Catholic News Agency
June 13, 2023
The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis is working from the hospital as he recovers from hernia surgery.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told journalists on June 12 that Pope Francis’ “postoperative progress continues to be normal” five days after the pope underwent a three-hour surgery for an incisional hernia.
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by Fr. Shay Cullen
UCANews
Published: June 13, 2023 04:33 AM GMT
Governments, societies and the Church have silently condoned this practice for centuries
The horrific crime of child sexual abuse is a shockingly common practice almost everywhere in the world. It was and is tolerated but seldom talked about other than as jokes and snide comments alluding to the practice by suspected pedophiles, or when a court conviction is reported.
Child sex tourists are still coming to the Philippines to abuse our children. Few are ever convicted and their crimes are increasing.
The online sexual abuse by relatives of small children has made the Philippines the shameless hub of such child abuse monitored by international police agencies.
The foreigners abuse online and then come to abuse Filipino children in person like what Irish media producer Kieran Creaven did. He came to physically abuse the children he paid to abuse online. He was arrested in the UK when caught soliciting a child there for sex abuse.
US national Donald A. Stenson, 67, was jailed recently for 10 years in the United States. He had been coming to the Philippines since 2007 to sexually abuse children as young as 11 to 17 and videoed himself doing it until 2019.
His friend, John Burgdorff, 66, came with him and together they abused more children. He was jailed in November 2022 in the US for two and a half years for abusing children in the Philippines.
“Strong-minded, dedicated Filipino prosecutors are resisting pressure”
Continue readingVeritas 846
June 13, 2023
licas news philippines
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga. (Photo by Mark Saludes)
Kinilala ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) at Stella Maris Philippines ang mga Migrant Workers at Seafarers bilang pakikiisa sa nalalapit na paggunita ng International Day of Family Remittance sa June 16.
Ayon kay Outgoing Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, Vice-chairman ng CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People at CBCP Bishop Promoter ng Stella Maris Philippines, katangi-tangi ang gampanin ng mga kabilang sa sektor upang masuportahan ang pamilya na pinapatatag din ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas.
“This International Day of Family Remittance is very praiseworthy celebration and grateful recognition of immense, valuable and essential contributions of migrant workers and seafarers all over the world, with the services and sacrifices of 200 million migrant workers who send money to over 800 million family members, lives are improved, promoted and secured. Economy is sustained and nourished,” ayon sa ipinadalang mensahe ni Bishop Santos sa Radio Veritas.
Hinimok din ng Obispo ang kapwa Pari na mag-alay ng misa para sa mga migrant seafarers at workers sa sa paggunita ng International Day of Family Remittance sa ikabubuti ng kanilang kapakanan at pamilya.
“Let us show our appreciation and gratitude to migrant workers and seafarers by promoting their rights, preserving their dignity and to protect them against injustices and exploitation,” bahagi pa ng mensaheng ipinadala ni Bishop Santos sa Radio Veritas,” Ayon sa United Nations (UN) at International Labor Organization noong 2019, aabot sa higit 200-milyon ang migrante kung saan 169-milyon ditto ay mga migrant workers sa buong mundo.
Naitala rin ng UN na noong 2022 ay umabot sa 630-bilyong dolyar ang kabuoan ng halaga na naipadala ng mga migrante sa kanilang mga pamilya sa bansa.
Sa datos ng Department of Migrant Workers at Philippine Statistics Authority noong 2022, umabot na sa 1.8-milyon ang bilang ng mga Overseas Filipino Workers habang naitala din noong nakalipas na taon na umabot sa 36.1-Billion US Dollars ang naipadalang halaga ng mga OFW para sa kanilang pamilya sa Pilipinas.
Veritas 846
June 8, 2023
Tiniyak ng komisyong pangkalusugan ng simbahan ang patuloy na pagsuporta sa mga adhikain ng bagong talagang kalihim ng Department of Health.
Ayon kay Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Health Care (CBCP-ECHC) executive secretary Fr. Dan Cancino, MI, ang pagtanggap ni Dr. Ted Herbosa sa tungkulin bilang pinuno ng DoH ay patunay lamang ng kanyang dedikasyong mapaglingkuran ang mamamayan.
“The CBCP-ECHC shares a commitment with you to improving the health and well-being of the most vulnerable and marginalized. We will journey beside you and all those working in the attempt to bring health to all, especially the many people, including children, who live on the periphery of society, and who suffer ill health and hunger,” bahagi ng pahayag ni Fr. Cancino sa panayam ng Radio Veritas.
Iginiit ni Fr. Cancino na ang pagkakaroon nang maayos na kalusugan ay karapatan ng bawat mamamayan, at hindi para sa kapakanan lamang ng iilan.
Umaasa ang opisyal ng CBCP na sa pamumuno ni Herbosa sa DOH ay higit nitong maipadama ang pagmamalasakit sa mga mahihirap sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulong at pagpapaigting ng mga programang pangkalusugan sa mga pamayanan.
Sinabi ng pari na mahalaga ito sapagkat karamihan sa mga pamayanan ang hindi ganap na naaabot o nakakatanggap ng mga serbisyong pangkalusugan.
“Let the health system focus on care for people, rather than simply treatment for specific diseases or conditions—factoring in all aspects of people’s individual lives and situations. As we are improving our health systems, never forget that we need to strengthen community systems (for health) as well,” saad ni Fr. Cancino.
Una nang nagpaabot ng pagbati si CBCP-ECHC vice chairman, Military Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio sa pagkakahirang kay Herbosa bilang bagong kalihim ng DOH at umaasang matutugunan at mabibigyang-pansin ang mga usaping pangkalusugan na mahalaga para sa kapakanan ng bawat mamamayan.
LiCAS News
June 13, 2023
A coalition of civil society organizations on Tuesday criticized the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for promoting a “corporate-led energy transition” and supporting fossil fuel projects.
The groups claimed ADB is focusing on techno-fixes and false solutions – fossil gas, carbon capture and storage (CCUS), waste-to-energy incinerators, and large hydro projects – which “detracts from real solutions to the climate crisis”.
The groups staged a protest rally in front of the ADB headquarters in Pasig City coinciding with the 18th Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF).
“Year in and year out, the ACEF has been a platform for discussion for anything but clean energy. Now, in the pipeline are energy projects that would produce dirty, harmful, and costly power,” said Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas.
He said ADB intends to do business “at the expense of the life, health, livelihood, and environment of host communities in shameless disregard of recent climate science”.
Lawyer Avril De Torres of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development criticized the ADB’s support for fossil gas and false energy solutions. She said, “By failing to abandon gas, ADB consigns us to more years of polluting, costly power and in no way progress in breaking away from its dirty energy legacy.”
Chuck Baclagon of 350.org Asia emphasized the need to eliminate fossil fuels entirely and transition to clean, decentralized renewable sources.
To truly decarbonize, we need to eliminate fossil fuels entirely. The objective is to transform the financial system to prioritize clean, reliable, and affordable energy systems, ultimately achieving a fossil-free future that benefits both the people and our planet,” he said.
Rovik Obanil of the Freedom from Debt Coalition said the public must oppose ACEF’s fixation, which he described as “dangerous detours”.
The civil society groups highlighted specific concerns regarding the ADB’s energy sector pipeline, including a coal-to-gas switching project in Kazakhstan, and proposed partnerships with the Indian Oil Corporation for carbon capture and storage (CCUS) piloting and green hydrogen utilization.
They argued that these projects do not accelerate the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas dependency and can exacerbate water stress and harm local communities.
Mark Moreno Pascual of Recourse said ADB’s concept of ‘clean energy, involves false solutions “meant to incentivize profitable exit routes for fossil fuel corporations”.
Yobel Novian Putra of GAIA Asia Pacific called for an end to the ADB’s support for Waste-to-Energy (WtE) incinerators, highlighting the reliance on fossil fuels and the harmful impact on communities and waste workers.
The civil society groups also raised concerns about the ADB’s financing for climate adaptation and mitigation, primarily in the form of loans, which could exacerbate debt burdens for borrowing member countries.
Lidy Nacpil of APMDD stressed the need for a rapid, direct, equitable, and just transition to 100% renewable energy systems and non-debt-creating climate finance.
Ian Rivera of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice called for the ADB to break away from its corporate business model, emphasizing its failure to deliver genuine and transformative changes in the region.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This year marks the eighth (8th) anniversary of the publication of the encyclical Laudato Si’. The guiding theme for this year’s celebration will be “Hope for the Earth. Hope for Humanity”.
We acknowledge the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for a collective action to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. For this reason, the DIOCESE OF SAN CARLOS through its LUNHAW ECOLOGY MINISTRY hereby declares a climate emergency in response to the growing urgency of addressing the ongoing climate crisis.
The DIOCESE OF SAN CARLOS is committed to taking immediate and significant steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the deceleration of global warming. We pledge to take these six (6) steps to accomplish this:
1. We shall establish and support the Lunhaw Ecology Ministry in all communities, including all parishes, mission stations, quasi parishes, and all Catholic and Diocesan schools within the jurisdiction of the Diocese.
2. We shall develop a ‘Climate Emergency Plan’ within the next months to set our intentions to reduce carbon emissions in all of our operations and activities in order to reduce our carbon footprint not later than 2030.
3. We shall promote and initiate SAPAT Lifestyle practices in all aspects of our work, including waste reduction, energy conservation, and sustainable transportation.
4. We shall continue to advocate for policy reforms that address prevalent environmental issues, push for climate action, and support a just transition towards a low-carbon economy by supporting the Rights of Nature Bill and other Green Bills.
5. We shall commit to continuous improvement and collaboration with other organizations and stakeholders towards campaigning and working for a balanced and healthy ecology for us and future generations.
6. We shall continue to urge and call on the government to make the same commitments and more.
We recognize that these commitments are only the beginning of our efforts to address the climate emergency, and we remain committed to continuous improvement and collaboration with other organizations and stakeholders towards a balanced and healthy ecology for us and future generations.
As the duty-bearers to these obligations and rights, the Philippine government has the primary responsibility, with the most resources and in the best position to protect Filipinos and our environment against the impact of climate change. Hence, we call on the government to declare a national state of climate emergency and get our governmental institutions to act accordingly. And provide a mainstream pro-environment and pro-people approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
We also urge our duty bearers to go beyond the minimum of climate talks and monitoring targets, and urgently uphold climate justice by halting profit-driven, ecologically-destructive projects, and empowering our communities the self-determination for climate change adaptation.
There is no better time than now to recognize the interconnectedness of all creation, and thereby it is our responsibility to acknowledge our nature’s intrinsic rights to thrive, restore, and protect itself from the very system that put us in the state of climate emergency in the first place.
DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY NOW!
PASS THE RIGHTS OF NATURE BILL NOW!
Yours Sincerely,
MOST REV. GERARDO A. ALMINAZA DD.
Bishop of San Carlos
28 May 2023
By Cardinal Jose Advincula
June 3, 2023
Manila, Philippines
MANILA— Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, was conferred Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Theology, honoris causa, by the De La Salle University (DLSU) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on June 3, 2023. Below is the full text of the cardinal’s commencement address:
Reverend Brother Bernard S. Oca, FSC, President of De La Salle University; beloved members of the Religious Institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools; distinguished university officials, faculty members, staff, and honored guests; dear graduates and your proud families; fellow Lasallians:
I am deeply humbled, blessed and honored to stand before you today, and to speak to you as a fellow Lasallian. In the spirit of synodality, I humbly accept this Honorary Doctorate in the name of the People of God in the Archdiocese of Manila, whom I joyfully minister to as their shepherd and servant.
My address will have two parts: First, I will offer some thoughts on the experience of religiosity. Then, I will speak about some possible pathways towards holiness and evangelization in today’s age.
The Experience of Religiosity
Let me now speak about the experience of religiosity. Many studies in psychology, anthropology, and even biology have demonstrated that we humans are naturally “hard wired” for religiosity, transcendental realities, and supreme transcendent being.
Prior to modern science and technology, religiosity helped our ancestors face calamities, illnesses, and other threats and tasks. To manage their helplessness about experiences beyond their understanding and control, they celebrated, and related with the supernatural. Rituals, lore, temples, feasts, and superstitions gave them some semblance of assurance of skills and resources for individual safety and productivity, as well as communal survival and flourishing.
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By CBCP News
May 31, 2023
Manila, Philippines
The head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church said that priests, as shepherds, have a duty to speak against violence and injustices.
At a priesthood ordination recently, Cardinal Jose Advincula warned the clergy against the “temptation” of silence to play safe because “the flock will be in danger of getting lost”.
“Do not be afraid to speak, especially in the face of oppression, injustice, violence, and evil,” Advincula said. “A silent shepherd when he is expected to speak is a form of negligence.”
“When the sheep do not hear the voice of their shepherd, they may easily follow false shepherds who will only do them harm,” he said.
Advincula made the statement in his homily during the priestly ordination of Fr. Florencio Unida at the Sagrada Familia Parish in Manila’s Sta. Ana district on May 18.
The cardinal, who is also a member of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy, emphasized that priests must speak up, but that their words must be of God.
“The flock will recognize our voices as their shepherds only if we speak the words of God to them,” he added.
The Manila archbishop also reminded the clergy that their prophetic ministry goes beyond the voice that comes from their mouths.
The more powerful and credible proclamation of Jesus is made, according to him, “through the voice that comes from the witness of our lives”.
“Let your life be a living proclamation of God’s word. May people see you, and by simply looking at you, may they already hear God speaking to them,” he said.
Once the second assembly of the “Synodal Process” is concluded in October 2024, the next big event the Vatican will be focusing on is the “Jubilee of Hope” in 2025. Preparations are already underway for what looks to be a very Rome-centered Holy Year. It will begin in December 2024 and conclude on Epiphany in January 2026.
This is the first Holy Year since the Great Jubilee of 2000 and it comes nearly a decade after the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy of 2015-2016. The person responsible for preparing it is Archbishop Rino Fisichella, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, a position he got from Benedict XVI in 2010 as president of the now-defunct Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. Fisichella, who will be 72 in August, was also a member of the central committee of the Great Jubilee of 2000 and vice-president (under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) of its theological-historical commission.
Among other positions this former Gregorian University professor held was serving as chaplain to Italy’s Parliament from 1995-2010. This made him one of the country’s most important prelates entrusted with building an entente between the right-wing coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi and the pontificate of Benedict. Now that the Italian government is in the hands of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Berlusconi’s successor on the right, Fisichella appears — at least to some — to be the right man in the right place at the right time.
Coordinating jubilee preparations between Vatican and Italian authorities is important because building and updating infrastructure in order to accommodate the 30-40 million people who are expected come to Rome means that lot of money will be changing hands. A large part of that will come from Italian taxpayers but funds will also come indirectly from the European Union. The Holy Year is always a typically Catholic mix of the sacred and profane. This has been the case since the very first jubilee in the year 1300, a very Roman Catholic institution that survived the Protestant Reformation and got a boost from 19th-century ultramontanism, which promoted supreme papal authority and the Vatican’s role in matters of spirituality and governance.
This tourist/business aspect of jubilees is nothing new. What is new is that today we live in a world that has changed significantly since even the past two jubilees. Jubilee 2025 will be quite different than the “Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy” that Pope Francis called less than three years into his pontificate, the most energetic phase of his time at the helm of the Church. The sexual abuse crisis had not yet hit the pontificate in a way that it has since 2018.The mood among Catholics at the time of Jubilee 2025 will be even more different from the “Great Jubilee” of 2000, which showcased a triumphant and overconfident Church, led by an already visibly ill John Paul II, the pope who was credited with helping to topple communism and revive Catholicism as a global force. It was a celebration of faith, that had important moments for many Catholics, especially for young people.
But the Jubilee of 2000 was also an illusory moment for the institutional Church and its influence both in the world and the ecclesial community. Less than a year after it was over, the world witnessed the horror of 9/11 — the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Then, just a few months later, in January 2002, the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” reports exploded Catholic Church’s abuse crisis at the global level.
Andrea Riccardi, the Italian historian and founder of the Sant’Egidio Community, said in 2011 that the post-2001 period should be known as “la triste époque” in contrast to the “belle époque” of the early 20th century, as well as to the 1990s illusion of the magnificent and progressive fortunes of globalization.
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