antediluvian hyperbole...what?

Back to regular programming...

RH Bill advocate hits CBCP for 'church terrorism'

In his Christmas message, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines President Nereo Odchimar said “the threat of war, political unrest, and armed conflicts put nations in constant fear…And the most glaring among others is that unpeace in the mother’s womb. With the approval of RH Bill, a woman’s womb can be a ferocious threat to those who are yet to be born."

Several prelates also made use of issue to further strengthen their cause. Many of their followers heard this, of course, on Christmas morning.

Not to be brushed aside, however, an RH Bill advocate lambasted the Catholic church for equating the RH bill to acts of terrorism.

In a statement, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said “it is the height of antediluvian hyperbole for the leadership of the CBCP” to connect the RH advocacy to such.

Lagman noted the history of the church is “so engulfed in terrorism” that any development not in accordance with its dogma is “conveniently labeled terroristic.”

“These acts of church terrorism extended to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period which was dominated by the Church and are perpetuated today with threats of excommunication against perceived religious dissenters like RH and pro-women advocates,” he said...

/
Antedeluvian hyperbole? Why, I had to scramble for my dictionary to look up the meaning. Roughly it means a primitive exaggeration, with a pointed reference to antiquated ideas that properly belonged to a period before the Great Flood as depicted in the book of Genesis. It is interesting that Lagman references a biblical event to lambast the president of the Bishop's council. Bishop Odchimar says the approval of the RH bill "can be a ferocious threat to those who are yet to be born" while Lagman shot back by charges of "church terrorism...against religious dissenters". Anyway Bishop Odchimar's statements were quoted from his Christmas message, and it is also an interesting discovery to find out that Lagman is an avid listener of Christmas messages from CBCP. As far as I see it, Bishop Odchimar's message was directed to the faithful.

At any rate I can't see any shadow of a threat of excommunication in that Christmas message. I am not sure why liberal dissenters who ignore church teachings would make a big production out of a CBCP Christmas message anyway. I expect a liberal dissenter to completely ignore it and say: who cares? Maybe Lagman is suffering from a postdeluvian hangover.
/

Excommunication by Fax

CBCP reminds Aquino about excommunication

CBCP head denies excommunication threat

‘Excommunication’ threats can boomerang on Church – senators

"The opposition against the RH (reproductive health bill) is too premature. A hearing has yet to be held and they are already against it. The Church and President Aquino are already fighting over it when we don’t even know the final form of the bill being pushed. It’s not even in first base,’" said Senator Joker Arroyo in an interview with dzBB radio.
[Oh c'mon Sir Joker. opposition premature?? The bill reached 3rd reading last Congress and it was just re-filed. Re-filed, get that?]

Senator Edgardo Angara said the threat of excommunication was an "argument by those without an argument, if you can’t say anything, just make threats.’"
[Without an argument?? I think all this time, Senator Angara was hiding behind a rock]

He [Joker Arroyo] said threatening excommunication could boomerang on the Church especially if Congress enacted the RH bill. "Will the Church have the guts to excommunicate the majority of congressmen and senators who voted for it?’"
[In other words, Sir Joker issues a challenge: C'mon I dare you to excommunicate all of us!]

If there is any premature, and pointless talk going around, it is about the perceived threat of excommunication. There is no threat of excommunication as clarified by CBCP.

"While the prevailing sentiment of a number of bishops was that of dismay and frustration over the reported stance of the President regarding artificial contraceptives, excommunication has not been contemplated by the CBCP," said [CBCP President Bishop] Odchimar.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales... also said that the threat of the CBCP to excommunicate the President was not true. Rosales even blamed media for the controversy, saying that they merely made up the issue, according to a report by Radyo Inquirer.

“Gawa-gawa ng media ang issue [Media has made up the issue] and it is not true that Aquino will be excommunicated,” Rosales was quoted as saying on Radyo Inquirer.

While Senators Angara and Arroyo seem to have taken a cocksure and arrogant stance, Senator Miriam Santiago seems to have taken the issue quite seriously, or comically, depending on which way you look at it. Reacting to the excommunication issue, she wrote a letter (yes, wrote a letter!) to CBCP President Nereo Odchimar basically saying : please don't excommunicate me. Part of her letter reads:

"May I respectfully submit that the penalty of excommunication for pro-RH (reproductive health) legislators, who are merely exercising the preferential option for the poor under liberation theology, would be too extreme and disproportionate. It will raise constitutional issues about church-state relationship."

The mere mention of the word "Liberation Theology" is a dead give-away that her arguments in the letter is totally off the wall. She throws in for good measure inane arguments such as "The natural-law theory is already obsolete" and the usual but boring "we are bound to follow our conscience faithfully in all our activity".

She ends her letter by saying "So please do not excommunicate President Aquino, myself, and those similarly situated. Thank you very much."

Haha. It's just like going to confession and seeking absolution through a letter. Bishop Odchimar would do well to fax her back a letter, stating:

"Dear Madam Senator, You are hereby excommunicated right this very moment. Best regards,"
/

RH Bill ticked off

All hell breaks loose since President Aquino spoke in favor of contraceptives...

RP to provide birth control despite church ban

"The government is obligated to inform everybody of their responsibilities and their choices. At the end of the day, government might provide assistance to those who are without means if they want to employ a particular method," he said.

"I believe the couple will be in the best position to determine what is best for the family, how to space (the births), what methods they can rely on and so forth," said Aquino at a "town hall" style meeting with expatriate Filipinos.

"They face the responsibility for the children that they bring in and government is willing to assist them."

Pretty interesting pronouncement from the President right after his one-on-one with Obama.
On cue, the bishops reminded Aquino of its stance against contraceptives. For good measure, was CBCP was also reported as having reminded him of the possibility of excommunication. (Update: A disclaimer from Bishop Odchimar that he never threatened Aquino with excommunication).

Speaking on the Church-run Radio Veritas, Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag, Surigao del Sur, the current CBCP president, said that even Mr. Aquino may be covered by excommunication. Mr. Aquino, a practicing Catholic, has stood by his position that Filipino couples who choose to use artificial contraceptives should be allowed to do so.

"Well, being the President of all, you must consider the position of the Catholic Church because we are approaching these issues from the moral aspect like the unborn. Abortion is a grave crime. Excommunication is attached to [it]. That is an issue of gravity, that is a violation of God's commandment," Odchimar said.

Accordingly, the pro-RH camp was emboldened to push for the prioritization of the pending RH bill in Congress.

But first, Mr. Aquino has to match his pronouncement with an endorsement and certification of the RH bill as a priority measure, the minority leader [Lagman] said.

House Speaker Belmonte, whose leanings on the issue is no secret, has also expressed his wish for the bill to be prioritized.

“Everyone has to assess it for himself, but we ourselves have assessed it in the past and we are willing to take the risk,” Belmonte told reporters in his weekly news conference Thursday when asked how lawmakers intend to deal with the staunch opposition of the Catholic church, which even campaigns against congressmen in favor of RH bill.

While offering no guarantee of its passage, Belmonte said he would like to see the bill reach third reading and voted on by members of the chamber, unlike in the past congresses when it only reached the level of plenary debates.

With the snowballing support for the bill, Belmonte said he might even ask the President to certify it as an urgent measure.

“I think it’s okay for us to request him to certify that. At any rate he’s already bitten the bullet on it,” he said.

Speaker Belmonte hit it right on the button: Aquino has already bitten the bullet. The money quote from President Aquino would be: "At the end of the day, government might provide assistance to those who are without means if they want to employ a particular method". This is equivalent to saying that the government might distribute contraceptives for free, just as the RH bill intends to.

However, I notice the tentative word "might". It would have been more decisive of President Aquino had he instead declared : "At the end of the day, government should provide assistance to those who are without means...". It seems though Aquino has bitten the bullet, he didn't swallow the whole thing. The bullet is still between his front teeth. I wonder if the forthcoming dialog with the CBCP would make him spit it out. One key question might be telling enough: When does life begin? A follow-up question would be: "Are you sure all the artificial contraceptives you are in favor of freely providing for, does not interfere with life in any of its stages?". Note Mr. President, to back up your arguments with scientific, medically ascertained facts.

Meanwhile, a group of Muslims has also voiced out its (op)position on the issue. It makes the matter even more more interesting.

Muslims join outrage vs birth control

MANILA, Sept. 30, 2010—A group of Muslims has joined the growing chorus of voices opposing any effort by President Benigno Aquino III to promote artificial family planning.

In what could be a boost to the Catholic Church’s campaign against contraceptives, the Imam Council of the Philippines said they are against birth control pills and condoms even among married couples.

Ibram Moxir, council head, said the Islam community is one with the Catholic hierarchy in opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health bill which seeks to control the country’s growing birth rate.

Other pro-RH advocates like Gabriela have also been emboldened to step-up their campaign, even as one particularly overeager advocate has pushed 'emboldened' to new level.

Manila tour guide arrested for heckling during ecumenical service

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Popular tourist guide Carlos Celdran was arrested Thursday afternoon after he held a protest in front of the main altar of the Manila Cathedral while an ecumenical service was going on.

Celdran was arrested by police after he began shouting for the Catholic Church to "stop getting involved" in politics during a ceremony marking the second anniversary of the "May They Be One Bible campaign," a joint effort by Catholics and Protestant leaders to distribute five million Bibles to five million poor Filipino families.

He also held up a placard with the word "Damaso," referring to the hated Spanish friar in Jose Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere.

"Stop involving yourselves in politics!" shouted Celdran, who dressed up like Rizal and also had a top hat, inside the cavernous cathedral.

He later told reporters that he did the stunt because the bishops needed to "hear what the Filipinos are saying."

Whoah. This guy Celdran is a bold man, I suppose. Now if Celdran could stage the same stunt in a Muslim mosque during service, I would really be impressed.
/

On (not) accepting donations from PAGCOR

Bishop Soc to Aquino: Oppose casino gambling

MANILA, June 14, 2010— Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Monday has made his first public appeal for President-elect Benigno Aquino III: stop the opening of more casinos.

In a pastoral letter dated June 14 but was released to the media today, Villegas, known to be closed with the Aquino family, said that gaming is not in the country’s best interests.

Archbishop Cruz asks Aquino to abolish Pagcor

Cruz seeks FOI passage to know bishops getting Pagcor money

MANILA, July 6, 2010— Archbishop Oscar Cruz is seeking for the passage of Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to trace the bishops receiving donations from a state-run gambling firm.

Cruz said that once the measure is approved, it would be easy to get necessary information from the controversial Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).

One thing that he would like know, he said, is the name of bishops allegedly receiving donation from the agency which is prohibited by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

CBCP may discuss gambling in plenary

MANILA, July 7, 2010—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines might include in their agenda the issue of alleged prelates receiving donations from gambling in their meeting this week.

Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, CBCP President, said there is a possibility that the controversial issue will be discussed if it will be raised during their plenary assembly as a matter of concern.

The bishops’ meeting will be held on July 10 to 11. The Catholic hierarchy meets twice a year, I January and July, where they discuss internal concerns and issues with national import.
...
Odchimar, though, expressed confidence that majority of their members are adhering to the CBCP’s “consistent” stand on gambling.

“Most of the bishops (believe) that it would be better for us not to receive donations and much more not to ask donations from Pagcor since we know what the source of donation is,” he said.

“As often been stated, the end does not justify the means… that is the prevailing sentiment of the bishops because of the evil effects of gambling,” Odchimar added.

Those last two statements of CBCP President Odchimar indicates where his inclinations are and where the wind is blowing. It is interesting though when Bishop Odchimar says "most of the bishops believe...", which leads us to conclude that there are variances among the bishops on the matter of receiving donations from so-called "tainted" sources. As an example, it is of common knowledge that the late Jaime Cardinal Sin and Bishop Francisco Claver (who recently passed away, may he rest in peace) are in favor of accepting donations irrespective of their sources. Mother Teresa perhaps epitomized the position on this aspect when she was reported to have stated : "I know where the money has been and I know where it's going".

It is a complicated area in ethics that gives rise to many questions on the principles of material cooperation, yet the tipping point of the matter lies on the element of scandal (see Catechism #2284-87). Scandal in this particular situation can swing both ways, and it is normally within the judgment of the local ordinary (the diocesan bishop) to decide in accordance with the particulars within his diocese. It remains complicated however, because bishops still have to evaluate the larger repercussions of their local decisions on a national scale. That explains why the bishops are elevating the matter to its national conference.

There are complicated pros and cons to be sure, and I am not about to second-guess the bishops and the CBCP on this one. It would be interesting to see what happens next. It would be helpful if the CBCP comes up with a pastoral document that illuminates the issue. Certainly as CBCP President Odchimar says: "the end does not justify the means". There can be no question about the end - which should inarguably be about material works of charity to the needy. The real difficulty lies in evaluating the morality of the means (accepting donations from gambling proceeds). It is also important to note that any decision that is arrived at would be subject to reference with similar circumstances, meaning that the decision would have its repercussions on the church's acceptance of donations in general - not only those directly associated with gambling. Tough, tough. Let's pray that our bishops be guided.
/

To be vehemently tactful

Cardinal Rosales says another people power is ‘crazy’

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, upon learning that some sectors are threatening People Power:

“Why infuse that into the present situation when it’s different? Come on, let’s use our head. These are two different things,” said Rosales. “That’s just crazy, crazy, crazy.”.

While I understand the concern of the good Cardinal, I feel a little uncomfortable with his choice of words in conveying his disagreement. It was likely in reaction to Noynoy issuing a warning for people power in the event that the polls fail (and he fails to win the presidency). The word 'crazy' is particularly strong enough as it is, yet the good Cardinal says it three times, for good measure. I do understand that at these times, 'crazy' is a highly-loaded word, especially since Noynoy's psychiatric condition has been put into question.

Maybe Cardinal Rosales should have used an alternative word, like 'insane'. No, I guess that's not quite right either. At any rate, the good Cardinal should have searched for more tactful words to convey to the effect that anyone who wishes to threaten people power at this presumptuous point should have his head examined.

Expectedly, there were howls of protest from some militants. Among these, the protesting words of Sr. Mary John Mananzan -- a top official of the influential Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines -- is worth noting:

“With due respect to the cardinal, I disagree very vehemently with what he said. I think doing nothing (against poll fraud) is more irresponsible,”.

My. I found it rather amazing that the words "with due respect" and "disagree very vehemently" can actually be combined in one sentence. The good Sister also manages to infer that the cardinal's position is "irresponsible".

At this point, I take note here that the issue in contention boils down to opinion against opinion, hinged upon assumptions against assumptions. Besides not being a matter of faith and morals, it is at a point where the issues behind the contentions were still contingent on the presence or absence of certain conditions either way.

Probably in retrospect, Cardinal Rosales had to explain his position further. In a more recent statement, he clarified that he will not turn down any possibilities of having another uprising in the aftermath of the May 10 polls as long as it is justified. The statement claimed that the cardinal’s statements against those threatening a new people power last Sunday were just not “reflected” upon.

So in the end, it appears there were actually no reasons to disagree (and get hot under the collar), since both sides actually agree in principle. In everyday life, this kind of thing happens many times. I guess there is a lot to learn here from Steven Covey's fifth habit: "Seek First to Understand". When there is still disagreement, perhaps there is also a lot to learn further with the fourth: "Agree to disagree agreeably".

I wonder if that last one can possibly take hold in the local political debates, considering the level of disagreeable intensity that I see in the political mudslinging hereabouts. Furthermore, I see that the norms of propriety have gone down to a level wherein a radio interviewer can have no qualms in addressing a Senator, many times his senior, as "chickenshit". It's the perfect way to lose an argument, besides making an a-hole out of oneself.

All this goes without saying that it is not impossible to assert one's positions in a firm manner, tactfully and with due respect, especially when we disagree with people in authority. Yes, I think that tact and vehement defense are not mutually exclusive. But then again, one has to understand the other's position first; take an objective, evidence-backed perspective; then prepare a well-thought-out response. When there is room for ambiguity, adopt the charitable assumption that the other side means well.

St. Peter has something to say about defending the faith, and it is worth reflecting into for its broader application.

"...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet 3:15).

Gentleness and respect, right. St. Peter should have added: and don't lose your sense of humor.
/

On the matter of endorsing political candidates

CFC WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Related cbcpnews item here: ‘Mainstream’ CFC will not endorse candidates

In this memo CFC merely clarifies its stand to remain non-partisan, to avoid confusing its position with that of the breakaway group who insists on using the CFC name in some form. From a prerogative point of view, it is acceptable for a Catholic lay organization to either support or refrain from supporting particular candidates. As long as it's the official stand of the leadership, I would say it falls under a matter of legitimate prerogative. Of course if there is a particular endorsement, it goes without saying that it should never carry any element of coercion to its members. Endorsement or no endorsement, the bottom line is that in the final reckoning, it is still the individual's conscientious choice that must be respected. In the contentious matter of selecting the best political candidate, reasonable people can come to different conclusions.

The matter is different though, when we talk of an official endorsement coming from the Catholic clergy. The danger lies when such an endorsement is perceived to represent an official Church stand that the faithful must follow. To my knowledge, there is no allowance in the Church's principles for political partisan endorsements. The Church as a matter of principle avoids endorsing particular candidates for public office, as the matter of voter's choice rests upon contingent and controvertible matters that are beyond the scope of certainty as it relates to the articles of faith. It is the role of the Church however, to issue moral guidelines for arriving at a conscientious choice in line with Catholic teaching.

Here are some profitable readings along the line.

DOCTRINAL NOTE on some questions regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life

- A document released in 2002 by the Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith, headed by then Cardinal Ratzinger. An interesting portion of the document talks about "moral principles that do not admit of exception, compromise or derogation". Thus we infer that that voting for persons who unquestionably hold such adverse positions goes against a conscientious Catholic choice.
/
A Catechism on Family and Life for the 2010 Elections

- The voters guide released by the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, which is rather heavy in its admonition against voting for candidates who promote contraceptives. Coincidentally, when the document was released last December 27, 2009, all the popular leading presidential candidates changed their tune and withdrew their support for the RH-bill. Interesting coincidence.
/
Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

- A good explanation by Catholic Answers on the Five Non-Negotiable Issues
/
Abortion Is the Black Hole of Moral Issues

- A great explanation by Jimmy Akin in his featured article for Catholic Answers, explaining Cardinal Ratzinger’s "Proportionate Reasons".
/
Voters Guide, NOT!

- And lastly, a Voters Guide for the Not-so-Serious Catholics
/

10 days to go and I am still undecided. Sigh.

CBCP 2010 Lenten Message

"A transformed society is built of renewed individual citizens."

2010 Lenten Message

The journey through the season of Lent into the Holy Week once again accords us an opportunity conducive to a sincere review of our life in the light of the teachings of the Gospel. Jesus’ compelling challenge: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel (Mark 1:15)” cohesively capsulates the true spirit of this season. Through the traditional practices of fasting and abstinence, we are reminded of a deep and lasting abandonment of our sinful ways so that we can enter into a living relationship with Christ, who alone offers true freedom, happiness, and fulfillment. By our prayers and reflections on the suffering and death of Christ , we intensify our awareness of the movement of evil and its devastating effects to ourselves and others. And more importantly, our discernments leads us to a continuous movement toward personal conversion and genuine social transformation as we look forward to Christ’s resurrection and salvific action on Easter Sunday.

How are we challenged individually and collectively as a community by this season of repentance and renewal? Rightly so, if we are to examine the very core of our being, we realize that our hearts innately crave for power, are attached to material wealth, content to maintain the status quo, and inclined to worldly allurements and other forms of selfish desires. All these have outward manifestations through the increasing cases of graft and corruption in many institutions, poverty, violation of human rights, vote buying-and-selling and other forms of electoral fraud, abuse of natural resources, land grabbing, and all forms of injustices.

The pursuit for good is a fundamental option among individuals. Our efforts of deep concern for the members of the family apparently show our yearning to provide them good and quality life. In fact, we advocate good governance and seek responsible leaders in view of establishing a just and peaceful society—where all may enjoy a fuller life. But above anything else, we take heed to this crucial call to conversion because God, the Creator and Ultimate Origin of all Good, has drawn us to Himself through His death and resurrection.

A transformed society is built of renewed individual citizens. Our Lenten journey leads us to that total personal renewal which has two decisive movements: the first crucial step is repentance. In his homily during Ash Wednesday, the Holy Father Benedict XVI said: “The first act of righteousness, therefore, is to recognize one's own iniquity; it is to recognize that it (sin) is rooted in the ‘heart’, in the very center of the human person.” This initial act, more than mere recognition, requires us to renounce our inordinate attachments, obsessions, addictions, and rebelliousness. We begin to empty ourselves of empty lavishness. The second step is believing in the Gospel—a necessary consequence of our remorseful rejection of sin. This subsequent step brings us to a new direction of life. At this point, we do not act according to mere impulse and human tendencies but illumined by the Gospel, we practice justice, we become peacemakers, and we love in a manner that the Lord Jesus Christ loves. We therefore set our eyes completely to Christ the very Person we encounter intimately in the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist, the Living Word in the Gospel we preach, and the Paschal Christ we follow in this journey toward Integral Renewal.

+Nereo P. Odchimar
Bishop of Tandag
CBCP President

Expect wisely

Panlilio urges CBCP to endorse candidates

MANILA, June 15, 2009—Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio called on the Catholic bishops’ leadership Monday to endorse specific candidates in the coming 2010 presidential elections.

Panlilio, a suspended Catholic priest, said it’s about time for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to be effective in giving political advice.

He said naming specific “model” candidates would surely make a difference than just telling the voters to “vote wisely.”

“I believe that the most the CBCP can do is to present certain candidates as good based on their track records, on their personal knowledge,” Panlilio said over Church-run Radyo Veritas...
/
Father/Governor Panlilio is actually asking the CBCP to come up with a partisan endorsement in the political arena, which of course would be a fallible position regardless who the CBCP picks...

Let's see..

The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes) states in section 76:

"It is very important, especially where a pluralistic society prevails, that there be a correct notion of the relationship between the political community and the Church, and a clear distinction between the tasks which Christians undertake, individually or as a group, on their own responsibility as citizens guided by the dictates of a Christian conscience, and the activities which, in union with their pastors, they carry out in the name of the Church.

The Church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified in any way with the political community nor bound to any political system. She is at once a sign and a safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person".

Further, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a "Doctrinal Note on some questions regarding The Participation of Catholics in Political Life" which states in section 6:

"By its interventions in this area, the Church’s Magisterium does not wish to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics regarding contingent questions. Instead, it intends - as is its proper function - to instruct and illuminate the consciences of the faithful, particularly those involved in political life, so that their actions may always serve the integral promotion of the human person and the common good."...

So, Father Panlilio, if you're looking for the CBCP to endorse specific candidates for 2010, the odds are it just won't happen, and its not "wise" to expect so.
/

On fasting and abstinence

A good reminder on fasting and abstinence, published last year in cbcpnews.
Related posts here and here.

Canon lawyer says fast, abstinence on Good Friday is mandatory

DAVAO CITY, March 19, 2008—While other forms of penance are left to the personal choice of the individual, fasting and abstinence is mandatory.

Archdiocese of Davao Oeconomus Fr. Junar de la Victoria said that in the Catholic Church, Catholics are joined together in a certain common practice of penance not simply as a conglomerate of individuals but as a unified body in Christ.

De la Victoria, a Canon lawyer said the practice of abstinence from meat is devoted to repentance and it is mandatory on all Fridays throughout the year except on all solemnities.

A solemnity of the Roman Catholic Church is a principal holy day in the liturgical calendar usually commemorating an event in the life of Jesus, His mother the Blessed Virgin Mary, or other important saints. The observance begins with the vigil on the evening before the actual date of the feast.

In the Philippines , he said, fast and abstinence may be substituted with exercises of piety such as reading the Bible, going to Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Holy Rosary or with acts of charity, such as visiting the sick and prisoners, giving alms to the poor or teaching catechism.

However, the canon lawyer emphasized that all these forms of substitution is not permitted on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) norms.

De la Victoria said the law of abstinence binds those who have reached a sufficient use of reason, and who have completed their 14th year of age.

Meanwhile, De La Victoria said that fasting is a physical process of restricting one’s level of use of such things as food, drink, play and others.

During the season of Lent, he said, fasting is primarily in preparation for the Easter feast, and secondarily, where a reconciliation process is observed, a penitential act.

He also explained that the law on fast means that only one full meal may be taken during the day; two light meals are permitted in accord with local custom as to the amount and kind of food.

“The consumption of solid food between meals is prohibited but liquids may be taken at any time,” de la Victoria added.

The law of fasting binds those who have completed their 18th year of age until the beginning of their 60th year.

“Fasting is also to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday but Vatican II also recommends fasting on Holy Saturday or Black Saturday,” added de la Victoria.

The canon lawyer also said that the law of fast and abstinence do not bind the seafarers.

It was also learned that there are official days of penance wherein Catholics are called to prayer; to engage in works of piety and charity; to deny their selves in twofold ways: 1. by fulfilling the obligations in their state of lives more faithfully and 2. by observing the prescribed fast and abstinence.

De la Victoria also is also a columnist of Davao Catholic Herald, the archdiocesan community paper.

(Mark S Ventura)

/

Lent –A Call to Moral Renewal

Lenten Message of Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo

Lent is an opportune occasion for profound re-examination of life, for confronting ourselves with the truth of the Gospel, which demands radical moral renewal. Jesus Christ begins his public ministry with the message: “The time of fulfillment has come… Repent (i.e. change your mind and behavior), and believe in the Gospel!” (Mk. 1/15). St. Paul the Apostle gives his rejoinder: “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4/23).

Along this line, the scientist, Albert Einstein, offered a formula for solving the problems and crises that churches, institutions and governments are facing when he said: “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created these problems and crises.” We will not solve our problems – religious, social, economic, political – by insisting on doing the same things that have produced the problems. The call of Lent is for moral renewal. To achieve this we need at least a critical mass of citizens-leaders who are willing to “break out of the box,” to jump on to the beginning of a new wave, to move into a new cycle of development, to operate with a new social consciousness and conscience, not for their individual or group security, but for the good of the greatest number.

We stated, some years ago, at the National Pastoral Consultation on Church Renewal, that “failures in renewal have come from a deeper source: our hardness of heart and resistance to conversion… We, as Church, have to confess responsibility for many of the continuing ills of Philippine society.” In a Pastoral Statement on “Renewing Our Political Life” (January 29, 2006), we said, and we can say it again, that “at the bottom of our political chaos is a crisis of moral values, a crisis of truth and justice, of unity and solidarity for the sake of common good and genuine peace.”

The most seriously affected by the crisis of moral values are the poor, the marginalized, oftentimes treated like commodities. Graft and corruption breed widespread poverty. Widespread poverty in turn breeds graft and corruption. There is a concatenation of crisis and corruption that goes down to the barangay level, up and down and up, infecting the whole society, like a contagious cancer.

To cure this social cancer we need a new breed of leaders in our country. The forthcoming national elections must not simply be a changing of hats for the same persons, or change of faces but with unchanged hearts. We must be able to gather a critical mass of citizens-leaders with a genuine passion and obsession for good governance and prophetic leadership. This critical mass will be the training ground of other citizens who will lead our country with the values of honesty and justice, truth and integrity, credibility and accountability, transparency and stewardship. These are the moral values that citizens must use to criticize and measure the present brand of leaders and raise up a new breed of leaders.

/

FIGHT IT OR PERISH (2)

Part I here.
The following comment of TE deserves a part II. (Thanks!)

The Americans just had their Thanksgiving last Thursday. Thanksgiving was instituted as a holiday by President Lincoln in 1863 in the midst of the civil war. If you read President Lincoln's proclamation at http://www.christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-alincoln-tgiving.html you'll notice that he intended Thanksgiving to be a religious holiday. After mentioning that the nation still prospered, though in the midst of a civil war he acknowledged the blessings God gave to his nation and went on to say that "the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

Their declaration of independence boldly proclaims: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." America was founded on values that acknowledge God and life. Many of their leaders, like Lincoln, espoused and were guided by great life-affirming values. This is (was?) their strength for such values are God-affirming and I believe that as long as the country, through its leadership, espouse and uphold these values that country will enjoy God's providence.

Those that espouse the opposite, life-negating values will suffer and be eventually destroyed. Like Egypt under the Pharaohs who espoused slavery and had to learn a bitter lesson from God through Moses. Like Babylon, whose own grandeur made it listen more to its pride rather than to God. Hitler. Mussolini. Saddam. South Africa and Nelson Mandela. Those who espouse life-negating principles will reap the very fruits of the very same seeds they sow.

No one escapes God. For our rewards, what we harvest, are determined by what we ourselves sow. Sow deceit and you shall see yourself being deceived. Corruption, because it is not life-affirming, will at best result in only a temporary advantage to the perpetrator. Thereafter the perpetrator him/herself will suffer. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

The die was cast when the perp decided to be corrupt. At that point he/she sowed the seed. The only way to reap a different harvest is to sow the seeds of forgiveness and atonement. And atonement, that is, at-one-ment, requires reparation before the perp can be at one with God and with the people again.

Tama na. Sobra na. Alis na. Kami naman!

FIGHT IT OR PERISH!
Fighting Graft and Corruption

To steal is wrong. It is a crime. It is a sin. When stealing is done by those high up in power and authority, it carries a greater culpability. The corruption of the best is the worst. The social problem of graft and corruption in public life in our country has reached abominable and embarrassing proportions. How shall we describe graft and corruption in our country? It is systemic. It is rewarding. It hurts the poor the most.

Graft and corruption is systemic and structural. It is not only individual or isolated persons who corrupt and get corrupted. The present system, the elected and the electors, the employers and the employees, the appointed and the appointing powers has become so corrupt that what we do need is a radical, systemic, interior change. Changing personages through the electoral process or even through legal processes like impeachment and court suits will not necessarily result in reform unless there is a willingness to change from the heart and soul. Pinning our hopes on legal processes unaccompanied by conversion from within will lead us to nowhere but deeper frustrations. We can hear the protest “Tama na. Sobra na. Alis na. Kami naman!”. It is important that those who investigate or prosecute corrupt officials will not gain political or financial benefits from convicting or absolving the accused.

Graft and corruption is rewarding and rewarded. It is hardly punished. The politicization of the judiciary and the perennial rumors about rogues in robes are problems we need to address urgently. Vigilance is lacking. Political will is weak. Prosecution plays favorites. The penal system is flawed. Pardon and clemency is cheap. Among our people, there is an increasing level of tolerance for corrupt officials. Corruption does not seem to anger many of us anymore. We are not outraged enough by graft and corruption. Widespread graft has sadly numbed our morals.

The public money that goes to graft is money stolen from the poor. Because of graft and corruption, schools buildings cannot be constructed and teachers are not paid; public hospitals cannot protect us from untimely death; soldiers are deprived of their just wages.

Our biggest problem in our country is graft and corruption. This problem must be faced courageously now. We are risking the life of our nation if we continue to ignore it. I appeal to the consciences of our countrymen. Do not leave the solution of graft and corruption to corrupt officials. Our problem cannot be our solution. Let us come together as Catholic faithful to fight the sin of graft and corruption. We cannot profess faith in God and not get angry at widespread graft and corruption. Faith in God and outrage at sin go together. Outrage is not enough; it must lead to action. If we are not outraged by the sin of stealing happening all over our once beautiful land, could it be that our faith has turned cold and uncaring? If your faith has turned cold and uncaring, how can you be saved? Fight corruption or lose your soul!

I place this appeal at the feet of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

From the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Balanga City, November 27, 2008

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Bishop of Balanga
/
P.S. - In related news:
2 bishops open to ‘extra-legal’ means
Arroyo administration continue to suppress truth, says Palawan bishop
Search for truth does not end with junking of impeach rap – Archbishop Lagdameo
Priest calls people to support CBCP’s call for vigilance
Corrupt public servants exploit ignorant poor, says Cardinal Rosales
Commitments of some legislators for sale, says Manila prelate

FREEDOM TO THE CAPTIVES

“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1)
/
On a brief visit to the Iwahig penal colony in Palawan some years ago, I struck up a conversation with the driver of the tricycle my wife and I were riding inside the compound. The tricycle driver himself, a minimum security inmate, is in for life imprisonment.
/
(in the vernacular)
So...what brought you here?

I killed three men.

oh...how come?

We were having a drinking session, there was a brawl.
In a fit of rage, I went home, got my bolo, came back and hacked them all.
I was beside myself, I didn't know what I was doing.

oh...

The greatest problem here,..is loneliness…
“Pinagsisihan ko na ang lahat”.
I am so sorry now…

…
/
This CBCP news item reports on the International Prison Chaplains’ Association Worldwide (IPCA), which had a meeting hosted by the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care of the CBCP. IPCA, an ecumenical Christian movement, is a conference of prison chaplains committed to serve the unity of the Churches. In the meeting, Rev. Birgitta Winberg, ICPA President, was noted to have said that the conditions in our country’s jails are “unacceptable”, particularly the conditions of prisoners in Manila City Jail. She also said that prison conditions indeed mirrors what kind of government a country has.

“But it’s worse here. The overcrowding and the standard of the prison system here are falling actually,”

Indeed, local BJMP head Director Rosendo Dial admitted in a budget hearing that "In Metro Manila it is 1000% overcrowding.” and that some 10 inmates will have to squeeze in to fit every square meter. The nationwide congestion rate, the jails director added, is much "looser" at 225 percent congestion or an average of four to five inmates per square meter, he said.

For his part, administration senator Juan Miguel Zubiri remarked that the hellish congestion should be made a deterrent against crime. “He should allow media... to show they are in a living hell in this prison camp. That's enough to deter crime I think, the crime rate will go down," Senator Zubiri said.

While it may be true that the prospect of imprisonment in hellish conditions may deter crime, it is also true that oppressive social conditions instigate a crime-prone society. I believe the greater deterrent to crime is an equitable, just and humane society. A criminal environment breeds a criminal mentality. While it is true that criminal acts deserve just retribution, it is also true that every inmate deserves the basic dignity of a human being made by God. The laudable efforts of the ecumenical Christian movement in reaching out to these inmates provides the only hope in providing inner dignity to these chained brethren. It is an inner dignity that comes out from reconciling with God who eases all pains and loneliness. May these inmates find Christ in themselves and in their co-inmates, and may all of us find Christ in them. May they find true freedom, and look beyond this temporal imprisonment - to an eternity that has no chains.
/

Five bishops speak out

"The time to prepare ... is now"

"Corruption in such an extensive degree in the Philippines is a crime that cries to heaven for vengeance. Corruption in this country has become endemic, systemic, from top to bottom in government. Perhaps they may be given the punishment they deserve by the human justice system, but that’s not enough. Someone else in the Higher Authority will punish them as they deserve,"

- Archbishop Lagdameo

Very good and well said, Bishop.

A standout though, is another well-said snippet from one of my favorite high school batchmates.

"We are not here to bring you peace. We are here to disturb you. I’m praying to God that after this meeting, may the Lord trouble you because the trouble that comes from the Lord is going to make you a better person and it’s going to make the country a better country."

- Bishop Soc Villegas

Let's hope and pray that a lot of people are troubled, especially those whose consciences are not "blinded through the habit of committing sin" (CCC #1791)

Response to "Are you a Catholic Writer?"

Dear Mr. John Neri,

I appreciated your insightful piece in your July 15, 2008 Inquirer column entitled "Are you a Catholic writer?".

Thus, allow me to react with a few comments.

You said: "On certain issues, I think the Church hierarchy in the Philippines has gotten it wrong."
...

"There is nothing controvertible, for instance, in the crisis of legitimacy that surrounds the President, like a pall of permanent exhaust."

The CBCP's position not to call for the resignation of PGMA amidst significant clamor is not an infallible position. We can thus call the bishop's position itself controvertible, because the bishops are merely stating an opinion (wise and prudent in my personal judgement as it were)
in a political matter best left for the secular system to address. It is understandable to say likewise that those who hold contrary positions (including you, I suppose) are merely stating their own opinions on the matter.

"The bishops’ position on population growth and the marital responsibility of Catholic couples continues to be based, mistakenly, on what the great theologian Bernard Haring characterized, with deliberate irony, as the absolute sacredness of the biological.".

On this matter, the bishops are not expressing an opinion, they simply faithfully echo the consistent and unchanging teaching of the Church Magisterium. The Church's position on contraceptives and the sanctity of marriage is universal, as exemplified by the encyclicals Humanae Vitae and Familiaris Consortio. They don't have a choice, otherwise it would constitute a heretical position that would sever their communion with Rome. On this matter they couldn't care less what the "great theologian" Bernard Haring (who's he?) has to say.

"But on other issues, I think the bishops called it right. On the conflict tearing the Couples for Christ movement apart, for instance, the hierarchy has sought to honor the original charism of the movement. That is only as it should be."

Again, certain bishops expressing their fallible position, and it does not necessarily constitute a universally accepted, official Church position. In fact your column admits that not all of them carry the opinion that the "original charism" should be honored. Vatican II states that the test of charism's "genuineness and proper use belongs to those who are appointed leaders in the Church, to whose special competence it belongs" (#12, Lumen Gentium). In the case of CFC as an international association of the faithful, the proper Church authority that tests its proper use of charisms is the Vatican through the Pontifical Council of the Laity (PCL). CFC has a standing recognition by the Vatican PCL. The mere fact that Vatican has retained that recognition to date despite the fact that it well aware of the controversy, is enough proof that CFC exercises genuine and proper use of charisms. Thus it is immaterial to talk about a need for honoring an "original charism", whatever that means.

In closing, I think you are on track to think that the Church and Catholic culture are eminently political, I suppose to the direction that any political activity concerning the common good must of necessity be the Church's concern. Lastly, I dare venture my personal interpretation what a "Catholic thinker" means. It is a philosophical disposition grounded on Faith and Reason, which are not only compatible but essential together, as Pope John Paul II so lucidly expounds in
in his encyclical Fides et Ratio.

Sincerely yours, more power, and God bless,

WillyJ

P.S. I don't consider myself an astute "Catholic thinker" either, and not any much smarter than your average person, definitely much less than your recent reader who has two degrees in Physics. I am just a stumbling yet persevering Catholic who holds fast to the deposit of faith.
/

On the CBCP Pastoral Statement

The recent CBCP pastoral statement was received with mixed appreciation (or mis-appreciation). Personally, I certainly appreciated its adroit construction and prudent choice of words. If we look at it closely, items 1 and 2 lays the groundwork for the succeeding 4 statements. For me the most significant item is # 3, that they “strongly recommend the abolition of EO 464…”. This is a strong and very significant statement. Normally the Bishops would not go for a prescription that is best left for government and the political community to decide, but there you have it. Protagonists on all sides would probably focus on this one going forward, and this by itself would be a significant development in the search for truth. Then item # 4 further supports item # 3.

But lets take a look at # 5:

“5. Appeal to our senators and the ombudsman to use their distinct and different powers of inquiry into alleged corruption cases not for their own interests but for the common good;”

Appeal? The word appeal in this context is a trifle confusing here. I don’t intend to second-guess the wisdom of the bishops, but let me share what crossed my mind the moment I read this “appeal to the senators and ombudsman...”. Normally you don’t appeal to anyone to do the job that is normally expected of them specially when they are being PAID to do so, right? You just DEMAND it under normal circumstances. But these are abnormal times in abnormal situations and so I think I get the drift. I can sense a certain level of exasperation and frustration behind the word “appeal” here. Its as if repeated demands already failed and now we are on the point of appealing - a different tack in trying to draw positive action.

When repeated demands fail, try appealing.

Think in terms of cajoling, sweet-talking, coaxing, persuading.

Sometimes you get better results with these than being outright demanding.

Take my word for it. I always do it with my own 3-year old kid,










and I'm telling you it works...










sometimes.

CBCP Pastoral Statement: Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity

Note: I have taken the liberty of reproducing in full the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Pastoral Statement coming out of the “emergency meeting” that took place yesterday. CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura clarified the meeting was not a plenary assembly but a “consultative meeting” on matters of national import in the face of growing unrest over accusations of graft and corruption leveled against the present administration. Refer to an earlier related post.

http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/1074

Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity

(A CBCP Pastoral Statement)

Beloved People of God:

Greetings in the peace of the Lord!

Today in the midst of restlessness and confusion, we come to you as pastors, for that is our precise role. We do not come as politicians whose vocation it is to order society towards the common good. Our message contributes to the flourishing of a democracy which must not be built only on political formulae.

We face today a crisis of truth and the pervading cancer of corruption. We must seek the truth and we must restore integrity. These are moral values needing spiritual and moral insights.

Therefore, we address this pastoral statement to everyone particularly you our beloved people and in a special way to our political rulers and officials.

We are convinced that the search for truth in the midst of charges and allegations must be determined and relentless, and that the way to truth and integrity must be untrammeled, especially at the present time when questions about the moral ascendancy of the present government are being raised.

For this reason, we strongly:

1. Condemn the continuing culture of corruption from the top to the bottom of our social and political ladder;

2. Urge the President and all the branches of government to take the lead in combating corruption wherever it is found;

3. Recommend the abolition of EO 464 so that those who might have knowledge of any corruption in branches of government, may be free to testify before the appropriate investigating bodies;

4. Ask the President to allow her subordinates to reveal any corrupt acts, particularly about the ZTE-NBN deal, without being obstructed in their testimony no matter who is involved;

5. Appeal to our senators and the ombudsman to use their distinct and different powers of inquiry into alleged corruption cases not for their own interests but for the common good;

6. Call on media to be a positive resource of seeking the truth and combating corruption by objective reporting without bias and partiality, selective and tendentious reporting of facts;

For the long term we reiterate our call for “circles of discernment” at the grassroots level, in our parishes, Basic Ecclesial Communities, recognized lay organizations and movements, religious institutions, schools, seminaries and universities. It is through internal conversion into the maturity of Christ through communal and prayerful discernment and action that the roots of corruption are discovered and destroyed. We believe that such communal action will perpetuate at the grassroots level the spirit of People Power so brilliantly demonstrated to the world at EDSA I. It is People Power with a difference. From the grassroots will come out a culture of truth and integrity we so deeply seek and build. We instruct our CBCP Commissions to take active role including networking for this purpose.

May the Lord bless us in this sacred undertaking to build a new kind of Philippines and may our Blessed Mother be our companion and guide in this journey to truth and integrity.

For and on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:

+Angel Lagdameo, D.D.
Archbishop of Jaro
President, CBCP
February 26, 2008
/

The Church and Political Turmoil in the Philippines

Bishop moves

The current restive political climate punctuated by the ZTE-NBN corruption scandal has brought to the fore the Church’s role in the Philippine political sphere. Friday’s protest rally in Makati brings to a boil the simmering unrest of activists in civil society. At this juncture , there are renewed calls agitating for the Church to take on a more decisive stance. With the political situation in turmoil, many anti-administration groups have hoped that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) would rally the citizenry in calling for the resignation of President Arroyo, along with key government officials. Thus far, the CBCP has released an official statement detailing the socio-political ills afflicting the nation, while calling for a “Communal Conversion towards a Social Conscience”. More recently, CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said in a more strongly worded statement that

“Truth hurts. Truth liberates. But the truth must be served. The truth will set our country free. Only the truth, not lies and deceits, will set our country free. This truth challenges us now to communal action.”

CBCP has stopped short of fully opposing the administration with the calls for Arroyo’s resignation, to the dismay of oppositionists who had hoped that the bishops take on a leadership role in a confrontational stance against the government. Yesterday’s Inquirer editorial goes to the extent of rebuking the bishops in its perceived abdication of its pastoral duty:

“The people may not be marching in the streets now, but it is because they’re waiting for the clarion call of our bishops. But the bishops seem to have jettisoned their moral and pastoral duty.”

The editorial certainly draws an obvious allusion to People Power 1, when the late Cardinal Jaime Sin enjoined the masses in a move that eventually led to the ouster of strongman Ferdinand Marcos’ rule in 1986. There is that expectation that the bishops would similarly assume a prominent activist posture against the government.

The question now is that whether the current prevailing conditions demand an equally activist intervention by the Philippine bishops in the political affairs as supposedly mandated by its pastoral duty. In our situation, perhaps we need to look back to 1986 and prior events to draw parallels. But since politics is as old as society, it is well worthy that we look even much further back - and draw the parallels from Scriptures itself.

The key scripture on the topic is Romans 13:1-7. It tells us why we need government, who gives its authority, and what is its rightful role. …

“Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. “...

How did Jesus himself relate to political authority? While Jesus refuses the oppressive and despotic power wielded by the rulers of the nations (Mark 10:20) , he does not directly oppose the authorities of the times. His pronouncement (Luke 20:22-25) on the paying of taxes to Caesar was that which was echoed by Paul. We remind ourselves that when Paul wrote his letters to the believers in Rome, they were living under the powerful and often immoral Roman rulers. Although Roman law was admirable in many ways, it was under Roman rule that Christians were to suffer some of their most severe persecution.

Where then do we draw the line?
The Apostle Peter drew the line when he said : We ought to follow God rather than men, when he was being forced by the Roman forces not to speak publicly about Christ. John the Baptist spoke out against the immoral lives of King Herod and his wife, even though he faced prison.
Along these lines, let us take off from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:

The right to resist

400. Recognizing that natural law is the basis for and places limits on positive law means admitting that it is legitimate to resist authority should it violate in a serious and repeated manner the essential principles of natural law. St. Thomas Aquinas writes that "one is obliged to obey...insofar as it is required by the order of justice. Natural law is therefore the basis of the right to resistance."
There can be many different ways this might be exercised; there may also be many different ends that may be pursued. Resistance to authority is meant to attest to the validity of a different way of looking at things, whether the intent is to achieve partial change, for example, modifying certain laws, or to fight for a radical change in the situation.

Social Doctine and the inculturation of faith

523. This Christian anthropology gives life to and supports the pastoral task of inculturation of the faith, which aims at an interior renewal, through the power of the Gospel, of modern man's criteria of judgment, the values underlying his decisions, the way he thinks and the models after which his life is patterned. “Through inculturation the Church, for her part, becomes a more intelligible sign of what she is and a more effective instrument of mission”. The contemporary world is marked by a rift between the Gospel and culture, by a secularized vision of salvation that tends to reduce even Christianity to “merely human wisdom, a pseudo- science of well-being”. The Church is aware that she must take “a giant step forward in her evangelization effort, and enter into a new stage of history in her missionary dynamism”. The Church's social doctrine is situated within this pastoral vision: “The ‘new evangelization', which the modern world urgently needs, ... must include among its essential elements a proclamation of the Church's social doctrine”.

Acting with prudence

548. Prudence makes it possible to make decisions that are consistent, and to make them with realism and a sense of responsibility for the consequences of one's action. The rather widespread opinion that equates prudence with shrewdness, with utilitarian calculations, with diffidence or with timidity or indecision, is far from the correct understanding of this virtue. It is a characteristic of practical reason and offers assistance in deciding with wisdom and courage the course of action that should be followed, becoming the measure of the other virtues. Prudence affirms the good as a duty and shows in what manner the person should accomplish it. In the final analysis, it is a virtue that requires the mature exercise of thought and responsibility in an objective understanding of a specific situation and in making decisions according to a correct will.

Therefore, considering the the Church's social doctrine and its Scriptural basis, the CBCP's posture in the current political turmoil might be taken in the proper perspective. For our bishops to point out a specific political option as the Gospel choice, it has to be consistent with the tradition of social doctrine as it goes back to its foundations in Scriptures, consistent right down through Pope Pious XIth's Rerum Nevarum, Vatican II's Gaudium et Spes, and now up to Pope Benedict's Spe Salvi. A recurring theme all throughout is that while the Church advocates social action for the common good, the ultimate goal is for the conversion of hearts. This social doctrine is now called to bear down upon the current Philippine situation - a hotbed of conflicting opinions, emotions, and blurred facts. We take into account for example, that the Ombudsman is still in the process of initiating an investigation. Amidst such circumstances, and against the backdrop of the Church's Social Doctrine, we may very well get an insight behind the bishops' prudence.

It must be said that government - even good government - does not hold the ultimate answers to our social and personal needs. Thus the CBCP, while it highlights the social ills and recommends its closure through "communal action", eventually emphasizes conversion of the hearts and the scriptural admonition to Reform and Believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).

What to hope for

Thus while we work towards a communal conversion of hearts, it does not preclude our duties as conscientious citizens to fight for the common good, within the realms of the Church's social doctrine. In redeeming society and the individual, the frustration that we usually inflict upon ourselves in a highly secularized world is when we rely solely on the application of science or political structures. In the words of Pope Benedict: ...Certainly we cannot “build” the Kingdom of God by our own efforts—what we build will always be the kingdom of man with all the limitations proper to our human nature...our daily efforts in pursuing our own lives and in working for the world's future either tire us or turn into fanaticism, unless we are enlightened by the radiance of the great hope that cannot be destroyed even by small-scale failures or by a breakdown in matters of historic importance...

We pray for true reform.