‘I’m sorry’ for victims of clergy sex abuse

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY –– If former Philippine president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo said “I’m sorry” for the “Hello Garci” election irregularity, Pope Francis said “I am profoundly sorry” to all victims of sex abuse by Catholic Church clergy during a meeting with some of the victims at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia the morning before he left for Vatican recently.
“Words cannot fully express my sorrow for the abuse you suffered. You are precious children of God who should always expect our protection, our care and our love,” he told them.
“I am profoundly sorry that your innocence was violated by those who you trusted.”
The victims were three women and two men, who, the Vatican said, “experienced sexual abuse as a minor by clergy, family members or teachers.”

‘DEEPLY SORRY’
“For those who were abused by a member of the clergy, I am deeply sorry for the times when you or your family spoke out, to report he abuse, but you were not heard or believed. Please know that the Holy Father hears you and believes you. I deeply regret that some bishops failed in their responsibility to protect children,” the Pope added.
“It is very disturbing to know that in some cases bishops even were abusers. I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead. Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children.”
Each was accompanied by a family member or support person, according to Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi SJ.
The group was accompanied by Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston and chairman of the commission set up by the Pope for the protection of minors, Archbishop Charles Chaput and Bishop Fitzgerald, head of the Philadelphia Archdiocese’s commission for the protection of minors.

VISITORS

The Pope spoke with visitors, listened to their stories, greeted them individually and prayed with them. He told them that he shared in their suffering, and he had pain and shame in particular in the case of injury caused by clergy or church workers.
He renewed the commitment of the Church to the effort that all victims are heard and treated with justice, that the guilty be punished and that the crimes of abuse be combated with an effective prevention activity in the Church and in society.
The Pope thanked the victims for their essential contribution to restore the truth and begin the journey of healing.
The meeting lasted about half an hour and ended with the blessing of the Holy Father.

REMARKS

The full remarks of Pope Francis during his meeting with the survivors of sexual abuse:
My dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, I am grateful for this opportunity to meet you, I am blessed by your presence. Thank you for coming here today.
Words cannot fully express my sorrow for the abuse you suffered. You are precious children of God who should always expect our protection, our care and our love. I am profoundly sorry that your innocence was violated by those who you trusted. In some cases the trust was betrayed by members of your own family, in other cases by priests who carry a sacred responsibility for the care of the soul. In all circumstances, the betrayal was a terrible violation of human dignity.
For those who were abused by a member of the clergy, I am deeply sorry for the times when you or your family spoke out, to report he abuse, but you were not heard or believed. Please know that the Holy Father hears you and believes you. I deeply regret that some bishops failed in their responsibility to protect children. It is very disturbing to know that in some cases bishops even were abusers. I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead. Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children.
We are gathered her in Philadelphia to celebrate God’s gift of family life. Within our family of faith and our human families, the signs and crimes of sexual abuse of children must no longer be held in secret and in shame. As we anticipate the Jubilee Year of Mercy, your presence, so generously given depute the anger and pain you have experienced, reveals the merciful heart of Christ. Your stories of survival, each unique and compelling, are powerful signs of the hope that comes from the Lord’s promise to be with us always.
It is good to know that you have brought family members and friends with you today. I am grateful for their compassionate support and pray that many people of the Church will respond to the call to accompany those who have suffered abuse. May the Door of Mercy be opened wide in our dioceses, our parishes, our homes and our hearts, to receive those who were abused and to seek the path to forgiveness by trusting in the Lord. We promise to support your continued healing and to always be vigilant to protect the children of today and tomorrow.
When the disciples who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus recognized that He was the Risen Lord, they asked Jesus to stay with them. Like those disciples, I humbly beg you and all survivors of abuse to stay with us, to stay with the Church, and that together, as pilgrims on the journey of faith, we might find our way to the Father.

 

‘Ho Ho, Hey, Hey Hey, Welcome to the USA’

“Since many of you do not belong to the Catholic Church and others are non-believers, from the bottom of my heart I give this silent blessing to each and every one of you, respecting the conscience of each one of you but knowing that each one of you is a child of God.” Pope Francis

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY –– With the crowd chanting “Ho Ho, Hey, Hey Hey, Welcome to the U.S.A.,” Pope Francis landed on U.S. soil via Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for the first time just before 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, launching a six-day visit that will highlight his “love for the poor and his willingness to tackle America’s most significant political, social and economic controversies.”
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, along with Vice President Joe Biden and his family, traveled to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington to greet the pontiff, who arrived from Cuba, in an unprecedented welcome for a foreign dignitary.
Francis became the fourth head of the Catholic Church to visit the United States, nearly 50 years after Paul VI made the first visit by a pontiff to the country in October 1965.

ASSEMBLY

The pontiff’s first visit in this city on September 25 will bring him to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the United Nations general assembly.
He will also visit the Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem. The Pope will ride a motorcade through Central Park, and conduct a Mass at Madison Square Garden, among other activities.
Whole sections of Manhattan will be off limits for extended periods.
According to amnewyork, the city promises the intense security is necessary and asks everyday New Yorkers for patience.
“Business owners and residents might be a bit frustrated by the changes, but at the end of the day, they understand the trade-offs that come with such a historic week,” it stressed.
The Washington visit on September 24 could be the most politically significant day of his trip, with the first-ever joint address to Congress by a pontiff before head to New York.
He will host a religious service at the ground zero site of the September 11 attacks in 2001 and address the United Nations. His trip ends Sunday in Philadelphia.

SCHEDULE

Official schedule for Pope Francis’ Visit to U.S.: Washington D.C., Tuesday, September 22, 2015; 4 pm: Pope Francis arrives in D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4 p.m.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015; 9:15 a.m: White House Welcoming Ceremony and personal meeting with President Barack Obama; 11:00 a.m. Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall; 11:30 a.m: Midday Prayer with U.S. bishops at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in D.C.; 4:15 p.m: Junipero Serra Canonization Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Thursday, September 24, 2015; 9:20 a.m: Arrival at Capitol; 10 a.m. Speech to the Senate and House of Representatives (Joint Session of Congress); 11 a.m. Brief appearance on West Front of Capitol; 11:15 a.m: Visit to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in D.C. and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington; 4 p.m: Departure for New York from Joint Base Andrews (D.C.); 5 p.m. Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York); 6:45 p.m. Evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Pope Francis Visits New York, Friday, September 25, 2015; 8:30 a.m United Nations General-Assembly; 11:30 a.m Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center; 4 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem; 5 p.m. Papal motorcade through Central Park; 6 p.m. Madison Square Garden Mass
Pope Francis Visits Philadelphia, Saturday, September 26, 2015; 8:40 a.m Departure for Philadelphia from John F. Kennedy International Airport; 9:30 a.m Arrival in Atlantic Aviation hangar at Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia; 10:30 a.m Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul; 4:45 p.m Visit to Independence Mall; 7:30 p.m Visit to Festival of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Prayer Vigil with World Meeting of Families
Sunday, September 27, 2015; 9:15 a.m Papal meeting with Bishops at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary; 11 a.m Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility; 4 p.m Papal Mass for World Meeting of Families; 7 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families at Atlantic Aviation; 8 p.m Departure for return to Rome.

 

Let’s fight evil; we join Pope Francis’ US visit

“I believe in God – not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being.” Pope Francis

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY –– The fight against evil must start from our thoughts. Action second.
If we have a dirty thinking, everything else becomes dirty–including our way of life.
In fact, cleansing of the soul must commence even without any papal visit.
As members of the Christian community in this part of the globe, we believe that we are duty-bound to observe the fundamental Christian precepts in our thoughts, in words and in deeds.
This has become our personal mantra as we join fellow Christian faithful here in the United States in preparing for the visit of Pope Francis on September 22-27.
While applying for media accreditation for the event, the United States Conference of Bishops (a counterpart of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) exhorted us to also observe the 10 ways to participate in the Papal Visit.

PILGRIMAGE

That we must take part in a “Virtual Pilgrimage” with these prayers as the Holy Father makes his way to more than a dozen different locations in Washington, DC, New York City, and Philadelphia.
We must learn more about the places Pope Francis will visit by following his journey on this interactive map;
To become “Pope Francis literate” by reading his two encyclical letters: Lumen Fidei and Laudato Si;
To stay up-to-date and read insightful commentary by connecting with the only news source founded and supported by the US Bishops, Catholic News Service;
To have a Papal Visit Watch Party! All events will be live streamed in English with audio commentary. We shall select events that will also be available for video on demand here;
To take our faith and the latest papal visit news with us on the go by downloading the Catholic Church app for IOS at the iTunes store or for Android devices on Google Play.

ENCOUNTER

To respond to Pope Francis’s call to encounter by reaching out to those in need, supporting parish or community charitable efforts, acting to promote life, human dignity, families and religious freedom, and by caring for creation;
To invite a non-Catholic or non-practicing Catholic friend to Mass next weekend so they can experience the joy of the Gospel;
To engage in social media: use our hash tags #PopeinUS and #PapaEnUSA. We must not forget to use some Pope emojis;
To support the many people working to make Pope Francis’ historic US visit a success by praying for them to the Blessed Virgin under her title Mary, Undoer of Knots (a favorite of Pope Francis); and
To include in your intentions: Vatican staff, The US Secret Service, the US Bishops, their staff and volunteers, the World Meeting of Families committee and volunteers, and the three host archdioceses and host cities.

***
OFFICIAL SECHEDULE for Pope Francis’ Visit to U.S.: Washington D.C., Tuesday, September 22, 2015
4pm: Pope Francis arrives in D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4 p.m.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
9:15 a.m: White House Welcoming Ceremony and personal meeting with President Barack Obama
11:00 a.m. Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall
11:30 a.m: Midday Prayer with U.S. bishops at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in D.C.
4:15 p.m: Junipero Serra Canonization Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Thursday, September 24, 2015
9:20 a.m: Arrival at Capitol
10 a.m. Speech to the Senate and House of Representatives (Joint Session of Congress)
11 a.m. Brief appearance on West Front of Capitol
11:15 a.m: Visit to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in D.C. and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington
4 p.m: Departure for New York from Joint Base Andrews (D.C.)
5 p.m. Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
6:45 p.m. Evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (New York)
Pope Francis Visits New York, Friday, September 25, 2015
8:30 a.m United Nations General-Assembly
11:30 a.m Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center
4 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem
5 p.m. Papal motorcade through Central Park
6 p.m. Madison Square Garden Mass
Pope Francis Visits Philadelphia, Saturday, September 26, 2015
8:40 a.m Departure for Philadelphia from John F. Kennedy International Airport
9:30 a.m Arrival in Atlantic Aviation hangar at Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia
10:30 a.m Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul
4:45 p.m Visit to Independence Mall
7:30 p.m Visit to Festival of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Prayer Vigil with World Meeting of Families
Sunday, September 27, 2015
9:15 a.m Papal meeting with Bishops at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
11 a.m Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility
4 p.m Papal Mass for World Meeting of Families
7 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families at Atlantic Aviation
8 p.m Departure for return to Rome

 

Pope’s deafening silence on case of Iloilo married priests

“The vow of celibacy is a matter of keeping one’s word to Christ and the Church. a duty and a proof of the priest’s inner maturity; it is the expression of his personal dignity.”  Pope John Paul II

By Alex P. Vidal

EITHER Pope Francis deliberately ignored it, or he was not reminded about the case of the two controversial Iloilo married priests, who recently made headlines when they baptized their children.

For sure, the pope knew about the cases of Fr. Hector Canto and Fr. Jose Elmer Cajilig.

Despite the publicity generated by the decision of Canto and Cajilig to baptize their children four days before the pope’s January 15 arrival in Manila, the supreme pontiff never tackled the matter during his five-day visit.

To highlight the baptismal rites, the two “rebel” priests renewed their appeal for the abolition of the mandatory celibacy among the clergy.

They cited the cases of “many children suffering and growing up without fathers.”

Canto and Cajilig, at least, are not hypocrites.

They acknowledge the fact that many priests have sired illegitimate children.

For them, the only way to prevent a mass production of illegitimate offspring by priest parents is to allow them to enjoy the sanctity of marriage.

Cases of testosterone-loaded priests impregnating women are not the latest “sexcapades” that rock the church.

They have been prevalent since during the Dark Ages.

Dr. Jose Rizal and Graciano Lopez-Jaena have exposed this scandal in their satire and polemics.

HUMANS

Members of the clergy are also humans.

Vatican, however, is not yet inclined to abolish mandatory celibacy, thus many priests who wanted to raise a family have resigned from priesthood.

But not Canto and Cajilig, who still wore their liturgical vestments and assisted officiating priest, Fr. Jesus Siva in celebrating the Mass.

Fifty four-year-old Siva, for his part, asked the pope: “We appeal for compassion and mercy from Pope Francis for the priests and their children. Baptizing these children is giving them dignity.”

Siva, who in 1998 officiated Canto’s wedding to Cynthia Diamante, himself has two sons aged 15 and 13.

The baptismal rites held at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel in Lambunao, Iloilo, were witnessed by 80 friends, relatives and parishioners of the three priests.

Canto’s daughter was baptized as Gabriel Opcel for “optional celibacy.” He has three other children aged 7 to 14 also with Opcel as part of their first names.

Canto’s son, Mikhael, served as an altar boy during the baptismal rites.

To get the papal attention, Canto saif they moved the baptism from the original scheduled in December 2014 to Jan. 11.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Canto as saying, “We are hoping that changes will happen in the Church. I don’t want to leave the priesthood.”

Canto told the PDI they saw the Pope as open-minded although he had no illusions that changes on the celibacy rule would happen soon.

“Sooner or later, change will happen. But it may not be during my lifetime,” he said.

Siva, Canto and Cajilig have been calling on the Catholic Church to allow priests to marry, believing that “celibacy is a gift” and should not be mandatory to all priests, said the PDI report.

OBJECTION

The report further said: “Despite objection from Church officials, Siva officiated the highly celebrated marriage of Canto and Diamante on May 31, 1998 at the Mt. Zion chapel in Barangay (village) Balagiao in Lambunao.

“In June 1999, Church officials revoked the two priests’ license to solemnize marriages. Since then, they have not received assignments but they have been holding Masses every Sunday in Balagiao and in the town proper among the parishes they organized.

The National Statistics Office granted licenses to Canto and Siva to officiate civil weddings last year.

And they intend to continue with their duties and obligations as clergymen.

The pope may have been embarrassed by what they did, but, at least, to avoid controversy, he elected not to touch on this sensitive matter while on a five-day sojourn in the country.

The pope probably wanted the Philippine Catholic Church hierarchy headed by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle to handle the matter.

 

 

Pope Francis’ Homily in the Philippines

Below is the full text of Pope Francis’ homily during his mass before millions of Filipinos at the Quirino Grandstand on January 18, 2015

“A child is born to us, a son is given us ” (Is 9:5). It is a special joy for me to celebrate Santo Niño Sunday with you. The image of the Holy Child Jesus accompanied the spread of the Gospel in this country from the beginning. Dressed in the robes of a king, crowned and holding the scepter, the globe and the cross he continues to remind us of the link between God’s Kingdom and the mystery of spiritual childhood. He tells us this in today’s Gospel: “ Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk 10 :15). The Santo Niño continues to proclaim to us that the light o f God’s grace has shone upon a world dwelling in darkness, bringing the Good News of our freedom from slavery, and guiding us in the paths of peace, right and justice. The Santo Niño also reminds us of our call to spread the reign of Christ throughout the world.

In these days, throughout my visit, I have listened to you sing the song: “We are all God’s children”. That is what the Santo Niño tells us. He reminds us of our deepest identity. All of us are God’s children, members of God’s family. Today Saint Paul has told us that in Christ we have become God’s adopted children, brothers and sisters in Christ. This is who we are. This is our identity. We saw a beautiful expression of this when Filipinos rallied around our brothers and sisters affected by the typhoon.

The Apostle tells us that because God chose us, we have been richly blessed! God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (Ep h 1:3). These words have a special resonance in the Philippines, for it is the foremost Catholic country in Asia; this is itself a special gift of God , a blessing. But it is also a vocation. Filipinos are called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith in Asia.

God chose and blessed us for a purpose: to be holy and blameless in his sight. He chose us, each of us to be witnesses of his truth and his justice in this world. He created the world as a beautiful garden and asked us to care for it. But through sin, man has disfigured that natural beauty; through sin, man has also destroyed the unity and beauty of our human family, creating social structures which perpetuate poverty, ignorance and corruption.

Sometimes, when we see the troubles, difficulties and wrongs all around us, we are tempted to give up. It seems that the promises of the Gospel do not apply; they are unreal. But the Bible tells us that the great threat to God’s plan for us is, and always has been, the lie.

The devil is the father of lies. Often he hides his snares behind the appearance of sophistication, the allure of being “modern”, “like everyone else”. He distracts us with the promise of ephemeral pleasures, superficial pastimes. And so we squander our God-given gifts by tinkering with gadgets; we squander our money on gambling and drink; we turn in on ourselves. We forget to remain focused on the things that really matter.

We forget to remain, at heart, children of God. That is sin: to forget at heart that we are children of God. For children, as the Lord tells us, have their own wisdom, which is not the wisdom of the world. That is why the message of the Santo Niño is so important. He speaks powerfully to all of us. He reminds us of our deepest identity, of what we are called to be as God’s family.

The Santo Niño also reminds us that this identity must be protected. The Christ Child is the protector of this great country. When he came into the world, his very life was threatened by a corrupt king. Jesus himself needed to be protected. He had an earthly protector: Saint Joseph. He had an earthly family, the Holy Family of Nazareth. So he reminds us of the importance of protecting our families, and those larger families which are the Church, God’s family, and the world, our human family. Sadly, in our day, the family all too often needs to be protected against insidious attacks and programs contrary to all that we hold true and sacred, all that is most beautiful and noble in our culture.  In the Gospel, Jesus welcomes children, he embraces them and blesses them (Mk 10:16). We too need to protect, guide and encourage our young people, helping them to build a society worthy of their great spiritual and cultural heritage. Specifically, we need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected. And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to life on the streets.

It was a frail child, in need of protection, who brought God’s goodness, mercy and justice into the world. He resisted the dishonesty and corruption which are the legacy of sin, and he triumphed over them by the power of his cross. Now, at the end of my visit to the Philippines, I commend you to Him, to Jesus who came among us as a child. May he enable all the beloved people of this country to work together, protecting one another, beginning with your families and communities, in building a world of justice, integrity and peace. May the Santo Niño continue to bless the Philippines and to sustain the Christians of this great nation in their vocation to be witnesses and missionaries of the joy of the Gospel, in Asia and in the whole world.

And please, don’t forget to pray for me! God bless you all!

 

 

 

Why we are involved with Pope Francis

“With my Roman Catholic upbringing, I have a set of principles that serve me well in good times and bad.”  STEVE GARVEY

By Alex P. Vidal

WE were raised by a Roman Catholic family and educated in a Roman Catholic institution.

Thus, like many Catholics in the country today, we are also, in one way or the other, involved in the presence of our supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, in the country from January 15-19.

Being a Roman Catholic, though, is not enough.

In name only but not in deed?

We must know first why we are Roman Catholics and how we became Roman Catholics aside from baptism.

If we don’t know how to practice the religion that brings us to the teachings of Jesus Christ, we must at least know its history and where it came from; how it evolved and why it became one of the most dominant religions in the world.

Roman Catholicism is the product of 20 centuries of history.

To understand it, we must try to understand this history.

Not only it is the product of history, but it involves a distinctive attitude toward history.

A Roman Catholic looks upon the history of the church as an organic whole; he is proud “that catholicism cannot be identified simply and wholly with primitive Christianity, nor even with the gospel of Christ, in the same way that the great oak cannot be identified with the tiny acorn.”

And yet he must insist that the church is the institution of Christ, that Peter was the first pope, and that the seven sacraments all go back to the Lord himself.

ATTITUDE

This attitude toward history makes it essential that we examine the historical evolution of Roman Catholicism.

How did Christianity become Catholic?

How did it happen that from a simple message and unpretentious life of Jesus of Nazareth, as we find this described in the gospels, there came an international organization, fully equipped with priests and bishops and patriarchs, with rites and sacraments and pomp, with the power of discipline for this world and the control over grace for the next?

“Surely the contrast is a striking one, even for a person who believes that it was Jesus’ intention to establish catholic Christianity,” intones the late Jaroslav Pelikan in The Riddle of Roman Catholicism.

Catholic Christianity should mean identity plus universality.

Pelikan explains further: “By ‘identity’ I mean that which distinguishes the church from the world—its message, its uniqueness, its particularity. By ‘universality,’ on the other hand, I mean that which impels the church to embrace nothing less than all mankind in its vision and in its appeal.”

He clarifies that “’identity plus universality’ is not a logical definition, and it is not intended as one.”

“Indeed, catholic Christianity is probably as incapable of logical definition as is the taste of cheddar cheese or the music in the closing scene of Don Giovanni. One famous definition finds the essence of Catholicism in this, ‘that it does not distinguish between the church in the religious sense of the word (the church of Christ) and the church in the legal (or institutional) sense of the word.’”

DESCRIPTION

Russian theologian, Aleksieri Khomiakov has a better description:

“The church is called one, holy, universal (or catholic), and apostolic because she is one and holy; because she belongs to the whole world, and not to one particular locality; because through her all humanity and all the earth are hallowed, not one particular nation or one particular country; because her being consists in the agreement and unity of spirit and life of all her members on the whole earth, who acknowledge her; because, finally, the whole of her faith, her hope, and her love is contained in the writings and the teachings of the apostles.”

Throughout its life, then, catholic Christianity means identity plus universality.

The combination appears in catholic piety, churchmanship, theology, and liturgy; and the narrative of how the combination came into existence is the history of the rise of the catholic Christianity, according to Pelikan.

In the words of a liberal Protestant historian, “Catholicism is…as old as the Church if we include its rudimentary form; there is hardly a single one of its elements which was not present” in the first century.

Where these elements appear together, be it East or West, there is catholic Christianity, concludes Pelikan.

 

Ilonggo Catholics can join Pope Francis in Tacloban

“Since many of you do not belong to the Catholic Church and others are non-believers, from the bottom of my heart I give this silent blessing to each and every one of you, respecting the conscience of each one of you but knowing that each one of you is a child of God.” Pope Francis

By Alex P. Vidal

TO erase doubts, Senior Police Officer 1 Nerio “Rick” Salcedo III, son of Sara Mayor Neptali Salcedo, should report to his unit in the Regional Headquarters Support Group of the Police Regional Office 6 in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City and submit himself for investigation.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director, doubted SP01 Salcedo III’s claim that the death of his live-in partner, 23-year-old Aiko Sandoval, last January 10 was accidental.

According to SP01 Salcedo III’s version, Sandoval was taking a bath inside their room when the Glock pistol fell as she reached out for the towel where the gun was placed.

The gun went off hitting Sandoval with a single bullet on the face that pierced through her neck.

She died at the Sara District Hospital.

Salinas did not buy the story.

Citing autopsy report conducted by Dr. Own Lebaquin, Salinas said the entry of bullet should have been below, not above.

Only Salcedo III and Sandoval were present when the “accidental firing” happened. A dead woman tells no tale.

As usual, Salcedo III is still presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

-o0o-

SOME Ilonggo die-hard Catholics who want to get a closer look at the visiting Pope Francis have opted to go instead to Leyte where the 78-year-old Pontiff is scheduled to hold a Mass at the Tacloban airport on January 17.

Many of them have decided to scrap their plans earlier to join thousands of well wishers and faithful in Manila, where there is slim chance they can get a ringside view of the popular leader of the world’s 1.2 billion baptized Catholics at the Quirino Grandstand.

For Catholics infected by Papa mania coming from Mindanao and Visayas, the most logical and practical move is to go to Leyte instead of Manila.

The crowd would be chaotic as organizers expect some six millions faithful to welcome and attend in Pope Francis’ limited public appearances.

Pope Francis is a security risk, thus faithful should expect stringent measures to be applied by combined elements of the Swiss guards and local police security forces.

The stage where the Pope will hold Mass is designed by architect Dan Lichauco and was approved by the Vatican.

RIGGINGS

It is built with regular riggings and wrapped with sawali backdrop and nipa hut as wall.

A secondary stage was also built for a 250-person choir.

Catholics are the dominant religious faithful in the country.

Church counted 70,407,588 Filipino Catholics out of the country’s estimated population of 88.9 million in the 2011 data.

Records showed that there were around 1.21 million Filipinos that were baptized into the Catholic Church.

The number could rise with the coming of Pope Francis, who is viewed as a unifying figure among religious groups in the country.

The number of Filipino Catholics reached 76.18 million out of the country’s estimated population of 96.8 million in 2013.

The Catholic Directory also recorded 1.37 million baptisms since 2012.

The Archdiocese of Cebu had the most number of baptisms so far this year, with 90,036, data showed. The Archdiocese of Manila came in second, with 62,854 baptisms, followed by the Diocese of Masbate, with 55,770.

Welcome to the Philippines, Papa!

 

Ilonggos excited for ‘Papa’

“Find new ways to spread the word of God to every corner of the world.” Pope Francis

By Alex P. Vidal

ILONGGOS can always understand why Pope Francis will limit his visit only in Manila and Leyte.

Their excitement is also building up that the Argentine Pontiff, the third non-Italian pope in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, is in the country for five days from January 15-19.

We actually have religious representatives in Manila and Leyte during the Papal Visit.

We have Ilonggo leaders in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); and probably some church officials who are part of the Philippine entourage have Ilonggo blood running in their veins.

Masses are being offered with hymns venerating the pope in Jaro Cathedral, in the district churches of Molo, Arevalo, San Jose (City Proper), Santa Maria Church (City Proper) Sto. Niño Sur Chapel-SM Delgado, Tanza (City Proper), Bo. Obrero, and La Paz.

Religious institutions like St. Paul University (City Proper), De Paul College (Jaro), Pius Institute (Jaro), San Jose College (Jaro), Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (City Proper), Colegio de las Hijas de Jesus (City Proper), Ateneo de Iloilo, Mary Immaculate Academy, among others, have also made preparations related to the Papal Visit.

Thus officially Panay, Negros, Romblon, and all Ilonggo-speaking populace in the country are not left behind in the historic Papal Visit.

Almost every religious and spiritual person, a layman or ordinary faithful, is smitten by “Papa” mania.

Since we are a predominantly Catholic nation, Pope Francis’ visit has a widespread impact in the entire archipelago, including the Muslim territories in Mindanao.

There is no radio program, TV channel, and newspaper page that Pope Francis is not mentioned.

NON-CATHOLICS

Even non-Catholics, the Protestants and Christian fundamentalist sects, welcome the presence of the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion baptized Catholics.

The Papal Visit aims also to unite us as a nation.

But do we really need the pope as a unifying symbol?

Is it necessary to have a pope, in the first place?

Based on the Roman Catholic teachings, Christ made Peter the leader of the apostles and of the church (Matthew 16:18-19).

In giving Peter the “keys of the kingdom,” Christ not only made him leader, but also made him infallible when he acted or spoke as Christ’s representative on earth (speaking from the seat of authority, or “ex cathedra”).(source: gotquestions.org)

“This ability to act on behalf of the church in an infallible way when speaking ‘ex cathedra’ was passed on to Peter’s successors, thus giving the church an infallible guide on earth. The purpose of the papacy is to lead the church unerringly.

“Peter later became the first bishop of Rome. As bishop of Rome, he exercised authority over all other bishops and church leaders. The teaching that the bishop of Rome is above all other bishops in authority is referred to as the ‘primacy’ of the Roman bishop.

“Peter passed on his apostolic authority to the next bishop of Rome, along with the other apostles who passed on their apostolic authority to the bishops that they ordained. These new bishops, in turn, passed on that apostolic authority to those bishops that they later ordained, and so on. This ‘passing on of apostolic authority’ is referred to as ‘apostolic succession.’

CHAIN

“Based upon the claim of an unbroken chain of Roman bishops, Roman Catholics teach that the Roman Catholic Church is the true church, and that all churches that do not accept the primacy of the pope have broken away from them, the original and one true church.”

While there have seemingly been good (humanly speaking) and moral men who have served as pope of the Roman Catholic Church, including Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis I, the Roman Catholic Church teaching about the office of the pope should be rejected because it is not “in continuity” with the teachings of the original church related to us in the New Testament.

This comparison of any church’s teaching is essential, lest we miss the New Testament’s teaching concerning the gospel, and not only miss eternal life in heaven ourselves, but unwittingly lead others down the wrong path (Galatians 1:8-9).

We welcome, Pope Francis.

In heart and spirit, we are one!

 

Pope Francis and female saints in Molo Iloilo church

“Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn’t!” George Bernard Shaw

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

LIKE Plato, Pope Francis must be an admirer of women’s potential and capacity to govern; however, not necessarily in Vatican.

But like Aristotle, the 78-year-old spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion baptized Catholics must not be ready to raise the status of women in church since, he said, they were only “taken from a rib.”

Pope Francis considers women as “the most beautiful thing God has made”.

“Theology cannot be done without this feminine touch,” he adds.

The Argentine pontiff believes that “women must have a greater presence in the decision-making areas of the church. But I would call this a ‘functional’ promotion. That won’t take us very far.”

The pope insists that “the issue of women needs to be gone into in more depth, otherwise you can’t understand the church itself.”

He did not envisage appointing a woman to head a Vatican department.

In his scheduled visit in the Philippines from January 15 to 19, Pope Francis’ activities are all in Manila.

No more out-of-town side trips.

If allowed to visit Iloilo, Pope Francis would be appalled to see that the only Catholic church in Asia with 16 images of women saints inside is in Molo Church in Molo district, Iloilo City.

It is the only church in Asia patronized 100 percent by women wanting to be empowered by the graces of women saints.

 

ROCKS

 

Made of coral rocks (affixed with a mortar made from egg whites mixed with sand), the Molo Church earned the moniker “women’s church.”

The church’s centerpiece in the retablo is the image of Sta. Ana, the patron saint of Molo.

Sta. Ana or Saint Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ.

Molo Church, the most imposing structure in the district, was built in 1891 and stands as a reminder of Iloilo’s rich history and a monument for Ilonggo artistry.

It exudes a fusion of the overpowering features of Gothic and the recessive characteristics of Romanesque architectural styles.

Very sturdy and attractive in the neighboring districts from across the Iloilo River, Molo Church has survived fires, earthquakes, and artillery barrages in 1945.

 

EVACUATION

 

Historians claim that the church was made as an evacuation center for the civilians during WWII.

According to Explore Iloilo, “One tower is said to have been destroyed by the Americans after suspecting it was used for military purposes by the Japanese during the Second World War.” It added: “The bells still bear the scars of bullets shot at Philippine resistance fighters in the second world war. The National Historical Institute declared it a national landmark in 1992.”

Pope Francis refused to be called as superman.

“I don’t like this mythology of Pope Francis,” he said. “It seems offensive to me to depict the pope as some sort of superman or a kind of star.”

“The pope is a man who laughs, cries, sleeps soundly at night and has friends just like anyone else. A normal person.”

 

Pope Francis, please drop by Iloilo

“I kiss the soil as if I placed a kiss on the hands of a mother, for the homeland is our earthly mother. I consider it my duty to be with my compatriots in this sublime and difficult moment.” Pope John Paul II

By Alex P. Vidal

THERE are good reasons for Pope Francis to drop by Iloilo when he visits the Philippines from January 15 to 19.

Iloilo is considered as a religious hotbed outside Metro Manila.

Some of the oldest churches and religious relics in Asia are found in Iloilo.

He will repeat history by being the second pope to visit the “City of Love” since St. Peter became the first pope more than 2,000 years ago.

Thirty four years ago, Ilonggos did not have to go to Rome to see Pope John Paul II, who came here on February 21,1981.

As a teenager, I elbowed my way to Jaro district where the entourage, that included the late Cardinal Jaime L. Sin, proceeded.

The Pope, riding on the bullet proofed “Pope Mobile”, passed by the Gen. Luna St. (I stood and waved at the Pope’s entourage outside the University of San Agustin) from Molo to the City Proper and La Paz districts.

He was greeted by thousands of Ilonggos carrying streamers proclaiming the papal motto “Totus Tuus” (All Yours).

Along the way the Pontiff, a vocal advocate for human rights who used his influence to effect political change, blessed people in the sidewalks and roads praying and waving the white-yellow papal flags and lighting candles.

CRY

Many Ilonggos cried when they saw the Pope for the first time.

They remembered him making history by becoming the first non-Italian pope in more than four hundred years in 1978.

A big crowd that overflowed to the Jaro public plaza prevented me from entering the gate of the Jaro Cathedral.

I stood outside the main gate and joined thousands of Ilonggo faithful who attended the mass conducted by the late Polish Pontiff, who crowned the image of Nuestra Señora dela Candelaria.

Pope John Paul II led thousands of Ilonggo faithful in singing religious songs.

The Pope’s message at the Jaro Cathedral was: “I have come to Iloilo City to tell you of my love in Jesus Christ.”

It was the greatest day for all Catholics.

Ilonggo faithful are once against excited to see Pope Francis, who told young Asians in South Korea in August 2014: “The Asian continent, imbued with rich philosophical and religious traditions, remains a great frontier for your testimony to Christ, ‘the way, and the truth, and the life.’”

But, as of this writing, there were no changes in his schedule which is all in Manila.

The Cebuanos also were trying to convince Pope Francis to visit Cebu.

LAND

When the Pope landed at the old airport in Mandurriao aboard papal plane Il Papa in the afternoon, he was welcomed by the church leaders  of Panay Island led by Archbishop Artemio Casas of Jaro, Archbishop Antonio Frondosa of Capiz, Bishop Juan Nilmar of Aklan, Bishop Cornelius de Wit of Antique and Bishop Alberto Piamonte of Jaro.

Church bells all over the metropolis pealed and the faithful started to pray the Holy Rosary through the radio as the Pontiff stepped out of the plane and kissed Iloilo soil.

On April 21, 1982, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Nuestra Señora dela Candelaria the Patroness of Western Visayas in his Quod urbis.

He died on April 2, 2005 in Apostolic Palace, Vatican City and buried at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome on April 8, 2005.

Pope Francis, please visit us also in Iloilo.