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A2 CBCP MonitorMarch 30 - April 2, 2015, Vol. 19. No. 7WORLD NEWS

Vatican Briefing

Pope Francis: No matter what the crime, ‘the death penalty is inadmissible’Regardless of the crime that has been committed, capital punish-ment is unacceptable in the modern world, Pope Francis stressedin a recent letter. “Nowadays the death penalty is inadmissible,no matter how serious the crime committed,” the Pope said. “Itis an offence against the inviolability of life and the dignity of thehuman person, which contradicts God’s plan for man and society,and his merciful justice, and impedes the penalty from fulfilling

any just objective. It does not render justice to the victims, butrather fosters vengeance.” Pope Francis’ words came in a letter toFederico Mayor, president of the International Commission againstthe Death Penalty. Te Pope held an audience with a delegationfrom the commission March 20. (CNA)

Pope accepts disgraced Scottish prelate’s resignation from cardinal statusIn a rare move, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of disgracedScottish Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien from the rights and du-ties of a cardinal, the Vatican announced on March 17. “As mostpeople are aware, Pope Francis is a good and prayerful man whosecharacter embodies justice and mercy. I am confident therefore thatthe decision of the Holy Father is fair, equitable and proportion-ate,” Archbishop Leo Cushley of Saint Andrews and Edinburghin a March 20 statement. “Cardinal O’Brien’s behavior distressedmany, demoralized faithful Catholics and made the Church lesscredible to those who are not Catholic. I therefore acknowledgeand welcome his apology to those affected by his behavior and alsoto the people of Scotland, especially the Catholic community.”Cardinal O’Brien stood down as Archbishop of St. Andrews and

Edinburgh in March 2013 at the age of 74 amid media claims ofinappropriate sexual behavior with other men which allegedly tookplace in the 1980s. (CNA)

Use of force is a last resort against Islamic State – Vatican diplomatBy presenting a joint statement to the United Nations’ HumanRights Council to support Christians and other communities inthe Middle East, the Holy See has fostered a new diplomatic ap-proach to protect communities and raise the international focuson a top issue. Te approach is an alternative to the use of forceagainst the Islamic State, which can only be the “very last choice,”

Archbishop Silvano omasi, Holy See Permanent Observer to theUN office in Geneva, told CNA. Te joint statement, he said, “isnews in the world of the Human Rights Council, since it is thefirst time we explicitly mention the category of Christian persons,though we also mention the presence of other communities.”Drafted together with Lebanon and Russia, the statement from theHoly See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva

was presented March 13 during the assembly of the 28th Sessionof the Human Rights Council. (CNA)

Pope expected to visit Italian cities of Florence, Prato in November An informal announcement was made recently at the close of theItalian bishops conference’s spring meeting in Rome revealingthat Pope Francis will visit the two uscan cities Nov. 10. “We

welcome the news that the Holy Father will be in Prato with great joy,” Bishop Franco Agostinelli of Prato said March 27. Te bishopexplained that “our whole diocese is celebrating this event, which

will mark our history: Peter will truly visit out Church and confirmus in the faith.” Simultaneously announced in Rome, Prato, andFlorence, the news of the Pope’s visit came at the end of a gatheringof the permanent council of the Italian bishops conference at theVatican. Francis’s November trip will be his first time traveling toboth Florence and Prato, which are both located in Italy’s northernuscan region and sit about 15 miles apart. (CNA)

Pope to formally proclaim holy year in front of basilica’s Holy DoorCelebrating the first vespers for Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francisformally will deliver the “bull of indiction” or proclamation of the

extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy. Portions of the document willbe read in front of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica April 11,the Vatican announced. Te Holy Door, usually bricked up, isopened at the beginning of a jubilee year. Te Holy Year of Mercyis scheduled for Dec. 8, 2015, to Nov. 20, 2016. During a Lentenpenance service in March, Pope Francis announced his intentionto proclaim the holy year as a way for the church to “make moreevident its mission to be a witness of mercy.” (CNA)

Pope names Cardinal Versaldi new prefect of education congregationPope Francis named 71-year-old Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi,president of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the HolySee since 2011, to be the new prefect of the Congregationfor Catholic Education. he Italian cardinal succeeds PolishCardinal Zenon Grocholewski, who had led the congregationsince 1999. In October Cardinal Grocholewski turned 75,the normal retirement age for the heads of Vatican offices.Until early 2013, the congregation included responsibility forseminaries, Catholic schools and universities. In one of his lastofficial acts, Pope Benedict XVI transferred responsibility forseminary education to the Congregation for Clergy. Much ofCardinal Grocholewski’s leadership focused on strengtheningthe Catholic identity of Catholic schools and, particularly, ofCatholic universities. He also issued decrees on revising thecurriculum for degrees in canon law and Vatican-recognizeddegrees in philosophy. (CNS)

Priests, nuns remain in Yemen despite ongoing conflictDespite rising tensions in Yemen and continued fighting betweengovernment and rebel forces, Catholic officials said the six Salesianpriests and the 20 Missionaries of Charity assigned to the countryhave remained. “Our priests are safe” and the sisters continue to

work in four cities, “including the hot spot” of Sanaa, said CapuchinFather Gandolf Wild, secretary of the vicariate of southern Arabia.He spoke to Catholic News Service March 25 by telephone from

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the vicariate is based.“Tere are not many Christians left” in Yemen, the Capuchin said.Before Iranian-backed Houthi Shia militants took control of thecapital Sanaa in September and launched a major offensive, thecountry had about 2,000 Catholics, including foreign embassypersonnel. Tere may be 1,500 Catholics still in the country, he

said, “but most cannot come to church—and that includes theembassy personnel” who have not been recalled by their govern-ments. “It is a very poor country and very unsafe—not just forCatholics.” (CNS)

Pope recognizes miracle needed to declare French couple saintsPope Francis has approved a miracle so that, for the first time,a married couple can be canonized together. Te canonizationceremony for Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents ofSt. Terese of Lisieux, is likely to take place during the worldSynod of Bishops on the family in October. Pope Francis signedthe decree March 18, the Vatican said, although it provided nodetails about the miraculous cure said to have taken place throughthe couple’s intercession. However, the promoters of the saint-hood cause said the miracle being studied involves a little girl inthe Archdiocese of Valencia, Spain. Born prematurely and withmultiple life-threatening complications, Carmen suffered a majorbrain hemorrhage, which could have caused irreversible damage.Her parents prayed for the Martins’ intercession. Te little girlsurvived and is healthy. (CNS)

Indonesian Catholics: An Easter ofprayer and solidarity with the needy

JAKARA, April 3, 2015—Ac-cepting the invitation launchedseveral times by Pope Francis, theIndonesian Bishops Conference(KWI) under the motto “do good

for others” has launched a series ofinitiatives in in favor of the poorand underprivileged.

Several dioceses and archdioceseshave launched initiatives, becausethe practice of the faith - warn theprelates - must be directed notonly at personal salvation, but alsothe good of others. Some of theseprojects include fundraising forthe needy, collections for grants forlow-income students, and insur-ance to ensure a proper burial—thecost of funerals is high in the capitaland in several other areas.

Marking the Year of Tanksgiv-ing, officially launched in 2015 bythe Archdiocese of Jakarta with thetitle “Tere is no genuine gratitude

without doing something good forothers,” the local Church leaders

are launching a special initiative.Providing low cost insurance cov-erage for needy families, to allowthem bury their loved ones.

Te initiative was first put forward by the capital’s ArchbishopMsgr. Ignatius Suharyo two yearsago, the initiative has met with thesupport of thousands of faithful

who have decided to take part. Atthe annual price of 9 dollars, thefamily members of the deceased

may be eligible for 950 dollars tocover paperwork and proceed withthe burial.

Also in Jakarta there are otherinitiatives for educational pro-grams—as repeatedly stressed byMsgr. Suharyo - for the poorestand neediest students. Besides thecapital school fees are very high,especially in private institutions- such as the Catholic schools -

where the level of education has ahigher standard than the average.o avoid only the “rich” from hav-ing access and in a spirit of solidar-

ity promoted by the archdiocese,during Lent fundraisers to supportthe initiative were promoted. Te

parishes involved include Jagakarsain South Jakarta and the ReginaCaeli in North Jakarta.

A similar initiative is also takingplace in the diocese of Purwokerto,in central Java, where Bishop Ju-lianus Sunarko has dedicated thisyear to the apostolate for education.Many human and financial resourc-es have been invested in the promo-tion of educational “projects”.

Again many of the funds raised

during Lent will be allocated toeducation projects. In the weeksleading up to Easter, it is commonpractice in the various dioceses topromote fundraising campaigns;

envelopes or small boxes are dis-tributed to Catholic families andthe money raised is given to thediocesan leaders, who use them tosupport charities or humanitariancampaigns.

However, the season of Lent isa time of penance and the deepen-ing of faith. On the occasion ofPalm Sunday, dozens of Catholicspatiently queued for confession.In the parish of Pakem—a smallsuburb of North Yogyakarta incentral Java—seven adults will bebaptized in the Vigil Mass. In theparish of Banyumanik, Semarang(Central Java), dozens of peoplehave already been baptized, in thecontext of a ceremony which sawthe enthusiastic participation of theentire Catholic community.

Indonesia is the world’s mostpopulous Muslim nation. Chris-tians represent 5.7 per cent of thepopulation with Catholics just over3.6 per cent.

Te latter are an active part ofsociety. Over the years, they havecontributed to the nation’s devel-opment and played a major role inemergency operations, as was thecase during the devastating floodsof January 2013. (AsiaNews)

Archbishop of Singapore: at Easter the Risen Christ

defeats relativism and gives eternal life SINGAPORE, April 2, 2015—“Tis Easter, as

we celebrate His resurrection from the dead, weknow our hope is certain and substantiated. Un-like the world where hope is but wishful think-ing, Christian life and the future of humanity isalready anticipated in Christ’s resurrection,” saidMgr William Goh, archbishop of Singapore, inhis Easter message.

At this time of celebration, Jesus defeats “rela-tivism” and conquers “death”. In Him, there is“eternal life”. Tus, for the prelate, “We have a lifebeyond this world and our life is in Christ.” And“Love is [. . .] the last word; not hatred. Christ’slove has won us over to Him,” and his “resurrec-tion is our victory over sin and eternal death.”

For the archbishop, “as Christians, we donot simply believe that Christ has died for us.Greater still is our belief that Christ is risenfrom the dead! [. . .] So let us live as free menand women in Christ; not as s laves of Satan.”

Tis “world is on the brink of despair andhopelessness,” where “each day, life seems to

get more and more hopeless,” and everything“is changing so rapidly that traditional valuesare being put in question”.

In this “world of counter culture where the worship of God is replaced by the new religionof science and technology, humanity is replacedby love of self before others, and individualismand freedom at the expense of the community.”

A bottom-line “relativism” leads man to seek“to fulfil himself as much he can by extractingas much as he can from the world, especiallythe pleasures of life. [. . .] Yet, deep within,his heart remains empty and there is a vacuum

within that cannot be filled by the passing things

of this world.”“Whether in good or bad times, in sickness

or in health, in prosperity or adversity, we live with confidence that everything will end wellin Christ,” the archbishop of Singapore said, forHe “has shown us the way and become for usour leader in salvation.

Lastly, “I wish you all a blessed and HolyEaster,” the prelate said in concluding his mes-sage. “May the Risen Lord shine through youand give you joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.He is with you always.”

Singapore is home to more than 200,000Catholics, or about 5 per cent of the total popu-lation. Buddhism is the city-state’s dominantreligion with 43 per cent of the population,followed by Christianity (18 per cent), Islam (15per cent), Hinduism (11 per cent) and aoism(5 per cent).

At present, the local Church is going througha phase of growth and vitality, which has led tothe recent opening of a theological seminary, areal “milestone” in the history of the local com-munity. (AsiaNews)

Iraqi priest: Even among Mosul refugees, life and

resurrection win over deathERBIL, April 3, 2015—”Althoughour suffering, that of the refugeesand all of Iraq endures, so doesour hope in the Risen Lord. Heis the Lord of Life and life always

wins over death; now resurrectionrules,” said Fr Janan Shamil Azeez,a priest with the Chaldean Dioceseof Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurd-istan, who spoke with AsiaNews afew days before Easter.

Since last June, the Church inErbil has been helping more than130,000 Christian refugees fromMosul, after the city fell to theIslamic State group. Te woundscaused by the flight, impoverish-ment and the search for accom-modation are the daily tragedyChristians must face.

For this reason, for severalmonths, AsiaNews has been rais-ing funds through its ‘Adopt aChristian from Mosul” campaign.So far, it has raised and sent about1.3 million euro (US$ 1.4 million).

However, refugees have losthope of returning to their homesany time soon. Te victories bythe Iraqi army in ikrit are stillfar from Mosul. For this reason,they are looking for somethingmore stable.

Refugee camps are no longer just rows of tents. Containers nowgive families more room and makethem less vulnerable to the heat ofsummer and the cold of winter.

Te Chaldean Church has alsofound more than 600 rental unitsfor thousands of families. Having

a roof over one’s head, even whentwo or three families have to share

it, is one step closer to a morenormal life.“Despite the uncertainties,

people are into cleaning, beauti-fication, job hunting,” said a localpriest.

he visit by Card FernandoFiloni, prefect of the Congregationfor the Evangelisation of Peoples,has given people more hope. As thepope’s envoy, he is bringing Francis’closeness to the Iraqi people, espe-cially refugees.

“Card Filoni was greeted very warmly,” said Fr Jamal, secretary ofMgr Bashar Warda, the Chaldeanbishop of Erbil. “People warmly

welcomed him because he is thepapal envoy.”

“Everyone understands that theyare not alone in their suffering; this

helps them find the strength toendure the situation. Since the be-

ginning of this tragedy, the refugeesand the bishops have always askednot to be left alone.”

Some years ago, the currentprefect of Propaganda Fide wasnuncio in Iraq. Last June, he visitedthe country when the tragic exodusbegan in Mosul.

“With the arrival of Card Filoni,an initiative by the Diocese ofRome got underway,” Fr Jana said.“itled ‘A Colomba (dove-shapedcake) for Peace,’ the plan is to givea cake to each refugee family.”

“I personally went to pick themup and we are now handing themout to families as a gift from theHoly Father. We should have atleast 15-20,000 cakes”.

Card Filoni is visiting all thedioceses of Kurdistan with refugee

camps. A few days ago, he was inthe north, in Alqosh, Zakho and

Duhoc. At present, he is in Erbil tocelebrate the Easter Vigil with theChaldean patriarch of Baghdad,Louis Sako.

he celebration will be heldin a large tent, set up into a newneighbourhood in Ankawa, theChristian enclave of Erbil. It canhold at least a thousand people.Te Mass will also be broadcast byKurdish television.

On Easter Sunday, the cardinal will visit the communities of Su-laymaniyya and Kirkuk.

Finally, “Te resurrection is thefundamental point of our faith,and not only in this time of trialand sorrow,” said Fr Janan.

“In our Eastern tradition, wenever dwell upon to the cross. Tecross is not a curse, but a tool of

glory, which refers to the resurrec-tion.” (CNA)

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A3CBCP Monitor March 30 - April 2, 2015, Vol. 19. No. 7 NEWS FEATURES

Pope to formally proclaim holy

year in front of basilica’s Holy DoorVAICAN City, April1, 2015—Celebratingthe first vespers for Di-vine Mercy Sunday,Pope Francis formally

wil l del ive r the “bu ll

of indiction” or procla-mation of the extraor-dinary Holy Year ofMercy.

Portions of the docu-ment will be read infront of the Holy Doorat St. Peter’s Basilica

Apr il 11, the Vaticanannounced. he HolyDoor, usually brickedup, is opened at thebeginning of a jubileeyear.

he Holy Year ofMercy is scheduled forDec. 8, 2015, to Nov.20, 2016.

he other major ba-silicas of Rome alsohave Holy Doors that

are opened for jubi-lee years. he papaldocument proclaim-ing the year of mercy

will be read Apri l 12 atthe Basilica of St. JohnLateran by Cardinal

Agostino Vallini, vicarfor Rome; the Basilicaof St. Mary Major byCardinal Santos AbrilCastello, archpriest ofthe basilica; and the

Basil ica of St. PaulOutside the Walls byU.S. Cardinal JamesM. Harvey, archpriestof St. Paul’s.

During a Lenten

penance se r v i ce inMarch, Pope Francisannounced his inten-tion to proclaim theholy year as a way forthe church to “makemore evident its mis-sion to be a witness ofmercy.”

Holy Years usuallyare held every 25 years;the last was the great

jubilee of the year 2000.Holy years feature spe-cial celebrations andpilgrimages, strong callsfor conversion and re-pentance, and the offerof special opportunitiesto experience God’sgrace through the sacra-

ments, especially con-fession.Extraordinary holy

years, l ike the Holy Year of Mercy, are lessfrequent, but offer thesame opportunities forspiritual growth.

Announcing the pub-lication of the papalbull, the Vatican pressoffice also explainedhow formal papal docu-

ments came to havethat name: “he termbull—from the Latin‘bulla’ meaning ‘bubble’or, more generally, arounded object—orig-

inally indicated themetal capsule used toprotect the wax seal at-tached with a cord to adocument of particularimportance to attest toits authenticity and,as a consequence, itsauthority.

“Over time, the termbegan to be used firstto indicate the seal ,then the document it-self, so that nowadaysit is used for all papaldocuments of specialimportance that bear,or at least traditionally

would have borne, thepontiff ’s seal,” the state-ment said.

he papal bull for aholy year, it said, indi-cates its opening andclosing dates and “main

ways in which it willbe implemented.” It isconsidered the primarydocument for under-standing “the inten-tions and the outcomeshoped for by the pon-tiff.” (Cindy Wooden/ Catholic News Service)

If you’re looking for the truth, you’ll find the Resurrection Pope saysROME, Italy, April 4, 2015—Dur-ing his homily for the Easter VigilPope Francis said that the Resur-rection of Jesus is a mystery we can

only enter by going out of ourselvesand looking for the truth.

“o enter into the mysterydemands that we not be afraid ofreality: that we not be locked intoourselves, that we not flee from

what we fail to understand, that wenot close our eyes to problems ordeny them, that we not dismiss ourquestions,” the Pope said April 4.

In order to fully enter the mys-tery of Jesus´ rising from the dead,

we must let go of the comfortzones, laziness and indifference thathold us back, and instead go out insearch “of truth, beauty and love.

“It is seeking a deeper meaning,an answer, and not an easy one,to the questions which challengeour faith, our fidelity and our veryexistence.”

Francis spoke to the thousandspresent inside St. Peter’s Basilica tocelebrate the Easter Vigil, which iscelebrated the night before Easterin anticipation of Jesus’ rising fromthe dead.

Te Easter Vigil, he noted, is also

a night when the disciples, caughtin sadness and fear after Jesus’death, anxiously locked themselvesinside the upper room.

However, the Pope noted thatinstead of staying with them,the women went to Jesus’ tomband were the first to enter intothe mystery of the Resurrection

when they went inside and foundit empty, except for “a young mansitting on the right side, dressed ina white robe.”

o enter into the tomb, Francissaid, “is why we are here: to enter,to enter into the Mystery whichGod has accomplished with hisvigil of love.”

“We cannot live Easter withoutentering into the mystery,” he said,explaining that this mystery is notmerely something intellectual, butis rather “much more!”

o enter into it fully, he said, we must also have the ability to

contemplate it and listen “to thesilence,” which is where God speaksto us with “a whisper.”

Pope Francis concluded hishomily saying that the women

who were Jesus’ disciples serve as anexample for all, because they kept

True martyrs die in prayer – not with clenched fists, papal preacher says

VAICAN City, April 3, 2015—In his homilyfor the celebration of the Passion of Our Lordon Good Friday, papal preacher Father RanieroCantalamessa called for a spirit of forgivenessamid rising persecutions in the world.

“rue martyrs for Christ do not die withclenched fists but with their hands joined inprayer,” Fr. Cantelamessa said, according to theEnglish translation published by Vatican Radio.

His remarks come as news of 147 Christians

slaughtered by Somali jihadists at a UniversityCampus in Kenya.

Remarking on this tragedy, Fr. Cantelamessaobserved the fittingness of Jesus’ words to hisdisciples: “Te hour is coming when whoeverkills you will think he is offering service toGod” (Jn 16:2).

He also cited the killings of twenty-oneCoptic Christians in Libya at the hands of theIslamic State in February, observing how Christgave them, in their final moments, “the strengthto die whispering the name of Jesus.”

Fr. Cantelamessa made this reflection to thecongregation gathered in Saint Peter’s Basilica,following the chanting in Latin of the John’sGospel account of Christ’s Passion and Death.Pope Francis presided over the celebration,leading the faithful in the Veneration of theCross, during which those present were invitedto approach a wooden crucifix and kiss the feetof Jesus.

Beginning his reflection, he recounted thescene from John’s Gospel in which PontiusPilate presents Jesus, scourged and wearing acrown of thorns, declaring to the people: “Eccehomo” – “Behold the man.”

“Jesus is in agony until the end of the worldin every man or woman who is subjected to hissame torments,” he said.

He recalled Christ’s words, that what is doneto the hungry, naked, mistreated or in prisonis done to Him.

“For once let us not think about social evilscollectively: hunger, poverty, injustice, the ex-ploitation of the weak,” saying these evils runthe risk of becoming “abstractions—categoriesrather than persons.”

Rather, he said urged the faithful to considerthe “suffering of individuals, people with namesand specific identities; of the tortures that aredecided upon in cold blood and voluntarilyinflicted at this very moment by human beings

on other human beings, even on babies.’Fr. Cantelamessa decried the many instances

of “Ecce homo” in the world, where men and women find themselves in a similar situationto Jesus standing before Pilate: “alone, hand-cuffed, tortured, at the mercy of rough soldiersfull of hate who engage in every kind of physicaland psychological cruelty and who enjoy watch-ing people suffer.”

his phrase—Ecce homo—refers also tothose who engage in torture, demonstrating

what man is capable of.He went on to say that while Christians arenot the only group to suffer deadly violence,“we cannot ignore the fact that in many coun-tries they are the most frequently intendedvictims.”

He cited a testimony of third-century Eastercelebrations by Christians amid fierce persecu-tions, given by Bishop Dionysius of Alexandra,in which the places where they were attackedbecame places of celebration.

“Tis is the way Easter will be for manyChristians this year, 2015 after Christ,” Fr.Cantelamessa said.

urning to today, he reflected on a memberof the secular press who denounced the indiffer-ence toward the mass killing of Christians, and

what such indifference has led to in the past.“All of us and all our institutions in the West

risk being Pilates who wash our hands,” he said.“However, we are not allowed to make any

denunciations today,” he said. “We would bebetraying the mystery we are celebrating. Jesus

died, crying out, “Father, forgive them; for theyknow not what they do” (Lk 23:34).”

Tese words applied not only to the soldiersinvolved in Christ’s Crucifixion, who wereignorant, he said. “Te divine grandeur of hisforgiveness consists in the fact that it was alsooffered to his most relentless enemies.”

“Instead of accusing his adversaries, or offorgiving them and entrusting the task of

vengeance to his heavenly Father, he defendedthem.”Fr. Cantelamessa went on to stress that

forgiveness entails a transformation to “a posi-tive will to do good to them, even if it is onlyby means of a prayer to God on their behalf,”inspired by charity, and without the hope fordivine retribution.

Against the challenge of some who wouldsay that following Jesus means to surrender“oneself passively to defeat and to death”, hestressed: “Te definitive victory of good overevil that will be manifested at the end of timehas already come to pass, legally and de facto,on the cross of Christ.”

“Jesus overcame violence not by opposing it with a greater violence but by enduring it andexposing all its injustice and futility.”

Speaking on the recent rise of persecution,he observed “the problem of violence disturbsus, shocks us, and it has invented new and hor-

rendous forms of cruelty and barbarism today.”(Ann Schneible/ Catholic News Agency)

vigil alongside Jesus’ mother, Mary.Te women, Francis noted, “did

not remain prisoners of fear and

sadness, but at the first light ofdawn they went out carrying theirointments, their hearts anointed

with love. Tey went forth andfound the tomb open. And they

went in.”He prayed that everyone might

learn from these women how tokeep watch with the Lord and withMary, so that “we too may enter

into the Mystery which leads fromdeath to life.”Pope Francis also Baptized 10

people during the ceremony, in-cluding 5 women, 4 men and a 13year old girl. (Elise Harris/CNA/ EWTN News)

Priests reminded of their ‘main goal’

MANILA, April 7, 2015—“Tegoal of the priest to follow Christsets him apart from other men.”

Fr. Abe P. Arganiosa, a FilipinoCatholic priest based in the UnitedStates, noted that through theirsacred ministry, members of theclergy “truly share in the very lifeof the Lord,” who is Himself bothPriest and Victim.

“By His being a Victim the Lord Jesus gave us salvat ion, and bythis same sacrifice He vanquished

Satan. Our priests being in totalunion with Christ are also doingthe same by the sacrifice of theirlives, and by their Eucharistic offer-ing are bringing about the triumphof the Gospel and the downfall ofthe Devil,” he explained.

While they are “unique” giventhe grace they have received andthe task they must carry out, Ar-ganiosa pointed out priests are farfrom perfect and have their shareof human frailty like all people.

Quoting St. Paul, he remindedthe faithful that clerics hold thisgrace, this treasure, in earthenvessels, that “the surpassing powermay be of God and not from us”[2 Cor 4:7 NABRe].

Arganiosa said priests are “creat-ed out of clay” [cf. Gen 2:7] like allothers humans, with the differencethat God uses their mortal bodies

as channels of His incomparableblessings, causing even angels toenvy them.

“Trough the consecrated handsof our priests, heaven opens everyday to give us the Body and Bloodof the Lord giving us a pure sacri-fice that sanctifies the sinful worldfrom the rising of the sun to itssetting [cf. Mal 1:11],” he added.

He stressed the Lord especiallychose priests for the edification ofHis Body the Church [cf. Canon

Law 275] as “dispensers of themysteries of God,” [cf. CanonLaw 276].

A Catholic apologist, Arganiosablasted critics who assert that thepriesthood was invented only dur-ing the Middle Ages, attributingits existence to merely human, notDivine, origin.

“Tat is very far from reality. It was established by the Father fromthe Old Covenant, perfected byChrist in the New, and is guidedby the Holy Spirit throughout theages. Tus, we proclaim the divineorigin of the priesthood,” he said.

According to him, the Fatherestablished Priesthood as an Office(Ex 29: 9/ Lev 16: 32) and wasacquired through Consecration by

Anointing (Ex 29: 7/ Lev 8: 12/16: 32). (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCPNews)

Keep trash in pockets, help persecuted

Christians, Catholics urged

MANILA, April 7, 2015—WhileCatholics are enjoined this April topray for Pope Francis’ intentionson behalf of the environment andpersecuted Christians worldwide,the Filipino faithful can raise thebar by doing something more con-crete: disposing of garbage properlyand calling for the end of religiousextremism.

“Te Holy Father’s forthcom-

ing encyclical is said to be aboutecology, and how humans canhelp solve some of the issuesaffecting our planet today likeclimate change,” Prof. Nestor G.Limqueco, supreme moderatoremeritus of the Company of SaintDominic (CSD), a secular instituteunder the Archdiocese of Manila(RCAM), told CBCP News in aninterview.

Litter-free church activities“Even St. Francis [of Assisi]

and our Holy Father St. Dominicstressed the importance of nature,recognizing and acknowledgingthe Earth as something God alsomade. As such, it is in the interestof everyone to seriously fulfill thestewardship of Creation, he added.

He said one way Catholics cando their part is by keeping theirparish activities litter-free, andeducating others on proper garbagedisposal.

For Br. Martin Francisco, amember of the Blessed SacramentMissionaries of the Poor (BSMP)

who serves Dumagat communitieson Sierra Madre, said it is impor-tant that Catholics integrate theirfaith with their work in protectingthe environment.

“[And] the basic way of respect-ing God’s creation is to be good andactive stewards of our environmentthrough forest protection and not

just being contented with simpletree planting. We should trans-form our concern for our MotherEarth from mere dramatic to

actual, simple, and direct works ofpeace,” said the religious brother-

environmentalist, alluding to therecent Earth Hour during whichparticipants turned off their lightsto raise awareness of ecologicalissues.

One with persecuted ChristiansMeanwhile, in view of the

Christians who suffer for theirfaith in the Middle East, China,and other parts of the world, ,

Limqueco invited Filipinos tooffer prayers for their safety, hop-ing that the glory of Easter willencourage and fortify them in theface of persecution.

“hey need our prayers andacknowledgement. Tese people

who remain steadfast in their faithdespite threats to their lives andpossible martyrdom, should berecognized,” he shared.

According to him, persecut edChristians must feel that the restof the Christian world is with themin their suffering, and is behindthem, giving them hope amid thedangers.

While the Church hierarchy hasbeen rallying world leaders to takethe cause of peace seriously, Fran-cisco noted ordinary faithful and

all people of good will must also bemade aware of the plight of theirChristian brothers and sisters inthose areas where they experiencepersecution.

Concrete help“Prayers of course are good. But

given their situation, we have toremember they also need water,clothes, and houses, but most es-pecially, peace, hope, and security,”he explained.

Pope Francis’ universal prayerintention for April is: “Tat peoplemay learn to respect creation andcare for it as a gift of God.”

His intention for evangelizationis: “hat persecuted Christiansmay feel the consoling presence ofthe Risen Lord and the solidarity

of all the Church.” (Raymond A.Sebastián/CBCP News)

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal Household. CNA

Members of the clergy join in a parade, one of the events to celebrate the 2010 Year ofthe Priests in the Philippines. FILE PHOTO

C N A

Pope Francis spoke to the thousands present inside St. Peter’s Basilica tocelebrate the Easter Vigil, April 5, 2015. CNA

Br. Martin Francisco, a member of the Blessed Sacrament Missionaries of the Poor(BSMP), serves Dumagat communities on Sierra Madre. PHOTO TAKEN FROM FRANCISCO’SFACEBOOK ACCOUNT


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A5CBCP Monitor March 30 - April 2, 2015, Vol. 19. No. 7 OPINION

Jesus’ Resurrection calls

for the Resurrection

of our Heart

Fr. Wilfredo Samson, SJ

Pitik-Bulag

Embracing Our

Daily Cross

Atty. Aurora A. Santiago

Duc In Altum

Rev. Eutiquio ‘Euly’B. Belizar, Jr., SThD

By The Roadside

Peace with Justice

Collection Box Fr. Jerome Secillano, MPA

NO, it is not as if San Pedro Calungsod is callinga press conference to read a prepared statement.It is rather you and I being challenged to readhis statement from what words don’t provide:namely, his acts that led him to a violent deathand to a martyr’s crown. Tese acts also leadus to glimpses of his character, the kind of lifehe represents and the response we are askedto make.

o me, the following are among the volumeshis acts speak.

What is done for God’s Kingdom is timeless.

First, we ask the question: How come it tookmore than three centuries for the Church andthe world to recognize the heroism of one Fili-pino young man named Pedro Calungsod? Teanswer is that his cause was effectively shelved

when the cause of Blessed Diego Luis de SanVitores, the Jesuit missionary priest whom heaccompanied even in death was also shelvedshortly after they were violently murdered. Itis beyond us to determine what factors werebehind the centuries-old delay. But it goes

without saying that being recognized by theChurch on earth and the believing world thenor now matters only insofar as it helps believ-ers and non-believers come to know, give due

honor to and emulate an authentic witness to Jesus Christ.

It seems to me that San Pedro Calungsod’stestimony may have greater weight now than inhis own time if only because our young todayare ever constantly challenged to be true to theirChristian faith. Te one truth that rings withgreater clarity is that it matters little if he or hiscompanions were not recognized at the altar of

the Church sooner; his act of self-giving andmartyrdom neither grows old nor irrelevant.Te reason is that the Kingdom of God in JesusChrist that he proclaimed by his life and deathis timeless. Here the axiom applies: “Age doesn’tmatter because the matter doesn’t age.”

No one is too young to be a witness to JesusChrist.

Filipino parents, as a rule, are very protectiveof their children. In fact, even after marriagemany of them live close to their parents, if notin the same roof with them and under theirprotective care. It is the poor who are mostlycompelled to sometimes give up family proxim-ity, for example today, because either the parentshave to leave the country to find decent workor when able children themselves leave hometo do their own share in the family’s survivaland upkeep through a job thousands of milesaway. Whether or not San Pedro came from apoor or well-to-do family is not established;no documents are on hand to provide thatinformation. But it would not be surprising atall if, given the conditions and circumstancesprevailing in his time, he did not come from afamily of landowners or the moneyed elite. It

would not have been easy for a Jesuit missionary

to recruit for the missions a companion fromamong the natives’ elite families but a lot lessharder to do so from poorer families who wouldhave regarded it a great honor and privilege.

A willing young man, like Pedro, not withoutthe lure of adventure possibly also at the backof his mind, would have likely come fromsuch families. Tis consideration should not,however, detract from the fact that San Pedro

Calungsod, whatever his social background was,proved himself a true witness to Jesus Christ inlife and especially in death. I see in this a twofoldchallenge for today’s Pinoys: o the older onesamong us, to not allow the opportunity of evan-gelizing the young to pass us by; to the young,to never delay evangelizing because of youth.

Te missionary is a person of sacrifice.oday countless Filipinos continue to leave

the country to look for opportunities to a betterlife. But at the time of San Pedro Calungsod this

was not so. Leaving the country was mostly achoice for the moneyed elite, the criminal orthe missionary among the native Filipinos. Forthe moneyed elite, it was mainly to seek bet-ter European education; for the criminal, forthe obvious reason of being able to evade notonly the responsibility for his actions but alsoa justice system tilted against him; for the mis-sionary, to follow a vocation, a spiritual callingto leave everything for the sake of Jesus Christand his Gospel.

In a word, San Pedro’s departure was to alife of sacrifice, not to greener pastures, except

when the greener pastures referred to the otherlife. For San Pedro it was not been easy. He

was young, he was a lay person who had to

live like a religious detached from everythingand everyone familiar. More than this, he hadto embrace a life of uncertainty and danger,of provisions not sure of arriving regularly, ofconstant prayer and self-giving, of being withpeople teaching, catechizing or organizing themas Christian (Catholic) communities. San Pedro

was a sacristan; part of his work was to carry a

WE now merrily greet each other “Happy Eas-ter” to convey our joy because of the resurrectionof Jesus. After going through the events of theHoly Week we can now really claim that thereis hope amid the seemingly endless sufferingsand frustrations we endure.

Te Church has taken pains in explaining tous the meaning and significance of the Eastermysteries. Te concepts of death and immortal-

ity, sin and grace, darkness and light, misery andconsolation are the prevailing themes that es-sentially elucidate the great mystery of the RES-URRECION. Tese theological paradoxesexpress, after all, the hope that everything doesnot end on the cross. With Christ’s resurrec-tion, life is filled with consolation and becomesbearable. While the cross became the symbolof the Holy Week festivities, the Easter seasonleads us to the empty tomb which is the symbolof the glory of the risen Lord. As Christ rises,so, we, too, shall rise from our miseries becauseof Him who empowers us! But more than thisassurance, the resurrection of Jesus challengesus to change, to chart a new beginning and tobe men and women in the image and likenessof Christ. Simply put, the resurrection entails

working for our personal CONVERSION!Conversion is never an easy task. It implies

shaking up the status quo. We ought to give upso many things if we wish to make it happen.

Hence, vices should be turned into virtues, ma-terial attachments should give way to spiritual

nourishment and good works must be donein lieu of bad habits. Tese may bring uneasi-ness, an ordeal of sorts to so many of us. Hardas it may seem, we must work for it though,because even Christ himself took the hard wayto experience glory.

Authentic conversion must start with some-thing. Tere ought to be a focal point wherein thedetails of change and of renewal must emanate.

And it should be the HEAR, for it is somethingthat represents the inner core of man, one thatconveys the truth and is seen only by GOD. Jesus’resurrection, then, is a challenge to effect theresurrection of our own hearts, the conversion ofour hearts. Tis type of conversion must be seenin three ways. A resurrected heart, then, means:

1. A NEW heart. In the words of the prophetEzekiel (11:19-21), it is one that OBEYS ourGod. It supplants the stony and hardened heartthat betrays Yahweh. It is a heart that followsGod’s commandments, that obeys His will,avoids sinful acts and leads one to do thingsnot according to his whims and caprices. Anew heart opens the person to Jesus and is firmagainst the lure of sin and the false promises of

worldly allurements.2. A CLEAN and PURE heart. Te Gospel

of Matthew (5:8) says, “Blessed are the clean ofheart, for they will see God.” God can only beseen, according to St. Tomas Aquinas, through

a gift called “beatific vision”. Tis happens uponthe death of a person. Not all though may be

recipients of this gift. Hence, this type of heart would have to see God in one’s neighbor. It seesthe neighbor to whom, when thirsty, we give adrink; when hungry, we give food; when naked,

we give clothes. In short, this is a heart that helpsand seeks the good fortune of others. It does notoppress or commit injustice against another.It is known for its cleanliness and purity suchthat those who possess it become themselves

the image of God.3. A heart that REASURES our GOD.

“For where your treasure is, there also will yourheart be” (Mt 6:21). Material things and earthlytreasures have their own value. But a resurrectedheart sees God as the priciest and most valuableriches. No longer does it just seek happiness andfulfillment from mundane pleasures but it is aheart which is in love and ultimately beats forGod. It is heart that sees God as the source ofall blessings and it realizes that God is simplymore than enough.

God’s ways are not only tough and difficult.Tey are convoluted, full of twists and turnsand many at times, they confuse, distract anddiscourage. Some may not understand it but

with the eyes of faith we accept His will withboldness and courage. As we celebrate, then, thisglorious feast of the resurrection let us pray and

work for the conversion of our hearts. And as wegreet each other “Happy Easter,” may we take

it to mean, “May you have a RESURRECEDHEAR!”

San Pedro Calungsod:What a young Pinoy

martyr says to us today

I is very disturbing that reli-gious persecutions are still hap-

pening in this modern era. Historyshowed that it happened only inthe early centuries: in Japan whereour first Filipino saint San Lo-renzo Ruiz was tortured becausehe evangelized to the natives anddid not give up his Catholic faith

when arres ted; in Guam whereour second Filipino saint SanPedro Calungsod, whose feast

we celebrated on March 28, waspierced to death when he and hisco-catechists, and Fr. Diego gotthe ire of the town leaders becausethe natives believed their catechesison Catholic faith; in Korea wherehundreds of Catholic believers

were killed because they defendedtheir Catholic faith. Te disciplesof our Lord Jesus Christ sufferedthe same religious persecution butthey chose to die and stood firm intheir Catholic faith.

In the Middle East, severalChristians are persecuted by theISIS who continuously raid com-munities and arrest Christians,including old people, women andchildren. I saw in Youtube howthe more than 20 Christians werebeheaded by the ISIS along theseashore making the sea water red

with blood.***

We strongly condemn the viola-tion of the dignity of women dur-ing an attack on a Catholic s choolrun by the Religious of Jesus andMary (RJM) in eastern India’s WestBengal state. Tere seems to be noend in violence against womenin that country. Reports said thatyouth robbers broke into the schooland inflicted physical violence on

the nuns, raped a 70-year old nun,and desecrated consecrated hosts.

In the press release issued by Sr.Monica Joseph, RJM SuperiorGeneral, she appealed, saying: “Itis our duty to ensure the dignityand safety of all women and chil-dren. We are deeply pained thatour chapel, which is our place ofprayer and worship was desecrated.Let us resolve today to ask God togive us the grace to inculcate in all,respect for all religions and placesof worship.” She said further thatthey had forgiven the offenders butthey want justice; they should notgo scot free so that they would notcontinue destroying and woundingother vulnerable persons.

*** Justice is also the cry not only

of the bereaved family of the 44SAF heroes, but also of the wholenation. With so many institutionsconducting the investigation onthe Mamasapano massacre, we onlyhope that truth will come out; thatthe guilty will be prosecuted; thatthere will be no white wash becausethat would be the last straw for thepatience of the Filipino people. Teerring government officials mustalso be brought to justice. heblood of those 44 SAF troopers areon their hands; let their consciencebe bothered for any omission in theperformance of their duties.

It is our responsibility to changethe world, to make it a safer placeto live not only for us, but also forfuture generations. Lord, we praythat You give us the grace to respecthuman life. Let those who continueto do the heinous killing and viola-tion of human rights be broughtto justice; let them realize that we

will not tolerate their barbaric acts,because it is against Your law.

***Now on its 26th year, the Bankof Philippine Islands (BPI) and De-partment of Science and echnol-ogy (DOS) Science Awards hasrecognized over 700 outstandingscience awardees from its partneruniversities nation-wide: Univer-sity of the Philippines Diliman,University of the Philippines LosBaños, Ateneo de Manila Univer-sity, Ateneo de Davao University,De La Salle University, Saint LouisUniversity, Silliman University,University of San Carlos, Univer-sity of Santo omas and XavierUniversity.

Te BPI-DOS Science Awardsencourages promising young stu-dents to reach higher levels of ex-cellence in these specialized fields:mathematics, physics, chemistry,engineering, computer science andbiology. BPI Foundation Execu-tive Director Fidelina A. Corcuerastated that they support this pro-gram to encourage and recognizepromising university students inthe pursuit of their scientific re-search. Tree exceptional studentsare selected per partner institutionevery year. An awardee is selectedon the basis of his academic per-formance and must be nominatedby the school.

Te 2015 BPI-DOS Science Awards Best Project was presentedto Christian John S. Capirig of

Ateneo de Davao. His project wasentitled “In Vitro Evaluation ofSelected Bacteria Against FusariumOxysporum f. sp. Cubense ropicalRace 4” and was chosen for its po-tential to protect our vital banana

industry from getting wiped out bythis fungal disease.

Coming in second was my nieceRaiza Elmira S. Imperial of U.P.Dilliman for her project: One-StepFabrication of Superhydrophobic/Superole0philic ElectrodepositedPolythiophene for Oil and WaterSeparation, for its possible use inmitigating the effects of oil spillson the marine environment.

Alron Jan F. L am of Del LaSalle University placed third for hisproject: Breadcrumb: An IndoorSimultaneous Localization andMapping System for Mobile De-vices, which could enable users tohave access to indoor positioningsystems, much like the GPS yet forcommercial spaces.

he Best Project of the Year winners received a cash price andtrophy. All 29 science awardees,including the Best Project of the

Year winners, received cash and aplaque of recognition.

***Te Earth Hour observance in

the country was a success. It is anevent that aims to create awarenessabout taking responsibility towardsa sustainable future by turningoff the lights at 8:30pm, in theirlocal times, on the last Saturdayof March.

*** We wis h eve ryo ne a sol emn

observance of the Holy Weekand may the blessing of the RisenChrist be with us all. Happy Easter!

We also wish Fr. Benedict Cer-vantes, Fr. Antonio Nopasa, Fr.Ric orrefiel, Fr. Leo Pepito, Fr.Rockmore Saniel,OMI and RyanRezo from the Diocese of Kalookana very Happy Birthday!

OUR daily cross will always bring us stress. We cannot run away from it. And so Jesus suggested the best way to manage the stress caused by ourdaily crosses—embracing and carrying them wholeheartedly. Jesus showedus how to handle our cross. He is indeed our best teacher in detoxifyingour inner selves, and in managing our stress. We don’t want to grow oldsad, bitter and frustrated for bearing so much stress, we should set oureyes on Jesus and learn from Him.

Te stress caused by our daily cross can be beneficial to us; it can gen-erate passion and motivation for a better life. It can even benefit others,the way we benefited from salvation from the cross of Jesus. It is onlyin carrying our cross that our stress, inner struggles and suffering can betransformed into something life-giving.

It is also good to note that prayerful people are far better good inmanaging stress than those who are simply determined to carry theirdaily cross. I find it very helpful to look at the crucified Christ every timeI face my daily challenges and trials.

Here are some important pointers in managing our daily cross.Effective stress management starts with good morning prayer, medita-

tion and a good disposition. Unfortunately, the first thing that we giveup when we are so busy is our prayer time. Remember this: PRAYERSHOULD BE ONE OF OUR NON-NEGOIABLES IN LIFE. Te

busier we are, the more we should pray. Jesus was a busy person, butspending time with the Father was a must for Him in His morningsand evenings.

It is good for us to identify our feelings when we face our cross, anddevelop strategies to manage them. Know your usual triggers that bringinstant stress.

Our attitude towards our cross is crucial. Some people are tremblein fear when they think of their cross; but some are courageous andbrave. Terefore, having the right attitude towards our daily cross isvery important.

Notice that some of our triggers are both external factors (major lifechanges, environment, unpredictable events, workplace, and social ex-pectations, etc.) and internal factors, which are self-induced (fears, anger,uncertainty, lack of control, beliefs, etc.). Tese triggers create stress thataffects our attitude in carrying our daily cross.

Tus, we need to name our triggers. Make a list of the common situ-ations, concerns or challenges that trigger your stress response to yourcross – that of running away.

Now I want to share my personal Detox Process: Embracing and Car-rying My Daily Cross:

1. SILENCE. Dispose yourself into prayer with a ten minute silence.

Do your usual breathing exercise. Feel the presence of God in the envi-ronment and also with yourself. Tank God for giving you this beautifulday, another day to love and serve Him.

2. GRACE. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to identify your dailycross. Ask Him to give you the grace to embrace and carry your dailycross, even the grace of befriending your cross.

3. READ. Read slowly the proposed Scripture verses. Let it sink intoyour heart. Allow the Lord to speak to you in this verse.

4. MEDIAION. What are your daily cross that Jesus wants youto carry? Enumerate and list them. What do you feel? Express yourthoughts to Jesus.

Now listen to Jesus. What will He say to your daily cross? Ten slowly,look at the crucifix. Look at how Jesus carried His cross. Compare yourcross with His cross. What do you feel? What are your thoughts?

Here is something to note: the irony of the cross: Te more we runaway from our cross, the heavier it becomes. But the more we face ourcross and carry it wholeheartedly, the lighter it becomes. If you knowthe principle of law of cantilever, you will understand this irony better.

Just look at Jesus hanging on the cross. Have a colloquy with thecrucified Christ as he lovingly embraces and accepts His death on thecross. Consider how He suffers all this for our sins. What do you feel?

5. CLOSING PRAYER. End your prayer with the detox prayer ofSaint Ignatius of Loyola.

come almost impossible.Our other worldly concerns

and affairs, like our business andpolitics, can also produce such oldleaven that can give us certain perksand advantages and convenience,but just the same can only swellour ego. his is actually a veryformidable foe because this kindof mindset is the mainstream atpresent.

Of course, we have the usualleaven of the flesh that can lead usto a variety of anomalies like pride,vanity, greed, envy, lust, sloth andthe like. But what is important to

realize is that our process of dyingto ourselves, which is what purgingthe old leaven would mean, shouldsimultaneously correspond to ourneed to rise with Christ, imitatinghim, identifying ourselves withhim in all things.

We can only purge ourselves of

the old leaven to the extent that we leaven ourselves with Christ,increasingly knowing, loving andserving him, that would alwaysredound to knowing, loving andserving others, and everyone else.

We need to spread this goodnews around because many are stillignorant of it, or if not completelyignorant, are still at sea as to how

we can purge ourselves of the oldleaven and leaven ourselves withChrist.

Actually the leaven of Christ ispresented to us as the unleavenedbread of life, meaning purged of

worldly and bodily leaven. Andas Christ himself said, to get thisleaven of his, which is unleavenedof worldly things, we need to denyourselves and carry the cross.

We need to love the cross to beable to have the new life offered tous by Christ.

Candidly Speaking / A4

By The Roadside / A6

at least point to—the truth?Tis is the only President we have

had who refuses to wear a Philip-pine flag pin on his chest—insteadhe clings to the yellow ribbon, acontradictory symbol of tragedyand victory in his personal life.

What else can we do? Noynoy isbeing himself, very “personal”, not“national” in spite of his position.

He values his friends and brutallyexcoriates his enemies, because hesincerely believes only those whoare with him can be right.

He capitalizes on his “spotlessrecord” and his family name whichthe vagaries of history have lac-quered and magnified to superhu-man proportions. He needs friendsto run a country like a legless manneeds a crutch; and he has friendsto coddle his self-image as a righ-teous leader. When ordinary citi-zens in social media comment onhis less-than-gentlemanly behavior,his friends in the Palace and hiscelebrity sister come to the rescue:“Poor poor Noynoy, why do youdo this to him? You’re so cruel!”

Noynoy’s friends come from farand wide, and with the prodding

of powerful allies that make himfeel he is superior to the Constitu-

tion, he gets away with murder:public funds go to pots and pocketsunknown to legislators, laws arepassed devoid of conscience, warsare plotted in secret with friends.

Will the President te ll the truth?I don’t think so. His hands aretied; he cannot tell the whole truth

without risking national s ecurityand even his life. Tat is what

happens when in a man’s conceithe fails to see that his powerfulfriends have turned him into adummy. Will Noynoy apologize?

At the way he’s sounding, he be-lieves he has done nothing wrong.Self-righteousness blinds a man tohis own errors. His Holy Weekmessages, aired repeatedly on tv,surprisingly rang like homilies—so strange, coming from a man

whose hardness of heart has madehim consistently disregard thevoice of the Church.

Will the President ever tell thetruth about Mamasapano? Hisyears in office have uncovered hislimitations. Expecting Noynoy tosay more than he has said, or tostoop in remorse over the conse-quences of his actions would be

like squeezing milk out of stone. And that’s the truth.

And That’s The Truth / A4


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A6 CBCP MonitorMarch 30 - April 2, 2015, Vol. 19. No. 7LOCAL NEWS

rather heavy altar stone everywhere Padre Di-ego Luis would go to, especially on extendedperiods where the Eucharist would have beencelebrated periodically. Yet to all this he saidyes and out of all this, he even found cheerand contentment.

A lie is kin to death.Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores and Pedro

Calungsod were killed because of a lie. It wasone whose source was a Chinese merchant,exiled from Manila for having committed acrime. His name was Choco who spread therumor that the water being used by the mis-sionaries to baptize the children of the nativeGuamanians was poisonous and that this wasthe reason why some of them died shortly afterbaptism. A father named Matapang whose child

was baptized by Padre Diego, with the assistanceof Pedro, became murderously furious, as hetook Choco’s lie hook, line and sinker. He hada partner named Hirao who initially refusedbut later joined Matapang after being called acoward by the latter. Tey killed Pedro first andthen Padre Diego Luis.

Te circumstances were uncanny. Tey seemreminiscent of the death and murder of Jesushimself: of the lie authored by Jewish and Ro-man authorities that he was an impostor, thathe deceived people by his declaration that heis God’s Son and by his promise of eternal life.Incidentally they also remind us of real liesin our day and age that are just as deadly: forinstance, that we can make life better withoutGod and without the constraints of faith’smoral values, that promoting contraceptionand abortion are essential to human progressand development, that money and winning areeverything, even at the expense of suppressing

the voice of conscience and the demands of justice.

It takes courage to proclaim Christ in a hos-tile environment.

San Pedro Calungsod and Blessed Padre Di-ego Luis de San Vitores had to face a group ofpeople led by Matapang and Hirao that couldonly be described kindly as unfriendly. Ofcourse, the better representatives of the Mari-anas’ populace could have been more numerous;unfortunately they did not rule the day. Histori-ans point out that Pedro and Padre Diego could

just have left the Marianas and returned to thePhilippines or proceeded to more welcomingterritories to proclaim Christ and the gospel.But they chose to stay and, without question,to offer their lives for the sake of the mission.

heir courage and generosity should notescape us. Courage because they did not runfrom their mission even if they could; generos-

ity because, in choosing not to fight even inself-defense, they made themselves ready forthe ultimate sacrifice. For these reasons alonethey deserve to be recognized even as humanheroes. But having taken those actions for JesusChrist and his kingdom especially makes themheroes of the faith.

Loyalty to Jesus Christ means loyalty to mybrother or sister in faith.

From hindsight students of San Pedro’s lifeand times, with ample support from historians,point out that, being young and strong, SanPedro Calungsod could have ably defendedhimself and even defeated his killers, Matapangor Hirao. He could have easily fled to safety andPadre Diego Luis would have understood, orbeen happier about, his action.

But the unshakable point is, San Pedro chosenot to. He chose to stay with Padre Diego Luisand at some point used his own body to shield

the priest. At that point Hirao struck him on thechest and, sensing an opportunity, went to strike

him on the head as well, leading to the saint’sdeath. San Pedro’s action is often extolled for itsdepiction of the Filipino loyalty to friends andsuperiors. But in this specific case, somethingeven higher was at stake: He was a catechist anda sacristan standing by a spiritual friend and pas-tor (Padre Diego) right to the bitter end. Tat is,and it is worth repeating, we see someone dyingout of a sense of loyalty to Jesus Christ; to SanPedro loyalty to Jesus Christ and loyalty to abrother was inseparable. San Pedro Calungsod,in a word, was an icon of the Gospel.

Te reality at work always and everywhere:love of God in Christ Jesus.

Tere is always a veil of mystery when we areconfronted with extraordinary heroism. Who

would not marvel, for example, over a twelve

year-old St. Maria Goretti being able to resist arapist, preferring instead to die rather than sin inhis hands? Or who would not be in awe at theability of a St. Maximilian Kolbe to courageouslyvolunteer to die in place of a condemned mar-ried man and be the last to actually expire afterhelping his fellow condemned prisoners to facedeath under God’s grace? In the case of San PedroCalungsod, who would not admire his choice toignore his own personal safety and to sacrifice a

whole future to stay and die with a friend andpastor? Te event happened so fast and so was hisfateful decision. But San Pedro did not hesitate.

I submit that this is because in all of theseinstances we witness the same reality at workin diverse ways and forms—God’s love. It isthis love that we see in the most sublime wayshining in Jesus Christ’s own sacrifice. And wesee it continually shining in those who, likeSan Pedro Calungsod, are moved by the Spiritin certain graced circumstances, to follow Jesus

Christ unhesitatingly on life’s many pathwaysto Calvary and the Resurrection.

By The Roadside / A5

administrators, he reminded hisbrother-priests of their duty ofserving the most in need, especiallythis Year of the Poor.

agle also waxed sentimentalover a moving encounter he had

with sur vivors of the fire tha trazed parts of Parola compound inManila’s ondo district last monththat displaced more than 15,000people, mostly informal settlers.

Despite the incident, he said,“you could feel their faith unshakenand stronger than ever amid the

devastation.”“You could read gratitude in

their faces. You could see they weremore than happy to know thatGod loves them regardless of whatthey have been through. Tey werethankful that the Church made aneffort to be with them, to join themin their hardships,” agle said.

Amon g tho se pres ent in theChrism Mass was Fr. Jeremiah

Adviento of the Nuestra Señora dela Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude)de Camba Parish, which has juris-diction over Parola, and who was

with the cardinal when he visitedthe area.

he young priest from Ilocossaid besides comforting them, agleassured the fire victims that theChurch will continue helping them.

“It’s significant that the readingthat day was about Judas’ betrayal

of Jesus. Notwithstanding the evilthat the apostle did to the Son ofGod, the Good News prevailed.God always finds a way to makeHis presence felt in the mostunlikely, even in the worst circum-stances,” Adviento said.

In going to the depressed area,the priest said that agle rodea jeepney and had to hold theEucharistic celebration in a make-shift basketball court, given thatthe nearby San Ezequiel MorenoChapel was also destroyed by fire.

Meanwhile, Adviento lauded thecharity and generosity of the manydonors and benefactors who helpedhis parishioners.

While he admitted the variouspastoral issues he faces in Cambaoften takes a toll on his ministry,the priest of eight years expressed

joy at the thought that Our Ladyof Solitude always keeps him andhis flock company.

After the Chrism Mass at theCathedral, I saw my parishioners,simple folks whose dedication tothe Church is boundless, wavingat me from afar. I smiled, sayingto myself: If these people go out oftheir way to serve the Lord, mind-less of the fatigue and all that, howmuch more I, a priest? I have noexcuse not to do my part for God,”

he said. (Raymond A. Sebastián/ CBCPNews)

Wish, A1

restored among various groups.He called for peace in the Holy

Land, stressing the need for the“culture of encounter” to growbetween Israelis and Palestinians,and for the peace process to beresumed to end years of sufferingand division in the country.

For Libya, Pope Francis hopedthat the “present absurd bloodshedand all barbarous acts of violencemay cease, and that all concernedfor the future of the country may

work to favor reconciliation and tobuild a fraternal society respectfulof the dignity of the person.”

He also noted intentions for Yemen where he yearned “for thegrowth of a common desire forpeace for the good of the entirepeople,” and in Lausanne wherehe hoped that the nuclear dealframework recently agreed uponis a “definitive step toward a moresecure and fraternal world.”

Live in serviceTe Holy Father also asked for

the gift of peace in Nigeria, SouthSudan and for the various areas of

Sudan and the Democratic Repub-lic of the Congo.

“May constant prayer rise upfrom all people of goodwill forthose who lost their lives—I thinkin particular of the young people

who were kill ed last hur sdayat Garissa University College inKenya—for all who have beenkidnapped, and for those forcedto abandon their homes and theirdear ones,” he added.

Pope Francis also prayed forUkraine, expressing hopes thatthe country will soon rediscoverpeace and hope through the tirelesscommitment of all the involvedparties working towards its peaceand progress.

“Te world proposes that we putourselves forward at all costs, that

we compete, that we prevail… ButChristians, by the grace of Christ,dead and risen, are the seeds of an-other humanity, in which we seekto live in service to one another, notto be arrogant, but rather respectfuland ready to help,” the Holy Fathersaid. (Jennifer M. Orillaza/CBCPNews)

Pride, A1

Philippines said that the Court rul-ing notes that the word “primarily”

would have allowed the “surrepti-tious introduction” of drugs anddevices that, though mainly abor-

tifacient, were also abortifacient inuse and in effect.“Te Court clarifies that, con-

sistent with the no-abortion spiritof the RH law, even contraceptivesthat have no such primary inten-tion, but have the secondary effectof destroying the fetus or prevent-ing nidation (attaching of thefertilized egg to the uterine wall),should be considered as abortifa-cients and are, therefore, banned,”said Archbishop Socrates Villegas,CBCP president.

Te High Court also ordered theFood and Drugs Authority (FDA)to verify whether the birth controldevices to be used are safe and donot include induce abortion.

he group says some of thepoints SC has emphasized are as

follows: respect for parental super-

vision over the rights and welfare oftheir children; spousal consent onthe use of contraceptive technolo-gies; free exercise of conscientiousobjection of medical and allied

health practitioners over state-sponsored reproductive healthmethodologies; strict adherence toprocesses involved in the licensingand accreditation of contraceptivetechnologies ensuring that thesame are not abortifacients nor

with abortifacient properties and will not pose any risk to the healthof its users; free and informed con-sent of those who are the subjectof reproductive health programs.

o date, however, the grouplamented that the DOH, being thelead agency in the implementation ofthe RH law, has not made necessaryefforts to ensure that the contracep-tive program will not put womenand their families in harm’s way.

No consultative discussions

Te pro-life advocates also said

they have yet to see and even par-ticipate in consultative discussionsover curriculum development onsexuality education and its com-ponent subjects.

Tey also claimed that reportsreaching them revealed that mod-ules have been made and printedfor use in public schools.

“We are likewise entitled to ex-ercise our rights in the formulationof specific policies and guidelinesrelated to the RH law but none ofthe agencies involved in this haveextended invitations to groups suchas ours who have been known tothem as active participants andstakeholders on the matter,” theyadded.

Led by Pro-Life Philippines, thealliance is scheduled to deliver theirmanifesto to the DPH and the FDAduring a prayer rally on April 10,Friday, across the FDA compound in

Alabang, Muntinlupa City, invitinginterested parties to bring rosaries and

placards, and take part in the event.

‘Less than appropriate’ According to the Pro-Life Philip-

pines, Congress passed the RH Actunder what it describes as “less than

appropriate and acceptable proce-dures” and was signed into law ona largely similar circumstance.

It further notes that following aseries of petitions and arguments,SC’s decision stresses RH Law is“not unconstitutional.”

“While in many instances wedisagreed with the way this law

was impressed upon the people aslegally legitimate, though morallyinfirmed, socially damaging andfundamentally risky to vulnerableindividuals, we respected the inevi-table,” the group explains.

However, Pro-Life Philippinespoints out state imposition wasdelimited given that the judiciarymade it clear religious freedomand the exercise of one’s free willremained paramount and cannot

be abridged.

Ruling, A1

Palo prelate: Reflect on Christ’s resurrection

throughout ‘Year of the Poor’ HE resurrection only for Easter?Palo Archbishop John Forros-uelo Du believes it is somethingto reflect on during the Year of thePoor, which will end in Novemberthis year.

“Let us continue to reflect within

the entire Year of the Poor [and]share a story with the poor,” he saidat the Palo Cathedral of Our Lord’sransfiguration where he baptizedand administered confirmationto three converts to the RamonCatholic faith as part of the EasterVigil rites.

Generous God“Te resurrection of our Lord

Jesus Christ gives us new life anda chance to live like His children,”he said, adding that in this “newlife that Christ gives us throughHis resurrection we could see ourpoverty before the Lord.”

He underscored that as Chris-tians, nothingness is their strengthbecause through it they come toknow how generous a father God

is, saying, “In our poverty we see

how generous God is to us.”Te prelate stressed, too, that

the generosity of God comes uponthose who, in spite of their poverty,continuously help others amidhardships.

Du nonetheless pointed out that

it will be difficult for the compla-cent man to receive God’s grace,stressing that “we need God’s graceand we all need to be dependenton Him.”

Light to others A person who is not content

with what God gives him suffersfrom envy, greed and other sins,he added.

Following tradition, Du com-menced the Easter Vigil with theceremonial lighting of the vigilcandle, symbolizing the light thatChrist Jesus brings to Earth andto mankind.

Te lighting of the paschal can-dle during Easter, according to Du,reminds the faithful to serve as lightto one another. (Eileen Nazareno-

Ballesteros/CBCP News)Palo Archbishop John Forrosuelo Du. FILE PHOTO

FOR a member of the PhilippineChurch hierarchy, there is nothingnew with President Benigno S.

Aquino III’s refusal to say sorry forthe Mamasapano debacle, callinghim a “very incompetent fellow.”

Not bad, but incompetent “He is not a bad man, but he is

a very incompetent fellow. He doesnot even know how to apologize,”Lingayen-Dagupan ArchbishopEmeritus Oscar V. Cruz shared

in an interview over Church-runRadyo Veritas.he prelate, who formerly

headed the Catholic Bishops’Conference of the Philippines(CBCP), recalled this is not thefirst time PNoy did not issue anapology on a hot issue, saying the2010 “Manila hostage crisis” inLuneta, involving mostly HongKong citizens, had earlier testedhis leadership skills.

Little consolation While an apology may not be

enough to assuage the feelings ofthe party offended, Cruz explainedthat at least it can do a little interms of consolation.

“It is a little consolation, al-though it is not enough. It is

worst if you don’t even apologize. An apology will not suffice or willreturn the lives lost, but at least it isa consoling gesture,” he said, won-dering what prevents Aquino fromexpressing remorse for the Jan. 25incident, which claimed the livesof 44 members of the PhilippineNational Police (PNP)’s Special

Action Force (SAF).

PNoy accountableMeanwhile, the recently released

draft Senate committee report

confirms Aquino’s accountabilityfor the massacre.

“As to the President, he is ulti-mately responsible for the Mama-sapano mission,” said Sen. GracePoe, chair of the Senate Committeeon Public Order and DangerousDrugs.

According to her, Aquino wasparticularly responsible for allow-ing then suspended PNP Chief

Alan Purisima take part in OplanExodus on the morning of Jan. 25.

Poe added PNoy can only beheld responsible through impeach-ment.

Go-signalhe Board of Inquiry (BOI)

report concludes that Aquino gavethe go-signal to Oplan Exodusafter the concept of operations(CONOPS) presented to him bySAF Director Getulio Napeñas,and allowed suspended PNP Chief

Alan Purisima to take part in itsplanning and execution despitehis status.

It adds that PNoy’s dealingdirectly with Napeñas rather than

wi th PNP Off ic er -i n- Charge(OIC) General Leonardo Espina,although a prerogative, bypassedthe established PNP chain ofcommand.

Chain of commandUnder the Manual for PNP

Fundamental Doctrine, the chainof command runs upward anddownward, and requires the com-mander to discharge his responsi-bilities through it.

o read the full text of theBOI report, visit: http://www.gov.ph/2015/03/13/boi-mamasapano-report-march-2015/. (Raymond A.Sebastián/CBCP News)

Prelate: PNoy’s ‘no-sorry’

old news

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar V. Cruz. FILE PHOTO

Kids suffer most when parents separate – prelate WHILE it is something people know all too well, an official of the Catholic Church hasnonetheless reminded troubled couples andparents anew that their children are the onesto suffer most once they decide to part ways,adding their well-being must come first despitedomestic hardships.

Biggest casualty Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus

Oscar V. Cruz, judicial vicar of the Catho-lic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines(CBCP)’s National Appellate Matrimonialribunal, has called kids the “biggest casualty”of any marital breakdown.

“Couples who fail to patch up their differ-

ences, make their marriage work, and chooseto separate, have no other victims but theirown children. I repeat: he first and biggestvictims of a broken home is neither the fathernor the mother. It’s the kids!” the prelatestressed in an interview over Church-runRadio Veritas.

rauma of separationCruz went on to give some reasons why this

is the case, pointing out that separation of theirparents adversely affects the children’s valuessystem as well as their mentality.

He lamented that given the situationthey are in, these kids are more likely tocatch their elders quarrelling, even hurt-ing each other physically; in some casestimes, they see eithe r of their parents witha third party.

Prioritize kid’s welfareIn this regard, the retired prelate appealed to

parents to make the welfare of their childrentheir top priority, and to always set a goodexample to them.

Meanwhile, in an earlier CBCP News post,Cruz was quoted as saying that those who arguethat the Church should change her teachingson divorce are “asking [for] the impossible.”

wo become one“Te Bible says what God has joined to-

gether let no man put asunder,” he exclaimed. Acco rding to him, the Church is duty -

bound to observe and to promote the teachingsof Her founder, Jesus Christ, who taught thatmarriage is sacred.

Affirming what’s right “Whether it will win or not in promoting the

Gospel truths, that’s not her problem anymore.Her problem is to speak when things are wrong

and to affirm when things are right,” he added.Cruz’s comments came after petitions to

make divorce legal in the Philippines resur-rected recently, with one legislator, Senator PiaCayetano, reportedly stating that the lack oflegal provisions for divorce is not somethingFilipinos should be proud of.

Unchangeable doctrineFor his part, Manila Archbishop Emeritus

Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales explained theCatholic Church cannot conform her teach-ings on divorce to the “dictates of the world,”reiterating a position she has held since thetime of Christ.

Even if a new survey showed 60 percent of

Filipinos want divorce made legal, the prelatesaid people cannot change God’s teachings tosuit what they want.

God’s law “Even if it is 99 percent (surveyed favor

divorce) what is wrong is wrong,” Rosalesadded, emphasizing that the Church’s doctrineon divorce is unalterable since it is a DivineLaw, and those pushing for it are asking theinstitution to overrule God. (Raymond A.Sebastián with reports from Roxanne DelaRosa/CBCP News)


7/20

A7CBCP Monitor March 30 - April 2, 2015, Vol. 19. No. 7 DIOCESAN NEWS

Paralyzed priest leads fightvs. illegal drugsAGBILARAN City—A priest

who lost his ability to walk is lead-ing a group of concerned citizens inagbilaran curb drug abuse in the

city through educating the youth.Te organization indogi agbi-

lara is set to conduct drug awarenesscampaigns in schools for studentsand youth when classes resumein June, revealed Fr. Fernando“Dodong” Po, the group’s convenor.

hey will fight drugs with amodule that will expose the evilsof drug use to the young, the user,the family, and society.

His group refuses to let moreyoung people fall victims to drugs,the priest said in a recent interview

with CBCPNews.Drug-related violence

Te mounting drug addiction inthe city has been alarming parentsand peace-loving locals, he revealed.

Po shared a case where a child warned his parents he would shoot

them in the head if they tell theauthorities about his addiction.

Nestor M. Pestelos, a commu-nity development worker based inBohol and a columnist for a localpublication, said another drugaddict sexually assaulted his ownmother.

In 2014, agbilaran and thetowns of Bohol were rocked by aspate of drug-related violence.

According to Po, a number ofpersons were shot dead in thestreets in broad daylight.

Parents abroadIt saddens him and his fellow

peace advocates that “women areselling the prohibited drugs,” thepriest said.

Tey peddle it even to elemen-tary and high students, Po noted.

Te priest noted how the young whose parents are working abroadcould easily be lured into drugs.

“We are trying to restore the im-age of agbilaran, which has beena city of peace and friendship,”Po said.

City clean-upTe peace advocates launched

their campaign with a prayer rallylast November.

“We cleaned up children’s play-ground that had been frequented by

suspicious people,” the priest said.indogi agbilaran, which

means ‘stand up agbilaran’ inthe local tongue, was founded inSeptember 2014, following a seriesof drug-related killings in the city.

agbilaran is a component cityof Bohol, an island province inCentral Visayas and one of country’spremiere eco-tourism destinations.(Oliver Samson/CBCPNews)

Shun prejudice for peace in

Mindanao — Interfaith group

ZAMBOANGA City—An inter-faith council based in Mindanaoreiterated the call for peace andunity between Christians and Mus-lims in the country, noting that it isthrough overcoming prejudice andreconciling with others that themuch-yearned peace in the southmay be achieved.

Te Inter Faith Council of Lead-ers (IFCL) of the Silsilah DialogueMovement in Zamboanga Cityurged Filipinos—Christians andMuslims alike—to promote unityand collaboration despite theircultural, religious, and individualdifferences.

“It is time to invite Christiansin Mindanao and the rest of thePhilippines to overcome preju-dice against Muslims, a prejudicebecoming deeper than ever. Tesame effort has to be done by theMuslims and the IPs towards oth-ers outside their own groups,” thecouncil said.

No formula for peaceNoting that the peace process in

Mindanao is undergoing “seriousstrains”, the group urged partiesinvolved in the peace negotiationsto be more open for compromiseand to “not remain rigid in theirpositions.”

“We still do not have a very clearformula for peace in Mindanao.Te Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)has been offered as one solutionand we encourage those in powerto consider it, approve it and acceptit, introducing the changes thatare claimed by many as neces sary,”it said.

“We invite the Moro IslamicLiberation Front (MILF) to con-sider and accept what is offeredby the Senate and Congress of thePhilippines as a good starting point

for a deeper process of reconcilia-tion that has to start first amongthe Muslim groups and move to theother cultural and religious groupsin Mindanao,” it added.

Te group also called on revo-lutionary movements to find so-lutions for understanding andcollaboration in spite of differentcultural and leadership conceptsto “accept possible conditionsfor peace for a real progress anddevelopment within the pluralisticrealities of Mindanao.”

Sincerity, humility With threats of religious radical-

ism and vested interests by interna-tional influences, peace efforts inMindanao are being affected—ifnot manipulated—by powerfulcountries, the council noted.

“We cannot get all we wish forbut each side can opt to do the best

with what it can get. In this way westart a genuine process of reconcili-ation and prove that we are s incereand honest in our claims,” it said.

“Te world is observing what we

are doing. We cannot transformour situation as it has been donein other countries with internalconflicts but we have to demon-strate that we in the Philippinescan live together with our varietyof cultures and religions,” it added.

Te group reiterated the impor-tance of humility and wisdom inthe attainment of peace.

“We, the IFCL members, are insolidarity with the victims of theconflict in Mindanao, those of thepast and those of the most recentconflict. We believe that peace isstill possible if each one moves withhumility and wisdom as part of thesame human family created to loveeach other,” it added. (Jennifer M.Orillaza/CBCP News)

Jaro slates summer program for more, well-prepared catechists JARO, I loilo—Responding to Pope Franci s’call to the Filipino people to be missionariesof faith, the Archdiocese of Jaro is offeringanew a summer formation program to providethe Church with more and well-preparedcatechists.

he Jaro Archdiocesan Commission onCatechesis and Catholic Education (ACCCE)has announced the opening of the 4th SummerCatechetical Institute (SCI), a four-week live-incyclical Faith Formation Program for catechists.

According to Msgr. Ramon Pet, ACCCEChairman, “through the Summer CatecheticalInstitute (SCI) the Commission continues andfaithfully carries its flagship based on PCP II’scall for renewed catechesis, renewed worship,and renewed social apostolate.”

Constant updates“Te live-in formation program is constantly

updated” he said.“In the 4th SCI the program contents will

combine the study of the Bible, Catechism ofthe Catholic Church, Catechism for Catholics,

the New Evangelization (source: EvangeliiGaudium) and the Messages of Pope Francisduring his January 2015 visit to the Philip-pines,” Pet elaborated.

He added that this summer 2015 marks thefirst graduation of the first batch of students

that started in the summer program of 2012.o facilitate the enlistment of catechists to the

SCI, applicants who have financial difficultiesmay avail of scholarships or subsidies to helpthem shoulder the expenses of the program.

Te 4th SCI will run from April 13 to May16, 2015, at the St. Joseph Regional MajorSeminary, Jaro, Iloilo City, with four courseofferings: Phase 1 for beginners and Phases 2,3, and 4 for those who have attended the pre-requisite courses in the previous years.

Catechist, agent of evangelizationFor Phase 1, Msgr. Ramon Pet will teach

“Panorama of Biblical History: Old & Newestaments Made Simple” and “LiturgicalCatechesis I”, while Professors Linda . acorda,PhD. and Purita H. Escobia will teach the sub-

ject “Te ruths of Catholic Faith”.Phase 2 subjects include “Living the Faith –

Christ our Way” and “Liturgical Catechesis: TeSacraments of Initiation” which will be taughtby Fr. Ian Neil Llona and Msgr. AlejandroEsperancilla, respectively.

Phase 3 offers “Biblical Apologetics” that will be taught by Prof. Benjie Pelobello and“Catechetical Methodology” by Prof. Lindaacorda, PhD.

Phase 4 has “Catechetical Methodology IIand Hagiography” in the morning sessions,

while afternoon sessions have “Te New esta-ment “, “Christian Prayer “, “Ma

CBCP Monitor Vol. 19 No. 7

Documents

Transcript of CBCP Monitor Vol. 19 No. 7