Category: News

Many expect Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to serve as the voice of minorities at the Dicastery for Culture and Education

UCA News Reporter
February 13, 2023 11:16 AM GMT

Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu as a member of the newly-established Dicastery for Culture and Education.

“This symbolized the pope’s trust not only in the archbishop but in every Filipino,” Cebu Archdiocese said in a statement while announcing the appointment on Feb. 12.

The dicastery under the Roman Curia was formed through the merger of the Congregation for Catholic Education and the former Pontifical Council for Culture, where Archbishop Palma previously served as a member.

The dicastery works to promote culture and enhance cultural heritage. Its education section deals with fundamental principles of education regarding Catholic and ecclesiastical institutions, as published Church documents show.

Some priests in the archdiocese said Archbishop Palma would serve as the voice of minorities in the Vatican.

“There are so many cultural minorities in the Philippines. We hope Archbishop Palma will bring to the body his experience with cultural minorities here,” Father Mhar Balili from the archdiocese told reporters.

The dicastery is headed by Portuguese Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, who was appointed as its prefect last September.

A group of catechists in the capital Manila praised the pope for appointing Archbishop Palma.

With his experience, the Vatican can now put forth guidelines for cultural minorities, Manila catechist Silvia Paredes told UCA News

“We need to disseminate faith by opening doors of culture,” Paredes said.

A human rights group fighting for indigenous people urged the archbishop to highlight the abuses of the Lumads, an indigenous people in Mindanao, whose ancestral lands are allegedly grabbed by private corporations.

“Our Lumads are continuously deprived of their ancestral lands. Certainly, they need to be protected,” James Cruz, a member of Karapatan, an alliance of human rights organizations, told UCA News.

Archbishop Palma has been heading the country’s biggest archdiocese since Oct. 15, 2010, replacing the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, who served as Cebu’s archbishop for 29 years.

Earlier, Archbishop Palma served as vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from Dec. 1, 2009, to July 11, 2011.

By Walter Sanchez Silva
ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 10, 2023 / 14:45 pm

Bishop Rolando Álvarez of the Diocese of Matagalpa refused to leave Nicaragua along with the 222 political prisoners — including several priests and seminarians — who were deported by the Daniel Ortega dictatorship on Feb. 9.

The prisoners arrived in Washington, D.C., following a ruling by the Managua Court of Appeals, which stated that “those sentenced who, for different crimes, violated the legal and constitutional order, attacking the State of Nicaragua and Nicaraguan society, harming the supreme interest of the nation” are deported.

The court explained that the deportation was carried out “to protect peace, national security, public order, health, public morals, [and] the rights and freedoms of third parties.”

In a speech yesterday, accompanied by his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and other government officials, Ortega explained what happened with Álvarez, whom he called “that character.”

“This is not bartering,” the dictator said. “It’s a matter of principles, of dignity. And what it does is confirm that [the political prisoners] are returning to a country that, its ruler, not the American people, has used them to sow terror, death, and destruction here in Nicaragua.”

Ortega said that Álvarez was taken to the airport and before reaching the plane, “he starts saying that he’s not leaving, that he would first have to talk to the bishops, meet with the bishops, and he demands a meeting with the bishops. Which is absurd.”

Ortega said that what this means then is that the ruling by the Court of Appeals, is a “decision of the Nicaraguan State that he (Álvarez) does not abide by.”

According to the dictator, the bishop of Matagalpa asked that they call “all the priests, because he would have to talk to them. For them to get off the plane so they could talk to him. And for the bishops to also come to speak with him.”

Given the refusal of the prelate to get on the plane, Ortega said that they couldn’t force him.

“We couldn’t, because they didn’t allow that. In the agreement the U.S. authorities did not allow using force on anyone who didn’t want to go to the United States. They could not be forced to get on,” the dictator said.

Álvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa since April 2011, was arrested in the middle of the night by the Ortega dictatorship in August 2022 and held under house arrest in Managua shortly thereafter.

January 24, 2023

TO:  ALL LAIKO MEMBERS: NATIONAL LAY ORGANIZATIONS &
        ARCH/DIOCESAN COUNCILS OF THE LAITY

Re: WALK FOR LIFE 2023

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

“Human life must always be defended from its beginning in the womb and  must be recognized as a gift of God that guarantees the future of humanity”

Pope Francis

Our spirit of upholding life has never wavered even during the pandemic. We have even more become deeply aware of the sacredness of life and sincerely prayed and work tremendously together to preserve and keep it safe.

This year, as we return to normalcy, let us thank the Lord for the continuous blessings and graces especially the gift of life through a face-to-face WALK FOR LIFE.  The “Walk for Life 2023” with the theme ”Clergy and Lay Faithful Called to Walk Together for Life” will be held on February 18, 2023, 4:00 A.M. to 8:00 A.M. The Walk will start at the Welcome Rotonda, Quezon City going to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Grandstand in España, Manila, where a program and Eucharistic Celebration will be held.

We are pleased to invite our esteemed Clergy and all Religious and Lay Organizations to actively support and participate.  We earnestly appeal to everyone to campaign for this event to your respective networks. These composite teams from your groups will be a huge support as we celebrate life. In our modern society, the varying issues on life are urgent and we need to constantly express to everyone our uncompromising stand on the importance & sacredness of life.

To help us in our preparation, may we request that you send us the name of your Delegation Head and his/her contact numbers as well as expected number of participants on or before February 13, 2023. For inquiries, please contact the LAIKO Secretariat c/o Mr. Joseph Jesalva or Ms. Catherine Buenconsejo at tel. nos: 8251-9657,8527-5388;09674025652,09082496512;email: laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph.

We are really counting on your usual active participation and your fervent prayers and support for the success of this noble endeavor.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours in the service of the Lord,

(Sgd.)RAYMOND DANIEL H. CRUZ, JR.
President

Noted by:

(Sgd.)+MOST REV. ENRIQUE V. MACARAEG, D.D.
Chairman
CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity

By CBCP News
February 8, 2023
Manila, Philippines

The country’s social action network has joined the growing chorus of opposition to the large-scale mining operation in Sibuyan Island.

The network in a statement with Caritas Philippines said they stand behind the people who are determined to protect their island, dubbed the “Galapagos of Asia”.

“We feel a moral duty to safeguard and uphold the well-being of our shared environment,” part of the statement read.

“Therefore, we believe that the project would not serve the overall interests of the province and would pose a threat, particularly to the lives and lands of the communities on the island, and the rich biodiversity in the area,” they said.

The operations of nickel miner Altai Philippines Mining Corp. was earlier put on hold until all issues and concerns are addressed after more than a week of resistance from many residents.

At least two protesters were hurt when local police dispersed a human barricade against APMC’s alleged illegal operations due to supposed lack of necessary permits.

“We urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as all government offices, to prioritize protecting people and nature before vested socio-economic and political interests,” they also said.

“We know what is the right thing to do. Stop mining in Sibuyan. Stop mining in the Philippines,” they added.

Baguio’s Panagbenga floral fest, which thanks Mary for the past year’s harvest, is back after a three-year Covid-19 hiatus

By UCA News Reporter
Published: February 03, 2023 06:26 AM GMT

Imposing hillsides teeming with gigantic pine trees, the city of Baguio in the northern Philippines saw Catholics dressed in traditional attire kick off their annual Marian flower festival on Feb. 1.

The Panagbenga festival thanks Virgin Mary for the past year’s harvest with cultural shows that feature the history of the mountainous province of Benguet.

This time there was more enthusiasm as the event was being held after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We want to honor Mother Mary through our floats because of our prayers, we believed, she interceded for our people, especially when our farmers had difficulty selling their crops due to pandemic-related restrictions,” Carol Vivar, a Marian devotee in Baguio, told UCA News.

The civic administration is also part of the festival, which ends on March 5, with the theme, “A Renaissance of Wonder and Beauty.”

The Panagbenga festival began in 1995 after five years after an earthquake devastated Luzon, the most populous island in the Philippines.

Representatives of other religious denominations and Baguio mayor Benjamin Magalong and lawmaker Mark Go attended the ecumenical prayer meeting at Panagbenga Park.

The city government is banking on the flower festival to revive Baguio’s economy.

Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio reminded participants how prayers to the Virgin Mary during the pandemic helped them.

“I express my solidarity and blessing to all the participants. The Virgin Mary has always had a special role in our hearts,” Bishop Bendico told UCA News.

Marian devotees made more than 50 floats with flowers to honor the Virgin Mary during the opening parade attended by hundreds of people.

Catholics walked behind each float, reciting the Rosary and scattering flowers along the streets to mark the season of bloom in Baguio — known as the country’s summer capital.

One float was decorated with white tulips and roses, depicting Our Lady of Lourdes, whose feast is on Feb. 11.

During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Our Lady of Lourdes’ image was paraded in the city for healing.

“Our Lady of Lourdes is known for her healing powers,” Marian devotee Pia Halaen told UCA News.

“We were praying the Rosary while the parade stopped at the cathedral’s entrance. It was a beautiful moment … the air was filled with the smell of flowers,” Baguio parish priest Father Ronald Vistan told UCA News.

Farmers in the region attributed to the Virgin Mary the success in disposing of their harvest when there were pandemic-related curbs in the city.

In August 2020, tons of vegetables perished due to a lack of buyers, especially in the capital Manila where restaurants were closed.

Farmers opted not to harvest to save on labor and cost.

“It was so painful because we were just letting our harvest rot. We did not have the market. if we harvested it would have entailed costs on our side also,” a vegetable farmer in Baguio, Louie Magansa, told UCA News.

However, Catholic foundations stepped in and bought their vegetables in bulk to sell them in big cities.

“The Jesuit Tanging Yaman Foundation bought our harvest so we have the capital to plant more,” Magansa added.

Baguio is called the “City of Pines” and is known for its green park spaces. Locals claim the city got its name from a green flowering plant called “bag-iw” which is found here.

Americans during the occupation pronounced it as “bág-ee-yow” and Baguio got its name.

Luxuries are “unnecessary” and those who can afford them “will be less affected by the increased costs,” said Bishop Bagaforo of Caritas Philippines

LiCAS News
January 30, 2023

The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has expressed support for the proposal to impose higher taxes on luxury goods.

“Higher taxes on luxury items can generate revenue without unduly affecting low-income individuals,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, national director of Caritas Philippines.

“These luxuries are also unnecessary, those who can afford them will be less affected by the increased costs,” said the prelate in an interview over Radio Veritas 846.

He said higher tariffs can also “reduce income inequality and provide more funding for government programs and services,” such as state health facilities, farm-to-market roads, and classrooms.”

Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay, an economist, has earlier said that the imposition of taxes on luxury goods is being studied in Congress amid calls to impose higher taxes on the super rich.

The legislator said at least PhP12.4 billion worth of taxes are expected to be generated by the proposal to tax luxury items including cars priced above PhP5 million, beverages above PhP20,000 per bottle, and leather goods worth more than PhP50,000 per unit.

Independent advocacy group IBON Foundation, however, said that while higher taxes on luxury goods is desirable, it cannot be a substitute for a wealth tax, which could raise more revenues for social and economic development.

IBON argued that a luxury tax is an attempt to distract the public from the urgency and necessity of taxing the wealth of the country’s few billionaires.

It said that a wealth tax can generate way more revenues of about PhP468.8 billion annually. This will come from close to 3,000 billionaires in the country who collectively have P8.2 trillion in wealth, IBON said.

Based on IBON’s longtime proposal, there will be a graduated wealth tax of one percent on wealth above PhP1 billion, two percent on over PhP2 billion, and three percent for more than P3 billion.

The group maintained that the proposed tax on luxury consumption goods generates negligible revenues compared to a billionaire wealth tax.

IBON said that the wealth tax is a more effective way to raise revenues for promoting social and economic development and is likewise a social justice measure that redistributes wealth even if only incrementally.

For his part, Father Antonio Labiao Jr., executive director of Caritas Philippines, stressed the need for transparency “about how taxes are collected and used.”

The priest said Filipinos should have access to information on the taxes they are paying. “Additionally, taxes must be used to fund programs and services that are responsive to the basic needs of the citizens,” he said.

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Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope noted that the “throwaway culture” is predominant in more affluent societies

Catholic News Agency
January 30, 2023

In his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Francis decried a culture that “throws away” unborn children, the elderly, and the poor if they are not useful.

“The throwaway culture says, ‘I use you as much as I need you. When I am not interested in you anymore, or you are in my way, I throw you out.’ It is especially the weakest who are treated this way — unborn children, the elderly, the needy, and the disadvantaged,” Pope Francis said on Jan. 29.

“But people are never to be thrown out. The disadvantaged cannot be thrown away. Every person is a sacred and unique gift, no matter what their age or condition is. Let us always respect and promote life! Let us not throw life away.”

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope noted that the “throwaway culture” is predominant in more affluent societies.

“It is a fact that about one-third of total food production goes to waste in the world each year, while so many die of hunger,” he said.

“Nature’s resources cannot be used like this. Goods should be taken care of and shared in such a way that no one lacks what is necessary. Rather than waste what we have, let us disseminate an ecology of justice and charity, of sharing.”

Pope Francis underlined that Jesus’ call in the beatitudes to be “poor in spirit” includes the “desire that no gift should go to waste.” He said that this includes not wasting “the gift that we are.”

“Each one of us is a good, independent of the gifts we have. Every woman, every man, is rich not only in talents but in dignity. He or she is loved by God, is valuable, is precious,” he said.

“Jesus reminds us that we are blessed not for what we have, but for who we are.”

A small stage was set up in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the pope’s Angelus address where young people gathered with balloons and banners singing hymns as part of Catholic Action’s “Caravan of Peace.”

At the end of the Angelus, a young boy and girl in blue sweatshirts joined Pope Francis in the window of the Apostolic Palace and read aloud a letter sharing their commitment to peace.

A young boy and girl in blue sweatshirts joined Pope Francis in the window of the Apostolic Palace and read aloud a letter sharing their efforts as part of Catholic Action’s “Caravan of Peace.” (Vatican Media)

“We don’t want our sea to be uninhabitable to marine life, resulting in the disruption of our ecosystem”

LiCAS News
January 17, 2023

The Catholice Diocese of Balanga vowed to continue its fight against plans to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

“We don’t want to put life on the brink of danger, in the shadow of impending death, and in a future with no certainty of goodness, safety, and beauty,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos in a pastoral letter.

“We acted then and will continue to act today. We are against it. Stop it. Enough. We do not agree. We are against any ideas or plans for the rehabilitation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant,” added the prelate.

“The Diocese of Balanga objects and it cannot be changed. Life is more important to us than profit or money from low-cost electricity or just to satisfy someone’s personal selfish motives,” he said.

The House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy has begun talks on the development of nuclear power, including the possible revival of the Bataan plant, to fix power shortage.

The diocese maintains that nuclear energy remains a high-risk technology, will be harmful to the environment, and the amount of waste it will produce “will be tremendous and so does the cost to dispose it.”

“We don’t want to put life on the brink of danger, in the shadow of impending death, and in a future with no certainty of goodness, safety, and beauty,” Bishop Santos said.

“We don’t want our sea to be uninhabitable to marine life, resulting in the disruption of our ecosystem. We don’t want our soil to be poisoned and no longer viable to be cultivated. We don’t want our livelihoods to be destroyed,” he said.

The late former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr ordered construction of the 620-megawatt nuclear facility in the 1970s.

Beset with safety concerns and corruption allegations, the project was mothballed after Marcos was ousted in 1986 and in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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“The government should provide financial incentives or subsidies to help our farmers grow more onions and lower the cost of production”

CBCP News
January 17, 2023

The Catholic Church’s social action and advocacy arm urged the government to provide farmers with needed assistance amid the soaring prices of onions in the market.

Caritas Philippines issued a statement on Monday, January 16, calling on the Department of Agriculture to help farmers increase onion production at less costs in a bid to lower prices in the market.

“The government should provide financial incentives or subsidies to help our farmers grow more onions and lower the cost of production,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Caritas Philippines.

“This will make them more competitive with producers from other countries, who are already receiving large subsidies and other forms of support from their government,” he said.

Aside from the financial support, the bishop also urged the Department of Agriculture to improve onion farming infrastructures in the country.

“Another thing that can be looked into is infrastructural investments that would improve the productivity and efficiency of onion farms,” Bishop Bagaforo said.

“More cold storage facilities should be established to lessen the cost surplus of our farmers and meet the rising demand for agricultural products in the market,” he added.

Caritas Philippines issued the statement as prices of local red onions are now between PhP500 to PhP720 per kilogram, while local white onions are priced at PhP600.

The amount is far from prices in 2021, when the prevailing price of locally produced onions

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We are infinitely grateful for the High Magisterium of Benedict XVI, and for his precious testimony of faith and Christian life

On the occasion of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life want to express their gratitude to the Lord for the gift of “this faithful servant of the Gospel and of the Church”, as Father Francis called him. We are infinitely grateful for the High Magisterium of Benedict XVI, and for his precious testimony of faith and Christian life. In his memory, we propose some extracts of speeches/homilies concerning: Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, the World Youth Days, and the Family.

Ecclesial Movements and New Communities

From the Address by Pope Benedict XVI to Bishops and representatives of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities (17 May 2008)

The Ecclesial Movements and New Communities are one of the most important innovations inspired by the Holy Spirit in the Church for the implementation of the Second Vatican Council. They spread in the wake of the Council sessions, especially in the years that immediately followed it, in a period full of exciting promises but also marked by difficult trials. Paul VI and John Paul II were able to welcome and discern, to encourage and promote the unexpected explosion of the new lay realities which in various and surprising forms have restored vitality, faith and hope to the whole church. Indeed, even then they were already bearing witness to the joy, reasonableness and beauty of being Christian, showing that they were grateful for belonging to the mystery of communion which is the Church. We have witnessed the awakening of a vigorous missionary impetus, motivated by the desire to communicate to all the precious experience of the encounter with Christ, felt and lived as the only adequate response to the human heart’s profound thirst for truth and happiness.

The World Youth Days

From the Address of Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia (22 December 2011)