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Year: 2021

New Website of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

June 14, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The peace and love of the Lord!

The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has launched a new website on “Initiatives for the formation of the lay faithful” http://laityinvolved.org/ The website is a good resource for updating and improving the formation of our respective groups.

We encourage everyone to make use of this valuable tool for the formation and growth of our members.

Sincerely yours in the service of the Lord,

Noted by:

+ MOST REV. BRODERICK S. PABILLO, D.D.
Chairman CBCP-Episcopal Commission on the Laity

Stop targeting civilians in military operations

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 17, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny expresses its grave concern on military operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) that appear to have targeted and killed at least six unarmed civilians in Masbate and Surigao del Sur in a span of a week.

The first incident is the June 8 killing of three alleged New People’s Army combatants in Masbate City who the military accused as being involved in the killing of the Absalon cousins last June 6. Reports gathered by human rights groups indicate that Ailyn Bulalacao, Ramon Brioso and Antonio Poligrates were ordinary farmers who were abducted from their houses on the night of June 7 and then turned out dead the next day after supposedly fighting it out with government troops.

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Movement Against Tyranny decries Masbate killings

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 16, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny joins other human rights advocates and concerned groups in deploring the killing of two civilians and wounding of several others by elements of the New People’s Army in Masbate last June 6. The killing of unarmed civilians and non- combatants, intentional or not, are violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and cannot be condoned. We earnestly await the result of the investigation being conducted by the party involved.

We extend our condolences to the Absalon family. As a matter of justice, those found responsible for the incident should be held to account and indemnification be provided for the deaths of the two civilians and injuries to others.

This incident is a stark reminder of the untoward effect of the long- running armed conflict on civilians and non-combatants. It moreover underscores the need and urgency of addressing all violations of IHL as well as human rights as a whole by the protagonists in the armed conflict through mutually agreed mechanisms as provided for in the GRP-NDFP Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). This unfortunate incident should not be allowed to lead to or be utilized for the further escalation of the violence, most especially leading to more civilian deaths.

Such tragedies will continue to happen unless all obstacles to resuming peace talks are removed and a political settlement is reached that addresses the roots of the armed conflict. Thus, we urge both parties to exert greater eforts to revive the peace talks.#

Ref.: Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Dr. Carol Araullo,
MAT co-convenors

Internatonal Criminal Court should pursue case against Duterte for crimes against humanity

Statement by the Movement Against Tyranny
June 15, 2021

The Movement Against Tyranny welcomes the filing of Internatonal Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of a request for authorizaton from the ICC pre-trial chamber to formally investigate the Duterte government for its crime against humanity of murder in relation to Pres. Duterte’s war on drugs.

This is one big step in the quest for justice for thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s brutal regime. It is a testament to the perseverance of the families of the victims, their lawyers, and all those who have dared to demand justice in these dark times.

We urge the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber to act favorably on Prosecutor Bensouda’s request so that the investgation can immediately proceed. This is of great urgency because the killings are ongoing, with Duterte continuing to give bloody orders to the police. The ICC should realize that the investgation can somehow put pressure on the perpetrators to stop the killings, which have now morphed into the wholesale murders of activists, government critics, and ordinary citizens tagged as communists and terrorists.

We demand no less than full cooperation from the Philippine authorities. Pres. Dutete cannot hide behind his self-serving withdrawal from the ICC as the crimes to be investigated happened when the Philippines was still a member of the Court.#

Ref.: Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Dr. Carol Araullo,
MAT co-convenors

Invitation to A Forum

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In line with the theme “Gifted to Give” during this year’s celebration of our 500YOC, may we forward and share with you this invitation from the CBCP-BEC commission under Bishop Joe Cabantan, D.D.

This “new way of being Church” is a gift to the Philippine Church. We have here the image of the Church as a community of believers, a community of disciples of Jesus who live in koinonia, in communion.

Please pass and share this invitation and link below to our fellow Laiko and together let us listen and learn how those in these BECs lived as a community of friends, sharing the word of God, sharing the bread of life, and sharing their material possessions, “so that no one was in need”.

Thank you very much,

Celebrate as One in 2021

June 14, 2021

One Ecumenical Family

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The peace and love of the Lord!

In line with the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas’ theme: “Celebrate as One in 2021…Celebrate the Gift of Christianity, the Gift of Unity and the Gift of Mission!”, may we send to you a monumental declaration of the different Bishops’ conferences and councils in the Philippines. We thank the Holy Spirit for moving our pastors towards this direction.

May we ask you to prayerfully read this and personally forward this statement to our fellow Christian servants and leaders. Our hope is that during this time (of the pandemic, the entry of the typhoon months and the preparation for the 2022 elections), the whole body of Christ in our country can engage in meaningful and cooperative works within our local contexts.

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World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly and Fathers’ Day Invitation

Your Eminences,
Your Excellencies,
Reverend Monsignori and Fathers,
Consecrated Men and Women,
Partners in the Family and Life Apostolate,
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Peace be with you!

First, we commend all who are organizing conferences, seminars, and events on the national, regional, diocesan, parochial etc. levels to mark the Amoris Laetitia Family Year and the Year of Saint Joseph. Such initiatives not only attest to your pastoral zeal but also help incarnate the Holy Father’s vision of the Church as a “family of families” (AL 87).

Second, we are happy to inform you that the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life is offering conferences that can complement the regional and diocesan programs: “Fathers’ Day” in June, “Grandparents and the Elderly” in July, “Migrant Families” in August, etc.

Third, we invite you to join, promote and share the ECFL’s Fathers’ Day offering on 18-20 June 2021. We take our theme from the opening lines of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Patris Corde: “With a father’s heart: that is how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as ‘the son of Joseph’”. In order to facilitate participation and sharing here and abroad in the context of the pandemic, the event will be streamed live via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archdioceseoflipa:

  • Friday, June 18, 09:00-10:30 am
    • Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera’s talk on “Forming Fathers in the Image of Saint Joseph” based on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Patris Corde.
  • Saturday, June 19, 09:00-11:00 am: Personal testimonies on fatherhood in the image of Saint Joseph:
    • Family Integration
      • Climbing out of addiction (Mr. Jose Antonio Mañosa, Addictions Counselor ICAC 1 / Recovery Coach)
      • OFW Fathers overcoming distance (Mr. Wilson Lumbao, Electrical Engineer, Saudi Electric Company)
    • Family Discernment
      • Fathers educating children towards their vocation (Rev. Michael Sandoval, Deacon, Archdiocese of Lipa)
      • Fatherhood in an online environment (Mr. Edwin Lopez, International Marketing Manager, EWTN)
    • Family Accompaniment
      • Fatherhood and an LGBT person’s journey (Mr. Edwin Valles, President, Courage Philippines)
      • Family in the midst of the Covid crisis (Mr. Victor Alvarez, Couples for Christ)
  • Sunday, June 20
    • 11:00 am: Holy Eucharist to be celebrated by Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera in the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph the Patriarch, San Jose, Batangas.
    • 01:00-03:00 pm: Tribute to Fathers (with games and raffle).

Finally, we invite you to mark the dates of the next ECFL event, the first virtual national conference of grandparents and the elderly on 22-24 July 2021. This is in view of the first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly as announced by Pope Francis. The program will be sent to you in the first week of July.

Sincerely,

RMP hearing to ‘unfreeze’ bank accounts reset to Sept 20, 2021

RMP National Office

UCCP leaders speak out in solidarity together with peasant and indigenous peoples advocates
#DefendTheDefenders #StandWithRMP

On June 11, 2021, at 10am, Church leaders and other supporters gathered outside the Manila Trial Court for a vigil protest, while legal counsels of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines(RMP) sought for the lifting of the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s freeze on their bank accounts.

The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, who have been engaging ministry with poor communities for fifty years, are subjects of persecution and “red-tagging.” The United Church of Christ in the Philippines expressed a strong empathy for RMP, since the UCCP Haran Sanctuary is facing similar harassments.  Bishop Emergencio Padillo of the UCCP expressed solidarity and lamented “rather than appreciating their contributions to society, the Duterte administration with their all-out war policies, seeks to attack RMP’s ministries by raising false allegations of ‘terrorism financing.’” Bishop Padillo commended RMP for being instrumental “in bringing health, literacy, and livelihood programs to some of the poorest and most marginalized areas of the country.” 

“RMP is engaged in mission and ministry, which is part of their practice of their religious freedoms. The absurd allegations of ‘terrorism financing’ only unmask how far this government is prepared to go; they want to stifle dissent, and in the process, they are undermining democracy in the Philippines,” said Bishop Padillo.

Another UCCP pastor, Rev. Callum Tabada, also assailed the Duterte administration for impinging on the practice of religion, because they don’t understand ‘peacebuilding.’ He explained that people in the Duterte administration “misconstrue transformative love as rebellion.”

“The law is being ‘weaponized’ against any who do not petty after the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict.  Malicious legal maneuvers, like the case lodged against RMP, are intended to weaken the ministries of the church that are trying to help communities to empower themselves and protect their interests and welfare,” said Rev. Tabada.

Noting that the forces of exploitation through logging, mining and extraction of other resources, together with militarists who promote such endeavors, make life difficult in rural areas, the protesters insisted that Church ministries are under attack because rural communities are easier to dominate, when they are less educated and aware of their rights.

“The current predicament of RMP, where their banks accounts are frozen, denies much-needed services to poor communities.  Under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, there will surely be even more harassments and false allegations against church ministries. The poor are the ones who will suffer most,” said Bishop Padillo.

Once again, the hearing was reset.  Now scheduled for September 20, 2021, the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines will be denied access to their mission monies for months more.  “After decades of service to the poor, this case against them is shameful and should be dismissed,” said Bishop Padillo.

11 June 2021