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Month: July 2019

Oratio Imperata to End the Killings in Negros Island

O God, our Father,
who hears the cries of Your children,
look upon us in Your mercy.
We pray that we be delivered from the evil of the killings that stalks our island.

It is a violence that has deprived our people of peace;
a violence that has orphaned many families; and
a violence that has traumatized and instilled paralyzing fear
in our communities.

Stretch out your loving hands, O Father,
and move us so that we may truly be our ‘ brother’s keeper’.

Embolden our government officials to speak out against the killings.

Challenge our police and military personnel to fully embrace their mandate to serve and protect the people.

Empower our communities to stand
for the sanctity and primacy of life.

Disturb those responsible for this evil and have blood in their hands,
especially the ones who are impelled by their ideological agenda.

May they have a change of heart and be renewed.

Be with us, O Lord,
so that, in these dark times,
we may have the courage to be instruments of Your peace.

This we ask through Jesus Your Son, the Prince of Peace, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace and Mother of life, pray for us.
St. Catherine of Alexandria, Patron Saint of the Diocese of Dumaguete, pray for us.
St. Charles Borromeo, Patron Saint of the Diocese of San Carlos, pray for us.
St. Francis Xavier, Patron Saint of the Diocese of Kabankalan, pray for us.
St. Sebastian, Patron Saint of the Diocese of Bacolod, pray for us.

Workers slam killing of SOT bill

July 26, 2019 
Partido Manggagawa

The ‘ifs and buts’ on the anti-endo bill are over. After an overnight flip-flop on whether a presidential veto is coming out or not, the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill has finally found its death today inside the Palace.

“We didn’t expect that even a weak version of an SOT bill will suffer judicial killing from the President,” stated Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

Magtubo said that between labor’s demand to end endo and the employers’ call to veto it, President Duterte has clearly surrendered to the capitalist blackmail.

He reminded the President that, three months into his administration, he forcefully warned employers that he will kill them for continuing with the practice of endo.

 “Now that he is three years into his term, he has completely made a U-turn by singing the capitalist chorus that businesses will die if workers are made regular. Duterte’s promise to end endo is dead,” said Magtubo.

The veto’s message, the labor leader said, was very clear on its intent: “That the President wanted to maintain country’s exploitative yet competitive status quo – our being a republic of endo.”

The labour group argued that: “Without a stronger anti-endo law, all type of work in the country is now candidate for all type of contractual employment arrangements. Businesses may grow out of this exploitative model, which NEDA, DoF, DTI and DOLE truly believe, but not the living standard of workers which is what social justice wanted to achieve.”

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Negros bishops order tolling of bells ‘until killings stop’

July 27, 2019
By Visayas Today

All four Catholic bishops of Negros island have ordered “church bells in all parishes, chaplaincies, mission stations, and religious houses every evening at 8 o’clock” starting Sunday, July 28, to protest a wave of violence in Negros Oriental province that has left at least 21 persons dead in little over a week.

The ringing of bells was originally ordered by San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, in whose diocese many of the killings have happened.

But he was joined on Saturday, July 27, through a collegial pastoral statement by Bishops Julito Cortes of Dumaguete, Patricio Buzon of Bacolod and Louie Gabines of Kabankalan, who said the tolling of the bells, combined with an “Oratio Imperata,” a prayer for a special intention, in this case to end the killings, is intended “to remind us of the value of life.”

The prayer seeks to “embolden our government officials to speak out against the killings,” to “challenge our police and military personnel to fully embrace their mandate to serve and protect the people,” and to “empower our communities to stand for the sanctity and primacy of life.”

The bells are to be rung “until the killings stop.”

Aside from the recent killings, the prelates also cited the earlier deaths of nine people massacred at a farmers’ protest camp in Sagay City, Negros Occidental last October and of 20 men killed during two massive police operations on December 27 last year and March 30.

“And this is just to cite a few,” they added.

Human rights groups have counted at least 85 extrajudicial killings on Negros since President Rodrigo Duterte.began his term in mid-2016.

 “The blood of those killed cries to be heard. It calls out to our basic humanity to be one with those who have been afflicted by this violence,” they said.

 “How many more killings will it take for us to be able to hear these cries, and be moved to say, we are our ‘brother’s keeper’?” they added.

Defend Negros

Negros Island
27 July 2019

In a span of less than a week, senseless killings continues to rise in Negros.

Clearly that after President Duterte declared the Memorandum Order 32 in the entire region it encourages more attacks on the civilian community, an attack that is comparable to Oplan Sauron that claimed the lives of 20 farmers in Negros Oriental.

List of EJK Victims in Negros since Duterte came to power:

2017

1. Alexander Ceballos- Jan. 20, 2017 – NFSW- Murcia
2. Wenceslao Pacquiao- Jan. 25, 2017- KMP- Calatrava
3. Oden Asebuche- May 16, 2017- South Negros
4. Arman Indeno- July 21, 2017- Brgy. Kagawad , Brgy. Igmaya-an, Don Salvador Benedicto
5. Glenn Absin- July 23, 2017- Guihulngan
6. Alberto Tecson- July 24, 2017- Vice-chair, Pamalakaya Guihulngan
7. Danilo Salazar- July 28, 2017- Guihulngan
8. Rene Faburada- August 4, 2017- Guihulngan
9. Leodegario Benero Jr.- August 17, 2017- Brgy. Captain, Brgy. Hinakpan,Guihulngan
10. Marlyn Vidal – August 26, 2017 – Guihulngan
11. Oscar Asildo- August 30, 2017- DepEd Bookkeeper, Guihulngan
12. Luardo Yac- Sept. 7, 2017- Kaugma-on- KMP- Guihulngan
13. Geofrey Absin- November 3, 2017- Guihulngan
14. Eden Bacordo-September 15, 2017-SB of DSB
15. Leah Mae Sadoa-September 15, 2017 -live in partner of Eden Bacordo
16. Arnold Larida-September 15, 2017-Body Guard of Eden Bacordo
17.Webby Argabio- September 8, 2017-KabankalanCity
18. Eleuterio Moises- November 28, 2017- Bayawan –MEFA-KMP
19. Elisa Badayos- November 28, 2017- Karapatan coordinator- Oriental
20. Flora Gemola- December 2017- NFSW Chair- Sagay City

2018

21. Ronald Manlanat- February 2018- NFSW- Sagay City
22. Jerry Turga-May 8, 2018 vice-chair-KMP Central Negros, Moises Padilla
23. Edmund Sestoso, May 1, 2018, Dumaguete
24. Julius Barellano- June 2018 –NFSW
25. Robert Selendron (DSB)(nangunguha ng kangkong)
26. Heidie Malalay Flores- August 21, 2018-Guihulngan
27. Jaime Delos Santos- October 6, 2018, Pamalakaya chair- Guihulngan
28. Marchstel Sumicad- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
29. Rene Laurencio- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
30. Morena Mendoza- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
31. Marcelina Dumaguit- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
32. Angelife Arsenal- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
33. Eglicerio Villegas- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
34. Paterno Baron- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
35. Rannel Bantigue- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
36. Joemarie Oghayon- October 20, 2018 – Sagay 9 massacre victim
37. Benjamin Ramos Jr. – November 6, 2018 – Kabankalan City
38. Jessebel Abayle-February 21, 2018-Siaton-TFM
39. Carmelina Amantillo-February 21, 2018-Siaton-TFM
40. Consolacion Cadevida-February 21, 2018-Siaton-TFM
41. Felimon Molero-TFM- -February 21, 2018-Siaton-TFM
42. Dr. Avelex Amor –November 20, 2018( Canlaon Health Doctor)
43. Jesus Isugan-December 27, 2018-Guihulngan
44. Demterio Fat-December 27, 2018-Guihulngan
45. Jaime Revilla-December 27, 2018-Guihulngan
46. Jun Cubul-December 27, 2018-Guihulngan
47. Reneboy Fat-December 27, 2018-Guihulngan
48. Constancio Languita-December 27,2018-Sta. Catalina
49. Gabby Alboro-December 28, 2018-Guihulngan

2019

50. Remegio Arqiullos-January 11, 2019-Guihulngan
51. Sanito “Tating” Delubio-March 1, 2019-DSB
52. Edgardo Avelino-March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
53. Ismael Avelino- March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
54. Rogelio Recomono-March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
55. Melchor Pañares -March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
56. Genes Palmares -March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
57. Mario Pañares -March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
58. Ricky Recomono -March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
59. Gonzalo Rosales-March 30,2019-Kanlaon City
60. Anoj Enojo Rapada- March 30, 2019-Sta. Catalina
61. Franklin Lariosa-March 30, 2019-Sta. Catalina
62. Valentin Arcabal- March 30, 2019-Manjuyod
63. Sonny Palagtiw-March 30, 2019-Manjuyod
64. Steve Arapoc -March 30, 2019-Manjuyod
65. Manolo Martin- March 30, 2019-Manjuyod
66. Bernardino “Toto” Patigas-April 22, 2019-Escalante City
67. Felipe Dacal-Dacal – June 8 – Escalante City
68. Lito Itao- cheif -tanod, June 27, 2019, Buenavista, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
69. Joemar Mahilum- July 2,2019, Escalante
70. Salvador Romano, July 2, 2019, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental -riding in tandem

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500 YOC Catechetical Module Week 32: August 4-10, 2019

Sub-Topic: Building a Church that is truly a faith community immersed in the lives of her people.

A Church who is immersed in the lives of her people creates a faith community where parishioners feel welcomed and have a sense of belonging in their parish. In this community of believers’ people has faith in God and confidence in his brothers and sisters in the community. Members experiences that the parish is their home away from home. They are involved in the ministries and the liturgical and worship life of the community is vibrant and meaningful to them. 

This is the challenge for the local Churches today, to build a faith community immersed in the lives of her people. To build a parish in touch with the needs of the people, a parish who empowers the faithful to become active members, and invigorate them to be true witnesses of Christ in and outside the parish.

The Church who involved the members and makes them feel that they are one with the mission and programs of the parish eventually builds the Church as a community of believers. This community who are spiritually nourished,  and who developed genuine care and love for the Church because they recognize their belongingness will become aware also of the need and the importance of building and renovating the structure of the Church as a house and temple of God.

Building the Church of Christ begins by building community who understand the condition and aspiration of the people. If the need arises to improve the physical structure of the parish, the parishioners who recognize that this is needed to support the Church as the mystical Body of Christ will want to share their gifts and do their part to become involved even in the parish programs and ministries.

Word of God

1Corinthians 12: 22 – 26

Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Values / Attitude

Belongingness    Generosity   Active Participation
Compassion   Doctrine

Christ Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own” (Titus 2:14, CCC 802).

Being the Church means being the community of God, a leaven for all especially the lost and marginalized, a Church who seeks those who feel alienated, and encourages them to realize and believe that they are part of God’s people.

Moral

The Church who is immersed in the lives of the people is ruled by the law of love.

The New Law is called a law of love because it makes us act out of the love infused by the Holy Spirit, rather than from fear; a law of grace, because it confers the strength of grace to act, by means of faith and the sacraments; a law of freedom, because it sets us free from the ritual and juridical observances of the Old Law, inclines us to act spontaneously by the prompting of charity and, finally, lets us pass from the condition of a servant who “does not know what his master is doing” to that of a friend of Christ – “For all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” – or even to the status of son and heir. (CCC 1972)

Worship

In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit (CCC 2565).

Prayer is the life of a Church who desires to build the mystical body of Christ. All pastoral activities and initiatives to build up the Church and reconcile all members to God to make them a true community of believers can be materialized only with sincere prayer.

Faith Response

Affirmation / Conviction
# Simbahan na may pakialam
# Ako ay bahagi ng Simbahan
# Church of the poor
# Church for the poor

Action / Commitment

1.         What program can we initiate to involve the non-active parishioner?
2.         How can we make the marginalized and those in the periphery feel that they belong to the Church?
3.         What can I contribute to the building of a Church who is immersed in the lives of the people?

Celebration / Prayer

God of Justice,
open our eyes
to see you in the face of the poor.

Open our ears
to hear you in the cries of the exploited.

Open our mouths
to defend you in the public squares
as well as in private deeds.

Remind us that what we do
to the least ones,
we do to you.

Amen.

PMPI Statement on the series of killings in Negros

Rappler photo

We are concerned about the spate of killings happening in Negros Island. Death seemingly hangs on the head of those people who help the marginalized group in Negros and those being suspected as part of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Last July 24, Atty. Anthony Trinidad was mercilessly murdered by riding-in-tandem on his way home from a court hearing. He was 53, and survived by two sons and a daughter. His wife was also caught in the ambush, Novie Marie. She took a bullet in the shoulder, but survived.

Prior to his sudden passing, the good lawyer was already receiving death threats for several months. He was included in a hit list of an anti-communist group, Kawsa Guihulnganon Batok Kumunista (Kagubak), through flyers distributed in the area. He might have been listed due to his involvement in helping and defending political prisoners or because of the cases of peasant leaders he handled in the region from 2007 to 2008.

Atty. Trinidad was described by his family as kindhearted and soft-spoken man who was always willing to go out of his way to help people in need.

Barely 48 hours after Atty. Trinidad’s death, public servant Romeo Alipan, and siblings Arthur and Ardale Bayawan who both work in educational institutions were also shot dead.

We, at the Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) mourn the demise of these people whose lives were dedicated to helping those in need, particularly those who suffered injustices and prejudices in the form of human rights violations.

“We are saddened and strongly condemn this new attack on our lawyers, especially those who are helping the poor. We continue to search for genuine peace and progress and continue to place our hope in our God who listens to cry of the poor,” Fr. Chris Gonzales, PMPI Negros Cluster Point Person and Social Action Center Director of Bacolod said.

PMPI asks for proper and impartial investigation of all these killings. The culprit must be held liable. That victims being suspected as having link with the Communists do not deserve to die merely because of this supposed association. They can be arrested and put behind bars if found liable of criminal acts but should not be killed in this senseless, brutal way. The culture of impunity and violence must be stopped now.

Killings Must Stop Now

Since the new administration assumed office in 2016, 38 lawyers and judges have been assassinated. Furthermore, the Defend Negros #StoptheKillings network recorded 74 victims of extrajudicial killings in the region since January of 2017, including the deaths of the 14 farmers in Canlaon City, and Majuyod and Santa Catalina towns.

 “Have we become a nation of murderers?  Are not government institutions mandated to protect citizens? Why are they so useless in catching killers? Or have the murderers become instruments to put down people perceived as threats to this government? Should we not hold the President liable because he arouses the killer instincts of people without holding them accountable? Of what use is his police and big intelligence fund?” Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Bishop Convenor of PMPI NCR-Urban cluster lamented on the continued killings in Negros.

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National Conference on Same Sex Attraction

May 31, 2019

Your Eminence,
Your Excellencies,

Peace be with you!

As a follow up from the Pastoral Symposium for Persons with Same Sex Attraction in 2016, the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, together with Courage Philippines, is hosting a National Conference on “Courageous Love: Journeying with Persons who Experience Same Sex Attractions”. This will be held in the Lay Formation Center, San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex, Makati City on 1 August 2019, Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The focus of this conference will be the actual accompaniment experience of the Courage apostolate. This will kick-off their 25th anniversary celebration next year. For almost 25 years, Courage has been silently dining the Church’s task of accompanying persons with same sex attraction towards faithfulness to the Church, deepening relationships with our Lord and growth in holiness. This conference will be a great opportunity for us to listen and learn as they share with us their accompaniment stories. In so doing, it is hoped that such pastoral support system will be made available throughout the entire Church in the Philippines.

The main talks are:

– Psycho-genesis of Homosexuality (Dr. Lucille Afable Montes MD PhD)

– Finding Christ in Homosexuality (Mr. Edwin Valles)

– Keynote: Accompaniment according to the Magisterium (Abp. Gilbert Garcera)

– The Courage Accompaniment Experience Forum (Courage priest-chaplains: Fr. Daniel Healy, Fr. Ernie Montuerto OCD, Fr. Eugene David, with testimonies from Courage members)

In this regard, I would like to invite you as well as your clergy, formators and pastoral leaders who are already involved in this apostolate or are in the best position to implement this support program.

To register:

1) Deposit P500 (covering simple lunch and snacks) to any of the following accounts:

Account name: CBCP-ECFL
Account number: 632-763202435-1
Bank: Metrobank
Branch Name: Intramuros-CBCP
Account Name: Episcopal Commission on Family & Life – CBCP
Account Number: 4951-0076-47
Bank Name: Bank of Philippine Islands
Branch Name: Intramuros

2) Please scan and email the deposit slip with the names of your delegates to Ms. Peggy Burgoyne, in charge of registration on or before July 15, Monday:

Email: ecflcbcp@gmail.com and peggy.burgoyne@gmail.com
Mobile: Globe – 0915-672-1579 and Smart – 0999-753-4667

As always, we look forward to your gracious presence and count on your generous collaboration.

Sincerely,

+ Gilbert A. Garcera, D.D.
Archbishop of Lipa
Chairman, Episcopal Commission on Family and Life