Monitor
CBCP
MARCH 20 - APRIL 2, 2017 VOL 21, NO. 6
Thousands of Knights of Columbus North Luzon Jurisdiction members and their families march through the streets in Quezon City during the nationwide simultaneous Walk for Life to promote the dignity of human life from conception to natural death,
March 18, 2017 (Related story on page A8). ROY LAGARDE
And God saw that
it was good
GOD saw all that he had
made...and it was all very
good! The Christian must
nurture earth and care
for creation, for so is the
Creator paid homage and
done reverence. Creation
bears the Divine imprint,
and they who deface it
transgress against Gods
sovereignty.
For too long now, we
have dealt with earth as
a treasure-trove to be
plundered at will, exploited
to the hilt. We have been
sufficiently warned:
There is only so much
abuse the environment
can take before it pays us
back in full. The right to a
healthful ecology that the
Constitution guarantees us
all will soon become hollow
words when our wells run
dry, our fields become arid
as wastelands, our air, heavy
with lethal pollutants. In
many cities of the world,
these are realities. And
in the Philippines, even
as the rape of our forests,
the pollution of our waters
and the carbon footprint
edges closer to irreversible
proportions, many continue
to pay no heed.
Laudato Si...this was
Pope Francis call to the
world, bidding it open its
vision to the magnificence,
and the beauty, and the
majesty by which creation
bears witness to the
munificence of God. But
it was also meant to call
attention to our selfishness,
for the despoliation of earth
is merely symptomatic of
a dangerously pervasive
self-centeredness that is
familiar only with use,
but is a stranger to care
and respect.
By the Paris Accord we
have agreed to contribute
to the reduction of
world temperature
and therefore also to the
elimination of the causes
of this insidious though
very real and verifiable
warming of the earthwith
all its consequent evils.
Governments commitment
is not enough. It takes a
renewal not only of our
commitment to care for the
earth, but of our faith, to be
able to recognize the world
we live in as Gods gift...
our common heritage as his
sons and daughters.
Saw / A6
CBCPMONITOR@AREOPAGUSCOMMUNICATIONS.COM
PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE
CBCP urges senators
to dump kill bill
By Christine Paguirigan they noted that judicial error in death senates doorstep followed the recent
penalty case is more than 70 percent. meeting of the Permanent Council
Sadly, there is a risk that the Supreme meeting of the Catholic Bishops
IS the death penalty worth Court will not be able to rectify all Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
the risk of executing some- such errors. Thus, injustice risks being in Manila.
one who is innocent? perpetrated, they said. The meeting took place a week after
The reimposition of the death penalty the House of Representatives approved
Catholic bishops shifted their attention will not be a move towards greater the Duterte administrations signature
to the countrys senators, warning them justice, according to the prelates. bill with undue haste and under intense
of the risks if the death penalty will be They reiterated that it is mainly the pressure.
revived in the country. poor, who cannot afford expensive legal House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez,
In a letter to the legislators, among aid, who are sentenced to death. however, hinted that aside from
the issues posed by capital punishment For all these reasons among others, reimposing a vindictive capital
that is disturbing to the bishops is the we ask you, dear senators, to reject the punishment policy, more offenses
prospect that the government might re-imposition of the death penalty, the will be later included among crimes
execute an innocent person. prelates said. punishable by death.
Citing Supreme Court (SC) records, The move to bring the issue to the Kill / A7
Cardinal Tagle condemns evils of drug trade
CARDINAL Luis Antonio of a church program for
Tagle has condemned the drug surrenderees in San
drug trades bringers Juan City.
of death and urged But the Manila archbishop
communities to help in the said its also wrong to leave
anti-narcotics fight. behind drug dependents or
In a poignant and gripping treat them like outcasts.
homily Friday, the cardinal He reminded the faithful
called drug use and trade an not to belittle the ability
evil that is slowly killing of people to change,
people. emphasizing that even the
If I sell or give something worst of sinners can be
that can destroy my neighbor, redeemed and forgiven by
and I gained from it, its like God.
Drug surrenders attend the Mass to launch the Sanlakbay para sa Pagbabagong
killing that person, said Stop saying that they are buhay, a faith-based rehabilitation program of Caritas Manilas Restorative Justice
Tagle during the launching Drug / A7 Ministry, at the St. John the Baptist Parish in San Juan City, March 17, 2017. ROY LAGARDE
Bishops bar priests from joining Tokhang
ANOTHER Catholic bishop has junked Este, the news service of the Borongan claimed more than thousands of lives
an invitation for priests to join in the diocese. of suspected drug pushers and users,
polices revived anti-drug operations. It is against our ministry, especially was suspended for a month after some
Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan in the Confession, but we have programs law enforcers were tagged in the killing
said he could not allow priests to be that focus on the moral and spiritual of a South Korean businessman.
part of the Oplan Tokhang (knock rehabilitation of drug victims, he said. The police chief, who chided the
and plead) operations since arresting Philippine National Police chief bishops for criticizing the governments
suspected drug pushers and users are Director General Ronald dela Rosa war on drugs, also said that priests will
beyond the clergys mandate. earlier said he wants priests to join be provided with bulletproof vests and
Its not the work of the Church, in their anti-narcotics operation in a helmets for their safety.
especially the priests to identify and supposed effort to make their campaign Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick
arrest those suspected of being involved less bloody. Pabillo earlier described Dela
in selling or using drugs, Varquez told The Oplan Tokhang, which has Bar / A6
A2 WORLD NEWS March 20 - April 2, 2017 Vol 21, No. 6 CBCP Monitor

Dont cut foreign assistance,

t

Catholic leaders tell Trump
WASHINGTON D.C. The United
States mustnt cut foreign aid while
conflicts, famines, and a worldwide
refugee crisis rage, Catholic leaders are
insisting.
Amid a huge, unprecedented refugee
situation around the globe and four
countries with famines or on the
cusp of famine were just extremely
concerned that the resources wont be
there to respond to those really critical
humanitarian needs, Bill OKeefe, vice
president for government relations and
advocacy at Catholic Relief Services,
told CNA on Friday of President Donald
Trumps proposed budget that cuts
some foreign assistance.
President Trumps skinny proposed
America First budget for FY 2018 a
more detailed plan will be released
laterincreases defense spending and
immigration enforcement, and makes
significant cuts to the Environmental
Protection Agency and the State
Department, among other agencies
and programs, to offset those increases.
This includes deep cuts to foreign aid.
It is time to prioritize the security and
well-being of Americans, and to ask the
rest of the world to step up and pay its
fair share, President Trump stated in
the proposal.
The proposal trims almost a third29
percentof the International Affairs
Budget, David Beckmann, president
of the group Bread for the World, told
CNA.
Children at CRS' Food for Education program in Senegal. LANE HARTILL/CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
And while the number of persons
displaced from their homes is at its
highest ever recorded at over 65 million,
with over 21 million of those refugees,
the U.S. should not be cutting its foreign
aid to vulnerable populations, CRS
insisted.
With huge movements of people
comes instability, OKeefe said. If we
dont meet the humanitarian needs
of vulnerable populations, people will
move and that will be destabilizing.
106 faith leaders signed a letter sent
to congressional leaders on Thursday
in support for the International Affairs
Budget that every day brings hope to
poor, hungry, vulnerable and displaced
men, women and children around the
world.
Signers of the letter included Cardinal
Timothy Dolan of New York, Bishop
Gregory J. Mansour of the Eparchy of
Saint Maron of Brooklyn and chairman
of the board of Catholic Relief Services,
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San
Francisco, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz
of Louisville, and Archbishop Jerome
Listecki of Milwaukee. (CNA)
Vatican Briefing
Pope Francis to visit Egypt April 28-29
In what will be his first international trip of the
year, Pope Francis will be traveling to Cairo, Egypt,
April 28-29, showing that interfaith dialogue is a
priority. He will visit the country in response to an
invitation from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and
the Grand Imam of the Mosque of al Azhar, Sheikh
Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayyib, as well as Egypts
president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the bishops
of the local Catholic Church, a March 18 Vatican
communiqu announced. While the full program
for the Popes the trip will be published shortly,
he will almost certainly visit Al-Azhar University
in Cairo, which has recently partnered with the
Vatican to discuss combating religious justification
for violence in a warming of relations between the
two. (CNA)
Pope Francis and Lebanese president talk
Syrian war
With the 6th anniversary of the start of the Syrian
war as backdrop recently, Pope Francis met March
16with the President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun.
Their discussion centered on the large number of
Syrian refugees now in Lebanon and the efforts
to find a solution to the conflict. According to
a statement by the Vatican, in the 20-minute
meeting, the Pope and President Aoun discussed
Syria with special attention to international efforts
to find a political solution to the conflict.The
Pope expressed appreciation for the many Syrian
refugees Lebanon has welcomed during the years of
the Civil War. The two leaders also exchanged views
on the greater regional context and other ongoing
conflicts, particularly the situation for Christians in
the Middle East. (CNA)
Conversion is a journey of action, Pope says
Pope Francis urged Catholics on March 14 in
homily not only to avoid evil, but to pursue good

Chaput: Everyone whos a legal citizen in concrete actions, likening the Lenten conversion
to a journey.Avoiding evil and learning to do
good: this is the rule of conversion. Because being

should come pray for immigrants

converted doesnt come from a fairy who converts us
with a magic wand: No! Its a journey. Its a journey
of avoiding and of learning, said the Pope during
Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. This sin, he said,
PHILADELPHIA As fears and legal residents in the welcoming newcomers, cost legal services to help poisons the soul, but he encouraged the faithful
of deportation threaten to Greater Philadelphia area to particularly the oppressed, with visas, permanent not to worry, for God responds with the words of
keep many immigrants home attend the prayer service in a Archbishop Chaput said. residency documents, the Prophet Isaiah: though your sins should be like
from a prayer service on demonstration of solidarity The U.S. bishops have work authorization, and scarlet, they will become white as snow.(CNA)
Sunday, Archbishop Charles for the immigrant community repeatedly called for deep citizenship. The organization
Chaput of Philadelphia is in the region. immigration reform aimed at also works in other ways to Pope Francis will visit Colombia Sept. 6-11
calling on citizens and legal He also addressed the meeting both goals. resettle refugees, connecting The Vatican announced that Pope Francis will
residents to attend the event broader issue of immigration The archbishop outlined them with housing, make a six-day trip to Colombia in September
in support. in his column for the key ways that the Church employment opportunities, with four cities on his itinerary, almost a year after
As a Church that herself archdiocesan paper. in Philadelphia offers social schools and medical care. the government and FARC rebels signed a major
bore the cross of hatred toward For immigrants and services, legal aid and Furthermore, the U.S. peace agreement.Accepting the invitation of the
immigrants, our Catholic refugees now in the United pastoral care to immigrants. bishops conference has
President of the Republic and the Colombian
past is a compelling reason to States, or who hope to come The Office for Pastoral Care offered a grant as part of
bishops, His Holiness the Pope Francis will make an
welcome the immigrants and here in the near future, recent of Migrants and Refugees its Parishes Organized to
Apostolic Trip to Colombia from 6 to 11 September
refugees among us today, weeks have been a steady diet coordinates a network of Welcome Refugees initiative.
the archbishop said in his of anxiety and confusion, priest chaplains, religious The money is being used to
2017, a March 10 communiqu from the Vatican
latest CatholicPhilly column. he said, pointed to the legal sisters and lay leaders who create a coalition of resources,
read. While the official schedule is expected to be
These persons and families battle on travel bans that has provide for the spiritual and parish-based groups and released shortly, the Vatican confirmed that Francis
need our help. They are not created uncertainty for those material needs of persons independent Catholic will visit the cities of Bogot, Villavicencio, Medelln
strangers but friends. And seeking to flee persecution from places like Indonesia, organizations working to and Cartagena.(CNA)
how we treat them will prove or be reunited with their Haiti, West Africa, Vietnam support immigrants and
or disprove whether we take families. and Brazil, he said. refugees. For women, Vaticans new female advisory group
our Christian discipleship Inside the U.S., renewed Our ministry to Hispanic Recalling that many times, a good start
seriously. deportation efforts have left Catholics likewise provides Catholics originally came A new advisory group for the Pontifical Council
A statement from the children traumatized and support for Catholic to this country as poor, for Culture is being hailed as the beginning of a
archdiocese noted that families torn apart, he added. immigrants from Mexico, often non-English-speaking greater representation of women in leadership at
Archbishop Chaput is The archbishop Central and South America, immigrants seeking a better the Vatican. On March 7 the Council presented their
planning to lead a prayer acknowledged the complexity he continued. These are future, Archbishop Chaput 37-member Womens Consultation Group, which
service for immigrants and of immigration policy, noting faith communities that enrich reminded his local Church of they established in 2015 as a way to give women a
refugees at the Cathedral that there are good people on the devotional life of our past discrimination against voice in places where it can frequently be lacking
Basilica of Saints Peter and both sides of the issue. It is whole Archdiocese. We do their community by the in the Vatican. Member Donna Orsuto, director of
Paul at 4:00 p.m. on March important not to demonize and always will welcome all bigoted Nativist movement the Rome-based Lay Center, called the the group a
19. those who hold different Catholics to worship and whose adherents torched good start.I think there are many other ways, or
However, the statement views, he said, pointing to fellowship with us, regardless Catholic churches in urban in the future there will be many other ways in which
noted, because of recent the polarization that has of their legal status. Theyre areas all along the East women can be more present, more involved in the
ICE actions to detain and been created among families, our family in Jesus Christ, Coast. Church, especially in the Roman Curia, she told
deport the undocumented, friends and colleagues. first and foremost, and being With this in mind, he said, CNA, but I think this is a very good start.(CNA)
immigrants may avoid the But true immigration undocumented diminishes its important to remember
very service intended to show reform must balance neither their dignity nor that those seeking a home in Pope meets Rwandan president, apologizes for
them the Churchs support. governments duty to ensure personhood. the United States are Gods Church failure during genocide
Archbishop Chaput called national security with the Meanwhile, Catholic children in need of help from During a brief meeting with Rwandan president
on all Catholic citizens countrys rich history of Social Services offers low- Christs disciples. (CNA) Paul Kagame Monday, Pope Francis voiced his
sadness for members of the Church who participated
in the 1994 genocide, asking for forgiveness
and assuring those who still suffer of his prayer.
Yogyakarta to host next Asian Youth Day According to a March 20 Vatican communiqu,
during the meeting, the Pope conveyed his
JAKARTA, Indonesia Three of the Youth Commission of the Indonesian Bishops Conference profound sadness, and that of the Holy See and of
thousand young people from 29 Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI), explains that these events the Church, for the genocide against the Tutsi.He
Asian countries taking part in the (KWIKomKep) tells AsiaNews how have the task of giving a strong boost expressed his solidarity with the victims and with
7th Asian Youth Day 2017, which will the theme of the 7th Asian Youth to the morale of all young Asian those who continue to suffer the consequences of
be held from July 30 to August 6 in Day has been chosen by agreement Catholics in promoting a spirit of those tragic event, it read.(CNA)
Yogyakarta (Central Java), Indonesia. with the Federation of Asian Bishops solidarity and generate positive
The appointment Indonesian edition Conferences (FABC). values, as disciples of Christ and Pope talks criticisms, populism in latest interview
for young Asian Catholics will have as For participants in the event will members of the Catholic Church. with German weekly
central topic the spread of the spirit be an opportunity to live the daily As a guest - says Msgr. Suharyo - we When facing criticism, a sense of humor and
of pluralism, expressed by the theme: experience of the Catholic Church hope that all participants understand the grace to remain at peace are always the best
Rejoice, Asian Youth! Living the in Asia and Indonesia: a pluralist deeply the importance of the concept response, Pope Francis said in an interview with
Gospel in multicultural. society characterized by diversity of unity in diversity . Germanys Die Zeit newspaper. In the interview,
The Catholic Church in Asia lives of languages, cultures, traditions Msgr. Prapdi emphasizes that published March 8 online and in print March 9, the
and bears witness to their faith in and values. The guys who will take diversity is a social and cultural pope laughed and said the Roman dialect featured
the wide variety of ethnic groups, part will have the opportunity to priceless. It must be defended in posters that were plastered around the Rome
languages and cultures. Indonesia renew and strengthen their faith seriously and carefully maintained. city center criticizing him was great. There is this
is the place where such diversity as disciples of Christ and become The bishops comments are in line prayerwhich is attributed to (St.) Thomas More
also exists in society. The adoption witnesses for the next in the social with the concepts expressed by the that I pray every day: Lord, give me a sense of
and defense of the concept of unity contexts of Asia. more moderate part of Indonesian humor! The Lord preserves my peace and gives me
in diversity has become in fact The Asian Youth Day in Yogyakarta society, which in recent years has a great sense of humor, Pope Francis said. Vatican
the foundation of the Indonesian follows, three years later, the one been opposed to the radical Muslim Radio released a brief summary with selected quotes
nation. held in Daejeon (South Korea). Msgr. groups who deny the pluralistic from the nearly 6,000-word interview, in which the
Mons. Pius Riana Prapdi, president Ignatius Suharyo, President of the reality of the country. (AsiaNews) pope discussed several issues and events.(CNS)
CBCP Monitor
Lawyer asks: How helpful
is RH Law to mothers?
MANILAWith a temporary
restraining order (TRO)
issued by the Supreme
Court (SC) still stifling the
full implementation of the
Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Law
(RH Law), a lawyer questions
whether the controversial
legislation is actual-ly
beneficial to mothers and
children.
There is no mention
about other provisions [in
the law] such as providing
obstetric and newborn care
services, upgraded medical
facilities and equipment and
skilled health workers which
would be highly beneficial
to the poor, the mothers
and children and which
should address infant and
maternal mortality, said
Atty. Maria Concepcion No-
che, president of the Alliance
for the Family Foundation
Philippines (ALFI), in an
inter-view with CBCPNews.
Attempts to overturn
TRO
According to the lawyer,
population control lobby
groups backing Republic Act
No. 10354 have focused on
contraception and access
to modern family planning
methods which are just one
aspect of the RH Law.
The Filipino people need
to know the truth billions of
tax-payers money is squan-
dered on contraceptives that
ruin life and health! stressed
Noche, noting several lobby
groups repeated attempts to
overturn the SCs TRO.
In November 2016, the
Department of Health
(DOH), the Commission on
Population (POPCOM), and
the Philippine Legislators
Committee on Population
and Development (PLCPD)
launched a signature
campaign aimed to gather 1
million signatures to push
the RH Law.
On March 9, a petition
urging the SC to lift the TRO
claimed to be signed by
143,000 individuals was
presented in an RH Law forum
After performing 6,000 exorcisms, this
priest says the devil fears him
MEXICO CITY, Mexico Fr.
Francisco Lopez Sedano is an
80-year-old Mexican exor-
cist. In the past 40 years of
service, he has conducted at
least 6,000 exorcisms.
And, he says, the devil is
afraid of him.
Fr. Lopez told the
newspaper Hoy Los Angeles
(Los Angeles Today) that
when the devil speaks to him
through possessed people, he
responds, I am nobody, but I
come from Christ, your Lord
and God and you leave right
now I command you in His
name that you go. Out!
Fr. Lopez is the national
coordinator emeritus of
exorcism for the Archdiocese
of Mexi-co, and he belongs to
the order of the Missionaries
of the Holy Spirit. Now, he
continues his ministry in the
Parish of the Holy Cross in
Mexico City.
During the interview, the
priest highlighted four things
that he learned during his
years as an exorcist.
First, he emphasized,
the devil is a person and
not a thing. He noted that
Jesus confronted the devil
many times and spoke to
him. When speaking with
a demon, one isnt talking
with a thing, one is talking
with a person.
The evil one, he added,
wants to separate us from
God, to frighten us, to threaten
us, to make us tremble.
He brings us laziness,
fatigue, sleepiness, distrust,
desperation, hate; everything
nega-tive.
Second, Fr. Lopez noted,
the devil enters into persons
because they allow him to
March 20 - April 2, 2017 Vol 21, No. 6
organized by the lobby groups.
Why a TRO?
For the guidance of citizens
the lawyer highlighted the
following salient points of the
SCs TRO:
The Government is
mandated to protect human
life at fertilization at all times
from any harm, injury or
death until implantation
in the mothers womb.
(SCs interpretation of
Article II, section 12 of the
Constitution).
The SC has uncovered
the attempt to open the
floodgates to abortions thru
the imple-menting rules and
regulations (IRR) of the RH
Law crafted by DOH that
allow aborti-facient drugs.
The Supreme Court stopped
that attempt by nullifying
that IRR by a vote of 14-1 in
its First Decision (April 8,
2014 Decision).
The 47 contraceptive
drugs and devices that have
been re-certified by FDA
-despite Opposition filed
by ALFI with FDA- have
abortifacient character.
ALFI presented vo-luminous
supporting documents which
FDA totally ignored. FDA
re-certified those drugs in
secrecy without informing
ALFI about the proceedings
and basis of re-certification.
As a consequence, these
contraceptives continued to
be sold to the public.
All the 77 contraceptive
drugs and devices in the FDA
website exhibit a mechanism
of action that causes abortion,
as proven by pharmacological
and scientific evidence which
ALFI submitted to the SC.
The SC could not close its
eyes to the foregoing; hence,
the TRO was issued on June 17,
2015. In the second SC Decision
on August 24, 2016 (on ALFIs
2nd Petition), the TRO was
affirmed and maintained,
Noche pointed out.
The SC has said the RH
Law is a population control
measure, not a reproductive
health measure, stressed
the lawyer. (Fr. Mickey
Cardenas/CBCPNews)
do so.
He cant enter us if we
do not open doors, the
priest said. Because of this,
God prohib-its the practice
of magic, superstition,
witchcraft, sorcery,
divination, consulting
the dead and spirits and
astrology. These are the seven
lands of lies and deceit.
That the stars influence our
life is the biggest lie. They are
millions of kilometers away!
They are bodies formed by
metals and gasses how can
they influence us? Its the same
with magic, which attributes to
objects a power that they dont
have. To carry a horse-shoe
because its going to give me
good luck its a lie.
Another truth that Fr.
Lopez has learned from
decades of experience is that
the possessed exhibit specific
behaviors.
He said that he has
observed possessed persons
who began to shout, to bark
like a dog, to scream or writhe
and who squirmed like a
snake on the ground. There
are a thousand forms.
Regarding his appointment
as an exorcist some 40 years
ago, he affirmed that it was
out of necessity after seeing
very serious and painful
cases.
A fellow priest who was
involved in it made me see
that fighting the Evil One was
an obligation. He said to me,
You have to enter into this
by the command of the Lord.
The three mandates are to
carry the word of God, heal
the sick and cast out demons.
All three are in valid in the
Church.(CNA)
NEWS FEATURES A3
Drop holier than thou attitude,
Cardinal Tagle says
MANILA Noting that sincerity is Money, power Philippines but in the whole world.
crucial to effective public service, The cardinal reminded the faithful Our world today is full of sacrifices
Cardinal Luis An-tonio Tagle of Manila that they cant serve both God and and wounds, and we can see the failure
said shedding a holier than thou mammon be-cause in the end, what of real ser-vice or failure in serving the
attitude is among the key attrib-utes of we are serving is what we are going to true God and the people because we are
a servant leader. follow. serving the wrong masters, he said.
He said servant leadership works If I serve God, I obey God. But if I
because of specific practices that help serve money, money will dictate on me. Serviam
one become an effective leader and get If I serve prestige, prestige will dictate Published by the Serviam Catholic
positive results. on me. If I serve position, then my Charismatic Community Foundation,
The Manila archbishops said sincerity position will dictate on me, he said. Inc., the book features its first conference
is key to public service, emphasizing that Thats how crucial true servanthood in 2013, on the theme, Servant
one does not have to be a politician to is, according to the prelate. But the Leadership in the Year of Faith.
become a public servant. question is Whom do I serve? It includes reflections and talks about
Thats why I started with sincerity so If I serve God I will promote God. servant leadership by Filipino leaders
that we dont have the holier than thou If I serve the people, especially the from diverse fields, advocacies. and
(atti-tude), Cardinal Tagle said during the poor, I will pro-mote their good. But social concerns.
launching of the book Servant Leadership If I serve money and power, then I Established in 2003, Serviam
in the Light of Faith in Manila recently. will promote money and power, he aims to build communities of the
We all get tempted with positions said. Lord through worship, formation,
and entitlements so we cant brag over Cardinal Tagle added that sincerity and ministry, embracing servant
the others for supposedly being weak in is an important quality in todays leadership as a way of life. (Roy
service, he said. world, not just in the Church and in the Lagarde/CBCPNews)
The Filipino priest who served 2 popes
MANILA Fifteen years
ago, Pope John Paul II
created the archbishop of
Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario
Bergoglio a cardinal. For a
Filipino priest, witnessing
the consistory first hand, up
close and personal, was both
a gift and mystery.
Fr. Rey Anthony Navidad
of the Diocese of Borongan
was a third year theology
student in Rome when he
was chosen to be among
the acolytes of the largest
consistory elevation of
cardinals in the Churchs
history, with a total of 42.
For me it was a gift from
God, strengthening my
vocation, as if saying to me
do not be afraid and be like Fr. Rey Anthony Navidad of the Diocese of Borongan is flanked by Pope John Paull II and then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
them brave servants of God. during the 2001 consistory at the Vatican. SCREEN GRAB FROM ROME REPORTS
Its a mystery because I still
cant under-stand why me, the middle of the night when for the consisto-ry. class municipality located
Navidad said. Pope Fran-cis appeared around 116-kms south of
Who would have thought, before thriving crowds on At the start, he recalled the capital city of Borongan
he said, that Pope Francis the balcony of St. Peters asking Archbishop Piero in Eastern Samar province.
would come from the Basilica. Marini, chief liturgist to A priest for 14 years,
consistory which he served The moment it was Pope John Paul II, not to he is also the current
on Feb. 21, 2001. And not to announced that the new assign him as Missal book superintendent of the
mention, Pope John Paul II pope came from Buenos bearer because it was too Catholic schools in the
becoming a saint someday. Aires, I immediate-ly said to heavy. diocese.
It was the same ceremony myself this was the cardinal With a smile in his face, In his Facebook page, the
when the late Saigon from the 2001 consistory, Navidad said, But he priest has been using his
Archbishop Nguyen Van he recalled. refused and it turned out picture during the historic
Thuan received his red Then a student at the that I was the most blessed consistory as his cover photo.
hat, and whose cause for Pontifical University of the of all the altar servers. The picture inspires
canonization opened in Holy Cross, Navidad was Fast foward to present day, me although it remains a
Rome in October 2010. the only Asian among the Navidad is serving as parish mystery for me until now.
The priest said he was altar servers from different priest at the Sto. Nio Parish Its a continu-ous why?
watching on television in seminaries in Rome chosen Church in Lawaan, a fifth he said.
More than 200 Korean martyrs are up for beatification
SEOUL, South Korea The first Bishop
of Pyongyang, an American born-
bishop, and numerous priests and
laity are among the 213 who could be
beatified and advanced on the process
to sainthood under a process begun in
South Korea.
Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik of
Daejon predicted it will take at least
ten years before any beatification or
canonization, but for our people, these
people are already holy.
The bishop heads the Korean
bishops committee considering the
beatifications. He told Asia News
that important parts of the path to
beatification are the Catholic faithfuls
prayer and desire to follow the spirit
of the martyrs.
An image of Blessed Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions, who were beatified Aug. 16, 2014. PREPARATORY
One group under consideration for COMMITTEE FOR THE 2014 PAPAL VISIT TO KOREA
beatification includes Servant of God
Bishop Francis Borgia Hong Yong-ho beatification. John Baptist Yi Byeok and his 132
and 80 companions. This broad group Bishop Patrick James Byrne, a native companions, were all lay people killed
ranges from the martyrs of the 1901 of Washington, D.C., is also among the for their faith between 1785 and
Jeju massacre, in which about 300 group. The Maryknoll missionary was 1879. Yi was from a family of court
Catholics were killed, to the victims of born in 1888. He was ordained a priest dignitaries who under the Joseon
per-secution following the division of in 1915, then served in Korea and Japan dynasty converted to Catholicism
Korea following the Second World War. before the Second World War. In April and helped evangelize Korea. He was
Bishop Hong, born in 1906, was 1949 he was named the first ap-ostolic martyred at the age of 33.
ordained a priest in 1933 under Japanese delegate to Korea, and ordained a One of their number, Alexius Hwang
occupation. He was named the first bishop at the age of 60 in 1949. Sa-yeong, died by martyrdom when
native Bishop of Pyongyang in 1944. In July 1950 he was arrested by his arms and legs were tied to four
He was an apostolic vicar to a region communists and put on trial. He animals which were then driven away
considered mission territory by the and other priests were put on forced in opposite directions, dis-membering
Church. With the rise of communism, marches. During a four-month-long him.
he was imprisoned in 1949. His fate is forced march, suffering from bad Another in the group died in exile and
unknown, but he is believed to have weather and a lack of food and shelter, his martyrdom must be verified.
died in a concentra-tion camp in North he died Nov. 25, 1950. The Korean bishops conference
Korea. Altogether, the group associated with has set up a special committee for the
Until 2013, when he would have Bishop Hong includes two bishops, causes of saints with a Vatican mandate
been 107, the Vatican considered 48 priests, three seminarians, seven to consider martyrs who belong to
him missing. Ac-knowledgment of religious sisters, and 21 lay people. different dioceses. (CNA/EWTN
his death opened the path to possible The second group, Servant of God News)
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