•A3 Benedict XVI: Thank •B1 A Leader Finds

a Vision
•C1 A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI
The CROSS
God for priests and the Order of the Knights of Columbus

40 hours of prayer Corona urged to uphold

launched in Rome for
honest elections in RP
THE Philippine Embassy to the Holy See in
coordination with the Pontificio Collegio Fil-
ippino and the Sentro Pilipino Chaplaincy has
launched the “Quarant’Ore” or forty hours’
prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for honest
and peaceful elections in the Philippines.
The Quarant’Ore devotion was launched May
6, with a Eucharistic celebration at the Basilica
Santa Pudenziana, Sentro Pilipino Chaplaincy
in Rome.
Prayer / A6
SC independence
JARO Archbishop Angel Lagdameo called on
incoming Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice
Renato Corona to defend the integrity of the
judiciary.
The former president of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines said Corona must
remain committed to the rule of law even if it
means going against the dictate’s caprices of
the powers-that-be.
“I hope the incoming chief justice will main-
tain the independence of the Supreme Court
and not be influenced by ‘utang na loob’ to the
May 10 - 23, 2010 Vol. 14 No. 10 Php 20.00 Independence / A7

Cardinal to new leaders:

Address corruption election
... hails
By Roy Lagarde
THE head of the Manila’s Ro-
man Catholic Church is asking
the country’s next president to
address issues of “corruption”
that worsened under the Ar-
royo administration.
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who had
lived and worked for the poor Filipinos
said one hopeful solution to corruption
which further aggravates poverty in the
country is “good leadership.”
Yet, he said, many leaders who have
made good promises during elections
have “failed” to do their mandate.
“Now we have a new set of leaders
but what do we expect from them aside
from service… leadership. We want our
leaders who will give (good) example,”
stressed Rosales.
Hong Kong-based Political & Econ-
omy Risk Consultancy Ltd. (PERC)
disclosed that in a recent corruption poll
the Philippines is Asia Pacific’s fourth
most corrupt economy.
The findings showed that the Phil-
ippine standing has slipped by two A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down from atop the balcony surrounding the command center of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
notches amid political mudslinging
before the May 10 elections.
The country got the worst score of were in previous elections," it added.
9.82 in system effectives “in
prosecuting and punishing
individuals for corruption”
out of 19 sub-indices.
The Philippines, how-
ever, got its best score of
5.75 in the ease of build-
ing “an internal culture”
© Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia
(PPCRV) on May 13 where partial and unofficial tallies of the May 10 election results for national candidates are being held.
to be any more successful than they
ber to February involved 2,174 mid-level leaders to be humble,” he said.
‘milestone’
CARDINAL Rosales has hailed a
“milestone” in country’s history,
as it completed its first automated
elections.
At an early morning Mass on May
11, Rosales commended the voters,
volunteers and the poll officials for
the conduct of the country’s general
elections yesterday.
The cardinal noted that the polls
were faced with some glitches but
said the efforts made by poll officials
to address and resolve them were
admirable.
“Thank you to those behind this
automation. They did a good job,”
Rosales said in his homily at the
command center of the PPCRV in
Paco, Manila
© Roy Lagarde / CBCPMedia The 77-year old archbishop also
praised the courage of voters who
turned out despite the intense heat
and long queue.
Today, according to him, in the
face of the many challenges Filipinos
are facing, they took a step forward
in the hard work of building up the
country.
The survey conducted from Decem- leaders not to be arrogant. We want our Rosales also lauded the contribu-
tions made by thousands of vol-
and senior Asian and expa- “Give service to the people and when unteers who played a critical role
triate business executives that happened… you know they will in ensuring credible and orderly
working in 16 economies. love their leaders,” Rosales added. elections.
Indonesia remained the He called on the faithful to pray
most corrupt this year with Arroyo misses chance for the country’s new leaders that
a score of 9.27 from 8.32 in Cardinal Rosales earlier said Presi- they work for an “honest desire for a
2009. It was followed by dent Gloria Arroyo missed out op- better Philippines.” (CBCPNews)
Cambodia with 9.10 from portunities to be “great leader” when

organizations to ensure 7.25 and Vietnam with 8.07 asked to comment on the nine-year rule Arroyo, who has just been proclaimed
anti-corruption standards from 7.11. of the latter. as winner of the congressional seat in
are met. Aside from corruption, the He said the outgoing president’s Pampanga’s second district yesterday,
"Bodies like the Catholic cardinal urged the country’s unpopular image brought by various was tagged by analysts and surveys as
Church and volunteer elec- new set of leaders to address allegations of election fraud, corruption, the most unpopular leader since the fall
tion watchdog bodies will other issues such as “pov- and human rights abuses have taken its of the dictatorship in 1986.
try to mobilize the masses erty, unemployment and toll on her government. Some quarters even branded her as
to fight corruption when During a thanksgiving Mass held at the Manila Cathedral on May 13, Manila
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales lauded the voters and various sectors, including peace and order.” “She did not face the challenges that worse than the late strongman and
they encounter it, but there Comelec officials , PPCRV volunteers, military and police, saying “they are “We want leaders who well. She missed a great chance to be a ousted Ferdinand Marcos for the crimes
is no reason to expect them all part of the ‘great things given by God’.” will be simple. We want our good leader,” said Rosales. Cardinal / A6

Church’s pro-life advocacy, non-negotiable—bishops

CATHOLIC bishops reiterated the Church’s firm stand against
reproductive health bill, saying the Church’s pro-life advocacy is
non-negotiable.
They made the comment as Senator Benigno Aquino III, who is
a staunch supporter of RH bill, appears to be headed to capture the
presidency.
The latest partial and unofficial count released both by Comelec
and PPCRV, showed Aquino widening his lead against closest rival,
former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
CBCP President and Tandag Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar said in a
text message to CBCPNews that the pro-life advocacy of the Church
is definitely non-negotiable.
But he added that he would maintain “critical collaboration” with
the new government.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the Church will maintain
its moral stand on population as he expressed optimism Aquino
would fulfill his campaign promise “Kung walang corrupt, walang
mahirap.”
Aquino is known to support pro-reproductive health measures
though he stands pat against abortion and vowed not to be pressured
by the Catholic church on the issue.
CBCP Vice President and Palo Archbishop Jose Palma said he
doesn’t see any change in the Catholic Church’s stand on its pro-
life advocacy because “Gospel values transcend people and the
government.”
“I believe addressing graft and corruption and introducing poverty
alleviation measures should remain high in his priorities,” Palma
told CBCPNews.
The prelate said critical collaboration simply means the Church
will support programs they find good and manifest opposition if
they see immoral policies.
As far as Isabela de Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad is concerned,
Non-negotiable / A6

Vatican: Pope can’t make it Very slow process annoys voters

to UST’s quadricentennial
PEOPLE have braved the blistering sun and sum-
mer heat to cast their votes in their respective
precincts.
For Surigao Bishop Antonieto Cabajog, voting
Election Inspectors opted to change its memory
card without prior announcement.
A voter from Rodriguez town in Rizal province
reported he finished voting after queuing for four

anniversary
IT’S final: the Supreme Pontiff is not attending
the 400th founding anniversary of the Philip-
pines’ only Pontifical and Royal University.
The Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines, Arch-
bishop Edward Joseph
Adams, has informed the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines that His Holiness,
Pope Benedict XVI, cannot attend the grand
quadricentennial anniversary celebration of the
University of Santo Tomas that will culminate
next year.
In his May 7, 2010 letter to CBCP president and
Tandag Bishop Nereo
Odchimar, Adams said the Holy Father can-
not come to Manila to attend UST’s historic
event. The Apostolic Nuncio’s letter however
failed to disclose the reason for the Pope’s an-
nouncement.
whose name will be published in L’osservatore
Romano the afternoon of Saturday, 27 November
2010,” Adams said.
As of press time, UST officials declined to
comment on Adam’s announcement, saying Fr.
Rolando dela Rosa, O.P., who is currently out of
town, should be the one to officially comment on
the issue being the university’s rector.
It was the third time that Pope Benedict XVI
is expected to visit the
Philippines since his installation to the Papacy
in 2006. The Holy Father was invited to grace the
Asian Youth Day held in Cavite last
November and the 2nd National Congress of
the Clergy held at Pasay City last January.
Founded on April 28, 1611, UST holds the
distinction of being the
oldest existing university in the Philippines
to office worthy public servants meant queuing and a half hours.
for more than an hour in his hometown of Loay, To his satisfaction, the PCOS machine assigned
Bohol. to his precinct read his duly-accomplished bal-
“If this is our experience here in Bohol, I can lot.
only imagine the others in various parts of the Another volunteer from the Church-based
country,” he said. Couples for Christ observed voting at Diosdado
A Knights of Columbus volunteer from Naga Macapagal Elementary School as very slow.
City in Camarines Sur reported that 50% of Naga “[Since] the voting began at 7:00 a.m. today, from
City’s Precinct Count Optical Scan machines broke a total of 900 or so voters, about 105 have voted
down before 11:00 a.m. on election day. But the as of 2:00 p.m. Monday causing irritation among
BEIs where able to use them again a few minutes voters,” the volunteer told CBCP News’ Operation
later, he added. CHAMP. (Melo M. Acuna)
The Association of Major Religious Superiors in
the Philippines received reports from Las Piñas
especially its Second Congressio-
nal District that PCOS
machines often
broke down and
caused inter-
ruption in
the voting
process.
Illustration by Bladimer Usi

“The Holy Father will not be coming to Manila and in Asia. Being under the authority of the A PCOS
for the anniversary, but Holy See as a pontifical university, UST has been machine at
given the importance of the quadricentennial visited by Pope Paul VI on Nov. 28, 1970 and by barangay
celebrations of the university, His Holiness will Pope John Paul II on Feb. 18, 1981 and January Daniel Fajardo’s
be sending for the occasion his special envoy, 13, 1995. (Kris Bayos) Precinct 28 refused to
receive ballots as Board of
 World News
CBCP Monitor
A2 Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

Benedict XVI promotes Rosary

in Fatima
FATIMA, Portugal, May 12, 2010—Benedict XVI is encouraging the faithful to imitate Mary in her
surrender to the will of God, recommending the rosary as a method to contemplate her participation
in our lives today.
The Pope reflected on Our Lady's role and the rosary today during a pilgrimage at the Fatima Shrine.
The Holy Father is in Portugal for the second day of a four-day trip.
Thousands of faithful lined the esplanade of the shrine, carrying candles that illumined the night
already fallen. Their pilgrimage is the traditional greeting for the May 13 feast of Our Lady of Fatima,
this year made more special because it will mark the 10th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's beatification
of Jacinta and Francisco, two of the three shepherd children who were visited by Our Lady.
"All of you, standing together with lighted candles in your hands, seem like a sea of light around this
simple chapel, lovingly built to the honor of the Mother of God and our mother, whose path from earth
to heaven appeared to the shepherd children like a way of light," Benedict XVI said.
The Pontiff went on to speak of this light we and Mary possess. "Neither Mary nor we have a light of
our own: We receive it from Jesus. His presence within us renews the mystery and the call of the burn-
ing bush which once drew Moses on Mount Sinai and still fascinates those aware of the light within us
which burns without consuming us," he said. "We are merely a bush, but one upon which the glory of
God has now come down."
The Pope said that in our day, "in which the faith in many places seems like a light in danger of

© www.catholicnewsagency.com
being snuffed out for ever," the highest priority is "to make God visible in the world and to open to
humanity a way to God."
"Do not be afraid to talk of God and to manifest without fear the signs of faith, letting the light of
Christ shine in the presence of the people of today," he urged.

Gazing upon Jesus

The Holy Father also noted how at Fatima, there came a repeated request to pray the rosary.
"The recitation of the rosary allows us to fix our gaze and our hearts upon Jesus, just like his Mother,
the supreme model of contemplation of the Son," he explained. "[...] [L]et us contemplate the intimate
participation of Mary in the mystery of our life in Christ today, a life which is also made up of joy and
sorrow, of darkness and light, of fear and hope."
The Pope led the pilgrims in praying the glorious mysteries of the rosary, beginning the prayers in
Latin, as the faithful answered in their own languages, to highlight the Church's universality.
At the beginning, the bishop of Leiria-Fatima, António dos Santos Marto, gave the Pontiff the first
official rosary of Fatima. It is fashioned from gold with topaz stones.
A note from the shrine explains that the gold "does not change and calls to mind the color of the sun, a
symbol the Church associates with Christ." The topaz, meanwhile, "enables the blue light of the heavens
to pass through it, clean and deep, the color that tradition associates with the figure of Mary." (Zenit)

Saints best represent Church, says Benedict XVI

LISBON, Portugal, May 11, 2010—Though the Church has "quar-
relsome and even rebellious" children, it is in the saints that she
recognizes her most characteristic features, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope affirmed this today at a Mass in Lisbon, on the first day
of his four-day trip to Portugal.
He reflected on the Church being formed by the baptized, the
sacrament by which "the Church gives birth to the 'saints.'"
"We know that she also has quarrelsome and even rebellious sons
and daughters, but it is in the saints that the Church recognizes her
most characteristic features, it is in them that she tastes her deepest
joy," the Holy Father said.
He reflected that faith should not be taken for granted. In this regard,
he noted that there is often preoccupation with the social, cultural and po-
litical consequences of the faith and an assumption that the faith is pres-
ent. But he added that this "unfortunately is less and less realistic." "Christ is always with us and always walks with his Church," he
"Perhaps we have placed an excessive trust in ecclesial structures said. "[...] Never doubt his presence!"
and programs, in the distribution of powers and functions; but what The Pope added: "Always seek the Lord Jesus, grow in friendship with
will happen if salt loses its flavor?" the Pontiff questioned. him, receive him in Communion. Learn to listen to his word and also to
He said that in order to avoid this, the "heart of Christianity"—the recognize him in the poor. Live your lives with joy and enthusiasm, sure
"death and resurrection of Christ,"—must be proclaimed anew with of his presence and of his unconditional, generous friendship, faithful
"vigor and joy." even to death on the cross. Bear witness to all of the joy that his strong
"The resurrection of Christ assures us that no adverse power will yet gentle presence evokes, starting with your contemporaries.
ever be able to destroy the Church. Therefore our faith is well-found- "Tell them that it is beautiful to be a friend of Jesus and that it is
ed, but this faith needs to come alive in each one of us," he said. well worth following him. With your enthusiasm, demonstrate that,
among all the different ways of life that the world today seems to
Beautiful friendship offer us—apparently all on the same level—the only way in which
Benedict XVI concluded his homily with exhortations for the we find the true meaning of life and hence true and lasting joy, is
faithful, and particularly for youth. by following Jesus." (Zenit)

Cardinal Bergoglio urges peace and Hundreds join KC

harmony for Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 11,
2010—At a Mass for Argentina’s bicen-
tennial, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires,
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, called on
the faithful to remember that the country
bishops in witness for life
KANSAS CITY, Kansas, May 12, 2010—For the third year in a
from among us,” the row, Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and
cardinal said. Kansas City—St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn joined hundreds
During the festivi- in praying the Rosary outside the Planned Parenthood abortion
ties for the bicenten- clinic in Overland Park, Kansas. About 400 people prayed all 20
nial later that after- Mysteries of the Rosary led by the two bishops on May 8.
© wineofargentina.wordpress.com

has a “mother” in the Virgin Mary, and noon, the executive The Mother’s Day weekend Rosary began in 2008 and is spon-
urged them to work as her children for director of the De- sored by Lifefront. One goals of the organization is to recruit
© www.aciprensa.com

“peace and harmony.”
The Mass took place on the feast of the
national patroness, Our Lady of Lujan.
After recalling the example of Mary who
“shows great care for Argentina from deep
down in her heart, beginning with the
poor,” Cardinal Bergoglio underscored that
Argentineans must not allow themselves to
be overcome by despair.
“Let us look to the Virgin Mary and ask
her not to let us go. We ask her for the grace
to know how to work for our homeland,
to make it grow in peace and harmony, to
give us the grace to feel we are brothers
and sisters, removing all hatred and anger
partment of the Laity enough people to make a prayerful witness during each hour the
of the Argentinean Planned Parenthood facility is open for abortions. The annual
Bishops’ Conference Rosary is an important tool in that recruiting effort. This year
read the “Manifesta- saw more than 100 additional participants over last.
tion of Hope,” which New to this year’s event, a specific prayer for the closing
expressed the com- Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of the clinic was recited after the Rosary. Lifefront organizers
mitment of the laity to work for the respect of At 3:00 p.m. those present lit candles as a distributed the prayer on cards and encourage its recitation at
“the dignity of human life … the strengthen- sign of their commitment to “illuminate” the home. (CNA)
ing of our institutions, citizen participation homeland and make it a “new light of hope
and education.” for Argentina.” Afterward, they prayed
“Today we wish to proclaim this mani- an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be, a Kolkata celebrating Mother
Teresa’s centennial
festo, which is a true civic commitment of the tradition started by the bishops during the
bicentennial, so that it will be burned in our political crisis of 2001-2002.
hearts and be a sign of our civic conduct,” Similar ceremonies took place in other
the statement said. cities across the country. (CNA)
KOLKATA, India, May 12, 2010—“There is enthusiasm and joy

Catholics remember the Sichuan earthquake two years ago today

MIANZHU, China, May 12,
2010—The Catholic Diocese of
Chengdu (Sichuan) participated
today in a series of Masses in
memory of victims of the Sich-
uan earthquake two years ago
and the Qinghai in mid-April.
The earthquake in Sichuan,
May 12, 2008, killed over 68,000
people, almost 18,000 are still
officially "missing".
In Chengdu, the provincial
capital, young people have
prayed for those who still
suffer from the earthquake,
especially for mothers who lost
their children.
In Mianzhu—where a parish
had eight faithful dead and the
church collapsed killing two
persons—on 10 May 70 Catholics
gathered together with members
of other religions for a com-
m e morat io n i n
music and songs,
remembering all
victims.
Fr. Li Jinxuan,
pastor of Mianzhu
told AsiaNews
that the parish still
lacks the funds to
rebuild the church
lapsed. Two years later he is still
celebrating Mass in a makeshift
church.
Most of the population of
Catholics and have now settled
in another area, but are still in
need of spiritual support.
"The parishioners have be-
come more mature. You feel
so weak in addressing these
disasters. As priest, I used to
be directing parish matters, but
now have learnt to listen and
humble. Without Lord Jesus, I
couldn’t anything. Now, I have
to shoulder responsibility to help
rebuild the Church and local
community”.
The priest points out that
now many parishioners are full
of gratitude to God and have
become more active in evange-
lization. Perhaps because of the
among the people of Kolkata, who are getting ready to celebrate
the centennial birth of the Blessed Mother Teresa, founder of the
Missionaries of Charity. The city in which the Blessed worked
almost her entire life will host a series of initiatives to remember
care offered by the Catholics to 17,912, including 5,335 stu- her and her teachings,” said Eugene Gonsalves, president of the
the general population, more dents. Catholic Association of Bengal.
people now come to church. The government has never re- Speaking to AsiaNews, he said, “We are full of joy with the idea of
Over the past two years the par- leased a list of names of students celebrating the centennial of our beloved Mother as she is called.”
ish has celebrated more than 100 killed in the collapse of schools. Local Catholics “are praying and hoping wholeheartedly that
baptisms. But an association of citizens for the canonization of Mother Teresa will be announced during this
"Last April, during the Easter the "Civic Survey” produced a anniversary,” he said. “For us in any event, she is already a saint.
Vigil, we celebrated the liturgy list with names of 5,212 students Both the poorest of the poor and the very rich of this country think
outside, enjoying the light of who died under the rubble. the same way. Since the start of the centennial year, every parish in
Christ and the hope that shines For many years families have the diocese ends Mass with prayers for the Blessed’s sainthood.”
in the darkness. We baptized 23 attempted to sue the local au- The faithful “have already begun to embrace the spirit of Mother
catechumens”. thorities, guilty of schools built Teresa,” he added. “They visit the elderly and the sick, volunteer-
Various dioceses of the rest of without anti-seismic structures ing at the houses of the Missionaries of Charity. People of all faiths
China were involved in recon- and with little concrete, so they are full of love and respect for the example set by the Blessed.
struction work. Five young vol- collapsed like "tofu puddings" Everyone is taking part in the centennial. Exhibits include the
unteers came from the Catholic during the earthquake. participation of intellectuals and all the artists whose opinion we
centre of Liaoning Mianzhu to The investigation was con- asked for said they were enthusiastic about the project. For them,
help people during the Chinese ducted by Tan Zuoren, artist Ai Mother Teresa is close to God. The same is true for the movies;
New Year last February. Weiwei and a group of volun- everyone is waiting for the event (the film festival).”
According to the government teers. All of them are now under The Catholic Association is organizing these events in coop-
of Sichuan, the earthquake in close surveillance. eration with the Archdiocese of Kolkata and the Missionaries of
May 2008 killed 68,712 people. Tan was sentenced to five Charity. The organizing committee includes Archbishop Lucas
To these are added a further years in prison for "inciting sub- Sirkar, Mother Prema (superior of the order founded by Mother
version of state Teresa), a few nuns from the Council of the Missionaries, the
power." Official- provincial father, three Jesuits, three Salesians and a few diocesan
ly, the charge is priests. Ten lay people are also members.
linked to an article Celebrations will take place between 17 August and 13 Septem-
he wrote on the ber. The most important event will undoubtedly be the novena
Tiananmen mas- for the canonization of the Blessed, which will be recited in every
sacre of June 4, parish in the diocese during the centennial period.
1989. But several On 26 August, Cardinal Telesphore Toppo will celebrate Mass in
human rights ac- the motherhouse of the order. On the same day, a film festival and an
tivists argue that exhibit of paintings dedicated to the life of the Blessed will open.
© www.internationalrivers.org

and two chapels, the sentence of A symposium on her life is also in the work. Navin Chawla
which were also Tan is due to his and Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, postulator of her canonization will
© www.cnreviews.com

damaged. Fr. Li is involvement in speak at the event.

alive by a miracle, investigating the The archdiocese has proclaimed 5 September, the day in which she
since he was not death of students was born in heaven, a day of celebration, which will end in a Mass in
inside the build- in the quake. the courtyard of Saint Francis Xavier College. (AsiaNews)
ing when it col- (AsiaNews)
 News Features
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
A3

Benedict XVI: Thank God

for priests
VATICAN CITY, May 5, 2010—Benedict XVI today encouraged the faithful to be close to their priests,
remembering that through them, God chooses to sanctify the world.
The Pope reflected on the priestly mission of sanctifying today in the general audience. He thus
continued with the second element of the three-fold mission of the priest, in this last full month of the
Year for Priests.
The Holy Father first reflected on what sanctity is, saying it is the “specific quality of God’s being,
that is, absolute truth, goodness, love, beauty -- pure light.”
“Hence,” he said, “to sanctify a person means to put him in contact with God, with his being light,
truth, pure love.”
Now, this contact with God, the Pope explained, is created by God himself, and it “transforms us
little by little into true images of God.”
“No man on his own, by his own strength, can put another in contact with God. An essential part
of the grace of priesthood is the gift, the task to create this contact,” he reflected. “This is done in the
proclamation of the Word of God, in which He comes to meet us. It is done in a particularly profound
way in the sacraments.”
Christ’s work
Benedict XVI affirmed that it is “Christ himself who makes us saints, namely, who attracts us to the
sphere of God.”
“But,” he said, “as an act of his infinite mercy he calls some to ‘be’ with him and to be converted,
through the sacrament of Holy Orders, despite human poverty, into participants in his own priesthood,
ministers of this sanctification, dispensers of his mysteries, ‘bridges’ of the encounter with him, of his
mediation between God and men and between men and God.”
“Who, therefore, saves the world and man? The only answer we can give is: Jesus of Nazareth, Lord
and Christ, crucified and resurrected,” the Pope reiterated. “And where is the mystery realized of the
death and resurrection of Christ, which brings salvation? In the action of Christ through the Church,
in particular in the sacrament of reconciliation, in which from the death of sin one returns to the new
life, and in every other sacramental act of sanctification.”
Jesus with us
The Holy Father gave some particular words of encouragement to priests. He urged them: “live the
liturgy and worship with joy and love: It is action that the Risen One carries out through the power of
the Holy Spirit in us, with us and for us. [...]
“And I would also like to invite each priest to celebrate and live the Eucharist with intensity, which
is at the heart of the task of sanctifying; it is Jesus who wants to be with us, to live in us, to give himself
© Noli Yamsuan / RCAM

to us, to show us the infinite mercy and tenderness of God.”

But the Bishop of Rome also had encouragement for the faithful: “Dear friends, be conscious of the
great gift that priests are for the Church and for the world; through their ministry, the Lord continues
saving men, making himself present, sanctifying. Know how to thank God, and above all be close to
your priests with your prayer and support, especially in difficulties, so that they will be increasingly
shepherds according to the heart of God.” (Zenit)

Vatican spokesman: Pope did not ask

for support in face of media attacks
VATICAN CITY, May 10, 2010—The Director of the Press Of-
fice of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, responded today
to an article published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della
Sera, which said that Pope Benedict XVI asked Cardinal An-
gelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, to defend him
at Easter Mass from attacks over the treatment of sexual abuse
cases. Fr. Lombardi replied, "even in difficult times, the Pope
does not beg or organize demonstrations in his own defense
or support."
In his response to the May 9 Corriere della Sera article, Fr. Lom-
bardi said that the story “makes a completely false assertion that I
of Cardinals, at least those present in Rome, represented by its Dean.
The Pope was informed of them very shortly before what would
happen. He welcomed the salute with gratitude and simplicity for
what it was trying to be, that is, a message of closeness, affection
and solidarity."
The Corriere della Sera article also mentioned accusations made
by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna, against
Cardinal Sodano.
Cardinal Schönborn charged, in what was supposed to be a
private conversation with Austrian newspaper editors in late
April, that when Cardinal Sodano was Secretary of State, he in-

have a duty to correct.” The article asserted that Pope Benedict XVI
had asked Cardinal Sodano for “a few words of greeting, spoken in
St. Peter's Square.”
Fr. Lombardi replied:
"Now, for the sake of truth, Benedict XVI had not requested any-
thing. The words of Cardinal Sodano was an initiative of the College
© www.france24.com
tervened to prevent the future Pope Benedict XVI from directly
investigating Cardinal Hans Groer over claims of sexual abuse.
Cardinal Schönborn later took over from Cardinal Groer as Arch-
bishop of Vienna.
Fr. Lombardi did not address the accusations made by Cardinal
Schönborn against Cardinal Sodano. (CNA) Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ

Rome conference aims at improving PPCRV volunteers

media coverage of Catholic Church act as poll
ROME, Italy, May 9, 2010—The Pon-
tifical University of the Holy Cross in
Rome announced an upcoming con-
ference to help journalists around the
globe improve their coverage of hot-
button issues in the Church today,
such as bioethics, ecumenism, Pope
Pius XII and the recent controversy
surrounding clerical sex abuse.
“The Church Up Close: Covering
Catholicism in the Age of Benedict
XVI,” will take place in Rome from
September 6 to September 12. The
seminar will be held in English and
is open to all working journalists,
though space is limited.
The university said that in addition
to discussing the most pressing issues
of today, conference leaders will also
educate participants on the nature
of the Church and how the Vatican
functions. The seminar will also touch
on the pontificate of Pope Benedict
XVI, now in his fifth year as the Holy
Father, and will give insight into his
thinking and leadership approach.
In addition to classroom sessions,
the seminar will also provide on site
visits and personal meetings with
curial officials and veteran Vatican
correspondents. Conference speak-
ers include Vatican officials Cardinal
Francis Stafford, Fr. Federico Lom-
bardi, Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson,
Msgr. Charles Brown, and Msgr.
Patrick Burke, among others.
“Covering an institution as old
and as large as the Catholic Church
has always been a huge challenge,
and in today’s shrinking world,
it’s becoming ever more necessary
to tell even local stories about the
Church from a global perspective,”
Rev. Prof. John Wauck, president of
the organizing committee, said in a
May 7 press release.
“The seminar should help report-
ers do that,” he added.“What’s
more, Rome is an ideal setting for
reflecting on religion and the media
with journalists from around the
world.” (CNA/EWTN News)
watchers, peace
keepers in Capiz
ROXAS CITY, May 10, 2010—Election volunteers
of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible
Voting (PPCRV) here act not only as poll watch-
ers but also mediators among erring and clashing
voters who have turned impatient and hotheaded
as system glitches and long queues of voters spoil
the conduct of the first automated elections in the
country.
According to Renato Arabia, PPCRV volunteer

Groups call for moratorium Sex scandals hurt image of priesthood, prelate says assigned at a polling precinct at Rufina Andrada
Santos Elementary School in Barangay 7 in this
city, their poll watching task was expanded to

on mining in Zambales CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 4, 2010—The re-

MANILA, May 5, 2010—With large-scale mining
projects threatening to destroy the remaining for-
est covers in Zambales province, environmental
advocates called on the government to suspend
mining operations in the area.
At least 3,000 people have gathered at the Pro-
vincial Capitol today, to denounce the entry of
mining firms and called for the protection of the
ancestral domains in the area.
Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of Aly-
ansa Tigil Mina (ATM) said, the group is throwing its
support to the Zambaleños’ call “for a moratorium on
destructive mining operations in the province.”
ATM is a network of more than 80 organizations all
over the country that are against the revitalization of
the large-scale mining industry in the Philippines.
“The Zambalenos are crying loud against the aggres-
sive entry or mining companies, such as Rusina Mining,
Coto Mines, NiHao Mineral Resources International
and DMCI Mining Corporation,” said Garganera.
The people’s protest against mining should send a
clear message to the candidates in Zambales, he said.
The province is hosting at least twelve Mineral
Processing Sharing Agreements or MPSAs, a form
of service contract between the government and
mining companies, according to Garganera.
“These mining projects will severely impact on
the water source, agricultural lands and forest
areas of Zambales”, he said.
Garganera also accused the provincial govern-
ment of actively supporting the mining projects,
as in the case of Sitio Maporac, Brgy. New San
Juan, in Cabangan.
“We are aware that the provincial government
has tacitly backed destructive mining there, under
Zambales / A7
cent media play-up of sex scandals involving some
priests and bishops across the globe has somewhat
ministry of Cagayan de Oro.
“For more or less 20 years, Fr. Joe fulfilled his
assigned tasks silently, diligently and lovingly and
tainted and damaged the image of priesthood, ac- in spite of his high educational attainment and
cording to a prelate. noble status in the archdiocese, Fr. Joe remains a
Delivering his homily before a jam-packed simple, humble and faithful servant of God,” the
Cathedral of St. Augustine in Cagayan de Oro prelate from Surigao said.
on April 30 during the ordination of Bishop Jose Cabajog said the people also recognized the sac-
Cabantan, Surigao Bishop rifices of priests in large and
Antonieto Cabajog said the small parishes, in mission
media coverage of the issue areas, in schools, in hospi-
have led some people to tals, in monasteries, retreat
lose their faith and respect houses, the military and in
for the clergy. other various ministries.
Cabajog lamented that “For all shepherds of souls
people seemed to forget who, without counting the
“that majority of the or- costs and with no personal
dained ministers are serv- interests, are serving God’s
ing seriously, wholeheart- flock untiringly, thank you
edly and joyfully the people very much,” he added.
of God.” He said there is no better
“What adds great dam- way to express the people’s
age to the scandal is the ir- gratitude to these dedicated
responsible handling of the priests than “to support
issue by people in the media Bishop Antonieto Cabajog them in their struggle to-
and by some groups who are unsympathetic to the wards spiritual perfection through our daily
Catholic Church,” the prelate said. prayer for their sanctification.”
Cabajog said the celebration of the “Year for The prelate from Surigao said the “Year for
Priests,” is an opportune time for the Church to Priests" provides the clergy the opportunity to
acknowledge “in a special way the services of make a personal, deep interior conversion in
faithful and holy priests.” order to make themselves credible ministers of
He then cited the significant contribution of God’s people.
Bishop Jose Araneta Cabantan in the archdiocese Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, the prelate said
of Cagayan de Oro serving in various capacities “the effectiveness of a priest’s ministry particularly
as a member of the clergy. depends on his spiritual strength.”
Fr. Joe, as called by his friends, served as paro- Cabajog said human weaknesses including
chial vicar, parish administrator, seminary forma- laziness, mediocrity, selfishness, lust and pride
tor and later on as vicar general of the ecclesial could easily impede a priest’s desire to serve as the
province and recently Director for the ad extra Scandals / A6
also reminding voters to remain patient and
tolerant about the system failures in the voting
process.
Arabia said voters commonly complain about
hours-long of waiting before actually casting their
votes and the delay caused by malfunctioning of
the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines.
“Since only 10 to 15 voters can be accommodated
in a sizeable classroom, the influx of the incoming
voters causes crowding in the corridors. There
are also no holding areas where voters can stay
until their turn to vote and express lanes for
the elderly, the sick, the disabled, and pregnant
women are also missing,” Arabia reported.
The complaints, coupled by the arid summer
weather, caused voters to be impatient and ill-
tempered, making them volatile to misunder-
standings with their fellow voters. “We keep on
reminding our brothers and sisters to remain
patient and open-minded so we can all get this
election over with peacefully despite the setbacks
in the preparation. After all, voting is both a right
and an obligation,” Arabia added.
When asked if they themselves tend to be
volatile given the scenario at crowded polling
precincts, Arabia said PPCRV volunteers like
him draws strength and will from the message
of their bishop, Capiz Archbishop Onesimo
Gordoncillo.
“Before we were deployed to the field, our
bishop has met us and told us to just do our job
despite the pressure. His message inspires us to
stay still and do our part in helping make this
election successful,” he said.
Arabia said PPCRV volunteers like him will re-
main active in poll watching until after the random
manual audit is over and will also keep tabs on
election-related developments until the proclama-
tion of a new administration. (Kris Bayos)
A4
EDITORIAL
A church engaged
THE Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, that great landmark
in our journey as a Church, points out the way we have to go. It
proposes that we look at ourselves as a “Church of Communion”,
even more specifically, as a “Community of Disciples”.
Such a Church asks that we all strive to be real and faithful followers
of Christ—that is what discipleship means. But it also asks that
we do so as community, and this demands that we all participate
as responsible members of the community of faith that is the
Church—and, indeed, taking “community” to embrace all levels
of Church life. But when we do, we must participate as we are, as
Filipinos, as bearers of our culture. And this means we necessarily
have to bring our culture, our way of life as Filipinos, into our
living of the faith, our following of Christ; we allow—rather,
we make—that same faith to permeate our culture, to bring the
values of Christ to bear on it, transforming our values into ever
more authentic forms of themselves and correcting whatever is
inauthentic about them. In this manner culturally participative
living of the faith, the inculturation we have been talking of here
will take place practically by itself and a truly local Church is
built up.
A genuinely local Church is an “engaged” Church—a society-
leavening Church. Above we spoke of a constellation of “emergent
values” that have been strengthening in recent years in the life of
the nation. A closer look at them—at the values of democracy,
people power, people participation in political life, human rights,
social justice, etc.—will bring out the fact that they are, by and
large, the self same values that the social doctrine of the Church
has been promoting and urging on us and all other people of
goodwill.
But more than simply being engaged, a Church that takes seriously
the task of inculturating itself must be above all a discerning
Church—and at all levels, from top to bottom. This discerning
spirit must be seen in its adaptation of liturgical practices to
cultural demands, in its developing of indigenized theologies
and spiritualities, in practical applications of Gospel morality to
culturally weighted situations. Inculturation is not a once-and-for-
all happening. It is a process, like culture itself, like the Christ-life
too that is the end-result of inculturation, and hence the discernment
that is integral to it must be on-going too—a never-ending process
of faith-reflection on life and on the way of life that a culture is.
We note here that the approach of this discerning mode is pretty
much what Vatican II says about the need of a “signs-of-the-times”
mode of theologizing and the reading of the signs of the times
cannot be done without much prayer.
For this kind of discernment—for the work of inculturation as a
whole, for that matter—the best vehicle available to us at this time
in the pastoral work of the Church of the Philippines seems to
be the basic ecclesial community or BEC, or at least a BEC-type
Church or organization, society, movement, etc. Much of what
has been said above about inculturation are already significant
hallmarks of the more developed forms of BECs.
Thus, the conscious attempt by a whole community at integrating
faith and life, the facing up to social problems and the acting
in concert on them, the participatory ethic which entails the
involvement of not just the clergy and hierarchy but of the rank-
and-file laity in the Church’s life and evangelizing mission, the
painstaking “analysis of situation” and prayerful reflection that
accompanies every community decision and action—these are
all “standard operating procedures” in the conduct of BECs. In
truth it can be said that BECs are the local Church writ small,
but for all their smallness are nonetheless living models of how
the larger Church should go if it is to go at all in the direction of
fully inculturating her faith.
–Pastoral Exhortation on Philippine Culture, 1999
Journey to political renewal
ALTHOUGH the current electoral process is still far from over,
the general national feeling is that of amazement and perhaps
satisfaction. It is not farfetched that some may even hail some
awards to the Comelec and those responsible for its developing
success.
The manual count that took ages to accomplish because, admittedly,
it took the long route of manipulations which included the notorious
“dagdag-bawas”, is finally archived—and hopefully forever
together with the dirty machinations that went with it.
The long queues of voters aside, the speed of the automated polls
was so stunning that it may have given no time for schemers and
operators to work on their age-old craft of rigging election results.
This first poll automation in the country is a “milestone”, or so
said the Cardinal of Manila with some good reasons.
Of course, the poll automation was far from perfect. Perhaps
the admiration may even just be an expression of a simple
sensation of relief from the grim scenarios painted by the constant
malfunctioning of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS)
machines that made dumb out of Commission on Elections and
SMARTMATIC-TIM, the machine supplier.
Without discounting the possibility that a barrage of protest will
follow suit after the random manual audit is finished in a day or
two, this automation is a big leap enough towards the long journey
of political renewal in the country—even if the socio-political
value system (which, for instance, is still the one that feeds on
the rampant vote buying) is still in the works.
www.cbcpmonitor.com
cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.net
Pedro C. Quitorio
Editor-in-Chief
Pinky Barrientos, FSP Kris P. Bayos
Associate Editor Feature Editor
Melo M. Acuña Laarni Bergado
Managing Editor Marketing Supervisor
Roy Q. Lagarde Ernani M. Ramos
News Editor Circulation Manager
Laurence John R. Morales Marcelita Dominguez
Layout Artist and Online Editor Comptroller
The CBCP Monitor is published fortnightly by the CBCP Com-
munications Development Foundation, Inc., with editorial and
business offices at 470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila.
P.O. Box 3601, 1076 MCPO.
Editorial: (063) 404-2182. Business: (063)404-1612.
ISSN 1908-2940
Opinion CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
Illustration by Bladimer Usi
Oscar V. Cruz, DD
Now, what?
Views and Points
NO, it is not over. The fact is that it just begun. The national elections now expect a far better government, more honest and honorable
recently concluded showed the worst and the best in Philippines politicians? It is reasonable for the people to look forward to gov-
politics. Lives were lost. Rights were violated. Fear was sown. But ernance that is not only ethically upright but also imbued with a
the Pilipino voters sweated it all out. The sun was fierce and wind morally sound value system?
there was none. But they persevered and registered their electoral It would be a big disaster if by 1 July 2010, the country will but
will. As to the political candidates, some of them stood for what is see some new faces here and there in public offices and govern-
right and just—although these were admittedly few and far between. ment agencies, and yet still witness the same lying and cheating,
Most of them however even sold their souls, and did every vicious, the same avarice and greed. Truth to say, the Philippines is now
conceivable thing simply to win their coveted public Offices. At the at its lowest ebb in progress and development, in integrity and
end, the country now has the usual mixed of good and bad politicians trustworthiness. With the coming of some new faces and well
already proclaimed or about to undergo proclamation as celebrated meaning government officials, it has no way to go but up and
winners—as the losers in the elections cry their hearts out. above. Otherwise, the country would be proverbially “jumping
Now, what? from the frying pan to the fire”.
Would the old timers—and there is one gloriously standing by Hence, there is one extra good news for the new leadership figures
the wayside even but for the moment—simply continue cultivating in the government—especially in its Executive and Judicial Branches.
the culture of graft and corrupt practices in government? Would This: theirs is the big chance and great opportunity to do everything
they still make the already structurally damaged institutions even right and just. Reason: there is nothing vicious and odious that the
more dysfunctional—the Judiciary Department in particular? Are ultimately exiting administration, its leaders and minions, has not
they now well poised to make their public Offices more effective in done and perpetrated. Hence: Come on, guys and gals. Let’s do
enslaving the poor and exploiting the ignorant? Or may the Filipino it—for GOD and COUNTRY!
Sr. Mary Pilar Verzosa, RGS
Bodytalk
Love Life
CHERRY fainted at Mass the other day. This warm water. This was all happening while are synchronized. Think of an orchestra. It
was at our Good Shepherd Convent in Ba- the Mass was going on. It did not take four can produce beautiful music only if all the
guio, where our Sisters have about two hun- minutes to revive her. I returned to my place musicians tune their instruments and then
dred fifty scholars coming from the different and resumed my attention at Mass. coordinate the timing of their playing. The
provinces in the Cordillera Region working At the end of the Mass, the students and conductor is responsible for ensuring that
a few hours in our bakeshop making all nuns affirmed that what I had taught them everyone is playing together harmoniously,
those famous ube jam and peanut brittle that the day before indeed works! I happened to to the same pitch and tempo. So it is with the
tourists must bring home for “pasalubong”. be in Baguio for some meetings last week body. That is the role of the innate wisdom
There was a commotion behind me as I when the Sisters asked me to give a session of the body. The body can heal itself, as is
was piously following the prayers. I turned to the scholars on “Bodytalk”. This is one of proven day by day. It gets rid of the pollut-
around and saw this young lady slumped the newer alternative healing modalities that ants and toxins we are exposed continuously.
over another girl who was frantically trying is comprehensive, relatively simple, non- We get sick only if our body’s immunity is
to revive her. Being THE nurse, I quickly invasive, effective and safe energy medicine. weak and overwhelmed.
went over and adjusted her to lie down on It helps the body rebalance it system for Over the years, as the Bodytalk system was
the pew. I then did the “Bodytalk” technique improved health. developed by pioneers Dr. John Veltheim
while calling her name and telling her that As our Manual on Bodytalk Systems and Sylvia Muiznieks, we have learned that
she will be OK. She would open her eyes explains, the bodymind complex should utilizing the self-healing capacity of our body
briefly then close them again. Her breathing be regarded to function as a synchronized has lessened the use of medications and sur-
and pulse was very weak. And she was pale unit and not as a bundle of autonomously gery. The technique is not a cure-all or magic
as a white sheet of paper. Her long black functioning parts. “Poor health is an indica- worker, but it is scientific, and makes use of
hair was dripping wet—having had a cold tion that the body’s innate ability to heal and both western and eastern traditions in heal-
shower at 5:30 in the morning! maintain synchronicity within itself is being ing. It makes use of neuromuscular biofeed-
I then performed what I had learned in compromised due to imbalances caused by back to determine which aspects of the body
the “Bodytalk” classes last January, tapping stresses from daily living”. These stresses are poorly linked and under-communicating
her head and chest areas while encourag- could be emotional, situational, poor nutri- with other parts. Focusing on those parts
ing her to breathe deeply. As soon as I did tion, exposure to pollution, toxins, microbes, and lightly tapping the head enables the
the last step, she opened wide her eyes, sat and allergens. Good health can be achieved bodymind to register the links in the brain
down, looked around and allowed herself only when all the body parts and systems are while it “scans” the body for blocks, damages
to be escorted out of the chapel for a sip of functioning properly and then their activities Love Life / A7
Fr. Melvin P. Castro
The tale of two
Speaking of Mary Cardinals
I WAS in high school when I first saw the late Jaime Cardinal Sin. I To this day, I remember him with great admiration and emulation
believe it was sometime in 1986 after the People Power Revolution. even. He was such a prophetic pastor.
I just felt very happy to have seen him pass by us students as we March 2002, I was in a personal retreat in Lipa Carmel. During
were made to stand along the street to welcome him and the late one of the “break time,” I conversed with the late Prioress, Mo.
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Torpigliani. Bernadette. During the conversation, she mentioned and encour-
I wrote him after some months and told him how much I admire and aged me to see the then Archbishop of Lipa, Archbishop Gaudencio
respect him. He was gracious enough to respond back and even sent me Rosales. And I did see him. He was so gracious to speak with me,
an autographed picture of himself which I faithfully keep to this day. although there was no prior appointment whatsoever, and he didn’t
What followed were the tumultuous years during the Aquino ad- even know me beforehand.
ministration, so many coup attempts and natural disasters. Cardinal Then he became the Archbishop-Cardinal of Manila. Last 02 May
Sin would regularly call on the people to pray or even to rally at 2010, we had the Mass for the Filipino Family and the Covenant
the EDSA Shrine to protect the gains of the EDSA Revolution, and I Signing for the Protection of Family and Life. We requested His
would always be there. How I loved and admired Cardinal Sin. Eminence to preside over the Holy Mass and deliver the Homily.
When I was a seminarian in the Eternal City, he would come to Even with such a short notice, he gladly accepted. And the Homily
visit Collegio Filippino and although I did not reside there, one of the was such a beautiful and very timely one.
resident-priests there, Fr. Greg Gaston, facilitated my meeting with After the Holy Mass, I approached His Eminence if he was will-
him. It was sometime in 1995. And how he was so gracious to converse ing to meet the secular media and he did, graciously accepting the
with me for almost an hour speaking about so many things. request an interview. It began at around 2:00 in the afternoon and
In January 2002, the anniversary of EDSA II, I was accompanying ended almost at 3:00. I was there all throughout the time of the
the International Pilgrim Virgin Statues (IPVS) of Our Lady of Fatima media interview.
and were at the EDSA Shrine. Cardinal Sin was then very weak. I His Eminence was so insistent on his being optimistic on our
am not sure if he still recognized me, but I remember him looking country and on our people, and yes, even on the electoral process.
at me intently. I was too “shy” to get close to him and speak with It was in that context that he was asked that if there would be fraud,
him. It was the last time I saw him alive. Mary / A6
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
Fr. Roy Cimagala
Candidly Speaking
THE prestigious Pontifical Academy of the
Social Sciences has just concluded its latest
plenary session with some very interesting
findings and observations. As you may
already know, it’s the Vatican body that
gathers experts in the different fields of so-
cial science to monitor social developments
worldwide as they impact on religion.
This is an angle that should never be
neglected, because in their ultimate dimen-
sions all our human affairs, our business and
politics, etc., have their beginning and end in
God. We should not get stuck with the purely
technical and professional aspects, though
they, of course, are also indispensable.
We need to remind ourselves often of this
point and to develop a growing literacy and
competence in living this crucial aspect of our
life. We need to help one another here, not
getting stumped and in fact going beyond
the unavoidable differences and conflicts we
will have in our temporal affairs.
These differences and conflicts can actu-
ally be a source of good for all of us, since
they can give us a more complete picture of
our human affairs, given our different situ-
ations and positions in life. They force us to
expand our vision in life.
They should not be considered in their
purely negative or destructive character,
since they can occasion greater dialogue,
deeper concern and understanding among
ourselves. They certainly can enrich our ap-
preciation of persons and things in general.
To a certain extent, we have to welcome
and even foster this variety of views and
Opinion
The error of training
professionals not persons
opinions to be able to capture a more com-
plete understanding of things. We in fact
should be wary when these differences are
missing, because it can mean we are falling
into a cliquish or elitist mentality, narrow-
minded and often divisive.
We have to understand that the ideal of
human unity, peace and harmony among
ourselves should never be taken to mean uni-
formity. As the motto of the American seal
would have it, “E pluribus unum,” we need
to dynamically craft a unity out of many and
even conflicting elements. It’s actually a very
exciting affair.
Back to the findings of the Pontifical Acad-
emy of the Social Sciences, I was struck by
one of the observations mentioned by its of-
ficial rapporteur. After a sweeping analysis
of world social situation, he thought that
maybe the incumbent educational system
we have is missing out on one crucial aspect
of learning. He said we seem to be training
professionals but fail to train persons.
I think the distinction, more of a nuance
than of substance, is worth looking into.
There certainly is no problem with training
people to be professionals, endowed with as
much information and techniques as pos-
sible. That’s always welcome. The problem
arises when such training undermines our
personhood.
Simply said, we may be good in knowl-
edge and in technologies, but we flunk as
persons since we fail to love one another
properly, let alone, to love God. We can
possess a lot of money, power and fame,
Fr. Carmelo O. Diola, SSL
but justice, solidarity and charity seem to be
slipping away. This is when we can be good
professionally, but bad as persons.
The crises we are seeing now in sharp
relief, as played out in the world stage like
in the US and Europe, particularly Greece,
Portugal, Ireland and Spain, expose this seri-
ous if not potentially fatal flaw of a people
who are professionally rich but personally
poor.
This, of course, is not a very pleasant thing
to say, but problems are usually not pleasant,
and we always have the penchant to deny
their existence, at least in the beginning.
We sometimes need painful and explosive
disasters to wake us up to reality.
I believe that the problems besetting these
countries and the world in general today are
in such dimensions and proportions that
can’t be helped by the usual palliatives that
may have worked before and for a span of
time. They are pointing to a more serious
cause that requires a more radical and com-
prehensive solution.
In the end it is always us who cause the
problems and can also come up with the
solution. We need to look more into what is
wrong with us than with the world around
us. What is wrong with the economy, the
political systems, etc., is a mere reflection of
what is wrong with us.
The solution is to understand that we are
not mere political or economic animals, but
persons, created in the image and likeness
of God, the inalienable truth we should not
play around with.
A5
Jose B. Lugay
Laiko Lampstand
A Challenge to the
New Leadership
THE presidential election campaign of 2010 will be etched in
Philippine history as a landmark of change. This is the first elec-
tion that employed the automated election system nationwide.
The Comelec had its tense moments of crises – from the bidding
process to the selection of Smartmatic/TIM as the winning bid-
der, to the final hurdle in the Supreme Court on the petitions of
oppositionists for Comelec to postpone the election.
During the test run of the automated election machines in
several precincts in Metro Manila, the Precinct Count Optical
Scan (PCOS) machines failed to read and count the votes of local
candidates. This was later attributed to the failure of the contact
flash cards (CFC) which was unable to read the back side of the
ballot where the local candidates were listed. Local candidates
whose votes were not counted, raised hell. Smartmatic’s Cesar
Flores and Comelec’s G. Larrazabal reassured all that the CFC’s
can readily be replaced with newly revised ones. However, as
of March 8, two days before the election, the public was still
apprehensive. The CFCs which would replace the botched
ones, reached only less than 30% of its destined polling places.
Nevertheless, the final word of the Supreme Court and the as-
surance given by Chairman Jose Melo had given the anxious
voters a lame assurance. Accepting the inevitable, the laity
offered their prayerful wish that the automated election will
proceed as planned.
Due to the cliff-hanging series of quality failures of the planned
system for election as well as the deteriorating temper of the
presidential candidates according to their ratings in the survey
results of SWS and/or Pulse Asia, the Church sought for prayers
and intercession to let this political crisis veer away from the
specter of a military junta takeover predicted by no less than the
Secretary of National Defense if the automated elections fail. All
lay organizations were enjoined to participate in a novena by Bro.
Ed Tirona, president of Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas properly

Sowing seeds supported by His Eminence Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales starting

SAINT Peter’s Church in the diocese of Novaliches, Quezon City, is
a national landmark of sorts. Not only does it have the most number
of masses during weekends (30+ on a Sunday with around 18 of these
in the church building itself), it boldly stands on the same stretch of
road that is shared by a religious cult noted for not respecting the
consciences of its members. It is also close to government offices of
national importance.
The church grounds are also a favorite staging point for political
rallies.
Recently, it has become the scene of the sowing of seeds for the
evangelization of politics. Last year, it became part of the emerging
CiDE network. Not only did some of its staff and volunteers – led
by parish priest, Fr. Tony Labiao – attend the national consultation
in Cebu, the parish also organized a seminar and an orientation
on CiDE for the dioceses of Novaliches and Cubao; the latter ably
coordinated by Mr. Johnny Cardenas.
They had actually formed 3 teams to spread CiDE as a result of
the 22-23 July seminar but nature intervened with the devastation
brought about by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. The parish was in
the forefront of disaster relief.
Things began to pick up again with a CiDE national gathering last
2-3 February followed up by a trainors’ training for pastoral workers
of St. Peter’s parish and other parishes from different dioceses. To
facilitate coordination for the work of CiDE, participants agreed to
cross church boundaries and use political boundaries so the grass-
roots would be better served.
Then a discernment integrity recollection for candidates was orga-
nized last 19 March by the three dioceses in Quezon City: Novaliches,
Cubao, and Caloocan. This was attended by about 70 candidates,
including some very familiar faces. The recollection could not have
occurred on a better date: the feast of St Joseph, truly a leader in the
fullest sense of the word.
The formation of the practical conscience takes time and effort:
“The Church proposes; she imposes nothing.”
At least, seeds are being sowed.
*****
Many candidates hunger for discernment integrity recollections.
In one diocese where this was organized, a priest-organizer jokingly
remarked that the recollection made some candidate angry towards
the local ordinary. “Why is this organized only now? We should
have had this before we submitted our certificates of candidacy,”
one participant was quoted as saying.
So far, feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly
positive in the nine dioceses where the recollections have so far
Rev. Euly B. Belizar, SThD
Spaces of Hope
been given. There is hunger for a spiritual space for sifting through
one’s thoughts and to make room for God. This rings true since
such recollections do not allow entry by the media and there are
no endorsements.
What is critical to the conduct and sustainability of the recollections
and its key result area of creating a spiritual space for listening is the
presence of pastoral companions who offer different services.
What has emerged is quite interesting. In one diocese, most of the
companions were lay people who are active in the parish. In another,
two bishops were visible at various times during the recollection. In
another, priests played this role.
Only God really knows where this is headed. He takes the lead,
and we follow. Yet, he has already shown the way. In the writer of
the letter to the Ephesians reflects: “For he is the peace between us,
and has the two into one entity and broken down the barrier which
used to keep them apart…” (2: 14).
Exchanging places leads to healing.
*****
Forty candidates from the local to the provincial levels attended
a candidates’ recollection in the diocese of Maasin last 4 March. The
spiritual space for listening had been organized by Barug Maasin
(an anti-corruption group) and the social-action office.
The event was held at the St. Joseph school.
One incident stands out. The mayor of the town of St. Bernard
(i.e. the horrific landslide killing many students and their teachers)
stood up and made the following impassioned plea:
I believe that, if all priests do the same then we’ll have more
conscientious voters. My request is for priests all over the country
to get involved in ‘NO VOTE BUYING, NO GUNS OR GOONS
AND NO CHEATING’ campaign. If possible, they should guide
the faithful on the good qualities of the candidates to elect and the
bad qualities of the candidates to reject, short of naming names. I
can see the influence of the priests upon the people, more than the
influence mayors exert upon them. As candidates we will try our
best to break and change the distorted political culture, but there is
synergy if we do it together.
He told me later that his request was inspired by the story of
another priest, Fr. Ver of Cebu.
Here was an impassioned plea from an elected public servant who
recognizes the critical role the Church plays in the journey towards
social transformation. This is a sign of the times, a plea for pastoral
accompaniment. After all, when one journeys with another, it is not
from a distance but up close and personal.
How shall we respond to this call?
Elections and the
May 2 up to election day, May 10.
As the last day of the campaign neared, the competing
presidential candidates, changed their campaign strategies. The
candidate who rated low in the survey, offended by what he sus-
pected as paid manipulated results, sued the survey companies.
The candidate leading in the survey was emboldened to assume
victory and pronounced that he would not accept defeat and
would resort to people power again if cheated. Our good Cardinal
Gaudencio Rosales objected to this statement emphatically and
came out in the news headlines the next day.
Meantime the candidates meeting the people during their
campaign in the provinces as well as the surprise endorsement
of well-known and well-placed political leaders, including
religious personalities, the ratings for the positions of Presi-
dent and Vice President changed drastically. If one adds the
character assassination using old and trumped up records of
leading candidates, the predicted results of the election was as
accurate as a see-saw’s swing. A political analyst interviewed
on TV declared that survey results will change drastically if the
turnout of voters is low. The determining vote, he says, is the D
and E votes as well as the 3 million votes of the Iglesia ni Kristo.
There is no Catholic vote in spite of the endorsement of several
bishops for Kapatiran. So it is anybody’s guess who will win this
election. Suffice it to say that the presidentiables and senatorial
candidates discussed all the issues that are dear to the ears of
the listeners. What they do not say to their audience is that all
their promises are conditional – it will depend on the support
the newly elected President can get from the winners of the
election. Since the Party system is practically inutile, the new
leadership will have to do a lot of one-on-one convincing of the
new members of the legislature.
During this political season, several dioceses in Luzon, Visayas
and Mindanao got involved in the pastoral accompaniment sug-
gested by Pope Benedict XVI through circles of discernment. It
would be interesting to assess the effect of the work of Dilaab
Foundation and the use of its LASER test on candidates. Its
success can not be measured during one election season. This
is an attempt to change values of voters as well as candidates
for the various local and national positions. Any management
of change will have first to hurdle and institute changes in the
entrenched political dynasties. They have accumulated riches
through corrupt practices – more than enough to buy votes
during the succeeding electoral process. Even if one honest man
wins in the polls today, he can never be sure that he can not be
booted out of his winning position when money and connec-
tions with the Comelec still works. A good example is the case
of Governor Ed Panlilio.
While the Church time and again through its pastoral letters,
calls for national renewal through social transformation, the
current and growing ills of society indicate that whatever evan-
gelization the Church has done for the laity in the past has not
passed on its benefits to the present society. The newly elected
leaders know that the people want change. Graft and corruption,
cheating and questionable governance that lead to the loss of 30%
of the budget to kickbacks now pervading in most government

By the Roadside
I’VE always ached for words to describe the way
we Filipinos regard elections. The closest is, you
guessed right, ‘circus’. For most other people
elections are just one of those ho-hum exercises of
freedom. For us elections are big time show, party
and politics in one. I had two chances of watching
the U.S. presidential elections: in 1992 and in 2009.
Except for their heightened interest in the debates
most Americans simply tolerated the exercises the
way a patient tolerates a doctor’s knife in the O.R.
The young almost always avoided politics like the
plague. A recent exception was during the candi-
dacy of then Senator Barak Obama to the highest
office of the U.S. when he inspired many people
by what Colin Powell called his “transformational
figure” looming large in the horizon, coupled with
his soaring rhetorical skills.
For us Filipinos elections offer, for now, little
such promise. That doesn’t dampen our spirits
though. Elections often seem the democratic mari-
juana that we inhale with abandon. But nothing
reveals our national psyche better.
Elections uncover us as a festive people. Colors
greet you everywhere you go in the archipelago,
and I’m not just talking about campaign posters,
streamers or ads. I’m talking about the kind of
persons we become when we run for office or
express support for our candidates. The basic
color of our skin is not brown. It’s celebration. No
matter how poor we are, how bad our economy
or how terrible the way we are governed, we will
always find a reason to celebrate. In our collective
mindset elections are one of those reasons. For one,
Filipino
elections offer an open door even to the poor. And
shouldn’t that be cause for celebration? I’ve always
thought President Quezon shouldn’t have uttered
those words about his preference of a Philippines
“run like hell by Filipinos” to one “run like heaven”
by our favorite foreigners (who else?) because
that seemingly has become our lot from Day One
Filipinos started running their own country. But
ask any Juan or Juana de la Cruz on the streets.
And he/she will tell you, “Be that as it may, Sir/
Ma’am, we have this one chance to get back at our
tormentors, incumbent or future. Elections are our
singular weapon to a new tomorrow or to forget
today!” And so let the music go blaring, let the
politicians go baring their slogans and platforms,
let celebrities mix with and entertain the hoi pol-
loi, let candidates believe they are undiscovered
singers, dancers, comedians/comediennes. We the
people don’t mind. We know the truth anyway. I
wonder if our politicians ever realize how all their
efforts rarely earn them any serious attention, not
to say votes. On the other hand, I think they do
and still go on with the show because everybody
just wants to celebrate nothing in particular except
life that, thank God, is still under some semblance
of democracy.
Alas, elections also unwraps the violent streak
in us. The Maguindanao Massacre is, to date, its
worst and most egregious expression. But before
that there were other lesser known or remem-
bered killings and political assassinations. No,
it’s not only that some Filipinos and their families
believe they have power in their genes. Power is
projects and transactions should take first priority for action by
the newly elected politicians. All of the money lost due to cor-
ruption once saved by proper monitoring of procurement and
also a tool in keeping a family’s project implementation will definitely save enough funds for
grip on dominance in a turf, its alleviating the poverty of our people. Let us not hear anymore
survival or blossoming; violence of results of surveys similar to that of 2009 which showed that
is a tool of power, yes, violence about 16% of our poor people take only 2 meals a day and that
in arms as well as in words. hungry schoolchildren have to be coaxed to attend school in
That explains the mud-slinging order to accept a dole-out of one ganta of rice each day for the
and character assassinations family meal.
that, though also true in other The newly elected President’s performance must be measured
countries, are uniquely Filipino not only by the wisdom of his direction for policy changes but
during elections. Verbal and also by his ability to harness the right people who are schooled
armed violence is a way of ad- in the management of change, with integrity and honesty, always
vancing the cause of the tribe, deciding in favor the common good.
defending its turf and honor If the newly elected President would prioritize the eradica-
or eliminating a threat. The tion of graft and corruption in government procurement, the
sooner we acknowledge the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas is ready to offer its services
violent streak in us, which finds as Observers for the Bids and Awards Committees of the new
expression in black propaganda government. Our contact numbers: c/o Joseph Jesalva 5275388
and in actual bloodletting, the or Jose B. Lugay, 0918 9392508.
better for us in our crusade to
find ways of taming it by an informed conscience, And, as Catholics (with no prejudice to those who
more effective laws and internal as well as external aren’t), don’t we feel justly proud to observe how
restraint. We are no more violent than other races our faith had something to do with our national
and it’s no use making comparisons. We can only tryst with non-violent change?
compare ourselves with the best our own history Alas, elections have also put in display our
offers. Violence may be a streak in our national circuitous relations with discipline. The late presi-
character but it doesn’t define us. Wasn’t there an dent, Ferdinand Marcos, often regarded a dictator,
EDSA Revolution of 1986, unique and unrepeat- had an uncanny insight into our situation when,
able but also ongoing even as I write, that once in trying to promote his New Society, he coined
served notice to all the world how change can the motto: “Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, disiplina ang
also happen without or with very little violence, kailangan (For the country to progress, discipline
with millions of Filipinos at its helm? Wasn’t that is necessary)”. I couldn’t agree more. But the use
our own message in a bottle to ourselves that, yes, of external force and Martial Law to instill what is
we can also go beyond violence to effect change? Roadside / A6
 Local News
CBCP Monitor
A6 Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

Cardinal Rosales explains position

on people power PPCRV Lingayen
AFTER receiving criticisms for calling as
“crazy” the idea of having another people
But the prelate said he did not mean to hurt
anyone when he branded calls for people Dagupan conducts
training on citizen
power if the elections are thwarted, Gaudencio power at this time as insane.
Cardinal Rosales issued a statement to explain What he meant by that time was that the
his position. current situation, at the time, more than a week
Rosales, the archbishop of Manila, clarified before Election Day, does not yet warrant for
he will not turn down any possibilities of hav-
ing another uprising in the aftermath of the
May 10 polls as long as it is justified.
The statement claimed that the cardinal’s
mass protests.
Rosales said he is not against the idea of
People Power noting that he is very much sup-
portive of it during the first EDSA in 1986.
journalism
AIMING to make election monitoring and reporting wider in
statements against those threatening a new And if the 2010 elections proved to be as reach through citizen journalism, the Parish Pastoral Council
people power last Sunday were not “re- fraudulent and incredible as the first popu- for Responsible Voting of Lingayen Dagupan (PPCRV-LD) has
flected” upon. lar uprising, the 77-year old prelate said this organized a seminar-training on Citizen Journalism.
“The interview words he used should have would give enough justification to a new The seminar training was held last April 24, 2010 in Pangasi-
been well reflected on, words he (lately and Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales people power. nan.
now) admittedly did not mean (much less to “Should there be, in the actual process of Organizers said the endeavor is part of the program of the PP-
hurt the sensibilities of others),” part of the statement read. voting, proven massive cheating, the use of violence and massive CRV to ensure, clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful
Cardinal Rosales on Sunday tagged as “irresponsible” the people election fraud, then this is the time to respond to whatever the (CHAMP) election.
and groups planning to stage mass protests if the elections will be people’s mass movement could justly claim; and this would be Participants were taught about responsible news gathering,
wracked by fraud. supported,” he said. writing and reporting by some professional journalists. Session
Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno Aquino III ear- But for now, Rosales said it would be better to trust the system as on photojournalism was also given.
lier said that Filipinos might rise again and exercise their sovereignty he called on the faithful to remain vigilant. The PPCRV-LD has also made an account with some social
through people power if there will be poll failure. “Since already the whole nation is primed for and actually prepar- networking like Facebook and Twitter that is much more ac-
The son of People Power 1 hero, the late former president Corazon ing for the electoral practice of choosing leaders, the Archbishop is cessible to the public for election related updates.
Aquino, had also said only a failure of the automated election system in favor of not hurriedly circumventing the election process, before Organizers said the attendees are expected to “re-echo their
will make him lose the race to Malacañang as shown in his strong a renowned mass movement remedy is assumed,” he said. (Roy learning to their co-parishioners who will also act as PPCRV
showing in almost all pre-election surveys. Lagarde/CBCPNews) Poll Watchers.”
Cardinal / A1 “PPCRV-LD is hoping to fill up all the precincts with PPCRV
she allegedly committed while in power. and peaceful” elections. Voting (PPCRV). Poll watchers, as well as fill up all the PPCRV volunteer types.
From the voters, Comelec officials, PPCRV As of 5:30 p.m. of May 13, Aquino had PPCRV-LD is hoping to get an ideal 15,000 volunteers to ensure
‘Truthful’ volunteers, military, police and even the secured 41.85 percent of the more than 35 CHAMP Elections, according to them.
Cardinal Rosales made the statement media, they are all part of the “great things million votes counted, according to the PP- The media desk of the PPCRV-LD has also collaborated with
on May 13 while delivering his homily at given by God.” CRV’s partial tally. other local media for a more extensive distribution of news in-
a Thanksgiving Mass held at the Manila “How do you call these people? We will call His nearest rival, former president Joseph formation. (Kate Laceda)
Cathedral for the “successful and peaceful” them by one word. They are gifts,” he said. Estrada, was far behind with 26.47 percent,
conduct of the automated polls. “Yes, we have to admit there were flaws… or 5.5 million fewer votes, according to the Prayer / A1
The liturgical celebration was attended by it wasn’t perfect and I don’t think (there’s poll watchdog’s figures. The Rome launching was timed to synchronize with a Eucharistic
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. such one) but by and large it was a successful With the 75 percent of the 50 million celebration held at the EDSA Shrine in Manila organized by the
Delfin Bangit and Philippine National Police election… peaceful, honest, and truthful,” registered voters that turned out during the Center for Peace, Asia which is following the Quarant’Ore prayer
chief Gen. Jesus Verzosa and other ranking added Rosales. elections, the figures showed that Aquino for their members and other religious groups in Metro Manila.
military and police officials. apparently had an overwhelming lead. After the inaugural mass at the Basilica Santa Pudenziana, the
Also in attendance were Commission on Noynoy, Binay widen lead Meanwhile, Makati Mayor Jejomar Bi- Quarant’Ore prayer was continued by different religious congrega-
Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rene Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino has undoubt- nay is in close race with Manuel Roxas in tions/communities who belong to the Association of Filipino Priests,
Sarmiento and Parish Pastoral Council for edly seized all the momentum after taking a the vice presidential race as shown in the Religious and Seminarians in their respective oratories. Some Filipino
Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chairperson wide lead in presidential elections. partial and unofficial results transmitted to migrants’ communities and individuals have also signed up to join
Henrietta de Villa. At press time, the son of two Philippine the PPCRV. this activity in their respective churches.
Rosales said what happened last May 10 is democracy icons maintains a huge lead in Binay has around 786, 000 votes lead over Josephine Bantug, assistant to the Philippine Ambassador to the
worth thanking because many people from an unofficial tally being conducted by the Roxas based on the updated figures released Holy See, has encouraged the participants to pray the Holy Rosary,
various sectors took part to ensure “clean Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible by the PPCRV. the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the “Prayer for Philippine Elec-
tions” from May 6 at 6 p.m. to May 8, 9 p.m.
Non-negotiable / A1 The Quarant’Ore devotion was started in Milan and spread to other
he believes the role of the Church is to be the “conscience’ of the He warned the country’s next chief executive to be cautious not parts of Italy in the middle of the 16th century. In the context of threats
government as he expects Aquino to immediately address poverty to install back into power relatives who comprised the dreaded against the Church that time, Pope Clement VIII commended this
and graft and corruption. Kamag-anak Inc. practice of unwearied prayer in the different churches in Rome.
In a separate text message to CBCPNews, the prelate from the “As we pray for his success and good governance, we urge him It was in the same spirit of prayerful supplication before the Blessed
impoverished province of Basilan said the new government should to unite our country and build a nation of justice and prosperity,” Sacrament that Mercedes Tuason, Philippine Ambassador to the Holy
address the problem brought about by “absentee mayors” in the Bagaforo said. See; Fr. Romeo Velos, CS, Chaplain of Sentro Pilipino; and Bishop-elect
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon said the Church does not change Ruperto Santos, Rector of Collegio Filippino; have invited all Filipinos
“He should also address concerns about family planning,” the its pro-life advocacy whenever there’s a change in the country’s in Rome to ensure that this chain of prayer will not be broken, so that,
53-year old prelate said. presidency. in the words of Pope Clement VIII “the incense of prayer shall ascend
For his part, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Buhain He added it is time to engage the new leadership into a healthy without intermission before the face of the Lord”.
does not see any substantial change under the Aquino leadership partnership and collaboration towards strengthening structures Filipinos in Rome are also invited to attend the Eucharistic celebra-
except for “a few dramatic public relations moves at the beginning and institutions that will safeguard the values of life, family and tion at the Basilica Santa Pudenziana on May 9, to pray for honest,
of Aquino’s term.” human rights. peaceful and credible elections in the Philippines on May 10.
Calbayog Bishop Isabelo Abarquez said the Church would remain Legazpi Bishop Emeritus Jose Sorra said he would like to see how
unchanging in its stand against reproductive health issues. Senator Aquino “wriggle out of the political cordon” by his political Nine-day vigil
Optimistic that the new president will deliver as he promised, patrons with individual vested interests who all expect a payback In Manila, the Radio Veritas, CBCP Media Office and Laiko ng
“to fight against corruption and eliminate poverty”, he said the of the favors earlier granted him in his campaign. Pilipinas have led a nine-day vigil from May 5-13, 2010 in response
Church will “observe, reflect, collaborate, and work harmoniously” The bishop pointed out that both Aquino’s mother and President to the call of Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and
with Aquino. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “flunked” in this aspect. CBCP President Nereo Odchimar.
Puerto Princesa Bishop Pedro Arigo said the Church will continue “Watch him closely on the first 50 or a hundred days and see him The vigils were held at the chapel of the Arzobispado in Intra-
its critical collaboration and explained the morals of its pro-life wriggle out and grapple with his main graft and corruption cam- muros from 12 noon to midnight for 9 days with the participation
advocacy. paign within his first 200 days. Watch how, if ever, he’ll dispose the of Couples for Christ, Knights of Columbus, Caritas Manila, As-
“I wish Senator Aquino will be true to his campaign promises family-owned Hacienda Luisita, and honor his promise of leadership sociation of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, Youth
to address the issues of corruption and poverty,” the 71-year old by example, where his mother failed,” the retired prelate said. Pinoy, Akkapka-Canv and other religious organizations under the
prelate said. He added he looks forward to see the new chief ex- He said the Catholic Church will maintain its pro-active critical Laiko ng Pilipinas.
ecutive to prosecute cases of graft and corruption against certain collaboration in good governance and professionally document and Joe Tale, Press Relations Officer of the Laiko ng Pilipinas, said this
individuals. consistently monitor programs. vigil has nothing in mind but to pray for God’s intervention in the
Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said Humanae Bishop Sorra said there is a need to carry on a wide-ranging socio- forthcoming elections.
vitae provides basis for the Church’s non-negotiable stand on pro- cultural and spiritual-moral education in all economic classes. This “Ang buong election process pati bilangan ay dapat itaas sa Pangi-
life advocacy though the Church should aggressively pursue social can be done, he said, by extensive holistic human development noon para magkaroon tayo ng honest, clean and credible elections,”
and moral issues through dialogue partnership with government, approach through the building of church-based Basic Ecclesial Com- he said. (Fr. Jose V.C. Quilongquilong, S.J. and Kate Laceda)
especially in the legislative agenda. munities. (Melo M. Acuña)
Roadside / A5
Mary / A4 necessarily an internal reality only created more evil than the woeful
as many were foreseeing then, if there was parently is so active and militant, the other I always struggle to see things in God’s lack of discipline in our character. Martial Law triggered abuse of
a need for a reprise of People Power. He is passive and less passionate. I really have perspective, at least to approximate it; that power from large sections of the military, engineered assassinations
answered that he didn’t hear any of these to disagree. is to say, to discern God’s Will. And in the and deaths of perceived enemies of the powers-that-be, normalized
“prophets of doom” (my words) speak. But The Church in the Philippines needed end, despite how tempting it is to look and human rights violations in the name of national security and nearly
if there were, he does not agree since there a Cardinal Sin during that time, and God consider things from a purely human point consigned us to the dust bin of history. Still Filipinos have scarcely
constitutional and legal recourses. Only if gave us Cardinal Sin. The Church in the of view, we see the greater, the deeper, and developed any kinship with Lady Discipline. This is particularly
all these are exhausted should we have re- Philippines needs a Cardinal Rosales now, the bigger picture when we strive to look at clear during elections. You see it in the way our politicians and their
course to People Power. It was also at this God gave us Cardinal Rosales. Each with things supernaturally. supporters skirt elections laws prohibiting display of political ads
point that Cardinal Rosales said there were their own prophetic role to play, each with Cardinal Rosales—with his own particu- on trees, electric posts and such other non-designated places (in the
no parallelisms to the Philippines in 1986 to their own charism and style, and I dare say, lar character, wisdom, and strengths—is province it seems to me there are no non-designated places). But
the Philippines in 2010. Hence, at that point Cardinal heroically lived up to that role what the Church in Manila and what the how do we solve a problem like undisciplined Filipinos? Maybe
(02 May 2010), he sees no need for People and Cardinal Rosales heroically living up Church in the Philippines needs now. And a really professional military and more police presence can help.
Power. HE DID NOT SAY WE SHOULD to his. I most lovingly and joyfully bow down to Maybe better law enforcement can help. Maybe the elimination of
NOT DO ANYTHING IF THERE WOULD I shall always remember the words of my God’s Will. There will be another that will criminal impunity can help. But nothing will truly help until Filipinos
BE FRAUD. He simply said no need for own bishop, Bishop Florentino F. Cinense, succeed him, and we are sure, it is him that themselves welcome Lady Discipline into their daily lives not as an
People Power, as of yet. when one time in our serious conversations, would fulfill God’s Will for that particular imposed companion but as necessary partner, friend and relative
Hence, it pains to see and hear other he said, when God (through the Church time. I believe it is what they refer to as the in the family clan called development.
Catholic clergy and religious reacting against institutions) sends a bishop to a particular Grace of Office. And I believe that, I hope Alas, elections have uncovered a collective lust in many of us
Cardinal Rosales. There are so many forces diocese at a particular time, it is because you do as well. for money or power. We cheer our democratic space, but have we
that wish to portray and would wish to put a that bishop—with his style, character, spiri- In this month of May, this month dedi- not made elections a way of making as much as of losing money?
wedge between Catholic leaders. I hope and tuality, wisdom and strengths—is what is cated to Mary, may we pray more fervently The billions of pesos now being spent boggle the imagination. TV
pray we do not fall into their trap. needed at that particular time. When the for our Bishops, and for all priests as well. networks, advertising and printing companies are only some of
That is why among the Catholic faithful, time comes, and God sends another, it is We lovingly consecrate all our endeavors to the gainers. There are even candidates who run with very little
many would like to compare and contrast because in that time, that particular bishop Mary, Mediatrix of All-Grace, may She, in chance of winning and suddenly withdraw from the race at the
the two Cardinals of Manila. That one ap- fits in God’s plan. turn, offer them to Her Son. Ave Maria! homestretch. They invite talks, such as: “Oh, he’s got his money
already. That’s why he’s calling it quits.” On the other hand, I
Scandals / A3 have personally met some politicians who have lost unimagined
Church encourages all ordained in life,” Cabajog said. priesthood “in the light of the body and carry the love of Jesus amounts of property and hard-earned cash to the bottomless pit
ministers to “rekindle their They look at the priest as priesthood of Christ, who came for his people and in this way, a of election campaign drudgery to which they succumb in order to
ideals of the priesthood” and somebody who is economically not to be served but to serve priest is really to be called alter gain even a modicum of power. I’ve been amazed no end at how the
to “once again give their best rich, politically influential and because the priesthood of Christ Christus or another Christ in the quest for power has often impoverished otherwise well-off citizens
efforts to observe the promises socially high above the others, is rooted in the love of God and midst of God’s flock. and enriched once poor ones. The medieval search for the Holy
and vows they had made during he added. is practiced by way of teaching, The prelate from Surigao said Grail sometimes even pales in comparison to the Filipino frenzy
their ordination day.” “There are also others who sanctifying and shepherding.” many would look at Bishop Jose to obtain power at whatever cost financially or otherwise. Why?
would like to reduce the priestly He further said Pope Benedict Cabantan as someone going up Not in order to serve but because for some it’s the surest road to
Inadequate and wrong under- ministry to the dispensation of XVI used the words of St. John the ladder of the hierarchy with more money and money is the surest road to more power. And
standing of Priesthood sacraments, while others would Vianney who once said “Priest- his elevation to the episcopacy. our poor? Oh, they know all this by instinct. In my hometown and
Many have an inadequate or merely equate it with community hood is the love of the heart of “[But] Bishop Joe, in the Chris- I suspect in others too, they have a day or two of spending spree
wrong understanding of priest- leadership,” he emphasized. Jesus.” tian community, you are actually because of elections, never mind a rainy day tomorrow.
hood as there are people who He said during the “Year Cabajog said it is a fitting re- going a step lower in order to Indeed, rainy tomorrows will always be our lot unless we use
consider the priesthood as “a for Priests”, the people should minder for priests that in doing serve more people,” Cabajog elections to elect the leaders we need, not the leaders who need to
way of improving one’s status increase their knowledge of the their ministry, they are to em- said. (Melo Acuna) be elected.
 Diocesan News
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
A7

Briefing Failure of elections

declared in four
E. Samar police offer prayer for peaceful polls
BORONGAN CITY— With their handguns and rifles, law en-
forcers in Eastern Samar still believed in the power of prayer.
Policemen on April 24 gathered in prayer at the E. Samar
Provincial Police Office, here for peaceful May 10 polls. The
ecumenical prayer led by different local religious leaders was

Lanao towns
part of the province’s observance of the “National Day of
Prayer.” (CBCPNews)

Retreat for sanctification of priests held

SAN PABLO CITY— A lay organization held a 2-day retreat
for the sanctification of priests on April 20-30 at the Betania
Retreat House in Pansol, Calamba City. Dubbed as “My Retreat
for my Priest”, the event was also a moment of faith sharing
experience in the Church and a dynamic invitation in the col-
laboration of sacred minister and lay faithful in their pastoral
endeavor. (Romulo O. Ponte)
Las Piñas parish marks 25th patronal feast
LAS PIŇAS CITY— The Five Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Parish in Las Piñas City has celebrated its silver feast day April
18 with a solemn High Mass officiated by Parañaque Bishop
Jesse Mercado. Various liturgical activities were held prior the
celebration of the feast day such as the administration of the
sacraments of Confirmation, Mass Wedding and celebration of
Pista sa Nayon, on the 9th, 17th and 15th of April respectively.
(Vanessa Puno)
LANAO Del Sur— Failure of elections has been declared in at least
four municipalities in the province of Lanao del Sur, a top military
official said.
Failure of elections was declared in the towns of Sultan Duma-
londong, Tubaran, Masiu and Lumba-Bayabao, said Brig. Gen. Rey
Ardo, commanding officer of the 103rd Infantry Brigade.
Ardo said lack of Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) forced the
declaration of a failure of elections in Sultan Dumalondong, Tubaran
and Masiu while the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines
in Lumba-Bayabao town malfunctioned on May 10.
However, unconfirmed reports reaching this city said that teach-
ers who were assigned as BEIs in Lanao del Sur did not report to
their respective polling precincts because of fear for their lives from
politicians who do not want to relinquish power.
Lanao del Sur is among the five provinces in the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which has been placed un-
der Comelec control due to serious armed threats and presence of
paramilitary forces.
The Comelec has the power to declare a failure of election in a
certain place based on the Omnibus Election Code, which defines
failure of elections as a situation in which “the election in any polling
place has not been held on the date fixed, or had been suspended
before the hour fixed by law.”
The Code also said that the suspension may also occur “after
the voting and during the preparation and the transmission of the
election returns.”
Ella, a volunteer of the Healing Democracry based in Marawi City
told this reporter by mobile phone that aside from malfunctioning
PCOS machines, there was no Comelec officer in Masiu, forcing the
BEIs to leave their post and go to Marawi City. (Bong D. Fabe)

New bishop acknowledges

Glitches in PCOS machines cause delay in CamSur,
Naga City
NAGA CITY— Some of the PCOS machines did not function
well which caused the delay of voting in other parts of Ca-
marines Sur and Naga City on May 10. Some PCOS machines

weaknesses, inadequacies
were replaced and/or stopped because of its defects, according
to a report of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association
of the Philippines, Inc (KCFAPI) to CBCP News. “There were
replacements of PCOS machines in Sta. Cruz, San Jose Cam
Sur. [The machines] were defective, however, voting contin-
ued and ballots were secured for canvassing later,” they said. CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Newly- accept his new vocation after he heard the
Bishop Jose
(CBCPNews) ordained Malaybalay Bishop Jose Araneta news from Archbishop Adams that he had Cabantan
Cabantan expressed profound gratefulness been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the
CBCP, CFA hold peace camp for Christians, Muslims
to God for choosing him to lead a flock of new bishop of Malaybalay.
almost two million Catholics despite his As he focused on his weakness and inad-
youth
weaknesses and inadequacies. equacies as a “fragile human creature,” God
MANILA— In its effort to create rapport among Christians and
In his first public address after being spoke to his heart that “His covenant and
Muslims, the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Interreligious
ordained a bishop by Archbishop Edward never-ending love becomes our strength.”
Dialogue (ECIP) together with the Communication Founda-
Joseph Adams, the Apostolic nuncio to the He said he felt so unworthy of God’s
tion for Asia (CFA) have recently conducted a peace camp
Philippines, Bishop Cabantan expounded on calling to the bishopric because “all I can
with students as participants. The event was held at the CFA
God’s faithfulness and love for him person- think is my inadequacies and my lack of
main office in Sta. Mesa last April 19-24, 2010 which carried
ally and for the whole Church. confidence.”
the theme, “Communicating Peace: Celebrating Filipino Unity
He said that in the midst of the sex scandal He said he identified with the Psalmist
in Diversity.” (Kate Laceda)
rocking the Church to the core, especially who in Psalm 139 tried to hide from God
in the western part of the world, God still but failed.
Independence / A1 shows his faithfulness and love to His “Where shall I run from your love? If I
President,” Lagdameo said. Church by choosing him from his mother’s climb to the heavens, you are there…” he
President Gloria Arroyo on Wednesday appointed SC Associate womb to lead God’s people in the Diocese quoted the Psalmist.
Justice Corona to replace Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who is sched- of Malaybalay. During his retreat after hearing to news,
uled to retire on May 17. “In all these, God is telling us not to be Cabantan humbly confessed that he found it
There are four nominees of the Judicial Council to the top judicial afraid because His love is made great in “difficult to utter the word ‘Thy will be done’
post but Corona is the most senior SC justice. weakness,” he said. in the Lord’s Prayer” because “to utter those
Originally, there are six nominees for the chief justice post that “He never stop loving me even in times of words is going out of my comfort zone.” “God’s will is never a burden to us. It is never a
include Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices my weaknesses. Yes, no one but God alone But as he struggled, God showed him the burden to me but a source of joy and hope.”
Renato Corona, Conchita Carpio-Morales, Teresita Leonardo De can fill my inadequacies,” he added. image of a river with a very strong current “It is God who makes me worthy. I do not
Castro, Arturo Brion, and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Cabantan tried also to draw all eyes, hearts that he must cross. deserve this because I am a fragile person,
Sandoval. and minds of those who attended and wit- “Perhaps, that river is the Pulangi River a weak human creature and continue to be
Carpio and Carpio-Morales, however, withdrew their nominations nessed his episcopal ordination to God and of Bukidnon,” he said. weak even now if not for God’s love and care
after the SC came out with an April 17 ruling, allowing Arroyo to away from him by focusing on his weakness When God showed him that image, God for me,” he humbly said.
appoint Puno’s successor. and inadequacies. also “assured me that alone I can never Cabantan’s ordination as a bishop took
Carpio, who was then Arroyo’s chief legal counsel before their “It is His love that engulfs my whole be- cross the river. But with Him, I can do it,” place on the occasion of his 20th year as a
relationship soured, is actually more senior than Corona but had ing even when I was still in the womb of my he said. priest, the Year of the Priest and 25th year of
turned down the nomination. mother that makes me who I am,” he humbly After that, Cabantan revealed that was the the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary
by the record of the previous SC decisions on controversial cases acknowledged. time he said “Yes!” to God in his new calling where he studied the priesthood. (Bong D.
involving the Arroyo administration, Corona usually voted in favor He said that he had struggled whether to because God also made him realized that Fabe/CBCPNews)
of the administration while Carpio voted against it.

Mindanao interim peace pact opposed

The appointment of Puno’s successor earlier stirred debate, with
some saying that Arroyo cannot appoint next chief justice due to a
perceived ban on making appointments during election period.
The SC earlier also said the President cannot choose next chief
justice until there is vacancy in chief justice post. COTABATO CITY— Cotabato ment is also urging the Supreme daman, Dr. Ronald Adamat, Dr. “interim peace agreement” with-
But Malacañang opposed this idea saying that Arroyo can name vice-governor Manny Piñol is Court to compel the government Grace Rebollos, lawyers Mariano out discussing and disclosing the
chief justice earlier than Puno’s retirement but will assume post as trying to pre.vent the govern- peace panel, headed by Under- Sarmiento, Ed Malaya and James details of the agreement.
Puno retires. ment and the MILF from signing secretary Rafael Seguis “to make Kho, Ryan Sullivan and lawyer They also claimed that the
And last March 17, the High Court ruled that SC appointments the interim peace agreement public an official copy of the Zoilo Velasco and the Office GRP had once again failed to
are exempt from the election ban. (CBCPNews) (IPA) by filing a petition for draft IPA and temporarily stop of the Presidential Adviser on consult the people who may be
mandamus and prohibition negotiations with MILF regard- the Peace Process (OPAPP) and directly affected by the outcome
Zambales / A3 with application for issuance of ing the pact,” a report posted OPAPP head Annabelle Abaya. of the IPA.
the guise of granting several small-scale mining permits that are actu- a writ of preliminary injunction on the MILF website luwaran. Piñol and the other petitioners They argued that public dis-
ally involved in large-scale mining operations,” Garganera said. and/or temporary restraining com said. claimed that the respondents closure, conduct dialogues and
The mining operations on the ancestral domains have been op- order (TRO) before the Supreme Piñol claimed that “signing have violated Article II, Sections consultation with peace ad-
posed by the Aetas, particularly from the Maporac Aeta Association Court. the interim agreement without 1 and 28 and Article II; Sections vocates, peace partners and
(MAO), but it continued even without the consent of the indigenous Piñol, with some officials of consultation might lead to resur- 1 and 7 of the 1987 Philippine concerned sectors of society are
people. (CBCPNews) the Cotabato provincial govern- gence of clashes and violence,” Constitution and pertinent laws, required for matters regarding
the report said. such as Executive Order No. 3, the peace agenda and process,
The August 5, 2008 resurgence the Local Government Code, the such as the IPA. (CBCPNews)
May They Be One Bible Campaign of clashes in some areas of Min- Administrative Code of 1987,
danao, particularly in the Lanao, RA 6713 and the Indigenous Love Life / A4
Help Put a Bible in Every Filipino Home Cotabato and Maguindanao People’s Right Act by withhold- and imbalances. On the other
The diocese in Kalibo, provinces was blamed on the ing information on the IPA. hand, lightly tapping the heart
Aklan is buzzing with Praise Item Supreme Court’s junking of the “If the agreement was already complex enables the bodymind
Bible activities. Since the diocese started distribu- Praise God for a growing number of Dioceses participating GRP-MILF Memorandum of signed by the government, the to store the memory of the links.
tion under the May They Be One (MTBO) Bible in the Campaign’s Bible distribution and Bible formation Agreement on Ancestral Domain Court is asked to declare it null In this way, the body’s natural
campaign in November 2009, it has distributed activities.
more than 1,700 Bibles among the parishioners.
(MOA-AD), which was also and void,” the petitioners said. healing ability is enhanced on
Diocesan Bible Minister Fr. Arnaldo Crisostomo blocked by Piñol, Mayor Law- The petitioners also said that all levels—physical, emotional,
Please Pray mental and spiritual.
said that within five months since the MTBO dis- rence Cruz of Iligan and Mayor “Section 2 of the Local Govern-
An effective way of reaching out to the OFWs and encouraging
tribution, the number of people attending Mass Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga. ment Code requires all national Bodytalk system is spreading
in the barrios has doubled. The distribution has them to get involved in the Bible campaign.
The Supreme Court eventu- agencies and offices to conduct at a rapid rate all over the world.
significantly spurred the growth of Basic Bible ally declared the MOA-AD as periodic consultations with We were told that in Africa
Seminars and Bible formation, spreading to 23 out of 24 (3,406cps.), Bicol (2,306cps.)
parishes. Whereas Catechists in the past were dependent Target Coverage of Bible Distribution for April-June 2010
unconstitutional. appropriate local government where health centers and hospi-
on materials from different sources, Fr. Crisostomo said (based on orders received): Naval (Leyte), Davao, Ca- The MILF website report said units, non-governmental and tals are very remote, missionar-
that Catechists have now become more Bible-centered, gayan de Oro, Digos, Pagadian, Ozamis, Butuan, Dipolog, that Piñol and other petitioners people’s organizations, and ies are now teaching them to
integrating Bible teachings with their particular context and Borongan, Bayombong, San Fernando (Pampanga), Jaro against the interim peace agree- other concerned sectors of the grade school children who teach
need. There is a big clamor among the parishioners for more (Iloilo), Nueva Viscaya, Manila, San Pablo ment are blocking its signing community before any project or their mothers when they come
Bibles, especially for the Hiligaynon MTBO. To help meet Total Bible Distribution: (Jan 2009- April 30, 2010): 105,778cps because they believed it “to be an- program is implemented in their home. Bodytalk Access (the first
the demand, the parishioners approached a number of Non- + 51,724cps = 157,502cps
Government Organizations and succeeded in raising funds No. of Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) Bible Listening Groups
other version of the MOA-AD.” respective jurisdictions.” technique in the system) can be
for Bibles. Fr. Crisostomo also began the practice of holding in MTBO Communities: 50 Aside from Seguis, other They also said there is no need learned by virtually anyone. The
second collections to buy Bibles. From the donations the Locations/Groups: Antipolo, Marikina, Laguna, Pangasinan, named respondents to the peti- for a writ of prohibition because techniques are empowering. It
Kalibo diocese, notwithstanding the fact that it has many poor La Union, Baguio, Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, Abra, Vigan, tion are GRP peace panel mem- the GRP peace panel has entered has improved the health of in-
members itself, was even able to donate P16,000 towards the Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Cagayan and Davao bers: Secretary Nasser Pangan- into negotiations regarding an dividuals and communities and
national MTBO Bible campaign. This year, the parishioners it has even been used in accident
plan to procure 5,000 MTBO Bibles, as a stepping stone in Target No. of Bibles for Distribution for 2010: 200,000 cps.
their plan to saturate all of the Diocese of Total Funds Needed for Printing of Bibles in
and emergency situations. It is
Kalibo with the Word of God. 2010: P30M a form of self-help that is simple
to learn and do.
No. of Dioceses participating in the Bible Support the May They Be One Bible Cam- There are now a few dozen
Campaign – 67 out of 86 Dioceses paign and help bring God’s Word to more Fili- “technicians” who have been
Bible Distribution (Jan 1, 2010 – April 30, pino homes. Your contribution of at least P150/ trained like me to do the Bodytalk
2010) month will enable poor families to have their
Total Bibles distributed – 51,724 cps. own Bibles they can read, study and pray. For
in our country. In September, we
(Jan – 10,369cps; Feb – 14,472cps; more Campaign info-visit, email or call ECBA are looking forward to the com-
Mar – 13,343cps; April – 13,540cps.) – Fr. Oscar Alunday, 470 Gen. Luna St., Intra- ing of two licensed practitioners,
Parishes/Communities served: 168 muros, Mla. Telefax no. 5279386; ecba_cbcp@ Ben Manalo and Dorothy Friesen
Bibles Distributed by Languages – Taga- yahoo.com; www.ecba-cbcp.com; PBS-Mrs. to give us further training on
log (15,767cps.), Cebuano (14,872cps.), Perry Cartera/Mrs. Juliet Rivera at 890 UN the Bodytalk Systems. Those
English (5,875cps.), Ilocano (5,625cps.), Ave., Ermita Mla.; perry@bible.org.ph;juliet@
Hiligaynon (3,873 cps.), Pangasinense bible.org.ph; www.bible.org..ph Tel. nos.
interested can contact me at
0920-945-5494.
 A8 People, Facts & Places CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

Church committee holds

convention on liturgical music
Markings
CHURCH music must remain text” of the liturgy.
as a “creation for divine wor- Resource speakers include Fr.
ship,” an award-winning priest Leo Mangusad, director of Arch-
composer said during the second diocese of Manila’ Commission
convention on liturgical music on Music and Msgr. Andres Val-
held at the Immaculate Concep- era who gave the conferences on
tion Seminary in Malolos diocese “Singing in the Liturgy or Sing-
last April 24. ing the Liturgy” and “Prepar-
“Since the first convention in ing Music for the Celebration”,
CELEBRATED. Ordi-
2002, many positive changes hap- respectively. nation to the priesthood
pened that shaped the liturgical Meanwhile, parallel workshops of Fr. Tex Paurom, SJ,
and musical way of worship in included Vocal Techniques, Wed- Fr. Karel San Juan,
the diocese,” Fr. Allan Antonio ding Songs, Composers/Musi- SJ, Fr. Lito Ocon, SJ,
Fr. Jhaw Haw, SJ, Fr.
explained. cians, and Psalm Singing for Nono Levosada, SJ,
Antonio is the chairman of the Cantors. Fr. Cris Fajardo, SJ and
Diocesan Committee on Liturgi- Workshop facilitators were Fr. Roy Ragas, SJ, April
cal Music (DCLM) and a recipi- Prof. Katherine “Kitchy” Molina 17, 2010. Papal Nuncio
Archbishop Edward Jo-
ent of CBCP Himig Sambayanan of the UP College of Music, Prof. seph Adams led the ordination rites at the Church of the Gesu, Ateneo
award. Ferdinand M. Bautista of the UST de Manila University. The seven new Jesuits will be assigned in various
Contributer photo

"[People in the parishes] start- Conservatory of Music, former mission posts here and abroad. Fr. Paurom, a doctor from Cagayan, will
ed singing appropriate texts head of the Diocese’s Commit- bring his medical skills in the mission parish of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.
of Psalms and became more tee on Liturgical Music Fr. Gboi Fr. San Juan will continue his post as director of Emmaus Center for
Psycho-Spiritual Formation. Fr. Ocon, an engineer by profession, will be
sensitive with the type of songs Samonte, and Fr. Antonio, re- assigned in Culion, Palawan. Fr. Haw, a computer major from Bulacan, will
they would use in particular cel- The convention on liturgical music held at the Immaculate Conception Seminary, spectively. work with the inmates of New Bilibid Prisons in Manila. Fr. Levosada will
ebrations. We hope this would Malolos on April 24 gathered parish choirs from different parishes in Bulacan and Capping the event, the Com- join the healing ministry of the Philippine General Hospital Chaplaincy. Fr.
nearby provinces. Fajardo will be sent to Cabanglasan and Zamboanguita in the mountains
continue,” he added. mittee on Liturgical Music con-
of Mindanao, while Fr. Ragas will go to Railaku in East Timor.
Organized by the DCLM under the Diocesan Liturgical Com- ferred the Musicam Sacram Award to both Fr. Cenon Bernabe
mission, the event, dubbed “Umawit at Magpuri sa Panginoon!” and Fr. Samonte as recognition for their efforts in using music for CELEBRATED. Fr. Ronald M. Bagley, CJM,
gathered almost 900 participants from parish choirs of the dif- evangelization. 33rd anniversary of presbyteral ordination.
ferent parishes in Bulacan. Other participants from other prov- The award derived its name from the title of the Instruction on Born in Buffalo, NY (USA) in 1950, Bagley was
ordained a priest of the Congregation of Jesus
inces, such as from Nueva Ecija and Batangas, also attended the Roman Catholic Sacred Music issued by the Sacred Congregation and Mary (Eudist Fathers) in 1977. Currently a
event. for Divine Worship on March 5, 1967. professor at the Divine Word School of Theology
The convention reinforced the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy “The award is a recognition we give to priests, lay musicians, in Tagaytay City, a seminary run and owned by
promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1963, which underscores that music and composers who have contributed to the liturgical renewal as the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Bagley
has been involved for many years in formation
is an “integral part of the solemn liturgy.” The Church document prescribed by Musicam Sacram (the Instruction),” Fr. Antonio said work. He began his studies as a seminarian
also defines liturgical music as a “sacred song closely bound to the in an email. (Levine Lao) for the Diocese of Buffalo and transferred to

Franciscan youth holds nationwide assembly

A NATIONWIDE convention aimed to chal- and to provide formation to YouFrans
lenge the youth to respond more fully to through sessions and workshops, and to
the demands of the Gospel assembled some celebrate family and friendship with one
130 Franciscan youth from April 29 to May another.
3 at the Our Lady of the Angels Seminary, The five-day activity included plenary
Bagbag, Novaliches. sessions about Justice, Peace, and Integrity
Participants are members of the Franciscan of Creation, which is integral in being a Fran-
Youth Philippines (YouFra), comprising 25 ciscan; the Word and the challenges to Fili-
local groups, 19 of which came from Luzon pino Catholic Youth, given by Mr. Stephen
and six from the Visayas. No participants Borja of the National Secretariat for Youth
Apostolate (NSYA)-
Episcopal Commis-
sion on Youth (ECY);
and Life and Prayer,
which focused on the
importance of prayer
in YouFrans to dis-
cover themselves.
The sessions given
revolved from basic
catechism courses,
understanding the
bible courses, Fran-
ciscanism, and a ray
of courses related to
youth ministry.
One of the high-
lights of the gather-
ing, aside from the
sessions, workshops,
Members of Franciscan Youth Philippines from Luzon and Visayas gathered for a and meetings was the
five-day meeting from April 29-May 3 at the Our Lady of the Angels Seminary. YouFrans’ celebra-
tion of their oneness
came from Mindanao this year. as Franciscans through the different social-
Dubbed as 14th YouFra National Gather- izing activities. Prayer became an important
ing (YNG), the five-day convention revolved part of the activities with the celebration of
on the theme: “YOUFRANS: Moved by love, the Holy Eucharist daily.
dare to proclaim the Gospel fearlessly.” At the fourth night of the gathering, the
The thematic gathering hoped to inspire YouFrans made their word of commitment
and challenge participants to become better to live faithfully as YouFrans and to pro-
Catholic youths and citizens, who are fully claim the Gospel to all.
aware of the demands of the Gospel today, The first YouFra Formators and Anima-
tors Meeting (YFAM) was also held within
the five-day gathering, wherein formators
and animators were gathered to stimulate
deeper understanding of the YouFra and
the Youfrans.
The animators meeting aimed to draw
directions for strengthening and improving
the formation and animation of YouFra and
to acknowledge the important role of the
formators and animators in the life of the
YouFrans.
Formators and animators reviewed and
revisited YouFra documents to understand
and clarify the nature of the YouFra during
the meeting.
A brainstorming activity was held wherein
the YFAM attendees raised questions and
plans that are to be discussed more by the
YouFra National Council in consultation and
guidance of the Secular Franciscan Order
(SFO) National Council.
Fr. Armando V. Obal, OFM, the National
Spiritual Assistant of the YouFra, celebrated
a send-off Mass on May 3. Reflecting on the
day’s feast of Saints Philip and James, he
said that as the two apostles were sent, You-
Frans are also sent to proclaim the Gospel
fearlessly.
The YouFra–Philippines refers to a group
of young people who feel the call to follow
Jesus Christ in the example of Saint Francis
of Assisi. They are Franciscans to the extent
that they are attracted to St. Francis of Assisi
and have chosen him as model, guide, and
patron.
It is an international organization and it
has a national council here in the Philippines
which was formally organized on September
15, 1984. The YouFra is under the SFO, where-
in the SFO is responsible for its organizing
but YouFra has its own sets of officers and
statutes. (Mark Vertido/CBCPNews)
the Eudists while in theology. He completed his theological studies at St.
Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). He worked many years in
youth and young adult ministry with an emphasis on training leaders for
ministry. He finished his Doctor in Ministry degree at Andover Newton
Theological School in Newton Centre, Massachusetts in 1990. His focus
was on empowerment of lay people for Church ministry. He also served as
a parish priest and instructor in the National Certificate Program in Youth
Ministry. He also taught at the diocesan seminary in Buffalo. He wrote and
edited several books on ministry with young adults as a part of a national
project to improve ministry to those 18-35 years old. For 11 years he was
the Director of the St. John Eudes Center which offered parish missions
and leadership training to parishes across the United States, Canada,
and other English-speaking countries. Since 2006, Fr. Ron has resided in
Tagaytay City and works in the formation of priests, seminarians, religious
and lay ministers for the Church.
DIED. FR. BIENVENIDO “Ben” LEANDICHO,
O.M.I. April 16, 2010 at the FEU Hospital,
Fairview, Quezon City. Born in Arayat, Pam-
panga on July 12, 1921, Fr. Leandicho finished
his elementary education in his hometown. He
studied at San Jose Seminary in Manila from
1936 to 1946, then joined the OMI in 1947. He
spent his Novitiate in Mission, Texas, USA from
1947 to 1948. He had three months’ theological
studies in the Oblate College in San Antonio,
Texas, and continued the rest of it in the Gregorian Seminary in Rome
where he obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Theology. He made his first
vows in 1948, followed by perpetual vows two years later. Ordained priest
in Rome on December 23, 1950, Fr. Ben became the first Filipino Oblate
priest. Back in the Philippines in 1951, he became Assistant Parish Priest
of Marbel, South Cotabato (1951); Assistant Parish Priest of Grace Park
in Caloocan City (1951-52); Parish Priest of Lagao, General Santos City
(1953-54); Assistant Parish Priest of Cotabato City (1957-59); Assistant
Parish Priest and Acting Parish Priest for three times at the Our Lady of
Grace Parish, Caloocan City. He was also the Director of the Missionary
Association of Mary Immaculate (MAMI) from 1962 to 1979. It was under
his leadership that the association grew rapidly, especially in Luzon where
he organized groups of members in many parishes. He was also chaplain
to the Integrated National Police (INP) and the Philippine National Police
Academy (PNPA) at Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila from 1980 to 1984.
DIED. Fr. Santiago Leon, S.J., 92, of cardiac
arrest; April 24, 2010, at Jesus Lucas Infirmary
of Loyola House of Studies, Quezon City. Born
in Salamanca, Spain on July 25, 1917, Fr. Leon
joined the Society of Jesus on October 11, 1940
and was ordained priest on March 11, 1953. As
a Jesuit, he was sent to Cuba and stayed for
four years, followed with three years in Spain
where he studied Philosophy. He was sent to
China and stayed there for four years, until he
and other missionaries were exiled to the Phil-
ippines. He finished his theological studies in
Baguio, where he was ordained in 1953. His first
pastoral assignment was Santa Maria Parish in
Iloilo City, where he stayed for 13 years. On November 18, 1968, he was
assigned as pastor of Mary the Queen Parish.

Pope elevates new diocese in Mindanao Formation program for

THE Vatican has officially erected the
Philippines’ 58th Catholic diocese on
May 1.
Pope Benedict XVI elevated the
Prelature of Ipil to a full diocese, in
Zamboanga Sibugay, and appointed
as its first bishop, Julius Tonel, until
now Bishop-Prelate of the same juris-
diction.
According to a communiqué from the
Philippine nunciature, the news was
officially announced in Rome at 12:00
noon on May 1 (6:00 p.m. local time.)
Ipil, a suffragan of the Archdiocese
of Zamboanga, is the 11th diocese
in Mindanao. It has a population of
nearly 600,000 of which 65 percent are
Catholics.
It also occupies an area of 4,850 square
kilometers extending from the bound-
ary of Zamboanga del Norte on the
north to Olutanga Island on the south,
from the town of Tungawan on the west
to the town Margosatubig on the east
boundaries.
The diocese-erect also has 19 parishes,
32 priests and 31 religious sisters.
To date, the country now has a total
of 16 archdioceses, 58 dioceses, seven
apostolic vicariates, four territorial
prelatures and one military ordinariate.
Ipil Bishop Julius Tonel (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)
biblical animators held in
Lingayen-Dagupan
A FORMATION program focusing
on the biblical, pastoral, liturgical and
doctrinal teachings of the church was
held for biblical animators and facilita-
tors at the Lay Formation Center of the
Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in
Bonuan Gueset.
The formation program, held last
April 19-27, was intended for those
who are involved in Biblical-Pastoral
Organized by the John Paul I Bibli-
cal Center, the training course was
dubbed “Word Alive Biblical Institute
(WABI) specializing Bibliodrama
Course.”
Fely Gines, coordinator of WABI,
said the formation program aimed to
broaden the people's understanding
on the bible.
The training course included a

National Convention for vocation directors held

A NATIONWIDE conven-
tion for Vocation Directors
sought to enlighten partici-
pants on the different issues
of vocation promotion and
identify factors that go into
vocation discernment.
The convention, now on
its 22nd year, was held on
April 19-23, 2010 at the Arch-
bishop’s Palace in Nueva Se-
govia, Vigan, with the theme
“Responding to the Divine
Initiative for the Church we
Love.”
Organizers said the theme
was a response to the mes-
sage of Pope Benedict XVI
on his call to have faith in the
divine initiative.
During the 47th World
Day of Prayer for Vocations,
the Holy Father reiterated
that “the fruitfulness of our
efforts to promote voca-
tions depends primarily on
God’s free action but it is also
helped by the quality and
depth of the personal and
communal witness of those
who have already answered
the Lord’s call.”
They added that this event is
a matter of recognizing the spe-
cific role of each sector in the
task of vocation promotion.
Resource persons of the
convention were Fr. Jerry
Orbos, SVD, Fatima Soriano,
Ambassador Henrietta de
Villa, Chair of the Parish Pas-
toral Council for Responsible
Voting (PPCRV); and Sr.
Epifania Brasil.
The series of talks were
followed with a sharing from
various vocation directors in
the country. (Kate Laceda)
Ministry, as well as those who want to
proclaim the Word of God in the light of
the call for new evangelization.
SM MEGAMALL * THE PODIUM
Bibliodrama workshop held April
19-21. The workshop was a holistic
approach in interiorizing the Word
of God that seeks to determine the
richness of the printed Word of
God.
Following the Bibliodrama workshop
was the Bibliodrama Facilitators’ work-
shop on April 22-27, aimed to facilitate
Bibliodrama liturgies.
Bibliodrama is “Lectio Divina on
stage,” which has been believed to be
an effective way to reflect on the Word
of God.
The Word Alive Biblical Institute was
established in 1991 by John Paul Biblical
Center, the service arm of the Northern
Luzon Bishops for the Biblical-Pastoral
Ministry. (CBCPNews)

CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
A Leader Finds a Vision
(Talk delivered by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales at the Manila
Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly held in Paco, Manila on May 1, 2010)
HOW important is a vision?
The Bible says, “Write it down.”
It is to be written in order that it
will be remembered; it should
be easy to recall; easy to repeat
to the young and old. It will be
easy to pass on to others and
handed down for the morrow.
Inscribe it on tablets. Carve it on
some hard material: engrave it
on stone! Man must remember
where he is going that is why
a vision as a direction towards
the future must ever be recalled.
A True Leader Is Not Discouraged
by the Past
Life is always to look forward. Hence,
no matter how ugly was the past a
person or a community in dealing
with the desire of both leader and the
flock is to proceed to where their vision
originally directs them. This is the
sterling quality of people with a vision:
they are not disarmed by their past.
King David, Israel’s greatest king,
whose victorious exploits were sung
by the Israelites, “Saul has killed
his thousands, and David his ten
thousands” (1Samuel 18:6-7). They
danced to his poems (Psalms) and
songs. Given the successes of this man,
however, he was also known as one of
the greatest sinners in the Bible because
he had taken advantage of his position,
his successes and his power to force
people to give in to his lust and over
his crimes with premeditated murder.
He was a failure and a sinner but
David believed that in life it was God
who beckoned and guided him. When
confronted by Nathan, the prophet,
for having murdered Uriah to cover
up his adultery with Batsheba, “Why
did you show contempt for Yahweh by
doing what displeases him?” (II Samuel
12:9). David did not allow his sins to
cripple him. He repented and said, “I
have sinned against Yahweh (II Samuel
12:13). “I fasted and wept because I
kept thinking … perhaps Yahweh will
take pity on me and the child will live”
(II Samuel 12:22). David never lost his
vision of what God wanted him to be
and where God wanted him to lead
His people.
A man may see the wickedness
of people or leaders and could see
only corruption, murders, thievery,
dishonesty, the uncared for poor
peoples, homeless and hungry people,
rich people interested only in money
and more wealth, very wealthy
individuals and business groups eying
every election only to select whom to
manipulate (puppet-ize), wholesale
murder to stay in power, maintaining
a family dynasty, making politics a
favorite industry, etc. and more etc’s.
Every national election in our country
becomes a repetition of the long litany
of dishonesties, lies, empty promises,
Pastoral Concerns
vote-buying, cheating and the rest
everyone already knows of.
Issues? What issues are being debated
in a national election? Fake medical
reports, sizes of posters, money owed
and money disowned, anomaly here
or there, etc.
Has there been a debate on the
perennial and urgent issues, like
poverty, housing for the homeless,
programmed and regulated internal
migration or what to do with its urban
counterpart (ubiquitous squatting),
work and employment creativity,
location of work zones, reduction of
corrupt practice or its social correlative,
immediate (urgent) and remote
ecological programs (urban and
national), etc.
Philippines: Politics as Major Industry
In the first section of the book,
Political Order in Changing Societies,
by Professor Samuel Huntington of
Harvard University, the author situated
his observance on the Philippines in
the part entitled, “Political Order and
Political Decay.” The study quoted
from George E. Taylor (The Philippines
and the United States: Problems of
Partnership, p. 157). “Politics is a major
industry for the Filipinos; it is a way of
life. Politics is the main route to power,
which, in turn, is the main route to
wealth … More money can be made in
a shorter time with the aid of political
influence than by other means.” This
can explain why so many families,
including some individuals, run for
office in the Philippines and remained
there ever since.
Professor Huntington continued,
“In all societies the scale of corruption
(i.e. the average value of private
goods and public services involved
in a corrupt exchange) increases as ne
goes up the bureaucratic hierarchy or
political ladder … In some societies,
the incidence of corruption seems to
remain constant or to increase as one
goes up the political hierarchy. In terms
of frequency as well as scale, national
legislators are more corrupt than local
officials; high level bureaucrats are
more corrupt than low level ones;
cabinet ministers are most corrupt of
all; and the president or top leader the
most corrupt among them.”(Samuel
Huntington, p. 67)
What this Harvard professor
discovered in his study, we already
know and have experienced. Shall
we only talk about this until the next
election like we always do? Or is there
something we can do about it even
without the immediate elections?
Let There Be A Common Desire of
What Is Good for Everyone
No matter how much evil exists in our
present society, no matter how openly
discussed and publicized evil is—and
it is true—nevertheless, a good leader
who shares the apostolic vision with
the community does not lose hope. The
same is said of every citizen who shares
a desired future borne of faith in God
and trust of fellowmen. Hope is the
Christian virtue that attunes us to the
happiness that God has placed before
us to achieve. Hope in God “inspires
men’s activities and purifies them so as
to order them to the Kingdom of heaven;
it keeps man from discouragement; it
opens up his heart in expectation of
eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope,
he is preserved from selfishness and
led to the happiness that flows from
charity” (CCC 1818).
In reality, our destiny depends on
how well we can see an authentic vision.
In one of our earlier conferences, we
said that an apostolic vision has the
following characteristics: “direction,
© Noli Yamsuan/RCAM
motivational, rooted in the Bible,
permanent, actually and potentially
embracing all situations, realistic and
achievable, connected also to our
human desires and experiences of
success and even (especially) of one’s
failures and disappointments, brief
but compendious and evaluative.”
How the vision is going to influence
a person or a community will depend
on how generously imaginative s/he
will be. Vision is pursued vigorously
more than an imagination can only be
exercised. Once a person loves where
he is going, the very journey becomes
a virtue; and the actual process of
traveling becomes a model of arrival.
As soon as the Filipino likes to become
B1
© Noli Yamsuan/RCAM
united with his brother and sister, the
moment s/he believes that the good of
everyone is possible, even though the
idea does not come from him or her
(which is very difficult for the Pinoy
to take), but if it happens, (and this is
what we hope and work for), then we
will not only have a family of families
but a nation who gives what needs to
be shared. A nation where there will
be less hungry and homeless people
is not only possible, already it is in the
making; let us not reverse the trend
by resisting good ideas and replacing
them with selfish ones. Let us continue
our vision.
Having seen the problems that restrict
our people, we must together believe
ever more that the building up of our
nation and keeping of our people as one,
addressing the same common problems
is not solved by a national election. We
have now entered the envied zone of
electronic automatic voting machines
not even available to other democratic
nations. And yet, a responsible, honest
and respectable election is not fully
assured by these modern gadgets.
Automation only means faster counting
and more difficult cheating. Like any
machine, the automatic voting machine
is an indifferent innocent tool; it is
“trash in and trash out.” Nationwide
everybody’s attention is focused on that
machine—PCOS. What is important
is the matured and selfless decision
every citizen puts into that automatic
machine.
This is the purpose of leadership
with a vision. This is the ultimate
responsibility of citizenship pursuing
a common vision. What belongs to
everyone is the collective task of
authentic nation building, involving
everyone who has a stake in the
country’s destiny, so brutally prejudged
by others. We do not blame those who
want to predict that the uglier picture
of the Filipino is what is profitable to
print and preach to the rest of the world;
after all, they have their own stake in
it, politically or otherwise.
The Church Has Something to Offer
that Was Learned from Jesus
The Church has something to offer
that will enhance the dignity of every
Filipino, encourage him or her to
become citizens of a country enriched
by the truth and virtues of a responsible
human being, dignified by love for God
and love and respect for everyone,
learned and rehearsed in the virtues
learned in Jesus, able to learn citizenship
with enlivened responsibility (through
Paschal Experience understanding)
spelled as disciplined pain. These are all
contained in the living apostolic vision
we are trying to learn and how to live.
Church leaders, religious and lay,
believe in the pure intention of achieving
fullness of being in community life on
earth (including politics, economy
and social activity) and proceeding to
Leader / B7
B2 Updates CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

Self-Service Holy Communion and

Communion under both kinds
Bishop as a Concelebrant
(Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina
Apostolorum university, answers the following query:)

Q: I wonder if you might know if there has been a statement

regarding a bishop concelebrating a liturgy with a priest as
the principal celebrant? The Ceremonial of Bishops offers the
possibility of a bishop “presiding” but not, strictly speaking,
concelebrating at a Mass in which a priest is the principal
celebrant. It would seem to create theological difficulties to
have a bishop as one concelebrant among many while a priest
is the principal celebrant. However, in reality this situation
occurs often enough. For example, a retired bishop, who is
a religious, returns to his priory and wants participate in
the conventual Mass. It would be an undue burden on both
him and his community if he were to celebrate every time he
concelebrated.—T.P., Washington, D.C.

A: Actually, there is a recent statement on this point. An

official “Responsa ad dubia proposita” (response to a doubt)
was published in 2009 in Notitiae, the official organ of the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. This
is therefore an authentic interpretation of the law.
The proposed question, in an unofficial translation, was:
“Whether it is licit for a bishop to concelebrate on occasion of
a priestly jubilee in which he takes a place among the priests
ceding the role of principal celebrant to the priest celebrating
his jubilee?”
The Vatican congregation in the laconic tradition of such
documents replied, “Negative.”

wwww. worldviewu.org
It then proceeded to explain its reasoning that the liturgical
norm remains in force. This norm, which is rooted in theological
principles and the wisdom of the Church Fathers, is that the
bishop either presides over the Eucharistic celebration or
refrains from celebrating.
It then quotes No. 18 of the Ceremonial of Bishops: “Any
community of the altar, under the sacred ministry of the bishop, By Fr. Jaime B. Achacoso,J.C.D. n.11). Care must be taken that receive the intincted host in the
stands out clearly as a symbol of that charity and unity of the
fragments of the consecrated hand. As for the host to be used
Mystical Body without which there can be no salvation.
host are not lost (cf. Congregation for the intinction, it should be of
“Thus it is very fitting that when the bishop, who is marked I sometimes attend Mass in a Catholic university in for the Doctrine of the Faith, valid matter, also consecrated;
by the fullness of the sacrament of orders, is present at a
liturgical celebration in which a congregation takes part, he
Quezon City and my attention has always been caught 2.V.1972: Prot: no. 89/71, in it is altogether forbidden to use
by the way that Holy Communion is not administered Notitiae 1972, p.227). non-consecrated bread or other
personally preside. The reason for this is not to give added
“7. The faithful are not to be matter.” [n.104]
outward solemnity to the rite, but to make the celebration a by the priest celebrant, but rather taken by the faithful obliged to adopt the practice of 4) “The chalice should not be
more striking sign of the mystery of the Church. communicants from the ciborium which is just left on the communion in the hand. Each administered to lay members
“For the same reason it is fitting that the bishop associate
presbyters with himself as concelebrants.
altar. Quite often, not only is the ciborium left with the one is free to communicate in one of Christ’s faithful where there
“When a bishop presides at the Eucharist but is not the sacred hosts, but the chalice with the consecrated wine is way or the other.” [Underscoring is such a large number of
mine.] communicants that it is difficult
celebrant he does everything in the liturgy of the word that left beside it, so that the communicants may receive the to gauge the amount of wine for
belongs to the celebrant and he concludes the Mass with the Eucharist under both species, either by dipping a host in the The Instruction Redemptionis the Eucharist and there is danger
rite of dismissal.”
The rites referred to in the last paragraph are described later
consecrated wine (intinction) or by simply sipping from the Sacramentum of 25.IV.2004 that more than a reasonable
in the Ceremonial in Nos. 176-186. chalice. But what took the cake was when during a closed At the Solemn Mass of the Last quantity of the Blood of Christ
retreat conducted by the school and attended by my son, Supper on Holy Thursday of remain to be consumed at the
It must be noted that this official reply does not address
17.IV.2003, John Paul II signed end of the celebration.” [n.102]
the precise case described by our reader. The Ceremonial of the participants received Holy Communion under both his 14th encyclical letter, Ecclesia 5) “Furthermore all will
Bishops, No. 18, clearly refers to a Mass in which a congregation species by intinction and by the hand: the priest celebrant de Eucharistia, in which he remember that once the
takes part, and this is not necessarily the case in a conventual
Mass although it would almost certainly be the case for a dipped the sacred host in the consecrated wine and laid the stated that the Holy Eucharist distribution of Holy Communion
host soaked in the Blood of Christ in the open hand of the “stands at the center of the during the celebration of the
priestly jubilee.
Church’s life” (n.3), that “it Mass has been completed, the
At the same time, the bishop is endowed with the fullness communicant. I would assume that whatever drops of the unites heaven and earth” and prescriptions of the Roman
of the priesthood, and this reality should be reflected in his Blood of Christ would have remained in the palm of the “embraces and permeates all Missal are to be observed, and
role in any celebration. It is also true that he always retains
the option of celebrating apart from the community Mass, so communicant. Are these practices licit? creation” (n.8), being “the most in particular, whatever may
precious possession which the remain of the Blood of Christ
his concelebrating here is never a necessity.
The Norms of 1973 The Norms of 1985 Church can have in her journey must be entirely and immediately
A situation could arise, however, in which a frail and elderly
The present norms regarding In 1985 the Congregation for through history” (n.9). consumed by the Priest or by
bishop might be unable to offer Mass personally or preside
the reception of Holy Communion Divine Worship sent a letter to To translate the theological another minister, according to
over the community Mass every day. I would say that if it were
were originally contained in an the president of the U.S. bishops’ and pastoral doctrine contained the norms, while the consecrated
to come down to a choice between concelebrating without
instruction published in 1973 by conference, drawing attention to in that beautiful encyclical, hosts that are left are to be
presiding or not celebrating Mass at all, then the former option
the then Sacred Congregation for the following points: the Congregation for Divine consumed by the Priest at the
would be both legitimate and spiritually preferable.
Divine Worship and Discipline of “1. Communion in the hand Worship and Discipline of the altar or carried to the place for
Also, in view of the importance of the conventual Mass
the Sacraments, titled Immensae should show, as much as Sacraments issued the Instruction the reservation of the Eucharist.”
for a religious community, the possibility remains open for
Caritatis. When dealing with communion on the tongue, due Redemptionis Sacramentum on [n.107]
a retired religious bishop to petition the Holy See for an ad
Communion in the hand this respect towards the Real Presence 25.IV.2004. This is the latest
hoc dispensation from the general principle of his presiding
document made no mention of of Christ in the Eucharist. For this and most complete Instruction The Grave Responsibility of the
at every Mass.
the option of the faithful taking reason emphasis should be laid, regarding the celebration, Bishops and Superiors
the host from the ciborium but as was done by the Fathers of administration and reservation From the foregoing liturgical
simply stated: the Church, upon the dignity of of the Holy Eucharist. True to its laws, it is quite clear that all
“Ever since the Instruction the gesture of the communicant juridic nature─an instruction─it the practices mentioned in the
Memoriale Domini three years (…): the left hand is to be placed does not really legislate anything consultation constitute grave
ago, some of the conferences of upon the right hand, so that the new, but rather gathers in one abuses to the most august
bishops have been requesting sacred host can be conveyed to heading erstwhile scattered sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
the Apostolic See for the faculty the mouth with the right hand. legislation on the matter, Furthermore, since all of them
to allow ministers distributing “2. Again following the exhorting those occupying capital are specifically mentioned in
communion to place the teaching of the Fathers, insistence executive offices (the territorial an Instruction from the Holy
eucharistic bread in the hand of is to be laid upon the importance and personal Ordinaries in this See─which of itself is specifically
the faithful. The same Instruction of the Amen said in response to case) to put them into practice. directed to those in capital
contained a reminder that ‘the the formula of the minister, ‘the The relevant texts are as follows: executive offices─there is an
laws of the Church and the Body of Christ’; this Amen is an [Underscorings are mine.] equally grave obligation on the
writings of the Fathers give affirmation of faith. 1) “Although each of the part of the local Ordinary or the
ample witness of a supreme “3. The communicant who faithful always has the right Ordinary of a religious Institute
reverence and utmost caution has received the Eucharist in to receive Holy Communion or Society of Apostolic Life
toward the eucharist’ and that the hand is to consume it before on the tongue, at his choice, if concerned. We can end with the
this must continue. Particularly returning to his place, moving any communicant should wish relevant norms of the Instruction:
in regard to this way of receiving aside yet remaining facing to receive the Sacrament in 1) “Whenever a local Ordinary
communion, experience suggests the altar in order to allow the the hand, in areas where the or the Ordinary of a religious
certain matters requiring careful person following to approach Bishops’ Conference, with the Institute or of a Society of
attention. the minister. recognition of the Apostolic See apostolic life receives at least
“On the part of both the “4. It is from the Church that has given permission, the sacred plausible notice of a delict or
minister and the recipient, the faithful receive the Holy host is to be administered to abuse concerning the Most
whenever the host is placed Eucharist, which is communion him or her. However, special Holy Eucharist, let him carefully
in the hand of a communicant in the Body of the Lord and in care should be taken to ensure investigate, either personally
there must be careful concern the Church; for this reason the that the host is consumed by the or by means of another worthy
and caution, especially about communicant should not take communicant in the presence of cleric, concerning the facts and
particles that might fall from from the paten or container, the minister, so that no one goes the circumstances as well as the
the hosts.” as would be done for ordinary away carrying the Eucharistic imputability.” [n.178]
On June 21, 1973, the same bread, but the hands must be species in his hand. If there is a 2) “Any Catholic, whether
dicastery, through a document stretched out to receive from risk of profanation, then Holy Priest or Deacon or lay member
entitled Eucharistiae Sacramentum, the minister of communion. Communion should be given in of Christ’s faithful, has the right
promulgated the new Rite [Underscoring mine.] the hand to the faithful.” [n.920] to lodge a complaint regarding
for Eucharistic Worship and “5. Out of respect for the 2) “It is not licit for the faithful a liturgical abuse to the diocesan
Communion Outside of Mass. Eucharist, cleanliness of hands to take by themselves and, still Bishop or the competent Ordinary
The document insisted very is expected. Children need to be less, to hand from one another the equivalent to him in law, or to the
clearly that whether the Eucharist reminded of this. sacred host or chalice. Moreover, Apostolic See on account of the
is received on the tongue or in “6. It is necessary that the in this regard, the abuse is to be set primacy of the Roman Pontiff.
the hand, “Holy Communion faithful receive sound catechesis aside whereby spouses administer It is fitting, however, insofar
must be distributed by the proper in this matter, and that insistence Holy Communion to each other at as possible, that the report or
competent minister, who presents be laid upon the sentiments of a Nuptial Mass.” [n.94] complaint be submitted first
and gives the consecrated host to adoration and respect that are 3) “The communicant must to the diocesan Bishop. This is
the communicant saying the required towards this most holy not be permitted to instinct the naturally to be done in truth and
formula The Body of Christ…”. sacrament. (cf. Dominicae cenae, host himself in the chalice, nor to charity.” [n.184]
 Features
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
B3

A cursory
look into the
Church beat

© Dennis Dayao/CBCP Media

By Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio
AT first blush there may not
be any noticeable difference
between a church beat and
a routine coverage, say the
police or Congress or some
other fulcrum of community or
national life. In fact in Manila,
a church beat reporter may not
do some special preparations
before entry.
Having personally known most
church beat reporters since 1996 when
the CBCP press office in Intramuros
was opened, I have not known any
of them who prepared for the beat
unlike somebody I know who dutifully
familiarized with business concepts
when assigned to cover, for instance,
Makati business. Church reporters
enter the beat as naturally as anybody
would casually snoop for news from
any source. After all, church news is
just like any other news—or so that’s
journalism the truth is not philosophical.
Neither is it theological. In practice,
“truth” is simply the editorial policy of a
news organization so that anything that
goes against it is “false”. The truth of a
beat reporter passes through “editorial
desks” of manipulations until it reaches
the editors that give the final judgment
commented, “The media often do render
courageous service to the truth; but
sometimes they function as agents of
propaganda and disinformation in the
service of narrow interests, national,
ethnic, racial, and religious prejudices,
material greed and false ideologies of
various kinds. (37th World Commu-
That “trust condom” strengthens This is where the crossroad lies.
conjugal relations and family ties is also While the media look at the truth on a
held as such and given extraordinary day-to-day basis, the church looks at it
prominence in editorial agenda. transcendentally and absolutely. While
But the “truth” for the Church is media look at the news on a journalistic
different because it is transcendent and value of information and entertainment,
absolute. It is not relative or situational, the church transcends towards the
much less transactional. Pope John common good and, ultimately, unto the
Paul II in salvation of souls. While secular media
his message report reality within the parameters of
d u r i n g an editorial policy, the Church perceives
the World it within the purview of its teachings
C o m m u - that are doctrinal and dogmatic.
nications Day It is in this sense that in the Church
in 1999 puts it beat there is such a thing as a wrong
this way: “… slant. Any reportage that goes against
media culture accuracy and objectivity is definitely
is so deeply a wrong lead, irrespective of whether
imbued with the Church is naïve of the media or the
a typically media of the Church. This might be
postmodern saying too much, but what makes the
sense that the truth in the church beat dogmatic is that
only absolute it proceeds from and founded on natural
truth is that and divine law. In other news beats, such
there are no as the senate or the Comelec, the truth
absolute is hinged only on human arrangements
truths or that, with social or political ends—but which,
if there were, despite being such, also demands equal
they would be accuracy and objectivity.
© Dennis Dayao/CBCP Media

how it has been going till today.
In this order of things there had been
recurring conflicts. I remember in 1998,
a bishop berated a reporter, right in the
progress of a press conference, for not
being faithful to what he previously
said. There had been a number of cases
when the attention of a regular church
beat reporter had been called by a bishop
for not reporting accurately his mind. In
2005, a group of bishops gathered some
courage to meet an editorial board of a
national daily just to complain and do
something about a “wrong” slant—as
if in mainstream journalism there is
such a thing.
A school of thought among journalists’
circles calls this clash a mutual naiveté
between the Catholic Church and the
media. This is partly true in the sense
that both do not substantially know
what the other is all about. The secular
media do not know the values of the
Church while, on the other hand, the
Catholic Church setting pat on its
teaching authority, the magisterium,
does not technically understand what
the media are up to. A bishop, for
instance, with this teaching authority
as his mental frame, delivers his piece
like a professor expecting students
to pass a correct reading of his mind
at final exams. But the church beat
reporter, pursuing his own journalistic
values, reports the piece of the bishop
according to the slant that he decides
inaccessible to In any case, the “bias” for the truth
human reason does not destroy the independence or
and therefore freedom of the beat reporter. “The
irrelevant. In media serve freedom by serving the
such a view, truth: they obstruct freedom to the
what matters extent that they depart from what is true
is not the by disseminating falsehoods or creating
truth but “the a climate of unsound emotional reaction
whether one’s report is in the ambit of nications Day, 2003) story”; if something is newsworthy or to events,” said the Holy Father in his
the “truth” or not. The most that the beat A multinational mining company will entertaining, the temptation to set aside message quoted above.
reporter does in order to get closer to the always find it “truthful” to advocate that consideration of truth becomes almost The ends of the Church do not
truth is to work for a balanced reportage mining in the Philippines is environ- irresistible.” end with the here and now. Which
which is getting both sides of the story. mentally and economically wholesome Dr. Joaquin Navarro Valls, former is why there maybe ecclesiastical
But getting both sides of the story may despite a long track record that declares spokesperson and director of the issues that are handled as prudently,
just be a window dressing that does not otherwise. The Philippine Amusement Vatican press office notes: “The problem if stringently perhaps, as possible.
necessary mean While the overarching value of the beat
presenting the reporter is to get the story at all cost
objective truth. and submit it to the desk on deadline,
This explains the Church values the ends of human
why, for society towards its ultimate purpose.
instance, the Thus there may be situations when the
“truth” held Church will hold an issue unto herself
by the Catholic thereby sublimating, at least for a time,
Church on the the right to information in respect to
issues related ecclesiastical principles.
to capital “The right of expression must be
punishment exercised with deference to revealed
or responsible truth and the Church’s teaching, and
parenthood will with respect for others’ ecclesial rights
not hold water (cf. Canon 212.1, .2, .3, Canon 220). Like
in several news other communities and institutions, the
organizations Church sometimes needs—in fact, is
whose editorial sometimes obliged—to practice secrecy
policy is “death and confidentiality. But this should not
to convicted be for the sake of manipulation and
h e i n o u s control.” (Ethics in communications,
© Roy Lagarde/CBCP Media

to take—independently and with no criminals,” or 26).

regard for “thy kingdom come”.
Independence in its pursuit for
the truth is what defines the media.
Without it, fidelity to the very same
truth is compromised and, therefore, its
“raison d’etre” disappears. Admittedly,
though, this independence is subject to
both personal and social determinants,
or biases if you may—without even
mentioning human limitations—that
may, sadly, weaken the professionalism
of a beat reporter. The irony, however, is,
it is this very same independence in the
pursuit of truth that makes the “truth”
relative—and, therefore, not objective.
It maybe hard to take, but in secular
“population
deceleration.”
Unbelievable
as it may seem,
but there are
even news
organizations in our midst whose
editorial policy finds virtue in gambling
and bliss in the finances that are
derived from it. And this is not even
to mention, the tremendous power
of advertisers, sponsors and the
well-funded multinational advocacy
campaigns that lobby and dictate their
own definitions of “truth”.
The late Pope John Paul II bluntly
and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes
Office (PCSO) and their bankrolled news
organizations do not blink with the well-
funded advertorial trumpeting that this
greatest gambler in the country, which
is owned and operated by the Office of
the President of the Republic, is also the
biggest charitable institution in this part
of the world “na hindi kumukupas.”
This is to say finally that the church
beat is different. Not that it should
be treated differently, but is rather
something that the church beat reporter
should know more about. While the
church is a community of human
is that the logic of the Church and that beings complete with the attributes of
of media are different. The logic of any human institution, it has a faith
mass media is conditioned absolutely dimension—which makes the beat more
by daily events…on the other hand, worth the while.
the logic of the Church looks at events
over a long period of time, where every (This article appeared at Witness: The
particular event is seen as part of a Varsitarian Handbook on Catholic
holistic context implying that one does Journalism & Religion Reporting,
not separate moral teaching from man launched April 22, 2010 at the University
and woman’s life.” of Santo Tomas)

Ethical Principles and Media Accountability

By Sr. Pinky Barrientos, FSP
BEING a journalist in this
time and age is doubly
challenging and very
dangerous too. We hear
of journalists who have
lost their lives because of
their passion in seeking
out and telling the truth.
Bill Kovack and Tom Rosenstiel,
two journalists who authored the
book “Elements of Journalism”,
said that “the central purpose
of journalism [is] to tell the
truth.” It should be the driving
force behind the exercise of the
journalistic profession.
The plight of journalists today
can affect us two ways. Those
who are committed in the
practice of their profession to
the point of risking their lives
can truly inspire us to become
committed ourselves. We get
motivated by their passion and
dedication in the practice of their
craft at the service of the truth.
But sad to say, there are
also journalists who allowed
themselves to be used by those
who have the power and the
money. This can also affect
us in another way. In some
circumstances we may opt to
keep quiet to save our skin and
try to compromise. We don’t seek
out the truth; we are contented to
become mediocre. We try our best
to please the powers that be by
writing glowing write-ups that
are far from the truth.
This is a great disservice
to the public to whom we
are accountable by virtue of
our profession. Kovack and
Rosenstiel, in saying that the
primary purpose of journalism
is to tell the truth, meant that,
it is “so that people might have
the information they need to be
sovereign.”
Journalism and democracy
History tells us of the many
instances where media played a
vital role in restoring democracy.
We don’t have to look far.
During the Martial Law years,
the Philippine media, despite the
clamped down and the dangers
of speaking out, continued to
become the voice of the people
albeit done in an underground
manner.
And because of that firm belief
in journalism’s commitment to
democracy and responsibility
to inform the public, so many
journalists have lost their lives
in the process. But they were
also instrumental in restoring
democracy in the country.
In this age of globalization due
to expansion of technology, so
many countries under despotic
rule have returned to democracy.
That’s the power of journalism
and of media in general. We
are participants, each one of
us, in the greater arena of
global communication. We
cannot simply say that what is
happening in Burma nowadays
does not concern us. It does.
Because of global journalism,
we are kept abreast of what is
happening not only here in our
country but even outside of it.
We are affected by it, one way
or another. And I believe, as I
am sure all of you do too, that
sooner or later, the Burmese
government will be forced to
restore democracy. It would
cave in to international pressure
because of global media attention practice of it should be firmly
it is getting. founded on ethical principles.
So that later on, when you are
Ethical Principles confronted with situations that
Although technology has would test your moral principles,
made it easier for journalists to at least you know how to address
do research for their stories, it also them.
opened a floodgate of problems So what situations am I
since it created a phenomenon of referring to?
copy and paste kind of reporting. You are well aware of that
One educator shared that too, I’m sure. But allow me
it is a problem teachers have to dwell briefly on them, just
to contend with among their the same. It is not a secret
students’ reports. It is so easy for that there are some media
students to get materials from people who practice the so-called
the internet, copy and paste, put “envelopmental journalism”.
their name on it, and presto! They If you have read the book
have the report they need. That’s News for Sale, The Corruption
plagiarism, and we all know that. and Commercialization of the
I hope journalism students Philippine Media, written by
are not resorting to that kind of Chay Hofileña, you will get a
practice. Because this early, it first-hand account of corruption
is paramount that you possess in Philippine media. It involved
a deeper understanding of the journalists both in print and
journalistic profession, and Ethical / B4
 Features
CBCP Monitor
B4 Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

On the Month Dedicated to Mary

MTBO Bibles
reach typhoon “Humble and Discreet
victims Protagonist of the 1st Steps of
the Christian Community”
By Concepcion S. Neri

WHEN floods brought by Ondoy swept through parts of the

Metropolis that fateful day of September 26, 2009, some of the
main casualties were the Bibles of the Bible Ministers of Our
Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Marikina City. How then can the
ministers share the Word of God to some 100,000 parishioners
without owning a single Bible?
The dilemma was resolved when parish priest Fr. Emmanu-
elle Borelli learned about the May They Be One (MTBO) Bible
Campaign. Fr. Borelli recounts, “We purchased one thousand
Bibles… using local pastoral fund available to our religious
missionary community for the newly established parish, Our
Lady of Guadalupe.”
The Bibles were distributed to members of the Basic Ecclesial
Communities (BECs) or the Maliit na Sambayanang Kristyano
(MSK) of the parish. Fr. Borelli said that the Parish chose to
undertake the MTBO program because most of the people
lost their Bibles in the floods brought by Ondoy. He added that
while the Catholic Community was the priority in the list of
beneficiaries, everyone who asked to have a Bible regard-
less of religious affiliation was given a copy.
But the blessing didn’t stop there. Recipients of the MTBO
Bibles are being given Modular Seminars on how to interpret
Bible passages correctly and to apply the lessons in their day
to day living. Every Monday, MSK leaders hold Bible meet-
ings. Lay leaders undergo weekly trainings so that they can
hold their own Bible Sharing Activities.
(Address of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI before praying the midday Regina Caeli with the
crowd gathered at the St. Peter’s Square on May 9, 2010)
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
May is a month that is loved and its arrival is welcome
for several reasons. In our hemisphere spring advances
with so many and colorful blossoms; the climate is
favorable for walks and excursions. For the liturgy, May
always belongs to the Easter Season, the season of the
“alleluia,” of the revelation of the mystery of Christ in the
light of the Resurrection and of the Easter faith; and it is
the time of expectation of the Holy Spirit, who descends
with power on the nascent Church at Pentecost. With
both these contexts, the “natural” and the liturgical, the
tradition of the Church is well in tune in dedicating the
month of May to the Virgin Mary.
She is, in fact, the most beautiful flower to blossom
in creation, the “rose” that appeared in the fullness of
time, when God, sending his Son, gave the world a new
spring. And she is at the same time humble and discreet
protagonist of the first steps of the Christian community:
Mary is its spiritual heart, because her very presence in
the midst of the disciples is a living memory of the Lord
Jesus and pledge of the gift of his Spirit.
This Sunday’s Gospel, taken from Chapter 14 of St. John,
offers us an implicit spiritual portrait of the Virgin Mary,
where Jesus says: “If a man loves me, he will keep my
word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to
him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). These
expressions are addressed to the disciples, but they can
be applied precisely to her who is the first and perfect
disciple of Jesus. Mary in fact observed first and fully
the word of her Son, thus demonstrating that she loved
him not only as his mother, but first still as humble and
obedient handmaid; because of this God the Father loved
her and the Most Holy Trinity made its dwelling in her.
Moreover, when Jesus promises his friends that the
Holy Spirit will assist them, helping them to remember
and understand profoundly every word of his (cf. John
14:26), how can we not think of Mary, who in her heart,

www.holyhillcross.com
temple of the Spirit, meditated and interpreted faithfully
everything that her Son said and did? In this way, already
before and above all after Easter, the Mother of Jesus
became also the Mother and model of the Church.
Dear friends, in the heart of this Marian month, I
will have the joy of going in the forthcoming days to
Portugal. I will visit the capital, Lisbon, and Porto, the
country’s second city. The principal objective of my trip
will be Fatima, on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary
of the Beatification of the two little shepherds, Jacinta
and Francisco. For the first time as Successor of Peter I
will go to that Marian Shrine, so dear to the Venerable
John Paul II. I invite everyone to accompany me on this
pilgrimage, participating actively with prayer: with only
one heart and one soul we invoke the intercession of the
Virgin Mary for the Church, in particular for priests, and
for peace in the world.

Ethical / B3

Among the youth, Bible Listening Groups (BLG) have been
launched in partnership with the Philippine Bible Society and
Faith Comes By Hearing. The BLG in Marikina is among
the 40 already taking place in parishes in several provinces.
Every Saturday, about 10-15 young people meet to listen to
dramatized New Testament in a radio format called Bible Pro-
claimer. The BLG meets for at least 30 minutes every week
and listen to selected passages. Then, Fr. Borelli would give
Bible formation talks on the audio Scripture portion of the day.
“The atmosphere was one of recollection and prayer” and the
style was interactive. “Considering its success, we would like
to extend this pilot project to the other young people of the
Parish,” Fr. Borelli reveals.
When asked in what ways the MTBO campaign has helped
the Parish, Fr. Borelli said, “Definitely, the initial acquisition of
the Bibles at an affordable price by the Parish on November
20, 2009 has been a great help to the Christian Community.”
The Bible, considered the most valuable possession of the
Filipino family, is usually enthroned in the homes alongside
the symbols of the faith of the people.
Feedbacks on the MTBO campaign from Bible recipients
were largely positive. Fr. Borelli recalls, “People were happy
to learn that we were helping them to recover the Bibles they
lost in the flood. In the Chapel of Our Lady of Grace in Bulelak,
though we could not fully promote the official Bible distribution
that happened, we were able to distribute hundreds of Bibles
in less than two hours. There, we saw how people appreci-
ated what we were doing. With a big smile, recipients uttered
‘Salamat po, Father’ as they held their children in one arm and
received a brand new copy of an MTBO Bible in the other.
Fr. Borelli further elucidates on the concerns of the Parish
and the value of the Bible to the people’s faith. “The Bible is
essential to the growth of the faith of the people. Now the mere
possession of the Book is not enough. We need to help the
people to ask questions about the Bible and not to be content
with easy answers. The Word of God does not give instant
solutions to our many problems but instructs and empowers
us how to become disciples of Christ Jesus.”
Concerning the future, Fr. Borelli shares the plans of the
Parish. “We wish to make the Bible available to the youth. So
far, majority of the recipients of the MTBO Bibles had been
adult and elderly women. To work with the youth is definitely
more challenging. Thus, we had been thinking of acquiring
500 MTBO Bibles for the young people. But before we buy the
Bibles, we would like to see how many would be interested in
joining Bible Studies. About the funding, the Lord will provide.
People are very generous when it comes to the Word of God.”
“Your Word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path”
(Psalm 119:105) is progressively becoming a reality among
the parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
broadcast media. Written in 2004, the
book gives an analysis on how the media
comported itself during the presidential
elections. It detailed “whole sale” corruption
of Philippine media; how politicians or their
PR managers distributed money to the media;
from the publishers to the editors, down to the
reporters in exchange of positive reporting.
And there is also the so-called AC-DC
(attack-collect; defend-collect) kind of
practice by some journalists. AC, you attack
the person in your news or column, and you
get paid for it. DC, you defend the person
being attacked by another, and you get paid
for that, too.
The Filipinos are really a creative lot. We
are very innovative even in the practice of
corruption. I do not have to explain to you
this. We get a glimpse of it in the news we
read in the papers everyday.
So, if before “envelopmental journalism”
was the euphemism used to refer to money
in envelopes being given to journalists, now
the word being used is ATM journalism,
because the money goes straight to the ATM
account of the journalist. I’m not so sure
though whether there is a more recent term
being used to describe this system.
There are actually many gray areas in
the practice of journalism. Would you
consider accepting gifts and other freebies
as constituting corruption? Some editors and
reporters interviewed by Hofileña asserted
that they do not see anything wrong in
accepting gifts and other freebies as long as
they did not ask for those and it is clear to the
giver that there are no strings attached to it.
I am not going to pass any judgment here,
however, you have all learned from your
journalism classes the ethical guidelines
every journalist should know by heart.
What I would advise you to do is keep those
principles deeply ingrained in your system.
This early, let them be your guiding star
especially in the exercise of your journalistic
career and in making decisions related to
your profession.
What you learn in the classroom is the ideal
thing, out there in the field is the real thing
that would put your moral values to the test.
Accountability of Media
Nick Clooney, the father of actor George
Clooney worked as a newscaster in a number
of TV stations in the US. He always said
that his primary loyalty is to the public.
According to him, he always made his
position clear to his manager, “I work for
you, and you pay me, but my loyalty is to
the public, to the person who holds the
remote control.” Not exactly the words he
said, but the essence is there.
As journalists you have to be accountable
to the public. After all, journalism serves the
public interest. As journalist your loyalty is
to the people, whom you serve by providing
them information they needed to know.
Meaning, you have to be transparent. You
have to be guided by principles, like, the
public have the right to know the truth.
So if there are instances where the public
good is at stake, then you have to expose
that so the public would know and act
accordingly. Wrongdoings of government
officials, anomalous deals entered to by
the government, and conflict-of-interest
situations that directly affect the public–those
are issues to be written about.
However,ifthemediademandtransparency
from the government, it should also apply
the same stick to itself.
But some problems may also enter here.
Common problems of journalists sometimes
are that their news don’t get published at all,
if not heavily edited by their editors especially
if the news is hitting some officials close to
the owner of the media outfit.
In our country, owners of media outfits
like newspapers and TV/radio stations have
other businesses. And we know for a fact,
that their media outfits were put up to serve
their business interests.
Transparency demands that you become
truth seekers. Your report must be based
on truth, not just “haka-haka”. Go into the
bottom of the story. A news report that is
unverified creates lots of problems both for
the writer and the news subject. You become
a candidate for libel and the integrity of the
person you wrote about is also damaged in
the process.
Check for accuracy all the time. Do not go
on with the story if you are not so sure about
your facts. Do not invent. Unless of course,
you write fiction.
Responsible journalism calls for
accountability and responsibility among
practitioners. Again, ethical guidelines come
in here.
How do journalists get their news story?
Do they observe fair and honest reporting?
We know very well that most of the news
published in the papers are derived from
news releases usually distributed to beat
reporters. There are journalists who are
really enterprising and who work hard as
to track news sources for interview, and
they develop their news from there with
the help of news releases. But there are also
others who get their story straight from the
news release given them without altering
a word and yet putting their name at the
end of the story.
Here in the Philippines, we don’t think
much about plagiarism. But this is very
bad, if not unethical, practice of journalism.
Putting a name on our work is owning it, as
well as taking responsibility for it, whatever
it takes. So what does it make us, putting
our name or owning something we did
not write?
My dear young journalists, live on your
ethical principles. This will be your guide as
you go along in this profession. There are no
laws that regulate the practice of journalism,
no license that can be withdrawn if you don’t
practice responsibly your profession. We
are not like doctors or lawyers that have to
be licensed before we can practice our craft.
And yet, so much power lies in our hands.
We can either build or destroy. Such is the
power of the pen and the word.
So the burden rests solely on the ethics and
judgment of individual journalists and the
media outfit the journalist work for.
Your personal sense of ethics and
responsibility will be your moral compass
as you go along.
(This talk was delivered to students of the City
College of Manila last October 13, 2007)
 Statements
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
B5
The promotion and propagation of genetically
modified organisms and all forms of environmentally
destructive activities are all signs of human greed
(A Statement made by the more than 600 participants of the Archdiocese of Manila Ministry on Ecology Earth
Day celebration and Public Forum on GMO last April 22, 2010 at Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati City.)

Shepherding in May
2010 Elections
A Pastoral Letter
“God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s
care”. (1 Peter 5:2)
AMIDST all the fears and uncertainties that beset our nation in
view of the coming elections on May 10, 2010, today’s liturgy of
the fourth Sunday of Easter exhorts us not to be afraid and to put
our trust in Jesus the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11). Jesus willingly
lays down his life for his sheep and continues to protect his flock
from thieves and robbers. (Jn 10:30-31) The thief comes “to steal,
kill and destroy,” while Jesus has come that we may have the
fullness of life. (Jn 10:10)
This image of the shepherd is deeply rooted in the Old Tes-
tament and inherent in Christian tradition. Prophet Jeremiah
proclaims God’s promise to his people that the Lord will never
leave them without shepherds: “I will set shepherds over them
[my sheep] who will care for them, and they shall fear no more,
nor be dismayed” (Jer. 23.4).
For centuries since the time of Christ, ‘the Church, the People
of God, constantly experiences the reality of this prophetic mes-
sage and joyfully thanks God for it. She knows that Jesus Christ
himself is the living, supreme and definitive fulfillment of God’s
promise: “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus said (7n. 10:11). And
www.flickr.com

even when Jesus ascended to the Father, He entrusted to the

THE three major alarming threats now
to life on earth are GLOBAL WARMING
& CLIMATE CHANGE, GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISMS, AND THE
ARTIFICIAL CREATION OF NEW LIFE
FORMS.
The advent of global warming is a
manifestation of a much deeper environmental
issue, which is the lack of respect for living
creatures. There should be a conscious
responsibility in the use of natural resources,
and constant care of the environment to keep
the harmonious balance of the intricate web
of life on the planet. There is an urgent need
for a re-orientation of man’s role as “steward”
(cf Gen 1:28) of all creation to drive home the
truth that humans should not play “god” but
be servants of creation.
But eggplant is just one among the
enumerable genetic modifications being
done to various plants and animals to
mitigate problems of food shortage, farming
and climate change, which inadvertently
Statement on the Coming National and Local Elections
create more serious permanent problems,
outweighing the temporary alleviation it is
trying to provide. Bt eggplant and even Bt
Corn are great challenges to combat if at least
to correct the damage it brings out. Humans
have to be reminded once more of the true
meaning of “tilling” and “keeping” creation
(cf Gen 3:17-19).
Biotechnology not just mutilates the cell
designs of every living organism but actually
creates artificial life forms. Humans have
exercised their “dominion” over all creation,
forgetting that the command of God is not
a simple bestowal of authority, but a call to
responsibility. Every creature belongs to God
(cf Gen. 2:15) and man cannot do whatever he
wants to it for only God knows the wisdom
of His whole creation.
Pope John Paul II stated that “Many recent
discoveries have brought undeniable benefits
to humanity. Indeed, they demonstrate
the nobility of the human vocation to
participate RESPONSIBLY in God’s creative
action in the world. Unfortunately, it is
now clear that the application of these
discoveries in the fields of industry and
agriculture has produced harmful long-
term effects. This has led to the painful
realization that WE CANNOT INTERFERE
IN ONE AREA OF THE ECOSYSTEM
WITHOUT PAYING DUE ATTENTION
BOTH TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF
SUCH INTERFERENCE IN OTHER AREAS
AND TO THE WELL-BEING OF FUTURE
GENERATIONS.” World Day of Peace
Message, Jan. 1990
In his message, “If You Want to Cultivate
Peace, Protect Creation, His Holiness Pope
Benedict XVI, made this appeal: “Can we
remain indifferent before the problems
associated with such realities as climate
change, desertification, the deterioration
and loss of productivity in vast agricultural
areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers,
the loss of biodiversity, the increase
GMO / B7
apostles and through their successors and collaborators the
special mission to shepherd God’s flock: “God’s flock is in your
midst; give it a shepherd’s care... not under constraint; and not
for shameful profit either, but generously” (1 Peter 5:2).
Today Christ continues his ministry of shepherding through
the mission of the church, “to bring the good news to the poor, to
proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let
the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the
Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19) By virtue of our baptism, we have received
this mission of Christ that we may become “a light to the nations,
a means of salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47).
As we brace ourselves for the elections come May 10, we must
not only be concerned with the choice of leaders we want to put
into public office. We should also examine closely the kind of lead-
ers we have at the moment and the existing political panorama
that plague the entire nation as outlined by the CBCP statement
of July 12, 2009, to wit: political dynasties have mushroomed in
all our archipelago; graft and corruption continues to bleed our
people; extreme poverty in the rural areas have prompted mass
evacuations to the cities and migration to foreign lands; extra-legal
killings and enforced disappearances continue to hound human
rights crusaders; the insurgency in the countryside remains un-
solved; kidnappings and bombings in the south remains unabated.
Wanted: Good Shepherds
Indeed, our country today is in dire need of good shepherds
who are willing to make a sacrifice, let go of any selfish interests,
and unconditionally dedicate themselves to the care and welfare
especially the majority who are poor and marginalized that they
may also share the fullness of life. The people are in need of good
shepherds whom they can trust without fear of being abandoned
or of being neglected; good shepherds whom they can listen to

Transforming Elections through a

with confidence and guide them in truth, justice and love. The
coming Election is a God-given opportunity for our people to
decide to “seek good and not evil”, to choose life over death, to
choose progress and development over destitution and poverty,

Solidarity of Consciences
to choose God-fearing leaders rather than thieves and robbers
(Amos 5,14; Jn. 10:31).
In view of this, I am calling all the clergy of the archdiocese
to actively participate and get involved in the coming elections

I saw a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1)

Beloved People of God:
THE May 10, 2010 election
is upon us. We are inspired by
this vision from the book of
Revelation, a vision of things to
come; an old order is passing
away and something new is
emerging. We are called to be
a people of living faith and
unwavering hope who see God’s
hand in this watershed event and
actively prepare for it.
The election falls in the Year
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and
the Immaculate Heart of Mary
which asks the faithful to pray
and to work for peace and for
social transformation. This work
calls us to infuse morality and
spirituality in our politics and
electoral process through lay
involvement in non-partisan
work, like voters’ education
and poll automation, as well
engage in principled partisan
politics by running for office
and participating in circles of
discernment, and for men and
women in uniform to keep the
peace.
We thank God there is a
growing number of individuals
and groups in our country who
are heeding the call to hopeful
action, despite difficulties and
challenges. They provide a
glimpse of a new Philippines.
OUR SITUATION: A MIXED
REALITY
Patronage politics continues
unabated. Electoral laws go
unheeded. Limits on campaign
spending are violated. Illegal
posters abound, disfiguring our
environment. There are reports
of vote buying, intimidation, and
even violence through armed
groups. Prices of votes have even
gone up as voters demand higher
prices or favors. All these require
money and – alas! – many sources
of funds are either illegal or have
strings attached to them.
Many voters still go about
haphazardly in forming their
consciences. There is negative
campaigning instead of debating
on issues or platforms. Many
voices—political advertisements,
endorsers, media, surveys,
misused cultural values, etc.—
often stifle the voice of conscience.
We bemoan these realities that
dehumanize both voters and
candidates.
Many individuals and groups
are also stepping up to the
challenge of ensuring honest,
orderly, and peaceful elections,
recognizing that credible
automated election—regardless
of who is chosen by the people—
is essential to ensuring peace
Transforming / B7
by way of actualizing our prophetic function in today’s context.
Do not let your flock go astray and untended. Be their guide and
inspiration. Bring them to the greener pasture of hope and the
wellspring of life. Know that the sheep will always listen to the
voice of a good shepherd.
The next two weeks are very crucial in the preparation for the
coming elections. Let me therefore ask you:
a) intensify our catechesis through the Voters’ Educa-
tion and good governance. Use whatever materials given to
you from the PPCRV, BEC, Commission on Education and from
the COMELEC;
b) mobilize all resources in the parish to come up with respon-
sive PPCRV volunteers and poll-watchers to guard our votes;
c) use the “Prayer for the Coming Elections” in all your masses
and organize prayer brigades days prior and during the elections;
we need to pray intensely for this election to succeed;
d) conduct special collections on the following Sundays
leading to the elections to augment logistical support of our lo-
cal PPCRV units; 80% of these collections shall remain in the
parish while the 20% shall go to the operations of the PPCRV
archdiocesan group;
e) be vigilant against all forms of frauds and irregularities in
the conduct of the elections. We also have lawyers involved in
the PPCRV to help us.

Let Our Voices Be Heard!

“The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” - Proverbs 9:10
WE at LAIKO, the association of Catholic life, marriage and family is fundamental
lay groups in the country, publicly express as it goes into the core of their being and
that we stand firm with the Catholic Bishops’ faith in the Creator of Life. Let us elect only
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and those who have made clear their belief in
their guidelines in the exercise of our sacred the sacredness of life and vow to protect it.
right to participate in the election of our As we do, we look forward with expectant
government leaders on 10 May 2010. faith to the outpouring of God’s blessings
Above all the noise of the electoral on our land.
campaign, we ask our fellow lay faithful to A CANDIDATE WHO HAS FEAR OF
be still and look for that one fundamental THE LORD IS HONEST, AND WILL NOT
quality for leaders of our country—that of TOLERATE CORRUPTION. Let us elect
WISDOM based on fear of the Lord. Let only those who are not corrupt, those
us choose candidates who, by their words, whose reputations can be upheld by a track
actions and priorities, clearly show their fear record of clean and honest service to their
of God and obedience to His commandments. communities. By voting for such candidates,
A CANDIDATE WHO HAS FEAR OF we can help utilize resources duly meant for
THE LORD RESPECTS AND STANDS UP the development of our country and people.
FOR LIFE. We reiterate our solidarity with A CANDIDATE WHO HAS FEAR OF
our Church leaders on the imperative of THE LORD GENUINELY LOVES THE
protecting the sanctity of life. We believe that POOR. These candidates should have clear
the stand of candidates on issues that concern platforms that show a sincere concern for the
poor, as well as sustainable programs that
will lift them from poverty. Let us elect only
those who truly love the poor. In so doing,
we create the environment that will enable
every Filipino to live a dignified life as befits
the image and likeness of God.
Even as we choose candidates who possess
these qualities and require that they be
strict with themselves in upholding these
values, they, however, must not be quick to
condemn others who do not have the same
qualities. Instead, we look for leaders who are
TRANSFORMATIONAL, who will UNIFY
and LEAD others by example.
Let the candidates face up to the values
we hold dear. Let this election be an act of
wisdom springing from the fear of the Lord.
Strengthened by our faith in God, come election
time, WE MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!
LAIKO BOARD OF TRUSTEES (2010-2011)
Let me also call on all those entrusted by law in shepherding the
integrity and sacredness of the coming elections. To all COMELEC
Officials, the AFP and the PNP, and other government agencies
tasked to ensure an honest and peaceful elections, we call on
to you to stand up and be counted as True Public Servants with
integrity and unblemished moral character. Think and prioritize
always the common good of our people.
To all our voting citizens, listen to the voice of the Good Shep-
herd that you may not go astray. Choose leaders who are God-
fearing, men and women of integrity and competence, willing to
pursue programs that will alleviate our people from the bondage
of poverty. In the end, the kind of leaders we choose will always
reflect the kind of people we are. It is not money or some self-
serving politicians who should determine the destiny of our nation.
Let our free voices be heard in the coming elections so that we,
as responsible citizens, would truly determine the destiny of this
country with the help of God.
In this Year for Priests, we, the members of the clergy of Palo,
collectively commit ourselves to serve God and His people, and
configure our hearts after the heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd
that we may continually seek the good of the flock entrusted to
us. And may our love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Im-
maculate Heart of Mary intensify and sustain our efforts towards
moral renewal and in building a just and peaceful society.
+JOSE S. PALMA, D.D., S.Th.D
Archbishop of Palo
April 20, 2010
 Ref lections
CBCP Monitor
B6 Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

The Mission of the Disciples

Homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost C (John 20:19-23)May 23, 2010
By Msgr. Lope C. Robredillo, SThD formed out of the clay, Adam became a
living beng (Gen 2:7).
What is the mission? Simply to
PENTECOST is not a distinctively celebrate liturgy or confine itself to the
Christian celebration. Originally, it was sacristy, as some critics often argue
an agricultural feast that celebrated the about the Church’s mission? According
end of the grain harvest, much like the to John, the Church’s mission is to
fiesta celebration in many villages in the continue the mission of the Son (John
Philippines in honor of St. Isidore the 20:21). The Church does not engage
Farmer. Later, however, it came to be in a new work. The mission of Jesus is
associated in the Old Testament tradition simply carried out and interpreted in
with the Exodus and the giving of the various times, places and situations. As
Covenant. In Christianity, it acquired a Jesus did, so the Church must bring life:
new significance as it became the day in “God so loved the world that he gave
which the Spirit of Jesus was given to the his only Son, that whoever believes in
Church. But even in the New Testament, him may not die but may have eternal
the giving of the Holy Spirit admits of life” (3:16); “I came that they may have
various views and meanings. Of course, life and have it to the full” (10:10). The
these differences reflect the diversity of Church must bring this message of life
the theological interests of the authors. to the individuals, to the communities,
And most of us are familiar with the and to the world. By life, John of course
Lukan account in the 1st Reading (Acts means not natural life or everlasting life
2:1-11) whose words and images hark but eternal life—the vital and intimate
back to the giving of the Law at Sinai. For relationship with the Father and the Son,
Luke, Pentecost is the day when God’s which comes from faith in Jesus and
people, represented by the disciples, were being obedient to his word. As such, it

reconstituted, and empowered to mediate
salvation to all peoples.
John, however, has a different
theological concern. He already exhibits
a different view of the happening by
collapsing the division of the mystery
into Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost to a single Easter
event For him, the Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus are
bound up with the outpouring of the Spirit, for these redemptive
deeds are essentially one. And as can be gleaned from today’s Gospel
(John 20:9-23), the giving of the Holy Spirit in John signifies the
commissioning of the Church. Jesus sent the disciples on a mission:
“I send you” (20:21b). Although the commissioning is placed in a
post-resurrection setting, it really picks up a theme in the Last Supper
Discourse in which Jesus prayed for the consecration of the disciples,
whom he would send into the world (17:17-19).
In the understanding of the Johannine community, the sending of
the disciples is patterned and grounded on the sending of the Son
by the Father: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (20:21). As
Jesus was accomplishing his mission in the world, the Father was
present in him, in his words and deeds: “Whoever looks on me is
seeing him who sent me” (12:45). In the same way, those who see
the disciples, the Lord’s representatives, will also see the Son: “He
who accepts anyone I send accepts me” (13:20). Thus, Jesus is also
present in the words and deeds of the Church, which the disciples
represent. The three (Father, Son, and Church) are stitched together.
In much the same way that Jesus came to do the will of the Father,
so the Church cannot detach itself from Jesus in fulfilling its mission.
It must remain faithful to him.
Bo Sanchez
www.thomaspringle.com
is eschatological, and one who receives
this life dwells in the sphere where God
dwells. This is life in its highest degree.
What destroys that life is not death,
because it survives bodily death but sin.
(This is the Johannine equivalent to the
The Church will accomplish its mission through the reception of Synoptic focus on the Kingdom of God which appears only thrice
the Holy Spirit: “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy in John.) And the Church will be able to give that life because the
Spirit’ (20:22b). The disciples are endowed with the Holy Spirit who Spirit himself, which gives power to the Church and its mission,
consecrates them for the mission: “As you have sent me into the gives life, and is the source of eternal life.
world, so I have sent them into the world; I consecrate myself for
their sakes now that they may be consecrated in the truth” (17:18-
19). Because of the Spirit, they will even do greater things (14:12), Bishop Pat Alo
have a more penetrating understanding of Jesus’ teaching (14:26),
and they will be able to carry out the task even in a hostile world
(15:25-26). It is interesting to note that standing in awe at current
development, many think that the success of the Church’s mission
ENCOUNTERS
depends on the use of technology, money, alliance with governments,
and wisdom of missionaries. Of course, these may be important. But
what is decisive is the Holy Spirit. Without his power, all efforts will
not succeed. John Paul II made a similar observation in his Novo
millennio ineunte: “There is the temptation which perennially besets
every spiritual journey and pastoral work: that of thinking that
the results depend on our ability to act and to plan. God of course
asks us to really cooperate with his grace, and therefore invites us
to invest all our resources of intelligence and energy in serving the
Artificial
Contraceptives
cause of the Kingdom. But it is fatal to forget that ‘without Christ
we can do nothing’ (Cf John 15:5).” The Holy Spirit’s power alone
is life-giving. When God breathed into the nostril of the man he
WITH the RH Bill issues connected to the stand of several
politicians running on th ese Philippine elections 2010, the
contraceptive controversy has gained the forefront. The

SOULFOOD stand of the Church has been clear since the issuance of the
Encyclical Humanae Vitae (on Human Life) of Pope Paul VI,
in 1968. Just as today the minds of people tend to revert to
natural cures (or as close to nature) as remedy for sicknesses

Your past doesn’t define your future

I CAN still see it.
There was a bamboo hut I
saw while travelling in a far-
flung island in the country.
Right smack in the middle of
nowhere, with mountain ranges
and farmlands around it, lay
this tiny shack the size of your
regular toilet.
I had to stop to take a good look,
because it had a sign on top of it.
And the sign was bigger than the
house itself. I read it, in big, bold,
bright, red letters:
“GLOBAL OUTREACH FOR
JESUS” (INTERNATIONAL)
Now they’d be in trouble if that
were their central office.
Then boy, whoever put that
sign had faith.
I actually felt like that bamboo
hut when at fourteen years
old, a prayer group leader
“prophesied” to me that I will
preach to different nations all
over the world.
She said she heard God tell her
that in her prayers.
Wow.
Me, an international preacher.
Ha!
I’m not insane, thank you.
You see, I knew myself. I saw
who I was every time I looked at
the mirror, which I tried to avoid
to relieve myself of unnecessary
stress. I was a small-packaged,
toothpick-structured, pimple-
infested, grotesquely-formed,
fourteen-year-old “creature”
who also wasn’t very bright. I was
struggling in high school algebra,
chemistry, physics, and Pilipino.
I wasn’t much of anything,
really.
Oh, I was a preacher all right.
At that time, I was already
leading a small prayer group of
thirty people. Impressed? Don’t
be. My audience was um... a
little bit biased. The regular
members of my prayer group
were the following: my mother,
my father, my five sisters, their
husbands, my nieces, my aunts,
their husbands, my cousins, and
the neighborhood dogs. Count
that and you get thirty very loyal
people with a few representatives
from the animal kingdom.
International Preacher?
Lunacy.
But listen. I’m now thirty-three
years old. With lesser pimples,
but with a receding hairline now.
(I don’t run out of problems.)
And insane has happened:
I’ve preached to sooooo many
nations all over the world these
past years, I sometimes wonder if
my next flight will be to a planet
called Jupiter.
I’m not boasting. You see, I
don’t think I can. Ever.
I still see myself as that bamboo
hut out in the middle of nowhere.
I’m still that fourteen year old
nobody.
All it had to take was God.
And a guy who failed in
algebra, physics, and chemistry.
The truth?
Your past doesn’t define your
future.
(vis-a-vis side effects of artificial medications), so also it
seems the Church favors the responsible parenthood, only
through natural ways of self-control, not the artificial devices
of contraception. The production of such devices has become
a booming business, that is what has accentuated the issue
since money is involved here. The Church favors respect for
life, the first right of man, over such other considerations,
much more so, since the issue is very much connected to
the morality of sex, family, and the purity of morals. The
corruption comes in, precisely, since “the love of money is the
root of all evils” (1 Tim. 6:10). It does bespeak a lack of trust
in God’s care when we hear the “lumang tugtugin – matiwas
ang caldero ko dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay” (life is so harsh
and I will barely have enough to eat, literally translated: “my
kettle will be turned upside down for lack of food to cook.”
At the beginning of creation: “God created man in the image
of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and
female he created them. God blessed them saying to them,
‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it’” (Gen.
1:27-28). To follow God’s will, let us choose the candidates
who have a deep respect for life. Rather than limit the guests
to the table of life, we must rather increase the resources of
food, clothing, and shelter so we may have better citizens of
the earth and future citizens of our final destiny of heaven
with God and His saints, in our true and final home.

Fr. Francis Ongkingco

WHATEVER

‘Tipping the Philippines’

AFTER listening to the some intriguing
examples of socio-cultural changes in
Malcolm Gladwell’s audio book “The
Tipping Point”, I asked myself: “What
exactly could make our country tip for
the better?”
Gladwell refers to the tipping point
as “that one dramatic moment in an
epidemic when everything can change
all at once.” This means that something
in society can turn from either a bad and
hopeless situation into something good
and successful or vice versa.
Let’s take one of his very interesting
examples. He describes how the high
rate crime in New York tremendously
tipped after the implementation of a
rather unique solution. Unless you’ve
already read the book, try to guess what
was implemented to make the crime
rate decline: (a) beef up the police force,
(b) install security cameras all over the
place, (c) remove all traces of vandalism
in the vicinity, and (d) allow every citizen
to carry a handgun.
You might be surprised to learn that
the answer is: C. What does vandalism
have to do with crime? How does
something seemingly insignificant
change a city infamous for crime into a
place where its citizens can now safely
and comfortably walk through its streets
and parks?
The author answered this by
describing the psychology behind the
“broken window” theory. It says that
when a broken window goes unrepaired
for a long period of time, people end up
concluding that “no one cares.” This was
paired with another study revealing
that criminals and their crimes thrive in
places that are usually abandoned and
neglected. The subways of New York are
a real portrait where these ideas come
alive. The officials thought, this was a
good place to start “curbing crime”.
Instead of clamping directly on
criminals, the head of the subway
network made it a cleaner and more
comfortable place. Moreover, they
started systematically catching common
fare beaters. At first, many were skeptical
about how this was going to change
anything since fare beating was nothing
compared to mugging and theft. But in
a course of four years or so, crime rates
surprisingly declined in the subway and
gradually throughout the city.
How did this happen? Criminals no
longer felt “at home” committing crimes
in a cleaner and brighter place. People
who committed petty crimes like fare
beating started shaping up because they
were dealt with accordingly. Gradually,
New Yorkers suddenly came to the
realization that someone was taking care
of the metropolis and its inhabitants. A
small effort to curb an “insignificant”
behavior eventually contributed to a
“greater change” for the city’s good.
Some years ago, even before
Gladwell’s example, I didn’t realize that I
had witnessed a “tipping phenomenon”
in Bilbao, a northern Spanish city.
Bilbao, once famous for being a
seaport and shipyard, heavily suffered
with the noise, grim and stench of
industrialization. These, however, were
vividly changed by two cultural icons.
These two centers ignited a
cultural rebirth –both artistically and
architecturally– with the construction of
the famous titanium gilded Guggenheim
by Frank Gehry; and a homey stainless
steel subway network designed by
Norman Foster. These structures
awakened in the citizens of Bilbao a
new consciousness about their city and
themselves.
They reminded themselves as well as
tourists about helping one another in
the basic upkeep of parks, bus stations,
schools, and other major public facilities.
People littered and vandalized no more.
Along with this wave came the removal
of the colossal over passes that through
the years became concrete eyesores.
***
Looking at our own country, especially
in these moments of hopeful political
transformation, I ask myself what could
make this country tip? Let’s list down
a few specific problems that if tipped
would indicate that things are indeed
changing for the better: a) Education—
curriculum, wages of teachers, structural
state of buildings, etc.; b) Cultural
decadence—poor content of local TV
ads, shows, and movies; c) Traffic
congestion and bad driving habits + bad
road conditions; d) Cleanliness in public
places (i.e. garbage, dirty washrooms,
canals, etc.); e) Pollution—in the air,
water as well as noise pollution;
It’s so tempting to think that some
grandiose plan is required to tip these
negative conditions. Gladwell, however,
points out that among the elements that
cause things to tip are “little causes”
that are “contagious” and happen in a
“dramatic moment.”
It’s too comfortable to simply say
that things aren’t going well because
government is corrupt, that the city
is overcrowded, or that there is a big
gap between the rich and the poor.
Personally, I believe that before we point
our finger at these broader problems,
we ought to ask ourselves how we can
make things already tip where we are
according to our possibilities and talents.
The famous saying that charity begins
at home: the small but constant efforts
we put can make many things already
tip. Here are some simple ideas: a) our
children’s education (i.e. cherishing
perennial human and cultural values like
respect for elders, diligence, patience,
etc.); b) raising the cultural level when
we don’t simply allow anything from TV
or movies to pollute our home’s spiritual
and human intimacy (i.e. foster reading,
some hobby, learn a language, etc.); c)
improving the traffic—before the road
itself—of relations at home can really
make a difference (i.e. our rapport with
our helpers and drivers, the gardener, the
newspaper boy, etc.); d) cleanliness not
only in the material sense, but also how
we inculcate the good use of time and
resources in everyone (i.e. Internet use,
curbing “gadget dependency, care of
material details by learning repairs, etc.)
 Social Concerns
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
B7

Musings on Election 2010 Leader / B1

where God, the creator, has willed us to be. It must be said here
that good intention and believing a vision is not enough to bring
the development desired by most. The leader needs a following in
order for him to share his vision with others. On the other hand need
is greater for a community to have a leader who will underwrite
and express with authority the group’s aspired direction. In short,

Photos courtesy of CBCP Operation Champ Website: www.cbcpnews.com/champ

By Bishop Broderick
Pabillo
ONE
Success! I was able to cast my
vote, and successfully! This was
a victory but a hard-won one. I
came to the voting center at 10
am and was able to cast my vote
at 12:30 pm! The voting center
was the Isabelo de los Reyes
School in Tondo. It was full of
people. The heat was terrible,
heat not only coming from the
sun but also from the thousands
of bodies gathered there! It is a
wonder that up to now there is
no news of anyone being a victim
of heat stroke! Fortunately, ours
is a patient people. We Filipinos
are known for patience. There
were squabbles here and there
but in general the atmosphere
was peaceful—people lining up
and waiting patiently for their
turn. I was not that patient. Good
for me that the voting center is
near the convent where I stay.
Upon getting my service number
which was 350 and knowing that
the one being served was number
230, I went back to my room to
do some reading. Two hours later
I came up and I still had to line
up for 30 minutes more.
Voting started at 7 am. By
12:30 I cast my vote, number 350.
I surmise not all the 349 before
me voted. I was right. There were
only 280 votes cast before me, and
that at 12:30 pm! Each precinct
has 1000 voters. I wonder how
many of those 1000 in my
precinct would be able to vote.
But this is not just the situation
in my precinct. I went around
asking the other polling places in
the same school. All have similar
situations. I wonder how many
percent of the electorate will
line up to vote. Worse scenario:
I wonder how many will not be
able to vote even if they want
to because there is not time left.
We continue to call on voters
to please take the time to vote,
in spite of all the hassle. This
is a small act of heroism that
the nation asks from each of us
today. I congratulate the so many
volunteer groups involved in this
election – PPCRV, NAMFREL,
LENTE and many others. I
salute them for their great sense
of sacrifice especially staying
in these overheated ovens!
Many of these volunteers are
young people. Their sense of
volunteerism is truly heroic.
I salute too our many prayer
warriors, hidden in churches and
adoration chapels, interceding
for a clean, peaceful and orderly
election. May their prayers and
petitions touch our leaders and
candidates to respect and accept
the will of the people so that the
election results will be credible
and peace will be the end result
of this political exercise.
TWO
After having voted, I went to
visit several centers that monitor
the elections. The CBCP Media
Office has a monitoring center set
up at the top floor of the CBCP
office in Intramuros dubbed
as “Operation CHAMP”. It is
manned by many religious men
and women. The PPCRV has
theirs in Pope Pius XII Center
while NAMFREL has it in La Salle
Greenhills. All these centers have
lines of computers and phones
set up and they are receiving
updates from their people in the
ground. The common comment
that I hear is that of long lines of
people in the voting centers and
of people not finding their names
because of the clustering of their
precincts. At the rate things were
moving at mid afternoon, many
would not be able to vote as
people are getting fed up waiting
and in many places the voting
process is so slow.
In one school in Novaliches
for example 300 service numbers
were distributed in the morning
but by 3 pm only 80 have cast
their votes! Not that few voted,
but the process was so slow!
I also heard of several places
in the country where elections
were not conducted for a variety
of reasons, like the ballots were
switched between a town in Iloilo
and another town in Eastern
Samar. Two towns in Lanao did
not have the elections because no
BEI personnel could be found
since the teachers there are
relatives of the local candidates.
Some towns are so far inland that
the PCOS machines cannot get to
their places.
There were also many
reports of breakdowns of PCOS
machines. I wonder where the
extra 6000 PCOS machines meant
to replace malfunctioning ones
are kept. It is said that they are
kept in reserve in hub centers.
Where are these hub centers
and who and how can they be
accessed? There seems to be a
lack in information and there is
no point person to ask.
Another question came. I
observed that when I voted
in the morning my ballot was
not scanned. Each precinct is
supposed to have an ultra-violet
scanner to scan each ballot to
know whether it is an authentic
ballot or not. This was a soluti
on made when the automatic
scanners in the PCOS machines
were decommissioned because
of miscalculations in the printing
in the matter of journeying to development and progress towards
“fullness of life” everyone will need each other.
Given the chaotic situation today in the development and people
and the task of our nation building, it becomes more evident to
us that the catechesis on the vision towards fullness of life is a
“necessary lifetime course” of instruction for every responsible
citizen and believer, especially for those who live with a better
understood desired vision. There must be a lifetime course on
responsible citizenship based on the belief on the Transcendent,
giving roots to every person’s response to life, keeping in mind
age, position, ability, and responsibility.
The vision must be clear! If it is not, it must be clarified, described
and explained. This inescapable task belongs to the leader, who
must be encouraged by those who believe and belong to the
same cause of desiring a better life for fellowmen and a unified
nation where the ideal remains, “everyone cares for absolutely
every anyone,” until the “fullness of life” is mutually shared by
all. Leaders must feel that the vision is understood and desired
by all; no one lags behind. If the vision is clear, then the studied
approach to satisfying the needs will be precise. There must be
of the ballots. The COMELEC mutual encouragement and support between the community of
spent millions to acquire these believers and their leaders, between society and its leaders. A well
scanners and there was even a prepared election cannot guarantee a unified people. An honest
controversy over this. I asked election does not even guarantee a change in the perspective, values
others who voted. Their ballots and behavior of people. But a well understood and valued vision
too were not scanned. To verify summarizes to anyone what s/he wants to be as human person,
further, I went to a public a citizen and as a believer.
school in Makati and observe The leader is also helped by his or her community to make
the last hour of voting there. In the desiderata of the vision applicable to everyone, anywhere or
all the precincts there were no at anytime. This is the meaning of the saying that an authentic
ultra-violet scanners. We spent vision is compendious (compact and comprehensive). It
millions acquiring them and they therefore belongs to a group of leaders, who, with imagination
are not used! and daring, will “excavate and mine” the data existing and
Another observation. Many with the help of the believing community attach developmental
of our public schools have 3 and growth goals to the Christian, believer, citizen, worker,
or 4 stories with no elevators professional, etc.
at all. There were complains A true leader knows that there are no short-cuts to development
coming from the elderly that or even freedom, just as a good mentor, in or out of the classrooms,
they could not make it up the is convinced that “experience is the best teacher.” This brings us to
stairs! Perhaps considerations the great lesson that even parents know in rearing their children,
should be made for the elderly from infancy to adulthood: No one can learn the truth, or even
and the handicapped so that begin to love, without leaving some space for mistakes. From past
they need not go up the flights attempts at nation building (as also with person development)
of stairs in order to exercise their we have now accumulated many mistakes, enough mistakes to
right to vote. allow us to begin the dream anew—a reformulated vision from
Finally, we are now in the the mistakes of the past, the persistent dream of long ago, with the
counting and canvassing stage. promise of an ever loving and guiding God, that all these desires
I write this around 10 pm. Most for the better were implanted on each person, from time to time it
of the precincts have finished was decided, that every man and woman who will walk on earth
the voting. There are problems “will image the goodness of God” (Genesis 1:26).
in sending the results to the It is claimed that there is no shortcut to any development of
central servers. One problem the individual person or even of a great nation. Even an honest
is that there are not enough election (together with the aid of automation) will not guarantee
modems. In one school in the birth of a truly developed free nation. The struggle, the zeal,
Tondo with 27 PCOS machines the effort is a collective one, involving the assent and participation
there are only 3 modems! To of all, the leaders and the led. This is the step taken by MAGPAS
compound this situation is and all those who pursue our apostolic vision.
the fact that it is not easy to
transmit the results. Probably This will be our pursuit!
the system is overloaded at the After all those errors in serving people and nation building, we
central servers. I wonder up to take the route of evangelization development as encouraged by our
when will the BEIs, the PPCRV vision. To rush in a hurry (at nation building) without touching
volunteers and the watchers personal perspectives, without changing attitudes or purifying
wait till all the results will be values is to confirm the Harvard studies about the Philippines
transmitted. Ah… there is so that “politics is a major industry for the Filipinos” and the shortest
much to improve! Yes we need way to “personal pagpapayaman.”
to learn from experience, but Our way is the way guided and accompanied by a vision that
could not the painful learning leads us slowly to fullness of life through a difficult but tried and
experiences have been lessened if assured way (Paschal Mystery way). Jesus with His Mother Mary
more planning and foresight had is our co-pilgrim.
been done by the COMELEC? Thank you and God bless!

Transforming / B5

and order.
Still, certain fears remain. There is
the fear of losing elections fueled by
the desire to win at all cost. There is the
fear of being cheated and the fear of
relinquishing power. There is also the
fear of failure of elections. Fear has a way
of exaggerating itself especially when
uncertainties remain and questions are
unanswered.
SPACES OF HOPE
Informal discussions, well-attended
fora, and media-inspired voters’
engagement show the emergence of
a vigorous democracy. In addition,
discernment processes for forming the
consciences of voters are being pilot
tested. There is a growing consensus
that being truly God-fearing is the
fundamental leadership trait from
which other qualities are strengthened
and perfected. Recollections open to
all candidates is another welcome
development.
The faithful are not only involved in
ensuring credible elections; they are also
starting to be engaged in helping emerge
credible candidates and discerning
voters. There are on-going election efforts
that are becoming less personality- and
more platform-oriented.
There are many indications that men
and women in the uniform are heeding
the call to be extra-vigilant to bring
about peaceful elections and not allow
themselves to be used by politicians or
ideological groups. The PNP has even
issued clear ethical guidelines on conduct
during elections to its rank and file.
Various sectors, in addition to the
church network, conduct regular prayer
vigils. We are a nation learning to pray
and work for social transformation.
OUR CALL:
Voters: Let us choose the way of
God during elections by choosing
good and rejecting evil, even the lesser
evil. Listening to one’s conscience
is the starting point for infusing
Christian morality and spirituality
into the electoral process. Let circles
of discernment multiply and continue
to be guided and strengthened by the
Church’s spiritual resources and ethical
teachings, and let them share the fruits
of their discernment. Let us not believe
everything that we hear especially those
that feed on our fears.
On Automated Elections: Let us be interests. Be courageous.
extra-vigilant and patient concerning the
first-ever automated polls. We call on the A FINAL WORD:
Comelec to have concrete guidelines on Let us shun short-cuts during and
handling post-election complaints and to after elections. They only lead to further
work closely with other government and misery and delay the process of political
non-government agencies in ensuring maturation. Let us give our “yes” to
honest, orderly, and credible elections. conscience, to constitution, and to Christ
Candidates: Be truly God-fearing and as we engage in a politics of patience,
shun vote buying even if it costs you humility, and hope. Only a solidarity of
votes. Let your lives and track record consciences will enable us to see a “new
convince voters. Be people of proven heaven and a new earth”.
integrity and service. Be magnanimous
winners and gracious losers, ready to For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
work together for the common good the Philippines,
after elections. Always uphold the
constitution. +NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Peace Keepers: Leave a legacy of Bishop of Tandag
keeping the peace by continuing to serve CBCP President
the common good rather than vested May 4, 2010

GMO / B5

of natural catastrophes and 2. Remain vigilant against

CBCPMonitor Name ________________________________­________________________

(Family Name) (Given Name) (Middle Name)
the deforestation of equatorial
and tropical regions? Can
we disregard the growing
the use, consumption, and
distribution of GMOs.
3. Support organic farming
SUBSCRIPTION RATES phenomenon of environmental which respects nature as
“refugees”, people who are originally planned by our
Mailing Address ______________________________________________ forced by the degradation of Creator.
The CBCP Monitor is published ______________________________________________________________ their natural habitat to forsake 4. Demand our legislators and
it—and often their possessions as concerned government officials
fortnightly by the CBCP Media Phone No.: ________ Fax No.: ________ E-mail: __________________ well—in order to face the dangers to enact and implement laws
Office, with editorial and busi- Mode of Payment and uncertainties of forced protecting the public from GMOs
ness offices at 470 Gen. Luna displacement? Can we remain and the harsh impacts of climate
St., Intramuros, Manila. PO Box  Check/PMO enclosed  Cash Payment impassive in the face of actual change.
3601, 1076 MCPO (Payable to: CBCP Communications Development Foundation Inc.) and potential conflicts involving 5. Support only candidates
• Domestic access to natural resources?” with genuine concern and
This call of the present crisis agenda for the protection of the
1 Year Php 500.00 _______________________________ requires everyone to ponder environment during the coming
2 Years Php 900.00
Signature and review together the path we election.
• Foreign: Asia are to take before we continue 6. Strengthen ecology related
1 Year US$ 55.00 to move on towards either life programs in parishes and in
• All Other US$ 80.00 or death. As Christians and every catholic institutions.
responsible citizens, we are being
PLEASE SEND TO: challenged to positively respond SIGNED BY THE
CBCP Monitor, P.O. Box 3601, Manila, Philippines with concrete actions now! We PARTICIPANTS
470 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, Philippines | Tel (632) 404-2182 • Telefax (632) 404-1612 hereby commit to: led by Bishop Broderick S.
Or e-mail this at cbcpmonitor@cbcpworld.com 1. Further educate ourselves Pabillo, DD
regarding the dangers of GMOs. Auxiliary Bishop of Manila.
 B8
Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr)
is having the time of his life. Six
months after he revealed himself
as Iron Man, this billionaire
industrialist credits himself for
what is known to be an era of
world peace. Stark is focused on
rebuilding his father’s version
of the World’s Fair, the Stark
Expo and everything seems to
be going for him. However,
the government pressures him
to turn-over his Iron Man
technology, and Justin Hammer
(Sam Rockwell), a rival weapons
venture capitalist, poses a big
threat. Meanwhile, unknown to
Stark, a Russian scientist, Ivan
Vanko a.k.a. Whiplash (Mickey
Rourke) is about to destroy
him to avenge for an old family
grudge. Hammer eventually
collaborates with Vanko and
finances his technology to
further put down both Stark’s
business empire and Iron Man.
Worse of all, Stark discovers the
very technology that powers
his heart and his Iron Man suit
(the palladium, the substance
inside the Ark Reactor) is slowly
killing him.
This second franchise of a
mega-blockbuster could be the
most anticipated film of the year.
Iron Man 2 has maintained its
charm with Robert Downey, Jr.
still in the lead. Downey delivers
the Iron Man combination of
wit and mischief. Audiences
MAC en COLET
Buhay Parokya
Entertainment
Moral Assessment
 Abhorrent
 Disturbing
 Acceptable
 Wholesome
 Exemplary
may have flocked the theaters
for the film’s special effects and
fight scenes but the real treasure
of the movie lies on the simple,
talking scenes with the actors
solidly interacting with crisp
dialogue. Rockwell delivers a
solid performance that almost
overshadowed Downey’s and
Rourke’s super villain’s role
comes out strong and believable.
On one hand, some would find
Iron Man 2 as a bit talky than
the original but then, this sets
the film apart from the other
movies of the same genre.
Although the plot of this second
franchise is a lot busier and
could be considered convoluted,
the genius of the story about a
mortal super hero is still there.
Iron Man 2 is about a super
hero who has to deal with his
own mortality. Unlike other
super heroes whose power
comes from supernatural forces,
Iron Man relies on a man-made
technology that celebrates the
intelligence of humanity. Iron
Man is the epitome of modern-
day superhero that epitomizes
a combination of super strength
and human weakness. The
irony of it all is that the very
technology that made him super
human is the same technology
that confirms he is only human.
Stark’s self-destructive reaction
to this realization could be a
bit disturbing but the intention,
Ni Bladimer Usi
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
Technical Assessment
 Poor
 Below average
 Average
 Above average
 E
xcellent
Title: Iron Man 2
Cast: Robert Downey, Jr.,
Sam Rockwell, Gwyneth
Paltrow, Mickey Rourke,
Scarlett Johanson,
Samuel Jackson
Director: Jon Favreau
Producer: Kevin Feige
Screenwriter: Justin Theroux
Music: John Debney
Editor: Dan Lebental, Richard
Pearson
Genre: Action
Cinematography: Matthew
Libatique
Distributor: Paramount Pic-
tures
Location: USA
Running Time: 120 mins.
Technical Assessment: 
½
Moral Assessment: 
CINEMA Rating: For viewers
age 13 and below with
parental guidance
which is to show his human side,
is clear. It is also understandable
that he questions his worth for he
felt unloved and unappreciated
by his father. Until he rediscovers
how much his father actually
loved and appreciated him, he
is able to redeem himself once
again. Thus, saving the entire
world from the evil threats of
greed and vengeance in the
process. There may be some
level of violence in the movie,
although without blood and gore,
so parents are advised to guide
their children while watching.
Look for the images of Holy
Bible, Dove and Pope John
Paul II. (Illustration by Bladimer Title: You to Me are Everything
Usi) Cast: Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, Jacklyn Jose,
Isabel Oli
Director: Mark Reyes
Genre: Romance/ Comedy
Distributor: GMA Films
Location: Manila/ Benguet
Technical Assessment:  ½
Moral Assessment: ½
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with paren-
tal guidance
Si Francisca o Iska (Marian Rivera) ay isang Igorota na
nagbebenta ng strawberry jam. Magbabago ang takbo ng
kanyang buhay nang malaman niyang siya’y pinamanahan
ng malaking yaman, mga negosyo at ari-arian ng nasirang
ama na hindi niya nakilala. Si Raphael (Dingdong Dantes)
naman ay kabaligtaran ang kapalaran. Ang dati niyang
yaman ay nawala lahat sa kanya nang makulong sa salang
pangdarambong ang kanyang pulitikong ama. Sa isang
kakatwang sitwasyon ay magtatagpo ang landas nila Iska
at Raphael. Dahil baguhan sa kanyang mundo, maiisipan ni
Iska na kunin ang serbisyo ni Raphael upang matulungan
siya sa kanyang mga transaksiyon at mga magiging
desisyon. Papayag naman si Raphael at maiisip niyang
si Iska ang paraan upang maibalik sa dati ang marangya
niyang buhay. Ngunit unti-unti ay mahuhulog ang loob
nila sa isa’t-isa. Paano kung malaman ni Iska na ginagamit
lamang siya ni Raphael?
Isang malaking pag-aaksaya ng panahon ang panonood
ng pelikulang ito. Walang bago sa kuwento. Gasgas na at
pawang makaluma lahat ng sitwasyon pati na ang dayalogo.
Walang anumang aabangan sa kuwento sapagkat walang
mabigat na problema ang mga pangunahing tauhan. Walang
lalim at walang kurot sa puso. Ninanis man nitong mang-
aliw at magpatawa, hindi pa rin naging epektibo dahil
pawang pilit ang lahat ng ito. Maging ang pag-arte ng
mga tauhan ay malamlam at walang bigat. Nasayang ang
magandang chemistry nila Rivera at Dantes na nakapag-
bigay naman ng mangilan-ngilang kilig. Sa kabuuan,
walang anumang aspeto ang nagsalba sa pelikula. Maging
ang magagandang tanawin ay hindi rin gaanong nabigyang
halaga. Sayang at nakaka-angat na sana ang pelikulang
Pilipino lalo na pagdating sa drama at komedya ngunit
pawang nag-aksaya lamang ng pagod ang mga may-gawa
ng You To Me Are Everything at wala silang nasa isip
kundi ang kumita ng pera sa pelikulang ito. Maging yan,
marahil ay nabigo sila dahil kuwento na ang hinahanap ng
manonood at hindi lang basta mababaw na kilig.
Sinasadya man o hindi, naging mapanlait ang pelikula
sa kabuuan. Mapanlait sa kultura at kalinangang Igorot
na wala naman silang malinaw at malalim na basehan.
Ipinakita nilang pawang mga mangmang at taga-bundok
lamang ang mga kapatid nating ito. Hindi nabigyan ng
katarungan hanggang sa katapusan ng kuwento ang
paksang ito dahil ang karakter ni Iska ay sumuko at
nagpaubaya na lamang. Nakakabahala ang kahinaang ito
na ipinakita sa pelikula. Sa kabilang banda, nais namang
sabihin ng pelikula na hindi ang yaman ang mahalaga sa
buhay kundi pag-ibig. Maganda ang pagpapahalagang
ito sapagkat sa mundo ngayon na naging malabis nang
materyoso, nararapat pa ring ipaalala sa mga kabataan
ang higit na mahahalaga sa buhay – ang pamilya at pag-
ibig. Dalisay ang karakter ni Iska na hindi nasilaw at hindi
binago ng salapi. Isang magandang halimbawa. Nanatili
ring konserbatibo at positibo ang kanyang pananaw sa
buhay sa kabila ng maraming tukso sa kanyang paligid.
 CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
C1

The Cross
A Supplement Publication of KCFAPI
and the Order of the Knights of Columbus

The symbolic TOKCA trophies, lined up before the Awarding Ceremony.

KCFAPI awards TOKCA winners THE Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc
(KCFAPI) has awarded the winners of The Outstanding Knights of Columbus Awards
(TOKCA) last April 16, 2010 during the convention dinner at the Pacific Grand
Ballroom, Waterfront Hotel in Lahug Cebu City.
Winners are Leopoldo Felix G. Saquing from Council 3706 for the Academe; Marteliano A. Alcontin
from Council 10125 for Agriculture; Reynaldo B. Odulio from Council 3692 for Business and Entrepre-
neurship; Martin C. Ilao from the Council 6300 for Engineering, Science and Technology; Armando
C. Velasco from Council 3363 for Government Service; Resurreccion S. Salvilla from Council 5028 for
Journalism and Media; Purisimo S. Buyco from Council 7745 for Law and Judiciary; and Zacarias C.
Candelaria from Council 10582 for Medical and Healthcare Services.
The award has recognized the outstanding achievements of members in their respective fields of
endeavor.
The Board of Jurors is composed of Msgr. Pedro C. Quitorio III, as Chairman; and Ambassador
Henrietta T. de Villa, Prof. Felipe B. Alfonso, Patrocinio R. Bacay, Antonio B. Borromeo, Alonso L. Tan,
Dionisio R. Esteban, Jr., and Sofronio R. Cruz, as members.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, the main speaker of the ceremony, said volunteerism is a sign of
life in the church and in society.
He also noted that volunteerism is “a spirituality of gospel-love combined with wisdom, trustworthi-
ness, co-dependability and reliability.”
“Each of us can confess with full certainty, that we are what we are today because of the voluntary
role that numberless individuals and groups have taken in our lives. That, being a fact is a call for us
to welcome and develop the spirituality of volunteerism,” he cited.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson awarded the plaque of recognition to the TOKCA winners.
Anderson gave a heartwarming message to the attendees and dignitaries present at the awarding
ceremony.
For some years now, TOKCA has served as an inspiration to all members of the Knights of Columbus
TOKCA Awardees holding their trophies with their spouses during the Awarding held at the Pacific Grand Ballroom, Waterfront in the Philippines especially in living up to the cardinal principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and
Hotel in Lahug Cebu City. Patriotism. (KCFAPI News)

Cebu prelate urges Knights to continue State Deputies report

recent development of
fraternal service of helping neighbors their jurisdictions
CEBU Archbishop Ricardo Cardi- of Palo, Bishop Leonardo Medroso
nal Vidal called on all the Brother of Tagbilaran and Bishop Romulo THE State Deputies of the three jurisdictions have presented the
Knights to continue their fraternal de la Cruz of Kidapawan. recent updates of their jurisdictions last April 17 at the Waterfront
service in helping their neighbors. Together with some KC Chaplains, Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City.
This was the highlight of the homily there were 45 KC priests who concele- Luzon Deputy Alonso L. Tan, Visayas Deputy Dionisio R.
of the Cardinal during the Eucharistic brated during the Eucharistic celebra- Esteban, Jr., and Mindanao Deputy Sofronio R. Cruz have reported the
Celebration at the Cebu Metropolitan tion. These KC priests are scholars of latest programs and activities of their jurisdictions.
Cathedral that opened the 8th Na- the Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, They presented the report to the delegates and to Supreme
tional Convention of the Knights of Inc., which is under the auspices of Knight Carl A. Anderson who came all the way from the United
Columbus in the Philippines. KCFAPI that grants scholarship for States to attend the 8th National Convention of the Knights of
Vidal expressed his delight for seminarians who wish to continue Columbus in the Philippines.
the apostolate that the Knights their theological studies in the Phil- Following the reports, the Knights of Columbus Fraternal Associa-
have verbalized in its theme for ippines and for priests who wish to tion of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) President Antonio B. Borromeo
the convention: "Volunteerism: pursue post graduate studies either presented the developments of KCFAPI which is the insurance arm
Neighbors Helping Neighbors". in the country or in Rome. of the Order of the Knights of Columbus in the Philippines.
“You are made for service... to Supreme Knight Carl A. Ander- He tackled on the KC products such as KC CARES Plan, SPEK
KC Priest Scholars together with Luzon Deputy Alonso Tan, Visayas Deputy
care for all men and women and Dionisio Esteban, Mindanao Deputy Sofronio Cruz and Supreme Knight Carl son with his wife, Lady Dorian Plan, Gold Plan, Dollar Supreme Plan and other programs and
children whoever they are and Anderson during the 7th National Gathering of KC Priest-Scholars held in Cebu Anderson attended the fraternal incentives of the insurance company.
wherever they may be. You are a City last April 14-16, 2010. mass. He also talked about the projects and plans of KCFAPI in pursu-
council in the church not just a club in the society... the love for neighbor The three state jurisdictions headed by Luzon Deputy Alonso L. ance of its objectives and the principles of the Order.
and love for God is your motive as well as your objective,” he said. Tan; Visayas Deputy Dionisio R. Esteban, Jr. and Mindanao Deputy In another development, Cotabato Archbishop Orlando
The mass which was presided by Vidal was concelebrated by Sofronio R. Cruz along with their state officers and members have Quevedo, Palo Archbishop Jose Palma and Bontoc-Lagawe Bishop
Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, President of the Catholic Bish- also attended the mass. Rodolfo Beltran have presented their perspective on the theme,
ops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); Cotabato Archbishop Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, “VOLUNTEERISM: Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”
Orlando Quevedo, Bontoc-Lagawe Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, Virac Inc. (KCFAPI) Chairman Patrocinio R. Bacay, President Antonio B. Highlighting the second day of the convention was the Marian
Bishop Manolo delos Santos and Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu Julito Borromeo, Executive Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia, and other Hour which was led by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Julito Cortes who
Cortes. The following prelates were not present during the mass Board of Trustees, along with KC officers and their spouses were gave a reflection on volunteerism through and with the Blessed
but were speakers during the convention: Archbishop Jose Palma also present in the Eucharistic Celebration. (Kate Laceda) Virgin Mary. (KC News)

KCFAPI joins CBCPNews on election watch Thousands attend KC 8th National Convention in Cebu
THE Knights or even critical A LITTLE over two thousand members of the Knights of insurance arm of the Knights of Columbus in the country.
of Columbus incidents. This Columbus throughout the country participated in the recent CBCP President and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar,
Fraternal As- will start from Knights of Columbus’ 8th National Convention at the Wa- Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Cotabato Archbishop
sociation of the May 10 until terfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug last April 16-18, 2010. Orlando Quevedo, Palo Archbishop Jose Palma, Kida-
Philippines, Inc 13,” he said. There are now about 250,000 members of the Order in the pawan Bishop Romulo de la Cruz, Bontoc-Lagawe Bishop
(KCFAPI) col- Aside from Philippines and about 1.8 million throughout the world. Rodolfo Beltran were the resource speakers during the
laborated with their collabora- Held every three years, this convention took up devel- convention.
CBCP News tion with CBCP- opments of the three jurisdictions of Luzon, Visayas and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal celebrated the
Service of the News, KCFAPI Mindanao led by the state deputies SK Alonso L. Tan opening Eucharistic Celebration at the Cebu Metropoli-
Catholic Bish- earlier signed a (Luzon), SK Dionisio R. Esteban, Jr. (Visayas), and SK tan Cathedral on April 16, while Cebu Auxiliary Bishop
ops Conference Memorandum Sofronio R. Cruz (Mindanao). Julito Cortes led the Marian Hour at the convention site
of the Philip- of Agreement This year’s theme was, “Volunteerism: Neighbors on April 17.
pines (CBCP) with the Parish Helping Neighbors.” The resource speakers’
in monitoring the country’s first automated Pastoral Council for Responsible Vot- Supreme Knight Carl talks as well as homilies
national elections. ing (PPCRV) to assist voters education A. Anderson with Lady were variations on the
Dubbed as “Operation CHAMP” the ini- nationwide. Dorian attended the theme of volunteerism.
tiative is a multimedia monitoring sys- Meanwhile, the KC Luzon jurisdiction convention. Coinciding with the
tem in pursuit of a clean, honest, accu- is also actively involved in “Simbahan at Knights of Columbus event was the award-
rate, meaningful and peaceful (CHAMP) Halalan”, a collaborative program of Radio Fraternal Association ing ceremony of The
elections. Veritas and CBCP Media Office that has of the Philippines Inc Outstanding Knights
According to Gari M. San Sebastian, been promoting nationwide novena vigils (KCFAPI) Chairman Pa- of Columbus Awards
Manager of the Fraternal Benefits Services and radio reporting. trocinio Bacay, President (TOKCA) and the retreat
Department of KCFAPI, the primary role of Spearheaded at the Arzobispado Chapel Antonio Borromeo, Ex- of the Knights of Colum-
KCFAPI is to establish a network of mul- in Intramuros, the vigil opens at 12 noon and ecutive Vice President bus Scholar-priests.
timedia reporters who will send reports closes at 12 midnight daily from May 5 to 13. Ma. Theresa Curia and The convention end-
through SMS and online networking to its San Sebastian reiterated that while KCFAPI their Board of Trustees as ed with a Eucharistic
central hub in CBCP Intramuros. and the Knights of Columbus in the Philip- well as the chairman and celebration presided
“We will be sending manpower to pines are actively involved in activities that officials of the subsidiar- (From L-R) KCFAPI President Antonio Borromeo, Chairman Patrocinio Bacay, by Tagbilaran Bishop
every arch/diocese, at least 2 per arch/ promote CHAMP elections, they will remain ies of KCFAPI were also Spiritual Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, KC Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, Leonardo Medroso.
Visayas Deputy Dionisio Esteban, Mindanao Deputy Sofronio Cruz and Luzon
diocese to send queries, incidental reports neutral and non-partisan. (Kate Laceda) present. KCFAPI is the Deputy Alonso Tan during the KC Philippines’ 8th National Convention. (CBCPNews)
 The Cross
CBCP Monitor
C2 Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010

Chairman’s
Message
Patrocinio R. Bacay
CONGRATULATIONS to the Knights of knight. Needless to say, it also added to the
Columbus for their 8th National Conven- glitter of the affair. Hopefully, the Supreme
tion. It was hosted by the Visayas Juris- Knight inspired our brother Knights to set
diction with full support from the Luzon their bar higher as members of the Order.
and Mindanao Jurisdictions. The realization Surely, our National Convention had its
of the year long planning and preparation share of problems but let us remember more
found fulfillment because of the concer- its glory. Forever, let us remain focused on its
ted efforts from all sectors involved. We are objective thru the convention theme: Volun-
not to forget the full assistance of KCFAPI for teerism: Neighbors helping Neighbors this
its success. In the forefront of this nationwide would truly be the measure of the success of
gathering of the Knights was the Conven- this convention.
tion Committee chaired by Bro. Allan Nico- Once more, our congratulations and
las C. Ouano with his various committees un- gratitude to all who lent a hand in the re-
der the leadership of the Visayas Deputy, Bro. alization of the 8th National Convention of
Dionisio R. Esteban, Jr. We salute them all. the Knights of Columbus. Let us all work at
The participation of the Supreme Knight making ourselves better knights while wait-
Carl A. Anderson and his Lady Dorian was ing for our 9th National Convention.
very much appreciated by each delegate God be with us all.
President’s
Message
Antonio B. Borromeo
BY the time you read this article the national elections are done and new
leaders in the national and local positions have been duly elected. The
conduct of the elections, we hope, have been generally peaceful, orderly and fair and to this we thank the help
of all brother Knights who in one way or another assisted in the elections.
Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) for its part has been involved
in the social transformation of the nation. As early as October 2009, we have launched an information drive
on poll automation and has partnered with the Commission on Elections in the Voters’ Education. Together
with Comm. Rene V. Sarmiento, we held voters education fora in Intramuros, Cabanatuan, Bulacan, Cebu, and
Quezon City. There were also voters’ education held in Bataan, Navotas, Rizal, Binondo, Makati and many
other areas in the council level. In most instances, the Precinct Count Optical Scan Machine was presented and
tested during the meeting. In April of 2010, the Order of the Knights of Columbus together with KCFAPI and
the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting signed a Memorandum of Agreement to help in the orderly
and clean process of the national elections. The KCFAPI employees together with the Fraternal Counselors
volunteered in the gathering of information in their precincts to inform the Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines’ media office regarding updates on the elections in their respective areas. We have also participated
in the vigil for peaceful elections which were held at the Arzobispado of Manila from May 5 to 13, 2010.
Let us continue praying for our leaders so that they who have been elected will be guided in steering the
nation towards a better future.
We would also want to congratulate all those who supported the recently concluded 8th National Conven-
tion and recognition of The Outstanding Knights of Columbus Awardees.

FBG holds Luzon Area Managers’ meeting

THE Fraternal Benefits Group (FBG) convened the Luzon Area
Managers last April 28 at the Social Hall of the Knights of Columbus
Fraternal Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI).
The said meeting was facilitated by Joseph P. Teodoro,
Vice President of FBG. Teodoro said that the meeting aims to moni-
tor the target sales production of the year.
Topics involved the 1st quarter performance evaluation of the
council areas on sales production.
The meeting also tackled the Presidential Challenge Club, an in-
centive program of KCFAPI, which is intended to recognize those
Fraternal Counselors who will be able to attain the Annual Awards
Qualification as of May 31, 2010.
The winners of the said program will be given the Presidential
Ring Award.
Present in the meeting were Area Managers from Bicol Saro
(BIC); Central Luzon Believers (CLB1); Central Luzon Conquerors
(CLC); Central Luzon Diamonds (CLD); Metro Manila Achiev-
ers (MMA); Metro Manila Chancellors (MMC); Metro Manila
Dragons (MMD); and Metro Manila Excellence (MME); South-
ern Luzon Lakers (SL); and Southwestern Luzon Stars (SWL.)
(KCFAPI News)

Meet the New VPs of KCFAPI

THE Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the courses and was an Independent Trustee of CARD MBA, Inc.
For Brother Knights by Brother Knights
Fraternal
Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) welcomes its newly appointed Prior to doing consultancies and part time teaching, he worked

Counselors eye
Vice Presidents, Mr. Bala and Mr. Infante. full time with different commercial life insurance companies.
Mr. Angelito A. Sir Bullet is a Tarlaqueño and is the third youngest in a
Bala joins KCFAPI family of seven. He likes watching movies and is fond of

Presidential Ring
as Vice President for playing chess and bowling.
Actuarial & Business Meanwhile, Mr. Ronulfo Antero G. Infante or more com-
Development. Prior to monly known as “Sir Ronnie” is the new Vice President for

his appointment, the
Association has engaged
his services as Actuari-
al Consultant, through
the Asian Actuaries, Inc.
Sir “Bullet”, as he is fond-
ly called, is a B.S. Ap- Angelito A. Bala
plied Mathematics (Actuarial) graduate from the University
of the Philippines, Diliman. He finished his Masters Deg-
rees in Applied Mathematics (Actuarial Science) and Business
Administration also from the said university.
In his 20 years of extensive work experience in the actuarial
field, he was involved in the development of insurance products,
calculation of insurance premiums, preparation of policy/rider
contracts, performance of viability and sensitivity analyses using
an asset share model according to various pricing assumptions
like survival rates, investment income, taxes, administrative and
selling expenses, and other actuarial functions.
He also rendered consultancy services to various Mutual
Benefit Associations and commercial life, health and pre need
companies: RIMANSI Organization for Asia and the Pacific,
Kaiser International Health Group Inc., Manulife Philippines,
Millennium Education and Pension Plans, Inc., and St. Peter
Life Plans. He was also a part time lecturer at the De La Salle
University, Manila on various graduate and undergraduate
Award
Information and BC Holders’ Services. He was first intro-
duced to the Association as an IT Consultant in 1998 and was
later appointed as Senior IT Manager for the Management
Information Systems. By Joseph P. Teodoro
During his stint with
KCFAPI, he has made FOURTEEN top KCFAPI fraternal counsellors are vying for the Presidential Ring
remarkable feats. One Award. This is an incentive program for those fraternal counsellors who will be
of which, is the develop- able to attain the Chairman of the Board Family Service Award as early as May
ment of the Integrated 31, 2010. The partial report as of April 30 showed that the following fraternal
Benefits System (IBS), counselors possess strong chance to garner the special award:
which led the Association
to elevate from AS400 to Eduardo Cruz Central Luzon Believers
PC-based platform. Luis Ferrer Central Luzon Believers
Aside from his Bonifacio Morales Central Luzon Believers
responsibilities as Senior Ronando Rodriguez Central Luzon Believers
Ronulfo Antero G. Infante IT Manager, he was also Jeffrey Rey Guillermo Central Luzon Conquerors
assigned as the Association’s Risk Management Officer in 2007 Amado Miranda Central Luzon Diamonds
and is presently leading the documentation on Association-Wide Danilo Tullao Northern Luzon Cavaliers
Risk Management (AWRM), a process designed to identify po- Reynaldo Segismundo Northwestern Luzon Thunders
tential events that may affect the Association and manage risks Hugo Goce, Jr. Southern Luzon Lakers
in order to ensure the achievement of KCFAPI’s objectives. Angelito Lat Southern Luzon Lakers
Sir Ronnie is married to Cristina and they are blessed with Teofilo Samson Southern Luzon Lakers
four children. Maria Teresa dela Mota Western Visayas Bulls
As one family, KCFAPI welcomes its newest Vice Glyceria de Ramos Western Visayas Bulls
Presidents! (Ma. Celina B. Tabin / KCFAPI News) Wildy Devela Western Visayas Champions

Fraternal Service Training to be held in Manila

THE Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc is
organizing a Fraternal Service Training
(FST) on May 19-20, 2010 at the Fr. George J.
Willmann Center in Intramuros, Manila.
Organi zers sai d th e mo n t h l y
training is being held in view of
strategizing the presentation of
products and services of KCFAPI.
Gari M. San Sebastian, Manager
of the Fraternal Benefits Services
Department of KCFAPI, will be the
facilitator of the activity.
The service training will tackle the different
leading insurance products of KCFAPI
which are the Revised Dollar Heritage,
Special Plan for Elderly Knights (SPEK), KC
C.A.R.E.S Plans and the Gold Series Plan.
The discussion will also include
orientation on the basic training courses
and the mission and vision of KCFAPI.
The Fraternal Accidental Death Benefits
(FADB) and the Council Mortuary Benefit
Plan (CMBP) will also be taken up.
Culminating the seminar is a tour
of the main office of KCFAPI and its
subsidiaries.
Those who will participate are the
Fraternal Counselors, Area Managers
and Team Leaders representing the
Luzon Knights region. (KCFAPI News)
With less than 30 days remaining
from the deadline, it is expected that
there will be more fraternal coun-
sellors who will be able to pass the
minimum qualification for the awards.
This will result to higher sales start-
ing in the month of May 2010 and is
expected to likewise start the momen-
tum for the fraternal benefits group to
hurdle the 2010 First Year Contribu-
tion Income Target.

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus Fra-

ternal Association of the Phil-
Fraternal Association of the Philippines Inc., ippines Inc., is an established and
progressive mutual benefits associa-
an established mutual benefits association is currently looking for: tion operating for 51 years, has been
Auditor highly committed to provide mutual
aid and assistance to its members
Accounting Staff and their immediate families.
BC Holders’ Relations Office Staff KC Fraternal firmly believes that
the continued progress and success
Customer Relations Assistant of the association depends to a great
If you are dedicated, service-oriented, and have the promising potential to join us extent on its human capital.
in our continuous drive to provide mutual aid, assistance and excellent service to KC Fraternal also believes that
our members. Kindly send your comprehensive resume’ thru fax number 527-2244 through training and a host of other
benefits if coupled with hard work,
or hand-carry resume’ with a 2x2 photo and transcript of records to: will help employees and the asso-
ciation, attain their goals and objec-
tives.
In our continuous drive to provide
excellent service to our members,
we are currently on the look-out for
individuals with promising poten-
LAYOUT BY LAURENCE JOHN R. MORALES

KC Family... Our Concern tials. He must be dedicated, service

oriented, and willing to undergo
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FRATERNAL training.
ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC.
Our compensation and employee
Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana Sts., benefits are comparable, if not
Intramuros, Manila better than most companies of our
same size and nature of business.
You may also call 527 – 2223 local 202 for queries and look for Ms. Kristianne.
 The Cross
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
C3

My Brother’s Keeper
Charity and unity, not selfishness and relativism,
provide the basis for economic stability.
EARLIER this year at a conference for business leaders, I had the opportunity to listen to Nobel Peace
Prize winner Muhammad Yunus argue for a new kind of capitalism.
Yunus is one of the world’s foremost “social entrepreneurs” – using the tools and skills of an entre-
preneur to create positive change in society. He won the Nobel Prize in 2006 for his work in microbank-
ing – making small loans to the poor.
What Yunus said struck me. He explained that it was important to offer “selfless capitalism” as an
alternative to “selfish capitalism.” Business leaders need to be offered that choice, he said.
But the more I thought about his words, the more I came to disagree with his question. We don’t
need to ask, “Should I be selfish or selfless?” Rather, the question is the one that comes from the first
pages of Genesis: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9)
We need to realize that the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes.” And as Knights of
Columbus, there is no other way for us to interpret the importance of charity, unity and fraternity
except by answering “Yes.”
In thinking about this, I thought about someone I consider to be one of the great social entrepreneurs
of the 19th century – someone whose work we are all familiar with: Father Michael J. McGivney.
Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus because he understood that he was his brother’s
keeper. In understanding that, he established what has become a vibrant and successful business model,
all because we continue to answer: “Yes, we are our brothers’ keepers.” We put our brother Knights –
and the assets they entrust us to protect—before profit.
That commitment is what has kept the Knights of Columbus strong and profitable despite the
enormous economic changes that have occurred over the past 128 years. Economic mo-
dels change, but the success that comes with doing the right thing, and putting people first, does not.
Our fraternal model, in which charity, unity and fraternity are our guiding principles, is not
something that has value only in a Catholic organization. In fact, such a model is needed for a truly
sustainable economic system. If the business community at large had embraced such a model in the
past, we would not have felt the pain and turbulence of the
past year and a half.
The English poet John Donne once wrote: “No man is an
island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a
part of the main. … Any man’s death diminishes me, because
I am involved in mankind.”
This is true in our families, in our parishes and in our
councils, and it is especially true in what we do today at work,
in the business decisions we make.
Unfortunately, those who still believe in the option of “self-
ish capitalism” have fostered the illusion that our society and
economy can prosper on a sea of moral relativism.
The economic reality is that it cannot. For “no man is an island,” and only when we realize that all
of us are interconnected can we effectively build the safe harbor everyone is looking for.
When Pope Benedict XVI criticized the “dictatorship of relativism” shortly before his election in 2005,
most people applied his words to social issues. Now, we know they have an even broader meaning.
As the current economic crisis shows, the heavy hand of relativism is as much to blame in the realm of
business as is the failure of economic models and forecasts.
Our task, then, is to realize that Christ gave us two commandments: to love God wholeheartedly,
and to love our neighbors as ourselves. An authentic following of that first commandment must lead
to the second. And in following the second commandment, we will live up to Christ’s call to be known
as Christians by the way we love one another.
This is the reason charity is the first principle of the Order. This is what makes the Knights of
Columbus different and as relevant in 2010 as it was in 1882.
Vivat Jesus!

Executives attend Applied FC from Southern Luzon

Lakers tops raffle for the
MBA conducted by Executive G.E.A.R 5 incentive drive
FRATERNAL counselor from the Southern Luzon Lakers won

Development Academy (EDA)

SEVEN executives of the KCFAPI Group of Companies attended the
Applied Master in Business Administration Program conducted by
Executive Development Academy. The participants were Executive
Vice President Ma. Theresa G. Curia, Vice President for Fraternal
Benefits Group Joseph P. Teodoro, Vice President for Finance Mary
Magdalene G. Flores, Vice President for Information and BC Holders’
Services Ronulfo G. Infante, Vice President for Finance & Administra-
tion (Keys Realty) Riz S. Nicolas, Vice President for Mortuary Services
(Keys Realty) Apolonia S. Dominguez, and Department Manager for
Participants of the 4th Applied MBA program conducted by the Executive Development Academy (EDA) of Real Estate and Builders Association.
last April 23 & 24 and May 1 & 2, 2010 held at the New World Hotel, Manila. Extreme right is the Founder,
Chairman and main resource speaker of EDA, Mr. Manuel A. Tiongco and extreme left is the EVP of KCFAPI,
Ms. Ma. Theresa G. Curia.
FB Services Gari M. San Sebastian. The program was held at the New
World Hotel, Manila on April 24 and 25 and on May 1 and 2, 2010.
Applied MBA (AMBA) is the first business-based MBA
program which favors simplicity and practical application. The
program was completed in just four days but was able to deli-
ver the four major components of a business firm mainly: Relation-
ship Marketing, Managerial Accounting: Key to Better Executive
Decision, Financial Skills and Human Resource Management. The
program taught the participants the simplified formula for busi-
ness success which is: “Delighted” custom-
ers (Numero Uno) + “Engaged” Employees
(Numero Dos) + “Visionary” Management
(Numero Tres) = SUCCESS.
The main speakers of the program were
the founder of the Executive Development
Academy, Mr. Manuel A. Tiongco and its
President, Mrs. Maria Lenida Tiongco-
Paderanga.
Executive Development Academy is a pri-
vate, self-supporting organization dedicated
to transform men and women into beco-
ming visionaries, creative and courageous
who will be ultimately instrumental in cre-
ating wealth, jobs and economic progress.
It was established in March 1968 and since
its establishment, it has conducted count-
less seminars and trained more than 200,000
executives, businessmen, professionals and
many more skilled workers. EDA is a cor-
porate member of PMAP and the Chamber
Truly, the program was brief yet full of
substance. (Mary Magdalene G. Flores)
the raffle for the Gear 5 to the 8th K of C National Convention in
Cebu City.
Bro. Angelito Lat was the lucky winner of the raffle held
last April 8, 2010 at the KCFAPI home office in Intramuros
Manila. The drawing was witnessed by Luzon Area Managers
and Senior Manager Pedro P. Lubenia of the Corporate Audit
Department.
The basis of the sales drive is the number of new paid lives brought
in by the fraternal counselors from January to February 2010. (KC-
FAPI News)
KCFAPI conducts 16th SICAP session
THE Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (KCFAPI) has conducted its 16th Social Improvement through
Community Action Program (SICAP) session last April 19, 2010.
The session was held at the Knights of Columbus Youth Livelihood
Center in Intramuros, Manila.
Dr. Jaime Talag, medical consultant of KCFAPI, was the keynote
speaker during the learning session with SICAP members.
Topic discussed was on breast care which covered tips on breast
care, common breast ailments and its signs/symptoms as well as
its preventive measures.
Launched last December 2009, SICAP is a livelihood and microfi-
nance project of KCFAPI, which aims to institute social development
that focuses on socio-economically challenged households through
recognizing their needs and providing them appropriate means
towards sustainable living and self-reliance.
To date, SICAP has 25 women participants from Brgy. 658 in
Intramuros, Manila who benefit from seminars on social awareness,
catechism, health and wellness, programs being offered by SICAP.
The training programs will culminate on June 2010.
(Kate Laceda)

Prelate to Knights: Servant leader is an identity that we get from the Resurrected Christ
“SERVANT leader is an identity that we get
from our Resurrected Christ. It is a life of
service. Our life is to wash the feet of each
other, feed my sheep and feed my lamb that
is our identity.”
Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso ex-
pressed this statement during a Eucharistic
Celebration, as he explained the relation of
the Brother Knights’ life with Jesus Christ’s
way of living.
He called on Knights to look into
their identity akin to the identity of the
Resurrected Christ.
Medroso said that living a way of life that
is similar to the image of the Resurrected
Christ is an important aspect of faith.
The Eucharistic Celebration was held on
April 18, 2010 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom,
Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City.
The mass was concelebrated by Cota-
bato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, Tandag
Bishop and President of the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Nereo
Odchimar, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, Assistant
State Chaplain of KC Luzon and KCFAPI
Spiritual Director, and other KC priests.
He said that the very nature of love is
service that is an identity that one gets from
the Resurrected Christ.
Medroso challenged the Knights to
be apostles of hope to every Filipino
especially in this present time. KCFAPI Medical Consultant Dr. Jaime Talag during the SICAP session held last
(Kate Laceda) April 19 at the KC Youth Livelihood Center in Intramuros, Manila.

K N I G H T S O F
COLUMBUS’ FOURTH
DEGREE COLOR
CORPS WITNESSED
THE CLOSING OF THE
HOLY DOOR. Members of
the Color Corps from the
different assemblies of the
Fourth Degree in Cebu,
attended the formal closing
of the Holy Door at Cebu
Metropolitan Cathedral
on April 28, 2010. The
closing was done after
the Pontifical Mass
which was celebrated by
His Eminence Ricardo
J. Cardinal Vidal and
attended by 32 Bishops
and more than 300 priests.
The ceremony symbolizes
the end of Diamond
Jubilee of the Archdiocese
of Cebu.

C4
PPCRV, KC tie up
for automated polls
A POLL watchdog and the country’s biggest organization of Catholic
men entered into an agreement to ensure clean and peaceful elections.
The pact, which provides for the sharing of resources to a single
network of volunteer watchers that would lead in monitoring the
election process, was signed by the Parish Pastoral Council for
Responsible Voting and the Knights of Columbus in the Philippines.
The signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) was held
at the conference room of the Knights of Columbus Fraternal
Association of the Philippines, Inc. (KCFAPI) in Intramuros, Manila
KC LUZON holds 6th Annual
Family Day, Mini Olympics 2010
KNIGHTS of Columbus Luzon
Jurisdiction successfully held its 6th
Annual Family Day and Mini Olym-
pics last May 1, 2010 at the Amo-
ranto Sports Complex, Roces Avenue,
Quezon City.
A Thanksgiving Mass was held at
7:00 a.m., which was presided by Msgr.
Domingo P. Erfe, Parish Priest of St.
Paul the Apostle Parish located in Mo.
Ignacia, Quezon City. The mass was
attended by Luzon State Officers led
by Luzon Deputy Alonso L. Tan, State
Program Director Bonifacio B. Martinez
and his committeemen, District Depu-
ties, Grand Knights, KC members and
their families, as well as Luzon staff.
After the mass, a Parade of partici-
pating Councils and Circles with their
families, Opening ceremonies by Luzon
Deputy Alonso L. Tan and Lighting of
Olympic flames by State Advocate Jus-
tice Jose C. Reyes, Jr. together with State
Warden Pascual C. Carbero, followed
immediately. More than 600 Brother
Knights and their families were in
attendance coming from 46 participating
councils from Metro Manila and nearby
provinces as far as Calumpit, Bulacan
from the North, San Pedro, Laguna and
Indang, Cavite from the South.
Twenty (20) various events were
played with enthusiasm and enjoyment
by participating councils. All the games
The Cross
on Wednesday, April 7, 2010.
Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV national chairperson, said the signing
of the agreement is a continuation of collaboration towards electoral
reforms.
KCFAPI President Antonio Borromeo, for his part, said the agree-
ment is a commitment to the cause of a credible election.
The organization, with around 250,000 members nationwide, had
already been conducting voters’ education in coordination with the
poll body since last year.
were successfully finished at around
5:00 p.m.
Manila Council 1000 Intramuros,
Manila with 66 participants won the
Biggest Delegation Award, Tandang
Sora Council 6080 of Project 6, Q.C. got
the award Best in Muse, Council 13618-
Kalawaan, Pasig City got the Best in
Uniform Award, St. Gregory The Great
Council 10548 won the Farthest Del-
egation Award. For over-all standing,
Council 5124-Balut, Tondo, Manila won
3rd Place, Council 1000-Intramuros, Ma-
nila and Council 11847-Marcelo Green
Village, Paranaque tied for the 2nd Place
while Council 8210-Binondo, Manila and
Council 13618-Kalawaan, Pasig City tied
on the Over-All Champion Award.
State Secretary Arsenio Isidro G. Yap
thanked all the participants, the work-
ing committees, the Amoranto Sports
complex administration, KCFAPI and
all the people behind the success of this
year’s Family Day and Mini Olympics,
as he gave the closing remarks.
This annual activity is being held in
honor of Fr. George J. Willmann, S.J.,
the Father of the Knights of Columbus
in the Philippines.
The Blessings of the Feast of St. Joseph
the Worker and the prayers of the Sisters
of Saint Clare gave the participants a
good weather and safety throughout
the program. (KC Luzon News)
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 14 No. 10
May 10 - 23, 2010
Luzon Deputy calls
Knights and families
to join the vigil for
CHAMP elections
IN response to CBCP’s call
for organized novena prayers
throughout the country,
Luzon Deputy Alonso L.
Tan has called on Luzon Bro-
ther Knights and their families
to join the vigil and ask for
divine intervention for a clean,
honest, accurate, meaning-
ful and peaceful (CHAMP)
elections.
C o n v e n e d b y various
religious groups, the series
of vigils were held from May
5-13, 2010 at the Arzobispado
de Manila Chapel in Intra-
muros Manila, from 12 noon
to 12:00 midnight.
This initiative was led by Luzon Deputy Alonso Tan together with other Luzon State Officers during the prayer
the following groups: Laiko vigil held at the Arzobispado de Manila Chapel in Intramuros, Manila.`
ng Pilipinas, Knights of Columbus, Radio Veritas, Couples For Christ (CFC); Association of Major Re-
ligious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP); Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), AKKAP- CANV;
Youth Pinoy and Caritas Manila.
In a related development, LD Tan immediately met with the District Deputies of Metro Manila and
nearby provinces at KC Luzon’s office in Intramuros. Officers and District Deputies present have final-
ized the vigil participation of KC members, their families and friends on a diocesan level, as follows:
Date Assigned Group / Diocese Team Leader
May 5 State Officers, Directors, Chairmen State Prog. Dir
Bonifacio Martinez
DDs & Families
May 6 Council 1000 and KCFAPI GK Florentino Rosario
May 7 Diocese of Antipolo State Memb. Dir.
Joseph Teodoro
May 8 Diocese of Kalookan DD Benito Sayo
May 9 Archdiocese of Manila DD Bonifacio Viquiera
May 10 Diocese of Cubao & Council 1000 State Com. Dir Elmer Eroles
May 11 Diocese of Novaliches DD Alejandro Dantes
May 12 Diocese of Imus DD Rodrigo Gorospe/
FDD Noni Ayon
May 13 Diocese of Pasig DD Brigido Gonzales
Diocese of Parañaque will participate from May 5-13, 2010 (Kate Laceda)
The PPCRV is the official citizen’s arm of the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) for the recently held computerized elections.
Among the tasks of PPCRV, being the citizen’s arm was to conduct
poll watching activities and give assistance to voters.
It also led the voters’ education program in every municipality,
city or province in the country.
The group was also given the privilege to have a copy of the Compu-
terized Voter's List (CVLs) as well as the 4th copy of the Elec-
tion Returns, both soft and hard copies. (CBCP News)
Parade of Participants - Co. 13618-Kalawaan who won the Best in Uniform Award.
State Advocate Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr. and State Warden Pascual C. Carbero during the lighting
of the Olympic Flames.
Any amount paid in excess of the contribution
Luzon Deputy Alonso L. Tan delivering his Inspirational Message to all the participants of the 6th due will be applied as payment to loan or
Annual FamilyDay and Mini Olympics. advance to next contribution due