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Brother Jun Santiago. Photo: Eloisa Lopez

Brother Ciriaco Santiago is walking from St. Jean Pied de Port in France to the tomb of St. James in Spain to raise awareness.

Joe Torres, Manila, Philippines August 10, 2017
La Croix International

A Filipino Redemptorist is walking about 800 kilometers on an ancient pilgrim route to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in Spain to raise awareness about drug-related killings back home.

Brother Ciriaco Santiago began his “pilgrimage for a cause” on the “Camino de Santiago” or “Way of St. James” on July 21 for “the poor who fall victim to the senseless killings every night”.

Some 10,000 suspected drug users and dealers have been killed, mostly in the Philippine capital Manila, since President Rodrigo Duterte declared an “all-out war” against narcotics last year.

“Brother Jun”, as he is known to his friends, joined a group of photojournalists documenting the almost nightly killings last December.

Several months later, the religious brother accumulated thousands of photographs of the grisly murders, the wakes of the victims, and the reactions of their families.

During his pilgrimage, which started in St. Jean Pied de Port in France, the Redemptorist brother was leaving images of victims along the road with a note calling for a stop to the murders.

At Alto de la Grajera, one of the highest points over the city of Logrono in Spain, Brother Jun said he was “struck by crosses that have been made out of strips of bark [of trees]” that are placed on a wire fence that separates the pilgrim road from a busy motorway.

He left three images of the killings, describing it as “a timely reminder of the crosses” of a “sacred journey” and the “people’s crosses”, especially those carried by the families of the victims.

On his Facebook page — “Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage for a cause” — the religious brother said pilgrims asked him about the stories behind the images.

Brother Jun posted the first photograph on July 28. It was a picture of the lifeless body of a suspected drug pusher cradled by his partner beside a cardboard sign that read “Drug pusher, don’t emulate.”

“With this, I offered a simple prayer,” said the religious brother whose journey has already taken him “to the wet and cold, and to the hot and dry roads” of Spain.

“It is beautiful, calm and peaceful, a perfect time for reflection,” he said of Estella, Spain.

Despite his blistered feet, the Brother Jun said he is “fueled by faith and the stories of the families that perished back home”.

“The vast open plains under the scorching sun seems like a test of will and endurance,” he said. When he is exhausted, he noted that the “clouds would shelter us and we find the strength to continue on”.

Brother Jun first thought of undertaking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage as a thanksgiving for his religious vocation, until it became a “journey of prayer” for those who perished in the war against drugs.

In an Aug. 4 post on Instagram, the Redemptorist brother reminded himself to “never worry about the outer path” and instead focus on the “awareness for the inner journey”.

He said he does not notice on the road to Villafranca whether it is flat or mountainous, whether there is sunshine or cloud.

“The outer is fixed, the inner was once again challenged by the ringing of the bells of justice, that still needs to be heard,” said the religious brother, adding that “May justice prevail in the Philippines”.

A replica of the image of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, whose ivory head and hands were stolen in 1975, is displayed above the main altar of the Basilica of San Sebastian in Manila. (Photo by Roy Lagarde)

Missing head, hands of statue mar 400th-year festivities for Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Philippines

Mark Saludes,  UCAN  Manila,  Philippines   August 16, 2017

A missing head and pair of hands is casting a shadow over the 400th-year anniversary of the arrival of Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue in the Philippines.

The Order of the Augustinian Recollects expressed hope Aug. 15 for a return of the ivory parts stolen four decades ago from the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian.

Clergy also discussed the possibility of a ransom to get back the relics before the anniversary celebration on July 16, 2018.

They addressed their appeal to an unnamed antique collector believed to be holding the artifacts.

“It will be a great gift for the Quadricentennial celebration of the arrival of the Blessed Mother (statue) to Manila,” said Father Dionisio Selma, provincial of the Augustinian Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno in the Philippines. The Augustinian Recollects were the first religious order to arrive in the Philippines and known for pioneering missionary work in the country.

“We hope that the keeper will hear our appeal and give us back the stolen parts of the Marian statue,” said Father Antonio Zabala, rector and parish priest of the basilica.

Thieves took off with the statue’s ivory parts on July 9, 1975 when the Philippines was under martial law.

Father Zabala said the order “would not press any criminal charges” nor ask questions once the relics are handed back.

“If they want us to pay for it, we are willing to gather enough funds just to bring them back to its rightful owner — the Catholic faithful,” Father Zabala added.

The statue, a gift from the Discalced Carmelite nuns of San Jose Monastery in Mexico, arrived onboard a Spanish galleon.

The devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is widespread in the Philippines.

The launch of the year-long commemoration coincides with growing concern across Asia over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.

The image is associated with anti-nuclear proliferation efforts. In 1990 Father Emmanuel Charles McCarthy initiated a day of prayer “for forgiveness and protection’ at the New Mexico site of the first U.S. atomic bomb test called Trinity.

Every July 16 since then, the day is dedicated to prayer vigils for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Photo credit: Christian Filipina

July 27, 2017

In view of various societal, secular and radical efforts to redefine the definition of marriage away from God’s original plan, by including legal unions between and among homosexual relationships, and Divorce, we as a community state:

Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life (CFC-FFL), a Catholic evangelistic missionary community, committed to the renewal of the family and the defense of life, faithfully to a set of beliefs and ideals from which flow its Christian attitudes, values and behavior as well as its programs, teachings and approaches to Christian renewal within the context of family relationships.

WE BELIEVE that God created marriage primarily for love between man and woman, their unity and for the procreation and proper rearing of children.

WE BELIEVE in the sanctity of marriage, as an indissoluble institution as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 19:6).

WE BELIEVE that the family, with the father and the mother as the leaders, in practicing the gospel message, shares in the life and mission of the Church—through prayers, evangelization, and service to others, especially the poor.

WE BELIEVE that Christian family renewal can best be achieved by inviting Jesus to be the Lord of our homes, by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to lead our family lives, and through the full use of all spiritual gifts at our disposal.

WE BELIEVE that efforts to promote homosexual or same-sex unions point to a disordered definition of marriage, and inherently can never be equivalent to and be defined as marriage, because it is contrary to nature. God ordained a union between a man and a woman, for the procreation of children. This complementarity, including sexual difference, draws them together in a mutually loving and indissoluble union that should be always open to the procreation of children. Divorce and same-sex unions contradict the nature and design of marriage.

We look on homosexual persons with respect and compassion. We do not condemn but call them to chaste friendships.

We invite all in unity to a life in Christ Jesus, wholly dedicated to loving God and serving Him. Marriage, although regulated by civil and church laws, originates neither from the church nor the state, but from God. Therefore, neither church nor state can alter the intrinsic definition of marriage, with its indissolubility.

Download PDF copy of the IRA Watch Manual here.

Children in Manila’s urban poor communities search for recyclable trash to help meet the family’s daily needs. (Photo by Angie de Silva)

Bill aims to guarantee right to food, work, education and housing

Joe Torres,  UCAN   Manila, Philippines   August 11, 2017

The Philippine Congress has passed a bill that aims to protect the rights of the poor, but Catholic Church leaders said they would rest easier when it is wins presidential approval.

The House of Representatives has approved what has become known as the “Magna Carta for the Poor,” which aims to give the poor equal access to basic rights and government services.

An earlier version of the proposed measure was struck down in 2013 by former president Benigno Aquino due to lack of funds.

The new bill that was passed on Aug. 9 guarantees the right to adequate food, decent work, free relevant and quality education, adequate housing, and right to highest attainable standard of mental and physical health.

Money for the implementation of the proposed law will come from the budgets of different government agencies and ministries.

Father Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the social action secretariat of the Catholic bishops’ conference, welcomed the legislation as “a good development.”

“We commend Congress for approving the Magna Carta for the Poor,” said the priest, adding that it is “long overdue” and “should be implemented to really make a dent in alleviating dismal poverty in the country.”

He said the proposed measure, if signed by President Rodrigo Duterte into law, will provide “some needed policy support for [church] programs and advocacy for the poor.”

Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Manila, head of the Commission on the Laity of the bishops’ conference, welcomed the approval of the bill and expressed hope that it will passed into law, saying that “it will give attention to the plight of the poor.”

As a signatory of the U.N. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Philippines is committed to work toward the granting of economic, social, and cultural rights to individuals, including labor rights and the right to health, the right to education, and the right to an adequate standard of living.

photo credit: screenMediaUCSD

Lincoln, Neb., Aug 9, 2017 / 11:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pornography exposure affects men’s attitudes towards women, but in different ways depending on the age when they are first exposed, a new study suggests.

“We found that the younger a man was when he first viewed pornography, the more likely he was to want power over women,” said lead researcher Alyssa Bischmann, a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. “The older a man was when he first viewed pornography, the more likely he would want to engage in playboy behavior.”

The study of 330 male Midwestern university students aged 17 to 54 years found that the average age of first exposure to pornography was 13.37 years old, the American Psychological Association says.

The men in the study were asked about the age of their first exposure to pornography; whether this exposure was accidental, sought out, or forced; and what their answers were to 46 questions designed to measure two “masculine norms.” These two norms were playboy/sexually promiscuous behavior and seeking power over women.

Study co-author Chrissy Richardson, also from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the research provides further evidence that pornography viewing has a real effect on men, especially on their views towards sex roles.

The researchers were surprised by their findings; they had expected that early exposure to pornography would be correlated with promiscuous behavior. This raises more questions to be examined, Richardson said.

About 43.5 percent of the men said their first exposure was accidental, 33.4 percent indicated it was intentional, and 17.2 percent indicated it was forced. The nature of the men’s first exposure to pornography appeared to have no significant association with the men’s attitudes.

More than 100 tribal students shift to capital to study following Duterte’s threat to bomb their schools

UCAN   August 9, 2017

Tribal students from Mindanao, who set up camps in the University of the Philippines International Center, open a “Bakwit School” today, August 7. These students are in Manila now to press the Philippine government to retract its pronouncement against alternative schools for the indigenous people. On July 24, after President Rodrigo Duterte delivered the state of the nation address, he said in a press briefing that he will “bomb” Lumad schools, which he claimed to have links with the communist-rebels.

More than 100 tribal children displaced by military operations in hinterland communities in the southern Philippines are holding classes in a “refugee school” inside a university campus in Manila.

Classes will be held in the temporary school until the government retracts a threat by President Rodrigo Duterte to bomb tribal schools he claims harbor communist rebels.

About 110 tribal children traveled to Manila from Mindanao last month to protest against the president’s pronouncement.

They said even before Duterte’s threat tribal schools have always been the target of military harassment.

The “refugee school” inside the University of the Philippines campus in Manila will serve as an alternative venue for the displaced children.

The idea of holding alternative classes for displaced tribal children started in evacuation camps in Mindanao in 2015.

During a visit on Aug. 5, Jose Luis Martin Gascon, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, apologized to the children for “lapses or lack of attention” the human rights body committed.

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Participants of the 7th Asian Youth Day during the conclusion of the festivities in Yogyakarta Aug. 6. (ucanews.com photo)

They promise to use this modern tool to share the Word of God and inspire others

UCAN  Katharina R. Lestari and Konradus Epa, Yogyakarta 
Indonesia   August 7, 2017

More than 2,000 young people from 21 Asian countries have committed to use social media to spread positivity and share the Word of God to inspire others.

Their commitment was read out by two representatives of the young people during a closing ceremony of the 7th Asian Youth Day festivities in Yogyakarta Aug. 6. It included a three-day live-in program in 11 Indonesian dioceses as well as a three-day celebration and a one-day meeting of youth ministers.

“Technology and social media have become social part of our life as young people. We will use these tools responsibly to spread positivity and goodness rather than negativity and hatred, to share the Word of God and to inspire others,” they said.

“Through these, we can keep the fire within us alive and light the hearts of those around us,” they said.

“When we go home, we will inspire our families and friends to join us in our journey and experience to Gospel,” they said.

Deril De Melo, a 25-year-old participant from India, committed to focus on social media for the next three years.

“I will start a youth ministry and actively spread the Gospel message through social media. I will also ask my friends to have Facebook and Twitter accounts so that I can share the Gospel message with them,” he told ucanews.com.

For Saharon Padilla from the Philippines, the internet is the main challenge faced by young people in her country.

“Youth are very much interested in social media. But with my participation in the Asian Youth Day festivities, I will spread the Good News through my Facebook account,” she said, believing that it will bring young people closer to God.

Bishop Joel Zamudio Baylon, who heads the youth desk at the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences’ Office of Laity and Family, hoped that young people will be able to learn from their experience in Yogyakarta.

“It is not just telling stories but also inviting the young to journey with other youth to appreciate precisely the gift of God,” he said.

The Youth Desk of the FABC-Office of Laity and Family stages Asian Youth Day in cooperation with the Youth Commissions of the respective national bishop’s conferences. The event is held every three years.

“Joyful Asian Youth! Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia,” was the theme for the 7th Asian Youth Day to be held in Yogyakarta in Semarang Diocese.

The 6th Asian Youth Day with the theme “Asian Youth! Wake Up!” was held in Korea in 2014.