Thursday, February 28, 2008

Diocese of Legazpi holds mass for truth

Melo M. AcuñaCBCP News OnlineLEGAZPI CITY, February 28, 2008—The Diocese of Legazpi under its Apostolic Administrator Bishop Lucilo B. Quiambao held its Mass for Truth yesterday at St. Stephen Parish in Ligao City, hometown of ZTE-NBN star witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., which drew hundreds of students, lay leaders and various sectoral representatives. CMN-DWBS Reporter Susan Balane in her

Crisis of truth

Editorial Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 22:46:00 02/28/2008 The pastoral statement of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), issued Tuesday, takes a few small steps forward and one large step back. No wonder the public is

Sulat Pastoral ni Bishop Socrates Villegas ng Balanga

Ang may paningin ay tumingin at magmasid. Ang may paningin ay magbantay at magtanod. Tunay nga na ang pagbabantay at pagtatanod ay maliit na kabayaran nating kapalit ng pananatiling maging lahing malaya at bayang marangal. Ang may paningin ay tumingin at magmasid. Ang may paningin ay magbantay at magtanod. Tunay nga na ang pagbabantay at pagtatanod ay maliit na kabayaran nating kapalit ng

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Moro-Moro at Cenakulo

The bishops have spoken.The palace have been quick to exploit it - not unexpectedly.A strong backing delivered on a silver platter.And the vicious cycle of corruption whirled its happy whirl again.Dear bishops, what would you do if the President doesn't follow your "urgings"? Or simply go through the motions of fighting corruption for the next two years but doesn't really mean it?How could you

Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan

More pictures from the Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan (Mass for Truth and Accountability) at the St. Stephen Martyr Parish patio, 27 February 2008, 4 pm, Ligao City, Albay.Bishop Quiambao presided, together with 40+ priest concelebrants. Monsignor Tronqued delivered the homily.Statements were read from the Aquinas University of Legazpi (Jun Lozada's high school alma mater) and Divine

Pastoral Bulletin No. 2, s. 2008: COMMUNAL ACTION FOR TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Msgr. Ramon C. Tronqued, Vicar General of Legazpi, reading the Pastoral Letter on Communal Action for Truth and Accountability at the Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan, 27 February 2008, Ligao City, AlbayDIOCESE OF LEGAZPICHANCERYP.O. Box 38, Legazpi City 4500, PhilippinesPASTORAL BULLETIN NO. 2, Series of 2008 To: People of God in Legazpi, All Men and Women of Good Will and

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Seeking the Truth, Restoring Integrity

Statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the PhilippinesBishop Quiambao, reading the CBCP Statement to the crowd gathered at the Misa para sa Katotoohan asin Paninimbagan, 27 February 2008, Ligao City, Albay.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

EDSA 22nd Anniversary Mass at Baclaran Church

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Laban para sa Katotohanan at Pagbabago

Homilya ni Pde. Joey Echano, CSsRMisa sa paggunita sa ika-22 Anibersaryong mapayapang rebolusyon sa EDSASimbahan ng Bacalaran, ika-25 ng Pebrero 2008 Una sa lahat, sa ngalan po ng Redemptorist community dito sa Baclaran malugod ko kayong tinatanggap at wini-welcome sa Pambansang Dambana ng Ina ng Laging Saklolo. Tayo ngayon ay nasa harap ng banal na larawan ng ating Mahal na Ina ng Laging

Communal Action according to GMA's spin doctors and the bishops who love her

Here is a 1-page ad which appeared today on the Phil Star. It's a selection of quotable quotes from Catholic Church officials, many of them bishops, collated to create the impression of a consensus favoring a rather narrow interpretation of what "communal action" means, i.e., pray, organize, cry yourself hoarse, do anything so long as it won't lead to the President stepping down from office."We

People Power Anniversary Rally in Legazpi City - 25 February 2008

Photos courtesy of Bayan Bikol Consider this post my vicarious participation in the EDSA Day celebration here in Legazpi. Too bad I was holed-in the whole morning inside the Chancery. We had a meeting of the Board of Consultors. The Redemptorist priests in the pictures are Fr. Brian Espejo, CSsR and Fr. Oliver Castor, CSsR, respectively.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Bishops split on Arroyo quit call, But all urge truth in NBN deal, end to corruption

Comment on an excerpt:"Mass for Truth "In Legazpi City, Fr. Rex Paul Arjona, chancellor of the Legazpi diocese, said the bishops of Albay province would make their stand known in time. "It may coincide with the Mass for Truth and Accountability scheduled for Friday in Ligao City, hometown of whistle-blower Lozada. "The Mass will be celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Lucilo Quiambao."The Misa para

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Battle of the Pictures

How Malacañang operators attempted a show of strength and support for GMA.Strange how a picture, supposedly worth a thousand words, can only manage to say one thing: PANIC!How the University of Santo Tomas decided to speak up concerning NBN-ZTE.Strange how a hitherto insignificant yearbook photo, blurred by age and outdated technology, can speak so eloquently about school pride and redemption.In

DLSU, PREX & ZTE-NBN: The Church's involvement thickens

Nuns serving as bodyguards. Two rival Catholic universities joining forces to act as champions of truth and accountability. Bishops issuing pastoral letters. Civil society groups trying to wring to the last revolutionist drop of meaning the bishops' ambivalent message of "communal action". Lay Catholic groups organizing mass actions. And now, Parish Renewal Experience (PREX) national head couple

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Lozada's Prayer

Today I start the Change I Want to SeeThe prayer Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada adoptedLord, let me be the change I want to see;to do with strength and wisdomall that needs to be done,and become the hope that I can be.Set me free from my fears and hesitations.Grant me courage and humility.Fill me with Spirit to face the challengeand start the change I want to see.(Today, I start the change I want to see.)

Reclaiming our Humanity

Homily by Fr. Manoling Francisco, S.J.MASS FOR JUN LOZADALa Salle Gymnasium, Greenhills17 February 2008 On this Second Sunday of Lent, during which we are asked to reflect on the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, I wish to touch on three themes that have to do with our moral transformation as a people: first, Ascertaining Credibility; second, Rediscovering our Humanity; and third, Witnessing

Dragging the Church into the NBN-ZTE Scandal

A side event to the NBN-ZTE investigations, the latest scandal to hit the present administration (what does the opposition call it now, the "great-grandmother of all scams"?) was a not-often seen (or heard) public tussle between two Catholic Church leaders over the media. The repartee between "Running Priest" Father Robert Reyes and Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena was aired last 15 February over

Candle-lighting and Rally for Truth and Accountability in Legazpi City

While thousands gathered in Makati last Friday, 15 February, to stand up for the truth and call to accountability the present administration, a smaller crowd gathered at Peñaranda Park in Legazpi City for the same causes and to express local support to a fellow Albayano, whistleblower Jun Lozada himself, who hails from Ligao City. His brother, Samson Lozada, joined the event. Before the afternoon

Thursday, February 14, 2008

What is Neri afraid to say and Why?

Speaking hypothetically...Here's another widely-circulated e-mail, this time from man of the hour Jun Lozada himself, who incidentally calls himself a "probinsyanong intsik" from Ligao, Albay.If this were really written by Jun Lozano and ssuming this were true, then CHED Chair Neri is faced, not only with a political but even more so, with an existential predicament - in so many levels.Of special

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Communal Action

Here's a recent widely circulated email. "Communal action", great expectations pin on two words. Is it just me? Why do these two words evoke an image of a C-section being performed on a pot-bellied guy in the vain hope that a newborn might come of it?Communal Action Doy Cinco / IPDhttp://doycinco.blogspot.com/2008/02/communal-action.htmlMonday, February 11, 2008 Walang dudang muli na namang

SOS: Calling Cardinal Sin

Bishop Claver, S.J., wants us to focus our attention to what he considers the main thesis of the latest CBCP Pastoral Statement: most, if not all, of our country's social problems today have one common cause, i.e., "the subordination of the good of the many to that of the few. Which subordination, the bishops said, is our besetting sin as a people."The good bishop also dispenses one good dose of

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Witticisms - Are we becoming lesser by the day?

Do 21st century conveniences make you feel like becoming a lesser person by the day? Consider the things we have today...Our communication - wirelessOur telephone - cordlessOur cooking - firelessOur food - fatlessOur labor - effortlessOur education - valuelessOur politics - shamelessOur youth - joblessOur dress - toplessOur attitude - carelessOur conduct - worthlessOur feelings -

Corruption and Communion

Fr. Albert Alejo, S.J., EHEM Anti-Corruption Movement initiator and moving spirit, came up with a Lenten reflection that aims at fighting corruption within the Church. His advocacy is anything but unimportant, for we who read the Word of God must "believe what we read; preach what we believe, and practice what we preach." Though done independently and planned well ahead, the timing of its

Friday, February 8, 2008

Live from the Bastusang Pambansa

The tragi-comedy that happened at the House of Representatives several evenings ago have been described in a variety of ways. Administration congressmen, led by the 2 sons of the President ganged up on de Venecia faster than he could say: "Back off!" However, much as Malacañang wanted a "quieter" transition, de Venecia also made sure he delivered a stinging farewell speech against the President,

Why condom ads should be regulated

Finally, a saner, more rational way to explain why condom ads should be regulated.The discussion on condoms and AIDS prevention is unfortunately being dominated by forces at the extreme ends of the liberal-conservative divide. There is a burgeoning population problem in our country, and there is no sense in denying it or saying that we are better off than most 1st world countries who now face the

The bishops, between center and periphery

yet another comment on the latest CBCP statement "Reform your lives..." this time, John Nery takes issue with the bishops' convenient manila-provinces dichotomy. while it is good policy for the Church not to easily intervene in politics, esp in light (or should we say darkness?) of recent events, still it is also bad policy to stay at the sidelines while the rest of the country suffers from the

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Farewell to a Saintly Priest

+ Father George TitherRedemptorist Confessor, Spiritual Director & Friend to manyPere Tither est mort! Vive Pere Tither! DIOCESAN CIRCULAR NO. 04, Series of 2008To: All Clergy, Religious and Lay FaithfulRe: (+) Rev. Fr. David Januarius Tither, CSsR Your Reverences, Brothers and Sisters in Christ:Peace in the Lord!May I inform you that REV. FR. DAVID JANUARIUS “GEORGE” TITHER, CSSR,