant to benefit others,
that prayer of intercession is also an
act of charity.
These are the virtues all of us
should strive to acquire and on
which to root our prayer, especially
the prayer of petition. With such
disposition, we will be able to move
mountains, not because we are
particularly strong, but simply
because our prayer puts us in touch
with the omnipotence of God.
CBCP Monitor July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14
Who doesn’t want peace and reconciliation?
By Fr. Shay Cullen
WHO doesn’t want peace, harmony,
and reconciliation in their lives, their
family, personal relationships, their
nation and the world? Only those
who can make personal gain from
chaos.
Jenny May (not her real name)
is 14 years of age and wants peace
above all. Without reconciliation
with her mother, she will continue
to suffer greatly. In the padded
therapy room, she unleashes her
pain, emotional hurt and deep
anguish. The anger at her mother
comes gushing out. For her abuser,
there is bitter hatred.
She howls, screams and punches
the cushions continually. Her
cries make me and the therapists
shiver with every moment of her
outpouring of pain. Our hair stands
on end with the shock of such naked
hatred being released like a volcanic
eruption. She throws herself against
the foam-padded wall in a violent
counter-attack against her rapist as
she relives those terrible times of
helplessness and fear.
Jenny is an abused girl, raped by
the live-in partner of her mother who
did not want to believe her daughter
when she finally told what happened
when her mother left her alone
with the man who had replaced her
father. She shouts at her mother,
“Why did you let it happen, why did
you not believe me and help me? I
hate you, hate you!” she cried out.
Later in counseling, Jenny May
says despite the betrayal of her
mother she wants to talk with
her. Will there be reconciliation
and peace-making? That we don’t
know. For many of the 56 children
recovering and healing in the Preda
Home for abused children, it is
similar. They want reconciliation
and peace with their unsupportive
mothers. Her silence was akin to
approval. Her inaction makes her an
accomplice in the terrible crime. It
will have life-long consequences for
both her and Jenny May.
The lack of Emotional Release
Therapy for most victims means
the pain has to be kept locked up
inside, a cork tightly pressed into
the emotional bottle. A barrier of
repressed memories is built up as the
victims struggle to survive the ordeal
as they grow and mature and find a
way to survive and make something
of life. Self-induced forgetfulness
Flock / B2
3) A people (Catholic faithful),
who belong to the prelature not
through being circumscribed in a
given territory, but due to a personal
quality and personal election to
belong to the said prelature.
To date, the only existing personal
prelature is the Prelature of Opus
Dei, the peculiarity of which is
that the type of pastoral care
it delivers is not what is called
the ordinaria cura animarum
(ordinary care of souls), which
is already given by the territorial
ecclesiastical circumscription (i.e.,
the dioceses) of which the faithful
of the prelature already form part.
Rather, this prelature exists for
a peculiar pastoral care, aside
from the ordinary pastoral care
given by the dioceses, in order
to capacitate its faithful to live a
specific vocation to live the Christian
life to the full, in order to be leaven
in both secular society and the
Church. Thus, the priests of Opus
Dei do not ordinarily administer the
sacraments of baptism, confirmation
or solemnize the marriage involving
its faithful: they receive all these in
their respective parishes. Neither
do the majority of the faithful
go to Mass in special centers of
Opus Dei. On the other hand, the
priests of Opus Dei assiduously
impart doctrinal formation
(teaching ecclesiastical sciences to
all the faithful of the prelature and
Longings / B6
for, and that is the alternative vision
of society that we hope God will
give us whenever we pray, “Father,
hallowed be thy name.” That is
the kind of community that is in
store for us in the final times. And
precisely because the Lord’s Prayer
is the only prayer that Jesus taught
his disciples, it is a prayer which only
we Christians can, and must pray. It
is our identity. That is what we wish
to be: a community of life and love,
shared with God and our fellowmen.
keeps them going, affecting their
personality, character and behavior
throughout life. For peace and
reconciliation to take place, there
has to be a change within both
parties.
For dialogue to be possible, there
has to be justice for Jenny May
so a criminal charge of rape of
a minor will be filed against the
live-in partner and the mother will
have to support it if there is to be
reconciliation and peace between
child and the mother.
Conflicting parties in family, society
or between nations can find a peaceful
settlement if they really want to have
peaceful co-existence. As for the
individual, Jenny May, so too for the
world- much pain before peace.
Governments that are invading,
occupying and blockading the
territory or seas of the native
inhabitants are robbing them of
their sovereign rights and national
dignity. They have aggressive
instincts like the rapist of Jenny
May. Appeasement and dialogue
catechism to their many friends)
and spiritual formation, both
individually (through frequent
Confession and spiritual direction)
and collectively (through days
of recollection and retreats) to
the faithful of the prelature and
their friends. This type of personal
ecclesiastical circumscription then
provides another layer of pastoral
care over and above the ordinary
care of souls provided by the
territorial circumscriptions to which
its faithful primordially belong.
But there are also some eventual
personal circumscriptions,
mentioned in Vatican documents
and by authors, which can deliver
the ordinaria cura animarum to
special groups of faithful, who
for some reason would otherwise
find themselves deprived of such
ordinary pastoral care. Thus,
the Guidelines for the Pastoral
Care of Gypsies2 the possibility of
establishing a personal prelature
to take care of those people is
mentioned. A similar proposal
was made to take care of migrants3
and John Paul II made reference to
it in the context of immigrants in
two Apostolic Exhortations.4 Some
authors have also given, as example
the care of migrants of same nation
displaced in other territories,5 or
the pastoral care of the people of the
sea,6 as possible, specific pastoral
tasks for personal prelatures.
Could this not be the solution
It is a community freed from all
forms of evil, and for service and
love for one another. It is also our
mission. We have to engage in
the realization of this hoped-for
community. At the same time, if we
believe that God is our Father, then
we must behave as brothers and
sisters to one another. If we believe
in the holiness of his name, then
we ought to work for the gathering
of all Christians—no matter their
color, social status or nationality (cf
is not possible but a change of
mind and heart is and justice
must be done. There will be no
peaceful solution by insulting and
humiliating their opponents by
threatening obliteration, violence
and the threat of war.
There is enough war in the world.
In Yemen, the children scream
in pain and die and hundreds of
thousands are starving. They too
feel the pain, anger and even hatred
at being oppressed and raped. War
brings only misery, great pain for
the victims and for the aggressor.
An average of 20 former US soldiers
commit suicide a day in the USA.
In 2012 alone, an estimated 6,500
former military personnel died by
suicide. More active duty veterans,
177, succumbed to suicide that year
than were killed in combat, 176.
The Army suffered 52 percent of the
suicides from all branches, according
to the US State Department. With
such pain and suffering, the opiate
addiction is inevitable.
In the United States, the
for the OFWs in those areas
where the territorial ecclesiastical
circumscription is non-existent
or very thinly constituted either
absolutely (i.e., it simply has too
few priests) or relatively (i.e., it
has too few priests in comparison
to the millions of OFWs in their
territory—e.g., in the Middle East)?
------------------
1
A follow up on a series of articles on the subject that
appeared in this column in May 2010, and again in
February 2013
2
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE
OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANT PEOPLE, Guidelines
for the Pastoral Care of Gypsies, 8.XII.2005, n.88, in
People on the Move, N° 100 (Suppl.), April 2006,
and in http://www.vatic.va/roman_curia/pontifical_
councils/migrants/documents/rc_pc_migrants_
doc_20051208_orientamenti-zingari_en.html
(13-04-2010).
3
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL
CARE OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANT PEOPLE,
Instruction Erga migrantes caritas Christi,
3.V.2004, n.24, in http://www.vatic.va/roman_curia/
pontifical_councils/migrants/documents/rc_pc_
migrants_doc_20040514_erga-migrantes-caritas-
christi_en.html#Conical%20norms (13-04-2010);
also in J.I ARRIETA, Il sistema dell’organizzazione
ecclesiastica -Norme e Documenti, Roma (2009),
pp.713-725.
4
Cf. Venerable JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation Ecclesia in America (6.XI.1999), n.65,
note 237, in AAS, 91 (1999), p.800 and Post-Synodal
Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Europa (28.
VI.2003), n.103, note 166 in AAS 95 (2003) 707.
5
Cf. E BAURA, Le attuali riflessioni della conistica sulle
prelature personali, in S.GERRO (ed.), Le prelature
personali nella normativa e nella vita della
Chiesa, Padova (2002), pp.15-53, on pp.20-22.
6
Cf. L.M. DE BERNARDIS, La giurisdizione ecclesiastica
sulle navi, in Rivista de Diritto della Navigazione,
6 (1940), pp.425-426 (quoted by BAURA, ibidem,
note 10).
Gal 3:26-28)—so a Christian world
will become the evidence for the
sanctity of his name. By so doing,
we share in the task of establishing
God’s reign on earth. That reign
more than satisfies the longings of
the poor, but not necessarily in the
manner poor people might think.
But they have to learn the ways
of God in fulfilling their hope and
satisfying their needs. That is why
they need to become “poor in spirit”
(Matt 5:3).
warmongers are beating the
drums of war. These war-loving
politicians are likely to be in cahoots
and collusion with the private
war contractors they made it a
colossally big business. They love
war. They want to sell weapons,
provide services, give protection.
The munitions manufacturers likely
have huge stockpiles of bombs and
bullets with expiration dates. They
must use them or lose them.
These war contractors are still
deliriously dizzy from the billions
of dollars they earned from the Iraqi
war. All in all, a total of US$138
billion dollars was gouged from the
pockets of the American taxpayers.
The top ten corporations earned
US$72 billion out of the Iraqi
invasion, according to the Financial
Times.
War contractors are hungry for
more taxpayers money. The feeding
frenzy is not over yet. The US State
Department paid US$3 billion
from 2011 to 2015 for the private
contractors guarding the huge US
Listening / B6
Rather, as in the story of Zaccheus
(19:1-10) and the two men from
Emmaus (24:13-32), Jesus himself
is the host. (After all, Jesus did not
come to be served [ 22:27 ]). And
central to the story is not Martha
offering a table of material food but
Jesus offering a table of the word.
While Martha offers food for daily
sustenance, Jesus offers food for
eternal life: the word of God.
Small wonder, then, that Jesus
said, “Mary has chosen the better
portion and she shall not be de-
prived of it” ( 10:42 ). More basic
than acting on the word is, as we
noted, hearing it. Mary chose to
listen to the word of God in Jesus.
That Jesus praised her—this is
meant to underline that action, like
Martha’s or the Good Samaritan’s,
should ultimately spring from lis-
tening to God’s word. This is the
proper response to God’s offer in
Jesus—one’s personal adherence to
his person and words. If doing were
enough—well, even Communists
can take care of people in need; one
need not be a Christian to do it. In
fact, that is the rallying slogan of
activists, revolutionaries and rebels:
action for the poor! But that is the
heresy of action. The story, then,
is not intended to praise Mary at
the expense of Martha, but to point
out that in discipleship, our action
should issue from God’s word and
an embodiment of it. Here true dis-
cipleship begins. Lending support to
this interpretation is the depiction of
Mary as seating herself at the Lord’s
feet. “To seat at a person’s feet” is ac-
tually a New Testament expression
for being a disciple of that person.
Luke, for example, describes Paul’s
education as being seated at the feet
of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).
For centuries, the story has been
used to argue that contemplative
life, which Mary supposedly repre-
sents, is better than active life, which
Martha is said to symbolize, or that
religious life is better than the life
of the lay person who is involved in
the world. That interpretation, how-
SOCIAL CONCERNS B7
Embassy compound in Baghdad.
This contract was likely renewed
for a higher price until the present.
One of the biggest war contractors
during the Iraqi invasion was
Halliburton. The chairman of
Halliburton was Dick Cheney, the
Vice President of George W. Bush.
Cheney pushed for the invasion
of Iraq. His subsidiary company,
Kellog Brown & Root, earned a
cool US$39.5 billion in wartime
contracts.
The US sanctions against Iran
are another moneymaking ploy.
President Trump withdrew from
the agreement that limited Iran’s
nuclear development and imposed
sanctions on Iran so it can’t sell its
oil. Prices of oil, diesel and gasoline
have soared. This benefits greatly
the US oil drilling and fracking
companies who now can produce
and profit from higher price of oil.
Everyone else loses.
Who wants peaceful negotiation?
Certainly not those who profit from
war. (www.preda.org)
ever, is very much wide of the mark.
The pericope is really about disciple-
ship, which brings true beatitude:
“Blest are they who hear the word of
God and keep it” ( 11:28 ). Hearing
and doing the word of God cannot
be separated, however. Martha is
no less important than Mary, since
one cannot exist without the other.
Discipleship needs both of them.
Which is why Luke gives us portraits
of two temperaments; they may be
different, but they need one another.
Action, however, must result from
listening. It is not enough to be like
the Samaritan; of more primary is
that one first listens to, and is guided
by the word of God in Jesus. This
point is even accented in the liturgy.
Before we partake of the Eucharistic
Food (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and
before we are sent on mission (“go,
the mass is ended,”), we are first
served with the word of God (Liturgy
of the Word). For how can our life
proclaim the gospel if it has not been
nourished first by the word?
This recalls what John Paul II
says in his apostolic letter, Novo
millennio ineunte concerning the
priority of listening to the word
of God for the Church’s work in
the new millennium: “It is above
all the work of evangelization and
catechesis which is drawing new life
from attentiveness to the word of
God. Dear brothers and sisters, this
development [in devout listening
to Sacred Scripture and attentive
study of it] needs to be consolidated
and deepened, also by making sure
that every family has a Bible. It is
especially necessary that listening
to the word of God should become
a life-giving encounter, in the
ancient and ever valid tradition of
lectio divina, which draws from the
biblical text the living word which
questions, directs and shapes our
lives. To nourish ourselves with the
word in order to be ‘servants of the
word’ in the work of evangelization:
this is surely a priority for the
Church at the dawn of the new
millennium.”
B8 ENTERTAINMENT July 8 - 21, 2019 Vol. 23 No. 14 CBCP Monitor

Buhay San Miguel Brothers Matias

Toy Story 4
The movie shows that being
able to make others happy and
belonging to family will ultimately
fix and complete us.
TERIBOL OG Bladimer Usi
DIRECTOR: John Coolet;
LEAD CAST: Tom Hanks, Tom
Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale,
Christina Hendricks;
PRODUCER: Jonas
Rivera, Mark Nielsen;
SCREENWRITER: Stephany
Folsom, Andrew Stanton; Story
by: John Lasseter, Rashida
Jones, Will McCormack;
MUSIC: Randy Newman;
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Patrick
Lin;
EDITING: Axel Geddes;;
GENRE: Amimation; take a back seat in this film,
COUNTRY: USA;
LANGUAGE: English the same highs of its action-
RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes. comedy sequences and inner
conflicts make it enjoyable to

Technical assessment: 3.5
Moral assessment: 3
CINEMA rating: VA
MTRCB rating: G
It has been two years after
Andy goes to college and
donates his toys to Bonnie.
Woody (Hanks), trying to
find his place now that be is
no longer the favorite toy,
decides to continue looking
after Bonnie during her life
changing phases. He joins
Bonnie in her kindergarten
orientation and helps her
cope with the new experience.
He rescues a plastic spork
which Bonnie turns into a
toy-Sporky. Sporky (Hale),
after to life, believes his place
is in the trash and vehemently
refuses to be Bonnie’s toy.
Woody takes it upon himself
to make sure Sporky stays
safe for Bonnie because his
presence gives the little girl
the confidence to tackle the
challenges of growing up.
During one of his rescue
attempts, Woody crosses
paths with Bo Peep (Potts) —
his lost love since Toy Story
2. Bo is now an independent
toy belonging to no one.
She has discovered that life
on the road brings more
adventure and meaning
belying her delicate
porcelain exterior. This
touching reunion leads to
overcoming risks to Bonnie’s
happiness, evading Gabby’s
(Hendricks) plan and his
discovering the meaning of
his existence no longer as a
child-owned toy.
There is no doubt that
Toy Story brings the same
endearing integration of
technique, storytelling and
message. While the Woody-
Buzz arc and adventures
Buhay Parokya
the young and old. The balance
between the serious themes FIND 3 MISSING THINGS:
and childlike lightheartedness 1. HOLY CHALICE
is perfectly interwoven in 2. SAINT PETER
the script and powerfully 3. JESUS CHRIST
portrayed by the cast. The
strongest aspect of the film is
its ability to breathe life into
the characters. None of them
feel like toys. And this is not
only because of the brilliant
animation techniques, the
textured production design
or the passionate portrayals
but more so due to the
layers of motivations and
depth of characterizations.
However, the seeming closure
of the franchise opens up
possibilities for another
chapter given Woody’s new
found reason for existence,
falls a tad short of the
emotional impact Toy Story
3 had in the ending.
While friendship, loyalty,
and commitment to one’s
purpose remain to be the
dominant themes of the
franchise, two subplots bring
forward equally powerful
issues worth discussing.
First, Toy Story 4 beautifully
shows how women (or
people in general) should not
be judged by their delicate
exterior. Bo Peep transitions
from a china porcelain on
the outside but tough as
nails on the inside with
her heart and vision being
in the right place. Second,
the storyline of Gabby, the
film’s antagonist, leads us
to continue to find our worth
not just by fixing what is
wrong or filling up what
is missing. Gabby shows
us that being able to make
others happy and belonging
to a family will ultimately fix
and complete us.

Secret Life of Pets 2

Max (voiced by Patton
Oswalt) is faced with
growing-up issues in the
arrival of baby Liam, the
newly born child of his
The movie shows there is friendship among different animals, and owner Katie. and when the
that like humans they can help one another in time of need. family brings him along
to farm adventure. Gidget
DIRECTOR: Chris Renaud
CAST: Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, (voiced by Jenny Slate)
Tiffany Haddish, Lake Bell, Nick Kroll, Dana Carvey, Ellie Kemper, is taking feline lesson
Chris Renaud to rescue a toy from an
PRODUCER: Chris Melendandri, Janet Healy
SCRIPTWRITER: Brian Lynch apartment packed with
MUSIC: Alexandre Despalt cats. Snowball (voiced by
EDITOR: Tiffany Hillkurtz Kevin Hart), a rabbit, and
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Universal Picture, Illumination Daisy ( voiced by Tiffany
DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures
COUNTRY: United States Haddis), a Shit Tzu, is on
LANGUAGE: English a mission to rescue Hue,
RUNNING TIME: 86 minutes white sugar.
Technical assessment: 3
The Secret Life of Pets 2,
Moral assessment: 3 the second offering of the
CINEMA rating: V 13 same title in 2016 is a mix
up of themes that try to get
connected but end up as
a tangled mass. There is
much to be desired in the
film editing, as transition
of scenes is not very
smooth. The film is simply
honoring the pets and
their heroism. Except for
some injection of action
drama in the lives of the
fe ature d animals, the re
are no literal secrets, after
all. Nonetheless, dubbing
is commendable and
contributes to entertaining
animation of the pet
characters. Voicing by
known actors and actresses
is excellent, effectively
conveying emotions
required in every scene. friendship among different
Other technical aspects of animals and they can help
this animation film are just one another in time of need.
appropriate and not much Regardless of their sizes,
notable. the small harmless animals
Animals as living when acting together can
creatures like humans come to the rescue of big
have feelings, too, and may ones. Ironically, while
have relationship needs. positive characteristics
The Secrets Life of Pets 2 of animals are carried
reminds the viewers of this out as theme of the film,
very nature of animals. For there are also instances
example, true to the saying when humans are depicted
that a dog is man’s best as abusive and crue l to
friend, dogs are depicted them. Nevertheless, more
in the film as domestic pets than the lives of featured
with so much care for the animals, this animation
family of their owner. They film conveys values for
may be faced by self-issues humans to reflect on and
but more important is their apply in their own daily
ability to cope. There is circumstances.
 THE CROSS
A Supplement Publication of the Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI
CBCP Monitor Vol. 23, No. 14 July 8 - 21, 2019

Bishops laud KCFAPI for generosity

THE Knights of Columbus
Fraternal Association, Inc.
has been lauded for its
continued support to the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines.
The bishops welcomed their
generosity on July 8, after a
Mass at the Sta. Maria Goretti
Church during their plenary
assembly in Manila.
Fr. Marvin Mejia, CBCP
Secretary General, said the
KCFAPI, through its “Seed of
Hope Fund”, has been helping
the conference for the past 11
years.
During the ceremony,
the KCFAPI turned over P1
million check to Archbishop
Romulo Valles and Bishop
Pablo Virgilio David, CBCP
President and Vice President,
respectively.
Present during the event
were KCFAPI officials
led by its Chairman Jose
Reyes; Ramoncito Ocampo,
President; and Gerry Eutemio
Mission, Treasurer.
As in previous years, the
fund is given during the
bishops’ biannual meeting
at the Pope Pius XII Catholic
Center.
The Seed of Hope Fund
is a P10 million fund of the
KCFAPI that yields P1 million
per annum earmarked for the KCFAPI Board of Trustees headed by Chairman Jose C. Reyes, Jr.; President Ramoncito A. Ocampo; Treasurer Gerry T. Mission; Board of Trustee and Luzon South State Deputy Bonifacio B. Martinez and Vice Presidents Mary
special projects of the CBCP. Magdalene G. Flores, Angelito A. Bala, Ronulfo G. Infante and Gari M. San Sebastian together with CBCP President Archbishop Romulo Valles and Vice President Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David during the awarding of the Seed
Since 2009, the of Hope fund last July 1, 2019 at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center, Manila.
insurance arm of the
Knights of Columbus in Willmann Charities. assistance for seminarians currently has about 425,000 the towns of Basco, Ivana and is the world’s largest Catholic
the Philippines has already The KC Foundation has and priests. members, making it the Mahatao. family fraternal service
donated around P10 million accomplished several projects In his brief speech, Reyes second largest jurisdiction in “These would have not been organization, with more
to the CBCP. ranging from educational thanked the bishops for their the world next to Texas. made possible without the than 1.76 million members
The KCFAPI also maintains programs, relief and rehabilitation continued prayers and support In May this year, the K of C help of Bishop Danilo Ulep serving in over 13,400
two charitable foundations: for calamity victims. for the Knights of Columbus has established its first three and the clergy,” said Reyes, councils throughout North
the KC Philippines The Fr. Willmann which has “tremendously new councils in Batanes, who is also one of the Order’s America, Central America, the
Foundation and the Knights Charities, meanwhile, has grown” over the years. located in the northernmost Supreme Directors. Caribbean, Asia and Europe.
of Columbus Fr. George J. been providing scholarship The fraternal organization tip of the country. They are in The Knights of Columbus (KCNews)

KC Philippines Update: Columbian Year 2019 – 2020

Board of Trustees / Directors
Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI)

Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Chairman

Ramoncito A. Ocampo President
Rene V. Sarmiento Secretary
Gerry Eutemio T. Mission Treasurer
Teofrido B. Lagria Trustee
Bonifacio B. Martinez Trustee
Danilo A. Sanchez Trustee
Noeni S. Nepomuceno Independent Trustee
Proculo T. Sarmen Independent Trustee

KC Philippines Foundation, Inc.

(KCPFI)

Arsenio Isidro G. Yap Chairman

Alonso L. Tan President
Gerry Eutemio T. Mission Secretary
Teofrido B. Lagria Treasurer
The Worthy Luzon South Deputy Bonifacio B. Martinez while delivering his report during The Knights of Columbus Mindanao Jurisdiction officers headed by Mindanao State Rene V. Sarmiento Trustee
the Luzon South Organizational Meeting of District Deputies for Columbian Year 2019 Deputy Gerry T. Mission during their Strategic Planning last June 22, 2019 at the Grand Bonifacio B. Martinez Trustee
to 2020 held last June 29, 2019 at the Tryp Hotel, Pasay City. (Photo Credits: EBDawal) Menseng Hotel, Davao del Sur. Noeni S. Nepomuceno Trustee
Hilario G. Davide, Jr. Trustee
Knights of Columbus Visayas Jurisdiction Holds Renewal of Marriage Vows Mario T. Piamonte Trustee

THE Knights of Columbus Visayas society is busy drafting bills to weaken On the otherhand, the activity was Knights of Columbus Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc.
Jurisdiction organized the Renewal of the foundation of marriage, the Knights dedicated to all the spouses who stood (KCFGJWCI)

Marriage Vows last June 29, 2019 at of Columbus members and their spouses strong to support their husbands’ Arsenio Isidro G. Yap Chairman
Iloilo Convention Center, Mandurriao, were bold enough to bring the message involvement in the Order. The Renewal Alonso L. Tan President
Gerry Eutemio T. Mission Secretary
Iloilo City. It was attended by seventy across that marriage can last for a of Marriage Vows was the concrete Teofrido B. Lagria Treasurer
(70) Knights of Columbus Couples and lifetime. expression of the husbands’ gratitude Rene V. Sarmiento Trustee
several guests. The Holy Mass and There were two invited speakers. and love to their ladies by rededicating Bonifacio B. Martinez Trustee
Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Trustee
Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony Representing the Knights of Columbus their Sacred Promises before God in the Hilario G. Davide, Jr. Trustee
was officiated by Archbishop Jose Lazo, was Brother Nilo Sucero, and for the presence of their Brother Knights and Jacinto S. Pancha Trustee
D.D., Archdiocese of Jaro. During his ladies, Sister Grace Bunda. Both speakers Archbishop Lazo. Isagani B. Maghirang Trustee
Edwin B. Dawal Trustee
homily, he commended the Knights of shared how the Knights of Columbus and The activity was followed by a reception Rev. Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III Trustee
Columbus for initiating such activity. the involvement of their families shaped dinner and testimonial messages for Rev. Fr. Jeronimo Ma. J. Cruz Trustee
According to Archbishop Lazo, marriage their spiritual formation and maintained the outgoing Visayas Deputy, Brother Rev. Fr. Robert T. Young Trustee
Rev. Fr. Hernandez P. Mendoza, Jr. Trustee
is a vocation to holiness. While our their strong marital relationship. Anthony P. Nazario. (APNazario)

KCFAPI Welcomes New VP – FBG for VisMin

BEGINNING July 2019,
Mr. Anthony P. Nazario
will assume the position
KC Foundations:
of VP – FBG for Visayas
and Mindanao. He will be
responsible in the achievement
of the Association’s sales
target for both areas.
Mr. Nazario graduated
with a degree in Bachelor of
Science in Accountancy at the Savings Bank (Iloilo Branch).
University of the Philippines He is the immediate past
– Visayas. He also holds a Visayas State Deputy from
degree in Bachelor of Laws Columbian Year 2015 to 2019
at the University of Iloilo. He and is the loving husband of The newly elected Board of Trustees of the Knights of Columbus Fr. George J. Willmann The newly elected Board of Trustees of the KC Philippines Foundation, Inc. (KCPFI)
is a former Senior Assistant Portia and father of Czarina Charities, Inc. (KCFGJWCI) ) with Supreme Director Jose C. Reyes, Jr. taken last July 5, with Supreme Director Jose C. Reyes, Jr. taken last July 5, 2019 at the KCFAPI Center,
Manager of the Equicom Therese. 2019 at the KCFAPI Center, Intramuros Manila. Intramuros Manila.
C2 July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 THE CROSS
Ramoncito A. Ocampo Jose C. Reyes, Jr.

President’s Chairman’s Message

Message
State Deputy Jose C. Reyes, Jr. thanks Luzon North Team

The Holy Garment: The Scapular of Our IT is with great pride that I more councils, and organized a
relinquish my post as State Columbian Squire Circle. This
Lady of Mount Carmel Deputy for Luzon North. team was led by Bro. Ton Ton
On August 7, 2019, as part Lodrigito and other brother
“O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I of the annual convention of Knights.
humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor the Knights of Columbus in Another accomplishment
me in this necessity (make request). There are none that can Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, that is worth mentioning
withstand your power.” - Prayer to the Blessed Mother of my wife and I will go up the was the reactivation of the
Mount Carmel stage to receive the fourth Philippine National Police
AS we celebrate the solemn liturgical feast of Our Lady of pinnacle trophy covering the (PNP) Council in Camp
Mount Carmel, we commemorate the roles of Mary, mother period 2018-2019. Such title Crame. A Manual on Values
of God as the patroness of the Carmelite order. During those is given to a jurisdiction that Formation developed by the
early years in which the legend was established, she became has achieved its membership
Supreme Director and KCFAPI Chairman Jose C. Reyes, Jr. with Luzon North Jurisdiction
Knights of Columbus and PNP
Officers during their visit in Batanes last March 28, 2019.
the exemplary model of the whole connotation of which quota, has submitted all the Chaplains last year will be used
Carmelites aspire, the prayer and contemplation as well as a forms required, has paid all their respective constituents Philippine archipelago, we met for policemen. The Philippine
model of virtue. She is seen as the one who points Christians Supreme Council assessments, with my field visits. With three people from the clergy Military Academy in Baguio
most surely to Christ. Hence, her role become so vital in the and established new councils. this award that is a product who are so eager and have City was able to form a council
birth of the feast. In our jurisdiction, we even of selfless team work, I felt been wanting to create Knights composed of 100 Cadets and
The sanctity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered exceeded our target on fulfilled and energized. Such of Columbus councils in their Enlisted Men. Now, the cadets
on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known membership by 120.98%. good feelings were derived province. Their hopes were will be able to choose the
as the Brown Scapular, it became a part of a devotion among Because of this award, from the dedication, creativity already starting to wane. These Knights of Columbus as their
the Catholic faithful from early years up until now. The origin no less than our Supreme and relentless efforts of our three priests were Rev. Bishop brotherhood organization.
of the scapular came from the story of Saint Simon Stock Knight Carl A. Anderson, sent officers and members in the Daniel Ulep, Rev. Fr. Zenki I now turn over the
who received the scapular from Mary after writing a prayer a formal congratulatory letter. field. Allow me then to honor Manabat current parish priest Jurisdiction to another
entitled Flos Carmeli, a Latin word for “Flower of Carmel”. In Before this formal letter, Bro. and thank them publicly. of Immaculate Concepcion leader, who is also a lawyer
return, Mary promised Simon several spiritual benefits that Mark McMullen, Senior Vice A more recent example of Cathedral of Basco and Rev. by profession, Bro. Rene
the scapular can provide. President – Membership this team work is the case of Fr. Robert Young, former Sarmiento. I trust that the
We shall wear it. When we wear the scapular, it does not & Fraternal mission Batanes province. Last March parish priest of Batanes, now Luzon North Team will give
only give us assurance that we participate at the feast but it commended my leadership. 28, 2019, I visited Batanes assigned in the Holy Trinity the same, if not more, support
means that we show our piety to Mary and we choose to live But more importantly, he also together with other officers of Parish in Balic-balic, Manila. that was given me. Thank
in accordance with the virtue of Jesus through Mary who will gave recognition to the Luzon Luzon North Jurisdiction. In Basco Council was organized. you, Luzon North Team
help us to do so. It’s our commitment to make the tangible North Team. As a leader, I my first visit to this beautiful We sent another delegation and may God bless all your
symbol of Mary exist in the real life we’re living through. A tried to inspire our team and province at the tip of the on May 3, 2019 to set up 2 undertakings. Vivat Jesus!
great example is a permanent way of Christian living which
involves the holiness of our interior life and spiritual works.
We shall observe chastity in accordance to the way we live.
Karlo Serviento
In this manner, we can portray what genuine love is. It teaches
us to love and to be loved without anything in return. We
shall always be free from the tendency to use others for our
Pondering the Words
gratification, thus, we shall always love just how Jesus loves us.
We shall pray with the Rosary. Its unique graces will fall into Knights of Columbus: The Good Samaritans
place. It becomes more realistic to feel the presence of Christ
within our mind, heart and soul. It will always guide us to the
virtues we shall be committed to. This is the best weapon which
will draw us closer to the sacrament. The reminder of winning MAY I share with you an experience we his tomb. As we alighted the van, the rain Fr. George in his lifetime lived a life of
a war going on for our souls is the holy rosary. have encountered last June 28, 2019. once again stopped and the sun shone. holiness and love for the poor. We can
In this season, we shall treat and receive the Scapular as a The night before, a Low Pressure Area Wow! We truly have a friend in heaven! say, he is a Good Samaritan. Instead of
manifestation of our special relationship with Mary, the Mother has entered the country that hit Metro Moving forward, on Sunday, 14th living in the comforts of the Ateneo de
of Jesus, whom we promise our commitment from this day Manila partially. It was a rainy morning. of July 2019, we are on the Fifteenth Manila, he chose to live with the poor
onwards. May it be a reminder to us, especially Christians, in As we are about to start and during the Sunday in Ordinary Time. As members of Tondo and Intramuros. He loved the
serving others with the heart and word of Mary. We shall wear Mass in commemoration of Fr. George of the Order of the Knights of Columbus, poor. For him, it is the fulfilment of each
it as her genuine sign of love and protection because we belong J. Willmann’s 122nd birth anniversary, we are all aware that July is the start of one’s life. To be of service to the people
to the family of Carmel, who are willing to live and follow life the rain continuously poured down. our Columbian Year. And the Sunday’s who are the faces of the Lord.
through the will of God. That time I have decided that the wreath gospel is very timely, a call for all of us. One motto of our Order is, “In service
Vivat Jesus! laying ceremony be held inside the The gospel for this Sunday talks about to one, in service to all.” We are called to
building for everyone’s welfare. It was “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” To be the Good Samaritans of our age. This
on the communion part when the rain cut the story short, it is about a man who is the battle we must win as Knights.
Arsenio Isidro G. Yap stopped. Then we proceeded with the fell into the hands of robbers taking away To win the hearts of the oppressed and
usual wreath laying in front of his statue everything from him and leaving him half depressed and bring them back to the
at the Gen. Luna entrance of the KCFAPI dead. Many people passed by the man loving embrace of the Lord Jesus and to
A Brother’s Insight Center. showing not even a single concern until make them feel that the Order is the new
After the wreath laying, our team led there is this Samaritan (from Samaria) Good Samaritans.
by Msgr. Quitorio went to the Jesuit who was moved with pity and took good On the faces of our neighbours, there
Cemetery at Novaliches to pray in front care of the man. An act of Mercy. is the face of a God. With the inspiration
of the tomb of Fr. George. We faced heavy The name of the Lord is Mercy. And as of Fr. George who once was a Good
rains on our way. We planned to just members of the Order, we are also called Samaritan, can we be also one for our
bring umbrellas as we offer prayers at to be the “Mercy” of the modern times. neighbours in need?
A Responsible Leader
Gari M. San Sebastian
ACCORDING to the dictionary, Responsibility is the state of
being responsible or accountable within one’s own authority.
Different levels or positions in a company or organization entail Our Mission: Family Protection
different types and degrees of responsibility.
A responsible person is someone who is honest, has
compassion and respect for others under his control or authority,
exercises fairness in all dealings, assumes accountability for
all his actions and decisions and has the courage to do what
is expected of him. Those in top management must also show JULY is the month that marks the start to provide for their families. The none benefit products to reach all the
the type of integrity demanded of their position, must have of Columbian year for the Order of the establishment of our insurance program market segments of K of C members and
the drive to work harder than normal, must have enough Knights of Columbus throughout the gives hope to every knight by being families nationwide. It has KC Protection
patience to see his work through, must be a positive thinker, world. It is the time the newly elected strong followers of our beloved founder plans that are affordable and offers
must have the passion for his work and most importantly must and appointed officers assume their in the spirit of the cardinal principle of short pay programs. KC Saving plans for
have enough connections to help him succeed and attain his roles, duties and responsibilities. The charity which begins at home. those who need funds for new business
objectives within the time frame he has allotted for it. Knights of Columbus as a Catholic, The Filipino knights are proud to or expansion, children’s education,
On top of all these traits, he must have a moral commitment family, fraternal service organization have our own insurance system known retirement, travel, or any project desired.
to do his job well if not extremely well. He cannot just be gives emphasis on the importance of as the Knights of Columbus Fraternal It also offers a one-time investment plan
responsible but make it his duty to see things according to protecting our members and families Association of the Phils., Inc. (KCFAPI). that is convenient to own whether in peso
what is prescribed, within the limits of his authority and be through our very own insurance program. For more than six decades, it continuously or dollars plus an exclusive benefit for the
bound with what is legal and morally correct. As in the words As Knights, it is also our binding and serves the primary objective of the Order elderly and ladies care. To avail, they
of Uncle Ben from the movie Spider-Man, “with great power compelling duty to take care of our “Of rendering pecuniary aid to our may simply call any fraternal counselor.
there must also come---great responsibility!” families. members and beneficiaries of members A true Catholic Gentlemen and a father
Unfortunately, some of those entrusted with great power This occasion brings us back to the and families.” The only Catholic life should make everyday a special day for
could not handle the great responsibility that goes with it. vision of our Founder, Venerable Servant insurance company in the country that our families. This beginning must be a
Some think that when one is in authority, he is the law and acts Fr. Michael J. McGivney in forming operates for brother knights by brother moment to cherish and fulfil the vision
as if he is above the law. He exercises his authority according Catholic men to be defenders of faith, knights. of our beloved founder and mission to
Brother’s Insight / C3 our country and to give an opportunity KCFAPI develops superior second-to- protect our families for generations.

THE CROSS
Atty. Luis Voltaire D. Formilleza

A Supplement Publication of the To Conceal or Not to Conceal

Order of the Knights of Columbus and KCFAPI

Editorial Board

Jose C. Reyes, Jr. Ramoncito A. Ocampo

Chairman President
I come from a family who has
Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III been in the insurance business
Spiritual Director for almost three (3) decades.
At a young age, I have grown
Mary Magdalene G. Flores
Editor-in-Chief accustomed to hearing jargons
such as “renewal”, “uberimae
Jhon Lyndon D. Palafox, Juan Karlo S. Serviento fidae” and “concealment”
Associate Editors at the dinner table with my
Mom and Dad and other
Jerome P. De Guzman, Erwin John B. Mallari, Kris Jay Rolex A. Yngco relatives. It was something
Contributors
that I take pride on. Came law
school, I aced most recitations
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 and other subjectivities in
200, 201. Email Address: kcfraternal@kofc.org.ph. Website: http://www.kofc.org.ph Insurance Laws since my
reading assignments became
merely an affirmation of what
I already know like the back
of my hand. I never thought
that all those trainings (formal
and informal) would make fate
lead me to where I sit today-
counsel and Legal Manager of
a proud 60 years old institution
known as Knights of Columbus
Fraternal Association of the
Philippines, Inc.
As much as my position
is to protect the interest of
our beloved Association, it
is likewise within my noble
profession’s calling to advocate
compliance to the laws, and
make its letters and spirit
appreciated and understood
to as many people as possible.
This article is among such
valiant efforts which is
premised in the maxim by
famous lawyer and orator
Cicero: “Legum servi summus
ut liberi esse possimus”. We
are all slaves of the law so that
we may all be free.
FAQ’s on Concealment
Recently, my duties led me
to decide on the approval
(disapproval) of claims from
Benefit Certificate (BC)
holders. The most common
basis in denying claims is
concealment in the application
for insurance. Lest it be
forgotten, concealment more
than being based on contract
is an indispensable principle
Conceal / C3
THE CROSS July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 C3

A true Knight for today

The heroic witness of Kendrick Castillo demonstrates the fullness of a life lived for others
by Supreme Knight
Carl A. Anderson
THERE ARE THOSE who
say we don’t have heroes
anymore.
Kendrick Castillo proves
them wrong.
One day last May, Kendrick
woke up as if it were any
other day. An 18-yearold
young man, he went through
his normal morning routine,
packing his backpack and
heading to school in a suburb
of Denver. It was an exciting
time for him. As a high school
senior, he looked forward to
his graduation only days away
and the promising life that lay
before him.
But on that Tuesday
afternoon, everything
changed. After lunch, as
Kendrick sat at his desk, a
troubled student entered his
classroom and pulled out a
gun. In that instant, Kendrick
made his decision he charged
the assailant.
Kendrick gave his fellow
classmates the precious
seconds they needed to hide
or escape, before he was shot.
But while he courageously
saved lives, he selflessly gave
up his own. In Kendrick
Castillo, a life was tragically
lost but a true hero was born.
As a nation, we mourn
Kendrick’s death, even as
we celebrate his courage. As
an organization, the Knights
of Columbus is especially
moved by his example of
selfless sacrifice. His father,
a member of the Knights, has
said that his son “wanted to be
a Knight of Columbus because
he wanted to help not only
people, but his community.”
Kendrick Castillo did exactly
that. A faithful Catholic to
the end, he lived and died
according to the teaching of
Jesus Christ: “Greater love
has no man than this, that
he lay down his life for his
friends” (Jn 15:13).
In a better world, Kendrick
Castillo would still be with
us. That Tuesday would
have gone like any other
no shooting, no grief, no
resulting search for answers.
Sadly, that is not the world we
live in. Ours is marred with
sin and strife and suffering.
But that doesn’t mean we have
no hope. Heroes give us hope.
There have always been
and there will always be
those who inspire us with
their selfless actions. Some,
like Kendrick Castillo, have
given up their lives for the
sake of others. Others are
still among us, living their
lives for others, in ways big
and small.
To find them, we must know
where to look. Some think of
heroes as having supernatural
powers, only to be found
in comic books or movies,
and in the mythic tales of
ancient Greece and Rome.
Others associate heroes with
celebrities great athletes,
talented artists, the beautiful,
the wealthy, the powerful, and
so on. Yet true heroism has a
different face.
Heroism lives in ordinary
people who do extraordinary
things. They practice the
timeless principles of courage,
truthfulness, humility and
self-sacrifice. Like Kendrick
Castillo, they put the
interests of others ahead of
themselves, even if it costs
them everything.
If we look around, we’ll
see that plenty of people still
embody these characteristics
in their daily lives. They
are often unknown or
unacknowledged because they
don’t seek publicity. They also
come from unexpected places
and their heroism emerges at
unforeseen times.
One of the most inspiring
aspects of serving as supreme
knight has been meeting so
many brother Knights who are
true everyday heroes — heroes
who sacrifice to advance our
principles of charity, unity
and fraternity.
A famous 14th-century
treatise on knighthood advises
Christian knights to be men of
integrity and devotion, for as
the writer observes, “they are
in danger every day, and at
the moment when they think
themselves to be the most
secure, it is then that they may
suddenly have to undertake
demanding and dangerous
adventures.”
The integrity of the knight
included the commitment to
defend those in danger who
could not defend themselves
and the courage not to recoil
in the face of danger.
We are told that Kendrick
Castillo wanted to join the
Knights of Columbus and so
to be more like us. My sincere
hope is that because of his
example, our brother Knights
will want to be more like him.
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 Charities,
Inc. last June 29, 1997 during the Centennial Birth Anniversary
THE WAR YEARS of the cell in which Josefa and Mother celebration of Rev. Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J. This fund-
Trinita were. He was in the prison yard, raising campaign finances the theological research expenses
The boy had a regular confessor, for the few moments of sunlight and necessary to possibly raise Fr. Willmann to the honors of the
who was a Jesuit. The confessor told air which the prisoners were allowed. altar. Last December 7, 2015, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio
him: “You cannot hold a girl to Josefa said to him: “Tony, I am going G. Cardinal Tagle has officially opened the Archdiocesan
anything after death! Marriage to divorce you!” Tony nodded. He Process for the Causes of Beatification and Canonization of
is ‘until death do us part’ — only understood the message. Fr. George J. Willmann.
that!” The boy realized that this was But it did not work. The Japanese Membership to the Fr. Willmann Fellows is open to all Knights
true. He apologized to the girl, and they moved both Tony and Josefa to Old of Columbus councils, members, their families, friends and
were married on schedule. Later, at their Bilibid Prison. They were never seen even to business institutions. As of December 2018, more than
wedding anniversary, the boy’s wife again. The inmates of Old Bilibid Prison 1,100 individuals and 36 institutions all over the country have
promised that — if he died — she would were absolutely certain — both Tony and already joined this fellowship. Father Willmann Fellows serve
not marry again. Josefa were executed. as co-sponsors in the work of spreading the good news about Fr.
Pelagia Soliven celebrated her golden The Knights lost men who were actually Willmann’s life, works and holiness. Their donation is a lifetime
wedding anniversary, thirty-eight years in the Death March, like Benito Soliven. subscription to the initiative of the Knights of Columbus of
after Benito died. Her grandchildren They lost men who came out to help the promoting awareness on Father Willmann in order that authentic
marched down the aisle of the church, prisoners during that March, like Tony devotion to him may be encouraged among the faithful, especially
and her children, and she herself — Escoda. And they lost more men who those who need his intercession for God’s grace.
absolutely confident that Benito still tried to help the soldiers in the prison everything that he did in college. She We therefore cordially invite you and your loved ones to join
loved her, that he was there — only you camp at Capas, like Enrique Albert. listened to the Commonweal Hour on the Fr. Willmann Fellows. Aside from being an advocate in
could not see him. George described it this way: radio, to hear him play “Lolo Hugo”. spreading the sanctity of Father Willmann and the graces that
George was proud of Benito Soliven, “Then came April, 1942, the Fall of Luis was the original “Lolo Hugo”. come with it, each Fellow is entitled to receive the following
proud of his wife, and proud of their Bataan, and the unspeakable Death She bought the Ateneo Guidon just to items as memorabilia: (1) a Certificate of Membership, (2) a
children. He felt that the Educational March to Camp O’Donnell. Spearheaded read his articles. He was the editor of the lapel pin and (3) a pamphlet entitled “A Quest for a Cause of
Trust Fund, set up at the Supreme by our valiant, even reckless K of C Sports Page. She went to all the football Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J.”. We further urge you to fervently
Convention in Toronto, Canada, in 1944, Brother Enrique Albert, later executed by games, because Luis was a regular seek Fr. Willmann’s intercession in all your petitions for God’s
for the children of Knights who gave their the Japanese, we joined the underground player on the team. And when he was graces and to report to the Foundation all blessings you may
lives for their country was wise with the to smuggle medicines and other supplies rehearsing for his last play: “Who Ride have received with the intercession of Fr. Willmann.
wisdom of God. into the infamous prison camp. Braving On White Horses”, she slipped into
George also realized that for Benito the explicit prohibition of the Jap the auditorium at night, and sat quietly Conceal / C2
Soliven, for his wife, and for their family, military, many other Brother Knights in the rear row of seats, in the dark,
marriage was not only “until death”. cooperated in this glorious work. watching him. in the life insurance industry. unintentional entitles the
It was “forever”. Love was “forever”. “With Brother Albert as manager, we While he was in Capas she bought the Concealment as defined under injured party to rescind a
The Death March took its toll of also started the K of C Rest House, just newspaper every day, and studied all Section 26 of the Insurance contract of insurance.”
Knights like Benito Soliven, who actually outside the stockade, for the broken the names. His name never appeared. Code of the Philippines is Is this not fair?
made the agonizing journey. But it also hearted relatives of the victims, and for Finally, when almost all of the R.O.T.C. the neglect to communicate Not really. The reason
took some of the Knights who came out to the broken bodied soldiers when they cadets who had fought in Bataan were that which a party knows behind such policy of the law
help the soldiers. Tony Escoda, who was were finally released. A new Ford station released, and there was a reunion at the and ought to communicate. is to guard the insurer against
very active in Manila Council 1000, came wagon, ‘borrowed’ (without permission, Ateneo, she approached Satur Velasco It pertains primarily to facts being deceived into accepting
out to the line of march. He was helping of course) from our Japanese — who was the light man in the drama and information pertinent the risk, or accepting it at the
the prisoners, giving them water, binding conquerors, was an indispensable part guild, and goalie on the football team. to the subject of insurance. rate of premium agreed upon.
up their wounds. Because he was dressed of these Manila-Capas-Camp O’Donnell She asked: “Do you know where he These facts and information The insurer, relying upon the
in white, the Japanese thought that he activities.” is — Luis Pimentel?” aid the insurer in the correct belief that the insured will
was a doctor. When they discovered, The prisoners of war, who were Satur thought carefully, and then estimation of the risks disclose every material fact
much later, that he was a media man, Filipinos, were released little by little. spoke slowly, trying to remember. He involved in the contract of within his actual or presumed
they were angry. They took Tony and his Their names were published in the said: “You go up the hill from the insurance proposed to be knowledge, is misled into a
wife Josefa into Fort Santiago. Even the newspaper, which was carefully censored camp, to the ridge on the west approved, and whether to belief that the circumstance
Japanese soldiers and sailors were afraid by the Japanese. Those who loved the side. It was a trench. A big trench, assume it, and if so what rate withheld does not exist, and he
of Fort Santiago. It was the domain of the boys who were imprisoned in Capas about two feet wide, and three feet or premium. Among such is thereby induced to estimate
Japanese Gestapo, the Kempeitai. watched the newspaper religiously, deep. We buried all the bodies in information include, past and the risk upon a false basis. We
Josefa was in a cell with Mother avidly, hungrily, praying that their boy that trench — about fifty in each current medical conditions note that an insurance contract
Trinita of Maryknoll. When she was would be released. But not all of the trench.” and other health history of the is an uberimae fidae contract
questioned about Tony, she said that Filipinos who went into Capas came out The girl was shaken. She said: “He’s…. proposed assured. Given the or a contract of utmost good
she knew very little about what he was of that camp alive. dead?” Satur was surprised. He said: above, the next logical inquiry faith This doctrine is essential
doing. The Japanese would not believe Luis Pimentel was an outstanding “Oh! Sorry! I thought you knew are as follows: on account of the fact that
this. They said: “You are wife… Wife student at the Ateneo. In his last year in that… Yes… We buried him… in Does one really have to the full circumstances of the
always knows what husband college he starred as Edmund Campion the trench.” disclose everything in applying subject-matter of insurance
is doing.” Josefa said: “We were in the play:”Who Ride On White The body of Luis Pimentel was never for insurance? are, as a rule, known to the
really estranged. I was planning Horses”. He was drafted into the army, identified. But he was in good company. The law in unequivocal terms insured only, and the insurer,
to get a divorce.” fought at Bataan, struggled gamely Many families, who lost the ones they state that it covers anything in deciding whether or not
This appealed to the Japanese, through the Death March, and was loved, had to be content with going to which the party knows and to accept a risk, must rely
because they introduced divorce in the imprisoned at Capas. the tomb of “The Unknown Soldier”. ought to communicate. The primarily upon the information
Philippines, early in their occupation. A young girl in Manila had a fierce relevance of the information supplied to him by person
Tony Escoda passed under the window crush on Luis Pimentel. She followed (to be continued on the next issue) depends on allowing an applying for insurance.
insurer to make sufficient Beyond the legalese
approximation as to the risk discussed, we note that as
Brother’s Insight / C2
involved and the rate and or members of the Order of
to his personal notion and more harm than good to the that they were given the to be successful. Of course he amount of premium in the the Knights of Columbus we
vested interest. He is not entity they are serving. No opportunity to serve under must also possess the necessary contract of insurance. are bound by the tenets of
and cannot be guided by the one can call himself successful him. And that his guidance qualities enumerated above, So what if I failed to disclose unity and fraternity among
best practices, established if he cannot correlate his helps them to achieve what must not be abusive, must that which one ought to others. As proposed insured,
standards and norms, laws responsibility with the power they could not achieve on have respect and be a very good communicate? we owe it to ourselves and our
governing his authority and and authority entrusted to their own. motivator to his subordinates. Then concealment had brother knights to be selfless
on the ethical and moral him. A successful leader does He must always remind been committed. As a general and be of help in times of
perspective of his actions The best gauge of a not only wield power and himself that “with great power proposition, failure on the need. An act of concealment
and decisions. He doesn’t care successful leader would be the authority but he must be able there must also come---great part of the insured to disclose in the context of insurance
as he believes his authority is reaction of his subordinates to balance them out and be responsibility!” condition affecting the risks goes against theses tenets.
absolute especially by those whom he had treated fairly the best motivational force in Have you balanced out the insured of which he or she is In the same breath it is our
who are at the top of the so- and with respect. After all, his outfit. Failure to motivate responsibility with the power aware, make the insurance Fraternal Counselors’ calling
called corporate ladder. he is very dependent on their is a surefire guarantee for entrusted to you? Have you contract voidable. This is the to help our brother knights
Such is the pitfall of many works. Without them, a leader failure. earned the respect of your clear import of Section 27 of the help themselves through the
a failed leader who thinks would be nothing and would That is why Responsibility subordinates? Are all your Insurance Code which states: fullest realization of their
they are a huge success not not be able to claim success. is the very basic requirement decisions based on ethical and “Section 27. A concealment insurance contracts or benefit
realizing that they have done They would be thankful of a good leader who wishes moral standards? whether intentional or certificates.
C4 July 8 - 21, 2019, Vol 23, No. 14 THE CROSS

Fr. George J. Willmann - A man of the

poor and for the poor

The officers and employees of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. during the wreath laying ceremony held at the KCFAPI Center during the celebration of the 122nd birth anniversary in memory of the Servant of God, Fr. George J.
Willmann. (KAYngco)

SERVANT of God Fr. George J.
Willmann’s birth anniversary falls
on June 29, 2019 (Saturday) and
the Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc.
(KCFAPI) through the initiative
of the Knights of Columbus Fr.
George J. Willmann Charities, Inc.
(KCFGJWCI) have celebrated it
last June 28, 2019 which also is the
Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus.
A Holy Eucharist was offered at
the Fr. Willmann Chapel within the
KCFAPI Center presided by Rev.
Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III and was
concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Robert
T. Young. The Mass was attended
by the board of trustees, officers
and employees of KCFAPI Group of
Companies.
During the homily, Msgr. Quitorio
III shared the life and virtues of Fr.
George. His love for the poor was
highlighted through his service to the
Order of the Knights of Columbus.
“He could have opted for comfort
(at the Ateneo de Manila) but he did
not. Rather he chose to live with the
poor.” Msgr. Quitorio stated. “He
lived the life of poverty.” he added.
After the Mass, a wreath laying
ceremony was held in front of his
statue at the KCFAPI Center. And a
visit to his tomb at the cemetery of
the Sacred Heart Novitiate House
happened.
With this we continuously ask
each and everyone to continue to
pray for the Cause of Fr. George J.
Willmann that he may one day be
numbered among the saints of the
heavenly court. It is not for him, but
it is for us and for the Order of the
Knights of Columbus. (JSServiento)

Awarding of the BC Loan check to Rev. Fr Leovigildo M. Magbanua by the BC Relations

Manager, Ms. Gloria O. Alegre and Vice President for Treasury, BRO and HRCC, Ms. Mary
Magdalene G. Flores at the BRO Lounge last June 18, 2019. (KAYngco)

The BRO and Actuarial Department, winners of the Ako ay Pilipino, Ang Pilipino ay Ako in celebration of the Philippine Independence Day held at the KCFAPI Center last June 28,
2019. (JMEstavillo)

The attendees of the Easter Visayas FCs meeting held last June 22 to 23, 2019 at the
Milka Hotel, Tacloban City.

VP of FBG Gari M. San Sebastian and the attendees of the Joint Area Meeting of CAR-B and NWL held last June 15, 2019 at the Baguio Cathedral Parish Hall.
Mindanao State Deputy, Bro. Gerry T. Mission, VP for FBG and the attendees of the
Southern Mindanao Area meeting last June 29 to 30, 2019 at the Grand Astoria Hotel,
Zamboanga City.

Mindanao State Deputy Gerry T. Mission, VP for FBG Gari M. San Sebastian and VP for
MUA Ronulfo G. Infante and attendees during the Special Training of Mindanao Fraternal
Benefits Managers with Davao Fraternal Counselors held last July 6, 2019 at the Jade
Dragon Suites, Davao City. The attendees of Bicol Area Meeting held last June 18, 2019 at the Bishop Barlin Assembly KofC Hall Naga City.